University of Virginia Library

MARCH 6.

Nato has kept his promise up to this time, and has actually passed a whole week in the field ; a thing which he was never known to do before within the memory of man.

So I sent him a piece of money to encourage him ; and told him that I sent him a maccarony for behaving well, and wished to know whether any one had ever given him a maccarony for behaving ill. I hear that he was highly delighted at my thinking him worthy to receive a present from me, and sent me in return the most positive assurances of perseverance in good conduct. On the other hand, Mackaroo has not only run away himself, but has carried his wife away with him. This is improving upon the profligacy of British manners with a vengeance. In England, a man only runs away with another person's wife: but to run away with his own-what depravity ! As to my ungrateful demigod of a sheep-stealer, Hercules, the poor wretch has brought down upon himself a full punishment for all his misdeeds. By running away; and sleeping in the woods, exposed to all the fury of the late heavy rains, he has been struck by the palsy.

Yesterday some of my negroes found him in the mountains, unable to raise himself from the ground, and brought him in a cart to the hospital ; where he now lies, having quite lost the use of one side, and in every other respect strong and healthy; so that he may look forward to a long and miserable existence.