Nor was he long without it.  One day he spied a boat upon the beach, with one man, a negro, standing by it.  Some distance off was a ship, and Oberlus immediately knew how matters stood.  The vessel had put in for wood, and the boat’s crew had gone into the thickets for it.  From a convenient spot he kept watch of the boat, till presently a straggling company appeared loaded with billets.  Throwing these on the beach, they again went into the thickets, while the negro proceeded to load the boat.

Oberlus now makes all haste and accosts the negro, who, aghast at seeing any living being inhabiting such a solitude, and especially so horrific a one, immediately falls into a panic, not at all lessened by the ursine suavity of Oberlus, who begs the favor of assisting him in his labors.  The negro stands with several billets on his shoulder, in act of shouldering others; and Oberlus, with a short cord concealed in his bosom, kindly proceeds to lift those other billets to their place.  In so doing, he persists in keeping behind the negro, who, rightly suspicious of this, in vain dodges about to gain the front of Oberlus; but Oberlus dodges also; till at last, weary of this bootless attempt at treachery, or fearful of being surprised by the remainder of the party, Oberlus runs off a little space to a bush, and fetching his blunderbuss, savagely commands the negro to desist work and follow him.  He refuses.  Whereupon, presenting his piece, Oberlus snaps at him.  Luckily the blunderbuss misses fire; but by this time, frightened out of his wits, the negro, upon a second intrepid summons, drops his billets, surrenders at discretion, and follows on.  By a narrow defile familiar to him, Oberlus speedily removes out of sight of the water.

On their way up the mountains, he exultingly informs the negro, that henceforth he is to work for him, and be his slave, and that his treatment would entirely depend on his future conduct.  But Oberlus, deceived by the first impulsive cowardice of the black, in an evil moment slackens his vigilance.  Passing through a narrow way, and perceiving his leader quite off his guard, the negro, a powerful fellow, suddenly grasps him in his arms, throws him down, wrests his musketoon from him, ties his hands with the monster’s own cord, shoulders him, and returns with him down to the boat.  When the rest of the party arrive, Oberlus is carried on board the ship.  This proved an Englishman, and a smuggler; a sort of craft not apt to be over-charitable.  Oberlus is severely whipped, then handcuffed, taken ashore, and compelled to make known his habitation and produce his property.  His potatoes, pumpkins, and tortoises, with a pile of dollars he had hoarded from his mercantile operations were secured on the spot.  But while the too vindictive smugglers were busy destroying his hut and garden, Oberlus makes his escape into the mountains, and conceals himself there in impenetrable recesses, only known to himself, till the ship sails, when he ventures back, and by means of an old file which he sticks into a tree, contrives to free himself from his handcuffs.