re in the midst of their Jollity, one of the Scouts
brought Word, that he had discovered a Party of white Men, who were
coming up the Mountain. The Captain immediately ordered all the Women
and Children to a more remote Village, and sent for the ablest Men from
thence, while he prepared to give the Enemy a warm Reception. Every Man
took a Fusil, a Pistol, and an Axe: Ambuscades were laid in all the
Avenues to the Village; he exhorted his Men to behave themselves
bravely, there being no way to save their Lives, but by exposing them
for the common Safety. He told 'em, they had many Advantages; for the
Whites did not so well, as they, know all the Passages to the Mountain;
and that they could not, at most, march in the widest, above Two
a-breast; that the Way was rugged, troublesome to climb, and expos'd
them to their Fire, while they lay hid in their Ambuscades he had
appointed 'em.

But (said he) were we to meet 'em upon even Terms, yet our
Circumstances ought to inspire Resolution in the most fearful: For,
were any among us of so poor a Spirit, to prefer Slavery to Death,
Experience shews us, all Hopes of Life, even on such vile Terms,
are entirely vain. It is then certainly more eligible to die bravely
in Defence of our Liberty, than to end our Lives in lingring and
exquisite Torments by the Hands of an Executioner. For my Part, I am
resolved never to fall alive into the Hands of the Whites, and I
think every one in the same Circumstances ought to take the same
Resolution.

After this Exhortation, and the Departure of those laid in Ambush, he
order'd me to go with the Women, Children, and _Cuffey_, whom he had
sent to head the Men he had commanded from the other Village. I had not
been gone a Quarter of an Hour, in which time I was hardly got Half a
Mile, before I heard a very warm Firing. We went still higher up the
Mountain, thro' a very difficult Passage; the Village we were order'd
to, was about half a League from that we left, than which it was much
larger, and more populous; for here were at least One Hundred and Twenty
Houses, and as many able Men, with about four times the Number of Women
and Children.

The Alarm had been given them by an Express from Captain _Thomas_, and
we met about half way, near Fifty Negroes arm'd in the manner already
mentioned. They were headed by an old Woman, whom they look'd upon a
Prophetess. _Cuffey_ recommended me to her Protection, took upon him the
Comman