After this Exhortation, and the Departure of those laid in Ambush, he order’d me to go with the Women, Children, and Cuffey, whom he had sent to head the Men he had commanded from the other Village.  I had not been gone a Quarter of an Hour, in which time I was hardly got Half a Mile, before I heard a very warm Firing.  We went still higher up the Mountain, thro’ a very difficult Passage; the Village we were order’d to, was about half a League from that we left, than which it was much larger, and more populous; for here were at least One Hundred and Twenty Houses, and as many able Men, with about four times the Number of Women and Children.

The Alarm had been given them by an Express from Captain Thomas, and we met about half way, near Fifty Negroes arm’d in the manner already mentioned.  They were headed by an old Woman, whom they look’d upon a Prophetess. Cuffey recommended me to her Protection, took upon him the Command of the Men, and return’d, after asking this Beldame’s Blessing, which she gave him with Assurance of repelling the Whites.

The Fire all this while was very brisk, and the old Woman said to me, that she saw those in Ambush run away from the Whites, tho’ she lay with her Face on the Ground. No matter, continued she, let the Cowards perish, the Whites will burn Cormaco (the Village I came from)_ that’s all.  They come again another Day, then poor Negroes all lost._

The Shot continued near two Hours, but not with near that Briskness it began; and the old Woman rising, bid me see the Smoke of Cormaco. Captain Thomas, said she, send away the white Man.

I staid by my Protectress, whom I durst not quit, tho’ I did not like her Company.  About half an Hour after the Shot began, and continued for near that Space pretty brisk, and then ceas’d.  Soon after, we saw a Negro dispatch’d by Captain Thomas, who told us the Whites had burnt Cormaco, but were gone away, and that Captain Thomas was coming.  He appeared not long after with Cuffey, and about Forty other Negroes.  I learn’d from him, that the English, by Fault of their Scouts, had seized the Places where he design’d his Ambushes, kill’d Part of the Men he had sent, and pursued the rest to the Village, where they defended themselves, till the Whites had broke thro’ the back Part of some Houses, and set Fire to the whole Village; that he then retired with his Men up the Mountains, the Whites following him; but he having the Start, while they were busied in burning and plundering, he wheel’d round, and came upon their Backs, and from the Woods and Bushes poured in his Shot; his Men being all well cover’d, the Whites did them no Harm, and thought proper to retire with the Loss of Six Men, and many wounded, for there were Thirty and a Captain.  We have lost, said he, Twenty Two Men, and our Village is burnt.  Soon after, we were join’d by about Forty more Negroes, and we all went to the Village I was order’d to, which they called Barbascouta.