The Reader may, perhaps, be well enough pleased to hear how on the smallest Difference they proceeded to a Reconciliation; for, as I have said, it was a Maxim with them, that the least Discord among a few Particulars would be the Ruin of a whole Body; as from a small neglected Spark, a general Conflagration may arise and lay the noblest City waste.
On any Mistake from which a Dispute arose, or on any ill-manner’d Expression let fall in Company, they all broke up, and one of the Company poured what Liquor was before them on the Ground, saying, no Contention could creep in among them without Loss; and therefore he sacrificed that Liquor to the evil Fiend, to prevent a greater Damage. Then both the contending Parties, on Pain of being banished the Society, and sent to another Part of the Island, were summon’d to appear at Captain North’s, the next Morning, and, in the mean while, they were commanded to keep their respective Houses.
The next Morning both the Parties being met, and all the Whites summon’d to attend, the Captain set the Plaintiff and Defendant on one Side, and told them, that till the Aggressor had consented to do Justice, and till the Person injured had forgot his Resentment, they must esteem them both Enemies to the Publick, and not look upon them as their Friends and Companions. He then wrote down the Names of all the Assembly, roll’d them up, and put them into a Hat, out of which, each Party shaking the Hat, chose six Tickets; and these twelve Rowls or Tickets contained the Names of the assistant Judges, who, with the Captain, heard and determined in the Cause, calling and examining the Witnesses. When the Matter was fully debated, the Court was adjourned to the next Day, and the Litigators commanded to appear again, and, in the Interim, not to stir out their Houses, to which they were respectively conducted by two or three each, lest the Slaves, or the neighbouring Blacks, should, by a greater Number, have any Suspicion of their Disagreement.
The second Day the Examination began afresh, and the Witnesses were sifted, as if they had not before been examined, and this to try if they were consistent with their former Evidence, which was noted down. Then the Court was again adjourned, and the disagreeing Parties remanded home till next Morning, when Judgment was given, which was a Fine in Proportion to the Affront.
The Reason of confining those who had Dissension was to deter them, by this small Punishment, from all future Quarrels, and to prevent any ill Accident which might happen by their being at full Liberty.
The Example they set, and the Care they took to accommodate Differences among their Neighbours, had calmed all the Country round them. After they had staid here near three Years, Captain North, and some of his Companions, had a Mind to visit the Country Southward, and trade for more Slaves and Cattle; to which End taking a considerable Quantity of Powder and Arms, beside what they might use, with 50 Whites and 300 Natives, he set forward on his Journey. When they had travelled about fourscore Miles Southward, they came to a Nation rich in Slaves and Cattle, who inhabited the Banks of the largest River on the East-Side the Island, called Mangora. With these People he trafficked for a great Number of Slaves and Cattle, which he purchased for Guns and Powder: They being at War when Captain North came among them, with a neighbouring Prince, he was intreated to give his Assistance, for which they, the Mangorians, promised him a hundred Slaves with 500 Head of Cattle, and all the Prisoners they should take. On these Conditions he joined them, and marched to a very large Town of the Enemy’s, which was naturally very strong, and esteemed by the Natives impregnable, being situated on a high and craggy Rock, which could be ascended by the Way only leading to the Gate, where was kept a strong Guard. The Blacks in North’s Army were for leaving this Town unattempted, and marching farther into the Country, in search of Booty; but North told ’em it was not safe to leave a Garrison of Enemies at their Backs, which would continually infest them, by falling on their Rear, and which would be an Obstacle to their carrying off what Plunder they might get together; beside, it would be an Azyle for all the Country, which would fly thither till they had gather’d a Body considerable enough to come down and face them in the Field, which the Enemy might do with reasonable Hopes of Success, as their Men would be all fresh, while those of his Party would be fatigued with Marches, may be encumbered by Plunder, and worn down with the Inconveniencies of lying exposed in the Fields.
The chief of his Allies allowed his Reasons good, were an Attempt on the Town practicable, which Experience told him was not; for, tho’ several times besieged, it never could be taken, it would be the Loss of a great deal of Time, and many Mens Lives to offer at it.
North desired he would leave the Management of this Siege to him.
The Chief answered, he should do as he pleased, but it was against his Judgment to attack a Town which Nature her self had fortified, which God Almighty would never suffer to be taken, and which had, to no Purpose, cost the Lives of a Number scarce to be told, of his Countrymen, in the several Attempts they had made to be Masters of it.
North disposed his Army, and invested the Rock on every Side, then sent Word to the Town, if they did not surrender he would give no Quarter to either Sex or Age. The Inhabitants laugh’d at his Message, told him, they did not believe he had learnt the Art of flying, and till he had, they thought themselves very secure from his putting such Menaces in Execution.