He told him, it
was not that he any longer feared him, or could believe the force of
two men, and a young heroine, could overthrow all them, and with all
the slaves now on their side also; but it was the vast esteem he had
for his person, the desire he had to serve so gallant a man, and to
hinder himself from the reproach hereafter of having been the occasion
of the death of a prince whose valor and magnanimity deserved the
empire of the world. He protested to him, he looked upon this action
as gallant and brave, however tending to the prejudice of his lord and
master, who would by it have lost so considerable a number of
slaves; that this flight of his should be looked on as a heat of youth
and a rashness of a too forward courage, and an unconsidered
impatience of liberty, and no more; and no more; and that he labored
in vain to accomplish that which they would effectually perform as
soon as any ship arrived that would touch on his coast: "So that if
you will be pleased," continued he, "to surrender yourself, all
imaginable respect shall be paid you; and yourself, your wife, and
child, if it be born here, shall depart free out of our land." But
Caesar would hear of no composition; though Byam urged, if he
pursued and went on in his design, he would inevitably perish,
either by great snakes, wild beasts, or hunger; and he ought to have
regard to his wife, whose condition required ease, and not the
fatigues of tedious travel, where she could not be secured from
being devoured.
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