4 
lever be vvip'd off, asof their cruelties vvhen they have advantages, 
— amongftthem, fentforthree-or four of the beft of them, and defir'd 
\ving the diverfities, of their fvvimmings, a Negro maid, vvho vvasnot. 
|there at the beginning of the fport, and therefore heard nothing of 
lwas at one end of the Pond, and clofely funk down into the wa- 
lfromher. But the trick being fo finely and fo clofely done, t beg’d 
j that the Duck might be gus her again, which wasgranted, and the 
{quently planted, as to affordthem enough. So that fome of the high’ 
tto know why they refus’d this favour that was offer'd them; but 
: = s 
FO ec See “ 
‘ A 
of the Iftand of Barbadoes. 
' but that play being forbidden,the duck would make them good fport, 
for they are {tronger Ducks, and better Divers by far than ours : and 
in this chafe, there was much of pleafure, to fee the various {wim 
mings of the Negroes fome the ordinary wayes, upon their bellies, 
fome on their backs ,fome by friking out their right leg and left 
arm, andthen turning onthe other fide, and changing both their 
legandarm, which is aftronger and fwifter way of fwimming , than 
afy of the othets : and while vve vvere feeing this {port , and obfer- 
the forbidding themto dive, put offher peticoat behind a buth, that 
tet, and at one diving got to the Duck, pull’d her under water, 
atid went back again the fame way fhe came to the bufh,all at one dive: 
Weall thought the Duék had div’d : and expected her appearance 
above water, but aothing could be feen, till the fubtilry was difco- 
vered, by 4 Chriftian that faw her goin, and fo the duck was taken 
young girlemuch pleafé segs 
" ‘Though there bea mark fetupon thefe people, which will hardly 
and oftheir fearfulne& and falfenefs5 yet norule fo general but hath 
his acception : forI believe, and I have ftrong motivesto caufe mie to 
be of that perfvvafion, that there are as honelt, faithful, and confcio- 
t f opie mongftth 1, as an {t th feof Ex = 1, OF ny y other r 
pet his He 
sich sic 
Joake Yt Ml aac 
part of the vvorld. enter seg 
= ct acrined = 
- A hint of this, I vvill give you ina lively exantiple ; celal My nied: < 
- l#imevvhen Vidtuals vvere fcarce, and Plantins vvere not then fo fre+ 
fpirited and turbulent among{t them,began to mutiny, and had a plot, 
ecretly to be reveng'd on their Mafter 5 and oneor two of thefe were 
Fitemen that made the fires inthe furnaces, who were never without 
ftore of dry wood by them. Thefe villains, were refolvedto make 
firetofuch part of the boyling-houle, as they were fure would/irethe | 
reft, and GG tit all, and yet feem ignorant of the fact, as a thing done 
by accident. But thisplot was difcovered, by fome of the others 
who hated mifchief,as much as they lov‘d it 5 and.fotradue’d them to} 
their Mafter, and brought in fo many witnefles againft them , as they 
were forc'd to confefs , what they meant fhould have been put in act 
the next night : fo giving them condign punifhment, the Mafter gave 
order to the overteer that the reft fhould have a dayes liberty to 
themfélves.and their wives, todo what they would 5 and withall to 
allow them a double proportion of victual for three dayes, both which 
they refus‘'d : which weall wonder'd at,knowing well how much they 
fov'd their liberties, and their meat, having been lately pinch’d of the 
one, and not having overniuch of the other 5 and therefore being 
doubtful what their meaning wasinthis , fafpeéting fome difcontent 
receiv d} 
| 
