Whilst he was intent on Cooking and in a good Humour, I took the Opportunity of telling him, I had used and so well approved of his Liquor, that if he would learn me how to make it, all the Victuals and Tobacco in the Bags, and what Liquor we did not drink whilst I staid, I would give to him, as a Recompence for the Favour. At first he refused, believing me (as I found by his discourse) to be a _Creolian_, whom the Negroes in general hate; but upon my convincing him I was an _Englishman_, and returning home, the good Chear prevail’d. After eating together, into the Woods and Savannahs we went, to gather such of the Materials as grew not on his Plantation, or that he had not by him; and returning to his Hutt, to making the Liquor he went. I remark’d well, and set down the Names, Quantities, and his way of making and mixing the Composition; which being done, all the Bottles we emptied of Beer were fill’d with the Liquor; with which I return’d to _Kingstown_, being as well pleas’d with my Discovery, as the Negro was with my Presents. Having thus obtain’d my most material Point, I could not yet forbear going every time I rode out, to see and discourse my Negro, and never went empty-handed, being desirous to try if I could discover any thing further from him or of him, and how he attain’d the great Knowledge I found he had in the medicinal Virtues of Roots, Plants, _&c._ He inform’d me, that during about fifty Years that he was a Slave (in which time six of his Masters had died) he oft wish’d for Death, and sought no means to preserve Life, and was then so infirm, as to be thought by his seventh Master to be past labour; and having been a good and faithful Slave, his said Master gave him his Freedom, and the piece of Ground I found him upon, to live on. That Liberty having render’d Life more agreeable to him, he then studied all means to preserve it, and having some knowledge of things proper to preserve as well as support him, he had ever since planted, _&c._ in his Plantation, things proper for Physick as well as Food. And indeed his Ground might be called a Physick-Garden, rather than a Provision-Plantation; for of the latter he only raised enough to support himself, of the former to supply others as well as himself, and frequently made Medicines for his sick Acquaintance and others with success. This Account I had of him from many, as well as from himself; which made me entertain so good an opinion of his Skill and Fidelity, that I ventur’d to take a Medicine made by him, by the use of which I found great Benefit in the restoring me to the Use of my Limbs. ’Twas owing to his Skill that he had thus preserv’d himself to so great an Age; and ’tis my Opinion, he had attain’d to a greater knowledge of the physical Use of the Vegetables of that Country, than any illiterate Person ever had done before him. Believing some of the Materials not to be had in _Europe_, I procured of him a quantity, and soon after returned to _England_.