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text-decoration: none} + link {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:visited {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:hover {color: red} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Life and Adventures of +Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself, by Henry Bibb + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself + +Author: Henry Bibb + +Release Date: March 17, 2005 [EBook #15398] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="title2">NARRATIVE</p> +<p class="title4">OF THE</p> +<p class="title2">LIFE AND ADVENTURES</p> +<p class="title4">OF</p> +<p class="title1">HENRY BIBB,</p> +<p class="title2">AN AMERICAN SLAVE,</p> +<p class="title4">WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.</p> +<br /> +<p class="title4">WITH</p> +<p class="title4">AN INTRODUCTION</p> +<p class="title4">BY LUCIUS C. MATLACK.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<p class="title5">NEW YORK:</p> +<p class="title5">PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR; 5 SPRUCE STREET.</p> +<br /> +<p class="title5">1849</p> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page1" id="page1"></a>[pg 1]</span> + +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION.</a></h2> + + +<p class="cap">FROM the most obnoxious substances we often see spring forth, +beautiful and fragrant, flowers of every hue, to regale the eye, and +perfume the air. Thus, frequently, are results originated which are +wholly unlike the cause that gave them birth. An illustration of this +truth is afforded by the history of American Slavery.</p> + +<p>Naturally and necessarily, the enemy of literature, it has become the +prolific theme of much that is profound in argument, sublime in +poetry, and thrilling in narrative. From the soil of slavery itself +have sprung forth some of the most brilliant productions, whose +logical levers will ultimately upheave and overthrow the system. +Gushing fountains of poetic thought, have started from beneath the rod +of violence, that will long continue to slake the feverish thirst of +humanity outraged, until swelling to a flood it shall rush with +wasting violence over the ill-gotten heritage of the oppressor. +Startling incidents authenticated, far excelling fiction in their +touching pathos, from the pen of self-emancipated slaves, do now +exhibit slavery in such revolting aspects, as to secure the +execrations of all good men, and become a monument more enduring than +marble, in testimony strong as sacred writ against it.</p> + +<p>Of the class last named, is the narrative of the life of Henry Bibb, +which is equally distinguished as a revolting portrait of the hideous +slave system, a thrilling narrative of individual suffering, and a +triumphant vindication of the slave's manhood and mental dignity. And +all this is associated with unmistakable traces of originality and +truthfulness.</p> + +<p>To many, the elevated style, purity of diction, and easy flow of +language, frequently exhibited, will appear unaccountable and +contradictory, in view of his want of early mental culture. But to the +thousands who have listened with delight to his speeches on +anniversary and other occasions, these same traits will be noted as +unequivocal evidence of originality. Very few men present in their +written composition, so perfect a transcript of their style as is +exhibited by Mr. Bibb.</p> + +<p>Moreover, the writer of this introduction is well acquainted + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page2" id="page2"></a>[pg 2]</span> + +with his +handwriting and style. The entire manuscript I have examined and +prepared for the press. Many of the closing pages of it were written +by Mr. Bibb in my office. And the whole is preserved for inspection +now. An examination of it will show that no alteration of sentiment, +language or style, was necessary to make it what it now is, in the +hands of the reader. The work of preparation for the press was that of +orthography and punctuation merely, an arrangement of the chapters, +and a table of contents—little more than falls to the lot of +publishers generally.</p> + +<p>The fidelity of the narrative is sustained by the most satisfactory +and ample testimony. Time has proved its claims to truth. Thorough +investigation has sifted and analysed every essential fact alleged, +and demonstrated clearly that this thrilling and eloquent narrative, +though stranger than fiction, is undoubtedly true.</p> + +<p>It is only necessary to present the following documents to the reader, +to sustain this declaration. For convenience of reference, and that +they may be more easily understood, the letters will be inserted +consecutively, with explanations following the last.</p> + +<p>The best preface to these letters, is the report of a committee +appointed to investigate the truth of Mr. Bibb's narrative as he has +delivered it in public for years past.</p> + + +<p class="center">REPORT</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p><span class="sc">Of the undersigned, Committee appointed by +the Detroit Liberty Association to investigate the truth of the +narrative of Henry Bibb, a fugitive from Slavery, and report +theron:</span></p> + +<p> Mr. Bibb has addressed several assemblies in Michigan, and his +narrative is generally known. Some of his hearers, among whom were +Liberty men, felt doubt as to the truth of his statements. Respect for +their scruples and the obligation of duty to the public induced the +formation of the present Committee.</p> + +<p> The Committee entered on the duty confided to them, resolved on a +searching scrutiny, and an unreserved publication of its result. Mr. +Bibb acquiesced in the inquiry with a praiseworthy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page3" id="page3"></a>[pg 3]</span> +spirit. He attended before the Committee and +gave willing aid to its object. He was subjected to a rigorous +examination. Facts—dates—persons—and localities were +demanded and cheerfully furnished. Proper inquiry—either by +letter, or personally, or through the medium of friends was then made +from <i>every</i> person, and in <i>every</i> quarter likely to elucidate the +truth. In fact no test for its ascertainment, known to the sense or +experience of the Committee, was omitted. The result was the +collection of a large body of testimony from very diversified +quarters. Slave owners, slave dealers, fugitives from slavery, +political friends and political foes contributed to a mass of +testimony, every part of which pointed to a common +conclusion—the undoubted truth of Mr. Bibb's statements.</p> + +<p> In the Committee's opinion no individual can substantiate the +events of his life by testimony more conclusive and harmonious than is +now before them in confirmation of Mr. Bibb. The main facts of his +narrative, and many of the minor ones are corroborated beyond all +question. No inconsistency has been disclosed nor anything revealed to +create suspicion. The Committee have no hesitation in declaring their +conviction that Mr. Bibb is amply sustained, and is entitled to public +confidence and high esteem.</p> + +<p> The bulk of testimony precludes its publication, but it is in the +Committee's hands for the inspection of any applicant.</p> + +<p class="author-up">A.L. PORTER,</p> +<p class="author-up">C.H. STEWART,</p> +<p class="author-up">SILAS M. HOLMES.</p> +<p class="author-up">Committee.</p> + +<p class="letterClose4"><span class="sc">Detroit,</span> <i>April 22, 1845</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<p>From the bulk of testimony obtained, a part only is here introduced. +The remainder fully corroborates and strengthens that.</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 1. An Extract]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Dawn Mills, Feb. 19th, 1845.</span></p> +<p><span class="sc">Charles H. Stevart, Esq.</span></p> +<p><span class="sc">My Dear Brother:</span></p> + +<p>Your kind communication of the 13th came to hand yesterday. +I have made inquiries respecting Henry Bibb which may +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page4" id="page4"></a>[pg 4]</span> +be of service to you. Mr. Wm. Harrison, to whom you alluded in your +letter, is here. He is a respectable and worthy man—a man of +piety. I have just had an interview with him this evening. He +testifies, that he was well acquainted with Henry Bibb in Trimble +County, Ky., and that he sent a letter to him by Thomas Henson, and +got one in return from him. He says that Bibb came out to Canada some +three years ago, and went back to get his wife up, but was betrayed at +Cincinnati by a colored man—that he was taken to Louisville but +got away—was taken again and lodged in jail, and sold off to New +Orleans, or he, (Harrison,) understood that he was taken to New +Orleans. He testifies that Bibb is a Methodist man, and says that two +persons who came on with him last Summer, knew Bibb. One of these, +Simpson Young, is now at Malden.</p> +<p class="close">* * *</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Very respectfully, thy friend,</p> +<p class="letterClose6">HIRAM WILSON.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 2.]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Bedford, Trimble Co., Kentucky.</span></p> +<p class="letterDate2"><i>March 4, 1845</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">Sir</span>:—Your letter under date of the +13th ult., is now before me, making some inquiry about a person +supposed to be a fugitive from the South, "who is lecturing to +your religious community on Slavery and the South."</p> + +<p> I am pleased to inform you that I have it in my power to give you +the information you desire. The person spoken of by you I have no +doubt is Walton, a yellow man, who once belonged to my father, William +Gatewood. He was purchased by him from John Sibly, and by John Sibly +of his brother Albert G. Sibly, and Albert G. Sibly became possessed +of him by his marriage with Judge David White's daughter, he being +born Judge White's slave.</p> + +<p> The boy Walton at the time he belonged to John Sibly, married a +slave of my father's, a mulatto girl, and sometime afterwards +solicited him to buy him; the old man after much importuning from +Walton, consented to do so, and accordingly paid Sibly eight hundred +and fifty dollars. He did not buy him because he needed him, but from +the fact that he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page5" id="page5"></a>[pg 5]</span> +had a wife there, and Walton on his part promising every thing that +my father could desire.</p> + +<p> It was not long, however, before Walton became indolent and +neglectful of his duty; and in addition to this, he was guilty, as the +old man thought, of worse offences. He watched his conduct more +strictly, and found he was guilty of disposing of articles from the +farm for his own use, and pocketing the money.</p> + +<p> He actually caught him one day stealing wheat—he had +conveyed one sack full to a neighbor and whilst he was delivering the +other my father caught him in the very act.</p> + +<p> He confessed his guilt and promised to do better for the +future—and on his making promises of this kind my father was +disposed to keep him still, not wishing to part him from his wife, for +whom he professed to entertain the strongest affection. When the +Christmas Holidays came on, the old man, as is usual in this country, +gave his negroes a week Holiday. Walton, instead of regaling himself +by going about visiting his colored friends, took up his line of march +for her Britanic Majesty's dominions.</p> + +<p> He was gone about two years I think, when I heard of him in +Cincinnati; I repaired thither, with some few friends to aid me, and +succeeded in securing him.</p> + +<p> He was taken to Louisville, and on the next morning after our +arrival there, he escaped, almost from before our face, while we were +on the street before the Tavern. He succeeded in eluding our pursuit, +and again reached Canada in safety.</p> + +<p> Nothing daunted he returned, after a lapse of some twelve or +eighteen months, with the intention, as I have since learned, of +conducting off his wife and eight or ten more slaves to Canada.</p> + +<p> I got news of his whereabouts, and succeeded in recapturing him. I +took him to Louisville and together with his wife and child, (she +going along with him at her owner's request,) sold him. He was taken +from thence to New Orleans—and from hence to Red River, +Arkansas—and the next news I had of him he was again wending his +way to Canada, and I suppose now is at or near Detroit.</p> + +<p> In relation to his character, it was the general opinion here +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page6" id="page6"></a>[pg 6]</span> +that he was a notorious liar, and a rogue. These things I can procure +any number of respectable witnesses to prove.</p> + +<p> In proof of it, he says his mother belonged to James Bibb, which +is a lie, there not having been such a man about here, much less +brother of Secretary Bibb. He says that Bibb's daughter married A.G. +Sibly, when the fact is Sibly married Judge David White's daughter, +and his mother belonged to White also and is now here, free.</p> + +<p> So you will perceive he is guilty of lying for no effect, and what +might it not be supposed he would do where he could effect anything by +it.</p> + +<p> I have been more tedious than I should have been, but being +anxious to give you his rascally conduct in full, must be my apology. +You are at liberty to publish this letter, or make any use you see +proper of it. If you do publish it, let me have a paper containing the +publication—at any rate let me hear from you again.</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Respectfully yours, &c,</p> +<p class="letterClose6">SILAS GATEWOOD.</p> +<p class="letterClose4">To C.H. Stewart, Esq.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 3. An Extract.]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Cincinnati</span>, <i>March 10, 1845</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">My Dear Sir</span>:—Mrs. Path, +Nickens and Woodson did not see Bibb on his first visit, in 1837, when +he staid with Job Dundy, but were subsequently told of it by Bibb. +They first saw him in May, 1838. Mrs. Path remembers this date because +it was the month in which she removed from Broadway to Harrison +street, and Bibb assisted her to remove. Mrs. Path's garden adjoined +Dundy's back yard. While engaged in digging up flowers, she was +addressed by Bibb, who was staying with Dundy, and who offered to dig +them up for her. She hired him to do it. Mrs. Dundy shortly after +called over and told Mrs. Path that he was a slave. After that Mrs. +Path took him into her house and concealed him. While concealed, he +astonished his good protectress by his ingenuity in bottoming chairs +with cane. When the furniture was removed, Bibb insisted on helping, +and was, after some remonstrances, permitted. At the house on Harrison +street, he was employed for several days in digging a cellar, and was +so employed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page7" id="page7"></a>[pg 7]</span> +when seized on Saturday afternoon by the constables. He held frequent +conversations with Mrs. Path and others, in which he gave them the +same account which he has given you.</p> + +<p> On Saturday afternoon, two noted slave-catching constables, E.V. +Brooks and O'Neil, surprised Bibb as he was digging in the cellar. +Bibb sprang for the fence and gained the top of it, where he was +seized and dragged back. They took him immediately before William +Doty, a Justice of infamous notoriety as an accomplice of kidnappers, +proved property, paid charges and took him away.</p> + +<p> His distressed friends were surprised by his re-appearance in a +few days after, the Wednesday following, as they think. He reached the +house of Dr. Woods, (a colored man since deceased,) before day-break, +and staid until dusk. Mrs. Path, John Woodson and others made up about +twelve dollars for him. Woodson accompanied him out of town a mile and +bid him "God speed." He has never been here since. Woodson +and Clark saw him at Detroit two years ago.</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Yours truly,</p> +<p class="letterClose2">WILLIAM BIRNEY.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 4.]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Louisville</span>, <i>March 14, 1845</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">Mr. Stewart</span>.—Yours of the 1st +came to hand on the 13th inst. You wished me to inform you what became +of a boy that was in the work-house in the fall of '39. The boy you +allude to went by the name of Walton; he had ran away from Kentucky +some time before, and returned for his wife—was caught and sold +to Garrison; he was taken to Louisiana, I think—he was sold on +Red River to a planter. As Garrison is absent in the City of New +Orleans at this time, I cannot inform you who he was sold to. Garrison +will be in Louisville some time this Spring; if you wish me, I will +inquire of Garrison and inform you to whom he was sold, and where his +master lives at this time.</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Yours,</p> +<p class="letterClose3">W. PORTER.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page8" id="page8"></a>[pg 8]</span> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 5.]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Bedford, Trimble County, Ky.</span></p> +<p><span class="sc">C.H. Stewart, Esq.,</span></p> + +<p><span class="sc">Sir</span>.—I received your note on +the 16th inst., and in accordance with it I write you these lines. You +stated that you would wish to know something about Walton H. Bibb, and +whether he had a wife and child, and whether they were sold to New +Orleans. Sir, before I answer these inquiries, I should like to know +who Charles H. Stewart is, and why you should make these inquiries of +me, and how you knew who I was, as you are a stranger to me and I must +be to you. In your next if you will tell me the intention of your +inquiries, I will give you a full history of the whole case.</p> + +<p> I have a boy in your county by the name of King, a large man and +very black; if you are acquainted with him, give him my compliments, +and tell him I am well, and all of his friends. W.H. Bibb is +acquainted with him.</p> + +<p> I wait your answer.</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Your most obedient,</p> +<p class="letterClose3">W.H. GATEWOOD.</p> + +<p class="letterClose4"><i>March 17, 1845</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>[No. 6.]</p> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Bedford, Kentucky</span>, <i>April 6th, 1845</i>.</p> +<p><span class="sc">Mr. Charles H. Stewart</span>.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">Sir</span>:—Yours of the 1st March +is before me, inquiring if one Walton Bibb, a colored man, escaped +from me at Louisville, Ky., in the Spring of 1839. To that inquiry I +answer, he did. The particulars are these: He ran off from William +Gatewood some time in 1838 I think, and was heard of in Cincinnati. +Myself and some others went there and took him, and took him to +Louisville for sale, by the directions of his master. While there he +made his escape and was gone some time, I think about one year or +longer. He came back it was said, to get his wife and child, so report +says. He was again taken by his owner; he together with his wife and +child was taken to Louisville and sold to a man who traded in negroes, +and was taken by him to New Orleans and sold with his wife and child +to some man up Red River, so I was informed by the man who sold him. +He then ran off and left his wife and child and got back, it seems, to +your country. I can say for Gatewood he was a good master, and treated +him well. Gatewood bought +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page9" id="page9"></a>[pg 9]</span> +him from a Mr. Sibly, who was going to send him down the river. +Walton, to my knowledge, influenced Gatewood to buy him, and promised +if he would, never to disobey him or run off. Who he belongs to now, I +do not know. I know Gatewood sold his wife and child at a great +sacrifice, to satisfy him. If any other information is necessary I +will give it, if required. You will please write me again what he is +trying to do in your country, or what he wishes the inquiry from me +for.</p> + +<p class="letterClose2">Yours, truly,</p> +<p class="letterClose3">DANIEL S. LANE.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<p>These letters need little comment. Their testimony combined is most +harmonious and conclusive. Look at the points established.</p> + +<p>1. Hiram Wilson gives the testimony of reputable men now in Canada, +who knew Henry Bibb as a slave in Kentucky.</p> + +<p>2. Silas Gatewood, with a peculiar relish, fills three pages of +foolscap, "being anxious to give his rascally conduct in full," as he +says. But he vaults over the saddle and lands on the other side. His +testimony is invaluable as an endorsement of Mr. Bibb's truthfulness. +He illustrates all the essential facts of this narrative. He also +labors to prove him deceitful and a liar.</p> + +<p>Deceit in a slave, is only a slight reflex of the stupendous fraud +practised by his master. And its indulgence has far more logic in its +favor, than the ablest plea ever written for slave holding, under ever +such peculiar circumstances. The attempt to prove Mr. Bibb in the lie, +is a signal failure, as he never affirmed what Gatewood denies. With +this offset, the letter under notice is a triumphant vindication of +one, whom he thought there by to injure sadly. As Mr. Bibb has most +happily acknowledged the wheat, (see page 130,) I pass the charge of +stealing by referring to the logic there used, which will be deemed +convincing.</p> + +<p>3. William Birney, Esq., attests the facts of Mr. Bibb's arrest in +Cincinnati, and the subsequent escape, as narrated by him, from the +declaration of eye witnesses.</p> + +<p>4. W. Porter, Jailor, states that Bibb was in the work-house at +Louisville, held and sold afterwards to the persons and at the places +named in this volume. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page10" id="page10"></a>[pg 10]</span> +</p> + +<p>5. W.H. Gatewood, with much Southern dignity, will answer no +questions, but shows his relation to these matters by naming +"King"—saying, "W.H. Bibb is acquainted with him," and promising "a +full history of the case."</p> + +<p>6. Daniel S. Lane, with remarkable straight-forwardness and stupidity, +tells all he knows, and then wants to know what they ask him for. The +writer will answer that question. He wanted to prove by two or more +witnesses, the truth of his own statements; which has most surely been +accomplished.</p> + +<p>Having thus presented an array of testimony sustaining the facts +alleged in this narrative, the introduction will be concluded by +introducing a letter signed by respectable men of Detroit, and +endorsed by Judge Wilkins, showing the high esteem in which Mr. Bibb +is held by those who know him well where he makes his home. Their +testimony expresses their present regard as well as an opinion of his +past character. It is introduced here with the greatest satisfaction, +as the writer is assured, from an intimate acquaintance with Henry +Bibb, that all who know him hereafter will entertain the same +sentiments toward him:</p> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Detroit</span>, <i>March 10, 1845</i>.</p> + +<p>The undersigned have pleasure in +recommending Henry Bibb to the kindness and confidence of Anti-slavery +friends in every State. He has resided among us for some years. His +deportment, his conduct, and his Christian course have won our esteem +and affection. The narrative of his sufferings and more early life has +been thoroughly investigated by a Committee appointed for the purpose. +They sought evidence respecting it in every proper quarter, and their +report attested its undoubted truth. In this conclusion we all +cordially unite.</p> + +<p> H. Bibb has for some years publicly made this narrative to +assemblies, whose number cannot be told; it has commanded public +attention in this State, and provoked inquiry. Occasionally too we see +persons from the South, who knew him in early years, yet not a word or +fact worthy of impairing its truth has reached us; but on the +contrary, every thing tended to its corroboration.</p> + +<p> Mr. Bibb's Anti-slavery efforts in this State have produced +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page11" id="page11"></a>[pg 11]</span> +incalculable benefit. The Lord has blessed him into an instrument of +great power. He has labored much, and for very inadequate +compensation. Lucrative offers for other quarters did not tempt him to +a more profitable field. His sincerity and disinterestedness are +therefore beyond suspicion.</p> + +<p> We bid him "God-speed," on his route. We bespeak for him +every kind consideration.</p> +<p class="close">* * * *</p> + +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">H. Hallock</span>,</p> +<p class="letterClose1">President of the Detroit Lib. Association.</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">Cullen Brown</span>, <i>Vice-President</i>.</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">S.M. Holmes</span>, <i>Secretary</i>.</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">J.D. Baldwin</span>,</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">Charles H. Stewart</span>,</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">Martin Wilson</span>,</p> +<p class="letterClose1"><span class="sc">William Barnum</span>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<blockquote class="note"> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Detroit</span>, Nov. 11, 1845.</p> + +<p>The undersigned, cheerfully concurs with Mr. +Hallock and others in their friendly recommendation of Mr. Henry Bibb. +The undersigned has known him for many months in the Sabbath School in +this City, partly under his charge, and can certify to his correct +deportment, and commend him to the sympathies of Christian +benevolence.</p> + +<p class="author">ROSS WILKINS.</p> +</blockquote> + +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<br /> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>The task now performed, in preparing for the +press and introducing to the public the narrative of Henry Bibb, has +been one of the most pleasant ever required at my hands. And I +conclude it with an expression of the hope that it may afford interest +to the reader, support to the author in his efforts against slavery, +and be instrumental in advancing the great work of emancipation in +this country.</p> + +<p class="author">LUCIUS C. MATLACK.</p> + +<p class="letterClose4"><span class="sc">New York City,</span> <i>July 1st, 1849</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page12" id="page12"></a>[pg 12]</span> +<h2><a name="AUTHORS_PREFACE" id="AUTHORS_PREFACE">AUTHOR'S PREFACE.</a></h2> + + +<p class="cap">THIS work has been written during irregular intervals, while I have +been travelling and laboring for the emancipation of my enslaved +countrymen. The reader will remember that I make no pretension to +literature; for I can truly say, that I have been educated in the +school of adversity, whips, and chains. Experience and observation +have been my principal teachers, with the exception of three weeks +schooling which I have had the good fortune to receive since my escape +from the "grave yard of the mind," or the dark prison of human +bondage. And nothing but untiring perseverance has enabled me to +prepare this volume for the public eye; and I trust by the aid of +Divine Providence to be able to make it intelligible and instructive. +I thank God for the blessings of Liberty—the contrast is truly great +between freedom and slavery. To be changed from a chattel to a human +being, is no light matter, though the process with myself practically +was very simple. And if I could reach the ears of every slave to-day, +throughout the whole continent of America, I would teach the same +lesson, I would sound it in the ears of every hereditary bondman, +"break your chains and fly for freedom!"</p> + +<p>It may be asked why I have written this work, when there has been so +much already written and published of the same character from other +fugitives? And, why publish it after having told it publicly all +through New England and the Western States to multiplied thousands?</p> + +<p>My answer is, that in no place have I given orally the detail of my +narrative; and some of the most interesting events of my life have +never reached the public ear. Moreover, it was at the request of many +friends of down-trodden humanity, that I have undertaken to write the +following sketch, that light and truth might be spread on the sin and +evils of slavery as far as possible. I also wanted to leave my humble +testimony on record against this man-destroying system, to be read by +succeeding generations when my body shall lie mouldering in the dust.</p> + +<p>But I would not attempt by any sophistry to misrepresent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page14" id="page14"></a>[pg 14]</span> +slavery in +order to prove its dreadful wickedness. For, I presume there are none +who may read this narrative through, whether Christians or +slaveholders, males or females, but what will admit it to be a system +of the most high-handed oppression and tyranny that ever was tolerated +by an enlightened nation.</p> + +<p class="author">HENRY BIBB</p> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page15" id="page15"></a>[pg 15]</span> + +<p class="title3">NARRATIVE</p> +<p class="title4">OF THE</p> +<p class="title3">LIFE OF HENRY BIBB</p> + +<br /> +<hr class="short" /> +<br /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Sketch of my Parentage.—Early separation from my Mother.—Hard +Fare.—First Experiments at running away.—Earnest longing for +Freedom.—Abhorrent nature of Slavery.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">I was born May 1815, of a slave mother, in Shelby County, Kentucky, +and was claimed as the property of David White Esq. He came into +possession of my mother long before I was born. I was brought up in +the Counties of Shelby, Henry, Oldham, and Trimble. Or, more correctly +speaking, in the above counties, I may safely say, I was <i>flogged up</i>; +for where I should have received moral, mental, and religious +instruction, I received stripes without number, the object of which +was to degrade and keep me in subordination. I can truly say, that I +drank deeply of the bitter cup of suffering and woe. I have been +dragged down to the lowest depths of human degradation and +wretchedness, by Slaveholders.</p> + +<p>My mother was known by the name of Milldred Jackson. She is the mother +of seven slaves only, all being sons, of whom I am the eldest. She was +also so fortunate or unfortunate, as to have some of what is called +the slaveholding blood flowing in her veins. I know not how much; but +not enough to prevent her children though fathered by slaveholders, +from being bought and sold in the slave markets of the South. It is +almost impossible for slaves to give a correct account of their male +parentage. All that I know about it is, that my mother informed me +that my fathers name was <span class="sc">James Bibb</span>. He was doubtless one of +the present Bibb family of Kentucky; but I have no personal knowledge +of him at all, for he died before my recollection.</p> + +<p>The first time I was separated from my mother, I was young and small. +I knew nothing of my condition then as a slave. I was living with Mr. +White, whose wife died and left +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page16" id="page16"></a>[pg 16]</span> +him a widower with one little girl, +who was said to be the legitimate owner of my mother, and all her +children. This girl was also my playmate when we were children.</p> + +<p>I was taken away from my mother, and hired out to labor for various +persons, eight or ten years in succession; and all my wages were +expended for the education of Harriet White, my playmate. It was then +my sorrows and sufferings commenced. It was then I first commenced +seeing and feeling that I was a wretched slave, compelled to work +under the lash without wages, and often without clothes enough to hide +my nakedness. I have often worked without half enough to eat, both +late and early, by day and by night. I have often laid my wearied +limbs down at night to rest upon a dirt floor, or a bench, without any +covering at all, because I had no where else to rest my wearied body, +after having worked hard all the day. I have also been compelled in +early life, to go at the bidding of a tyrant, through all kinds of +weather, hot or cold, wet or dry, and without shoes frequently, until +the month of December, with my bare feet on the cold frosty ground, +cracked open and bleeding as I walked. Reader, believe me when I say, +that no tongue, nor pen ever has or can express the horrors of +American Slavery. Consequently I despair in finding language to +express adequately the deep feeling of my soul, as I contemplate the +past history of my life. But although I have suffered much from the +lash, and for want of food and raiment; I confess that it was no +disadvantage to be passed through the hands of so many families, as +the only source of information that I had to enlighten my mind, +consisted in what I could see and hear from others. Slaves were not +allowed books, pen, ink, nor paper, to improve their minds. But it +seems to me now, that I was particularly observing, and apt to retain +what came under my observation. But more especially, all that I heard +about liberty and freedom to the slaves, I never forgot. Among other +good trades I learned the art of running away to perfection. I made a +regular business of it, and never gave it up, until I had broken the +bands of slavery, and landed myself safely in Canada, where I was +regarded as a man, and not as a thing.</p> + +<p>The first time in my life that I ran away, was for ill treatment, in +1835. I was living with a Mr. Vires, in the village of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page17" id="page17"></a>[pg 17]</span> + Newcastle. His +wife was a very cross woman. She was every day flogging me, boxing, +pulling my ears, and scolding, so that I dreaded to enter the room +where she was. This first started me to running away from them. I was +often gone several days before I was caught. They would abuse me for +going off, but it did no good. The next time they flogged me, I was +off again; but after awhile they got sick of their bargain, and +returned me back into the hands of my owners. By this time Mr. White +had married his second wife. She was what I call a tyrant. I lived +with her several months, but she kept me almost half of my time in the +woods, running from under the bloody lash. While I was at home she +kept me all the time rubbing furniture, washing, scrubbing the floors; +and when I was not doing this, she would often seat herself in a large +rocking chair, with two pillows about her, and would make me rock her, +and keep off the flies. She was too lazy to scratch her own head, and +would often make me scratch and comb it for her. She would at other +times lie on her bed, in warm weather, and make me fan her while she +slept, scratch and rub her feet; but after awhile she got sick of me, +and preferred a maiden servant to do such business. I was then hired +out again; but by this time I had become much better skilled in +running away, and would make calculation to avoid detection, by taking +with me a bridle. If any body should see me in the woods, as they +have, and asked "what are you doing here sir! you are a runaway!"—I +said, "no, sir, I am looking for our old mare;" at other times, +"looking for our cows." For such excuses I was let pass. In fact, the +only weapon of self defence that I could use successfully, was that of +deception. It is useless for a poor helpless slave, to resist a white +man in a slaveholding State. Public opinion and the law is against +him; and resistance in many cases is death to the slave, while the law +declares, that he shall submit or die.</p> + +<p>The circumstances in which I was then placed, gave me a longing desire +to be free. It kindled a fire of liberty within my breast which has +never yet been quenched. This seemed to be a part of my nature; it was +first revealed to me by the inevitable laws of nature's God. I could +see that the All-wise Creator, had made man a free, moral, intelligent +and accountable being; capable of knowing good and evil. And I +believed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page18" id="page18"></a>[pg 18]</span> +then, as I believe now, that every man has a right to wages +for his labor; a right to his own wife and children; a right to +liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and a right to worship God +according to the dictates of his own conscience. But here, in the +light of these truths, I was a slave, a prisoner for life; I could +possess nothing, nor acquire anything but what must belong to my +keeper. No one can imagine my feelings in my reflecting moments, but +he who has himself been a slave. Oh! I have often wept over my +condition, while sauntering through the forest, to escape cruel +punishment.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"No arm to protect me from tyrants aggression;<br /></span> +<span>No parents to cheer me when laden with grief.<br /></span> +<span>Man may picture the bounds of the rocks and the rivers,<br /></span> +<span>The hills and the valleys, the lakes and the ocean,<br /></span> +<span>But the horrors of slavery, he never can trace."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The term slave to this day sounds with terror to my soul,—a word too +obnoxious to speak—a system too intolerable to be endured. I know +this from long and sad experience. I now feel as if I had just been +aroused from sleep, and looking back with quickened perception at the +state of torment from whence I fled. I was there held and claimed as a +slave; as such I was subjected to the will and power of my keeper, in +all respects whatsoever. That the slave is a human being, no one can +deny. It is his lot to be exposed in common with other men, to the +calamities of sickness, death, and the misfortunes incident to life. +But unlike other men, he is denied the consolation of struggling +against external difficulties, such as destroy the life, liberty, and +happiness of himself and family. A slave may be bought and sold in the +market like an ox. He is liable to be sold off to a distant land from +his family. He is bound in chains hand and foot; and his sufferings +are aggravated a hundred fold, by the terrible thought, that he is not +allowed to struggle against misfortune, corporeal punishment, insults, +and outrages committed upon himself and family; and he is not allowed +to help himself, to resist or escape the blow, which he sees impending +over him.</p> + +<p>This idea of utter helplessness, in perpetual bondage, is the more +distressing, as there is no period even with the remotest generation +when it shall terminate. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page19" id="page19"></a>[pg 19]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>A fruitless effort for education.—The Sabbath among +Slaves.—Degrading amusements.—Why religion is rejected.—Condition +of poor white people.—Superstition among slaves.—Education +forbidden</i>.</p> + + +<p class="cap">IN 1833, I had some very serious religious impressions, and there was +quite a number of slaves in that neighborhood, who felt very desirous +to be taught to read the Bible. There was a Miss Davis, a poor white +girl, who offered to teach a Sabbath School for the slaves, +notwithstanding public opinion and the law was opposed to it. Books +were furnished and she commenced the school; but the news soon got to +our owners that she was teaching us to read. This caused quite an +excitement in the neighborhood. Patrols<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1" /><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> were appointed to go and +break it up the next Sabbath. They were determined that we should not +have a Sabbath School in operation. For slaves this was called an +incendiary movement.