A Voyage to Cacklogallinia | Page 7

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.
The next Morning, a Council was call'd, which breaking up, four
Negroes, who had not behaved well in this last Action, were brought
bound, and laid in the largest Street upon their Backs; all the Women
and Children piss'd upon them; after which, Captain Thomas told 'em,
That the Example they had given, had it been follow'd, must have
ended in the Destruction of 'em all; and tho' their Crime was pardon'd,
and their Lives given 'em, yet they must not hereafter think of being
Freemen, since they did not deserve that Liberty which they were not
zealous in defending; neither cou'd they, after the Disgrace they had
suffer'd, and which they deservedly had brought on themselves, hope
ever to be admitted into the Company of brave Men, were they
exempted from the Slavery to which their Pusillanimity had condemn'd
'em. After this they were sold to the best Bidder. I remember, he who
was sold at the greatest Price, brought no more than Two Dozen of
Fowls and a Kid, to be paid the next publick Festival. The Scout who
had not given timely Advice of the Enemy's Approach, was next
brought out and beheaded; and Three, who run away at the first Attack,
were hang'd. Out-Centinels were placed, and all the Men lay that Night
on their Arms, for Qwanaboa, their Prophetess, foretold another Attack,
which she apprehended wou'd prove their Ruine, if not prevented by
uncommon Vigilance and Bravery.
Four Days pass'd, and none of the Enemy appearing, they began to
recover their Spirits, and grew less cautious; their most advanced
Scouts were recalled, and they imagin'd the English had no Knowledge

of this Village. The Fifth at Night,