soldiers under arms came up to the General, and made some extraordinary
demands; which being refused, they instantly cried out, one and all, and
immediately one of them discharged his piece at him: and being only at
the distance of a few paces, the ball whizzed over his shoulder, but the
powder singed his clothes, and burnt his face. Another presented his
piece, which flashed in the pan; a third drew his hanger and attempted to
stab him, but the General parrying it off, an officer standing by run the
ruffian through the body, and killed him on the spot. Upon which the
mutineers ran, but were caught and laid in irons. A court-martial was
called to try the ringleaders of this desperate conspiracy, some of whom
were found guilty and condemned to be shot, in order to deter others from
such dangerous attempts.

Nor was this the only concealed effort of Spanish policy, another of a
more dangerous nature soon followed in Carolina, which might have been
attended with much more bloody and fatal effects. At this time there were
above forty thousand negroes in the province, a fierce, hardy and strong
race, whose constitutions were adapted to the warm climate, whose nerves
were braced with constant labour, and who could scarcely be supposed to
be contented with that oppressive yoke under which they groaned. Long had
liberty and protection been promised and proclaimed to them by the
Spaniards at Augustine, nor were all the negroes in the province
strangers to the proclamation. At different times Spanish emissaries had
been found secretly tampering with them, and persuading them to fly from
slavery to Florida, and several had made their escape to that settlement.
Of these negro refugees the Governor of Florida had formed a regiment,
appointing officers from among themselves, allowing them the same pay and
clothing them in the same uniform with the regular Spanish soldiers. The
most sensible part of the slaves in Carolina were not ignorant of this
Spanish regiment, for whenever they run away from their masters, they