</p> + +<p>The Sabbath is not regarded by a large number of the slaves as a day +of rest. They have no schools to go to; no moral nor religious +instruction at all in many localities where there are hundreds of +slaves. Hence they resort to some kind of amusement. Those who make no +profession of religion, resort to the woods in large numbers on that +day to gamble, fight, get drunk, and break the Sabbath. This is often +encouraged by slaveholders. When they wish to have a little sport of +that kind, they go among the slaves and give them whiskey, to see them +dance, "pat juber," sing and play on the banjo. Then get them to +wrestling, fighting, jumping, running foot races, and butting each +other like sheep. This is urged on by giving them whiskey; making bets +on them; laying chips on one slave's head, and daring another to tip +it off with his hand; and if he tipped it off, it would be called an +insult, and cause a fight. Before fighting, the parties choose their +seconds to stand by them while fighting; a ring or a circle is formed +to fight in, and no one is allowed to enter the ring while they are +fighting, but their seconds, and the white gentlemen. They +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page20" id="page20"></a>[pg 20]</span> +are not +allowed to fight a duel, nor to use weapons of any kind. The blows are +made by kicking, knocking, and butting with their heads; they grab +each other by their ears, and jam their heads together like sheep. If +they are likely to hurt each other very bad, their masters would rap +them with their walking canes, and make them stop. After fighting, +they make friends, shake hands, and take a dram together, and there is +no more of it.</p> + +<p>But this is all principally for want of moral instruction. This is +where they have no Sabbath Schools; no one to read the Bible to them; +no one to preach the gospel who is competent to expound the +Scriptures, except slaveholders. And the slaves, with but few +exceptions, have no confidence at all in their preaching, because they +preach a pro-slavery doctrine. They say, "Servants be obedient to your +masters;—and he that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, +shall be beaten with many stripes;—" means that God will send them to +hell, if they disobey their masters. This kind of preaching has driven +thousands into infidelity. They view themselves as suffering unjustly +under the lash, without friends, without protection of law or gospel, +and the green eyed monster tyranny staring them in the face. They know +that they are destined to die in that wretched condition, unless they +are delivered by the arm of Omnipotence. And they cannot believe or +trust in such a religion, as above named.</p> + +<p>The poor and loafering class of whites, are about on a par in point of +morals with the slaves at the South. They are generally ignorant, +intemperate, licentious, and profane. They associate much with the +slaves; are often found gambling together on the Sabbath; encouraging +slaves to steal from their owners, and sell to them, corn, wheat, +sheep, chickens, or any thing of the kind which they can well conceal. +For such offences there is no law to reach a slave but lynch law. But +if both parties are caught in the act by a white person, the slave is +punished with the lash, while the white man is often punished with +both lynch and common law. But there is another class of poor white +people in the South, who, I think would be glad to see slavery +abolished in self defence; they despise the institution because it is +impoverishing and degrading to them and their children. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page21" id="page21"></a>[pg 21]</span> +</p> + +<p>The slave holders are generally rich, aristocratic, overbearing; and +they look with utter contempt upon a poor laboring man, who earns his +bread by the "sweat of his brow," whether he be moral or immoral, +honest or dishonest. No matter whether he is white or black; if he +performs manual labor for a livelihood, he is looked upon as being +inferior to a slaveholder, and but little better off than the slave, +who toils without wages under the lash. It is true, that the +slaveholder, and non-slaveholder, are living under the same laws in +the same State. But the one is rich, the other is poor; one is +educated, the other is uneducated; one has houses, land and influence, +the other has none. This being the case, that class of the +non-slaveholders would be glad to see slavery abolished, but they dare +not speak it aloud.</p> + +<p>There is much superstition among the slaves. Many of them believe in +what they call "conjuration," tricking, and witchcraft; and some of +them pretend to understand the art, and say that by it they can +prevent their masters from exercising their will over their slaves. +Such are often applied to by others, to give them power to prevent +their masters from flogging them. The remedy is most generally some +kind of bitter root; they are directed to chew it and spit towards +their masters when they are angry with their slaves. At other times +they prepare certain kinds of powders, to sprinkle about their masters +dwellings. This is all done for the purpose of defending themselves in +some peaceable manner, although I am satisfied that there is no virtue +at all in it. I have tried it to perfection when I was a slave at the +South. I was then a young man, full of life and vigor, and was very +fond of visiting our neighbors slaves, but had no time to visit only +Sundays, when I could get a permit to go, or after night, when I could +slip off without being seen. If it was found out, the next morning I +was called up to give an account of myself for going off without +permission; and would very often get a flogging for it.</p> + +<p>I got myself into a scrape at a certain time, by going off in this +way, and I expected to be severely punished for it. I had a strong +notion of running off, to escape being flogged, but was advised by a +friend to go to one of those conjurers, who could prevent me from +being flogged. I went and informed him of the difficulty. He said if I +would pay him a small sum, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page22" id="page22"></a>[pg 22]</span> +he would prevent my being flogged. After I +had paid him, he mixed up some alum, salt and other stuff into a +powder, and said I must sprinkle it about my master, if he should +offer to strike me; this would prevent him. He also gave me some kind +of bitter root to chew, and spit towards him, which would certainly +prevent my being flogged. According to order I used his remedy, and +for some cause I was let pass without being flogged that time.</p> + +<p>I had then great faith in conjuration and witchcraft. I was led to +believe that I could do almost as I pleased, without being flogged. So +on the next Sabbath my conjuration was fully tested by my going off, +and staying away until Monday morning, without permission. When I +returned home, my master declared that he would punish me for going +off; but I did not believe that he could do it while I had this root +and dust; and as he approached me, I commenced talking saucy to him. +But he soon convinced me that there was no virtue in them. He became +so enraged at me for saucing him, that he grasped a handful of +switches and punished me severely, in spite of all my roots and +powders.</p> + +<p>But there was another old slave in that neighborhood, who professed to +understand all about conjuration, and I thought I would try his skill. +He told me that the first one was only a quack, and if I would only +pay him a certain amount in cash, that he would tell me how to prevent +any person from striking me. After I had paid him his charge, he told +me to go to the cow-pen after night, and get some fresh cow manure, +and mix it with red pepper and white people's hair, all to be put into +a pot over the fire, and scorched until it could be ground into snuff. +I was then to sprinkle it about my master's bed-room, in his hat and +boots, and it would prevent him from ever abusing me in any way. After +I got it all ready prepared, the smallest pinch of it scattered over a +room, was enough to make a horse sneeze from the strength of it; but +it did no good. I tried it to my satisfaction. It was my business to +make fires in my master's chamber, night and morning. Whenever I could +get a chance, I sprinkled a little of this dust about the linen of the +bed, where they would breathe it on retiring. This was to act upon +them as what is called a kind of love powder, to change their +sentiments of anger, to those of love, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page23" id="page23"></a>[pg 23]</span> +towards me, but this all +proved to be vain imagination. The old man had my money, and I was +treated no better for it.</p> + +<p>One night when I went in to make a fire, I availed myself of the +opportunity of sprinkling a very heavy charge of this powder about my +master's bed. Soon after their going to bed, they began to cough and +sneeze. Being close around the house, watching and listening, to know +what the effect would be, I heard them ask each other what in the +world it could be, that made them cough and sneeze so. All the while, +I was trembling with fear, expecting every moment I should be called +and asked if I knew any thing about it. After this, for fear they +might find me out in my dangerous experiments upon them, I had to give +them up, for the time being. I was then convinced that running away +was the most effectual way by which a slave could escape cruel +punishment.</p> + +<p>As all the instrumentalities which I as a slave, could bring to bear +upon the system, had utterly failed to palliate my sufferings, all +hope and consolation fled. I must be a slave for life, and suffer +under the lash or die. The influence which this had only tended to +make me more unhappy. I resolved that I would be free if running away +could make me so. I had heard that Canada was a land of liberty, +somewhere in the North; and every wave of trouble that rolled across +my breast, caused me to think more and more about Canada, and liberty. +But more especially after having been flogged, I have fled to the +highest hills of the forest, pressing my way to the North for refuge; +but the river Ohio was my limit. To me it was an impassable gulf. I +had no rod wherewith to smite the stream, and thereby divide the +waters. I had no Moses to go before me and lead the way from bondage +to a promised land. Yet I was in a far worse state than Egyptian +bondage; for they had houses and land; I had none; they had oxen and +sheep; I had none; they had a wise counsel, to tell them what to do, +and where to go, and even to go with them; I had none. I was +surrounded by opposition on every hand. My friends were few and far +between. I have often felt when running away as if I had scarcely a +friend on earth.</p> + +<p>Sometimes standing on the Ohio River bluff, looking over on a free +State, and as far north as my eyes could see, I have eagerly gazed +upon the blue sky of the free North, which at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page24" id="page24"></a>[pg 24]</span> +times constrained me to +cry out from the depths of my soul, Oh! Canada, sweet land of +rest—Oh! when shall I get there! Oh, that I had the wings of a dove, +that I might soar away to where there is no slavery; no clanking of +chains, no captives, no lacerating of backs, no parting of husbands +and wives; and where man ceases to be the property of his fellow man. +These thoughts have revolved in my mind a thousand times. I have stood +upon the lofty banks of the river Ohio, gazing upon the splendid +steamboats, wafted with all their magnificence up and down the river, +and I thought of the fishes of the water, the fowls of the air, the +wild beasts of the forest, all appeared to be free, to go just where +they pleased, and I was an unhappy slave!</p> + +<p>But my attention was gradually turned in a measure from this subject, +by being introduced into the society of young women. This for the time +being took my attention from running away, as waiting on the girls +appeared to be perfectly congenial to my nature. I wanted to be well +thought of by them, and would go to great lengths to gain their +affection. I had been taught by the old superstitious slaves, to +believe in conjuration, and it was hard for me to give up the notion, +for all I had been deceived by them. One of these conjurers, for a +small sum agreed to teach me to make any girl love me that I wished. +After I had paid him, he told me to get a bull frog, and take a +certain bone out of the frog, dry it, and when I got a chance I must +step up to any girl whom I wished to make love me, and scratch her +somewhere on her naked skin with this bone, and she would be certain +to love me, and would follow me in spite of herself; no matter who she +might be engaged to, nor who she might be walking with.</p> + +<p>So I got me a bone for a certain girl, whom I knew to be under the +influence of another young man. I happened to meet her in the company +of her lover, one Sunday evening, walking out; so when I got a chance, +I fetched her a tremendous rasp across her neck with this bone, which +made her jump. But in place of making her love me, it only made her +angry with me. She felt more like running after me to retaliate on me +for thus abusing her, than she felt like loving me. After I found +there was no virtue in the bone of a frog, I thought I would try some +other way to carry out my object. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page25" id="page25"></a>[pg 25]</span> + I then sought another counsellor +among the old superstitious influential slaves; one who professed to +be a great friend of mine, told me to get a lock of hair from the head +of any girl, and wear it in my shoes: this would cause her to love me +above all other persons. As there was another girl whose affections I +was anxious to gain, but could not succeed, I thought, without trying +the experiment of this hair. I slipped off one night to see the girl, +and asked her for a lock of her hair; but she refused to give it. +Believing that my success depended greatly upon this bunch of hair, I +was bent on having a lock before I left that night let it cost what it +might. As it was time for me to start home in order to get any sleep +that night, I grasped hold of a lock of her hair, which caused her to +screech, but I never let go until I had pulled it out. This of course +made the girl mad with me, and I accomplished nothing but gained her +displeasure.</p> + +<p>Such are the superstitious notions of the great masses of southern +slaves. It is given to them by tradition, and can never be erased, +while the doors of education are bolted and barred against them. But +there is a prohibition by law, of mental and religious instruction. +The state of Georgia, by an act of 1770, declared "that it shall not +be lawful for any number of free negroes, molattoes or mestinos, or +even slaves in company with white persons, to meet together for the +purpose of mental instruction, either before the rising of the sun or +after the going down of the same." 2d Brevard's Digest, 254-5. Similar +laws exist in most of the slave States, and patrols are sent out after +night and on the Sabbath day to enforce them. They go through their +respective towns to prevent slaves from meeting for religious worship +or mental instruction.</p> + +<p>This is the regulation and law of American Slavery, as sanctioned by +the Government of the United States, and without which it could not +exist. And almost the whole moral, political, and religious power of +the nation are in favor of slavery and aggression, and against liberty +and justice. I only judge by their actions, which speak louder than +words. Slaveholders are put into the highest offices in the gift of +the people in both Church and State, thereby making slaveholding +popular and reputable. +</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1" /><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Police peculiar to the South.</p></div> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page26" id="page26"></a>[pg 26]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My Courtship and Marriage.—Change of owner.—My first born.—Its +sufferings.—My wife abused.—My own anguish.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE circumstances of my courtship and marriage, I consider to be among +the most remarkable events of my life while a slave. To think that +after I had determined to carry out the great idea which is so +universally and practically acknowledged among all the civilized +nations of the earth, that I would be free or die, I suffered myself +to be turned aside by the fascinating charms of a female, who +gradually won my attention from an object so high as that of liberty; +and an object which I held paramount to all others.</p> + +<p>But when I had arrived at the age of eighteen, which was in the year +of 1833, it was my lot to be introduced to the favor of a mulatto +slave girl named Malinda, who lived in Oldham County, Kentucky, about +four miles from the residence of my owner. Malinda was a medium sized +girl, graceful in her walk, of an extraordinary make, and active in +business. Her skin was of a smooth texture, red cheeks, with dark and +penetrating eyes. She moved in the highest circle<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2" /><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> of slaves, and +free people of color. She was also one of the best singers I ever +heard, and was much esteemed by all who knew her, for her benevolence, +talent and industry. In fact, I considered Malinda to be equalled by +few, and surpassed by none, for the above qualities, all things +considered.</p> + +<p>It is truly marvellous to see how sudden a man's mind can be changed +by the charms and influence of a female. The first two or three visits +that I paid this dear girl, I had no intention of courting or marrying +her, for I was aware that such a step would greatly obstruct my way to +the land of liberty. I only visited Malinda because I liked her +company, as a highly interesting girl. But in spite of myself, before +I was aware of it, I was deeply in love; and what made this passion so +effectual +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page27" id="page27"></a>[pg 27]</span> +and almost irresistable, I became satisfied that it was +reciprocal. There was a union of feeling, and every visit made the +impression stronger and stronger. One or two other young men were +paying attention to Malinda, at the same time; one of whom her mother +was anxious to have her marry. This of course gave me a fair +opportunity of testing Malinda's sincerity. I had just about +opposition enough to make the subject interesting. That Malinda loved +me above all others on earth, no one could deny. I could read it by +the warm reception with which the dear girl always met me, and treated +me in her mother's house. I could read it by the warm and affectionate +shake of the hand, and gentle smile upon her lovely cheek. I could +read it by her always giving me the preference of her company; by her +pressing invitations to visit even in opposition to her mother's will. +I could read it in the language of her bright and sparkling eye, +penciled by the unchangable finger of nature, that spake but could not +lie. These strong temptations gradually diverted my attention from my +actual condition and from liberty, though not entirely.</p> + +<p>But oh! that I had only then been enabled to have seen as I do now, or +to have read the following slave code, which is but a stereotyped law +of American slavery. It would have saved me I think from having to +lament that I was a husband and am the father of slaves who are still +left to linger out their days in hopeless bondage. The laws of +Kentucky, my native State, with Maryland and Virginia, which are said +to be the mildest slave States in the Union, noted for their humanity, +Christianity and democracy, declare that "Any slave, for rambling in +the night, or riding horseback without leave, or running away, may be +punished by whipping, cropping and branding in the cheek, or +otherwise, not rendering him unfit for labor." "Any slave convicted of +petty larceny, murder, or wilfully burning of dwelling houses, may be +sentenced to have his right hand cut off; to be hanged in the usual +manner, or the head severed from the body, the body divided into four +quarters, and head and quarters stuck up in the most public place in +the county, where such act was committed."</p> + +<p>At the time I joined my wife in holy wedlock, I was ignorant of these +ungodly laws; I knew not that I was propogating victims for this kind +of torture and cruelty. Malinda's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page28" id="page28"></a>[pg 28]</span> +mother was free, and lived in +Bedford, about a quarter of a mile from her daughter; and we often met +and passed off the time pleasantly. Agreeable to promise, on one +Saturday evening, I called to see Malinda, at her mother's residence, +with an intention of letting her know my mind upon the subject of +marriage. It was a very bright moonlight night; the dear girl was +standing in the door, anxiously waiting my arrival. As I approached +the door she caught my hand with an affectionate smile, and bid me +welcome to her mother's fire-side. After having broached the subject +of marriage, I informed her of the difficulties which I conceived to +be in the way of our marriage, and that I could never engage myself to +marry any girl only on certain conditions; near as I can recollect the +substance of our conversation upon the subject, it was, that I was +religiously inclined; that I intended to try to comply with the +requisitions of the gospel, both theoretically and practically through +life. Also that I was decided on becoming a freeman before I died; and +that I expected to get free by running away, and going to Canada, +under the British Government. Agreement on those two cardinal +questions I made my test for marriage.</p> + +<p>I said, "I never will give my heart nor hand to any girl in marriage, +until I first know her sentiments upon the all-important subjects of +Religion and Liberty. No matter how well I might love her nor how +great the sacrifice in carrying out these God-given principles. And I +here pledge myself from this course never to be shaken while a single +pulsation of my heart shall continue to throb for Liberty." With this +idea Malinda appeared to be well pleased, and with a smile she looked +me in the face and said, "I have long entertained the same views, and +this has been one of the greatest reasons why I have not felt inclined +to enter the married state while a slave; I have always felt a desire +to be free; I have long cherished a hope that I should yet be free, +either by purchase or running away. In regard to the subject of +Religion, I have always felt that it was a good thing, and something +that I would seek for at some future period." After I found that +Malinda was right upon these all important questions, and that she +truly loved me well enough to make me an affectionate wife, I made +proposals for marriage. She very modestly declined answering the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page29" id="page29"></a>[pg 29]</span> +question then, considering it to be one of a grave character, and +upon which our future destiny greatly depended. And notwithstanding +she confessed that I had her entire affections, she must have some +time to consider the matter. To this I of course consented, and was to +meet her on the next Saturday night to decide the question. But for +some cause I failed to come, and the next week she sent for me, and on +the Sunday evening following I called on her again; she welcomed me +with all the kindness of an affectionate lover, and seated me by her +side. We soon broached the old subject of marriage, and entered upon a +conditional contract of matrimony, viz: that we would marry if our +minds should not change within one year; that after marriage we would +change our former course and live a pious life; and that we would +embrace the earliest opportunity of running away to Canada for our +liberty. Clasping each other by the hand, pledging our sacred honor +that we would be true, we called on high heaven to witness the +rectitude of our purpose. There was nothing that could be more binding +upon us as slaves than this; for marriage among American slaves, is +disregarded by the laws of this country. It is counted a mere +temporary matter; it is a union which may be continued or broken off, +with or without the consent of a slaveholder, whether he is a priest +or a libertine.</p> + +<p>There is no legal marriage among the slaves of the South; I never saw +nor heard of such a thing in my life, and I have been through seven of +the slave states. A slave marrying according to law, is a thing +unknown in the history of American Slavery. And be it known to the +disgrace of our country that every slaveholder, who is the keeper of a +number of slaves of both sexes, is also the keeper of a house or +houses of ill-fame. Licentious white men, can and do, enter at night +or day the lodging places of slaves; break up the bonds of affection +in families; destroy all their domestic and social union for life; and +the laws of the country afford them no protection. Will any man count, +if they can be counted, the churches of Maryland, Kentucky, and +Virginia, which have slaves connected with them, living in an open +state of adultery, never having been married according to the laws of +the State, and yet regular members of these various denominations, but +more especially +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30" id="page30"></a>[pg 30]</span> +the Baptist and Methodist churches? And I hazard +nothing in saying, that this state of things exists to a very wide +extent in the above states.</p> + +<p>I am happy to state that many fugitive slaves, who have been enabled +by the aid of an over-ruling providence to escape to the free North +with those whom they claim as their wives, notwithstanding all their +ignorance and superstition, are not at all disposed to live together +like brutes, as they have been compelled to do in slaveholding +Churches. But as soon as they get free from slavery they go before +some anti-slavery clergyman, and have the solemn ceremony of marriage +performed according to the laws of the country. And if they profess +religion, and have been baptized by a slaveholding minister, they +repudiate it after becoming free, and are re-baptized by a man who is +worthy of doing it according to the gospel rule.</p> + +<p>The time and place of my marriage, I consider one of the most trying +of my life. I was opposed by friends and foes; my mother opposed me +because she thought I was too young, and marrying she thought would +involve me in trouble and difficulty. My mother-in-law opposed me, +because she wanted her daughter to marry a slave who belonged to a +very rich man living near by, and who was well known to be the son of +his master. She thought no doubt that his master or father might +chance to set him free before he died, which would enable him to do a +better part by her daughter than I could! and there was no prospect +then of my ever being free. But his master has neither died nor yet +set his son free, who is now about forty years of age, toiling under +the lash, waiting and hoping that his master may die and will him to +be free.</p> + +<p>The young men were opposed to our marriage for the same reason that +Paddy opposed a match when the clergyman was about to pronounce the +marriage ceremony of a young couple. He said "if there be any present +who have any objections to this couple being joined together in holy +wedlock, let them speak now, or hold their peace henceforth." At this +time Paddy sprang to his feet and said, "Sir, I object to this." Every +eye was fixed upon him. "What is your objection?" said the clergyman. +"Faith," replied Paddy, "Sir I want her myself."</p> + +<p>The man to whom I belonged was opposed, because he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page31" id="page31"></a>[pg 31]</span> +feared my taking +off from his farm some of the fruits of my own labor for Malinda to +eat, in the shape of pigs, chickens, or turkeys, and would count it +not robbery. So we formed a resolution, that if we were prevented from +joining in wedlock, that we would run away, and strike for Canada, let +the consequences be what they might. But we had one consolation; +Malinda's master was very much in favor of the match, but entirely +upon selfish principles. When I went to ask his permission to marry +Malinda, his answer was in the affirmative with but one condition +which I consider to be too vulgar to be written in this book. Our +marriage took place one night during the Christmas holydays; at which +time we had quite a festival given us. All appeared to be wide awake, +and we had quite a jolly time at my wedding party. And notwithstanding +our marriage was without license or sanction of law, we believed it to +be honorable before God, and the bed undefiled. Our Christmas holydays +were spent in matrimonial visiting among our friends, while it should +have been spent in running away to Canada, for our liberty. But +freedom was little thought of by us, for several months after +marriage. I often look back to that period even now as one of the most +happy seasons of my life; notwithstanding all the contaminating and +heart-rendering features with which the horrid system of slavery is +marked, and must carry with it to its final grave, yet I still look +back to that season with sweet remembrance and pleasure, that yet hath +power to charm and drive back dull cares which have been accumulated +by a thousand painful recollections of slavery. Malinda was to me an +affectionate wife. She was with me in the darkest hours of adversity. +She was with me in sorrow, and joy, in fasting and feasting, in trial +and persecution, in sickness and health, in sunshine and in shade.</p> + +<p>Some months after our marriage, the unfeeling master to whom I +belonged, sold his farm with the view of moving his slaves to the +State of Missouri, regardless of the separation of husbands and wives +forever; but for fear of my resuming my old practice of running away, +if he should have forced me to leave my wife, by my repeated requests, +he was constrained to sell me to his brother, who lived within seven +miles of Wm. Gatewood, who then held Malinda as his property. I was +permitted to visit her only on Saturday nights, after my work was + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page32" id="page32"></a>[pg 32]</span> +done, and I had to be at home before sunrise on Monday mornings or +take a flogging. He proved to be so oppressive, and so unreasonable in +punishing his victims, that I soon found that I should have to run +away in self-defence. But he soon began to take the hint, and sold me +to Wm. Gatewood the owner of Malinda. With my new residence I confess +that I was much dissatisfied. Not that Gatewood was a more cruel +master than my former owner—not that I was opposed to living with +Malinda, who was then the centre and object of my affections—but to +live where I must be eye witness to her insults, scourgings and +abuses, such as are common to be inflicted upon slaves, was more than +I could bear. If my wife must be exposed to the insults and licentious +passions of wicked slavedrivers and overseers; if she must bear the +stripes of the lash laid on by an unmerciful tyrant; if this is to be +done with impunity, which is frequently done by slaveholders and their +abettors, Heaven forbid that I should be compelled to witness the +sight.</p> + +<p>Not many months after I took up my residence on Wm. Gatewood's +plantation, Malinda made me a father. The dear little daughter was +called Mary Frances. She was nurtured and caressed by her mother and +father, until she was large enough to creep over the floor after her +parents, and climb up by a chair before I felt it to be my duty to +leave my family and go into a foreign country for a season. Malinda's +business was to labor out in the field the greater part of her time, +and there was no one to take care of poor little Frances, while her +mother was toiling in the field. She was left at the house to creep +under the feet of an unmerciful old mistress, whom I have known to +slap with her hand the face of little Frances, for crying after her +mother, until her little face was left black and blue. I recollect +that Malinda and myself came from the field one summer's day at noon, +and poor little Frances came creeping to her mother smiling, but with +large tear drops standing in her dear little eyes, sobbing and trying +to tell her mother that she had been abused, but was not able to utter +a word. Her little face was bruised black with the whole print of Mrs. +Gatewood's hand. This print was plainly to be seen for eight days +after it was done. But oh! this darling child was a slave; born of a +slave mother. Who can imagine what could be +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page33" id="page33"></a>[pg 33]</span> +the feelings of a father +and mother, when looking upon their infant child whipped and tortured +with impunity, and they placed in a situation where they could afford +it no protection. But we were all claimed and held as property; the +father and mother were slaves!</p> + +<p>On this same plantation I was compelled to stand and see my wife +shamefully scourged and abused by her master; and the manner in which +this was done, was so violently and inhumanly committed upon the +person of a female, that I despair in finding decent language to +describe the bloody act of cruelty. My happiness or pleasure was then +all blasted; for it was sometimes a pleasure to be with my little +family even in slavery. I loved them as my wife and child. Little +Frances was a pretty child; she was quiet, playful, bright, and +interesting. She had a keen black eye, and the very image of her +mother was stamped upon her cheek; but I could never look upon the +dear child without being filled with sorrow and fearful apprehensions, +of being separated by slaveholders, because she was a slave, regarded +as property. And unfortunately for me, I am the father of a slave, a +word too obnoxious to be spoken by a fugitive slave. It calls fresh to +my mind the separation of husband and wife; of stripping, tying up and +flogging; of tearing children from their parents, and selling them on +the auction block. It calls to mind female virtue trampled under foot +with impunity. But oh! when I remember that my daughter, my only +child, is still there, destined to share the fate of all these +calamities, it is too much to bear. If ever there was any one act of +my life while a slave, that I have to lament over, it is that of being +a father and a husband of slaves. I have the satisfaction of knowing +that I am only the father of one slave. She is bone of my bone, and +flesh of my flesh; poor unfortunate child. She was the first and shall +be the last slave that ever I will father, for chains and slavery on +this earth. +</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2" /><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> The distinction among slaves is as marked, as the classes +of society are in any aristocratic community. Some refusing to +associate with others whom they deem beneath them in point of +character, color, condition, or the superior importance of their +respective masters.</p></div> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page34" id="page34"></a>[pg 34]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My first adventure for liberty.—Parting Scene.—Journey up the +river.—Safe arrival in Cincinnati.—Journey to Canada.—Suffering +from cold and hunger.—Denied food and shelter by some.—One noble +exception.—Subsequent success.—Arrival at Perrysburgh.—I obtained +employment through the winter.—My return to Kentucky to get my +family.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">In the fall or winter of 1837 I formed a resolution that I would +escape, if possible, to Canada, for my Liberty. I commenced from that +hour making preparations for the dangerous experiment of breaking the +chains that bound me as a slave. My preparation for this voyage +consisted in the accumulation of a little money, perhaps not exceeding +two dollars and fifty cents, and a suit which I had never been seen or +known to wear before; this last was to avoid detection.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-fifth of December, 1837, my long anticipated time had +arrived when I was to put into operation my former resolution, which +was to bolt for Liberty or consent to die a Slave. I acted upon the +former, although I confess it to be one of the most self-denying acts +of my whole life, to take leave of an affectionate wife, who stood +before me on my departure, with dear little Frances in her arms, and +with tears of sorrow in her eyes as she bid me a long farewell. It +required all the moral courage that I was master of to suppress my +feelings while taking leave of my little family.</p> + +<p>Had Malinda known my intention at that time, it would not have been +possible for me to have got away, and I might have this day been a +slave. Notwithstanding every inducement was held out to me to run away +if I would be free, and the voice of liberty was thundering in my very +soul, "Be free, oh, man! be free," I was struggling against a thousand +obstacles which had clustered around my mind to bind my wounded spirit +still in the dark prison of mental degradation. My strong attachments +to friends and relatives, with all the love of home and birth-place +which is so natural among the human family, twined about my heart and +were hard to break away from. And withal, the fear of being pursued +with guns and blood-hounds, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page35" id="page35"></a>[pg 35]</span> +and of being killed, or captured and +taken to the extreme South, to linger out my days in hopeless bondage +on some cotton or sugar plantation, all combined to deter me. But I +had counted the cost, and was fully prepared to make the sacrifice. +The time for fulfilling my pledge was then at hand. I must forsake +friends and neighbors, wife and child, or consent to live and die a +slave.