ourt to court, but was at last
found guilty, and whipped. During my confinement I read the scriptures,
and became a good judge of theology. I had not neglected the criminal
laws for many years before that time. When they turned me loose I was
prepared for anything; I wanted to kill all but those of my own grit;
and I will die by the side of one of them before I will desert.

"My next speculation was in the Choctaw region; myself and brother stole
two fine horses, and made our way into this country. We got in with an
old negro man and his wife, and three sons, to go off with us to Texas,
and promised them that, if they would work for us one year after we got
there, we would let them go free, and told them many fine stories. The
old negro became suspicious that we were going to sell him, and grew
quite contrary; so we landed one day by the side of an island, and I
requested him to go with me round the point of the island to hunt a
good place to catch some fish. After we were hidden from our company I
shot him through the head, and then ripped open his belly and tumbled
him into the river. I returned to my company, and told them that the
negro had fallen into the river, and that he never came up after he went
under. We landed fifty miles above New Orleans, and went into the
country and sold our negroes to a Frenchman for nineteen hundred
dollars.

"We went from where we sold the negroes to New Orleans, and dressed
ourselves like young lords. I mixed with the loose characters at the
_swamp_ every night. One night, as I was returning to the tavern where I
boarded, I was stopped by two armed men, who demanded my money. I handed
them my pocketbook, and observed that I was very happy to meet with
them, as we were all of the same profession. One of them observed, 'D--d
if I ever rob a brother chip. We have had our eyes on you and the man
that has generally come with you for several nights; we saw so much
rigging and glittering jewelry, that we concluded you must be some
wealthy dandy, with a surplus of cash; and had determined to rid you of
the trouble of some of it; but, if you are a robber, here is your
pocketbook, and you must go with us to-night, and we will give you an
introduction to several fine fellows of the block; but stop, do you
understand this motion?' I answered it, and thanked them for their
kindness, and turned with them. We went to old Mother Surgick's, and had
a real frolic with her girls. That night was the c