d were endeavouring to break in the door with it. The captain and the
other gentlemen shot down several who were thus engaged, but still they
persevered; and, as some fell, fresh assailants rushing up, seized the
battering-ram, and continued the work. The door was stout, but we saw
that it was giving way. It began to crack in every direction. Pieces
of furniture and sand-bags were piled up against it, but with little
avail. Each blow shattered a part of it, and soon, with a loud crash,
it was driven in, and the fierce, excited faces of our dark foes were
seen above the barricade formed by the bags, and furniture, and broken
door. Several who attempted to pass over it were shot down, but our
people being now much more than ever exposed to the fire of the enemy,
proportionably suffered. The shot came in thick among us, and one after
the other was wounded.

While the captain and others were defending the breach, the
battering-ram was withdrawn; why, we were not long left in doubt. To
our great horror, the battering, cracking sound was heard in the rear of
the house. Still we were not at once to be defeated, and some of our
party hurried to defend the spot. The attack on the front-door had cost
the negroes so many lives that they were more cautious in approaching
the second; and, when our party began to fire, they retreated under
shelter, leaving the trunk of the tree on the ground. At the same time,
they began apparently to weary of their ill success in front of the
house; for of course they could not be aware that they had killed any of
its defenders. We were thus hoping that they would at length withdraw,
when the whole country in front of us seemed to burst into flame.

"They have set the fields on fire!" exclaimed the planter.

"No, no," said Captain Helfrich; "worse than that--see there? Our watch
is out, depend on that. Not one of us will see another sun arise. So,
my men, let us sally out, and sell our lives dearly."

I looked through one of the loopholes to see what he meant. Emerging
from among the trees came hundreds of dusky forms, each man bearing in
his hand a torch which he flourished wildly above his head, dancing and
shrieking furiously.

I thought the captain's advice would be followed, but it was not. The
rest of the party were either too badly wounded or wanted nerve for the
exploit, and the slaves could not be depended on. All we did was to
guard the battered-in door, and to fire a