hen a shot from pistol struck him
on the knee, and brought him to the ground. Still he struggled bravely;
but the negroes, throwing themselves on him, completely overpowered him,
and he was at once dragged up to the place of execution. Before he had
time to look around, or to offer up a prayer to Heaven, a dozen bullets
had pierced his body, and he who was but lately so full of life and
strength was a pallid corpse! I scarcely like to describe the dreadful
scene. Even now I often shudder as I think of it. I have seen men shot
down in battle--I have beheld numbers struggling in the raging sea,
which was about to prove their grave; but I never saw men in full health
and strength waiting for their coming death without the means of
struggling for life--I have never seen men deprived of life in so cool
and deliberate a way--I have never so surely expected to be deprived
myself of life.

Our numbers had now been dreadfully thinned; the captain, and I, and
three others only remained alive. One of those had become a raving
maniac, his mind had given way under the horror of death; but now he
feared nothing; he laughed the murderers to scorn; with shouts of
derision on his lips he was shot down. The next man was seized: calmly
he walked to the spot, and he likewise fell. Will it be the captain
next, or I, or the only other remaining prisoner? The latter was
seized: he looked up to the bright blue sky; to the green woods, waving
with rich tropical luxuriance of foliage; to the dark faces of the
surrounding multitude; and then at us two, his companions in misfortune;
and I shall never forget the look of anguish and terror I saw there
depicted. He saw no help, no chance of escape; in another instant he
also was numbered with the dead. Then, indeed, my heart sank within me,
for I expected to be like those who were to mortal eyes mere clods of
earth. But instead of seizing me, they approached the captain. Before,
however, they could lay their hands on him, his bonds seemed as if by
superhuman strength to be torn asunder, and up he sprung to do battle
for life! The negroes literally sprung back as they saw him with
amazement, and on he bounded towards their chief. No one tried to stop
him, and in another instant he had thrown his powerful well-knit limbs
so completely around him, that the negro, tall and strong as he was, was
entirely unable to help himself.

While this scene was enacting I remember seeing another tall