Among my new neighbors I found eight runaway negro slaves who had deserted from the Island of St. Andreas, in canoes, a distance of about two degrees, and took refuge here. To make the reader understand the tragic scenes that follow, I shall describe them by giving the names of the tribes they belonged to in their native country. Two of them being called Jim, I shall be obliged to attach to the name of each that of the tribe to which he belonged, to distinguish the parties.

The English traders from Jamaica, who have monopolized the trade of this country, frequently visit this place, stopping at St. Andreas and Corn Island on their passage. They are often commissioned to apprehend runaway slaves, return them to their masters, and receive their rewards. These negroes were well apprised of this custom, and took great precaution to arm and defend themselves if they were attacked. On the arrival of any English vessel in the harbor, they retreated to the woods and remained until the vessel left the port before they made their appearance among us again, when they returned to the house which they occupied when I first landed in the place, situated about fifty rods from my store. When they went upon any excursion they were each armed with a loaded musket and plenty of ammunition, determined never to be taken prisoners alive. In addition to their armament, they purchased from me five cutlasses, which they ground very sharp and carried with them daily. Scotland and Jim belonged to the Ebo tribe in Africa, their native country. Moody and the other Jim to the Mandingo tribe in the same country; another negro, named Prince, was a native of Jamaica. Scotland had a daughter with him, Moody and Mandingo Jim, both had their wives with them. There always appeared a national antipathy existing between the Ebo and Mandingo negroes, which caused many disputes between them. Prince always tried to remain neutral between the parties, often acting as umpire in the settlement of their difficulties. On the arrival of any vessel, or any dangerous report, they compromised all their private quarrels and united for the common defence.

The negroes soon discovered that I had no means to annoy them, and that the English traders were very jealous of me as a trespasser on their exclusive right to trade here, I being the first American who had attempted to open a trade with the Indians within the last fourteen years. These negroes soon commenced trading with me, having fifty or sixty dollars in money, and earnestly solicited my friendly aid, by informing them of any plot I should discover from the English traders, or the Mosquito king's officers to apprehend them, promising on their part to sell me all the tortoise-shell they could catch, and purchase all their goods from me. I readily ratified the treaty for my own safety. To use an old adage, "Those who live in glass houses must never throw stones."

My goods were poorly protected against robbers, my store being covered on the outside with thin slips of wood, resembling lath wove together like a basket and admitting light through the spaces sufficient to read or write without windows. A man could kick a hole through it in two minutes.

Soon after I purchased a mahogany canoe, made a sail to fit her, and took a number of excursions to the neighboring villages, purchasing shell, gum, &c. It frequently happened that I did not see a white man in two or three weeks. The negroes often got alarmed by hearing false reports about their apprehension, and finding that I sometimes did not reach home until after dark, they came to my store and requested me to wear a white chip hat when I went on any excursion, or appeared out after dark, that they might know me, as they had agreed to shoot any strange white man who should approach them in the night. I complied with their request for my own safety. I have frequently called at their house in the night to procure a light, always calling them by name before I approached their door, and always found them laying on their arms, ready to repel any attack.

Some weeks after, my landlord purchased from me a quantity of goods, and I advanced him about six hundred dollars in cash, which he agreed to pay me in tortoise-shell, at two dollars per pound, it being worth at that time seven dollars in New-York. He embarked in a large canoe on a trading voyage, along the southern coast of that country, a distance of about two degrees. Most of the able-bodied men of this and the neighboring villages fitted themselves out for a three months' voyage to the southward, to catch turtle. After they had all embarked I found there was no male inhabitant left except myself, my five negroes, two or three old infirm Indians, and a whole village of women and children. The negroes gave me the title of governor, and agreed to submit to such laws as I should prescribe for them. One of the laws I passed was to sell them only one bottle of rum per day, which they agreed to, and behaved themselves well for two or three weeks, caught some shell, and sold it to me. Ebo Jim I found to be a good marksman with a gun, and I furnished him often with powder and shot, with which he killed a great many wild parrots for me to eat, from which I had a number of good meals.

