You know, perhaps, the sting of a flexible bamboo cane when it is whole.

But do you realize its murderous quality when it has been split into several long lithe blades, each with an edge that is of the keenness of a knife?
When, at last, from very weariness, Colonel Bishop flung away the stump and thongs to which his cane had been reduced, the wretched slave's back was bleeding pulp from neck to waist.
As long as full sensibility remained, Jeremy Pitt had made no sound.
But in a measure as from pain his senses were mercifully dulled, he sank forward in the stocks, and hung there now in a huddled heap, faintly moaning.
Colonel Bishop set his foot upon the crossbar, and leaned over his victim, a cruel smile on his full, coarse face.
"Let that teach you a proper submission," said he.

"And now touching that shy friend of yours, you shall stay here without meat or drink--without meat or drink, d' ye hear me ?--until you please to tell me his name and business." He took his foot from the bar.

"When you've had enough of this, send me word, and we'll have the branding-irons to you." On that he swung on his heel, and strode out of the stockade, his negroes following.
Pitt had heard him, as we hear things in our dreams.

At the moment so spent was he by his cruel punishment, and so deep was the despair into which he had fallen, that he no longer cared whether he lived or died.
Soon, however, from the partial stupor which pain had mercifully induced, a new variety of pain aroused him.