here for Slaves; then the Governor ask’d them, what was the chief of their Cargo? They anſwered, Iron and Plate, which were good Things there; the Governor told them he would Slave them to the full Value of their Cargoe, and aſked them, if they had any European Liquor on Board? they anſwered, a little for their own Uſe; however, a Hamper ſhould be at his Service. The Governor then very civilly invited them all to ſtay and dine with him; Davis told him, that being Commander of the Ship, he muſt go on Board to ſee her well moored, and give ſome other Orders, but thoſe two Gentlemen might ſtay, and that he himſelf would alſo return before Dinner, and bring the Hamper of Liquor with him.
While he was in the Fort, his Eyes were very buſy in obſerving how Things lay; he took Notice there was a Centry at the Entrance, and a Guard-Houſe juſt by it, where the Soldiers upon Duty commonly waited, their Arms ſtanding in a Corner, in a Heap; he ſaw alſo a great many ſmall Arms in the Governor’s Hall; now when he came on Board, he aſſured his Men of Succeſs, deſiring them not to get drunk, and that as ſoon as they ſaw the Flag upon the Caſtle ſtruck, they might conclude he was Maſter, and ſend twenty Hands immediately aſhore; in the mean Time, there being a Sloop at Anchor near them, he ſent ſome Hands in a Boat, to ſecure the Maſter and all the Men, and bring them on Board of him, leaſt they obſerving any Buſtle or arming in his Ship, might ſend aſhore and give Intelligence.
Theſe Precautions being taken, he ordered his Men, who were to go in the Boat with him, to put two Pair of Piſtols each under their Cloaths, he doing the like himſelf, and gave them Directions to go into the Guard-Room, and to enter into Converſation with the Soldiers, and obſerve when