After a few weeks the negroes imagining there was a plot laid to entrap them, agreed to retire to a house they had found in the woods, where they thought themselves secure, and live in peace together. Scotland, Moody and the two Jims, took their leave of me and departed. Prince, the neutral negro, remained in the village. He was a coarse carpenter, and made some tables and sundry little articles for the Indians, and had many friends among them. Scotland and his party visited me two or three times after they had gone to their new habitation, and were supplied with their one bottle of rum per day, according to agreement, when they would depart peaceably to their new home. The fourth time they visited me they asked me for their bottle of rum, as usual, which was furnished them. They then left for a short time and returned with a request that I would fill the bottle again for them, which I refused to do, by telling them it was a breach of our agreement; but on their promising me faithfully if I would let them have another bottle they would not broach it until they got home, I filled it; they left, and as I supposed, had gone home. About one hour after, a number of women and children appeared at my door, where I had laid myself down in my hammock, reading, and making a most hideous noise, called on me to come out, as Scotland was killing Moody. I ran as fast as I could until I came near to the combatants, when I saw Scotland thrust his cutlass into the thick part of Moody's thigh, near the bone, the point running at least one foot through. Moody being vanquished, Mandingo Jim, his comrade, then rushed forward with cutlass in hand and struck at Scotland's head, who dodged the blow, at the same time returning a blow with his cutlass which struck Jim near the wrist, severing his hand from his arm, leaving it hanging by a small string of skin and flesh. Ebo Jim then ran into the battle with his gun cocked to shoot down his conquered adversaries, when I interfered, and by threats and persuasion prevented any further effusion of blood. The battle being ended, I proposed to cut off the wounded hand, but my opinion was overruled by the company, who decided, to use their own language, that "The hand could be mended up again." My landlord's oldest wife, whose name was Sally, and who was considered a great doctress among the inhabitants of this region of country, procured some splinters of wood, dressed the wound with wild honey and bound it up, Sally acting as head surgeon among the company. I furnished them with candles, which they made great use of as salve to dress the wounds. On the third morning after, Sally came to my store and told me that Jim's hand was all spoiled, that she had ground up her butcher knife to cut it off. She repaired to the room and requested Jim's wife to open the wound that she might dress it, which she complied with. Sally instantly drew her knife, which was concealed behind her, and cut the hand off, to the great surprise of all the spectators. She continued the application of honey and tallow for three or four weeks, when Jim so far recovered as to be able to shoot parrots for me again. After the battle, Scotland and Ebo Jim retired to their habitation in the woods, and in the course of three or four weeks Moody and Mandingo Jim removed to Bigman's Bank, about two miles from this place.

Triangular fight between three Colored Men.

A few weeks after, Moody and his partner Jim came to my store on some errant. My provisions getting short, I agreed to accompany them home to Bigman's Bank and procure a fresh supply of such articles as I stood in need of. I got on board of their canoe, which had but two seats, and placed myself by the side of Moody, who commenced a long negro story which absorbed our attention. On the way I discovered a pelican sitting in a tree near by, and called on Jim to shoot it; he drew up his gun and cocked it: at that instant the pelican flew from the tree before he had time to fire: the old negro laid his gun down on the seat along side of us, and proceeded on with his long story, carelessly holding his hand over the muzzle. By some accidental movement, unobserved by me, the gun was discharged, and having a lead slug in it, cut a large piece of flesh from the thick part of his hand, and took off three of his fingers, leaving them hanging by small pieces of skin. We made the best way we could to the village, where I procured a pair of scissors and severed the fingers from the hand.

Some time after, another report was circulated that some of the king's officers had received orders to arrest these negroes, which gave them great alarm. Ebo Jim implored me to write to Mr. Ellis, my old friend, begging his protection until he could procure a passage back to his former owner, which Mr. Ellis readily granted, and making me a visit soon after, he took Jim home with him and afterwards sent him back to his former mistress. I was much pleased to see Mr. Ellis, he being the first white man I had seen within the last three weeks.

Moody, Mandingo Jim and Scotland, had a meeting soon after, and agreed to forgive and forget all their former difficulties and return to their old retreat for safety, and there unite for the defence of each other. All their former contests being settled, I advised them to retire and live peaceably together, and not annoy me or the Indians any more with their private quarrels, which they faithfully promised to adhere to.

I now employed myself cheerfully in reading and other amusements for a few days, when suddenly an Indian called at my door and told me that Scotland wanted me to come down to the landing place, that he was lying in his canoe badly wounded. I repaired to the place, where I found his sail spread over his canoe, and he lying on the bottom. I perceived that the blood had covered the whole bottom of the canoe, apparently one inch or more deep. On examination of his body I found he had received a large charge of shot in his right breast, which had cut out about one pound of flesh; and another in his thigh, which had severed the bones, and cut the flesh to pieces in the most shocking manner. I asked him how this misfortune happened to him. He answered me by saying, "Captain, Jim and Moody do me too bad. This morning Jim and me go a hunting together, we come home about eleven o'clock, I feel tired and lay down on my crawl and go to sleep; first I know, I hear a gun go pow, I look at the door and see Jim stand there, I say, 'Jim, see what these Indians do me;' Jim say, Moody give it to him, Moody fire his gun and break my thigh, and then both run away and left me. By and by one Indian come, and I give my gun to paddle me here to see you. Now I want you to get Sally and the other woman to mend me up again."

