prung up in a
rage, but on seeing his master with the stave in his hand, contented
himself with muttering, "That he would not remain to be beaten in that
manner," and reapplied himself to his labour. As soon as my master had
left the cooperage, the Ethiopian vented his anger upon me for having
informed against him, and seizing the stave, flew at me with the
intention of beating out my brains. I stepped behind the cask; he
followed me, and just as I had seized an adze to defend myself, he fell
over the stool which lay in his way; he was springing up to renew the
attack, when I struck him a blow with the adze which entered his skull,
and laid him dead at my feet.

I was very much alarmed at what had occurred; for although I felt
justified in self-defence, I was aware that my master would be very much
annoyed at the loss of the slave, and as there were no witnesses, it
would go hard with me when brought before the cadi. After some
reflection I determined, as the slave had said "He would not remain to
be beaten," that I would leave my master to suppose he had run away, and
in the mean time conceal the body. But to effect this was difficult, as
I could not take it out of the cooperage without being perceived. After
some cogitation, I decided upon putting it into the cask, and heading it
up. It required all my strength to lift the body in, but at last I
succeeded. Having put in the head of the pipe, I hammered down the
hoops and rolled it into the store, where I had been waiting to fill it
with wine for the next year's demand. As soon as it was in its place, I
pumped off the wine from the vat, and having filled up the cask and put
in the bung, I felt as if a heavy load had been removed from my mind, as
there was no chance of immediate discovery.

I had but just completed my task, and was sitting down on one of the
settles, when my master came in, and inquired for the slave. I replied
that he had left the cooperage, swearing that he would work no more.
Afraid of losing him, the Jew hastened to give notice to the
authorities, that he might be apprehended; but after some time, as
nothing could be heard of the supposed runaway, it was imagined that he
had drowned himself in a fit of sullenness, and no more was thought
about him. In the mean while I continued to work there as before, and
as I had the charge of every thing I had no doubt that, some day or
another, I should find means of quietly disposing of my incumbranc