</p> + +<p>By the permission of my keeper, I started out to work for myself on +Christmas. I went to the Ohio River, which was but a short distance +from Bedford. My excuse for wanting to go there was to get work. High +wages were offered for hands to work in a slaughter-house. But in +place of my going to work there, according to promise, when I arrived +at the river I managed to find a conveyance to cross over into a free +state. I was landed in the village of Madison, Indiana, where +steamboats were landing every day and night, passing up and down the +river, which afforded me a good opportunity of getting a boat passage +to Cincinnati. My anticipation being worked up to the highest pitch, +no sooner was the curtain of night dropped over the village, than I +secreted myself where no one could see me, and changed my suit ready +for the passage. Soon I heard the welcome sound of a Steamboat coming +up the river Ohio, which was soon to waft me beyond the limits of the +human slave markets of Kentucky. When the boat had landed at Madison, +notwithstanding my strong desire to get off, my heart trembled within +me in view of the great danger to which I was exposed in taking +passage on board of a Southern Steamboat; hence before I took passage, +I kneeled down before the Great I Am, and prayed for his aid and +protection, which He bountifully bestowed even beyond my expectation; +for I felt myself to be unworthy. I then stept boldly on the deck of +this splendid swift-running Steamer, bound for the city of Cincinnati. +This being the first voyage that I had ever taken on board of a +Steamboat, I was filled with fear and excitement, knowing that I was +surrounded by the vilest enemies of God and man, liable to be seized +and bound hand and foot, by any white man, and taken back into +captivity. But I crowded myself back from the light among the deck +passengers, where it would be difficult to distinguish me from a white +man. Every time during the night that the mate came +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page36" id="page36"></a>[pg 36]</span> +round with a +light after the hands, I was afraid he would see I was a colored man, +and take me up; hence I kept from the light as much as possible. Some +men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; but +this was not the case with myself; it was to avoid detection in doing +right. This was one of the instances of my adventures that my affinity +with the Anglo-Saxon race, and even slaveholders, worked well for my +escape. But no thanks to them for it. While in their midst they have +not only robbed me of my labor and liberty, but they have almost +entirely robbed me of my dark complexion. Being so near the color of a +slaveholder, they could not, or did not find me out that night among +the white passengers. There was one of the deck hands on board called +out on his watch, whose hammock was swinging up near by me. I asked +him if he would let me lie in it. He said if I would pay him +twenty-five cents that I might lie in it until day. I readily paid him +the price and got into the hammock. No one could see my face to know +whether I was white or colored, while I was in the hammock; but I +never closed my eyes for sleep that night. I had often heard of +explosions on board of Steamboats; and every time the boat landed, and +blowed off steam, I was afraid the boilers had bursted and we should +all be killed; but I lived through the night amid the many dangers to +which I was exposed. I still maintained my position in the hammock, +until the next morning about 8 o'clock, when I heard the passengers +saying the boat was near Cincinnati; and by this time I supposed that +the attention of the people would be turned to the city, and I might +pass off unnoticed.</p> + +<p>There were no questions asked me while on board the boat. The boat +landed about 9 o'clock in the morning in Cincinnati, and I waited +until after most of the passengers had gone off of the boat; I then +walked as gracefully up street as if I was not running away, until I +had got pretty well up Broadway. My object was to go to Canada, but +having no knowledge of the road, it was necessary for me to make some +inquiry before I left the city. I was afraid to ask a white person, +and I could see no colored person to ask. But fortunately for me I +found a company of little boys at play in the street, and through +these little boys, by asking them indirect questions, I found the +residence of a colored man. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page37" id="page37"></a>[pg 37]</span> +</p> + +<p>"Boys, can you tell me where that old colored man lives who saws wood, +and works at jobs around the streets?"</p> + +<p>"What is his name?" said one of the boys.</p> + +<p>"I forget."</p> + +<p>"Is it old Job Dundy?"</p> + +<p>"Is Dundy a colored man?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"That is the very man I am looking for; will you show me where he +lives?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the little boy, and pointed me out the house.</p> + +<p>Mr. D. invited me in, and I found him to be a true friend. He asked me +if I was a slave from Kentucky, and if I ever intended to go back into +slavery? Not knowing yet whether he was truly in favor of slaves +running away, I told him that I had just come over to spend my +christmas holydays, and that I was going back. His reply was, "my son, +I would never go back if I was in your place; you have a right to your +liberty." I then asked him how I should get my freedom? He referred me +to Canada, over which waved freedom's flag, defended by the British +Government, upon whose soil there cannot be the foot print of a slave.</p> + +<p>He then commenced telling me of the facilities for my escape to +Canada; of the Abolitionists; of the Abolition Societies, and of their +fidelity to the cause of suffering humanity. This was the first time +in my life that ever I had heard of such people being in existence as +the Abolitionists. I supposed that they were a different race of +people. He conducted me to the house of one of these warm-hearted +friends of God and the slave. I found him willing to aid a poor +fugitive on his way to Canada, even to the dividing of the last cent, +or morsel of bread if necessary.</p> + +<p>These kind friends gave me something to eat and started me on my way +to Canada, with a recommendation to a friend on my way. This was the +commencement of what was called the under ground rail road to Canada. +I walked with bold courage, trusting in the arm of Omnipotence; guided +by the unchangable North Star by night, and inspired by an elevated +thought that I was fleeing from a land of slavery and oppression, +bidding farewell to handcuffs, whips, thumb-screws and chains. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page38" id="page38"></a>[pg 38]</span> +</p> + +<p>I travelled on until I had arrived at the place where I was directed +to call on an Abolitionist, but I made no stop: so great were my fears +of being pursued by the pro-slavery hunting dogs of the South. I +prosecuted my journey vigorously for nearly forty-eight hours without +food or rest, struggling against external difficulties such as no one +can imagine who has never experienced the same: not knowing what +moment I might be captured while travelling among strangers, through +cold and fear, breasting the north winds, being thinly clad, pelted by +the snow storms through the dark hours of the night and not a house in +which I could enter to shelter me from the storm.</p> + +<p>The second night from Cincinnati, about midnight, I thought that I +should freeze; my shoes were worn through, and my feet were exposed to +the bare ground. I approached a house on the road-side, knocked at the +door, and asked admission to their fire, but was refused. I went to +the next house, and was refused the privilege of their fire-side, to +prevent my freezing. This I thought was hard treatment among the human +family. But—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"Behind a frowning Providence there was a smiling face,"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>which soon shed beams of light upon unworthy me.</p> + +<p>The next morning I was still found struggling on my way faint, hungry, +lame, and rest-broken. I could see people taking breakfast from the +road-side, but I did not dare to enter their houses to get my +breakfast, for neither love nor money. In passing a low cottage, I saw +the breakfast table spread with all its bounties, and I could see no +male person about the house; the temptation for food was greater than +I could resist.</p> + +<p>I saw a lady about the table, and I thought that if she was ever so +much disposed to take me up, that she would have to catch and hold me, +and that would have been impossible. I stepped up to the door with my +hat off, and asked her if she would be good enough to sell me a +sixpence worth of bread and meat. She cut off a piece and brought it +to me; I thanked her for it, and handed her the pay, but instead of +receiving it, she burst into tears, and said "never mind the money," +but gently turned away bidding me go on my journey. This was + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page39" id="page39"></a>[pg 39]</span> +altogether unexpected to me: I had found a friend in the time of need +among strangers, and nothing could be more cheering in the day of +trouble than this. When I left that place I started with bolder +courage. The next night I put up at a tavern, and continued stopping +at public houses until my means were about gone. When I got to the +Black Swamp in the county of Wood, Ohio, I stopped one night at a +hotel, after travelling all day through mud and snow; but I soon found +that I should not be able to pay my bill. This was about the time that +the "wild-cat banks" were in a flourishing state, and "shin +plasters"<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3" /><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> in abundance; they would charge a dollar for one night's +lodging.</p> + +<p>After I had found out this, I slipped out of the bar room into the +kitchen where the landlady was getting supper; as she had quite a +number of travellers to cook for that night, I told her if she would +accept my services, I would assist her in getting supper; that I was a +cook. She very readily accepted the offer, and I went to work.</p> + +<p>She was very much pleased with my work, and the next morning I helped +her to get breakfast. She then wanted to hire me for all winter, but I +refused for fear I might be pursued. My excuse to her was that I had a +brother living in Detroit, whom I was going to see on some important +business, and after I got that business attended to, I would come back +and work for them all winter.</p> + +<p>When I started the second morning they paid me fifty cents beside my +board, with the understanding that I was to return; but I have not +gone back yet.</p> + +<p>I arrived the next morning in the village of Perrysburgh, where I +found quite a settlement of colored people, many of whom were fugitive +slaves. I made my case known to them and they sympathized with me. I +was a stranger, and they took me in and persuaded me to spend the +winter in Perrysburgh, where I could get employment and go to Canada +the next spring, in a steamboat which run from Perrysburgh, if I +thought it proper so to do.</p> + +<p>I got a job of chopping wood during that winter which enabled me to +purchase myself a suit, and after paying my board +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page40" id="page40"></a>[pg 40]</span> +the next spring, I +had saved fifteen dollars in cash. My intention was to go back to +Kentucky after my wife.</p> + +<p>When I got ready to start, which was about the first of May, my +friends all persuaded me not to go, but to get some other person to +go, for fear I might be caught and sold off from my family into +slavery forever. But I could not refrain from going back myself, +believing that I could accomplish it better than a stranger.</p> + +<p>The money that I had would not pass in the South, and for the purpose +of getting it off to a good advantage, I took a steamboat passage to +Detroit, Michigan, and there I spent all my money for dry goods, to +peddle out on my way back through the State of Ohio. I also purchased +myself a pair of false whiskers to put on when I got back to Kentucky, +to prevent any one from knowing me after night, should they see me. I +then started back after my little family. +</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3" /><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Nickname for temporary paper money.</p></div> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page41" id="page41"></a>[pg 41]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My safe arrival at Kentucky.—Surprise and delight to find my +family.—Plan for their escape projected.—Return to Cincinnati.—My +betrayal by traitors.—Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky.—Return to +slavery.—Infamous proposal of the slave catchers.—My reply.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">I succeeded very well in selling out my goods, and when I arrived in +Cincinnati, I called on some of my friends who had aided me on my +first escape. They also opposed me in going back only for my own good. +But it has ever been characteristic of me to persevere in what I +undertake.</p> + +<p>I took a Steamboat passage which would bring me to where I should want +to land about dark, so as to give me a chance to find my family during +the night if possible. The boat landed me at the proper place, and at +the proper time accordingly. This landing was about six miles from +Bedford, where my mother and wife lived, but with different families. +My mother was the cook at a tavern, in Bedford. When I approached the +house where mother was living, I remembered where she slept in the +kitchen; her bed was near the window.</p> + +<p>It was a bright moonlight night, and in looking through the kitchen +window, I saw a person lying in bed about where my mother had formerly +slept. I rapped on the glass which awakened the person, in whom I +recognised my dear mother, but she knew me not, as I was dressed in +disguise with my false whiskers on; but she came to the window and +asked who I was and what I wanted. But when I took off my false +whiskers, and spoke to her, she knew my voice, and quickly sprang to +the door, clasping my hand, exclaiming, "Oh! is this my son," drawing +me into the room, where I was so fortunate as to find Malinda, and +little Frances, my wife and child, whom I had left to find the fair +climes of liberty, and whom I was then seeking to rescue from +perpetual slavery.</p> + +<p>They never expected to see me again in this life. I am entirely unable +to describe what my feelings were at that time. It was almost like the +return of the prodigal son. There was weeping and rejoicing. They were +filled with surprise and fear; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page42" id="page42"></a>[pg 42]</span> +with sadness and joy. The sensation of +joy at that moment flashed like lightning over my afflicted mind, +mingled with a thousand dreadful apprehensions, that none but a heart +wounded slave father and husband like myself can possibly imagine. +After talking the matter over, we decided it was not best to start +with my family that night, as it was very uncertain whether we should +get a boat passage immediately. And in case of failure, if Malinda +should get back even before day-light the next morning, it would have +excited suspicion against her, as it was not customary for slaves to +leave home at that stage of the week without permission. Hence we +thought it would be the most effectual way for her to escape, to start +on Saturday night; this being a night on which the slaves of Kentucky +are permitted to visit around among their friends, and are often +allowed to stay until the afternoon on Sabbath day.</p> + +<p>I gave Malinda money to pay her passage on board of a Steamboat to +Cincinnati, as it was not safe for me to wait for her until Saturday +night; but she was to meet me in Cincinnati, if possible, the next +Sunday. Her father was to go with her to the Ohio River on Saturday +night, and if a boat passed up during the night she was to get on +board at Madison, and come to Cincinnati. If she should fail in +getting off that night, she was to try it the next Saturday night. +This was the understanding when we separated. This we thought was the +best plan for her escape, as there had been so much excitement caused +by my running away.</p> + +<p>The owners of my wife were very much afraid that she would follow me; +and to prevent her they had told her and other slaves that I had been +persuaded off by the Abolitionists, who had promised to set me free, +but had sold me off to New Orleans. They told the slaves to beware of +the abolitionists, that their object was to decoy off slaves and then +sell them off in New Orleans. Some of them believed this, and others +believed it not; and the owners of my wife were more watchful over her +than they had ever been before as she was unbelieving.</p> + +<p>This was in the month of June, 1838. I left Malinda on a bright but +lonesome Wednesday night. When I arrived at the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page43" id="page43"></a>[pg 43]</span> +river Ohio, I found a +small craft chained to a tree, in which I ferried myself across the +stream.</p> + +<p>I succeeded in getting a Steamboat passage back to Cincinnati, where I +put up with one of my abolition friends who knew that I had gone after +my family, and who appeared to be much surprised to see me again. I +was soon visited by several friends who knew of my having gone back +after my family. They wished to know why I had not brought my family +with me; but after they understood the plan, and that my family was +expected to be in Cincinnati within a few days, they thought it the +best and safest plan for us to take a stage passage out to Lake Erie. +But being short of money, I was not able to pay my passage in the +stage, even if it would have prevented me from being caught by the +slave hunters of Cincinnati, or save me from being taken back into +bondage for life.</p> + +<p>These friends proposed helping me by subscription; I accepted their +kind offer, but in going among friends to solicit aid for me, they +happened to get among traitors, and kidnappers, both white and colored +men, who made their living by that kind of business. Several persons +called on me and made me small donations, and among them two white men +came in professing to be my friends. They told me not to be afraid of +them, they were abolitionists. They asked me a great many questions. +They wanted to know if I needed any help? and they wanted to know if +it could be possible that a man so near white as myself could be a +slave? Could it be possible that men would make slaves of their own +children? They expressed great sympathy for me, and gave me fifty +cents each; by this they gained my confidence. They asked my master's +name; where he lived, &c. After which they left the room, bidding me +God speed. These traitors, or land pirates, took passage on board of +the first Steamboat down the river, in search of my owners. When they +found them, they got a reward of three hundred dollars offered for the +re-capture of this "stray" which they had so long and faithfully been +hunting, by day and by night, by land and by water, with dogs and with +guns, but all without success. This being the last and only chance for +dragging me back into hopeless bondage, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page44" id="page44"></a>[pg 44]</span> +time and money was no object +when they saw a prospect of my being re-taken.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gatewood got two of his slaveholding neighbors to go with him to +Cincinnati, for the purpose of swearing to anything which might be +necessary to change me back into property. They came on to Cincinnati, +and with but little effort they soon rallied a mob of ruffians who +were willing to become the watch-dogs of slaveholders, for a dram, in +connection with a few slavehunting petty constables.</p> + +<p>While I was waiting the arrival of my family, I got a job of digging a +cellar for the good lady where I was stopping, and while I was digging +under the house, all at once I heard a man enter the house; another +stept up to the cellar door to where I was at work; he looked in and +saw me with my coat off at work. He then rapped over the cellar door +on the house side, to notify the one who had entered the house to look +for me that I was in the cellar. This strange conduct soon excited +suspicion so strong in me, that I could not stay in the cellar and +started to come out, but the man who stood by the door, rapped again +on the house side, for the other to come to his aid, and told me to +stop. I attempted to pass out by him, and he caught hold of me, and +drew a pistol, swearing if I did not stop he would shoot me down. By +this time I knew that I was betrayed.</p> + +<p>I asked him what crime I had committed that I should be murdered.</p> + +<p>"I will let you know, very soon," said he.</p> + +<p>By this time there were others coming to his aid, and I could see no +way by which I could possibly escape the jaws of that hell upon earth.</p> + +<p>All my flattering prospects of enjoying my own fire-side, with my +little family, were then blasted and gone; and I must bid farewell to +friends and freedom forever.</p> + +<p>In vain did I look to the infamous laws of the Commonwealth of Ohio, +for that protection against violence and outrage, that even the vilest +criminal with a white skin might enjoy. But oh! the dreadful thought, +that after all my sacrifice and struggling to rescue my family from +the hands of the oppressor; that I should be dragged back into cruel +bondage to suffer the penalty of a tyrant's law, to endure stripes and +imprisonment, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page45" id="page45"></a>[pg 45]</span> +and to be shut out from all moral as well as +intellectual improvement, and linger out almost a living death.</p> + +<p>When I saw a crowd of blood-thirsty, unprincipled slave hunters +rushing upon me armed with weapons of death, it was no use for me to +undertake to fight my way through against such fearful odds.</p> + +<p>But I broke away from the man who stood by with his pistol drawn to +shoot me if I should resist, and reached the fence and attempted to +jump over it before I was overtaken; but the fence being very high I +was caught by my legs before I got over.</p> + +<p>I kicked and struggled with all my might to get away, but without +success. I kicked a new cloth coat off of his back, while he was +holding on to my leg. I kicked another in his eye; but they never let +me go until they got more help. By this time, there was a crowd on the +out side of the fence with clubs to beat me back. Finally, they +succeeded in dragging me from the fence and overpowered me by numbers +and choked me almost to death.</p> + +<p>These ruffians dragged me through the streets of Cincinnati, to what +was called a justice office. But it was more like an office of +injustice.</p> + +<p>When I entered the room I was introduced to three slaveholders, one of +whom was a son of Wm. Gatewood, who claimed me as his property. They +pretended to be very glad to see me.</p> + +<p>They asked me if I did not want to see my wife and child; but I made +no reply to any thing that was said until I was delivered up as a +slave. After they were asked a few questions by the court, the old +pro-slavery squire very gravely pronounced me to be the property of +Mr. Gatewood.</p> + +<p>The office being crowded with spectators, many of whom were colored +persons, Mr. G. was afraid to keep me in Cincinnati, two or three +hours even, until a steamboat got ready to leave for the South. So +they took me across the river, and locked me up in Covington jail, for +safe keeping. This was the first time in my life that I had been put +into a jail. It was truly distressing to my feelings to be locked up +in a cold dungeon for no crime. The jailor not being at home, his wife +had to act in his place. After my owners had gone back to Cincinnati, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page46" id="page46"></a>[pg 46]</span> +the jailor's wife, in company with another female, came into the jail +and talked with me very friendly.</p> + +<p>I told them all about my situation, and these ladies said they hoped +that I might get away again, and went so far as to tell me if I should +be kept in the jail that night, there was a hole under the wall of the +jail where a prisoner had got out. It was only filled up with loose +dirt, they said, and I might scratch it out and clear myself.</p> + +<p>This I thought was a kind word from an unexpected friend: I had power +to have taken the key from those ladies, in spite of them, and have +cleared myself; but knowing that they would have to suffer perhaps for +letting me get away, I thought I would wait until after dark, at which +time I should try to make my escape, if they should not take me out +before that time. But within two or three hours, they came after me, +and conducted me on board of a boat, on which we all took passage down +to Louisville. I was not confined in any way, but was well guarded by +five men, three of whom were slaveholders, and the two young men from +Cincinnati, who had betrayed me.</p> + +<p>After the boat had got fairly under way, with these vile men standing +around me on the upper deck of the boat, and she under full speed +carrying me back into a land of torment, I could see no possible way +of escape. Yet, while I was permitted to gaze on the beauties of +nature, on free soil, as I passed down the river, things looked to me +uncommonly pleasant: The green trees and wild flowers of the forest; +the ripening harvest fields waving with the gentle breezes of Heaven; +and the honest farmers tilling their soil and living by their own +toil. These things seem to light upon my vision with a peculiar charm. +I was conscious of what must be my fate; a wretched victim for Slavery +without limit; to be sold like an ox, into hopeless bondage, and to be +worked under the flesh devouring lash during life, without wages.</p> + +<p>This was to me an awful thought; every time the boat run near the +shore, I was tempted to leap from the deck down into the water, with a +hope of making my escape. Such was then my feeling.</p> + +<p>But on a moment's reflection, reason with her warning +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page47" id="page47"></a>[pg 47]</span> +voice overcame +this passion by pointing out the dreadful consequences of one's +committing suicide. And this I thought would have a very striking +resemblance to the act, and I declined putting into practice this +dangerous experiment, though the temptation was great.</p> + +<p>These kidnapping gentlemen, seeing that I was much dissatisfied, +commenced talking to me, by saying that I must not be cast down; they +were going to take me back home to live with my family, if I would +promise not to run away again.</p> + +<p>To this I agreed, and told them that this was all that I could ask, +and more than I had expected.</p> + +<p>But they were not satisfied with having recaptured me, because they +had lost other slaves and supposed that I knew their whereabouts; and +truly I did. They wanted me to tell them; but before telling I wanted +them to tell who it was that had betrayed me into their hands. They +said that I was betrayed by two colored men in Cincinnati, whose names +they were backward in telling, because their business in connection +with themselves was to betray and catch fugitive slaves for the reward +offered. They undertook to justify the act by saying if they had not +betrayed me, that somebody else would, and if I would tell them where +they could catch a number of other runaway slaves, they would pay for +me and set me free, and would then take me in as one of the Club. They +said I would soon make money enough to buy my wife and child out of +slavery.</p> + +<p>But I replied, "No, gentlemen, I cannot commit or do an act of that +kind, even if it were in my power so to do. I know that I am now in +the power of a master who can sell me from my family for life, or +punish me for the crime of running away, just as he pleases: I know +that I am a prisoner for life, and have no way of extricating myself; +and I also know that I have been deceived and betrayed by men who +professed to be my best friends; but can all this justify me in +becoming a traitor to others? Can I do that which I complain of others +for doing unto me? Never, I trust, while a single pulsation of my +heart continues to beat, can I consent to betray a fellow man like +myself back into bondage, who has escaped. Dear as I love my wife and +little child, and as much as I should like to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page48" id="page48"></a>[pg 48]</span> +enjoy freedom and +happiness with them, I am unwilling to bring this about by betraying +and destroying the liberty and happiness of others who have never +offended me!"</p> + +<p>I then asked them again if they would do me the kindness to tell me +who it was betrayed me into their hands at Cincinnati? They agreed to +tell me with the understanding that I was to tell where there was +living, a family of slaves at the North, who had run away from Mr. +King of Kentucky. I should not have agreed to this, but I knew the +slaves were in Canada, where it was not possible for them to be +captured. After they had told me the names of the persons who betrayed +me, and how it was done, then I told them their slaves were in Canada, +doing well. The two white men were Constables, who claimed the right +of taking up any strange colored person as a slave; while the two +colored kidnappers, under the pretext of being abolitionists, would +find out all the fugitives they could, and inform these Constables for +which they got a part of the reward, after they had found out where +the slaves were from, the name of his master, &c. By the agency of +these colored men, they were seized by a band of white ruffians, +locked up in jail, and their master sent for. These colored +kidnappers, with the Constables, were getting rich by betraying +fugitive slaves. This was told to me by one of the Constables, while +they were all standing around trying to induce me to engage in the +same business for the sake of regaining my own liberty, and that of my +wife and child. But my answer even there, under the most trying +circumstances, surrounded by the strongest enemies of God and man, was +most emphatically in the negative. "Let my punishment be what it may, +either with the lash or by selling me away from my friends and home; +let my destiny be what you please, I can never engage in this business +for the sake of getting free."</p> + +<p>They said I should not be sold nor punished with the lash for what I +had done, but I should be carried back to Bedford, to live with my +wife. Yet when the boat got to where we should have landed, she wafted +by without making any stop. I felt awful in view of never seeing my +family again; they asked what was the matter? what made me look so +cast down? I informed them that I knew I was to be sold in the +Louisville slave market, or in New Orleans, and I never expected to +see +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page49" id="page49"></a>[pg 49]</span> +my family again. But they tried to pacify me by promising not to +sell me to a slave trader who would take me off to New Orleans; +cautioning me at the same time not to let it be known that I had been +a runaway. This would very much lessen the value of me in market. They +would not punish me by putting irons on my limbs, but would give me a +good name, and sell me to some gentleman in Louisville for a house +servant. They thought I would soon make money enough to buy myself, +and would not part with me if they could get along without. But I had +cost them so much in advertising and looking for me, that they were +involved by it. In the first place they paid eight hundred and fifty +dollars for me; and when I first run away, they paid one hundred for +advertising and looking after me; and now they had to pay about forty +dollars, expenses travelling to and from Cincinnati, in addition to +the three hundred dollars reward; and they were not able to pay the +reward without selling me.</p> + +<p>I knew then the only alternative left for me to extricate myself was +to use deception, which is the most effectual defence a slave can use. +I pretended to be satisfied for the purpose of getting an opportunity +of giving them the slip.</p> + +<p>But oh, the distress of mind, the lamentable thought that I should +never again see the face nor hear the gentle voice of my nearest and +dearest friends in this life. I could imagine what must be my fate +from my peculiar situation. To be sold to the highest bidder, and then +wear the chains of slavery down to the grave. The day star of liberty +which had once cheered and gladdened my heart in freedom's land, had +then hidden itself from my vision, and the dark and dismal frown of +slavery had obscured the sunshine of freedom from me, as they supposed +for all time to come.</p> + +<p>But the understanding between us was, I was not to be tied, chained, +nor flogged; for if they should take me into the city handcuffed and +guarded by five men the question might be asked what crime I had +committed? And if it should be known that I had been a runaway to +Canada, it would lessen the value of me at least one hundred dollars. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page50" id="page50"></a>[pg 50]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Arrival at Louisville, Ky.—Efforts to sell me.—Fortunate escape +from the man-stealers in the public street.—I return to Bedford, +Ky.—The rescue of my family again attempted.—I started alone +expecting them to follow.—After waiting some months I resolve to go +back again to Kentucky.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">WHEN the boat arrived at Louisville, the day being too far spent for +them to dispose of me, they had to put up at a Hotel. When we left the +boat, they were afraid of my bolting from them in the street, and to +prevent this they took hold of my arms, one on each side of me, +gallanting me up to the hotel with as much propriety as if I had been +a white lady. This was to deceive the people, and prevent my getting +away from them.</p> + +<p>They called for a bed-room to which I was conducted and locked within. +That night three of them lodged in the same room to guard me. They +locked the door and put the key under the head of their bed. I could +see no possible way for my escape without jumping out of a high three +story house window.</p> + +<p>It was almost impossible for me to sleep that night in my peculiar +situation. I passed the night in prayer to our Heavenly Father, asking +that He would open to me even the smallest chance for escape.</p> + +<p>The next morning after they had taken breakfast, four of them left me +in the care of Dan Lane. He was what might be called one of the watch +dogs of Kentucky. There was nothing too mean for him to do. He never +blushed to rob a slave mother of her children, no matter how young or +small. He was also celebrated for slave selling, kidnapping, and negro +hunting. He was well known in that region by the slaves as well as the +slaveholders, to have all the qualifications necessary for his +business. He was a drunkard, a gambler, a profligate, and a +slaveholder.</p> + +<p>While the other four were looking around through the city for a +purchaser, Dan was guarding me with his bowie knife and pistols. After +a while the others came in with two persons +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page51" id="page51"></a>[pg 51]</span> +to buy me, but on seeing +me they remarked that they thought I would run away, and asked me if I +had ever run away. Dan sprang to his feet and answered the question +for me, by telling one of the most palpable falsehoods that ever came +from the lips of a slaveholder. He declared that I had never run away +in my life!</p> + +<p>Fortunately for me, Dan, while the others were away, became unwell; +and from taking salts, or from some other cause, was compelled to +leave his room. Off he started to the horse stable which was located +on one of the most public streets of Louisville, and of course I had +to accompany him. He gallanted me into the stable by the arm, and +placed himself back in one of the horses stalls and ordered me to +stand by until he was ready to come out.</p> + +<p>At this time a thousand thoughts were flashing through my mind with +regard to the propriety of trying the springs of my heels, which +nature had so well adapted for taking the body out of danger, even in +the most extraordinary emergencies. I thought in the attempt to get +away by running, if I should not succeed, it could make my condition +no worse, for they could but sell me and this they were then trying to +do. These thoughts impelled me to keep edging towards the door, though +very cautiously. Dan kept looking around after me as if he was not +satisfied at my getting so near to the door. But the last I saw of him +in the stable was just as he turned his eyes from me; I nerved myself +with all the moral courage I could command and bolted for the door, +perhaps with the fleetness of a much frightened deer, who never looks +behind in time of peril. Dan was left in the stable to make ready for +the race, or jump out into the street half dressed, and thereby +disgrace himself before the public eye.</p> + +<p>It would be impossible for me to set forth the speed with which I run +to avoid my adversary; I succeeded in turning a corner before Dan got +sight of me, and by fast running, turning corners, and jumping high +fences, I was enabled to effect my escape.</p> + +<p>In running so swiftly through the public streets, I thought it would +be a safer course to leave the public way, and as quick as thought I +spied a high board fence by the way and attempted to leap over it. The +top board broke and down I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page52" id="page52"></a>[pg 52]</span> +came into a hen-coop which stood by the +fence. The dogs barked, and the hens flew and cackled so, that I +feared it would lead to my detection before I could get out of the +yard.</p> + +<p>The reader can only imagine how great must have been the excited state +of my mind while exposed to such extraordinary peril and danger on +every side. In danger of being seized by a savage dog, which sprang at +me when I fell into the hen-coop; in danger of being apprehended by +the tenants of the lot; in danger of being shot or wounded by any one +who might have attempted to stop me, a runaway slave; and in danger on +the other hand of being overtaken and getting in conflict with my +adversary. With these fearful apprehensions, caution dictated me not +to proceed far by day-light in this slaveholding city.</p> + +<p>At this moment every nerve and muscle of my whole system was in full +stretch; and every facility of the mind brought into action striving +to save myself from being re-captured. I dared not go to the forest, +knowing that I might be tracked by blood-hounds, and overtaken. I was +so fortunate as to find a hiding place in the city which seemed to be +pointed out by the finger of Providence. After running across lots, +turning corners, and shunning my fellow men, as if they were wild +ferocious beasts. I found a hiding place in a pile of boards or +scantling, where I kept concealed during that day.</p> + +<p>No tongue nor pen can describe the dreadful apprehensions under which +I labored for the space of ten or twelve hours. My hiding place +happened to be between two workshops, where there were men at work +within six or eight feet of me. I could imagine that I heard them +talking about me, and at other times thought I heard the footsteps of +Daniel Lane in close pursuit. But I retained my position there until 9 +or 10 o'clock at night, without being discovered; after which I +attempted to find my way out, which was exceedingly difficult. The +night being very dark, in a strange city, among slaveholders and slave +hunters, to me it was like a person entering a wilderness among wolves +and vipers, blindfolded. I was compelled from necessity to enter this +place for refuge under the most extraordinary state of excitement, +without regard to its geographical position. I found myself surrounded + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page53" id="page53"></a>[pg 53]</span> +with a large block of buildings, which comprised a whole square, +built up mostly on three sides, so that I could see no way to pass out +without exposing myself perhaps to the gaze of patrols, or slave +catchers.</p> + +<p>In wandering around through the dark, I happened to find a calf in a +back yard, which was bawling after the cow; the cow was also lowing in +another direction, as if they were trying to find each other. A +thought struck me that there must be an outlet somewhere about, where +the cow and calf were trying to meet. I started in the direction where +I heard the lowing of the cow, and I found an arch or tunnel extending +between two large brick buildings, where I could see nothing of the +cow but her eyes, shining like balls of fire through the dark tunnel, +between the walls, through which I passed to where she stood. When I +entered the streets I found them well lighted up. My heart was +gladdened to know there was another chance for my escape. No bird ever +let out of a cage felt more like flying, than I felt like running.