I called on my hospitable Sally, who hastily declared she would not try to mend Scotland up, or have him left in the village, and I must send him back to his house in the bush: if she should mend him up again he would kill Moody and Jim, and that she would have no farther trouble with these negroes. There being no white person to advise with, I called Prince, the neutral negro, and told him he must take Scotland back to his house, help him on his crawl or bed, set a calabash of water within reach, and leave him. Prince hesitated some about obeying my orders, but by persuasion and some reward, he embarked in the canoe and paddled him back to his house, helped him into it, placed him on his crawl, and at his request built a fire, set water within his reach, loaded his gun, and placed ammunition near him, for he was determined to defend himself as long as he had breath.

After they had departed, I sat down on the beach and reflected on the forlorn situation of this unfortunate desperado. He well knew he must die from his wounds, or be murdered by Moody and Jim, or destroyed by tigers, his hut having no doors to protect him from wild beasts. When Prince returned I asked him if he had any conversation with Scotland on the passage. He replied, "Yes, I told Scotland that Moody and Jim would kill him this night. He replied, then they will say, there is a man dead."

At night I retreated to my lodgings in my store, where I slept for the protection of my property. At this time I had learned that the English traders on the coast had held a meeting and entered into an agreement, pledging themselves never to carry me, nor take any letters to Jamaica or elsewhere, to help me to get away from this coast. Having no white friends to console me, and being more than two thousand miles from my family and friends, I retired to bed with solitary feelings. Not having much inclination for sleep, I remained awake until about twelve o'clock, when I heard the report of a gun, which I imagined had ended the tragedy.

At daylight I arose and called on an old negro who had resided here with his family many years, the Indians called him darmer, equivalent to grandfather in the English language, who conducted me to Scotland's hut. I found the old negro laying dead on his crawl, or bed, a musket ball having passed through his body. Having met Moody and Jim, before our arrival at Scotland's house, I compelled them to go back with me. I accused them with having committed the murder, and endeavored to impress upon their minds the enormity of the crime. They denied the firing of the last fatal shot, by saying, Scotland had tied the trigger of his gun to the side of his house, placed the muzzle against his side, and by pulling the gun discharged the contents, becoming his own executioner. I selected a place to bury the remains of the old negro, but having no shovels to dig with, we were obliged to use wooden paddles, my only help being Moody and Jim, and they both cripples, we made but slow progress. Soon after Prince arrived, when I sent him to an Indian house some distance from the place, to borrow a hoe, to assist in digging the grave. The woman of the house refused to lend it, saying, "Her daughter was sick, and if she lent the hoe to dig a grave the doctor or sookerman, who attended her, would forsake the house if he knew the hoe had been used for that purpose." We finally succeeded in digging two or three feet deep, when I sent home and got a saw and cut Scotland's canoe in two pieces, then placing the corpse between them, put him, together with all his clothes in the grave, according to the custom of the country. Previous to interring the corpse, I offered to give away his clothes, but no person would accept of them, because the owner was dead. The funeral ceremonies being ended, I returned home, hoping to enjoy some repose after the long annoyance from these negroes.

Fresh reports were soon circulated that the king had commissioned one of his officers, called Sambo Tom to arrest Moody and Jim. They hearing of this report, determined to leave this part of the country, and pass through a border settlement inhabited by a tribe of Indians called the Woolwas, adjoining the Spanish settlements, and seek protection from the Spaniards. Sambo Tom pursued, but not daring to arrest them himself, he employed the Woolwas to do so. The negroes having arrived among the Woolwas, hired some of them to transport them in their canoes to the Spanish settlements; but being well armed, and having plenty of ammunition, the Indians were afraid to attack them, and therefore professed great friendship, agreeing to convey them where they wished to go. Two canoes joined in this expedition, and while passing a fall in the river the Indians upset the one containing the negroes, which wet their guns and ammunition, when the Indians in the other canoe threw their lances and killed them in the water. Their wives were given up to their former owners at St. Andreas.

Little did I think when I landed in this country among a mixed race of Indians, that I should find some blood relations, so called by the natives, among them. An Indian woman, calling her name Sally Bryant, the wife of Scipio, one of the king's quarter-masters, called on me and told me she was a blood-relation of mine, and claimed some present as an acknowledgment of it on my part. I asked her what evidence she had of our relationship. She replied, "That her father was an American." The argument was so conclusive that I did not think it necessary to contradict it, but gave her some small presents, which were well repaid. Sally often volunteered to assist me in selling my goods, and brought me many customers by saying to the Indians, "My countryman's goods are better and cheaper than them Englishman's, and he no rogue, like them English traders."

Soon after, a Curracoa man arrived from Bluefields, one of the wealthiest men of that place, who brought a message from his wife, known by the name of Mrs. Peggy, requesting me to furnish her with some goods to sell on commission, and she would deal honestly by me, having heard of my misfortune in losing my vessel, &c. that she wanted to see me very much, and pitied me more because I was a relative of hers, her father being an American. I forwarded Mrs. Peggy two or three hundred dollars' worth of goods to sell on commission, the greatest part of which she sold, made good returns, and I found her more honest than white relations generally are in their trade with each other.