384 



MIDNIGHT ASSASSINS. 



night late, a mulatto man, who resided at .) t - 

 guaribe, knocked at my door, and told me that 

 he had just arrived from a visit to a neighbour- 

 ing cottage, and that on the way three men had 

 come out upon him, and had commanded him 

 to stop ; but on seeing him alone, they had 

 retreated. I had had some intimation of what 

 I was to expect, and immediately supposed by 

 whom these persons must have been sent, and 

 for whom the blow was intended. I called two 

 Indians and my faithful slave Manoel, and ac- 

 companied by these, and the mulatto man who 

 had given me the information, I set off' towards 

 the spot. They were gone, — but we pursued ; 

 however, before we reached the nearest plan- 

 tation, we heard the heavy gate of its field shut 

 to ; therefore it was useless to proceed farther, 

 for the persons, whosoever they were, had 

 reached a place of safety. Upon this path re- 

 sided the families of the neighbourhood with 

 whom I was the most intimate, and it was well 

 known that I sometimes returned home at a 

 late hour. This was a turbulent district in 

 which I had fixed my residence. Some of the 

 owners of the plantations around were perpe- 

 tually squabbling, and I had been led into the 

 same way of proceeding ; indeed, if I had not 

 done so, I should have been trampled upon. 

 The slaves of Paulistas and of Timbo were con- 

 stantly at war ; and the owners of the plant- 



