We carried these men up to Parham, where
they were kept till the Lord-Governor came: and because all the
country was made to be going on this golden adventure, the Governor,
by letters, commanded (for they sent some of the gold to him) that a
guard should be set at the mouth of the River of Amazons (a river so
called, almost as broad as the River of Thames) and prohibited all
people from going up that river, it conducting to those mountains of
gold. But we going off for England before the project was further
prosecuted, and the Governor being drowned in a hurricane, either
the design died or the Dutch have the advantage of it: and 'tis to
be bemoaned what his Majesty lost by losing that part of America.
Though this digression is a little from my story, however, since
it contains some proofs of the curiosity and daring of this great man,
I was content to omit nothing of his character.
It was thus for some time we diverted him; but now Imoinda began
to show she was with child, and did nothing but sigh and weep for
the captivity of her lord, herself, and the infant yet unborn; and
believed, if it were so hard to gain the liberty of two, 'twould be
more difficult to get that for three. Her griefs were so many darts in
the great heart of Caesar, and taking his opportunity, one Sunday,
when all the whites were overtaken in drink, as there were abundance
of several trades, and slaves for four years, that inhabited among the
negro houses; and Sunday being their day of debauch (otherwise they
were a sort of spies upon Caesar), he went, pretending out of goodness
to 'em, to feast among 'em, and sent all his music, and ordered a
great treat for the whole gang, about three hundred negroes, and about
an hundred and fifty were able to bear arms, such as they had, which
were sufficient to do execution with spirits accordingly: for the
English had none but rusty swords, that no strength could draw from
a scabbard; except the people of particular quality, who took care
to oil 'em, and keep 'em in good order: the guns also, unless here and
there one, or those newly carried from England, would do no good or
harm; for 'tis the nature of that country to rust and eat up iron,
or any metals but gold and silver.
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