</p> + +<p>Before I left the city, I chanced to find by the way, an old man of +color. Supposing him to be a friend, I ventured to make known my +situation, and asked him if he would get me a bite to eat. The old man +most cheerfully complied with my request. I was then about forty miles +from the residence of Wm. Gatewood, where my wife, whom I sought to +rescue from slavery, was living. This was also in the direction it was +necessary for me to travel in order to get back to the free North. +Knowing that the slave catchers would most likely be watching the +public highway for me, to avoid them I made my way over the rocky +hills, woods and plantations, back to Bedford.</p> + +<p>I travelled all that night, guided on my way by the shining stars of +heaven alone. The next morning just before the break of day, I came +right to a large plantation, about which I secreted myself, until the +darkness of the next night began to disappear. The morning larks +commenced to chirp and sing merrily—pretty soon I heard the whip +crack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field. About +breakfast time, I heard the sound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in +the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer. He +started to the house before the slaves, which gave me +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page54" id="page54"></a>[pg 54]</span> +an opportunity +to get the attention of one of the slaves, whom I met at the fence, +before he started to his breakfast, and made known to him my wants and +distresses. I also requested him to bring me a piece of bread if he +could when he came back to the field.</p> + +<p>The hospitable slave complied with my request. He came back to the +field before his fellow laborers, and brought me something to eat, and +as an equivolent for his kindness, I instructed him with regard to +liberty, Canada, the way of escape, and the facilities by the way. He +pledged his word that himself and others would be in Canada, in less +than six months from that day. This closed our interview, and we +separated. I concealed myself in the forest until about sunset, before +I pursued my journey; and the second night from Louisville, I arrived +again in the neighborhood of Bedford, where my little family were held +in bondage, whom I so earnestly strove to rescue.</p> + +<p>I concealed myself by the aid of a friend in that neighborhood, +intending again to make my escape with my family.</p> + +<p>This confidential friend then carried a message to Malinda, requesting +her to meet me on one side of the village.</p> + +<p>We met under the most fearful apprehensions, for my pursuers had +returned from Louisville, with the lamentable story that I was gone, +and yet they were compelled to pay three hundred dollars to the +Cincinnati slave catchers for re-capturing me there.</p> + +<p>Daniel Lane's account of my escape from him, looked so unreasonable to +slaveholders, that many of them charged him with selling me and +keeping the money; while others believed that I had got away from him, +and was then in the neighborhood, trying to take off my wife and +child, which was true. Lane declared that in less than five minutes +after I run out of the stable in Louisville, he had over twenty men +running and looking in every direction after me; but all without +success. They could hear nothing of me. They had turned over several +tons of hay in a large loft, in search, and I was not to be found +there. Dan imputed my escape to my godliness! He said that I must have +gone up in a chariot of fire, for I went off by flying; and that he +should never again have any thing to do with a praying negro. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page55" id="page55"></a>[pg 55]</span> +</p> + +<p>Great excitement prevailed in Bedford, and many were out watching for +me at the time Malinda was relating to me these facts. The excitement +was then so great among the slaveholders—who were anxious to have me +re-captured as a means of discouraging other slaves from running +away—that time and money were no object while there was the least +prospect of their success. I therefore declined making an effort just +at that time to escape with my little family. Malinda managed to get +me into the house of a friend that night, in the village, where I kept +concealed several days seeking an opportunity to escape with Malinda +and Frances to Canada.</p> + +<p>But for some time Malinda was watched so very closely by white and by +colored persons, both day and night, that it was not possible for us +to escape together. They well knew that my little family was the only +object of attraction that ever had or ever would induce me to come +back and risk my liberty over the threshold of slavery—therefore this +point was well guarded by the watch dogs of slavery, and I was +compelled again to forsake my wife for a season, or surrender, which +was suicidal to the cause of freedom, in my judgment.</p> + +<p>The next day after my arrival in Bedford, Daniel Lane came to the very +house wherein I was concealed and talked in my hearing to the family +about my escape from him out of the stable in Louisville. He was near +enough for me to have laid my hands on his head while in that +house—and the intimidation which this produced on me was more than I +could bear. I was also aware of the great temptation of the reward +offered to white or colored persons for my apprehension; I was exposed +to other calamities which rendered it altogether unsafe for me to stay +longer under that roof.</p> + +<p>One morning about 2 o'clock, I took leave of my little family and +started for Canada. This was almost like tearing off the limbs from my +body. When we were about to separate, Malinda clasped my hand +exclaiming, "oh my soul! my heart is almost broken at the thought of +this dangerous separation. This may be the last time we shall ever see +each other's faces in this life, which will destroy all my future +prospects of life and happiness forever." At this time the poor +unhappy woman burst into tears and wept loudly; and my eyes were not +dry. We separated with the understanding that she was to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page56" id="page56"></a>[pg 56]</span> +wait until +the excitement was all over; after which she was to meet me at a +certain place in the State of Ohio; which would not be longer than two +months from that time.</p> + +<p>I succeeded that night in getting a steamboat conveyance back to +Cincinnati, or within ten miles of the city. I was apprehensive that +there were slave-hunters in Cincinnati, watching the arrival of every +boat up the river, expecting to catch me; and the boat landing to take +in wood ten miles below the city, I got off and walked into +Cincinnati, to avoid detection.</p> + +<p>On my arrival at the house of a friend, I heard that the two young men +who betrayed me for the three hundred dollars had returned and were +watching for me. One of my friends in whom they had great confidence, +called on the traitors, after he had talked with me, and asked them +what they had done with me. Their reply was that I had given them the +slip, and that they were glad of it, because they believed that I was +a good man, and if they could see me on my way to Canada, they would +give me money to aid me on my escape. My friend assured them that if +they would give any thing to aid me on my way, much or little, if they +would put the same into his hands, he would give it to me that night, +or return it to them the next morning.</p> + +<p>They then wanted to know where I was and whether I was in the city; +but he would not tell them, but one of them gave him one dollar for +me, promising that if I was in the city, and he would let him know the +next morning, he would give me ten dollars.</p> + +<p>But I never waited for the ten dollars. I received one dollar of the +amount which they got for betraying me, and started that night for the +north. Their excuse for betraying me, was, that catching runaways was +their business, and if they had not done it somebody else would, but +since they had got the reward they were glad that I had made my +escape.</p> + +<p>Having travelled the road several times from Cincinnati to Lake Erie, +I travelled through without much fear or difficulty. My friends in +Perrysburgh, who knew that I had gone back into the very jaws of +slavery after my family, were much surprised at my return, for they +had heard that I was re-captured.</p> + +<p>After I had waited three months for the arrival of Malinda, and she +came not, it caused me to be one of the most unhappy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page57" id="page57"></a>[pg 57]</span> +fugitives that +ever left the South. I had waited eight or nine months without hearing +from my family. I felt it to be my duty, as a husband and father, to +make one more effort. I felt as if I could not give them up to be +sacrificed on the "bloody altar of slavery." I felt as if love, duty, +humanity and justice, required that I should go back, putting my trust +in the God of Liberty for success. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page58" id="page58"></a>[pg 58]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My safe return to Kentucky.—The perils I encountered there.—Again +betrayed, and taken by a mob; ironed and imprisoned.—Narrow escape +from death.—Life in a slave prison.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">I prepared myself for the journey before named, and started back in +the month of July, 1839.</p> + +<p>My intention was, to let no person know my business until I returned +back to the North. I went to Cincinnati, and got a passage down on +board of a boat just as I did the first time, without any misfortune +or delay. I called on my mother, and the raising of a dead body from +the grave could not have been more surprising to any one than my +arrival was to her, on that sad summer's night. She was not able to +suppress her feelings. When I entered the room, there was but one +other person in the house with my mother, and this was a little slave +girl who was asleep when I entered. The impulsive feeling which is +ever ready to act itself out at the return of a long absent friend, +was more than my bereaved mother could suppress. And unfortunately for +me, the loud shouts of joy at that late hour of the night, awakened +the little slave girl, who afterwards betrayed me. She kept perfectly +still, and never let either of us know that she was awake, in order +that she might hear our conversation and report it. Mother informed me +where my family was living, and that she would see them the next day, +and would make arrangements for us to meet the next night at that +house after the people in the village had gone to bed. I then went off +and concealed myself during the next day, and according to promise +came back the next night about eleven o'clock.</p> + +<p>When I got near the house, moving very cautiously, filled with fearful +apprehensions, I saw several men walking around the house as if they +were looking for some person. I went back and waited about one hour, +before I returned, and the number of men had increased. They were +still to be seen lurking about this house, with dogs following them. +This strange movement frightened me off again, and I never returned +until +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page59" id="page59"></a>[pg 59]</span> +after midnight, at which time I slipped up to the window, and +rapped for my mother, who sprang to it and informed me that I was +betrayed by the girl who overheard our conversation the night before. +She thought that if I could keep out of the way for a few days, the +white people would think that this girl was mistaken, or had lied. She +had told her old mistress that I was there that night, and had made a +plot with my mother to get my wife and child there the next night, and +that I was going to take them off to Canada.</p> + +<p>I went off to a friend of mine, who rendered me all the aid that one +slave could render another, under the circumstances. Thank God he is +now free from slavery, and is doing well. He was a messenger for me to +my wife and mother, until at the suggestion of my mother, I changed an +old friend for a new one, who betrayed me for the sum of five dollars.</p> + +<p>We had set the time when we were to start for Canada, which was to be +on the next Saturday night. My mother had an old friend whom she +thought was true, and she got him to conceal me in a barn, not over +two miles from the village. This man brought provisions to me, sent by +my mother, and would tell me the news which was in circulation about +me, among the citizens. But the poor fellow was not able to withstand +the temptation of money.</p> + +<p>My owners had about given me up, and thought the report of the slave +girl was false; but they had offered a little reward among the slaves +for my apprehension. The night before I was betrayed, I met with my +mother and wife, and we had set up nearly all night plotting to start +on the next Saturday night. I hid myself away in the flax in the barn, +and being much rest broken I slept until the next morning about 9 +o'clock. Then I was awakened by a mob of blood thirsty slaveholders, +who had come armed with all the implements of death, with a +determination to reduce me again to a life of slavery, or murder me on +the spot.</p> + +<p>When I looked up and saw that I was surrounded, they were exclaiming +at the top of their voices, "shoot him down! shoot him down!" "If he +offers to run, or to resist, kill him!"</p> + +<p>I saw it was no use then for me to make any resistance, as I should be +murdered. I felt confident that I had been betrayed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page60" id="page60"></a>[pg 60]</span> +by a slave, and +all my flattering prospects of rescuing my family were gone for ever, +and the grim monster slavery with all its horrors was staring me in +the face.</p> + +<p>I surrendered myself to this hostile mob at once. The first thing +done, after they had laid violent hands on me, was to bind my hands +behind me with a cord, and rob me of all I possessed.</p> + +<p>In searching my pockets, they found my certificate from the Methodist +E. Church, which had been given me by my classleader, testifying to my +worthiness as a member of that church. And what made the matter look +more disgraceful to me, many of this mob were members of the M.E. +Church, and they were the persons who took away my church ticket, and +then robbed me also of fourteen dollars in cash, a silver watch for +which I paid ten dollars, a pocket knife for which I paid seventy-five +cents, and a Bible for which I paid sixty-two and one half cents. All +this they tyrannically robbed me of, and yet my owner, Wm. Gatewood, +was a regular member of the same church to which I belonged.</p> + +<p>He then had me taken to a blacksmith's shop, and most wickedly had my +limbs bound with heavy irons, and then had my body locked within the +cold dungeon walls of the Bedford jail, to be sold to a Southern slave +trader.</p> + +<p>My heart was filled with grief—my eyes were filled with tears. I +could see no way of escape. I could hear no voice of consolation. +Slaveholders were coming to the dungeon window in great numbers to ask +me questions. Some were rejoicing—some swearing, and others saying +that I ought to be hung; while others were in favor of sending both me +and my wife to New Orleans. They supposed that I had informed her all +about the facilities for slaves to escape to Canada, and that she +would tell other slaves after I was gone; hence we must all be sent +off to where we could neither escape ourselves, nor instruct others +the way.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of the same day Malinda was permitted to visit the +prison wherein I was locked, but was not permitted to enter the door. +When she looked through the dungeon grates and saw my sad situation, +which was caused by my repeated adventures to rescue her and my little +daughter from the grasp of slavery, it was more than she could bear +without +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page61" id="page61"></a>[pg 61]</span> +bursting in tears. She plead for admission into the cold +dungeon where I was confined, but without success. With manacled +limbs; with wounded spirit; with sympathising tears and with bleeding +heart, I intreated Malinda to weep not for me, for it only added to my +grief, which was greater than I could bear.</p> + +<p>I have often suffered from the sting of the cruel slave driver's lash +on my quivering flesh—I have suffered from corporeal punishment in +its various forms—I have mingled my sorrows with those that were +bereaved by the ungodly soul drivers—and I also know what it is to +shed the sympathetic tear at the grave of a departed friend; but all +this is but a mere trifle compared with my sufferings from then to the +end of six months subsequent.</p> + +<p>The second night while I was in jail, two slaves came to the dungeon +grates about the dead hour of night, and called me to the grates to +have some conversation about Canada, and the facilities for getting +there. They knew that I had travelled over the road, and they were +determined to run away and go where they could be free. I of course +took great pleasure in giving them directions how and where to go, and +they started in less than a week from that time and got clear to +Canada. I have seen them both since I came back to the north myself. +They were known by the names of King and Jack.</p> + +<p>The third day I was brought out of the prison to be carried off with +my little family to the Louisville slave market. My hands were +fastened together with heavy irons, and two men to guard me with +loaded rifles, one of whom led the horse upon which I rode. My wife +and child were set upon another nag. After we were all ready to start +my old master thought I was not quite safe enough, and ordered one of +the boys to bring him a bed cord from the store. He then tied my feet +together under the horse, declaring that if I flew off this time, I +should fly off with the horse.</p> + +<p>Many tears were shed on that occasion by our friends and relatives, +who saw us dragged off in irons to be sold in the human flesh market. +No tongue could express the deep anguish of my soul when I saw the +silent tear drops streaming down the sable cheeks of an aged slave +mother, at my departure; and that too, caused by a black hearted +traitor who was himself a slave: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page62" id="page62"></a>[pg 62]</span> +</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"I love the man with a feeling soul.<br /></span> +<span>Whose passions are deep and strong;<br /></span> +<span>Whose cords, when touched with a kindred power,<br /></span> +<span>Will vibrate loud and long:<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>"The man whose word is bond and law—<br /></span> +<span>Who ne'er for gold or power,<br /></span> +<span>Would kiss the hand that would stab the heart<br /></span> +<span>In adversity's trying hour."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>"I love the man who delights to help<br /></span> +<span>The panting, struggling poor:<br /></span> +<span>The man that will open his heart,<br /></span> +<span>Nor close against the fugitive at his door.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>"Oh give me a heart that will firmly stand,<br /></span> +<span>When the storm of affliction shall lower—<br /></span> +<span>A hand that will never shrink, if grasped,<br /></span> +<span>In misfortune's darkest hour."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>As we approached the city of Louisville, we attracted much attention, +my being tied and handcuffed, and a person leading the horse upon +which I rode. The horse appeared to be much frightened at the +appearance of things in the city, being young and skittish. A carriage +passing by jammed against the nag, which caused him to break from the +man who was leading him, and in his fright throw me off backwards. My +hands being confined with irons, and my feet tied under the horse with +a rope, I had no power to help myself. I fell back off of the horse +and could not extricate myself from this dreadful condition; the horse +kicked with all his might while I was tied so close to his rump that +he could only strike me with his legs by kicking.</p> + +<p>The breath was kicked out of my body, but my bones were not broken. No +one who saw my situation would have given five dollars for me. It was +thought by all that I was dead and would never come to life again. +When the horse was caught the cords were cut from my limbs, and I was +rubbed with whiskey, camphor, &c, which brought me to life again.</p> + +<p>Many bystanders expressed sympathy for me in my deplorable condition, +and contempt for the tyrant who tied me to the young horse. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page63" id="page63"></a>[pg 63]</span> +</p> + +<p>I was then driven through the streets of the city with my little +family on foot, to jail, wherein I was locked with handcuffs yet on. A +physician was then sent for, who doctored me several days before I was +well enough to be sold in market.</p> + +<p>The jail was one of the most disagreeable places I ever was confined +in. It was not only disagreeable on account of the filth and dirt of +the most disagreeable kind; but there were bed-bugs, fleas, lice and +musquitoes in abundance, to contend with. At night we had to lie down +on the floor in this filth. Our food was very scanty, and of the most +inferior quality. No gentleman's dog would eat what we were compelled +to eat or starve.</p> + +<p>I had not been in this prison many days before Madison Garrison, the +soul driver, bought me and my family to sell again in the New Orleans +slave market. He was buying up slaves to take to New Orleans. So he +took me and my little family to the work-house, to be kept under lock +and key at work until he had bought up as many as he wished to take +off to the South.</p> + +<p>The work-house of Louisville was a very large brick building, built on +the plan of a jail or State's prison, with many apartments to it, +divided off into cells wherein prisoners were locked up after night. +The upper apartments were occupied by females, principally. This +prison was enclosed by a high stone wall, upon which stood watchmen +with loaded guns to guard the prisoners from breaking out, and on +either side there were large iron gates.</p> + +<p>When Garrison conducted me with my family to the prison in which we +were to be confined until he was ready to take us to New Orleans, I +was shocked at the horrid sight of the prisoners on entering the yard. +When the large iron gate or door was thrown open to receive us, it was +astonishing to see so many whites as well as colored men loaded down +with irons, at hard labor, under the supervision of overseers.</p> + +<p>Some were sawing stone, some cutting stone, and others breaking stone. +The first impression which was made on my mind when I entered this +place of punishment, made me think of hell, with all its terrors of +torment; such as "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth," which was +then the idea that I had of the infernal regions from oral +instruction. And I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page64" id="page64"></a>[pg 64]</span> +doubt whether there can be a better picture of it +drawn, than may be sketched from an American slave prison.</p> + +<p>In this prison almost every prisoner had a heavy log chain riveted +about his leg. It would indeed be astonishing to a Christian man to +stand in that prison one half hour and hear and see the contaminating +influences of Southern slavery on the body and mind of man—you may +there find almost every variety of character to look on. Some singing, +some crying, some praying, and others swearing. The people of color +who were in there were slaves, there without crime, but for safe +keeping, while the whites were some of the most abandoned characters +living. The keeper took me up to the anvil block and fastened a chain +about my leg, which I had to drag after me both day and night during +three months. My labor was sawing stone; my food was coarse corn bread +and beef shanks and cows heads with pot liquor, and a very scanty +allowance of that.</p> + +<p>I have often seen the meat spoiled when brought to us, covered with +flies and fly blows, and even worms crawling over it, when we were +compelled to eat it, or go without any at all. It was all spread out +on a long table in separate plates; and at the sound of a bell, every +one would take his plate, asking no questions. After hastily eating, +we were hurried back to our work, each man dragging a heavy log chain +after him to his work.</p> + +<p>About a half hour before night they were commanded to stop work, take +a bite to eat, and then be locked up in a small cell until the next +morning after sunrise. The prisoners were locked in, two together. My +bed was a cold stone floor with but little bedding! My visitors were +bed-bugs and musquitoes. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page65" id="page65"></a>[pg 65]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Character of my prison companions.—Jail breaking +contemplated.—Defeat of our plan.—My wife and child +removed.—Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment.—Our +departure in a coffle for New Orleans.—Events of our journey.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">MOST of the inmates of this prison I have described, were white men +who had been sentenced there by the law, for depredations committed by +them. There was in that prison, gamblers, drunkards, thieves, robbers, +adulterers, and even murderers. There were also in the female +department, harlots, pick-pockets, and adulteresses. In such company, +and under such influences, where there was constant swearing, lying, +cheating, and stealing, it was almost impossible for a virtuous person +to avoid pollution, or to maintain their virtue. No place or places in +this country can be better calculated to inculcate vice of every kind +than a Southern work house or house of correction.</p> + +<p>After a profligate, thief, or a robber, has learned all that they can +out of the prison, they might go in one of those prisons and learn +something more—they might properly be called robber colleges; and if +slaveholders understood this they would never let their slaves enter +them. No man would give much for a slave who had been kept long in one +of these prisons.</p> + +<p>I have often heard them telling each other how they robbed houses, and +persons on the high way, by knocking them down, and would rob them, +pick their pockets, and leave them half dead. Others would tell of +stealing horses, cattle, sheep, and slaves; and when they would be +sometimes apprehended, by the aid of their friends, they would break +jail. But they could most generally find enough to swear them clear of +any kind of villany. They seemed to take great delight in telling of +their exploits in robbery. There was a regular combination of them who +had determined to resist law, wherever they went, to carry out their +purposes.</p> + +<p>In conversing with myself, they learned that I was notorious for +running away, and professed sympathy for me. They +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page66" id="page66"></a>[pg 66]</span> +thought that I +might yet get to Canada, and be free, and suggested a plan by which I +might accomplish it; and one way was, to learn to read and write, so +that I might write myself a pass ticket, to go just where I pleased, +when I was taken out of the prison; and they taught me secretly all +they could while in the prison.</p> + +<p>But there was another plan which they suggested to me to get away from +slavery; that was to break out of the prison and leave my family. I +consented to engage in this plot, but not to leave my family.</p> + +<p>By my conduct in the prison, after having been there several weeks, I +had gained the confidence of the keeper, and the turnkey. So much so, +that when I wanted water or anything of the kind, they would open my +door and hand it in to me. One of the turnkeys was an old colored man, +who swept and cleaned up the cells, supplied the prisoners with water, +&c.</p> + +<p>On Sundays in the afternoon, the watchmen of the prison were most +generally off, and this old slave, whose name was Stephen, had the +prisoners to attend to. The white prisoners formed a plot to break out +on Sunday in the afternoon, by making me the agent to get the prison +keys from old Stephen.</p> + +<p>I was to prepare a stone that would weigh about one pound, tie it up +in a rag, and keep it in my pocket to strike poor old Stephen with, +when he should open my cell door. But this I would not consent to do, +without he should undertake to betray me.</p> + +<p>I gave old Stephen one shilling to buy me a water melon, which he was +to bring to me in the afternoon. All the prisoners were to be ready to +strike, just as soon as I opened their doors. When Stephen opened my +door to hand me the melon, I was to grasp him by the collar, raise the +stone over his head, and say to him, that if he made any alarm that I +should knock him down with the stone. But if he would be quiet he +should not be hurt. I was then to take all the keys from him, and lock +him up in the cell—take a chisel and cut the chain from my own leg, +then unlock all the cells below, and let out the other prisoners, who +were all to cut off their chains. We were then to go and let out old +Stephen, and make him go off with us. We were to form a line and march +to the front gate of the prison with a sledge hammer, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page67" id="page67"></a>[pg 67]</span> +break it +open, and if we should be discovered, and there should be any out-cry, +we were all to run and raise the alarm of fire, so as to avoid +detection. But while we were all listening for Stephen to open the +door with the melon, he came and reported that he could not get one, +and handed me back the money through the window. All were +disappointed, and nothing done. I looked upon it as being a fortunate +thing for me, for it was certainly a very dangerous experiment for a +slave, and they could never get me to consent to be the leader in that +matter again.</p> + +<p>A few days after, another plot was concocted to to break prison, but +it was betrayed by one of the party, which resulted in the most cruel +punishment to the prisoners concerned in it; and I felt thankful that +my name was not connected with it. They were not only flogged, but +they were kept on bread and water alone, for many days. A few days +after we were put in this prison, Garrison came and took my wife and +child out, I knew not for what purpose, nor to what place, but after +the absence of several days I supposed that he had sold them. But one +morning, the outside door was thrown open, and Malinda thrust in by +the ruthless hand of Garrison, whose voice was pouring forth the most +bitter oaths and abusive language that could be dealt out to a female; +while her heart-rending shrieks and sobbing, was truly melting to the +soul of a father and husband.</p> + +<p>The language of Malinda was, "Oh! my dear little child is gone? What +shall I do? my child is gone." This most distressing sound struck a +sympathetic chord through all the prison among the prisoners. I was +not permitted to go to my wife and inquire what had become of little +Frances. I never expected to see her again, for I supposed that she +was sold.</p> + +<p>That night, however, I had a short interview with my much abused wife, +who told me the secret. She said that Garrison had taken her to a +private house where he kept female slaves for the basest purposes. It +was a resort for slave trading profligates and soul drivers, who were +interested in the same business.</p> + +<p>Soon after she arrived at this place, Garrison gave her to understand +what he brought her there for, and made a most disgraceful assault on +her virtue, which she promptly repeled; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page68" id="page68"></a>[pg 68]</span> +and for which Garrison +punished her with the lash, threatening her that if she did not submit +that he would sell her child. The next day he made the same attempt, +which she resisted, declaring that she would not submit to it; and +again he tied her up and flogged her until her garments were stained +with blood.</p> + +<p>He then sent our child off to another part of the city, and said he +meant to sell it, and that she should never see it again. He then +drove Malinda before him to the work-house, swearing by his Maker that +she should submit to him or die. I have already described her entrance +in the prison.</p> + +<p>Two days after this he came again and took Malinda out of the prison. +It was several weeks before I saw her again, and learned that he had +not sold her or the child. At the same time he was buying up other +slaves to take to New Orleans. At the expiration of three months he +was ready to start with us for the New Orleans slave market, but we +never knew when we were to go, until the hour had arrived for our +departure.</p> + +<p>One Sabbath morning Garrison entered the prison and commanded that our +limbs should be made ready for the coffles. They called us up to an +anvill block, and the heavy log chains which we had been wearing on +our legs during three months, were cut off. I had been in the prison +over three months; but he had other slaves who had not been there so +long. The hand-cuffs were then put on to our wrists. We were coupled +together two and two—the right hand of one to the left hand of +another, and a long chain to connect us together.</p> + +<p>The other prisoners appeared to be sorry to see us start off in this +way. We marched off to the river Ohio, to take passage on board of the +steamboat Water Witch. But this was at a very low time of water, in +the fall of 1839. The boat got aground, and did not get off that +night; and Garrison had to watch us all night to keep any from getting +away. He also had a very large savage dog, which was trained up to +catch runaway slaves.</p> + +<p>We were more than six weeks getting to the city of New Orleans, in +consequence of low water. We were shifted on to several boats before +we arrived at the mouth of the river Ohio. But we got but very little +rest at night. As all were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page69" id="page69"></a>[pg 69]</span> +chained together night and day, it was +impossible to sleep, being annoyed by the bustle and crowd of the +passengers on board; by the terrible thought that we were destined to +be sold in market as sheep or oxen; and annoyed by the galling chains +that cramped our wearied limbs on the tedious voyage. But I had +several opportunities to have run away from Garrison before we got to +the mouth of the Ohio river. While they were shifting us from one boat +to another, my hands were some times loosed, until they got us all on +board—and I know that I should have broke away had it not been for +the sake of my wife and child who was with me. I could see no chance +to get them off, and I could not leave them in that condition—and +Garrison was not so much afraid of my running away from him while he +held on to my family, for he knew from the great sacrifices which I +had made to rescue them from slavery, that my attachment was too +strong to run off and leave them in his hands, while there was the +least hope of ever getting them away with me. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page70" id="page70"></a>[pg 70]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg.—An account of slave +sales.—Cruel punishment with the paddle.—Attempts to sell myself by +Garrison's direction.—Amusing interview with a slave buyer.—Deacon +Whitfield's examination.—He purchases the family.—Character of the +Deacon.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">WHEN we arrived at the city of Vicksburg, he intended to sell a +portion of his slaves there, and stopped for three weeks trying to +sell. But he met with very poor success.</p> + +<p>We had there to pass through an examination or inspection by a city +officer, whose business it was to inspect slave property that was +brought to that market for sale. He examined our backs to see if we +had been much scarred by the lash. He examined our limbs, to see +whether we were inferior.</p> + +<p>As it is hard to tell the ages of slaves, they look in their mouths at +their teeth, and prick up the skin on the back of their hands, and if +the person is very far advanced in life, when the skin is pricked up, +the pucker will stand so many seconds on the back of the hand.</p> + +<p>But the most rigorous examinations of slaves by those slave +inspectors, is on the mental capacity. If they are found to be very +intelligent, this is pronounced the most objectionable of all other +qualities connected with the life of a slave. In fact, it undermines +the whole fabric of his chattelhood; it prepares for what slaveholders +are pleased to pronounce the unpardonable sin when committed by a +slave. It lays the foundation for running away, and going to Canada. +They also see in it a love for freedom, patriotism, insurrection, +bloodshed, and exterminating war against American slavery.</p> + +<p>Hence they are very careful to inquire whether a slave who is for sale +can read or write. This question has been asked me often by slave +traders, and cotton planters, while I was there for market. After +conversing with me, they have sworn by their Maker, that they would +not have me among their negroes; and that they saw the devil in my +eye; I would run away, &c.</p> + +<p>I have frequently been asked also, if I had ever run away; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page71" id="page71"></a>[pg 71]</span> +but +Garrison would generally answer this question for me in the negative. +He could have sold my little family without any trouble, for the sum +of one thousand dollars. But for fear he might not get me off at so +great an advantage, as the people did not like my appearance, he could +do better by selling us all together. They all wanted my wife, while +but very few wanted me. He asked for me and my family twenty-five +hundred dollars, but was not able to get us off at that price.</p> + +<p>He tried to speculate on my Christian character. He tried to make it +appear that I was so pious and honest that I would not runaway for ill +treatment; which was a gross mistake, for I never had religion enough +to keep me from running away from slavery in my life.</p> + +<p>But we were taken from Vicksburgh, to the city of New Orleans, were we +were to be sold at any rate. We were taken to a trader's yard or a +slave prison on the corner of St. Joseph street. This was a common +resort for slave traders, and planters who wanted to buy slaves; and +all classes of slaves were kept there for sale, to be sold in private +or public—young or old, males or females, children or parents, +husbands or wives.</p> + +<p>Every day at 10 o'clock they were exposed for sale. They had to be in +trim for showing themselves to the public for sale. Every one's head +had to be combed, and their faces washed, and those who were inclined +to look dark and rough, were compelled to wash in greasy dish water, +in order to make them look slick and lively.</p> + +<p>When spectators would come in the yard, the slaves were ordered out to +form a line. They were made to stand up straight, and look as +sprightly as they could; and when they were asked a question, they had +to answer it as promptly as they could, and try to induce the +spectators to buy them. If they failed to do this, they were severely +paddled after the spectators were gone. The object for using the +paddle in the place of a lash was, to conceal the marks which would be +made by the flogging. And the object for flogging under such +circumstances, is to make the slaves anxious to be sold.