'you're the fellow that wanted that girl for a wife. I wish Mr Sexton had bought her, and then the loss would have fallen on his shoulders. Well, you may take her now, and bury her, or marry her-whichever you like Begone, I don't want you.' "I hurried home, equally afflicted at the death of Sabrina, and enraged by the inhuman insults I had received from her master. When I had come within a little distance of the house, I observed Mr Sexton and his daughter walking towards me. 'How do you do, Manuel?' cried he, in that style of derision which he always assumed when infuriated with passion-I hope your walk has been a pleasant one. Be so good as suggest what improvements ought to be made on this estate. Do the crops look well!-Slave! baboon! imp of the devil! where have you been?' "I made no reply, but looked to Miss Sexton. She coloured, and cried, 'What does the wretch mean by looking at me? You surely do not say that I sent you any where. Answer me,' vociferated her father, raising his cane. Miss Sexton will inform you,' returned I. This is beyond my patience !' exclaimed she. 'I'll tell you how it is, father-he has been paying a visit to Sabrina, notwithstanding your orders to the contrary, and wishes to make you believe that I sent him somewhere -Manuel, say instantly if you saw Sabrina this morning. Yes,' answered I, 'I did, but'- None of your buts, you equivocating villain!' interrupted my master. Stung with indignation at Miss Sexton's ingratitude, I cried, 'Your daughter sent me with a letter to Mr Lusher. What! you give us the lie then?' replied Mr Sexton, striking me over the head. I returned the blow with my fist, and he fell flat upon the ground. "Miss Sexton shrieked loudly, and the overseer, followed by several slaves, hastened towards me with a drawn cutlass in his hand. I made no resistance, and was immediately seized and bound. My master received very little injury from the blow, but his lips quivered with rage; and having given orders that I should be put in confinement, he walked toward the house crying out, < Struck by a slave! struck by a slave! -It is impossible! Am I dreaming?Does God Almighty really permit this? A slave! a black! a negro !-Strike me-a noble Carolinian! Is there a law to punish this? Law-nonsense-Tortures, death, eternal curses!' "I was immediately thrown into a dark apartment in a large store-house, and remained there all night without being visited by any one. In the morning the overseer took me out, and made one of the negroes flog me severely, in presence of Mr. Sexton and his daughter. My sufferings were dreadful. In short, I was indicted for striking my master, and tried,and found guilty. You know the punishment which the law awards in such cases-It was inflicted upon me.-They cut off my right hand! they cut off my right hand!" Here Manuel stretched out the mutilated arm, and sobbed convulsively. "But thank God I've another," continued he vehemently; "and may it never be better employed than in resenting the tyranny of slave-masters. Oh! that every negro in the Southern States would risk the loss of his right hand by doing what I have done! then would we prove that our race was not made to be trampled upon-but let me proceed. "I was confined in jail for 3 months, and then sent back to my master. I anticipated a life of wretchedness, and was not mistaken. Scarcely a day passed, in the course of which Mr. Sexton did not find an excuse for punishing me. As the want of my hand rendered me unable to do the duties of a house-servant, I was employed in tending the cattle, and thus had many opportunities of conversing with my fellow-slaves who worked out of doors. I confided my thoughts to three of them,who seemed willing to attempt the execution of any project, however daring. In short, we determined to burn our master's house, and spent much time in planning how we could best effect this without the risk of being discovered. "At last we fixed upon a time for our revenge. It was a holiday among the negroes, who were all amusing themselves in various ways on different parts of the estate. My master was dining with a planter in the neighbourhood: and as part of his road lay through retired forest, we resolved to intercept him on his way home, lest his presence there should prove any hindrance to the success of our scheme. "We had, at different times, placed combustibles in those parts of his house and offices that were least exposed to observation. About 8 in the evening we set fire to them, and then hastened to the wood, and stationed ourselves among the trees which bordered the road. We had scarcely waited half an hour when we saw smoke beginning to ascend from the house, which was nearly a mile distant, and heard a tumultuous noise of voices. I gazed and listened with silent satisfaction, till my master made his appearance. He was in a gig, and a negro rode on horseback behind him. Two of my companions seized the reins of the horses, and, assisted by a third, I dragged Mr. Sexton out of his carriage. He was almost speechless with indignation and terror, and doubtless supposed that I intended murdering him. He soon began to entreat for mercy in the most abject manner, solemnly promising that he would grant me my freedom if I allowed him to go home unmolested. You may well desire to be at home,' said I Look to the south.