Excellent Swimmers and Divers they are, both men and women. Collonell _Drax_ (_who was not so strict an observer of Sundaies_, as to deny himselfe lawfull recreations) would sometimes, to shew me sport, upon that day in the afternoon, send for one of the _Muscovia_ Ducks, and have her put into his largest Pond, and calling for some of his best swimming Negres, commanded them to swim and take this Duck; but forbad them to dive, for if they were not bar’d that play, they would rise up under the Duck, and take her as she swome, or meet her in her diving, and so the sport would have too quick an end. But that play being forbidden, the duck would make them good sport for they are stronger ducks, and better Divers by farre then ours: and in this chase, there was much of pleasure, to see the various swimmings of the _Negroes_; some the ordinarie wayes, upon their bellies, some on their backs, some by striking out their right legge and left arme, and then turning on the other side, and changing both their legge and arme, which is a stronger and swifter way of swimming, then any of the others: and while we were seeing this sport, and observing the diversities, of their swimmings, a _Negro_ maid, who was not there at the beginning of the sport; and therefore heard nothing of the forbidding them to dive, put off her peticoate behind a bush, that was at one end of the Pond, and closely sunk down into the water, and at one diving got to the Duck, pul’d her under water, & went back againe the same way she came to the bush, all at one dive. We all thought the Duck had div’d: and expected her appearance above water, but nothing could be seen, till the subtilty was discovered, by a Christian that saw her go in, and so the duck was taken from her. But the trick being so finely and so closely done, I begg’d that the Duck might be given her againe, which was granted, and the young girle much pleased. Though there be a marke set upon these people, which will hardly ever be wip’d off, as of their cruelties when they have advantages, and of their fearfulnesse and falsnesse; yet no rule so generall but hath his acception: for I beleive, and I have strong motives to cause me to bee of that perswasion, that there are as honest, faithfull, and conscionable people amongst them, as amongst those of _Europe_, or any other part of the world.