Ivi 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
succeeded to the government. Prior, however, to 
my going into the interior, I paid some visits to 
different friends residing up the river Demerara. 
About this period, an English gentleman of my ac- 
quaintance had been outlawed, on account of a cer- 
tain bill transaction. It was said that the party who 
had caused his disgrace had acted fully as much 
through private pique, as through a love of justice. 
Indeed, the character of his principal accuser was 
none so good ; and one might have said to him with 
truth, 
" Stamina de nigro vellere facta tibi." 
But this man held a high official situation, and it 
was as the seven-fold shield of Ajax to him. The 
unfortunate gentleman (for a gentleman he was in 
manners and appearance) was skulking up the river 
Demerara, in order to escape from the colony by 
the first favourable opportunity. The governor had 
offered 500/. for his apprehension. To add to his 
misfortunes, he was sorely afflicted with a liver com- 
plaint ; and, when he at last fell in with me, he told 
me that he had gone from place to place for three 
weeks in quest of me, that I might bleed him, as he 
dared not entrust himself to a surgeon, on account 
of the proclamation which was out against him. We 
were at breakfast, about twenty miles up the river 
Demerara, at the house of a gentleman who knew 
how to pity those in distress, when a negro came 
into the room, and informed us that a tent-boat 
with four oars was approaching. I looked out of 
the window, and saw the officers of justice in it. 
Not a moment was to be lost. I directed our 
