407 



sance ; nor could any remonstrance prevail on 

 them to confine the animals within the village. 

 An order was in consequence issued on a Saturday, 

 that the first four pigs found rambling at large 

 after two days should be put to death without 

 mercy; and accordingly on Monday morning, at 

 the negro breakfast hour, the head governor made 

 his appearance before the house, armed cap-a-pee, 

 with a lance in his hand, and an enormous cutlass 

 by his side. The news of this tremendous appa- 

 rition spread through the estate like wildfire. In- 

 stantly all was in an uproar; the negroes came 

 pouring down from all quarters; in an instant the 

 whole air was rent with noises of all kinds and 

 creatures ; men, women, and children shouting 

 and bellowing, geese cackling, dogs barking, 

 turkeys gobbling; and, look where you would, 

 there was a negro running along as fast as he 

 could, and dragging a pig along with him by one 

 of the hind legs, while the pigs were all astonish- 

 ment at this sudden attack, and called upon heaven 

 and earth for commiseration and protection, — 



" With many a doleful grunt and piteous squeak, 

 Poor pigs ! as if their pretty hearts would break ! " 



From thenceforth not a pig except my own was to 

 be seen about the place ; yet instead of complain- 

 ing of this restraint, several of the negroes came to 

 assure me, that I might depend on the animals 

 not being suffered to stray beyond the village for 



