Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
charging them lest any of them varied from that story; that these arrangements
were made and matured during the interval of two or three hours, between their
rst sighting the ship and the arrival on board of Captain Amasa Delano; that this
happened about half-past seven o’clock in the morning, Captain Amasa Delano
coming in his boat, and all gladly receiving him; that the deponent, as well as he
could force himself, acting then the part of principal owner, and a free captain of
the ship, told Captain Amasa Delano, when called upon, that he came from Buenos
Ayres, bound to Lima, with three hundred negroes; that o Cape Horn, and in a
subsequent fever, many negroes had died; that also, by similar casualties, all the
sea ocers and the greatest part of the crew had died.
* * * * *
[And so the deposition goes on, circumstantially recounting the ctitious
story dictated to the deponent by Babo, and through the deponent imposed upon
Captain Delano; and also recounting the friendly oers of Captain Delano, with
other things, but all of which is here omitted. After the ctitious story, etc. the
deposition proceeds:]
* * * * *
—that the generous Captain Amasa Delano remained on board all the day, till
he left the ship anchored at six o’clock in the evening, deponent speaking to him
always of his pretended misfortunes, under the fore-mentioned principles, without
having had it in his power to tell a single word, or give him the least hint, that he
might know the truth and state of things; because the negro Babo, performing the
oce of an ocious servant with all the appearance of submission of the humble
slave, did not leave the deponent one moment; that this was in order to observe the
deponent’s actions and words, for the negro Babo understands well the Spanish;
and besides, there were thereabout some others who were constantly on the watch,
and likewise understood the Spanish; * * * that upon one occasion, while deponent
was standing on the deck conversing with Amasa Delano, by a secret sign the negro
Babo drew him (the deponent) aside, the act appearing as if originating with the
deponent; that then, he being drawn aside, the negro Babo proposed to him to
gain from Amasa Delano full particulars about his ship, and crew, and arms; that
the deponent asked “For what?” that the negro Babo answered he might conceive;
that, grieved at the prospect of what might overtake the generous Captain Amasa
Delano, the deponent at rst refused to ask the desired questions, and used every
argument to induce the negro Babo to give up this new design; that the negro Babo
showed the point of his dagger; that, after the information had been obtained the
negro Babo again drew him aside, telling him that that very night he (the deponent)
would be captain of two ships, instead of one, for that, great part of the American’s
ship’s crew being to be absent shing, the six Ashantees, without any one else,
would easily take it; that at this time he said other things to the same purpose; that
no entreaties availed; that, before Amasa Delano’s coming on board, no hint had
been given touching the capture of the American ship: that to prevent this project
the deponent was powerless; * * *—that in some things his memory is confused,
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