387 



it is extremely dangerous, and forbidden by the 

 law. As I returned home to-day from church, 

 I observed a large smoke at no great distance, and 

 Cubina told me, he supposed that the negroes of 

 the neighbouring estate of Amity were clearing 

 their grounds. " Then they are doing a very wrong 

 thing," said I; "I hope they will fire nothing else 

 but their grounds, for with so strong a breeze a 

 great deal of mischief might be done." However, 

 in half an hour it proved that the smoke in question 

 arose from my own negro-grounds, that the fire 

 had spread itself, and I could see from my window 

 the flames and smoke pouring themselves upwards 

 in large volumes, while the crackling of the dry 

 bushes and brush-wood was something perfectly 

 terrific. The alarm was instantly given, and 

 whites and blacks all hurried to the scene of ac- 

 tion. Luckily, the breeze set the contrary way 

 from the plantations; a morass interposed itself be- 

 tween the blazing ground and one of my best 

 cane-pieces : the flames were suffered to burn till 

 they reached the brink of the water, and then the 

 negroes managed to extinguish them without much 

 difficulty. Thus we escaped without injury, but 

 I own I was heartily frightened. 



April 8. 



This morning I was awaked by a violent cough- 

 ing in the hospital ; and as soon as I heard any of 

 the servants moving, I despatched a negro to ask, 



c c 2 



