d. I prayed fervently for support and succour in my time of
trouble, and became more composed. I remained out the whole of the
night, and watched the rising sun. The two convicts came out to their
work, and shrugged their shoulders as they passed me, but they dared
not speak to me.

My mistress at last came out. She commenced with abuse, but I gave no
answer. She tried soothing, but I was mute. At last she became frantic
in her passion, hurled me away from her, and after being dreadfully
beaten, I fell to the ground. She put her foot upon my neck, and she
stood there, looking like a fury. She loaded me with epithets, and
then of a sudden went down on her knees by me, and begged my pardon,
calling me her dear Alexander--her life--entreating me to accede to
her wishes. Never was there such a tigress in love before, I really
believe.

"Hear me," replied I; "as long as I am chained, I never will give any
answer upon the present subject, that I swear."

She rose from my side, and walked away.

It is impossible, my dear Madam, for me to describe what I suffered
from this woman for more than six weeks, during which she kept me
chained in this way--at one time entreating me, the next moment
kicking me, and throwing me down. I had no peace--my life became a
burden to me, and I often entreated her, in mercy, to put an end to my
sufferings. I also had my paroxysms of rage, and would then spurn her,
spit at her, and do every thing I could, and say all that I could
imagine, to show my hatred and contempt. At other times I was sullen,
and that always annoyed her. She would bear my reproaches
patiently--bear any thing, so long as I would talk; but if I remained
obstinately silent, then, in a short time, her fury would break forth.
I pitied her, notwithstanding her ill-treatment, for the woman did
love me (after her own fashion) most intensely.

It was on the seventh week of my confinement on the chain, that one
morning very early, as I was lying in the tobacco-shed, for she had
turned me out of the cabin, I perceived among the trees, which were
about three hundred yards from the cabin, two Indians, in what is
called their war-paint, which is a sign that they were on a hostile
excursion. I remained perfectly quiet, and well concealed, that I
might watch them. The convicts had more than once told me that the
Indians would attack us, in consequence of an insult which my mistress
had offered to their chief, with whom her husband had