390 



FRANCISCO JOZE. 



them, and that he was innocent I verily believe. 

 However I did not think so then, consequently 

 this circumstance, and his wish to leave me 

 with a man whom I knew to be very unprin- 

 cipled, for I had lately had information respect- 

 ing him from other quarters ; and above all, the 

 suspicion that they had come at an hour when 

 few persons were about me, under the impression 

 that being alone I should be induced to accede 

 to their demands, caused us to part on bad 

 terms. They went their way towards Maran- 

 guape, and I had some hopes that all would 

 have continued quite. However in the after- 

 noon, about half an hour before the close of the 

 day, the manager came to tell me that Francisco 

 Joze, the Indian who was in my debt, had 

 passed through the field, accompanied by his 

 wife, Julio, and a number of other Indians. 

 Thus he had determined to go in defiance of 

 any right which I might have to his services, or 

 to demand payment of what he owed me, and 

 in breach of promise given to me only a few 

 hours before. Several other labourers were 

 also indebted to me, and if this man was, with- 

 out remark, permitted to make his own terms, 

 I knew not who might choose to do likewise. 



My horse was brought out; I beckoned to 

 Manoel, my constant companion, and calling to 

 some freemen, who had returned from their 

 work, and were now talking together in a 



