f a fight. 'Twas every one for himself, and the Tempest for
us all. The Runaways were well armed, and besides could use their teeth
and nails to better advantage than many a doughty Fighting man can use
his weapons, and clawed and tore at us like Wild Beasts. I doubt not we
should have got the worst of it, but that we were Mounted,--and a Man on
horseback is three times a Footman in a Hand-to-Hand encounter; and
again, that our good friends the bloodhounds, that had been scared
somewhat at the outset, recovered their self-possession, and proceeded
each to pin his Maroon, and to rend him to pieces with great
deliberation. In the end, that is to say, after about twenty-seven
minutes' sharp tussling, Dogs, Horses, and Men were victorious; and, as
we surveyed the scene of our Triumph, the storm had spent its fury. The
black clouds cleared away as suddenly as they had darkled upon us; the
Golden Sun came out, and the dreadful scene was lit up in Splendour.
Above, indeed, it was all Beauty and Peace for Nature cannot be long
Angry. The trees all seemed stemmed and sprayed with glistering jewels;
the moisture that rose had the tints of an hundred Rainbows; the long
grass flashed and waved; the many birds in the boughs began to sing
Hymns of Thankfulness and Joy. But below, ah, me! what a Dreadful scene
of blood and Carnage, and Demoniac revenge, there was shown! Of our band
we had lost three Killed; five more were badly Wounded; and there was
not one of us but had some Hurt of greater or lesser seriousness. We had
killed a many of the Maroons; and the two or three that had escaped with
Life, albeit most grievously gashed, were speedily put out of their
misery. Had we been seeking for Runaway house-servants, we might have
taken prisoners; but with a wild African Maroon this is not serviceable.
The only thing that you can do with him, when you catch him, is to kill
him.

The Dead Bodies of our unfortunate companions were laid across the
sumpter mule's back; but when we came to look for our train of
dependable Negroes, we found that all save three had fled. These did so
very strongly protest their Innocence, and plead their abiding by us as
a proof thereof, that I felt half inclined to hold them blameless. There
were those among us, however, who were of a far different opinion, and
were for lighting a fire of branches and Roasting them into confession.
But there was a Scotch gentleman among us by the name of MacSawby, who,
being