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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"By Sheer Pluck, a Tale of the Ashanti War"

If we had tried
to help ebery one to 'scape we should mighty soon hab been hunted
down.
"Well, sar, I libed dere for three year. It was a lonesome life.
I planted a few yams round de hut, and de plantation hands would
bring me tings dat dey got hold of. It was my duty when I found
dat a case was ob de proper description to arrange for de flight,
de man or de woman would come to my hut, and I would guide dem
through de swamps, twenty-five mile away, to de house ob a clergyman,
which was de next station. I would jus' knock in a 'ticular way at
de door, and when dis was open leab de party dere and go straight
away back to de swamp. More dan once de planters got up hunts and
searched de swamp through and through for me wid dogs, and my hut
was twice burnt to de ground, but de slabes always brought me notice
in time, and I went away into de tickest part ob de swamp and lay
dar till dey had gone away.
"Well, sar, one time come, I bery busy, passed tree men away in two
week. One night me hear barking of dogs, and jump up jus' in time
to see party ob men coming out from de little path towards de hut.
I ran for de swamp. Dey fire at me and one ball hit me. Den I ran
in to de swamp, de dogs dey follow, but I get farder and farder
away, and de swamp get deeper, and me tink dey lose me altogether.


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