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MO 



A RUNAWAY SLAVE. 



for this, being rather afraid of a return of the 

 ague. Nearly at sun-set, or at the close of the 

 day, which in that country are almost about the 

 same time, the tame sheep was missing \ great 

 search was made for it, but to no purpose. The 

 old man ordered two of his sons to set out, and 

 not to return until every enquiry had been made 

 in the neighbourhood. I did all in my power 

 to prevent giving this trouble, but he per- 

 sisted, saying, " No, you are under my roof! 

 and this unfortunate circumstance may lead 

 you to have an unfavourable opinion of me." 

 Long after dark the young men returned 

 with the sheep and a mulatto man in custody. 

 I wished the man to be released, but they said 

 that this could not be, for he was a runaway 

 slave who had committed many depredations, 

 and for whose apprehension a considerable re- 

 ward was offered by his master. They had fol- 

 lowed the foot-steps of the sheep upon a sandy 

 path as long as the day-light lasted, and then 

 had taken a direction, which they thought might 

 lead to some tnocambos, or huts of the wood, 

 made by runaway slaves. After they had pro- 

 ceeded a little way, the bleating of the sheep 

 was heard, upon which they prepared them- 

 selves, and came suddenly upon this fellow and 

 a woman who were in a hut; the woman escaped, 

 which they regretted, as she was likewise most 

 probably a runaway slave. The man was taken 



