olding 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 t