-Ha,' cried he,' what do you mean?-Desperate wretch, have you taken your revenge already?-My house is on fire !-But if I cannot punish you, others will suffer for this!' "We now bound him to a tree, with his face towards the conflagration, which had evidently increased very much. A bright glare of light extended far over the sky, and tinged the tops of the trees like the setting sun; volumes of smoke rose from two different spots; we heard the negroes shouting confusedly; and the crackling, crashing, and thundering of timbers falling to the ground, announced that the work of destruction made furious progress. inhabited place. The want of my hand rendered my appearance too remarkable to allow me to hope that I would escape notice. I need not describe the hardships we encountered during our journey. In two days we reached the coast, where we stole a boat, and put out to sea, intending, if possible, to elude any search that might be made for us. We soon fell in with a pirate, who immediately took us on board, and I gradually acquired some knowledge of seamanship. We cruized about for a considerable time, and got a great many prizes, but our vessel at last became so generally known, that the Captain could not continue to sail her without running much risk of being captured. He therefore went into a port in one of the West India Islands, and managed to get her sold. He paid his crew very generously, and by means of his bounty, and a series of fortunate accidents, I was enabled to purchase this schooner, and to commence pirate myself. My mode of life is far from being an agree able one, and I have as yet made but little of it. However, I have a more exalted object in view than mere gain. You must not judge of my character by that of the persons with whom you see me surrounded. I am well aware that my crew is composed of the lowest and most debased part of society, and often feel ashamed of the concessions I am obliged to make them. They consider themselves on an equality with me, and will not submit to any kind of discipline, beyond what mutual security and selfpreservation render necessary. But I value and endure them only in so far as they are the means of forwarding my views. I would consider it an insult to be classed with such desperadoes." Here Manuel ceased speaking. did not venture to make any comments upon his story, and we sat in silence till the men came to the side of the river with a large quantity of firewood. We immediately took it on board the boat, and rowed down the stream, and reached the schooner a short time before dawn. At sunrise we weighed anchor, and put to sea again. "Having secured the negro-man in the same way as Mr Sexton, and tied the horses lest they should go to the house, and be the means of inducing the people there to set out in quest of my master, we left them, and plunged into the recesses of the forest. We Next day, while walking the deck, travelled all night towards the sea-shore, I heard one negro say to another, "Mark, but did not venture to pass through an what was that you was telling me about Cæsar having been hanged at Baltimore?"-"Why, only that he was hanged," replied Mark. "When I was last ashore, I heard so from one who had read it in a newspaper." "What did they make him swing for?" inquired the first, whose name was Mendez. "Did he look sulky at his master, break a wine-glass, or bring him a knife when he wanted a fork ?" -"No, no, he did nothing so bad as that," replied Mark, laughing." He was a cruizer, like our Captain, and meeting with a vessel, he went on board, and helped himself to some biscuit and rum, and a little hard cash. Her crew wished to put him on short allowance, but he took what he wanted in spite of them all. He was afterwards caught by a Yankee ship-of-war, and carried to Baltimore. The folks there found him guilty of piracy, as they called it, and hanged him and some of his crew besides." against us. I'll bet you we'll kill five whites for every negro that is hanged." "Ay, and more too, if we choose," said Mark. "Oh, we've a merry time ."—of it,for most people think that we blacks do not deserve to live, unless we are slaves and beasts of burden. Faith, I'm getting tired of a sea-life. If Í could but scrape together 400 dollars, I would give up cruizing, and go to St. Domingo."-" Why you could have made that sum when you was last in Charleston," returned Mendez.-"How so?" inquired his companion-"Wasn't you advertized as an outlaw?" said Mendez-"Wasn't there a price set upon your life? you should have cut off your head and carried it to the magistrates, and demanded the sum that they offered for it."