In
Particular, The Woman Slave, Who Had Refused Victuals In The Morning,
Began Now To Lag Behind, And Complain Dreadfully Of Pains In Her Legs.
Her Load Was Taken From Her, And Given To Another Slave, And She Was
Ordered To Keep In The Front Of The Coffle.
About eleven o'clock, as we
were resting by a small rivulet, some of the people discovered a hive of
Bees in a hollow tree, and they were proceeding to obtain the honey, when
the largest swarm I ever beheld flew out, and attacking the people of the
coffle, made us fly in all directions. I took the alarm first, and I
believe was the only person who escaped with impunity. When our enemies
thought fit to desist from pursuing us, and every person was employed in
picking out the stings he had received, it was discovered that the poor
woman above mentioned, whose name was Nealee, was not come up; and as
many of the slaves in their retreat had left their bundles behind them,
it became necessary for some persons to return, and bring them. In order
to do this with safety, fire was set to the grass, a considerable way to
the eastward of the hive, and the wind driving the fire furiously along,
the party pushed through the smoke, and recovered the bundles. They
likewise brought with them poor Nealee, whom they found lying in the
rivulet. She was very much exhausted, and had crept to the stream in
hopes to defend herself from the bees by throwing water over her body,
but this proved ineffectual; for she was stung in the most dreadful
manner.
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