born to Imoinda, and all the negroes, to
the number of 300, came together to celebrate the event. Oroonoko,
beside himself with anger, because his child had been born into slavery,
made a harangue to the assembled multitude.

"Why should we be slaves to these white men?" he cried. "Have they
conquered us nobly in battle? Are we become their captives by the chance
of war? No! We have been bought and sold, like monkeys or cattle, to a
set of cowards and rogues who have been driven out of their own country
by reason of their villainy! Shall we let vile creatures such as these
flog us and bruise us as they please?"

"No, no!" shouted the negroes. "Be our king, Oroonoko, and make us a
free nation!"

Thereupon he commanded them to seize what arms they could, and tie up
everything they wanted in their hammocks, and sling these over their
shoulders, and march out, with their wives and children. The next
morning, when the overseers went to call their slaves up to work, they
found they had fled. By noon, 600 militiamen set out in search of the
fugitives. The negroes were forced to travel slowly by reason of their
women and children; and at the end of two days the militiamen, led by
the new lord-governor, caught them up and surrounded them. In the battle
that ensued, several Englishmen were killed and a great many wounded;
but as they outnumbered the negroes, and were much better armed, they
defeated them. Even then Oroonoko would not surrender. But the
lord-governor parleyed with him, and promised that he would give him and
his wife and child a free passage to Coromantien in the first ship that
touched on the coast.

On this, Oroonoko surrendered. But, to his horror and surprise, he was
taken back to Surinam, and tied to a stake at the whipping-place, and
lashed until the very flesh was torn from his bones. His captors then
bound him in chains, and cast him into a prison. From this, however, he
was at last rescued by Mr. Trefry. But the shame and the torture had
unhinged his fine mind. He led Imoinda and his child into a forest, and
asked his wife whether she would prefer to remain the slave of the white
devils, or die at once by his hand. Imoinda begged him rather to kill
her, and Oroonoko did so. But, instead of putting an end to himself, the
prince determined to die fighting. He turned back from the forest,
fiercely resolved to search out the lord-governor, and slay him; but,
falling into the hands of the militiamen, he wa