</p> + +<p>The paddle is made of a piece of hickory timber, about one inch thick, +three inches in width, and about eighteen inches in length. The part +which is applied to the flesh is bored full +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page72" id="page72"></a>[pg 72]</span> +of quarter inch auger +holes; and every time this is applied to the flesh of the victim, the +blood gushes through the holes of the paddle, or a blister makes its +appearance. The persons who are thus flogged, are always stripped +naked, and their hands tied together. They are then bent over double, +their knees are forced between their elbows, and a stick is put +through between the elbows and the bend of the legs, in order to hold +the victim in that position, while the paddle is applied to those +parts of the body which would not be so likely to be seen by those who +wanted to buy slaves.</p> + +<p>I was kept in this prison for several months, and no one would buy me +for fear I would run away. One day while I was in this prison, +Garrison got mad with my wife, and took her off in one of the rooms, +with his paddle in hand, swearing that he would paddle her; and I +could afford her no protection at all, while the strong arm of the +law, public opinion and custom, were all against me. I have often +heard Garrison say, that he had rather paddle a female, than eat when +he was hungry—that it was music for him to hear them scream, and to +see their blood run.</p> + +<p>After the lapse of several months, he found that he could not dispose +of my person to a good advantage, while he kept me in that prison +confined among the other slaves. I do not speak with vanity when I say +the contrast was so great between myself and ordinary slaves, from the +fact that I had enjoyed superior advantages, to which I have already +referred. They have their slaves classed off and numbered.</p> + +<p>Garrison came to me one day and informed me that I might go out +through the city and find myself a master. I was to go to the Hotels, +boarding houses, &c.—tell them that my wife was a good cook, +wash-woman, &c,—and that I was a good dining room servant, carriage +driver, or porter—and in this way I might find some gentleman who +would buy us both; and that this was the only hope of our being sold +together.</p> + +<p>But before starting me out, he dressed me up in a suit of his old +clothes, so as to make me look respectable, and I was so much better +dressed than usual that I felt quite gay. He would not allow my wife +to go out with me however, for fear we might get away. I was out every +day for several weeks, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page73" id="page73"></a>[pg 73]</span> +three or four hours in each day, trying to +find a new master, but without success.</p> + +<p>Many of the old French inhabitants have taken slaves for their wives, +in this city, and their own children for their servants. Such commonly +are called Creoles. They are better treated than other slaves, and I +resembled this class in appearance so much that the French did not +want me. Many of them set their mulatto children free, and make +slaveholders of them.</p> + +<p>At length one day I heard that there was a gentleman in the city from +the State of Tennessee, to buy slaves. He had brought down two rafts +of lumber for market, and I thought if I could get him to buy me with +my family, and take us to Tennessee, from there, I would stand a +better opportunity to run away again and get to Canada, than I would +from the extreme South.</p> + +<p>So I brushed up myself and walked down to the river's bank, where the +man was pointed out to me standing on board of his raft, I approached +him, and after passing the usual compliments I said:</p> + +<p>"Sir, I understand that you wish to purchase a lot of servants and I +have called to know if it is so."</p> + +<p>He smiled and appeared to be much pleased at my visit on such laudable +business, supposing me to be a slave trader. He commenced rubbing his +hands together, and replied by saying: "Yes sir, I am glad to see you. +It is a part of my business here to buy slaves, and if I could get you +to take my lumber in part pay I should like to buy four or five of +your slaves at any rate. What kind of slaves have you, sir?"</p> + +<p>After I found that he took me to be a slave trader I knew that it +would be of no use for me to tell him that I was myself a slave +looking for a master, for he would have doubtless brought up the same +objection that others had brought up,—that I was too white; and that +they were afraid that I could read and write; and would never serve as +a slave, but run away. My reply to the question respecting the quality +of my slaves was, that I did not think his lumber would suit me—that +I must have the cash for my negroes, and turned on my heel and left +him!</p> + +<p>I returned to the prison and informed my wife of the fact +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page74" id="page74"></a>[pg 74]</span> +that I had +been taken to be a slaveholder. She thought that in addition to my +light complexion my being dressed up in Garrison's old slave trading +clothes might have caused the man to think that I was a slave trader, +and she was afraid that we should yet be separated if I should not +succeed in finding some body to buy us.</p> + +<p>Every day to us was a day of trouble, and every night brought new and +fearful apprehensions that the golden link which binds together +husband and wife might be broken by the heartless tyrant before the +light of another day.</p> + +<p>Deep has been the anguish of my soul when looking over my little +family during the silent hours of the night, knowing the great danger +of our being sold off at auction the next day and parted forever. That +this might not come to pass, many have been the tears and prayers +which I have offered up to the God of Israel that we might be +preserved.</p> + +<p>While waiting here to be disposed of, I heard of one Francis +Whitfield, a cotton planter, who wanted to buy slaves. He was +represented to be a very pious soul, being a deacon of a Baptist +church. As the regulations, as well as public opinion generally, were +against slaves meeting for religious worship, I thought it would give +me a better opportunity to attend to my religious duties should I fall +into the hands of this deacon.</p> + +<p>So I called on him and tried to show to the best advantage, for the +purpose of inducing him to buy me and my family. When I approached +him, I felt much pleased at his external appearance—I addressed him +in the following words as well as I can remember:</p> + +<p>"Sir, I understand you are desirous of purchasing slaves?"</p> + +<p>With a very pleasant smile, he replied, "Yes, I do want to buy some, +are you for sale?"</p> + +<p>"Yes sir, with my wife and one child."</p> + +<p>Garrison had given me a note to show wherever I went, that I was for +sale, speaking of my wife and child, giving us a very good character +of course—and I handed him the note.</p> + +<p>After reading it over he remarked, "I have a few questions to ask you, +and if you will tell me the truth like a good boy, perhaps I may buy +you with your family. In the first place, my boy, you are a little too +near white. I want you to tell me now whether you can read or write?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page75" id="page75"></a>[pg 75]</span> +</p> + +<p>My reply was in the negative.</p> + +<p>"Now I want you to tell me whether you have run away? Don't tell me no +stories now, like a good fellow, and perhaps I may buy you."</p> + +<p>But as I was not under oath to tell him the whole truth, I only gave +him a part of it, by telling him that I had run away once.</p> + +<p>He appeared to be pleased at that, but cautioned me to tell him the +truth, and asked me how long I stayed away, when I run off?</p> + +<p>I told him that I was gone a month.</p> + +<p>He assented to this by a bow of his head, and making a long grunt +saying, "That's right, tell me the truth like a good boy."</p> + +<p>The whole truth was that I had been off in the state of Ohio, and +other free states, and even to Canada; besides this I was notorious +for running away, from my boyhood.</p> + +<p>I never told him that I had been a runaway longer than one +month—neither did I tell him that I had not run away more than once +in my life; for these questions he never asked me.</p> + +<p>I afterwards found him to be one of the basest hypocrites that I ever +saw. He looked like a saint—talked like the best of slave holding +Christians, and acted at home like the devil.</p> + +<p>When he saw my wife and child, he concluded to buy us. He paid for me +twelve hundred dollars, and one thousand for my wife and child. He +also bought several other slaves at the same time, and took home with +him. His residence was in the parish of Claiborn, fifty miles up from +the mouth of Red River.</p> + +<p>When we arrived there, we found his slaves poor, ragged, stupid, and +half-starved. The food he allowed them per week, was one peck of corn +for each grown person, one pound of pork, and sometimes a quart of +molasses. This was all that they were allowed, and if they got more +they stole it.</p> + +<p>He had one of the most cruel overseers to be found in that section of +country. He weighed and measured out to them, their week's allowance +of food every Sabbath morning. The overseer's horn was sounded two +hours before daylight for them in the morning, in order that they +should be ready for work before daylight. They were worked from +daylight until +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page76" id="page76"></a>[pg 76]</span> +after dark, without stopping but one half hour to eat +or rest, which was at noon. And at the busy season of the year, they +were compelled to work just as hard on the Sabbath, as on any other +day. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page77" id="page77"></a>[pg 77]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm—Exposure of the children—Mode +of extorting extra labor—Neglect of the sick—Strange medicine +used—Death of our second child.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">MY first impressions when I arrived on the Deacon's farm, were that he +was far more like what the people call the devil, than he was like a +deacon. Not many days after my arrival there, I heard the Deacon tell +one of the slave girls, that he had bought her for a wife for his boy +Stephen, which office he compelled her fully to perform against her +will. This he enforced by a threat. At first the poor girl neglected +to do this, having no sort of affection for the man—but she was +finally forced to it by an application of the driver's lash, as +threatened by the Deacon.</p> + +<p>The next thing I observed was that he made the slave driver strip his +own wife, and flog her for not doing just as her master had ordered. +He had a white overseer, and a colored man for a driver, whose +business it was to watch and drive the slaves in the field, and do the +flogging according to the orders of the overseer.</p> + +<p>Next a mulatto girl who waited about the house, on her mistress, +displeased her, for which the Deacon stripped and tied her up. He then +handed me the lash and ordered me to put it on—but I told him I never +had done the like, and hoped he would not compel me to do it. He then +informed me that I was to be his overseer, and that he had bought me +for that purpose. He was paying a man eight hundred dollars a year to +oversee, and he believed I was competent to do the same business, and +if I would do it up right he would put nothing harder on me to do; and +if I knew not how to flog a slave, he would set me an example by which +I might be governed. He then commenced on this poor girl, and gave her +two hundred lashes before he had her untied.</p> + +<p>After giving her fifty lashes, he stopped and lectured her a while, +asking her if she thought that she could obey her mistress, &c. She +promised to do all in her power to please him and her mistress, if he +would have mercy on her. But this plea +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page78" id="page78"></a>[pg 78]</span> +was all vain. He commenced on +her again; and this flogging was carried on in the most inhuman manner +until she had received two hundred stripes on her naked quivering +flesh, tied up and exposed to the public gaze of all. And this was the +example that I was to copy after.</p> + +<p>He then compelled me to wash her back off with strong salt brine, +before she was untied, which was so revolting to my feelings, that I +could not refrain from shedding tears.</p> + +<p>For some cause he never called on me again to flog a slave. I presume +he saw that I was not savage enough. The above were about the first +items of the Deacon's conduct which struck me with peculiar disgust.</p> + +<p>After having enjoyed the blessings of civil and religious liberty for +a season, to be dragged into that horrible place with my family, to +linger out my existence without the aid of religious societies, or the +light of revelation, was more than I could endure. I really felt as if +I had got into one of the darkest corners of the earth. I thought I +was almost out of humanity's reach, and should never again have the +pleasure of hearing the gospel sound, as I could see no way by which I +could extricate myself; yet I never omitted to pray for deliverance. I +had faith to believe that the Lord could see our wrongs and hear our +cries.</p> + +<p>I was not used quite as bad as the regular field hands, as the greater +part of my time was spent working about the house; and my wife was the +cook.</p> + +<p>This country was full of pine timber, and every slave had to prepare a +light wood torch, over night, made of pine knots, to meet the overseer +with, before daylight in the morning. Each person had to have his +torch lit, and come with it in his hand to the gin house, before the +overseer and driver, so as to be ready to go to the cotton field by +the time they could see to pick out cotton. These lights looked +beautiful at a distance.</p> + +<p>The object of blowing the horn for them two hours before day, was, +that they should get their bite to eat, before they went to the field, +that they need not stop to eat but once during the day. Another object +was, to do up their flogging which had been omitted over night. I have +often heard the sound of the slave driver's lash on the backs, of the +slaves and their heart-rending shrieks, which were enough to melt the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page79" id="page79"></a>[pg 79]</span> +heart of humanity, even among the most barbarous nations of the +earth.</p> + +<p>But the Deacon would keep no overseer on his plantation, who neglected +to perform this every morning. I have heard him say that he was no +better pleased than when he could hear the overseer's loud complaining +voice, long before daylight in the morning, and the sound of the +driver's lash among the toiling slaves.</p> + +<p>This was a very warm climate, abounding with musquitoes, galinippers +and other insects which were exceedingly annoying to the poor slaves +by night and day, at their quarters and in the field. But more +especially to their helpless little children, which they had to carry +with them to the cotton fields, where they had to set on the damp +ground alone from morning till night, exposed to the scorching rays of +the sun, liable to be bitten by poisonous rattle snakes which are +plenty in that section of the country, or to be devoured by large +alligators, which are often seen creeping through the cotton fields +going from swamp to swamp seeking their prey.</p> + +<p>The cotton planters generally, never allow a slave mother time to go +to the house, or quarter during the day to nurse her child; hence they +have to carry them to the cotton fields and tie them in the shade of a +tree, or in clusters of high weeds about in the fields, where they can +go to them at noon, when they are allowed to stop work for one half +hour. This is the reason why so very few slave children are raised on +these cotton plantations, the mothers have no time to take care of +them—and they are often found dead in the field and in the quarter +for want of the care of their mothers. But I never was eye witness to +a case of this kind but have heard many narrated by my slave brothers +and sisters, some of which occurred on the deacon's plantation.</p> + +<p>Their plan of getting large quantities of cotton picked is not only to +extort it from them by the lash, but hold out an inducement and +deceive them by giving small prizes. For example; the overseer will +offer something worth one or two dollars to any slave who will pick +out the most cotton in one day, dividing the hands off in three +classes and offering a prize to the one who will pick out the most +cotton in each of the classes. By this means they are all interested +in trying to get the prize. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page80" id="page80"></a>[pg 80]</span> +</p> + +<p>After making them try it over several times and weighing what cotton +they pick every night, the overseer can tell just how much every hand +can pick. He then gives the present to those that pick the most +cotton, and then if they do not pick just as much afterward they are +flogged.</p> + +<p>I have known the slaves to be so much fatigued from labor that they +could scarcely get to their lodging places from the field at night. +And then they would have to prepare something to eat before they could +lie down to rest. Their corn they had to grind on a hand mill for +bread stuff, or pound it in a mortar; and by the time they would get +their suppers it would be midnight; then they would herd down all +together and take but two or three hours rest, before the overseer's +horn called them up again to prepare for the field.</p> + +<p>At the time of sickness among slaves they had but very little +attention. The master was to be the judge of their sickness, but never +had studied the medical profession. He always pronounced a slave who +said he was sick, a liar and a hypocrite; said there was nothing the +matter, and he only wanted to keep from work.</p> + +<p>His remedy was most generally strong red pepper tea, boiled till it +was red. He would make them drink a pint cup full of it at one dose. +If he should not get better very soon after it, the dose was repeated. +If that should not accomplish the object for which it was given, or +have the desired effect, a pot or kettle was then put over the fire +with a large quantity of chimney soot, which was boiled down until it +was as strong as the juice of tobacco, and the poor sick slave was +compelled to drink a quart of it.</p> + +<p>This would operate on the system like salts, or castor oil. But if the +slave should not be very ill, he would rather work as long as he could +stand up, than to take this dreadful medicine.</p> + +<p>If it should be a very valuable slave, sometimes a physician was sent +for and something done to save him. But no special aid is afforded the +suffering slave even in the last trying hour, when he is called to +grapple with the grim monster death. He has no Bible, no family altar, +no minister to address to him the consolations of the gospel, before +he launches into the spirit world. As to the burial of slaves, but +very little more +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id="page81"></a>[pg 81]</span> +care is taken of their dead bodies than if they were +dumb beasts.</p> + +<p>My wife was very sick while we were both living with the Deacon. We +expected every day would be her last. While she was sick, we lost our +second child, and I was compelled to dig my own child's grave and bury +it myself without even a box to put it in. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" id="page82"></a>[pg 82]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>I attend a prayer meeting.—Punishment therefor threatened.—I +attempt to escape alone.—My return to take my family.—Our +sufferings.—Dreadful attack of wolves.—Our recapture.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">SOME months after Malinda had recovered from her sickness, I +got permission from the Deacon, on one Sabbath day, to attend a prayer +meeting, on a neighboring plantation, with a few old superannuated +slaves, although this was contrary to the custom of the country—for +slaves were not allowed to assemble for religious worship. Being more +numerous than the whites there was fear of rebellion, and the +overpowering of their oppressors in order to obtain freedom.</p> + +<p>But this gentleman on whose plantation I attended the meeting was not +a Deacon nor a professor of religion. He was not afraid of a few old +Christian slaves rising up to kill their master because he allowed +them to worship God on the Sabbath day.</p> + +<p>We had a very good meeting, although our exercises were not conducted +in accordance with an enlightened Christianity; for we had no +Bible—no intelligent leader—but a conscience, prompted by our own +reason, constrained us to worship God the Creator of all things.</p> + +<p>When I returned home from meeting I told the other slaves what a good +time we had at our meeting, and requested them to go with me to +meeting there on the next Sabbath. As no slave was allowed to go from +the plantation on a visit without a written pass from his master, on +the next Sabbath several of us went to the Deacon, to get permission +to attend that prayer meeting; but he refused to let any go. I thought +I would slip off and attend the meeting and get back before he would +miss me, and would not know that I had been to the meeting.</p> + +<p>When I returned home from the meeting as I approached the house I saw +Malinda, standing out at the fence looking in the direction in which I +was expected to return. She hailed my approach, not with joy, but with +grief. She was weeping under great distress of mind, but it was hard +for me to extort +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id="page83"></a>[pg 83]</span> +from her the reason why she wept. She finally +informed me that her master had found out that I had violated his law, +and I should suffer the penalty, which was five hundred lashes, on my +naked back.</p> + +<p>I asked her how he knew that I had gone?</p> + +<p>She said I had not long been gone before he called for me and I was +not to be found. He then sent the overseer on horseback to the place +where we were to meet to see if I was there. But when the overseer got +to the place, the meeting was over and I had gone back home, but had +gone a nearer route through the woods and the overseer happened not to +meet me. He heard that I had been there and hurried back home before +me and told the Deacon, who ordered him to take me on the next +morning, strip off my clothes, drive down four stakes in the ground +and fasten my limbs to them; then strike me five hundred lashes for +going to the prayer meeting. This was what distressed my poor +companion. She thought it was more than I could bear, and that it +would be the death of me. I concluded then to run away—but she +thought they would catch me with the blood hounds by their taking my +track. But to avoid them I thought I would ride off on one of the +Deacon's mules. She thought if I did, they would sell me.</p> + +<p>"No matter, I will try it," said I, "let the consequences be what they +may. The matter can be no worse than it now is." So I tackled up the +Deacon's best mule with his saddle, &c., and started that night and +went off eight or ten miles from home. But I found the mule to be +rather troublesome, and was like to betray me by braying, especially +when he would see cattle, horses, or any thing of the kind in the +woods.</p> + +<p>The second night from home I camped in a cane break down in the Red +river swamp not a great way off from the road, perhaps not twenty +rods, exposed to wild ferocious beasts which were numerous in that +section of country. On that night about the middle of the night the +mule heard the sound of horses feet on the road, and he commenced +stamping and trying to break away. As the horses seemed to come +nearer, the mule commenced trying to bray, and it was all that I could +do to prevent him from making a loud bray there in the woods, which +would have betrayed me. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>[pg 84]</span> +</p> + +<p>I supposed that it was the overseer out with the dogs looking for me, +and I found afterwards that I was not mistaken. As soon as the people +had passed by, I mounted the mule and took him home to prevent his +betraying me. When I got near by home I stripped off the tackling and +turned the mule loose. I then slipt up to the cabin wherein my wife +laid and found her awake, much distressed about me. She informed me +that they were then out looking for me, and that the Deacon was bent +on flogging me nearly to death, and then selling me off from my +family. This was truly heart-rending to my poor wife; the thought of +our being torn apart in a strange land after having been sold away +from all her friends and relations, was more than she could bear.</p> + +<p>The Deacon had declared that I should not only suffer for the crime of +attending a prayer meeting without his permission, and for running +away, but for the awful crime of stealing a jackass, which was death +by the law when committed by a negro.</p> + +<p>But I well knew that I was regarded as property, and so was the ass; +and I thought if one piece of property took off another, there could +be no law violated in the act; no more sin committed in this than if +one jackass had rode off another.</p> + +<p>But after consultation with my wife I concluded to take her and my +little daughter with me and they would be guilty of the same crime +that I was, so far as running away was concerned; and if the Deacon +sold one he might sell us all, and perhaps to the same person.</p> + +<p>So we started off with our child that night, and made our way down to +the Red river swamps among the buzzing insects and wild beasts of the +forest. We wandered about in the wilderness for eight or ten days +before we were apprehended, striving to make our way from slavery; but +it was all in vain. Our food was parched corn, with wild fruit such as +pawpaws, percimmons, grapes, &c. We did at one time chance to find a +sweet potato patch where we got a few potatoes; but most of the time, +while we were out, we were lost. We wanted to cross the Red river but +could find no conveyance to cross in.</p> + +<p>I recollect one day of finding a crooked tree which bent over the +river or over one fork of the river, where it was divided by an +island. I should think that the tree was at least +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>[pg 85]</span> +twenty feet from +the surface of the water. I picked up my little child, and my wife +followed me, saying, "if we perish let us all perish together in the +stream." We succeeded in crossing over. I often look back to that +dangerous event even now with astonishment, and wonder how I could +have run such a risk. What would induce me to run the same risk now? +What could induce me now to leave home and friends and go to the wild +forest and lay out on the cold ground night after night without +covering, and live on parched corn?</p> + +<p>What would induce me to take my family and go into the Red river +swamps of Louisiana among the snakes and alligators, with all the +liabilities of being destroyed by them, hunted down with blood hounds, +or lay myself liable to be shot down like the wild beasts of the +forest? Nothing I say, nothing but the strongest love of liberty, +humanity, and justice to myself and family, would induce me to run +such a risk again.</p> + +<p>When we crossed over on the tree we supposed that we had crossed over +the main body of the river, but we had not proceeded far on our +journey before we found that we were on an Island surrounded by water +on either side. We made our bed that night in a pile of dry leaves +which had fallen from off the trees. We were much rest-broken, wearied +from hunger and travelling through briers, swamps and +cane-brakes—consequently we soon fell asleep after lying down. About +the dead hour of the night I was aroused by the awful howling of a +gang of blood-thirsty wolves, which had found us out and surrounded us +as their prey, there in the dark wilderness many miles from any house +or settlement.</p> + +<p>My dear little child was so dreadfully alarmed that she screamed +loudly with fear—my wife trembling like a leaf on a tree, at the +thought of being devoured there in the wilderness by ferocious wolves.</p> + +<p>The wolves kept howling, and were near enough for us to see their +glaring eyes, and hear their chattering teeth. I then thought that the +hour of death for us was at hand; that we should not live to see the +light of another day; for there was no way for our escape. My little +family were looking up to me for protection, but I could afford them +none. And while I was offering up my prayers to that God who never +forsakes those +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>[pg 86]</span> +in the hour of danger who trust in him, I thought of +Deacon Whitfield; I thought of his profession, and doubted his piety. +I thought of his hand-cuffs, of his whips, of his chains, of his +stocks, of his thumb-screws, of his slave driver and overseer, and of +his religion; I also thought of his opposition to prayer meetings, and +of his five hundred lashes promised me for attending a prayer meeting. +I thought of God, I thought of the devil, I thought of hell; and I +thought of heaven, and wondered whether I should ever see the Deacon +there. And I calculated that if heaven was made up of such Deacons, or +such persons, it could not be filled with love to all mankind, and +with glory and eternal happiness, as we know it is from the truth of +the Bible.</p> + +<p>The reader may perhaps think me tedious on this topic, but indeed it +is one of so much interest to me, that I find myself entirely unable +to describe what my own feelings were at that time. I was so much +excited by the fierce howling of the savage wolves, and the frightful +screams of my little family, that I thought of the future; I thought +of the past; I thought the time of my departure had come at last.</p> + +<p>My impression is, that all these thoughts and thousands of others, +flashed through my mind, while I was surrounded by those wolves. But +it seemed to be the will of a merciful providence, that our lives +should be spared, and that we should not be destroyed by them.</p> + +<p>I had no weapon of defence but a long bowie knife which I had slipped +from the Deacon. It was a very splendid blade, about two feet in +length, and about two inches in width. This used to be a part of his +armor of defence while walking about the plantation among his slaves.</p> + +<p>The plan which I took to expel the wolves was a very dangerous one, +but it proved effectual. While they were advancing to me, prancing and +accumulating in number, apparently of all sizes and grades, who had +come to the feast, I thought just at this time, that there was no +alternative left but for me to make a charge with my bowie knife. I +well knew from the action of the wolves, that if I made no farther +resistance, they would soon destroy us, and if I made a break at them, +the matter could be no worse. I thought if I must die, I would die +striving to protect my little family from destruction, die +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>[pg 87]</span> +striving +to escape from slavery. My wife took a club in one hand, and her child +in the other, while I rushed forth with my bowie knife in hand, to +fight off the savage wolves. I made one desperate charge at them, and +at the same time making a loud yell at the top of my voice, that +caused them to retreat and scatter, which was equivalent to a victory +on our part. Our prayers were answered, and our lives spared through +the night. We slept no more that night, and the next morning there +were no wolves to be seen or heard, and we resolved not to stay on +that island another night.</p> + +<p>We travelled up and down the river side trying to find a place where +we could cross. Finally we found a lot of drift wood clogged together, +extending across the stream at a narrow place in the river, upon which +we crossed over. But we had not yet surmounted our greatest +difficulty. We had to meet one which was far more formidable than the +first. Not many days after I had to face the Deacon.</p> + +<p>We had been wandering about through the cane brakes, bushes, and +briers, for several days, when we heard the yelping of blood hounds, a +great way off, but they seemed to come nearer and nearer to us. We +thought after awhile that they must be on our track; we listened +attentively at the approach. We knew it was no use for us to undertake +to escape from them, and as they drew nigh, we heard the voice of a +man hissing on the dogs.</p> + +<p>After awhile we saw the hounds coming in full speed on our track, and +the soul drivers close after them on horse back, yelling like tigers, +as they came in sight. The shrill yelling of the savage blood hounds +as they drew nigh made the woods echo.</p> + +<p>The first impulse was to run to escape the approaching danger of +ferocious dogs, and blood thirsty slave hunters, who were so rapidly +approaching me with loaded muskets and bowie knives, with a +determination to kill or capture me and my family. I started to run +with my little daughter in my arms, but stumbled and fell down and +scratched the arm of little Frances with a brier, so that it bled very +much; but the dear child never cried, for she seemed to know the +danger to which we were exposed.</p> + +<p>But we soon found that it was no use for us to run. The +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id="page88"></a>[pg 88]</span> +dogs were +soon at our heels, and we were compelled to stop, or be torn to pieces +by them. By this time, the soul drivers came charging up on their +horses, commanding us to stand still or they would shoot us down.</p> + +<p>Of course I surrendered up for the sake of my family. The most abusive +terms to be found in the English language were poured forth on us with +bitter oaths. They tied my hands behind me, and drove us home before +them, to suffer the penalty of a slaveholder's broken law.</p> + +<p>As we drew nigh the plantation my heart grew faint. I was aware that +we should have to suffer almost death for running off. I was filled +with dreadful apprehensions at the thought of meeting a professed +follower of Christ, whom I knew to be a hypocrite! No tongue, no pen +can ever describe what my feelings were at that time. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>[pg 89]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My sad condition before Whitfield.—My terrible +punishment.—Incidents of a former attempt to escape—Jack at a farm +house.—Six pigs and a turkey.—Our surprise and arrest.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE reader may perhaps imagine what must have been my +feelings when I found myself surrounded on the island with my little +family, at midnight, by a gang of savage wolves. This was one of those +trying emergencies in my life when there was apparently but one step +between us and the grave. But I had no cords wrapped about my limbs to +prevent my struggling against the impending danger to which I was then +exposed. I was not denied the consolation of resisting in self +defence, as was now the case. There was no Deacon standing before me, +with a loaded rifle, swearing that I should submit to the torturing +lash, or be shot down like a dumb beast.</p> + +<p>I felt that my chance was by far better among the howling wolves in +the Red river swamp, than before Deacon Whitfield, on the cotton +plantation. I was brought before him as a criminal before a bar, +without counsel, to be tried and condemned by a tyrant's law. My arms +were bound with a cord, my spirit broken, and my little family +standing by weeping. I was not allowed to plead my own cause, and +there was no one to utter a word in my behalf.</p> + +<p>He ordered that the field hands should be called together to witness +my punishment, that it might serve as a caution to them never to +attend a prayer meeting, or runaway as I had, lest they should receive +the same punishment.</p> + +<p>At the sound of the overseer's horn, all the slaves came forward and +witnessed my punishment. My clothing was stripped off and I was +compelled to lie down on the ground with my face to the earth. Four +stakes were driven in the ground, to which my hands and feet were +tied. Then the overseer stood over me with the lash and laid it on +according to the Deacon's order. Fifty lashes were laid on before +stopping. I was then lectured with reference to my going to prayer +meeting without his orders, and running away to escape flogging.</p> + +<p>While I suffered under this dreadful torture, I prayed, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page90" id="page90"></a>[pg 90]</span> +wept, and +implored mercy at the hand of slavery, but found none. After I was +marked from my neck to my heels, the Deacon took the gory lash, and +said he thought there was a spot on my back yet where he could put in +a few more. He wanted to give me something to remember him by, he +said.</p> + +<p>After I was flogged almost to death in this way, a paddle was brought +forward and eight or ten blows given me with it, which was by far +worse than the lash. My wounds were then washed with salt brine, after +which I was let up. A description of such paddles I have already given +in another page. I was so badly punished that I was not able to work +for several days. After being flogged as described, they took me off +several miles to a shop and had a heavy iron collar riveted on my neck +with prongs extending above my head, on the end of which there was a +small bell. I was not able to reach the bell with my hand. This heavy +load of iron I was compelled to wear for six weeks. I never was +allowed to lie in the same house with my family again while I was the +slave of Whitfield. I either had to sleep with my feet in the stocks, +or be chained with a large log chain to a log over night, with no bed +or bedding to rest my wearied limbs on, after toiling all day in the +cotton field. I suffered almost death while kept in this confinement; +and he had ordered the overseer never to let me loose again; saying +that I thought of getting free by running off, but no negro should +ever get away from him alive.</p> + +<p>I have omitted to state that this was the second time I had run away +from him; while I was gone the first time, he extorted from my wife +the fact that I had been in the habit of running away, before we left +Kentucky; that I had been to Canada, and that I was trying to learn +the art of reading and writing. All this was against me.</p> + +<p>It is true that I was striving to learn myself to write. I was a kind +of a house servant and was frequently sent off on errands, but never +without a written pass; and on Sundays I have sometimes got permission +to visit our neighbor's slaves, and I have often tried to write myself +a pass.</p> + +<p>Whenever I got hold of an old letter that had been thrown away, or a +piece of white paper, I would save it to write on. I have often gone +off in the woods and spent the greater part of the day alone, trying +to learn to write myself a pass, by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>[pg 91]</span> +writing on the backs of old +letters; copying after the pass that had been written by Whitfield; by +so doing I got the use of the pen and could form letters as well as I +can now, but knew not what they were.</p> + +<p>The Deacon had an old slave by the name of Jack whom he bought about +the time that he bought me. Jack was born in the State of Virginia. He +had some idea of freedom; had often run away, but was very ignorant; +knew not where to go for refuge; but understood all about providing +something to eat when unjustly deprived of it.</p> + +<p>So for ill treatment, we concluded to take a tramp together. I was to +be the pilot, while Jack was to carry the baggage and keep us in +provisions. Before we started, I managed to get hold of a suit of +clothes the Deacon possessed, with his gun, ammunition and bowie +knife. We also procured a blanket, a joint of meat, and some bread.