Year: 1861




that moment engaged in dining on a quarter o
mutton which they had roasted over hre, and I,
obtain which they had no doubt made recen
visit to the nearest plantation. Unwilling to mis
their meal, or because they perceived that we wer
not armed. the negroes did not movo at our ap
proach, but springing to theif feet, prepared q
receive us in whatever shape we might come
There was one lusty fellow among them, proba
bly, their leader-worth in market, IN good times
full $4,000. The idea of capturing the fellow
seemed to have entered the mind Of each ons o.
the party, for with scarcely word we all rushed
upon him. The others ran or hid. The fellow
perceiving our movement planted himself with
his back against large tree. The man who
reached him first went sprawliug in twinkling. -
Three Others went to keep him COM pany, propell
ed BY the long and witbsy arm Of the negro. The
remaining three, of whom was one, made Q
simultaneous rush with clubs. A well.ained
blow brought the fellow to the ground, when thos,
whom he had sent sprawling coming up, we fell
sure Of our game. But 10 moment even before
we could follow up our advantage, he was on his
feet feroclous as lion with q torn ear, He fair.
~ fOamed at the mouth, and swOre such oa,hs as
|
make another onset, which il is likely We would
have been unwilling to do, but he rushed upon Us,
striking right and left. Some three or four fel,
the force of his blows before we could get ont Of
the fellows way. He did not chase us far, but
seeing that he was we'll rid of US, went back to
the camp. Our party, which had become scat-
tered BY the rough inciIent, rendezvoused an hour
alter at our place of destination. On our relating
what had occurred to our friend and his two grown
up sons, whom we had come TO see, it was agreed
that on the following day there should be q hunt
ior tho fugitivss, which We promised ourselves
should have different result from this unsxpss-
ted encounter.


Accordingly, the next day, party Of twelve,
all OF us planters or planters sons, met at the
appointed place to set out on the hunt We we're
all mounted and armed with rifles, and, in some
instances, revolvers also. IL was Jolly and
well appointed party. We did not, as was our
custom when deer or other fourfooted animals
were to be hunted, take along one or more IA
Voiite negroes to act as game-keepers. The reas-
on why we did not must be obvious, and was nat.
ural. So, recruiting ourselves from the saddle
bags,4 the party set out. Judging from the place
shess- shs inglss0s had been found on the day
previous we concluded that they were then about
dozen miles distant. in deep wood beyond she
sluggish river, which had its source in the
swamps not far off We therefore set out for the
nearest ford, which was several miles above. TO
reach which by the shortest rout we took across
Swamry and wholly unfrequented tract. Our
progress was necessarily slow, in consequence Of
the character ftbe country and the ground over
which we were picking our way. We had proba-
bly, made four or five miles, when we came righ,
upon the camp OF the fellows of the previous day.
Our recognition was Simultaneous. Their num-
per seemed to have increased, for in an instant
there seemed to be fifteen or twenty fellows run
ming in different directions Of course we fred
quickly as possible, and brought down three or
four at the first round. Those Of US who had been
engaged in the previous encounter recognised the
huge fellow that had dealt us the bard blows the
day before. He did not stop to give US fight this
time, but ran like q deer. ualfa dozen of Us
gave chase. Mounted as We we're, he had rather
the advantage of us at first, except we were armed
and he not. The distance between US was not
over one hundred yards We shouted to him to
stop, preferring to capture so saleable fellow
alive rather than kill him outright. Not reg,r-
ding the summons, it was repeated with the addi-
iOna hint Of three or four shots from our rifles But
he needed neither. By this time the whole party
was on his track, and repeated shots were fred at
him, one Of which we we're certain hit for he
gave screech like hyena though he did not
materially sacken his pace. The chase was kept
up for some time, with shot after shot. Il was
of ;oka 4
the fact that the fellow kept on his course like
deer. At length some half dozen of us, though
without concert fred dssim utaneously, and we had
the satisfaction of seeing the negro drop. We
were soon up with him. A ball had struck him
in the knee. lie was all the more ferocious, and
was far from giving up. He had raised up SO as
to seat himself against tree, and one Of the par
ty dismounting, approached him. when :he fel-
low dealt him levelling blow. What rifles there
we're among Us that contained sho.s were fred
almost simultaneously, and the negro stretched
his length at the foot Of the tree. We gave him
no further attention.


Retracing our steps we came upon four fellows,
who gave themselves up to Us. Tying their arms,
We drove them before us to the plantation Of one
of the party. In little more than ten days from
that time one of our party returned from New
Orleans, to which market he had taken the fugi-
tivss. He brought $1,000 to divide among the
party. We called it pretty good hun, for ono
day.


Such is the narrative of one who was par
tcipant in the scenes. give it to yous readers
without note or comment.


COMMERCE AND SLAVERY.


Heaven anaed the canvass. RallantlY nnfurld