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when she was carried off, he immediately proceeded to the sloop, accompanied by an officer.
When the claimant saw them appoaching, he went into the cabin for his gun, and threatened them with instant death if they came near his vessel.
Friend Hopper quietly told the men to go ahead and pay no attention to his threats.
When they moored their boat alongside of the one into which they were unloading staves, he became very vociferous, and pointing his gun at Friend Hopper's breast, swore he should not enter the vessel.
He replied, ‘I have an officer with me, and I have authority from a magistrate to bring before him a girl now in thy vessel.
I think we are prepared to show that she is free.’
The man still kept his gun pointed, and told them to beware how they attempted to come on board.
‘If thou shouldst injure any person, it would be impossible for thee to escape,’ replied Friend Hopper; ‘for thou art a hundred and twenty miles from the Capes, with hundreds of people on the wharf to witness thy deed.’
While speaking thus, he advanced toward him until he came near enough to sieze hold of the gun and turn it aside.
The man made a violent jerk to wrest the weapon from him, and still clinging fast hold of it he was pulled on board.
In the scuffle to regain possession of his gun, the man trod upon a
Boston, J. P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland, Ohio: Jewett, Proctor and Worthington; London; Low and Company, 1854.
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