Of Captain A T E R T. 59^ 



.with his own Wives, Slaves and Dependants, like 

 ji feparate Prince \ and as Power and Plenty na- 

 turally beget Contention, they fometimes quarreK- 

 led with one another, and attacked each other at 

 the Kead of their feveral Armies ^ and in thefe 

 civil Wars, many of them were killed^ but an Ac- 

 cident happened, which obliged them to unite 

 again for their common Safety. 



It muft be obferved that thefe fudden great Men,' 

 had uled their Power like Tyrants, for they grew 

 wanton in Cruelty, and nothing was more com- 

 mo <, than upon the flighteft Difpleafure, to caufe 

 one o^ their Dependants to be tied to a Tree and 

 Ihot thro' the Heart, let the Crime be what it 

 wmil 1, whether little or great, this was always 

 the Puniihment v wherefore the Negroes confpi- 

 red together, to rid therafelves of thefe Deftroyers, 

 all in one Night and as they now lived leparate, 

 the Thing might eafily have been done, had not a - 

 Woman, who had been Wife or Concubine to one 

 of them, run near twenty Miles in three Hours, 

 to difcover the Ma- ter to them : Immediately upon 

 the Alarm they ran together as fail: as they could, 

 lo that when the Negroes approached them, they 

 found them all up in Arms wherefore they r^etired 

 without making any Attempt. 



This Efcape made them very cautious from that 

 Time, and it will be worth while to defcribe the 

 Policy of thefe brutilh Fellows, and to Ihew what 

 Meafures they took to (ecure themfelves. 



They found that the Fear of their Power could not 

 fecure them againft a Surprize, and the braveft Man 

 maybe kill'd when he is afleep, by one much his infe- 

 rior in Courage and Strength , therefore, as their 

 firft Security, they did all they could to foment 

 War betwixt the neighbouring Negroes, remaining 

 Neuter themfelves, by which Means, thofe who 

 were overcome conftantly fled to them for Pro- 



tedion. 



