I then went forward to the governor, and by Maleck, my interpreter, asked him who they all were with him: he told me his slaves. I then made him call every man before him and give him freedom; which finding no way to avoid (for I looked very stern), he did, and I had enough to do to quiet my new freemen, who I thought would have devoured me for joy. I asked him whither he was going; he said to his government.--"Under whom do you hold it?" says I.--"Under the zaps of the isles," says he. I then told him that whoever held that government for the future, must receive it from the hands of Georigetti, the king of that country, to whom all the natives and miners had already engaged their fidelity. I told him both natives and foreigners had been all declared free. The governor seemed much dejected, and told me he hoped I would not use him or his company ill. I told him that depended entirely on his own and their good behaviour. I asked him who his friends were that were with him; he said they were some of the zap's relations, who were come to see the method of the government and inspect the mines. Ordering all the governor's guards and friends to go before, and all my own, but Maleck, to keep backwards some paces, I entered into discourse with him about the state of the isles, and the country of Alkoe; and finding him a judicious person, and not a native of the isles, I thought, with some management, he might prove a useful person to me, but did not like the character I had heard of his severity: so I plainly told him that only one thing prevented my making him a greater man than ever he was; which was, I had been informed he had a roughness in his nature which drove him to extremities with the poor slaves, which I could not bear. "Sir," says he, "whatever a man is in his natural temper, where slavery abounds it is necessary to act, or at least be thought to do so, in a merciless manner. I am intrusted with the government of a land of only slaves; who have no more love, nor are they capable of any, for me, than the herbs of the ground have. I am to render an account to my masters of their labours; they work by force, and would not stir a step without it, or the fear of correction; for which reason the rod must be ever held over them; and though I seldom let it fall, when I do the suffering of one is too long remembered to permit others quickly to subject themselves to the like punishment: and this method I judged to be the most mild, as the death or sufferings of one but seldom, must, though ever so severe, be milder than the frequent execution of numbers. And as to my appearing severe to them, my post required it; for mercy to slaves being interpreted into fear, arms them with violence against you."