"Driven nearly to madness by this impudent assertion, I still insisted on the justness of my claim, and menaced him with the utmost severity of the law; whilst he in return pretended to treat me as an impostor, and threatened to have me punished accordingly.
"My friends finding the inutility of the attempt, proposed my returning to Bridgetown, and seeking redress from the Governor. This I told them they were welcome to do, but I should remain where I was; and, finding me obstinate to my purpose, they at last set out for town without me.
"As soon as they were gone, Johnson summoned two European servants, and commanded them to search my pockets; and, whilst my arms were confined by his order, I had the mortification to see those papers concerning his stewardship, and which as of most consequence in my cause I carried about my person, torn to pieces and consumed! Then regarding me with a sarcastic grin—'As you are determined to remain here, young man, it is as little as I can do to accommodate you with an apartment; though, perhaps, it may not prove altogether agreeable to your wishes.'
"He then ordered me to be conducted to a room he named, and which I afterwards found was used as a place of confinement to those slaves who failed in their attempts for liberty. My arms were there unbound, and I was left to the solitary comfort of a bed of reeds. The first violence of passion subsiding, I perceived the folly of my late behaviour; and, as I doubted not my friends would effect my liberation, I determined, if possible, to rectify the errors my rage had occasioned; and I had still sufficient proofs remaining, I doubted not, to bring Johnson to justice.
"According to my expectations, my friends, the next day, came to Johnson's, and on being refused any satisfactory intelligence respecting me, applied to the Governor, who issued an order, in consequence of which my villanous steward was obliged to release me, or stand indicted for my murder. A formal process of law was then commenced against him; the cause finally brought to trial; and, as my witnesses and proofs were indisputable, the verdict pronounced in my favour. But the crafty villain effectually screened himself from punishment by the evidence of his two servants, who positively swore their master had, previously to my arrival, purchased the plantations of a man who assumed my name; and that they were witnesses to the deeds, which were accordingly produced.
"The behaviour of Johnson in destroying the papers relative to the stewardship, and the question—where could he honestly have amassed money sufficient for the purchase—effectually proved the falsity of this account: but as I had recovered my right, and could bring no witnesses of his conduct, I desisted from farther prosecution.
"Johnson, thus cleared from intentional fraud, unquestioned master of the money he had amassed during his illegal tenure of the plantations, purchased one adjoining mine, and proved such a troublesome neighbour, that for five years I had occasion for all my forbearance and circumspection, to avoid a continual course of law-suits. During that time my affairs in England had been very little attended to; and as my overseer was a man on whose integrity I could rely, I determined to pay a visit to my native country. I accordingly came to England, passed some months at Bath, and went to Brighthelmstone, for the purpose of visiting you, to whom I had repeatedly written: but on my arrival there, was informed no person of the name of Crawton resided in the place; nor could I gain the least intelligence respecting you.
"Having settled my affairs to my satisfaction, I again returned to Barbadoes, where I passed ten years more without any thing material occurring; except that Johnson had the impudence to propose an alliance between me and his daughter, a girl of sixteen; but the offer was rejected with the disdain it merited. He soon after died, and I once more visited England, where some events which have happened, will most probably induce me to fix my future residence. I went to the continent about six weeks since, to settle accompts with my correspondents, whence I yesterday returned; and happy indeed do I deem myself in the discovery of this afternoon."
A more minute recapitulation of incidents beguiled the time till the period of the Captain's return on board, when he parted from his friend, who promised to pass the ensuing day with him.