lent eating. We asked
him to allow us a gun to procure better food, and he kicked Romer so
unmercifully, that he could not work for two days afterwards. Our lives
became quite a burden to us; we were employed all day on the farm, and
every day he was more brutal towards us. At last we agreed that we
would stand it no longer, and one evening Hastings told him so. This
put him into a great rage, and he called two of the slaves, and ordered
them to tie him to the waggon wheel, swearing that he would cut every
bit of skin off his body, and he went into his house to get his whip.
The slaves had hold of Hastings, and were tying him up, for they dared
not disobey their master, when he said to us, `If I am flogged this way,
it will be all over with us. Now's your time; run back behind the
house, and when he comes out with the whip, do you go in and seize the
muskets, which are always ready loaded. Hold him at bay till I get
clear, and then we will get away somehow or other. You must do it, for
I am sure he will flog me till I am dead, and he will shoot you, as
runaway prisoners, as he did his two Hottentots the other day.' As
Romer and I thought this very probable, we did as Hastings told us; and
when the Dutchman had gone towards him where he was tied up, about fifty
yards from the house, we went in. The farmer's wife was in bed, having
just had an addition to her family, and the children we cared not for.
We seized two muskets and a large knife, and came out just as the
Dutchman had struck the first blow with the rhinoceros whip, which was
so severe, that it took away poor Hastings' breath. We went up; he
turned round and saw us: we levelled our muskets at him, and he stopped.
`Another blow, and we'll shoot you,' cried Romer. `Yes,' cried I; `we
are only boys, but you've Englishmen to deal with.' When we came up,
Romer kept his piece levelled at the Dutchman, while I passed him, and
with the knife cut the thongs which bound Hastings. The Dutchman turned
pale and did not speak, he was so frightened, and the slaves ran away.
As soon as Hastings was free, he seized a large wooden mallet, used for
driving in stakes, and struck the Dutchman down to the earth, crying
out, `That for flogging an Englishman, you rascal!'

"While the man lay senseless or dead--I didn't know which at the time--
we tied him to the waggon wheels, and returning to the house, seized
some ammunition and other articles which might be useful. We t