canoes joined in this expedition, and while passing a fall in
the river the Indians upset the one containing the negroes, which wet
their guns and ammunition, when the Indians in the other canoe threw
their lances and killed them in the water. Their wives were given up to
their former owners at St. Andreas.

Little did I think when I landed in this country among a mixed race of
Indians, that I should find some _blood_ relations, so called by the
natives, among them. An Indian woman, calling her name Sally Bryant, the
wife of Scipio, one of the king's quarter-masters, called on me and told
me she was a blood-relation of mine, and claimed some present as an
acknowledgment of it on my part. I asked her what evidence she had of
our relationship. She replied, "That her father was an American." The
argument was so conclusive that I did not think it necessary to
contradict it, but gave her some small presents, which were well repaid.
Sally often volunteered to assist me in selling my goods, and brought me
many customers by saying to the Indians, "My countryman's goods are
better and cheaper than them Englishman's, and he no rogue, like them
English traders."

Soon after, a Curracoa man arrived from Bluefields, one of the
wealthiest men of that place, who brought a message from his wife, known
by the name of Mrs. Peggy, requesting me to furnish her with some goods
to sell on commission, and she would deal honestly by me, having heard
of my misfortune in losing my vessel, &c. that she wanted to see me very
much, and pitied me more because I was a relative of hers, her father
being an American. I forwarded Mrs. Peggy two or three hundred dollars'
worth of goods to sell on commission, the greatest part of which she
sold, made good returns, and I found her more honest than white
relations generally are in their trade with each other.

CHAPTER VII.

Visit to Corn Island.

I sold the Biddle's sails, which I had saved from the wreck, for eighty
pounds of tortoise-shell, payable at Corn Island, which lies in the
wide ocean, forty miles from the main land. I soon received a message,
saying the shell was ready for delivery, but I must come and receive it.
Having been advised of the danger of leaving it there, and that delays
were dangerous in dealing with those I had bargained with, and fearing I
should lose my debt if I neglected it, I determined upon making the trip
in my canoe, the only conveyance I had for getting there.