Maleck having chose me out fourscore of his countrymen, in about a month's time I trained them up to the knowledge of my pistols and cutlasses, and the management of them; and taking a chest with me for the arms and other necessaries, we sallied up to the Black Mountain. I rested there; and there Nasgig and Lasmeel overtook me, saying that when they found me obstinate to go, they could not in their hearts leave me, happen what would. This put new spirits into me, and we consulted how the noises lay, and agreed to engage first upon the skirts of them, where the smokes were most straggling. I charged six guns and all my pistols, which I kept in my chest, and ordered them to alight with me about a hundred paces from the first smoke they saw; then ordered three of them to carry my guns after me, and twelve of them to take pistols and follow me; but not to fire till I gave orders. The remainder I left with the baggage.

We marched up to the smoke, which issued out of a low archway just at the foot of the mountain. It was very light there with the flames of the volcano; and entering the arch, a fellow ran at me with a red-hot iron bar; him I shot dead: and seeing two more and a woman there, who stood with their faces to the wall of the hut or room, as unwilling to be seen, I ordered Maleck to speak to them in a known tongue, and tell them we were no enemies, nor intended them any hurt; and that their companion's fate was owing to his own rashness in running first at me with the hot bar; and that if they would show themselves good-natured and civil to us, we should be so to them; but if they offered to resist openly, or use any manner of treachery towards us, they might depend upon the same fate their companion had just suffered.

Upon hearing this, they approached us; and showing great tokens of submission, I delivered my gun to Maleck, and bade them go on with their work, ordering all the guns out of the shop for fear of a spark. I then perceived they were direct forges, but made after another manner from ours, their wind being made by a great wheel, like a wheel of a water-mill, which worked with the fans or wings in a large trough, and caused a prodigious issue of air through a small hole in the back of the fireplace. They were then drawing out iron bars.

I gave each of these men, and also to the woman, a dram of brandy; which they swallowed down very greedily, and looked for more, and seemed very pleasant. I then inquired into the trade—by whom and how it was carried on; and they told me just as Maleck had done. I then asked where the mines lay; and one of them looking full at me said, "Then you know what we are about."—"Yes," says I, "very well."—He told me the mine was (in his language as Maleck interpreted it) about a quarter of a mile off, and directed me to it. I ordered them to go on with their work, telling them, though I left a guard over them, it was only that they might not raise their neighbours to disturb me; though if they did, I should serve them all as I had done their companion; and left four men with pistols at the archway.

I proceeded to the iron mine, but supposed the men were all within, for I saw nobody; but there were many large heaps of ore lying, which I felt of; and, being vastly heavy, I supposed it might be rich in metal.

I returned to my men at the arch, and asked them what other mines there might be in that country, and of what other metals; but Maleck not knowing the metals themselves, was not able to interpret the names they called them by. I then showed them an English halfpenny, a Portuguese piece of silver money, and my gold watch; and asking if they had any of those, they pointed to the halfpenny and silver piece, but shook their heads at the watch. I then showed them a musket-ball, and they said they had a great deal of that.

I desired them to show me the way to the copper-mine (pointing my finger to the halfpenny), and told them if they would go with me, they should have some more (pointing to my brandy); and they readily agreed, if I would stand by them for leaving their work. I believe it might be two miles farther on the right to the copper-mine; and as these men had the graundee, I expected they would have flown by me; but I found they had a light chain round their graundee which prevented them; so I walked too, and having made them my friends by being familiar with them, I desired they would go in, and let the headman of the works know that a stranger desired to speak with him and view his works, and to inform him how peaceable I was if he used me civilly, but that I could strike him dead at once if he did not.

I do not know how they managed, or what report they made; but the man came to me very courteously, and I bade Maleck ask if he came in friendship, as I did to him; and he giving me that assurance, I went in with him, taking Nasgig and Maleck with me, and leaving our firearms without. I ordered them both, as I did myself, to carry their cutlasses, sheathed in their hands, for fear of a surprise. We saw a great quantity of copper ore and several melting-vats, being just at the mouth of the mine, the mine running horizontally into the side of the mountain, and, as they said, was very rich. I gave the headman a little brandy, and two or three more of them, who had been industrious in showing and explaining things to me.

I desired the foreman to walk out with me; and asking how long he had been in that employ, he told me he was a native of the Born Isles, and was brought thither young, where he first wrought in the iron, then in the silver, and now in this mine: that he had been there twenty years, and never expected to be delivered from his miserable slavery; but as he was now overseer of that work, he did pretty well, though nothing like freedom. He told me they expected several new slaves quickly, for the mines killed those they did not agree with so fast they were very thinly wrought at present, and that the governor was gone to the isles to get more men. I was glad to hear this. "And, pray," says I, "where does the governor reside?" He (pointing to the place) told me. "And what guard," says I, "may he keep?"—"About four hundred men; but nobody durst molest him," says he; "for he tortures them in such a manner, never killing them, that not the least thing can be done against his will."

After we had talked a good while on the misery of slavery, and finding him a man fit for my purpose, I asked him if he would go with me to Brandle-guarp: "For," said I, "there are certainly good mines in those mountains; and if you will overlook them, you shall be free, and have whatever you desire." He shook his head, saying, how could he expect to be free where all the rest were slaves. "And besides," says he, "they are in such commotions among themselves, that it is said the State will be torn to pieces."—"You are mistaken," says I, "very much; I myself have settled peace amongst them, and killed the usurper."—"Is it possible?" says he; "and are you the man it was said they expected to come out of the sea?"—"The very same," says I: "and as to slavery, there is not a slave in the kingdom; nor shall be here, if you will hearken to me."—"That would be a good time indeed," says he.—"Well," says I, "my friend, I promise you it shall be so; only observe this, that when I come to reduce the governor, do none of you miners assist him." He promised he would let the other miners secretly know it, and all should be as I wished; but desired me to be expeditious, for the governor was expected every day.