-" Damn it now, Mendez, don't begin to run me," cried Mark laughing, "I would have been a pretty figure without a head upon my shoulders." "Ah," returned the other, We had now been cruizing about for nearly three weeks, without ever seeing a vessel. The mental and bodily inaction which had characterised the course of my life during that period, were very depressing, and I began to wish for the appearance of a ship, almost as ardently as the crew, though from totally different motives. "Why, I think," said Mendez, "he" if you ever had one upon them, you had a right to taste the rum, if he had would not have let slip such a good ophelped to make as much of it as you portunity of making money." and I have done. We negers have a pretty time of it. They won't let,us live by land or by water. I wonder if we could please our masters by flying in the air? Why, now, wasn't Cæsar hanged for what we've been doing?" -"To be sure he was," returned Mark; "we must keep a sharp look-out. I guess our best plan will be to hinder any one from ever becoming witness against us." -"How can we manage that?" demanded Mendez." Why, by pinking a hole in the bottom of our prizes, and making those on board of them drink our healths in salt-water," said Mark. "Dead men tell no tales, you know." -"Well, I conclude it our only way," replied Mendez, "though I should feel a little strange about sending a crew of white men to hell in a moment.". "Why, they must all go there at last, you fool," returned Mark; "think of the floggings you've got."-" Ha, your words sound in my ear like the crack of a whip," cried Mendez. "But I wonder the Yankees don't know better than to hang us for being pirates. They can't suppose that we'll be soft now as to let away the people who fall into our hands, and so give them a chance of informing Manuel neither seemed to feel much weariness nor impatience. He spent most of his time upon deck, and when the navigation of the schooner did not require his attention, he lay along the companion, basking in the sun, and smoking a segar. He sometimes entered into familiar conversation with the seamen, though, on doing so, his object evidently was to keep them in good humour, rather than to amuse or gratify himself. One morning, Manuel, after having looked through his glass at intervals, during two hours, announced that he saw a vessel off our lee-bow, and gave orders that the deck should be cleared, and the guns got ready for action. Ina moment every thing was bustle and confusion. On the word of command being given, the negroes threw off a large part of their clothes, and dispersed over different parts of the schooner, shouting the lower part of her mainsail; but this not being what he wanted, he aimed again, and disabled her rudder. She was now completely in our pow. er, and we came within 30 yards of her. The boat being lowered down, Manuel, and 15 of his crew, under arms,embarked alongside of the brig, and ascended her gangway without meeting any resistance. TheCaptain immediately advanced towards them, and said, “What right have you to stop me on the high seas ?""Right! right!" returned Manuel; none that I know of-only I'm stonger than you-but shew me your manifest."" That I cannot do," cried the Captain, "unless you promise" to each other, and hurrying through their respective duties with a violence and eagerness which shewed how congenial the prospect of bloodshed, oppression, and plunder, was to their feelings. They soon began to converse gaily and unconcernedly. One talked of the resistance we should probably meet with from the vessel we were in chase of; another jestingly said, "he wished to write his will," and mentioned what articles he intended bequeathing to his companions, should he perish in the conflict; a third complained of the defective state of his wardrobe, and enumerated the additions he hoped to make to it, when the anticipated prize fell into "I'll promise nothing," interrupted our hands. Manuel walked anxiously about the deck, sometimes looking through his glass, and sometimes giving directions to the helmsman. I alone remained unoccupied and unattended to amidst the general activity. The quiescent and monotonous life I had led since I came on board the schooner, had lulled me into a forget fulness of my real situation, all the horrors of which now burst upon my mind with appalling force. I had outlawed myself from society. I was surrounded with wretches, with whom I could have no community of feeling. I was soon to become, as it were, an accomplice in the work of rapine and bloodshed. We might, perhaps, be overpowered by those whom we proposed to attack, and I should be seized and classed with pirates. There was no one to testify my innocence, to prove that I had no connection with the guilty, or to save me from an ignominious death. We soon discovered that the object of our pursuit was a brig of about 200 tons burden. She seemed to suspect what we were, for she made all sail,and began to go large, altho' she had kept very close hauled before perceiving us; but our schooner, being very fast,and to the windward of her, gained upon her every moment. About mid-day, we came within shot of the brig,and Manuel ordered a gun to be fired, as a signal for her to heave to. She paid no attention to it, and her crew seemed to be preparing for defence. He then pointed a cannon himself, and sent a ball thro' Manuel; "yes, yes, one thing; none of you shall be maltreated, unless you offer to oppose my orders."