the mainland, before the wind, directly toward the island. I got up into a thick tree, from whence, though unseen, I might safely view what should occur. The vessel came into a little creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying a spade and other instruments for digging up the ground. They went toward the middle of the island, where they dug for a considerable time, after which they lifted up a trap-door. They returned again to the vessel and unloaded several sorts of provisions and furniture, which they carried to the place where they had been digging; they then descended into a subterranean dwelling.
I saw them once more go to the ship, to return soon after with an old man, who led a handsome lad of about fifteen years of age. They all descended when the trap-door had been opened. After they had again come up, they let down the trap-door, covered it over with earth, and returned to the creek where the ship lay; but I saw not the young man in their company. Evidently he had stayed behind in the subterranean cavern.
The old man and the slaves returned on board, and steered their course toward the mainland. When they had proceeded to such a distance that I could not be seen by them, I came down from the tree, and went to the place where I had seen the ground broken. I removed the earth by degrees, till I came to a stone two or three feet square. I lifted it up, and found that it covered the head of a flight of stairs, also of
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