’The bearer, Gustavus Vassa, has served me several years with strict honesty, sobriety, and fidelity.  I can, therefore, with justice recommend him for these qualifications; and indeed in every respect I consider him as an excellent servant.  I do hereby certify that he always behaved well, and that he is perfectly trust-worthy.

‘CHARLES IRVING.’

Musquito Shore, June 15, 1776.

Though I was much attached to the doctor, I was happy when he consented.  I got every thing ready for my departure, and hired some Indians, with a large canoe, to carry me off.  All my poor countrymen, the slaves, when they heard of my leaving them, were very sorry, as I had always treated them with care and affection, and did every thing I could to comfort the poor creatures, and render their condition easy.  Having taken leave of my old friends and companions, on the 18th of June, accompanied by the doctor, I left that spot of the world, and went southward above twenty miles along the river.  There I found a sloop, the captain of which told me he was going to Jamaica.  Having agreed for my passage with him and one of the owners, who was also on board, named Hughes, the doctor and I parted, not without shedding tears on both sides.  The vessel then sailed along the river till night, when she stopped in a lagoon within the same river.  During the night a schooner belonging to the same owners came in, and, as she was in want of hands, Hughes, the owner of the sloop, asked me to go in the schooner as a sailor, and said he would give me wages.  I thanked him; but I said I wanted to go to Jamaica.  He then immediately changed his tone, and swore, and abused me very much, and asked how I came to be freed.  I told him, and said that I came into that vicinity with Dr. Irving, whom he had seen that day.  This account was of no use; he still swore exceedingly at me, and cursed the master for a fool that sold me my freedom, and the doctor for another in letting me go from him.  Then he desired me to go in the schooner, or else I should not go out of the sloop as a freeman.  I said this was very hard, and begged to be put on shore again; but he swore that I should not.  I said I had been twice amongst the Turks, yet had never seen any such usage with them, and much less could I have expected any thing of this kind amongst Christians.  This incensed him exceedingly; and, with a volley of oaths and imprecations, he replied, ’Christians!  Damn you, you are one of St. Paul’s men; but by G——­, except you have St. Paul’s or St. Peter’s faith, and walk upon the water to the shore, you shall not go out of the vessel;’ which I now found was going amongst the Spaniards towards Carthagena, where he swore he would sell me.  I simply asked him what right he had to sell me? but, without another word, he made some of his people tie ropes round each of my ancles, and also to each wrist, and another rope round my body, and hoisted me up without