SLAVE Q.UARREL. 



375 



return met with an old acquaintance, a Creole 

 negro ; they quarrelled by the way, and as they 

 came near to where I was residing, the matter be- 

 came serious, and blows were given and received, 

 both of the men being armed with long poles. 

 Simam saw this, took up a drawn sword which 

 was lying upon a chair, and ran out to assist his 

 comrade. I went out to put a stop to the busi- 

 ness, and discovered that Simam had cut an 

 enormous gash in the fellow's head ; the man 

 was brought into the cottage, and his wound was 

 dressed. An acquaintance 0/ mine happened 

 now to come in, and he took charge of the 

 negro, and carried him home to his master. The 

 negro was taking a load of grass for the Go- 

 vernor's horses, who was residing at Monteiro, 

 which is within half a mile of the site of these 

 transactions. Notice would have been taken of 

 the affair immediately, owing to the circum- 

 stance of the negro being employed for the Go- 

 vernor, if His Excellency had not been informed 

 that the offending negroes (for such I consider 

 mine to have been) belonged to an Englishman, 

 upon which no more enquiry was made ; and as 

 it was discovered that the master had nothing to 

 do with the affray, no cognizance was taken of 

 the matter by the military power. If the owner 

 of the wounded slave had chosen so to do, he 

 might have put me to much expense and trouble, 

 for he might have accused my negroes of as- 

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