-" Fine conditions,indeed!" exclaimed the Captain; "Be pleased to tell me what you want here"-" Bring me your manifest," replied Manuel," and then I'll inform you. I mean to take whatever part of your cargo I choose, and likewise all the specie on board. Come down to the cabin, I must not be detained.” They now both went below, and the negroes having received a signal from Manuel, ranged themselves on each side of the companion. They had scarcely done this, when a voice requested them to make way, and a gentleman, with a young lady leaning on his arm, and followed by a mulatto woman, came upon deck. They looked around them with an expression of terror and astonishment. The young lady, on seeing the blacks, turned pale, and clung tremblingly to her protector's arm, and said something to him, but in such a low tone of voice, that nothing but the word father was distinguishable. The gen tleman once or twice seemed to be on the point of addressing the negroes, but he suddenly stopped, as if aware that interference was useless. A dead silence prevailed upon deck for some time, but the countenances of the different parties who occupied it, expressed more than words could have done. The females discovered marks of deadening fear; the crew of the brig evidently struggled to resist the impul ses of indignation, and the negroes seemed full of hope and impatience. -The young lady wore a beautiful Indian shawl, and one of the blacks, smiling to his companions, stepped forward and pulled it off her shoulders. Her father, furious at this insult, seized a block that lay near him, and struck the daring wretch upon the face with so much violence, that he staggered back, and nearly fell into the hole. However, he quickly recovered himself, and rushing forwards, plunged his cutlass into the side of his antagonist, who dropped, apparently lifeless, upon deck. The seamen belonging to the brig, could no longer restrain themselves; a loud cry burst from them, and they hastily seized the murderer, and threw him overboard; but being an expert swimmer, he soon gained the surface of the water, and made furiously towards the vessel's side, with flashing eyes and loud curses. The noise of the affray brought the Captain and Manuel from the cabin, and the first object that struck the eyes of the latter was the wounded man welter ing in blood, and supported in the arms of his daughter. "Who did this?" cried Manuel, with a voice half suffocated with emotion. The assassin was standing upon the chains, and endeavouring to climb over the bulwarks, when some one pointed him out. Manuel drew a pistol from his bosom, and fired at the negro's head; the ball took effect. Its victim lost hold of the rigging, sprung convulsively upwards, and fell headlong among the waves. A murmur of applause proceeded from the crew; but the blacks shrunk away with baleful frowns from Manuel, who, turning to the Captain, said haughtily, "This is my discipline!" and then took a paper out of his pocket and began to read. The young lady's father, whose name was Mr. R- was now conveyed to the cabin, and accompanied by his daughter and her attendant, the Mulatto woman. Manuel then ordered his men to lift the hatches, and descended through one of them into the hold. After a little while he returned, and pointed out what articles he wished to have brought upon deck. The negroes set to work, and presently every part of the vessel was covered with bales, casks, and packages, while Manuel walked coolly among them, and selected such as he conceived to be the most useful and valuable. His men would evidently have begun to plunder privately, had they not been restrained by fear; but the instance of their leader's severity which they had just witnessed, seemed to dwell upon their minds, for while occupied in getting out the cargo, they muttered threats, and viewed him with scowling and wrathful looks. Manuel having collected together all the articles he wanted, ordered them to be handed into the boat, which he sent off with part of his men to the schooner. He retained in his hand a bag of specie, and several other things. The boat being unloaded, they returned to take him on board his own vessel, and as he was descending the gangway of the brig, he bowed to her Captain, and said, "I wish you a good voyage, sir." On reaching the schooner, Manuel ordered the crew to hoist up the boat and to bear away; however, the wind was light and baffling, and we made but little progress. I fixed my eyes upon the brig as we gradually receded from her, and reflected upon the unhappy situation of Mr. R- and his daughter, in both of whom I felt powerfully interested. I had several times been on the point of entreating Manuel to allow me to assist the wounded man; but he had always turned away, as if aware of what I intended, and unwilling to render himself chargeable with inhumanity, by refusing to grant my request. I now ventured to address him on the subject. "We cannot part with you," said he; "if we did, it might ruin us all. He who becomes a pirate, must die a pirate. There is no middle course. I fervently hope Mr. R may recover. I have at least executed justice upon his murderer. Perhaps you may think me a murderer myself, but I did no more than was necessary. My crew are not to be restrained except by very terrible means. And yet," continued he, starting, " in my anxiety to save others, I have perhaps brought destruction upon myself. I am guilty of murder; there are plenty of witnesses to prove it.-Oh that both my hands had been cut off, then I could not have committed this rash act, which at once |