agreed to accompany him. Heddy next inveigled two of his fellow
servants to accompany us. The place to which we designed to go was
the Mississippi. Our next business was to lay in a sufficient store
of provisions for our voyage. We privately collected out of our
master's store, six great old cheeses, two firkins of butter, and one
whole batch of new bread. When we had gathered all our own clothes
and some more, we took them all about midnight, and went to the water
side. We stole our master's boat, embarked, then directed our course
for the Mississippi river.

We mutually confederated not to betray or desert one another on pain
of death. We first steered our course for Montauk point, the east end
of Long-Island. After our arrival there we landed, and Heddy and I
made an incursion into the island after fresh water, while our two
comrades were left at a little distance from the boat, employed at
cooking. When Heddy and I had sought some time for water, he returned
to our companions, and I continued on looking for my object. When
Heddy had performed his business with our companions, who were engaged
in cooking, he went directly to the boat, stole all the clothes in it,
and then travelled away for East-Hampton, as I was informed. I
returned to my fellows not long after. They informed me that our
clothes were stolen, but could not determine who was the thief, yet
they suspected Heddy as he was missing. After reproving my two
comrades for not taking care of our things which were in the boat, I
advertised Heddy and sent two men in search of him. They pursued and
overtook him at Southampton and returned him to the boat. I then
thought it might afford some chance for my freedom, or at least a
palliation for my running away, to return Heddy immediately to his
master, and inform him that I was induced to go away by Heddy's
address. Accordingly I set off with him and the rest of my companions