Maria, who had been seriously abused, was carried home and put to bed, and her father naturally demanded some explanation of the extraordinary quarrel which had cost him a slave and very nearly a daughter.  The other slaves had no hesitation in recounting what they had seen, or of saying what they thought, and the truth came out.  Annesley’s master was, however, resolved to be certain, and sent him into her room, while he and his wife listened to what passed at the interview.  Their stratagem had the desired success.  They heard their daughter express the most violent passion, which was in no way returned by their slave.  As they could not but acknowledge his honourable feeling and action, they resolved to take no notice of what had passed, but for their daughter’s sake to give him his liberty.  Next day his master accompanied him to Dover; but instead of releasing him—­as he had promised his wife—­sold him to a planter near Chichester for the remainder of his term.

After various ups and downs, he was transferred to a planter in Newcastle county, whose house was almost within sight of Drummond’s plantation.  While in this employ he discovered that he was tracked by the brothers of the Indian girl, who had sworn to avenge her untimely fate, and nearly fell a victim to their rage, having been wounded by one of them who lay in wait for him.  By another accident, while he was resting under a hedge which divided his master’s ground from a neighbouring plantation, he fell asleep, and did not awake until it was perfectly dark.  He was aroused by the sound of voices, and on listening found that his mistress and Stephano, a slave on another farm, were plotting to rob his master, and to flee together to Europe.  Repressing his desire to reveal the whole scheme to his master, he took the first opportunity of informing his mistress that her infamy was discovered, and that if she persevered in her design he would be compelled to reveal all that he had overheard.  The woman at first pretended the utmost repentance, and not only earnestly promised that she would never repeat her conduct, but by many excessive acts of kindness led him to believe that her unlawful passion had changed its object.  Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him either to wink at her misdeeds or gratify her desires, she endeavoured to get rid of him by poison; and an attempt having been made upon his life, Annesley resolved once more to risk an escape, although the time of his servitude had almost expired.

On this occasion he was successful; and having made his way in a trading ship to Jamaica, got on board the “Falmouth,” one of his Majesty’s ships, and declared himself an Irish nobleman.  His arrival, of course, created a great stir in the fleet, and the affair came to the ears of Admiral Vernon, who, having satisfied himself that his pretensions were at least reasonable, ordered him to be well treated, wrote to the Duke of Newcastle about him, and sent