RETURN OF A SLAVE. 



23 



month of February, at the arrival of a mulatto 

 slave, who had absconded in November ; he 

 came alone, and without the customary note 

 from some person of my acquaintance, request- 

 ing him to be forgiven. He ascended the steps 

 of the place in which I resided, with perfect un- 

 concern, and with his knife in view and a stick 

 in his hand begged to be pardoned. I desired 

 that some food should be given to him, and he 

 remained in the kitchen during the night. How- 

 ever, I could not help suspecting some evil in- 

 tentions, for I knew he had been staying upon 

 the estate of a man who bore me no good-will. 

 He went off, by my order, in the morning, to 

 assist three free labourers in the work of cutting 

 up some trees that had been felled. I followed 

 him to the ground about ten o'clock, as was my 

 usual custom. I called him to me, under the 

 pretence of wishing to have the curb-chain of 

 my bridle loosened ; he came, and then I put 

 one hand upon his head, and with the other 

 drew a pistol, at the same time desiring him 

 to throw down his hatchet and his knife, which 

 he did. Then I called to two of the freemen, 

 that they might secure him. The mulatto's 

 hands were tied behind his back, and I followed 

 him and his conductors to Amparo, from whence 

 1 wrote to my new friend at Pillar, forwarding 

 the slave to that village. He was there placed 

 in the stocks, until I could dispose of him, which 



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