He besought me to suffer
no fears upon his account, for he could do nothing that honor should
not dictate; but he accused himself for having suffered slavery so
long: yet he charged that weakness on love alone, who was capable of
making him neglect even glory itself; and, for which, now he
reproaches himself every moment of the day. Much more to this effect
he spoke, with an air impatient enough to make me know he would not be
long in bondage; and though he suffered only the name of a slave,
and had nothing of the toil and labor of one, yet that was
sufficient to render him uneasy; and he had been too long idle, who
used to be always in action, and in arms. He had a spirit all rough
and fierce, and that could not be tamed to lazy rest; and though all
endeavors were used to exercise himself in such actions and sports
as this world afforded, as running, wrestling, pitching the bar,
hunting and fishing, chasing and killing tigers of a monstrous size,
which this continent affords in abundance, and wonderful snakes,
such as Alexander is reported to have encountered at the River of
Amazons, and which Caesar took great delight to overcome; yet these
were not actions great enough for his large soul, which was still
panting after more renowned actions.
Before I parted that day with him, I got, with much ado, a promise
from him to rest yet a little longer with patience, and wait the
coming of the Lord-Governor, who was every day expected on our
shore: he assured me he would, and this promise he desired me to
know was given perfectly in complaisance to me, in whom he had an
entire confidence.
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