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earnestly to behave better in future, and Hercules 

 was suffered to depart : but I am told that no good 

 can be expected of him ; that he is perpetually 

 running away; and that he had been absent for 

 five weeks together before my arrival, and only re- 

 turned home upon hearing that there was a distri- 

 bution of beef, rum, and jackets going forward; in 

 return for all which, he stole my sheep and my 

 poor great turkey-cock. 



But now came the most puzzling business of the 

 day. About four years ago, two Eboes, called 

 Pickle and Edward, were rivals, after being intimate 

 friends : Pickle (who is an excellent faithful negro, 

 but not very wise) was the successful candidate; 

 and, of course, the friendship was interrupted, 

 till Edward married the sister of the disputed 

 fair one. From this time the brothers-in-law lived 

 in perfect harmony together ; but, during the first 

 festival given on my arrival, Pickle's house was 

 broken open, and robbed of all his clothes, &c. 

 The thief was sought for, but in vain. On Monday 

 last I found Pickle in the hospital, complaining 

 of a pain in his side ; and the blood, which had 

 been taken from him, gave reason to apprehend 

 a pleurisy arising from cold; but, as the dis- 

 order had been taken in its earliest stage, nothing 

 dangerous was expected. The fever abated ; the 

 medicines performed their offices properly; still 

 the man's spirits and strength appeared to decline, 

 and he persisted in saying that he was not better 



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