MA NOEL. 



29 



soon be disturbed. About four o'clock in the 

 afternoon, Francisco, one of my negroes, came 

 running from AmparO, and he said that the 

 people at that place were killing Manoel, who 

 was fighting against a number of persons, by 

 whom he had been attacked. I mounted my 

 horse, and proceeded to the plantation with al! 

 possible haste. I found Manoel tied to the 

 middle of a long cord, of each end of which one 

 man had hold, and these persons were standing 

 in opposite directions for the purpose of keeping 

 the negro at a distance from any one. His face 

 was covered with blood, and his clothes were 

 much torn. I rode up to him, and spoke to 

 him ; he turned round, as if to strike me ; but 

 when he discovered who it was, he cried out, 

 " It is my master, and now I care for no one;" 

 and then he again proceeded in his abuse towards 

 those who had maltreated him. Francisco soon 

 arrived, and I sent Manoel home with him. The 

 overseer of the plantation (for the owner was 

 not at home) chose to take umbrage at some of 

 my people who now arrived, because they were 

 armed. I told him that they were perfectly 

 right in coming prepared for the worst, but that 

 I felt quite confident that not one person pre- 

 sent would think of insulting me or any other 

 white man ; and therefore I sent my people 

 away; he said that I judged correctly of his 

 feelings, and some others stepped forwards to 