</p> + +<p>We started in a northern direction, being bound for the city of Little +Rock, State of Arkansas. We travelled by night and laid by in the day, +being guided by the unchangeable North Star; but at length, our +provisions gave out, and it was Jack's place to get more. We came in +sight of a large plantation one morning, where we saw people of color, +and Jack said he could get something there, among the slaves, that +night, for us to eat. So we concealed ourselves, in sight of this +plantation, until about bed time, when we saw the lights extinguished.</p> + +<p>During the day we saw a female slave passing from the dwelling house +to the kitchen as if she was the cook; the house being about three +rods from the landlord's dwelling. After we supposed the whites were +all asleep, Jack slipped up softly to the kitchen to try his luck with +the cook, to see if he could get any thing from her to eat.</p> + +<p>I would remark that the domestic slaves are often found to be traitors +to their own people, for the purpose of gaining favor with their +masters; and they are encouraged and trained up by them to report +every plot they know of being formed about stealing any thing, or +running away, or any thing of the kind; and for which they are paid. +This is one of the principal causes of the slaves being divided among +themselves, and without which they could not be held in bondage one +year, and perhaps not half that time. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>[pg 92]</span> +</p> + +<p>I now proceed to describe the unsuccessful attempt of poor Jack to +obtain something from the female slave to satisfy hunger. The +planter's house was situated on an elevated spot on the side of a +hill. The fencing about the house and garden was very crookedly laid +up with rails. The night was rather dark and rainy, and Jack left me +with the understanding that I was to stay at a certain place until he +returned. I cautioned him before he left me to be very careful—and +after he started, I left the place where he was to find me when he +returned, for fear something might happen which might lead to my +detection, should I remain at that spot. So I left it and went off +where I could see the house, and that place too.</p> + +<p>Jack had not long been gone, before I heard a great noise; a man, +crying out with a loud voice, "Catch him! Catch him!" and hissing the +dogs on, and they were close after Jack. The next thing I saw, was +Jack running for life, and an old white man after him, with a gun, and +his dogs. The fence being on sidling ground, and wet with the rain, +when Jack run against it he knocked down several panels of it and +fell, tumbling over and over to the foot of the hill; but soon +recovered and ran to where he had left me; but I was gone. The dogs +were still after him.</p> + +<p>There happened to be quite a thicket of small oak shrubs and bushes in +the direction he ran. I think he might have been heard running and +straddling bushes a quarter of a mile! The poor fellow hurt himself +considerably in straddling over bushes in that way, in making his +escape.</p> + +<p>Finally the dogs relaxed their chase and poor Jack and myself again +met in the thick forest. He said when he rapped on the cook-house +door, the colored woman came to the door. He asked her if she would +let him have a bite of bread if she had it, that he was a poor hungry +absconding slave. But she made no reply to what he said but +immediately sounded the alarm by calling loudly after her master, +saying, "here is a runaway negro!" Jack said that he was going to +knock her down but her master was out within one moment, and he had to +run for his life.</p> + +<p>As soon as we got our eyes fixed on the North Star again, we started +on our way. We travelled on a few miles and came to another large +plantation, where Jack was determined to get +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>[pg 93]</span> +something to eat. He +left me at a certain place while he went up to the house to find +something if possible.</p> + +<p>He was gone some time before he returned, but when I saw him coming, +he appeared to be very heavy loaded with a bag of something. We walked +off pretty fast until we got some distance in the woods. Jack then +stopped and opened his bag in which he had six small pigs. I asked him +how he got them without making any noise; and he said that he found a +bed of hogs, in which there were the pigs with their mother. While the +pigs were sucking he crawled up to them without being discovered by +the sow, and took them by their necks one after another, and choked +them to death, and slipped them into his bag!</p> + +<p>We intended to travel on all that night and lay by the next day in the +forest and cook up our pigs. We fell into a large road leading on the +direction which we were travelling, and had not proceeded over three +miles before I found a white hat lying in the road before me. Jack +being a little behind me I stopped until he camp up, and showed it to +him. He picked it up. We looked a few steps farther and saw a man +lying by the way, either asleep or intoxicated, as we supposed.</p> + +<p>I told Jack not to take the hat, but he would not obey me. He had only +a piece of a hat himself, which he left in exchange for the other. We +travelled on about five miles farther, and in passing a house +discovered a large turkey sitting on the fence, which temptation was +greater than Jack could resist. Notwithstanding he had six very nice +fat little pigs on his back, he stepped up and took the turkey off the +fence.</p> + +<p>By this time it was getting near day-light and we left the road and +went off a mile or so among the hills of the forest, where we struck +camp for the day. We then picked our turkey, dressed our pigs, and +cooked two of them. We got the hair off by singeing them over the +fire, and after we had eaten all we wanted, one of us slept while the +other watched. We had flint, punk, and powder to strike fire with. A +little after dark the next night, we started on our way.</p> + +<p>Buy about ten o'clock that night just as we were passing through a +thick skirt of woods, five men sprang out before us with fire-arms, +swearing if we moved another step, they would shoot us down; and each +man having a gun drawn up +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id="page94"></a>[pg 94]</span> +for shooting we had no chance to make any +defence, and surrendered sooner than run the risk of being killed.</p> + +<p>They had been lying in wait for us there, for several hours. They had +seen a reward out, for notices were put up in the most public places, +that fifty dollars would be paid for me, dead or alive, if I should +not return home within so many days. And the reader will remember that +neither Jack nor myself was able to read the advertisement. It was of +very little consequence with the slave catchers, whether they killed +us or took us alive, for the reward was the same to them.</p> + +<p>After we were taken and tied, one of the men declared to me that he +would have shot me dead just as sure as he lived, if I had moved one +step after they commanded us to stop. He had his gun levelled at my +breast, already cocked, and his finger on the trigger. The way they +came to find us out was from the circumstance of Jack's taking the +man's hat in connection with the advertisement. The man whose hat was +taken was drunk; and the next morning when he came to look for his hat +it was gone and Jack's old hat lying in the place of it; and in +looking round he saw the tracks of two persons in the dust, who had +passed during the night, and one of them having but three toes on one +foot. He followed these tracks until they came to a large mud pond in +a lane on one side of which a person might pass dry shod; but the man +with three toes on one foot had plunged through the mud. This led the +man to think there must be runaway slaves, and from out of that +neighborhood; for all persons in that settlement knew which side of +that mud hole to go. He then got others to go with him, and they +followed us until our track left the road. They supposed that we had +gone off in the woods to lay by until night, after which we should +pursue our course.</p> + +<p>After we were captured they took us off several miles to where one of +them lived, and kept us over night. One of our pigs was cooked for us +to eat that night; and the turkey the next morning. But we were both +tied that night with our hands behind us, and our feet were also tied. +The doors were locked, and a bedstead was set against the front door, +and two men slept in it to prevent our getting out in the night. They +said that they knew how to catch runaway negroes, and how to keep them +after they were caught. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page95" id="page95"></a>[pg 95]</span> +</p> + +<p>They remarked that after they found we had stopped to lay by until +night, and they saw from our tracks what direction we were travelling, +they went about ten miles on that direction, and hid by the road side +until we came up that night. That night after all had got fast to +sleep, I thought I would try to get out, and I should have succeeded, +if I could have moved the bed from the door. I managed to untie myself +and crawled under the bed which was placed at the door, and strove to +remove it, but in so doing I awakened the men and they got up and +confined me again, and watched me until day light, each with a gun in +hand.</p> + +<p>The next morning they started with us back to Deacon Whitfield's +plantation; but when they got within ten miles of where he lived they +stopped at a public house to stay over night; and who should we meet +there but the Deacon, who was then out looking for me.</p> + +<p>The reader may well imagine how I felt to meet him. I had almost as +soon come in contact with Satan himself. He had two long poles or +sticks of wood brought in to confine us to. I was compelled to lie on +my back across one of those sticks with my arms out, and have them +lashed fast to the log with a cord. My feet were also tied to the +other, and there I had to lie all that night with my back across this +stick of wood, and my feet and hands tied. I suffered that night under +the most excruciating pain. From the tight binding of the cord the +circulation of the blood in my arms and feet was almost entirely +stopped. If the night had been much longer I must have died in that +confinement.</p> + +<p>The next morning we were taken back to the Deacon's farm, and both +flogged for going off, and set to work. But there was some allowance +made for me on account of my being young. They said that they knew old +Jack had persuaded me off, or I never would have gone. And the +Deacon's wife begged that I might be favored some, for that time, as +Jack had influenced me, so as to bring up my old habits of running +away that I had entirely given up. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id="page96"></a>[pg 96]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>I am sold to gamblers.—They try to purchase my family.—Our parting +scene.—My good usage.—I am sold to an Indian.—His confidence in my +integrity manifested.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE reader will remember that this brings me back to the time +the Deacon had ordered me to be kept in confinement until he got a +chance to sell me, and that no negro should ever get away from him and +live. Some days after this we were all out at the gin house ginning +cotton, which was situated on the road side, and there came along a +company of men, fifteen or twenty in number, who were Southern +sportsmen. Their attention was attracted by the load of iron which was +fastened about my neck with a bell attached. They stopped and asked +the Deacon what that bell was put on my neck for? and he said it was +to keep me from running away, &c.</p> + +<p>They remarked that I looked as if I might be a smart negro, and asked +if he wanted to sell me. The reply was, yes. They then got off their +horses and struck a bargain with him for me. They bought me at a +reduced price for speculation.</p> + +<p>After they had purchased me, I asked the privilege of going to the +house to take leave of my family before I left, which was granted by +the sportsmen. But the Deacon said I should never again step my foot +inside of his yard; and advised the sportsmen not to take the irons +from my neck until they had sold me; that if they gave me the least +chance I would run away from them, as I did from him. So I was +compelled to mount a horse and go off with them as I supposed, never +again to meet my family in this life.</p> + +<p>We had not proceeded far before they informed me that they had bought +me to sell again, and if they kept the irons on me it would be +detrimental to the sale, and that they would therefore take off the +irons and dress me up like a man, and throw away the old rubbish which +I then had on; and they would sell me to some one who would treat me +better than Deacon Whitfield. After they had cut off the irons and +dressed me up, they crossed over Red River into Texas, where they +spent some time horse racing and gambling; and although +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page97" id="page97"></a>[pg 97]</span> +they were +wicked black legs of the basest character, it is but due to them to +say, that they used me far better than ever the Deacon did. They gave +me plenty to eat and put nothing hard on me to do. They expressed much +sympathy for me in my bereavement; and almost every day they gave me +money more or less, and by my activity in waiting on them, and upright +conduct, I got into the good graces of them all, but they could not +get any person to buy me on account of the amount of intelligence +which they supposed me to have; for many of them thought that I could +read and write. When they left Texas, they intended to go to the +Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to attend a great horse race +which was to take place. Not being much out of their way to go past +Deacon Whitfield's again, I prevailed on them to call on him for the +purpose of trying to purchase my wife and child; and I promised them +that if they would buy my wife and child, I would get some person to +purchase us from them. So they tried to grant my request by calling on +the Deacon, and trying to make the purchase. As we approached the +Deacon's plantation, my heart was filled with a thousand painful and +fearful apprehensions. I had the fullest confidence in the blacklegs +with whom I travelled, believing that they would do according to +promise, and go to the fullest extent of their ability to restore +peace and consolation to a bereaved family—to re-unite husband and +wife, parent and child, who had long been severed by slavery through +the agency of Deacon Whitfield. But I knew his determination in +relation to myself, and I feared his wicked opposition to a +restoration of myself and little family, which he had divided, and +soon found that my fears were not without foundation.</p> + +<p>When we rode up and walked into his yard, the Deacon came out and +spoke to all but myself; and not finding me in tattered rags as a +substitute for clothes, nor having an iron collar or bell about my +neck, as was the case when he sold me, he appeared to be much +displeased.</p> + +<p>"What did you bring that negro back here for?" said he.</p> + +<p>"We have come to try to buy his wife and child; for we can find no one +who is willing to buy him alone; and we will either buy or sell so +that the family may be together," said they.</p> + +<p>While this conversation was going on, my poor bereaved +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page98" id="page98"></a>[pg 98]</span> +wife, who +never expected to see me again in this life, spied me and came rushing +to me through the crowd, throwing her arms about my neck exclaiming in +the most sympathetic tones, "Oh! my dear husband! I never expected to +see you again!" The poor woman was bathed with tears of sorrow and +grief. But no sooner had she reached me, than the Deacon peremptorily +commanded her to go to her work. This she did not obey, but prayed +that her master would not separate us again, as she was there alone, +far from friends and relations whom she should never meet again. And +now to take away her husband, her last and only true friend, would be +like taking her life!</p> + +<p>But such appeals made no impression on the unfeeling Deacon's heart. +While he was storming with abusive language, and even using the gory +lash with hellish vengeance to separate husband and wife, I could see +the sympathetic teardrop, stealing its way down the cheek of the +profligate and black-leg, whose object it now was to bind up the +broken heart of a wife, and restore to the arms of a bereaved husband, +his companion.</p> + +<p>They were disgusted at the conduct of Whitfield and cried out shame, +even in his presence. They told him that they would give a thousand +dollars for my wife and child, or any thing in reason. But no! he +would sooner see me to the devil than indulge or gratify me after my +having run away from him; and if they did not remove me from his +presence very soon, he said he should make them suffer for it.</p> + +<p>But all this, and even the gory lash had yet failed to break the grasp +of poor Malinda, whose prospect of connubial, social, and future +happiness was all at stake. When the dear woman saw there was no help +for us, and that we should soon be separated forever, in the name of +Deacon Whitfield, and American slavery to meet no more as husband and +wife, parent and child—the last and loudest appeal was made on our +knees. We appealed to the God of justice and to the sacred ties of +humanity; but this was all in vain. The louder we prayed the harder he +whipped, amid the most heart-rending shrieks from the poor slave +mother and child, as little Frances stood by, sobbing at the abuse +inflicted on her mother.</p> + +<p>"Oh! how shall I give my husband the parting hand never +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page99" id="page99"></a>[pg 99]</span> +to meet +again? This will surely break my heart," were her parting words.</p> + +<p>I can never describe to the reader the awful reality of that +separation—for it was enough to chill the blood and stir up the +deepest feelings of revenge in the hearts of slaveholding black-legs, +who as they stood by, were threatening, some weeping, some swearing +and others declaring vengeance against such treatment being inflicted +on a human being. As we left the plantation, as far as we could see +and hear, the Deacon was still laying on the gory lash, trying to +prevent poor Malinda from weeping over the loss of her departed +husband, who was then, by the hellish laws of slavery, to her, +theoretically and practically dead. One of the black-legs exclaimed +that hell was full of just such Deacon's as Whitfield. This occurred +in December, 1840. I have never seen Malinda, since that period. I +never expect to see her again.</p> + +<p>The sportsmen to whom I was sold, showed their sympathy for me not +only by word but by deeds. They said that they had made the most +liberal offer to Whitfield, to buy or sell for the sole purpose of +reuniting husband and wife. But he stood out against it—they felt +sorry for me. They said they had bought me to speculate on, and were +not able to lose what they had paid for me. But they would make a +bargain with me, if I was willing, and would lay a plan, by which I +might yet get free. If I would use my influence so as to get some +person to buy me while traveling about with them, they would give me a +portion of the money for which they sold me, and they would also give +me directions by which I might yet run away and go to Canada.</p> + +<p>This offer I accepted, and the plot was made. They advised me to act +very stupid in language and thought, but in business I must be spry; +and that I must persuade men to buy me, and promise them that I would +be smart.</p> + +<p>We passed through the State of Arkansas and stopped at many places, +horse-racing and gambling. My business was to drive a wagon in which +they carried their gambling apparatus, clothing, &c. I had also to +black boots and attend to horses. We stopped at Fayettville, where +they almost lost me, betting on a horse race.</p> + +<p>They went from thence to the Indian Territory, among the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page100" id="page100"></a>[pg 100]</span> + Cherokee +Indians, to attend the great races which were to take place there. +During the races there was a very wealthy half Indian of that tribe, +who became much attached to me, and had some notion of buying me, +after hearing that I was for sale, being a slaveholder. The idea +struck me rather favorable, for several reasons. First, I thought I +should stand a better chance to get away from an Indian than from a +white man. Second, he wanted me only for a kind of a body servant to +wait on him—and in this case I knew that I should fare better than I +should in the field. And my owners also told me that it would be an +easy place to get away from. I took their advice for fear I might not +get another chance so good as that, and prevailed on the man to buy +me. He paid them nine hundred dollars, in gold and silver, for me. I +saw the money counted out.</p> + +<p>After the purchase was made, the sportsmen got me off to one side, and +according to promise they gave me a part of the money, and directions +how to get from there to Canada. They also advised me how to act until +I got a good chance to run away. I was to embrace the earliest +opportunity of getting away, before they should become acquainted with +me. I was never to let it be known where I was from, nor where I was +born. I was to act quite stupid and ignorant. And when I started I was +to go up the boundary line, between the Indian Territory and the +States of Arkansas and Missouri, and this would fetch me out on the +Missouri river, near Jefferson city, the capital of Missouri. I was to +travel at first by night, and to lay by in daylight, until I got out +of danger.</p> + +<p>The same afternoon that the Indian bought me, he started with me to +his residence, which was fifty or sixty miles distant. And so great +was his confidence in me, that he intrusted me to carry his money. The +amount must have been at least five hundred dollars, which was all in +gold and silver; and when we stopped over night the money and horses +were all left in my charge.</p> + +<p>It would have been a very easy matter for me to have taken one of the +best horses, with the money, and run off. And the temptation was truly +great to a man like myself, who was watching for the earliest +opportunity to escape; and I felt confident that I should never have a +better opportunity to escape full handed than then. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page101" id="page101"></a>[pg 101]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Character of my Indian Master.—Slavery among the Indians less +cruel.—Indian carousal.—Enfeebled health of my Indian Master.—His +death.—My escape.—Adventure in a wigwam.—Successful progress toward +liberty.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE next morning I went home with my new master; and by the way it is +only doing justice to the dead to say, that he was the most +reasonable, and humane slaveholder that I have ever belonged to. He +was the last man that pretended to claim property in my person; and +although I have freely given the names and residences of all others +who have held me as a slave, for prudential reasons I shall omit +giving the name of this individual.</p> + +<p>He was the owner of a large plantation and quite a number of slaves. +He raised corn and wheat for his own consumption only. There was no +cotton, tobacco, or anything of the kind produced among them for +market. And I found this difference between negro slavery among the +Indians, and the same thing among the white slaveholders of the South. +The Indians allow their slaves enough to eat and wear. They have no +overseers to whip nor drive them. If a slave offends his master, he +sometimes, in a heat of passion, undertakes to chastise him; but it is +as often the case as otherwise, that the slave gets the better of the +fight, and even flogs his master;<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4" /><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> for which there is no law to +punish him; but when the fight is over that is the last of it. So far +as religious instruction is concerned, they have it on terms of +equality, the bond and the free; they have no respect of persons, they +have neither slave laws nor negro pews. Neither do they separate +husbands and wives, nor parents and children. All things considered, +if I must be a slave, I had by far, rather be a slave to an Indian, +than to a white man, from the experience I have had with both.</p> + +<p>A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their +old heathen traditional notions. They made it a rule to have an Indian +dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page102" id="page102"></a>[pg 102]</span> +and they would come together +far and near to attend these dances. They would most generally +commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by +the blowing of horns. One would commence blowing and another would +answer, and so it would go all round the neighborhood. When a number +had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in +circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, all +around, in this circle. In the centre they would have a large fire to +dance around, and at each one of the small fires there would be a +squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance.</p> + +<p>But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating +drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these +stump dances. At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum +to sell. There would be some dancing, some singing, some gambling, +some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two +days and nights together.</p> + +<p>Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird +feathers, coon tails, or something of the kind stuck in their heads, +and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing. +Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and +forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping +around it until they would get drunk or their heads would get to +swimming, and then they would go off and drink, and another set come +on. Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian +slaveholders.</p> + +<p>My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me; +and not long after he bought me he went off forty or fifty miles from +home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by his wife. I +was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during +his sickness. But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but +short duration after the doctor commenced on him.</p> + +<p>While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability. I +watched over him night and day until he died, and even prepared his +body for the tomb, before I left him. He died about midnight and I +understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the +second day after his death. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page103" id="page103"></a>[pg 103]</span> + I pretended to be taking on at a great +rate about his death, but I was more excited about running away, than +I was about that, and before daylight the next morning I proved it, +for I was on my way to Canada.</p> + +<p>I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my +escape. I slipped out of the room as if I had gone off to weep for the +deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about me until +after my master was buried and they had returned back to his +residence. And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my +way home; and it would be at least four or five days before they would +make any stir in looking after me. By that time, if I had no bad luck, +I should be out of much danger.</p> + +<p>After the first day, I laid by in the day and traveled by night for +several days and nights, passing in this way through several tribes of +Indians. I kept pretty near the boundary line. I recollect getting +lost one dark rainy night. Not being able to find the road I came into +an Indian settlement at the dead hour of the night. I was wet, +wearied, cold and hungry; and yet I felt afraid to enter any of their +houses or wigwams, not knowing whether they would be friendly or not. +But I knew the Indians were generally drunkards, and that occasionally +a drunken white man was found straggling among them, and that such an +one would be more likely to find friends from sympathy than an upright +man.</p> + +<p>So I passed myself off that night as a drunkard among them. I walked +up to the door of one of their houses, and fell up against it, making +a great noise like a drunken man; but no one came to the door. I +opened it and staggered in, falling about, and making a great noise. +But finally an old woman got up and gave me a blanket to lie down on.</p> + +<p>There was quite a number of them lying about on the dirt floor, but +not one could talk or understand a word of the English language. I +made signs so as to let them know that I wanted something to eat, but +they had nothing, so I had to go without that night. I laid down and +pretended to be asleep, but I slept none that night, for I was afraid +that they would kill me if I went to sleep. About one hour before day, +the next morning, three of the females got up and put into a tin +kettle a lot of ashes with water, to boil, and then poured +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page104" id="page104"></a>[pg 104]</span> +into it +about one quart of corn. After letting it stand a few moments, they +poured it into a trough, and pounded it into thin hominy. They washed +it out, and boiled it down, and called me up to eat my breakfast of +it.</p> + +<p>After eating, I offered them six cents, but they refused to accept it. +I then found my way to the main road, and traveled all that day on my +journey, and just at night arrived at a public house kept by an +Indian, who also kept a store. I walked in and asked if I could get +lodging, which was granted; but I had not been there long before three +men came riding up about dusk, or between sunset and dark. They were +white men, and I supposed slaveholders. At any rate when they asked if +they could have lodging, I trembled for fear they might be in pursuit +of me. But the landlord told them that he could not lodge them, but +they could get lodging about two miles off, with a white man, and they +turned their horses and started.</p> + +<p>The landlord asked me where I was traveling to, and where I was from. +I told him that I had been out looking at the country; that I had +thought of buying land, and that I lived in the State of Ohio, in the +village of Perrysburgh. He then said that he had lived there himself, +and that he had acted as an interpreter there among the Maumee tribe +of Indians for several years. He then asked who I was acquainted with +there? I informed him that I knew Judge Hollister, Francis Hollister, +J.W. Smith, and others. At this he was so much pleased that he came up +and took me by the hand, and received me joyfully, after seeing that I +was acquainted with those of his old friends.</p> + +<p>I could converse with him understandingly from personal acquaintance, +for I had lived there when I first ran away from Kentucky. But I felt +it to be my duty to start off the next morning before breakfast, or +sunrise. I bought a dozen of eggs, and had them boiled to carry with +me to eat on the way. I did not like the looks of those three men, and +thought I would get on as fast as possible for fear I might be pursued +by them.</p> + +<p>I was then about to enter the territory of another slave State, +Missouri. I had passed through the fiery ordeal of Sibley, Gatewood, +and Garrison, and had even slipped through +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page105" id="page105"></a>[pg 105]</span> +the fingers of Deacon +Whitfield. I had doubtless gone through great peril in crossing the +Indian territory, in passing through the various half civilized +tribes, who seemed to look upon me with astonishment as I passed +along. Their hands were almost invariably filled with bows and arrows, +tomahawks, guns, butcher knives, and all the various implements of +death which are used by them. And what made them look still more +frightful, their faces were often painted red, and their heads muffled +with birds feathers, bushes, coons tails and owls heads. But all this +I had passed through, and my long enslaved limbs and spirit were then +in full stretch for emancipation. I felt as if one more short struggle +would set me free. +</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4" /><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> This singular fact is corroborated in a letter read by +the publisher, from an acquaintance while passing through this country +in 1849.</p></div> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page106" id="page106"></a>[pg 106]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Adventure on the Prairie.—I borrow a horse without leave.—Rapid +traveling one whole night.—Apology for using other men's horses.—My +manner of living on the road.</i></p> + +<p class="cap">EARLY in the morning I left the Indian territory as I have +already said, for fear I might be pursued by the three white men whom +I had seen there over night; but I had not proceeded far before my +fears were magnified a hundred fold.</p> + +<p>I always dreaded to pass through a prairie, and on coming to one which +was about six miles in width, I was careful to look in every direction +to see whether there was any person in sight before I entered it; but +I could see no one. So I started across with a hope of crossing +without coming in contact with any one on the prairie. I walked as +fast as I could, but when I got about midway of the prairie, I came to +a high spot where the road forked, and three men came up from a low +spot as if they had been there concealed. They were all on horse back, +and I supposed them to be the same men that had tried to get lodging +where I stopped over night. Had this been in timbered land, I might +have stood some chance to have dodged them, but there I was, out in +the open prairie, where I could see no possible way by which I could +escape.</p> + +<p>They came along slowly up behind me, and finally passed, and spoke or +bowed their heads on passing, but they traveled in a slow walk and +kept but a very few steps before me, until we got nearly across the +prairie. When we were coming near a plantation a piece off from the +road on the skirt of the timbered land, they whipped up their horses +and left the road as if they were going across to this plantation. +They soon got out of my sight by going down into a valley which lay +between us and the plantation. Not seeing them rise the hill to go up +to the farm, excited greater suspicion in my mind, so I stepped over +on the brow of the hill, where I could see what they were doing, and +to my surprise I saw them going right back in the direction they had +just came, and they were going very fast. I was then satisfied that +they were after me and that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page107" id="page107"></a>[pg 107]</span> +they were only going back to get more +help to assist them in taking me, for fear that I might kill some of +them if they undertook it. The first impression was that I had better +leave the road immediately; so I bolted from the road and ran as fast +as I could for some distance in the thick forest, and concealed myself +for about fifteen or twenty minutes, which were spent in prayer to God +for his protecting care and guidance.</p> + +<p>My impression was that when they should start in pursuit of me again, +they would follow on in the direction which I was going when they left +me; and not finding or hearing of me on the road, they would come back +and hunt through the woods around, and if they could find no track +they might go and get dogs to trace me out.</p> + +<p>I thought my chance of escape would be better, if I went back to the +same side of the road that they first went, for the purpose of +deceiving them; as I supposed that they would not suspect my going in +the same direction that they went, for the purpose of escaping from +them.</p> + +<p>So I traveled all that day square off from the road through the wild +forest without any knowledge of the country whatever; for I had +nothing to travel by but the sun by day, and the moon and stars by +night. Just before night I came in sight of a large plantation, where +I saw quite a number of horses running at large in a field, and +knowing that my success in escaping depended upon my getting out of +that settlement within twenty-four hours, to save myself from +everlasting slavery, I thought I should be justified in riding one of +those horses, that night, if I could catch one. I cut a grape vine +with my knife, and made it into a bridle; and shortly after dark I +went into the field and tried to catch one of the horses. I got a +bunch of dry blades of fodder and walked up softly towards the horses, +calling to them "cope," "cope," "cope;" but there was only one out of +the number that I was able to get my hand on, and that was an old +mare, which I supposed to be the mother of all the rest; and I knew +that I could walk faster than she could travel. She had a bell on and +was very thin in flesh; she looked gentle and walked on three legs +only. The young horses pranced and galloped off. I was not able to get +near them, and the old mare being of no use to me, I left +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page108" id="page108"></a>[pg 108]</span> +them all. +After fixing my eyes on the north star I pursued my journey, holding +on to my bridle with a hope of finding a horse upon which I might ride +that night.</p> + +<p>I found a road leading pretty nearly in the direction which I wanted +to travel, and I kept it. After traveling several miles I found +another large plantation where there was a prospect of finding a +horse. I stepped up to the barn-yard, wherein I found several horses. +There was a little barn standing with the door open, and I found it +quite an easy task to get the horses into the barn, and select out the +best looking one of them. I pulled down the fence, led the noble beast +out and mounted him, taking a northern direction, being able to find a +road which led that way. But I had not gone over three or four miles +before I came to a large stream of water which was past fording; yet I +could see that it had been forded by the road track, but from high +water it was then impassible. As the horse seemed willing to go in I +put him through; but before he got in far, he was in water up to his +sides and finally the water came over his back and he swam over. I got +as wet as could be, but the horse carried me safely across at the +proper place. After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into +a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles +in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I +wanted to go. I laid whip to the horse, and I think he must have +carried me not less than forty miles that night, or before sun rise +the next morning. I then stopped him in a spot of high grass in an old +field, and took off the bridle. I thanked God, and thanked the horse +for what he had done for me, and wished him a safe journey back home.</p> + +<p>I know the poor horse must have felt stiff, and tired from his speedy +jaunt, and I felt very bad myself, riding at that rate all night +without a saddle; but I felt as if I had too much at stake to favor +either horse flesh or man flesh. I could indeed afford to crucify my +own flesh for the sake of redeeming myself from perpetual slavery.