In about a Fortnight, my Wound was thoroughly cured, and I begg’d of Captain Thomas to let me be directed to the next Plantation.  He promis’d I shou’d, as, soon as he could do it with Safety.  I waited with Patience, for I did not think it just he should, for my sake, hazard his own, and the Lives of his Followers.

About a Week after this Promise, I reminded him of it, and he told me, that a Party from a Neighbour Village being out, he could not send me away:  For shou’d those Men miscarry, he might be suspected of having, by my Means, betray’d ’em to make his own Peace with the Whites; for (said he) the Treachery our People have observed among those of your Colour, has made ’em extreamly suspicious.  I was obliged to seem contented with his Reason, and waited the Return of this Party, which in about ten Days after, came back, laden with Provisions, Kitchen Furniture and Bedding; but the most acceptable part of their Booty, was Two small Caggs of Powder, of Eight Pound Weight each, and near Two Hundred of Lead.  They also brought with ’em the Heads of the Overseer, and the Distiller belonging to Littleton’s Plantation, both white Men, whom they met separately in the Woods.

Captain Thomas now promis’d me, that the next Day I should be guided to Plantane-Garden-River-Plantation, which was no small Satisfaction to me.  I left the Captain at Eleven o’ Clock who gave Orders for the entertaining the Party, and the spending the Day in Merriment.  About Three, when they were in the midst of their Jollity, one of the Scouts brought Word, that he had discovered a Party of white Men, who were coming up the Mountain.  The Captain immediately ordered all the Women and Children to a more remote Village, and sent for the ablest Men from thence, while he prepared to give the Enemy a warm Reception.  Every Man took a Fusil, a Pistol, and an Axe:  Ambuscades were laid in all the Avenues to the Village; he exhorted his Men to behave themselves bravely, there being no way to save their Lives, but by exposing them for the common Safety.  He told ’em, they had many Advantages; for the Whites did not so well, as they, know all the Passages to the Mountain; and that they could not, at most, march in the widest, above Two a-breast; that the Way was rugged, troublesome to climb, and expos’d them to their Fire, while they lay hid in their Ambuscades he had appointed ’em.

But (said he) were we to meet ’em upon even Terms, yet our Circumstances ought to inspire Resolution in the most fearful:  For, were any among us of so poor a Spirit, to prefer Slavery to Death, Experience shews us, all Hopes of Life, even on such vile Terms, are entirely vain.  It is then certainly more eligible to die bravely in Defence of our Liberty, than to end our Lives in lingring and exquisite Torments by the Hands of an Executioner.  For my Part, I am resolved never to fall alive into the Hands of the Whites, and I think every one in the same Circumstances ought