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.

[Illustration: 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 h