</p> + +<p>Some may be disposed to find fault with my taking the horse as I did; +but I did nothing more than nine out of ten would do if they were +placed in the same circumstances. I had no disposition to steal a +horse from any man. But I ask, if a white man had been captured by the +Cherokee Indians and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page109" id="page109"></a>[pg 109]</span> +carried away from his family for life into +slavery, and could see a chance to escape and get back to his family; +should the Indians pursue him with a determination to take him back or +take his life, would it be a crime for the poor fugitive, whose life, +liberty, and future happiness were all at stake, to mount any man's +horse by the way side, and ride him without asking any questions, to +effect his escape? Or who would not do the same thing to rescue a +wife, child, father, or mother? Such an act committed by a white man +under the same circumstances would not only be pronounced proper, but +praiseworthy; and if he neglected to avail himself of such a means of +escape he would be pronounced a fool. Therefore from this act I have +nothing to regret, for I have done nothing more than any other +reasonable person would have done under the same circumstances. But I +had good luck from the morning I left the horse until I got back into +the State of Ohio. About two miles from where I left the horse, I +found a public house on the road, where I stopped and took breakfast. +Being asked where I was traveling, I replied that I was going home to +Perrysburgh, Ohio, and that I had been out to look at the land in +Missouri, with a view of buying. They supposed me to be a native of +Ohio, from the fact of my being so well acquainted with its location, +its principal cities, inhabitants, &c.</p> + +<p>The next night I put up at one of the best hotels in the village where +I stopped, and acted with as much independence as if I was worth a +million of dollars; talked about buying land, stock and village +property, and contrasting it with the same kind of property in the +State of Ohio. In this kind of talk they were most generally +interested, and I was treated just like other travelers. I made it a +point to travel about thirty miles each day on my way to Jefferson +city. On several occasions I have asked the landlords where I have +stopped over night, if they could tell me who kept the best house +where I would stop the next night, which was most generally in a small +village. But for fear I might forget, I would get them to give me the +name on a piece of paper as a kind of recommend. This would serve as +an introduction through which I have always been well received from +one landlord to another, and I have always stopped at the best houses, +eaten at the first tables, and slept in the best beds. No man ever +asked me +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page110" id="page110"></a>[pg 110]</span> +whether I was bond or free, black or white, rich or poor; +but I always presented a bold front and showed the best side out, +which was all the pass I had. But when I got within about one hundred +miles of Jefferson city, where I expected to take a Steamboat passage +to St. Louis, I stopped over night at a hotel, where I met with a +young white man who was traveling on to Jefferson City on horse back, +and was also leading a horse with a saddle and bridle on.</p> + +<p>I asked him if he would let me ride the horse which he was leading, as +I was going to the same city? He said that it was a hired horse, that +he was paying at the rate of fifty cents per day for it, but if I +would pay the same I could ride him. I accepted the offer and we rode +together to the city. We were on the road together two or three days; +stopped and ate and slept together at the same hotels. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page111" id="page111"></a>[pg 111]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Stratagem to get on board, the steamer.—My Irish friends.—My +success in reaching Cincinnati.—Reflections on again seeing +Kentucky.—I get employment in a hotel.—My fright at seeing the +gambler who sold me.—I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith.—His letter.—My +education.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE greatest of my adventures came off when I arrived at +Jefferson City. There I expected to meet an advertisement for my +person; it was there I must cross the river or take a steamboat down; +it was there I expected to be interrogated and required to prove +whether I was actually a free man or a slave. If I was free, I should +have to show my free papers; and if I was a slave I should be required +to tell who my master was.</p> + +<p>I stopped at a hotel, however, and ascertained that there was a +steamboat expected down the river that day for St. Louis. I also found +out that there were several passengers at that house who were going +down on board of the first boat. I knew that the captain of a +steamboat could not take a colored passenger on board of his boat from +a slave state without first ascertaining whether such person was bond +or free; I knew that this was more than he would dare to do by the +laws of the slave states—and now to surmount this difficulty it +brought into exercise all the powers of my mind. I would have got +myself boxed up as freight, and have been forwarded to St. Louis, but +I had no friend that I could trust to do it for me. This plan has +since been adopted by some with success. But finally I thought I might +possibly pass myself off as a body servant to the passengers going +from the hotel down.</p> + +<p>So I went to a store and bought myself a large trunk, and took it to +the hotel. Soon, a boat came in which was bound to St. Louis, and the +passengers started down to get on board. I took up my large trunk, and +started along after them as if I was their servant. My heart trembled +in view of the dangerous experiment which I was then about to try. It +required all the moral courage that I was master of to bear me up in +view of my critical condition. The white people that I was following +walked on board and I after them. I acted as if +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page112" id="page112"></a>[pg 112]</span> +the trunk was full of +clothes, but I had not a stitch of clothes in it. The passengers went +up into the cabin and I followed them with the trunk. I suppose this +made the captain think that I was their slave.</p> + +<p>I not only took the trunk in the cabin but stood by it until after the +boat had started as if it belonged to my owners, and I was taking care +of it for them; but as soon as the boat got fairly under way, I knew +that some account would have to be given of me; so I then took my +trunk down on the deck among the deck passengers to prepare myself to +meet the clerk of the boat, when he should come to collect fare from +the deck passengers.</p> + +<p>Fortunately for me there was quite a number of deck passengers on +board, among whom there were many Irish. I insinuated myself among +them so as to get into their good graces, believing that if I should +get into a difficulty they would stand by me. I saw several of these +persons going up to the saloon buying whiskey, and I thought this +might be the most effectual way by which I could gain speedily their +respect and sympathy. So I participated with them pretty freely for +awhile, or at least until after I got my fare settled. I placed myself +in a little crowd of them, and invited them all up to the bar with me, +stating that it was my treat. This was responded to, and they walked +up and drank and I footed the bill. This, of course, brought us into a +kind of a union. We sat together and laughed and talked freely. Within +ten or fifteen minutes I remarked that I was getting dry again, and +invited them up and treated again. By this time I was thought to be +one of the most liberal and gentlemanly men on board, by these deck +passengers; they were ready to do any thing for me—they got to +singing songs, and telling long yarns in which I took quite an active +part; but it was all for effect.</p> + +<p>By this time the porter came around ringing his bell for all +passengers who had not paid their fare, to walk up to the captain's +office and settle it. Some of my Irish friends had not yet settled, +and I asked one of them if he would be good enough to take my money +and get me a ticket when he was getting one for himself, and he +quickly replied "yes sir, I will get you a tacket." So he relieved me +of my greatest trouble. When they came round to gather the tickets +before we got to St. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page113" id="page113"></a>[pg 113]</span> + Louis, my ticket was taken with the rest, and no +questions were asked me.</p> + +<p>The next day the boat arrived at St. Louis; my object was to take +passage on board of the first boat which was destined for Cincinnati, +Ohio; and as there was a boat going out that day for Pittsburgh, I +went on board to make some inquiry about the fare &c., and found the +steward to be a colored man with whom I was acquainted. He lived in +Cincinnati, and had rendered me some assistance in making my escape to +Canada, in the summer of 1838, and he also very kindly aided me then +in getting back into a land of freedom. The swift running steamer +started that afternoon on her voyage, which soon wafted my body beyond +the tyrannical limits of chattel slavery. When the boat struck the +mouth of the river Ohio, and I had once more the pleasure of looking +on that lovely stream, my heart leaped up for joy at the glorious +prospect that I should again be free. Every revolution of the mighty +steam-engine seemed to bring me nearer and nearer the "promised land." +Only a few days had elapsed, before I was permitted by the smiles of a +good providence, once more to gaze on the green hill-tops and valleys +of old Kentucky, the State of my nativity. And notwithstanding I was +deeply interested while standing on the deck of the steamer looking at +the beauties of nature on either side of the river, as she pressed her +way up the stream, my very soul was pained to look upon the slaves in +the fields of Kentucky, still toiling under their task-masters without +pay. It was on this soil I first breathed, the free air of Heaven, and +felt the bitter pangs of slavery—it was here that I first learned to +abhor it. It was here I received the first impulse of human rights—it +was here that I first entered my protest against the bloody +institution of slavery, by running away from it, and declared that I +would no longer work for any man as I had done, without wages.</p> + +<p>When the steamboat arrived at Portsmouth, Ohio, I took off my trunk +with the intention of going to Canada. But my funds were almost +exhausted, so I had to stop and go to work to get money to travel on. +I hired myself at the American Hotel to a Mr. McCoy to do the work of +a porter, to black boots, &c., for which he was to pay me $12 per +month. I soon found the landlord to be bad pay, and not only that, but +he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page114" id="page114"></a>[pg 114]</span> +would not allow me to charge for blacking boots, although I had to +black them after everybody had gone to bed at night, and set them in +the bar-room, where the gentlemen could come and get them in the +morning while I was at other work. I had nothing extra for this, +neither would he pay me my regular wages; so I thought this was a +little too much like slavery, and devised a plan by which I got some +pay for my work.</p> + +<p>I made it a point never to blacken all the boots and shoes over night, +neither would I put any of them in the bar-room, but lock them up in a +room where no one could get them without calling for me. I got a piece +of broken vessel, placed it in the room just before the boots, and put +into it several pieces of small change, as if it had been given me for +boot blacking; and almost every one that came in after their boots, +would throw some small trifle into my contribution box, while I was +there blacking away. In this way, I made more than my landlord paid +me, and I soon got a good stock of cash again. One morning I blacked a +gentleman's boots who came in during the night by a steamboat. After +he had put on his boots, I was called into the bar-room to button his +straps; and while I was performing this service, not thinking to see +anybody that knew me, I happened to look up at the man's face and who +should it be but one of the very gamblers who had recently sold me. I +dropped his foot and bolted from the room as if I had been struck by +an electric shock. The man happened not to recognize me, but this +strange conduct on my part excited the landlord, who followed me out +to see what was the matter. He found me with my hand to my breast, +groaning at a great rate. He asked me what was the matter; but I was +not able to inform him correctly, but said that I felt very bad +indeed. He of course thought I was sick with the colic and ran in the +house and got some hot stuff for me, with spice, ginger, &c. But I +never got able to go into the bar-room until long after breakfast +time, when I knew this man was gone; then I got well.</p> + +<p>And yet I have no idea that the man would have hurt a hair of my head; +but my first thought was that he was after me. I then made up my mind +to leave Portsmouth; its location being right on the border of a slave +State.</p> + +<p>A short time after this a gentleman put up there over night +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page115" id="page115"></a>[pg 115]</span> +named +Smith, from Perrysburgh, with whom I was acquainted in the North. He +was on his way to Kentucky to buy up a drove of fine horses, and he +wanted me to go and help him to drive his horses out to Perrysburgh, +and said he would pay all my expenses if I would go. So I made a +contract to go and agreed to meet him the next week, on a set day, in +Washington, Ky., to start with his drove to the north. Accordingly at +the time I took a steamboat passage down to Maysville, near where I +was to meet Mr. Smith with my trunk. When I arrived at Maysville, I +found that Washington was still six miles back from the river. I +stopped at a hotel and took my breakfast, and who should I see there +but a captain of a boat, who saw me but two years previous going down +the river Ohio with handcuffs on, in a chain gang; but he happened not +to know me. I left my trunk at the hotel and went out to Washington, +where I found Mr. Smith, and learned that he was not going to start +off with his drove until the next day.</p> + +<p>The following letter which was addressed to the committee to +investigate the truth of my narrative, will explain this part of it to +the reader and corroborate my statements:</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<br /> +<br /> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Maumee City</span>, April 5, 1845.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">Chas. H. Stewart, Esq.</span></p> + +<p><span class="sc">Dear Sir</span>:—Your favor of 13th February, addressed to +me at Perrysburgh, was not received until yesterday; having removed to +this place, the letter was not forwarded as it should have been. In +reply to your inquiry respecting Henry Bibb, I can only say that about +the year 1838 I became acquainted with him at +Perrysburgh—employed him to do some work by the job which he +performed well, and from his apparent honesty and candor, I became +much interested in him. About that time he went South for the purpose, +as was said, of getting his wife, who was there in slavery. In the +spring of 1841, I found him at Portsmouth on the Ohio river, and after +much persuasion, employed him to assist my man to drive home some +horses and cattle which I was about purchasing near Maysville, Ky. My +confidence in him was such that when about half way home I separated +the horses from the cattle, and left him with the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page116" id="page116"></a>[pg 116]</span> +latter, with money and instructions to hire what help he wanted to +get to Perrysburgh. This he accomplished to my entire satisfaction. He +worked for me during the summer, and I was unwilling to part with him, +but his desire to go to school and mature plans for the liberation of +his wife, were so strong that he left for Detroit, where he could +enjoy the society of his colored brethren. I have heard his story and +must say that I have not the least reason to suspect it being +otherwise than true, and furthermore, I firmly believe, and have for a +long time, that he has the foundation to make himself useful. I shall +always afford him all the facilities in my power to assist him, until +I hear of something in relation to him to alter my mind.</p> + +<p class="letterClose1">Yours in the cause of truth,</p> +<p class="author">J.W. SMITH</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>When I arrived at Perrysburgh, I went to work for Mr. Smith for +several months. This family I found to be one of the most +kind-hearted, and unprejudiced that I ever lived with. Mr. and Mrs. +Smith lived up to their profession.</p> + +<p>I resolved to go to Detroit, that winter, and go to school, in January +1842. But when I arrived at Detroit I soon found that I was not able +to give myself a very thorough education. I was among strangers, who +were not disposed to show me any great favors. I had every thing to +pay for, and clothing to buy, so I graduated within three weeks! And +this was all the schooling that I have ever had in my life.</p> + +<p>W.C. Monroe was my teacher; to him I went about two weeks only. My +occupation varied according to circumstances, as I was not settled in +mind about the condition of my bereaved family for several years, and +could not settle myself down at any permanent business. I saw +occasionally, fugitives from Kentucky, some of whom I knew, but none +of them were my relatives; none could give me the information which I +desired most. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page117" id="page117"></a>[pg 117]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Letter from W.H. Gatewood.—My reply.—My efforts as a public +lecturer.—Singular incident in Steubenville—Meeting with a friend of +Whitfield in Michigan.—Outrage on a canal packet.—Fruitless efforts +to find my wife.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">THE first direct information that I received concerning any +of my relations, after my last escape from slavery, was communicated +in a letter from Wm. H. Gatewood, my former owner, which I here insert +word for word, without any correction:</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<br /> +<p class="letterDate"><span class="sc">Bedford, Trimble County, Ky</span>.</p> + +<p>Mr. H. <span class="sc">Bibb</span>.</p> + +<p> <span class="sc">Dear Sir</span>:—After my respects to you and yours &c,, I +received a small book which you sent to me that I peroseed and found +it was sent by H. Bibb I am a stranger in Detroit and know no man +there without it is Walton H. Bibb if this be the man please to write +to me and tell me all about that place and the people I will tell you +the news here as well as I can your mother is still living here and +she is well the people are generally well in this cuntry times are +dull and produce low give my compliments to King, Jack, and all my +friends in that cuntry I read that book you sent me and think it will +do very well—George is sold, I do not know any thing about him I +have nothing more at present, but remain yours &c</p> + +<p class="author">W.H. GATEWOOD.</p> + +<p>February 9th, 1844.</p> +<p class="close">P.S. You will please to answer this letter.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Never was I more surprised than at the reception of this letter, it +came so unexpected to me. There had just been a State Convention held +in Detroit, by the free people of color, the proceedings of which were +published in pamphlet form. I forwarded several of them to +distinguished slaveholders in Kentucky—one among others was Mr. +Gatewood, and gave him to understand who sent it. After showing this +letter to several of my anti-slavery friends, and asking their +opinions about the propriety of my answering it, I was advised to do +it, as Mr. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page118" id="page118"></a>[pg 118]</span> + Gatewood had no claim on me as a slave, for he had sold +and got the money for me and my family. So I wrote him an answer, as +near as I can recollect, in the following language:</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p><span class="sc">Dear Sir:</span>—I am happy to +inform you that you are not mistaken in the man whom you sold as +property, and received pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not +property now, but am regarded as a man like yourself, and although I +live far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own industry. +If you should ever chance to be traveling this way, and will call on +me, I will use you better than you did me while you held me as a +slave. Think not that I have any malice against you, for the cruel +treatment which you inflicted on me while I was in your power. As it +was the custom of your country, to treat your fellow man as you did me +and my little family, I can freely forgive you.</p> + +<p> I wish to be remembered in love to my aged mother, and friends; +please tell her that if we should never meet again in this life, my +prayer shall be to God that we may meet in Heaven, where parting shall +be no more.</p> + +<p> You wish to be remembered to King and Jack. I am pleased, sir, to +inform you that they are both here, well, and doing well. They are +both living in Canada West. They are now the owners of better farms +than the men are who once owned them.</p> + +<p> You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from slavery, +but as to myself, I have but one apology to make for it, which is +this: I have only to regret that I did not start at an earlier period. +I might have been free long before I was. But you had it in your power +to have kept me there much longer than you did. I think it is very +probable that I should have been a toiling slave on your plantation +to-day, if you had treated me differently.</p> + +<p> To be compelled to stand by and see you whip and slash my wife +without mercy, when I could afford her no protection, not even by +offering myself to suffer the lash in her place, was more than I felt +it to be the duty of a slave husband to endure, while the way was open +to Canada. My infant child was also frequently flogged by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page119" id="page119"></a>[pg 119]</span> +Mrs. Gatewood, for crying, until its skin was bruised literally +purple. This kind of treatment was what drove me from home and family, +to seek a better home for them. But I am willing to forget the past. I +should be pleased to hear from you again, on the reception of this, +and should also be very happy to correspond with you often, if it +should be agreeable to yourself. I subscribe myself a friend to the +oppressed, and Liberty forever.</p> + +<p class="author">HENRY BIBB.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">William Gatewood.</span></p> +<p class="close">Detroit, March 23d, 1844.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>The first time that I ever spoke before a public audience, was to give +a narration of my own sufferings and adventures, connected with +slavery. I commenced in the village of Adrian, State of Michigan, May, +1844. From that up to the present period, the principle part of my +time has been faithfully devoted to the cause of freedom—nerved up +and encouraged by the sympathy of anti-slavery friends on the one +hand, and prompted by a sense of duty to my enslaved countrymen on the +other, especially, when I remembered that slavery had robbed me of my +freedom—deprived me of education—banished me from my native State, +and robbed me of my family.</p> + +<p>I went from Michigan to the State of Ohio, where I traveled over some +of the Southern counties of that State, in company with Samuel Brooks, +and Amos Dresser, lecturing upon the subject of American Slavery. The +prejudice of the people at that time was very strong against the +abolitionists; so much so that they were frequently mobbed for +discussing the subject.</p> + +<p>We appointed a series of meetings along on the Ohio River, in sight of +the State of Virginia; and in several places we had Virginians over to +hear us upon the subject. I recollect our having appointed a meeting +in the city of Steubenville, which is situated on the bank of the +river Ohio. There was but one known abolitionist living in that city, +named George Ore. On the day of our meeting, when we arrived in this +splendid city there was not a church, school house, nor hall, that we +could get for love or money, to hold our meeting in. Finally, I +believe that the whigs consented to let us have the use of their +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page120" id="page120"></a>[pg 120]</span> +club +room, to hold the meeting in; but before the hour had arrived for us +to commence, they re-considered the matter, and informed us that we +could not have the use of their house for an abolition meeting.</p> + +<p>We then got permission to hold forth in the public market house, and +even then so great was the hostility of the rabble, that they tried to +bluff us off, by threats and epithets. Our meeting was advertised to +take place at nine o'clock, <span class="sc">A.M.</span> The pro-slavery parties +hired a colored man to take a large auction bell, and go all over the +city ringing it, and crying, "ho ye! ho ye! Negro auction to take +place in the market house, at nine o'clock, by George Ore!" This cry +was sounded all over the city, which called out many who would not +otherwise have been present. They came to see if it was really the +case. The object of the rabble in having the bell rung was, to prevent +us from attempting to speak. But at the appointed hour, Bro. Dresser +opened the meeting with prayer, and Samuel Brooks mounted the block +and spoke for fifteen or twenty minutes, after which Mr. Dresser took +the block and talked about one hour upon the wickedness of +slaveholding. There were not yet many persons present. They were +standing off I suppose to see if I was to be offered for sale. Many +windows were hoisted and store doors open, and they were looking and +listening to what was said. After Mr. Dresser was through, I was +called to take the stand. Just at this moment there was no small stir +in rushing forward; so much indeed, that I thought they were coming up +to mob me. I should think that in less than fifteen minutes there were +about one thousand persons standing around, listening. I saw many of +them shedding tears while I related the sad story of my wrongs. At +twelve o'clock we adjourned the meeting, to meet again at the same +place at two <span class="sc">P.M.</span> Our afternoon meeting was well attended +until nearly sunset, at which time, we saw some signs of a mob and +adjourned. The mob followed us that night to the house of Mr. Ore, and +they were yelling like tigers, until late that night, around the +house, as if they wanted to tear it down.</p> + +<p>In the fall of 1844, S.B. Treadwell, of Jackson, and myself, spent two +or three months in lecturing through the State of Michigan, upon the +abolition of slavery, in a section of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page121" id="page121"></a>[pg 121]</span> +country where abolitionists +were few and far between. Our meetings were generally appointed in +small log cabins, school houses, among the farmers, which were some +times crowded full; and where they had no horse teams, it was often +the case that there would be four or five ox teams come, loaded down +with men, women and children, to attend our meetings.</p> + +<p>But the people were generally poor, and in many places not able to +give us a decent night's lodging. We most generally carried with us a +few pounds of candles to light up the houses wherein we held our +meetings after night; for in many places, they had neither candles nor +candlesticks. After meeting was out, we have frequently gone from +three to eight miles to get lodging, through the dark forest, where +there was scarcely any road for a wagon to run on.</p> + +<p>I have traveled for miles over swamps, where the roads were covered +with logs, without any dirt over them, which has sometimes shook and +jostled the wagon to pieces, where we could find no shop or any place +to mend it. We would have to tie it up with bark, or take the lines to +tie it with, and lead the horse by the bridle. At other times we were +in mud up to the hubs of the wheels. I recollect one evening, we +lectured in a little village where there happened to be a Southerner +present, who was a personal friend of Deacon Whitfield, who became +much offended at what I said about his "Bro. Whitfield," and +complained about it after the meeting was out.</p> + +<p>He told the people not to believe a word that I said, that it was all +a humbug. They asked him how he knew? "Ah!" said he, "he has slandered +Bro. Whitfield. I am well acquainted with him, we both belonged to one +church; and Whitfield is one of the most respectable men in all that +region of country." They asked if he (Whitfield) was a slaveholder?</p> + +<p>The reply was "yes, but he treated his slaves well."</p> + +<p>"Well," said one, "that only proves that he has told us the truth; for +all we wish to know, is that there is such a man as Whitfield, as +represented by Bibb, and that he is a slave holder."</p> + +<p>On the 2d Sept., 1847, I started from Toledo on board the canal packet +Erie, for Cincinnati, Ohio. But before going on board, I was waited on +by one of the boat's crew, who gave me a card of the boat, upon which +was printed, that no pains would be spared to render all passengers +comfortable who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page122" id="page122"></a>[pg 122]</span> +might favor them with their patronage to Cincinnati. +This card I slipped into my pocket, supposing it might be of some use +to me. There were several drunken loafers on board going through as +passengers, one of whom used the most vulgar language in the cabin, +where there were ladies, and even vomited! But he was called a white +man, and a southerner, which made it all right. I of course took my +place in the cabin with the rest, and there was nothing said against +it that night. When the passengers went forward to settle their fare I +paid as much as any other man, which entitled me to the same +privileges. The next morning at the ringing of the breakfast bell, the +proprietor of the packet line, Mr. Samuel Doyle, being on board, +invited the passengers to sit up to breakfast. He also invited me +personally to sit up to the table. But after we were all seated, and +some had began to eat, he came and ordered me up from the table, and +said I must wait until the rest were done.</p> + +<p>I left the table without making any reply, and walked out on the deck +of the boat. After breakfast the passengers came up, and the cabin boy +was sent after me to come to breakfast, but I refused. Shortly after, +this man who had ordered me from the table, came up with the ladies. I +stepped up and asked him if he was the captain of the boat. His answer +was no, that he was one of the proprietors. I then informed him that I +was going to leave his boat at the first stopping place, but before +leaving I wanted to ask him a few questions: "Have I misbehaved to any +one on board of this boat? Have I disobeyed any law of this boat?"</p> + +<p>"No," said he.</p> + +<p>"Have I not paid you as much as any other passenger through to +Cincinnati?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said he.</p> + +<p>"Then I am sure that I have been insulted and imposed upon, on board +of this boat, without any just cause whatever."</p> + +<p>"No one has misused you, for you ought to have known better than to +have come to the table where there were white people."</p> + +<p>"Sir, did you not ask me to come to the table?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page123" id="page123"></a>[pg 123]</span> +</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I did not know that you was a colored man, when I asked you; +and then it was better to insult one man than all the passengers on +board of the boat."</p> + +<p>"Sir, I do not believe that there is a gentleman or lady on board of +this boat who would have considered it an insult for me to have taken +my breakfast, and you have imposed upon me by taking my money and +promising to use me well, and then to insult me as you have."</p> + +<p>"I don't want any of your jaw," said he.</p> + +<p>"Sir, with all due respect to your elevated station, you have imposed +upon me in a way which is unbecoming a gentleman. I have paid my +money, and behaved myself as well as any other man, and I am +determined that no man shall impose on me as you have, by deceiving +me, without my letting the world know it. I would rather a man should +rob me of my money at midnight, than to take it in that way."</p> + +<p>I left this boat at the first stopping place, and took the next boat +to Cincinnati. On the last boat I had no cause to complain of my +treatment. When I arrived at Cincinnati, I published a statement of +this affair in the Daily Herald.</p> + +<p>The next day Mr. Doyle called on the editor in a great +passion.—"Here," said he, "what does this mean."</p> + +<p>"What, sir?" said the editor quietly.</p> + +<p>"Why, the stuff here, read it and see."</p> + +<p>"Read it yourself," answered the editor.</p> + +<p>"Well, I want to know if you sympathize with this nigger here."</p> + +<p>"Who, Mr. Bibb? Why yes, I think he is a gentleman, and should be used +as such."</p> + +<p>"Why this is all wrong—all of it."</p> + +<p>"Put your finger on the place, and I will right it."</p> + +<p>"Well, he says that we took his money, when we paid part back. And if +you take his part, why I'll have nothing to do with your paper."</p> + +<p>So ended his wrath.</p> + +<p>In 1845, the anti-slavery friends of Michigan employed me to take the +field as an anti-slavery Lecturer, in that State, during the Spring, +Summer, and Fall, pledging themselves to restore to me my wife and +child, if they were living, and could +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page124" id="page124"></a>[pg 124]</span> +be reached by human agency, +which may be seen by the following circular from the Signal of +Liberty:</p> + +<blockquote class="note"> +<p>TO LIBERTY FRIENDS:—In the Signal of +the 28th inst. is a report from the undersigned respecting Henry Bibb. +His narrative always excites deep sympathy for himself and favorable +bias for the cause, which seeks to abolish the evils he so powerfully +portrays. Friends and foes attest his efficiency.</p> + +<p> Mr. Bibb has labored much in lecturing, yet has collected but a +bare pittance. He has received from Ohio lucrative offers, but we have +prevailed on him to remain in this State.</p> + +<p> We think that a strong obligation rests on the friends in this +State to sustain Mr. Bibb, and restore to him his wife and child. +Under the expectation that Michigan will yield to these claims: will +support their laborer, and re-unite the long severed ties of husband +and wife, parent and child, Mr. Bibb will lecture through the whole +State.</p> + +<p> Our object is to prepare friends for the visit of Mr. Bibb, and to +suggest an effective mode of operations for the whole State.</p> + +<p> Let friends in each vicinity appoint a collector—pay to him +all contributions for the freedom of Mrs. Bibb and child: then +transmit them to us. We will acknowledge them in the Signal, and be +responsible for them. We will see that the proper measures for the +freedom of Mrs. Bibb and child are taken, and if it be within our +means we will accomplish it—nay we will accomplish it, if the +objects be living and the friends sustain us. But should we fail, the +contributions will be held subject to the order of the donors, less +however, by a proportionate deduction of expenses from each.</p> + +<p> The hope of this re-union will nerve the heart and body of Mr. +Bibb to re-doubled effort in a cause otherwise dear to him. And as he +will devote his whole time systematically to the anti-slavery cause, +he must also depend on friends for the means of livelihood. We bespeak +for him your hospitality, and such pecuniary contributions +<span +class="pagenum"><a name="page125" id="page125"></a>[pg 125]</span> +as you can afford, trusting that the latter may be sufficient to enable +him to keep the field.</p> + +<p class="author">A.L. PORTER,</p> +<p class="author-up">C.H. STEWART,</p> +<p class="author-up">SILAS M. HOLMES</p> + +<p><span class="sc">Detroit, April</span> 22, 1845.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>I have every reason to believe that they acted faithfully in the +matter, but without success. They wrote letters in every quarter where +they would be likely to gain any information respecting her. There +were also two men sent from Michigan in the summer of 1845, down +South, to find her if possible, and report—and whether they found out +her condition, and refused to report, I am not able to say—but +suffice it to say that they never have reported. They were respectable +men and true friends of the cause, one of whom was a Methodist +minister, and the other a cabinet maker, and both white men.</p> + +<p>The small spark of hope which had still lingered about my heart had +almost become extinct. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page126" id="page126"></a>[pg 126]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>My last effort to recover my family.—Sad tidings of my wife.—Her +degradation.—I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolved +forever.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">IN view of the failure to hear any thing of my wife, many of +my best friends advised me to get married again, if I could find a +suitable person. They regarded my former wife as dead to me, and all +had been done that could be.</p> + +<p>But I was not yet satisfied myself, to give up. I wanted to know +certainly what had become of her. So in the winter of 1845, I resolved +to go back to Kentucky, my native State, to see if I could hear +anything from my family. And against the advice of all my friends, I +went back to Cincinnati, where I took passage on board of a Southern +steamboat to Madison, in the State of Indiana, which was only ten +miles from where Wm. Gatewood lived, who was my former owner. No +sooner had I landed in Madison, than I learned, on inquiry, and from +good authority, that my wife was living in a state of adultery with +her master, and had been for the last three years. This message she +sent back to Kentucky, to her mother and friends. She also spoke of +the time and manner of our separation by Deacon Whitfield, my being +taken off by the Southern black-legs, to where she knew not; and that +she had finally given me up. The child she said was still with her. +Whitfield had sold her to this man for the above purposes at a high +price, and she was better used than ordinary slaves. This was a death +blow to all my hopes and pleasant plans. While I was in Madison I +hired a white man to go over to Bedford, in Kentucky, where my mother +was then living, and bring her over into a free State to see me. I +hailed her approach with unspeakable joy. She informed me too, on +inquiring whether my family had ever been heard from, that the report +which I had just heard in relation to Malinda was substantially true, +for it was the same message that she had sent to her mother and +friends. And my mother thought it was no use for me to run any more +risks, or to grieve myself any more about her.</p> + +<p>From that time I gave her up into the hands of an all-wise +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page127" id="page127"></a>[pg 127]</span> + +Providence. As she was then living with another man, I could no longer +regard her as my wife. After all the sacrifices, sufferings, and risks +which I had run, striving to rescue her from the grasp of slavery; +every prospect and hope was cut off. She has ever since been regarded +as theoretically and practically dead to me as a wife, for she was +living in a state of adultery, according to the law of God and man.