d of the Men, and return'd, after asking this Beldame's Blessing,
which she gave him with Assurance of repelling the Whites.

The Fire all this while was very brisk, and the old Woman said to me,
that she saw those in Ambush run away from the Whites, tho' she lay with
her Face on the Ground. _No matter_, continued she, _let the Cowards
perish, the Whites will burn _Cormaco (the Village I came from)_ that's
all. They come again another Day, then poor Negroes all
lost._

The Shot continued near two Hours, but not with near that Briskness it
began; and the old Woman rising, bid me see the Smoke of _Cormaco_.
_Captain Thomas_, said she, _send away the white Man._

I staid by my Protectress, whom I durst not quit, tho' I did not like
her Company. About half an Hour after the Shot began, and continued for
near that Space pretty brisk, and then ceas'd. Soon after, we saw a
Negro dispatch'd by Captain _Thomas_, who told us the Whites had burnt
_Cormaco_, but were gone away, and that Captain _Thomas_ was coming. He
appeared not long after with _Cuffey_, and about Forty other Negroes.
I learn'd from him, that the _English_, by Fault of their Scouts, had
seized the Places where he design'd his Ambushes, kill'd Part of the Men
he had sent, and pursued the rest to the Village, where they defended
themselves, till the Whites had broke thro' the back Part of some
Houses, and set Fire to the whole Village; that he then retired with his
Men up the Mountains, the Whites following him; but he having the Start,
while they were busied in burning and plundering, he wheel'd round, and
came upon their Backs, and from the Woods and Bushes poured in his Shot;
his Men being all well cover'd, the Whites did them no Harm, and thought
proper to retire with the Loss of Six Men, and many wounded, for there
were Thirty and a Captain. We have lost, said he, Twenty Two Men, and
our Village is burnt. Soon after, we were join'd by about Forty more
Negroes, and we all went to the Village I was order'd to, which they
called _Barbascouta_.

The next Morning, a Council was call'd, which breaking up, four Negroes,
who had not behaved well in this last Action, were brought bound, and
laid in the largest Street upon their Backs; all the Women and Children
piss'd upon them; after which, Captain _Thomas_ told 'em, That the
Example they had given, had it been follow'd, must have ended in the
Destruction of 'em all; and tho' their Crime was pardon'd, and their
Li