eople pulled it down
twice, and would not allow them even a shed for prayers. A flood came down
soon after and washed away many houses, filled the place with sand, and
overflowed the ponds: and I do think that this was for their wickedness;
for the Buckra men[8] there were very wicked. I saw and heard much that
was very very bad at that place.

[Footnote 8: Negro term for white people.]

I was several years the slave of Mr. D---- after I returned to my native
place. Here I worked in the grounds. My work was planting and hoeing
sweet-potatoes, Indian corn, plantains, bananas, cabbages, pumpkins,
onions, &c. I did all the household work, and attended upon a horse and
cow besides,--going also upon all errands. I had to curry the horse--to
clean and feed him--and sometimes to ride him a little. I had more than
enough to do--but still it was not so very bad as Turk's Island.

My old master often got drunk, and then he would get in a fury with his
daughter, and beat her till she was not fit to be seen. I remember on one
occasion, I had gone to fetch water, and when I Was coming up the hill I
heard a great screaming; I ran as fast as I could to the house, put down
the water, and went into the chamber, where I found my master beating Miss
D---- dreadfully. I strove with all my strength to get her away from him;
for she was all black and blue with bruises. He had beat her with his
fist, and almost killed her. The people gave me credit for getting her
away. He turned round and began to lick me. Then I said, "Sir, this is not
Turk's Island." I can't repeat his answer, the words were too wicked--too
bad to say. He wanted to treat me the same in Bermuda as he had done in
Turk's Island.

He had an ugly fashion of stripping himself quite naked, and ordering me
then to wash him in a tub of water. This was worse to me than all the
licks. Sometimes when he called me to wash him I would not come, my eyes
were so full of shame. He would then come to beat me. One time I had
plates and knives in my hand, and I dropped both plates and knives, and
some of the plates were broken. He struck me so severely for this, that at
last I defended myself, for I thought it was high time to do so. I then
told him I would not live longer with him, for he was a very indecent
man--very spiteful, and too indecent; with no shame for his servants, no
shame for his own flesh. So I went away to a neighbouring house and sat
down and cried till the next morning,