COVE

Page 3 of Richard Barrett's manuscript.
Accession #: n.d./137

Transcription: fight. Davy was old, infirm, & by nature a coward. But Austin knew that
a witness would be useful should Copperbottom fall in the conflict. They
had not been long concealed in the thick green of plantains, when they
heard the plantains falling at a distance from them, as well as the voices
of more than one rogue. Davy fell back—Austin crept silently round till
he had placed himself between the moon & the enemy, so as to have the
full advantage of her light in the battle he was about to wage. In imi-
tation of the poets, we arrest our tale at this awful crisis to describe the
persons of the combatants. Austin, like most creole negroes, was of smooth
skin, & handsome open countenance: his complection was some shades lighter
than jet black; & in common with his race his hair ^was^ woolly & black, & his
nose broad, tho' less so than the native African's. His eyes also were black &
lively, & his teeth white as the coffee blossom. His height may have reached
5 feet 8 inches, he was well made, his limbs stout & sinewy, & his shoulders
as broad as they ought to be without clumsiness: his spreading chest, ill cover-
ed by a light linen frock, displayed great muscular strength. In his right
hand he carried a cutlass, unful either for cutting or thrusting, & having
been very lately sharpened it glittered in the rays of the moon. His anta-
gonist Copperbottom bore the marks of his native country on the cheeks
and forehead; they were tattooed, as well as other parts of his body, in
divers fantastic figures. These scars on a yellow complection with a