The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-11-09
drawing back in evident surprise and alarm.

uFaWthg back IN evident surprise and alarm.
Swallow it this instant =
The negro took a spoonful Of the mixture
though trembling with fear lie he'll it in
his mouth for moment, and then. shudder-
ing, spit it out.
Force him to take it. SIR" said one Of
the sailors.
lie would have poisoned the whole Of us. !"
said stout Angosturian ;-"St. Antonio
and the saints keep u.s." aod be crossed him.
self devouily.
The sailors made an advance as though
they would have enforced the request Of the
former. when the captain. called out Stand
off; let no one lay hands on him." He then
emptied the cur which held the liquid into
vessel containing about a pint or more. and
addressed the negro thus: Do you see
these pistols each contains two balls You
are a guilty man if you refuse to. drink that
coffee which you have made and you only
choose your death; for. as God is Just, your
minutes are numbered But if you drink
and are unharmed BY it, will give you your
freedom for accusing you unjustly. / prom
ise in the presence Of these witnesses. Now
drink It."
The negro looked as though he understood
the action Of bis master, if he did not fully
comprehend his words, for he appeared to
mediate a flight on deck but the crew
seemed to anticipate his Intentions and their
angry gestures plainly told him what mercy
he might expect at their hands. Meantime
all was as silent as death, save the clicking
noise which accompanied the cooking Of pis.
tolls The negro paused; big drops Of sweat
poured down his dark brow like rain his eyes
gared fearfully around, and the palcness Of
death was on his lips.
Drink it this instant, you black, murder.
GUS fend = cried the Captain, who had now
no doubt Of his guilt; and be leyelled the
pistol at his head
The African with convulsiye grasp seized
the jug, and while his teeth chattered against
its edge drank every drop; then rolling his
eyes frightfully, either from fear or agony,
sunk with a deep groan upon the floor Of the
cabin. A murmur Of execration arose from
the crew as be fell. and not one moved forward
to assist the wretched man. Whether the
captain thought he was hardly warranted in
enforcing such summary Justice, or that
hllSut cudue VI NUulA tslVl Iuulc oNUE hthls
he Immediately endea Sored to ascertain the
nature Of the poison with which il was evi-
dent the coffee was drugged but the negro
either could or would not anwer. We exam
ined his chest, and sought for a clue. but
without success until one Of the crew discov-
cred a quantity Of savannah flowers, most
deadly poison, which the ASA sin lad picked
out from the refuse Of the mules, the instinct
Of these animals always inducing them to re-
ject it from their food Satisfied with this
discovery, we returned to the cabin, where
we found the youth who had warned US in the
first instance, on his knees, returning thanks
TO Providence for having been tho means Of
saving us all from a dreadful death. His
thanksgivings were only interrupted by the
groans Of the negro, who was writhing on the
floor apparently in his last agony. We pre-
pared an emetic Of white vitriol, which we
forced the murderer to swallow; but it was
useless. 1t brought on a slight vomiting
but in a few minutes he expired in dreadful
tortures.
Many a time since have been haunted BY
that dark. agonized. despairing face, and the
recollection Of those dying groans.