</p> + +<p>Poor unfortunate woman, I bring no charge of guilt against her, for I +know not all the circumstances connected with the case. It is +consistent with slavery, however, to suppose that she became +reconciled to it, from the fact of her sending word back to her +friends and relatives that she was much better treated than she had +ever been before, and that she had also given me up. It is also +reasonable to suppose that there might have been some kind of +attachment formed by living together in this way for years; and it is +quite probable that they have other children according to the law of +nature, which would have a tendency to unite them stronger together.</p> + +<p>In view of all the facts and circumstances connected with this matter, +I deem further comments and explanations unnecessary on my part. +Finding myself thus isolated in this peculiarly unnatural state, I +resolved, in 1846, to spend my days in traveling, to advance the +anti-slavery cause. I spent the summer in Michigan, but in the +subsequent fall I took a trip to New England, where I spent the +winter. And there I found a kind reception wherever I traveled among +the friends of freedom.</p> + +<p>While traveling about in this way among strangers, I was sometimes +sick, with no permanent home, or bosom friend to sympathise or take +that care of me which an affectionate wife would. So I conceived the +idea that it would be better for me to change my position, provided I +should find a suitable person.</p> + +<p>In the month of May, 1847, I attended the anti-slavery anniversary in +the city of New York, where I had the good fortune to be introduced to +the favor of a Miss Mary E. Miles, of Boston; a lady whom I had +frequently heard very highly spoken of, for her activity and devotion +to the anti-slavery cause, as well as her talents and learning, and +benevolence in the cause of reforms, generally. I was very much +impressed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page128" id="page128"></a>[pg 128]</span> +with the personal appearance of Miss Miles, and was deeply +interested in our first interview, because I found that her principles +and my own were nearly one and the same. I soon found by a few visits, +as well as by letters, that she possessed moral principle, and +frankness of disposition, which is often sought for but seldom found. +These, in connection with other amiable qualities, soon won my entire +confidence and affection. But this secret I kept to myself until I was +fully satisfied that this feeling was reciprocal; that there was +indeed a congeniality of principles and feeling, which time nor +eternity could never change.</p> + +<p>When I offered myself for matrimony, we mutually engaged ourselves to +each other, to marry in one year, with this condition, viz: that if +either party should see any reason to change their mind within that +time, the contract should not be considered binding. We kept up a +regular correspondence during the time, and in June, 1848, we had the +happiness to be joined in holy wedlock. Not in slaveholding style, +which is a mere farce, without the sanction of law or gospel; but in +accordance with the laws of God and our country. My beloved wife is a +bosom friend, a help-meet, a loving companion in all the social, +moral, and religious relations of life. She is to me what a poor +slave's wife can never be to her husband while in the condition of a +slave; for she can not be true to her husband contrary to the will of +her master. She can neither be pure nor virtuous, contrary to the will +of her master. She dare not refuse to be reduced to a state of +adultery at the will of her master; from the fact that the +slaveholding law, customs and teachings are all against the poor +slaves.</p> + +<p>I presume there are no class of people in the United States who so +highly appreciate the legality of marriage as those persons who have +been held and treated as property. Yes, it is that fugitive who knows +from sad experience, what it is to have his wife tyrannically snatched +from his bosom by a slaveholding professor of religion, and finally +reduced to a state of adultery, that knows how to appreciate the law +that repels such high-handed villany. Such as that to which the writer +has been exposed. But thanks be to God, I am now free from the hand of +the cruel oppressor, no more to be plundered of my dearest rights; the +wife of my bosom, and my poor unoffending +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page129" id="page129"></a>[pg 129]</span> +offspring. Of Malinda I +will only add a word in conclusion. The relation once subsisting +between us, to which I clung, hoping against hope, for years, after we +were torn assunder, not having been sanctioned by any loyal power, +cannot be cancelled by a legal process. Voluntarily assumed without +law mutually, it was by her relinquished years ago without my +knowledge, as before named; during which time I was making every +effort to secure her restoration. And it was not until after living +alone in the world for more than eight years without a companion known +in law or morals, that I changed my condition. +</p> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page130" id="page130"></a>[pg 130]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing.—Their +conduct vindicated.—Comments on W. Gatewood's letter.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">BUT it seems that I am not now beyond the reach of the foul +slander of slaveholders. They are not satisfied with selling and +banishing me from my native State. As soon as they got news of my +being in the free North, exposing their peculiar Institution, a +libelous letter was written by Silas Gatewood of Kentucky, a son of +one of my former owners, to a Northern Committee, for publication, +which he thought would destroy my influence and character. This letter +will be found in the introduction.</p> + +<p>He has charged me with the awful crime of taking from my keeper and +oppressor, some of the fruits of my own labor for the benefit of +myself and family.</p> + +<p>But while writing this letter he seems to have overlooked the +disgraceful fact that he was guilty himself of what would here be +regarded highway robbery, in his conduct to me as narrated on page 60 +of this narrative.</p> + +<p>A word in reply to Silas Gatewood's letter. I am willing to admit all +that is true, but shall deny that which is so basely false. In the +first place, he puts words in my mouth that I never used. He says that +I represented that "my mother belonged to James Bibb." I deny ever +having said so in private or public. He says that I stated that Bibb's +daughter married a Sibley. I deny it. He also says that the first time +that I left Kentucky for my liberty, I was gone about two years, +before I went back to rescue my family. I deny it. I was gone from +Dec. 25th, 1837, to May, or June, 1838. He says that I went back the +second time for the purpose of taking off my family, and eight or ten +more slaves to Canada. This I will not pretend to deny. He says I was +guilty of disposing of articles from the farm for my own use, and +pocketing the money, and that his father caught me stealing a sack +full of wheat. I admit the fact. I acknowledge the wheat.</p> + +<p>And who had a better right to eat of the fruits of my own hard +earnings than myself? Many a long summer's day have I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page131" id="page131"></a>[pg 131]</span> +toiled with my +wife and other slaves, cultivating his father's fields, and gathering +in his harvest, under the scorching rays of the sun, without half +enough to eat, or clothes to wear, and at the same time his meat-house +was filled with bacon and bread stuff; his dairy with butter and +cheese; his barn with grain, husbanded by the unrequited toil of the +slaves. And yet if a slave presumed to take a little from the +abundance which he had made by his own sweat and toil, to supply the +demands of nature, to quiet the craving appetite which is sometimes +almost irresistible, it is called stealing by slaveholders.</p> + +<p>But I did not regard it as stealing then, I do not regard it as such +now. I hold that a slave has a moral right to eat drink and wear all +that he needs, and that it would be a sin on his part to suffer and +starve in a country where there is a plenty to eat and wear within his +reach. I consider that I had a just right to what I took, because it +was the labor of my own hands. Should I take from a neighbor as a +freeman, in a free country, I should consider myself guilty of doing +wrong before God and man. But was I the slave of Wm. Gatewood to-day, +or any other slaveholder, working without wages, and suffering with +hunger or for clothing, I should not stop to inquire whether my master +would approve of my helping myself to what I needed to eat or wear. +For while the slave is regarded as property, how can he steal from his +master? It is contrary to the very nature of the relation existing +between master and slave, from the fact that there is no law to punish +a slave for theft, but lynch law; and the way they avoid that is to +hide well. For illustration, a slave from the State of Virginia, for +cruel treatment left the State between daylight and dark, being borne +off by one of his master's finest horses, and finally landed in +Canada, where the British laws recognise no such thing as property in +a human being. He was pursued by his owners, who expected to take +advantage of the British law by claiming him as a fugitive from +justice, and as such he was arrested and brought before the court of +Queen's Bench. They swore that he was, at a certain time, the slave of +Mr. A., and that he ran away at such a time and stole and brought off +a horse. They enquired who the horse belonged to, and it was +ascertained that the slave and horse both belonged to the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page132" id="page132"></a>[pg 132]</span> +same +person. The court therefore decided that the horse and the man were +both recognised, in the State of Virginia, alike, as articles of +property, belonging to the same person—therefore, if there was theft +committed on either side, the former must have stolen off the +latter—the horse brought away the man, and not the man the horse. So +the man was discharged and pronounced free according to the laws of +Canada. There are several other letters published in this work upon +the same subject, from slaveholders, which it is hardly necessary for +me to notice. However, I feel thankful to the writers for the +endorsement and confirmation which they have given to my story. No +matter what their motives were, they have done me and the anti-slavery +cause good service in writing those letters—but more especially the +Gatewood's. Silas Gatewood has done more for me than all the rest. He +has labored so hard in his long communication in trying to expose me, +that he has proved every thing that I could have asked of him; and for +which I intend to reward him by forwarding him one of my books, hoping +that it may be the means of converting him from a slaveholder to an +honest man, and an advocate of liberty for all mankind.</p> + +<p>The reader will see in the introduction that Wm. Gatewood writes a +more cautious letter upon the subject than his son Silas. "It is not a +very easy matter to catch old birds with chaff," and I presume if +Silas had the writing of his letter over again, he would not be so +free in telling all he knew, and even more, for the sake of making out +a strong case. The object of his writing such a letter will doubtless +be understood by the reader. It was to destroy public confidence in +the victims of slavery, that the system might not be exposed—it was +to gag a poor fugitive who had undertaken to plead his own cause and +that of his enslaved brethren. It was a feeble attempt to suppress the +voice of universal freedom which is now thundering on every gale. But +thank God it is too late in the day.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>Go stop the mighty thunder's roar,<br /></span> +<span>Go hush the ocean's sound,<br /></span> +<span>Or upward like the eagle soar<br /></span> +<span>To skies' remotest bound.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page133" id="page133"></a>[pg 133]</span> + +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>And when thou hast the thunder stopped,<br /></span> +<span>And hushed the ocean's waves,<br /></span> +<span>Then, freedom's spirit bind in chains,<br /></span> +<span>And ever hold us slaves.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>And when the eagle's boldest fest,<br /></span> +<span>Thou canst perform with skill,<br /></span> +<span>Then, think to stop proud freedom's march,<br /></span> +<span>And hold the bondman still.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page134" id="page134"></a>[pg 134]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h2> + +<p class="toc"><i>Review of my narrative.—Licentiousness a prop of slavery.—A case of +mild slavery given.—Its revolting features.—Times of my purchase and +sale by professed Christians.—Concluding remarks.</i></p> + + +<p class="cap">I NOW conclude my narrative, by reviewing briefly what I have +written. This little work has been written without any personal aid or +a knowledge of the English grammer, which must in part be my apology +for many of its imperfections.</p> + +<p>I find in several places, where I have spoken out the deep feelings of +my soul, in trying to describe the horrid treatment which I have so +often received at the hands of slaveholding professors of religion, +that I might possibly make a wrong impression on the minds of some +northern freemen, who are unacquainted theoretically or practically +with the customs and treatment of American slaveholders to their +slaves. I hope that it may not be supposed by any, that I have +exaggerated in the least, for the purpose of making out the system of +slavery worse than it really is, for, to exaggerate upon the cruelties +of this system, would be almost impossible; and to write herein the +most horrid features of it would not be in good taste for my book.</p> + +<p>I have long thought from what has fallen under my own observation +while a slave, that the strongest reason why southerners stick with +such tenacity to their "peculiar institution," is because licentious +white men could not carry out their wicked purposes among the +defenceless colored population as they now do, without being exposed +and punished by law, if slavery was abolished. Female virtue could not +be trampled under foot with impunity, and marriage among the people of +color kept in utter obscurity.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, lest it should be said by slaveholders and their +apologists, that I have not done them the justice to give a sketch of +the best side of slavery, if there can be any best side to it; +therefore in conclusion, they may have the benefit of the following +case, that fell under the observation of the writer. And I challenge +America to show a milder state +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page135" id="page135"></a>[pg 135]</span> +of slavery than this. I once knew a +Methodist in the state of Ky., by the name of Young, who was the owner +of a large number of slaves, many of whom belonged to the same church +with their master. They worshipped together in the same church.</p> + +<p>Mr. Young never was known to flog one of his slaves or sell one. He +fed and clothed them well, and never over-worked them. He allowed each +family a small house to themselves with a little garden spot, whereon +to raise their own vegetables; and a part of the day on Saturdays was +allowed them to cultivate it.</p> + +<p>In process of time he became deeply involved in debt by endorsing +notes, and his property was all advertised to be sold by the sheriff +at public auction. It consisted in slaves, many of whom were his +brothers and sisters in the church.</p> + +<p>On the day of sale there were slave traders and speculators on the +ground to buy. The slaves were offered on the auction block one after +another, until they were all sold before their old master's face. The +first man offered on the block was an old gray-headed slave by the +name of Richard. His wife followed him up to the block, and when they +had bid him up to seventy or eighty dollars one of the bidders asked +Mr. Young what he could do, as he looked very old and infirm? Mr. +Young replied by saying, "he is not able to accomplish much manual +labor, from his extreme age and hard labor in early life. Yet I would +rather have him than many of those who are young and vigorous; who are +able to perform twice as much labor—because I know him to be faithful +and trustworthy, a Christian in good standing in my church. I can +trust him anywhere with confidence. He has toiled many long years on +my plantation and I have always found him faithful."</p> + +<p>This giving him a good Christian character caused them to run him up +to near two hundred dollars. His poor old companion stood by weeping +and pleading that they might not be separated. But the marriage +relation was soon dissolved by the sale, and they were separated never +to meet again.</p> + +<p>Another man was called up whose wife followed him with her infant in +her arms, beseeching to be sold with her husband, which proved to be +all in vain. After the men were all sold they then sold the women and +children. They ordered +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page136" id="page136"></a>[pg 136]</span> +the first woman to lay down her child and +mount the auction block; she refused to give up her little one and +clung to it as long as she could, while the cruel lash was applied to +her back for disobedience. She pleaded for mercy in the name of God. +But the child was torn from the arms of its mother amid the most +heart-rending shrieks from the mother and child on the one hand, and +bitter oaths and cruel lashes from the tyrants on the other. Finally +the poor little child was torn from the mother while she was +sacrificed to the highest bidder. In this way the sale was carried on +from beginning to end.</p> + +<p>There was each speculator with his hand-cuffs to bind his victims +after the sale; and while they were doing their writings, the +Christian portion of the slaves asked permission to kneel in prayer on +the ground before they separated, which was granted. And while bathing +each other with tears of sorrow on the verge of their final +separation, their eloquent appeals in prayer to the Most High seemed +to cause an unpleasant sensation upon the ears of their tyrants, who +ordered them to rise and make ready their limbs for the caffles. And +as they happened not to bound at the first sound, they were soon +raised from their knees by the sound of the lash, and the rattle of +the chains, in which they were soon taken off by their respective +masters,—husbands from wives, and children from parents, never +expecting to meet until the judgment of the great day. Then Christ +shall say to the slaveholding professors of religion, "Inasmuch as ye +did it unto one of the least of these little ones, my brethren, ye did +it unto me."</p> + +<p>Having thus tried to show the best side of slavery that I can conceive +of, the reader can exercise his own judgment in deciding whether a man +can be a Bible Christian, and yet hold his Christian brethren as +property, so that they may be sold at any time in market, as sheep or +oxen, to pay his debts.</p> + +<p>During my life in slavery I have been sold by professors of religion +several times. In 1836 "Bro." Albert G. Sibley, of Bedford, Kentucky, +sold me for $850 to "Bro." John Sibley; and in the same year he sold +me to "Bro." Wm. Gatewood of Bedford, for $850. In 1839 "Bro." +Gatewood sold me to Madison Garrison, a slave trader, of Louisville, +Kentucky, with my wife and child—at a depreciated price because I was +a runaway. In the same year he sold me with my family to "Bro." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page137" id="page137"></a>[pg 137]</span> + +Whitfield, in the city of New Orleans, for $1200. In 1841 "Bro." +Whitfield sold me from my family to Thomas Wilson and Co., blacklegs. +In the same year they sold me to a "Bro." in the Indian Territory. I +think he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. F.E. Whitfield was a +deacon in regular standing in the Baptist Church. A. Sibley was a +Methodist exhorter of the M.E. Church in good standing. J. Sibley was +a class-leader in the same church; and Wm. Gatewood was also an +acceptable member of the same church.</p> + +<p>Is this Christianity? Is it honest or right? Is it doing as we would +be done by? Is it in accordance with the principles of humanity or +justice?</p> + +<p>I believe slaveholding to be a sin against God and man under all +circumstances. I have no sympathy with the person or persons who +tolerate and support the system willingly and knowingly, morally, +religiously or politically.</p> + +<p>Prayerfully and earnestly relying on the power of truth, and the aid +of the divine providence, I trust that this little volume will bear +some humble part in lighting up the path of freedom and +revolutionizing public opinion upon this great subject. And I here +pledge myself, God being my helper, ever to contend for the natural +equality of the human family, without regard to color, which is but +fading <i>matter</i>, while <i>mind</i> makes the man.</p> + +<p><span class="sc">New York City</span>, <i>May 1, 1849</i>.</p> + +<p class="author-up">HENRY BIBB.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page138" id="page138"></a>[pg 138]</span> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX">INDEX.</a></h2> +<br /> + +<div class="toc2"> +<p class="Chap">Introduction. <a href="#page1">1</a></p> +<p class="Chap">Author's Preface. <a href="#page12">12</a></p> +<p class="Chap">Chap. I.—</p> +<p class="Item">Sketch of my Parentage, <a href="#page15">15.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Early separation from my Mother, <a href="#page15">15.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Hard Fare, <a href="#page16">16.</a></p> +<p class="Item">First Experiments at running away, <a href="#page16">16.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Earnest longing for Freedom, <a href="#page17">17.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Abhorrent nature of Slavery, <a href="#page18">18.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. II.—</p> +<p class="Item">A fruitless effort for education, <a href="#page19">19.</a></p> +<p class="Item">The Sabbath among Slaves, <a href="#page19">19.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Degrading amusements, <a href="#page19">19.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Why religion is rejected, <a href="#page20">20.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Condition of poor white people, <a href="#page20">20.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Superstition among slaves, <a href="#page21">21.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Education forbidden, <a href="#page25">25.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. III.—</p> +<p class="Item">My Courtship and Marriage, <a href="#page26">26.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Change of owner, <a href="#page31">31.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My first born, <a href="#page32">32.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Its sufferings, <a href="#page32">32.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My wife abused, <a href="#page33">33.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My own anguish, <a href="#page33">33.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. IV.—</p> +<p class="Item">My first adventure for liberty, <a href="#page34">34.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Parting Scene, <a href="#page34">34.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Journey up the river, <a href="#page35">35.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Safe arrival in Cincinnati, <a href="#page36">36.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Journey to Canada, <a href="#page37">37.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Suffering from cold and hunger, <a href="#page38">38.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Denied food and shelter by some, <a href="#page38">38.</a></p> +<p class="Item">One noble exception, <a href="#page38">38.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Subsequent success, <a href="#page39">39.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Arrival at Perrysburgh, <a href="#page39">39.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Obtain employment through the winter, <a href="#page39">39.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My return to Kentucky to get my family, <a href="#page40">40.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. V—</p> +<p class="Item">My safe arrival at Kentucky, <a href="#page41">41.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Surprise and delight to find my family, <a href="#page41">41.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Plan for their escape, projected, <a href="#page42">42.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Return to Cincinnati, <a href="#page43">43.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My betrayal by traitors, <a href="#page43">43.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky, <a href="#page45">45.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Return to slavery, <a href="#page46">46.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Infamous proposal of the slave catchers, <a href="#page47">47.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My reply, <a href="#page47">47.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. VI.—</p> +<p class="Item">Arrival at Louisville, Kentucky, <a href="#page50">50.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Efforts to sell me, <a href="#page50">50.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Fortunate escape from the man-stealers in the public street, <a href="#page51">51.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I return to Bedford, Ky., <a href="#page55">55.</a></p> +<p class="Item">The rescue of my family again attempted, <a href="#page55">55.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I started alone expecting them to follow, <a href="#page55">55.</a></p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page139" id="page139"></a>[pg 139]</span> + +<p class="Item">After waiting some months I resolve to go back again to Kentucky, <a href="#page57">57.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. VII.—</p> +<p class="Item">My safe return to Kentucky, <a href="#page58">58.</a></p> +<p class="Item">The perils I encountered there, <a href="#page59">59.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Again betrayed, and taken by a mob, ironed and imprisoned, <a href="#page60">60.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Narrow escape from death, <a href="#page62">62.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Life in a slave prison, <a href="#page63">63.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. VIII.—</p> +<p class="Item">Character of my prison companions, <a href="#page65">65.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Jail breaking contemplated, <a href="#page66">66.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Defeat of our plan, <a href="#page67">67.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My wife and child removed, <a href="#page67">67.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment, <a href="#page67">67.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Our departure in a coffle for New Orleans, <a href="#page68">68.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Events of our journey, <a href="#page69">69.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. IX.—</p> +<p class="Item">Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg, <a href="#page70">70.</a></p> +<p class="Item">An account of slave sales, <a href="#page71">71.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Cruel punishment with the paddle, <a href="#page71">71.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Attempts to sell myself by Garrison's direction, <a href="#page72">72.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Amusing interview with a slave buyer, <a href="#page73">73.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Deacon Whitfield's examination, <a href="#page74">74.</a></p> +<p class="Item">He purchases the family, <a href="#page75">75.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Character of the Deacon, <a href="#page75">75.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. X.—</p> +<p class="Item">Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm, <a href="#page77">77.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Exposure of the children, <a href="#page77">77.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Mode of extorting extra labor, <a href="#page78">78.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Neglect of the sick, <a href="#page80">80.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Strange medicine used, <a href="#page80">80.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Death of our second child, <a href="#page81">81.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XI.—</p> +<p class="Item">I attend a prayer meeting, <a href="#page82">82.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Punishment therefor threatened, <a href="#page82">82.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I attempt to escape alone, <a href="#page82">82.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My return to take my family, <a href="#page84">84.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Our sufferings, <a href="#page85">85.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Dreadful attack of wolves, <a href="#page85">85.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Our recapture, <a href="#page88">88.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XII.—</p> +<p class="Item">My sad condition before Whitfield, <a href="#page89">89.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My terrible punishment, <a href="#page89">89.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Incidents of a former attempt to escape, <a href="#page91">91.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Jack at a farm house, <a href="#page92">92.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Six pigs and a turkey, <a href="#page93">93.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Our surprise and arrest, <a href="#page94">94.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XIII.—</p> +<p class="Item">I am sold to gamblers, <a href="#page96">96.</a></p> +<p class="Item">They try to purchase my family, <a href="#page97">97.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Our parting scene, <a href="#page98">98.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My good usage, <a href="#page99">99.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I am sold to an Indian, <a href="#page100">100.</a></p> +<p class="Item">His confidence in my integrity manifested, <a href="#page100">100.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XIV—</p> +<p class="Item">Character of my Indian Master, <a href="#page101">101.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Slavery among the Indians less cruel, <a href="#page101">101.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Indian carousal, <a href="#page102">102.</a></p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page140" id="page140"></a>[pg 140]</span> + +<p class="Item">Enfeebled health of my Indian Master, <a href="#page102">102.</a></p> +<p class="Item">His death, <a href="#page102">102.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My escape, <a href="#page103">103.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Adventure in a wigwam, <a href="#page103">103.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Successful progress toward liberty, <a href="#page104">104.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XV</p> +<p class="Item">Adventure on the Prairie, <a href="#page106">106.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I borrow a horse without leave, <a href="#page108">108.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Rapid traveling one whole night, <a href="#page108">108.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Apology for using other men's horses, <a href="#page109">109.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My manner of living on the road, <a href="#page109">109.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XVI.</p> +<p class="Item">Stratagem to get on board the steamer, <a href="#page111">111.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My Irish friends, <a href="#page112">112.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My success in reaching the Ohio, <a href="#page113">113.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Reflections on again seeing Kentucky, <a href="#page113">113.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I get employment in a hotel, <a href="#page113">113.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My fright at seeing the gambler who sold me, <a href="#page114">114.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith, <a href="#page115">115.</a></p> +<p class="Item">His letter, <a href="#page115">115.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My education, <a href="#page116">116.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XVII.</p> +<p class="Item">Letter from W.H. Gatewood, <a href="#page117">117.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My reply, <a href="#page118">118.</a></p> +<p class="Item">My efforts as a public lecturer, <a href="#page119">119.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Singular incident in Steubenville, <a href="#page119">119.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Meeting with a friend of Whitfield in Michigan, <a href="#page121">121.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Outrage on a canal packet, <a href="#page122">122.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Fruitless efforts to find my wife, <a href="#page124">124.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XVIII.</p> +<p class="Item">My last effort to recover my family, <a href="#page126">126.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Sad tidings of my wife, <a href="#page126">126.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Her degradation, <a href="#page126">126.</a></p> +<p class="Item">I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolved for ever, <a href="#page127">127.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XIX.</p> +<p class="Item">Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing, <a href="#page130">130.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Their conduct vindicated, <a href="#page131">131.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Comments on W. Gatewood's letter, <a href="#page132">132.</a></p> + +<p class="Chap">Chap. XX.</p> +<p class="Item">Review of my narrative, <a href="#page134">134.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Licentiousness a prop of Slavery, <a href="#page134">134.</a></p> +<p class="Item">A case of mild slavery given, <a href="#page135">135.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Its revolting features, <a href="#page135">135.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Times of my purchase and sale by professed Christians, <a href="#page136">136.</a></p> +<p class="Item">Concluding remarks, <a href="#page137">137.</a></p> + +<hr class="full" /> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Life and Adventures +of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself, by Henry Bibb + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND *** + +***** This file should be named 15398-h.htm or 15398-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/9/15398/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself + +Author: Henry Bibb + +Release Date: March 17, 2005 [EBook #15398] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + +NARRATIVE + +OF THE + +LIFE AND ADVENTURES + +OF + +HENRY BIBB, + +AN AMERICAN SLAVE, + +WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. + + +WITH + +AN INTRODUCTION + +BY LUCIUS C. MATLACK. + + +NEW YORK: +PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR; 5 SPRUCE STREET. + +1849 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +From the most obnoxious substances we often see spring forth, +beautiful and fragrant, flowers of every hue, to regale the eye, and +perfume the air. Thus, frequently, are results originated which are +wholly unlike the cause that gave them birth. An illustration of this +truth is afforded by the history of American Slavery. + +Naturally and necessarily, the enemy of literature, it has become the +prolific theme of much that is profound in argument, sublime in +poetry, and thrilling in narrative. From the soil of slavery itself +have sprung forth some of the most brilliant productions, whose +logical levers will ultimately upheave and overthrow the system. +Gushing fountains of poetic thought, have started from beneath the rod +of violence, that will long continue to slake the feverish thirst of +humanity outraged, until swelling to a flood it shall rush with +wasting violence over the ill-gotten heritage of the oppressor. +Startling incidents authenticated, far excelling fiction in their +touching pathos, from the pen of self-emancipated slaves, do now +exhibit slavery in such revolting aspects, as to secure the +execrations of all good men, and become a monument more enduring than +marble, in testimony strong as sacred writ against it. + +Of the class last named, is the narrative of the life of Henry Bibb, +which is equally distinguished as a revolting portrait of the hideous +slave system, a thrilling narrative of individual suffering, and a +triumphant vindication of the slave's manhood and mental dignity. And +all this is associated with unmistakable traces of originality and +truthfulness. + +To many, the elevated style, purity of diction, and easy flow of +language, frequently exhibited, will appear unaccountable and +contradictory, in view of his want of early mental culture. But to the +thousands who have listened with delight to his speeches on +anniversary and other occasions, these same traits will be noted as +unequivocal evidence of originality. Very few men present in their +written composition, so perfect a transcript of their style as is +exhibited by Mr. Bibb. + +Moreover, the writer of this introduction is well acquainted with his +handwriting and style. The entire manuscript I have examined and +prepared for the press. Many of the closing pages of it were written +by Mr. Bibb in my office. And the whole is preserved for inspection +now. An examination of it will show that no alteration of sentiment, +language or style, was necessary to make it what it now is, in the +hands of the reader. The work of preparation for the press was that of +orthography and punctuation merely, an arrangement of the chapters, +and a table of contents--little more than falls to the lot of +publishers generally. + +The fidelity of the narrative is sustained by the most satisfactory +and ample testimony. Time has proved its claims to truth. Thorough +investigation has sifted and analysed every essential fact alleged, +and demonstrated clearly that this thrilling and eloquent narrative, +though stranger than fiction, is undoubtedly true. + +It is only necessary to present the following documents to the reader, +to sustain this declaration. For convenience of reference, and that +they may be more easily understood, the letters will be inserted +consecutively, with explanations following the last. + +The best preface to these letters, is the report of a committee +appointed to investigate the truth of Mr. Bibb's narrative as he has +delivered it in public for years past. + + + REPORT + + OF THE UNDERSIGNED, COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE DETROIT + LIBERTY ASSOCIATION TO INVESTIGATE THE TRUTH OF THE + NARRATIVE OF HENRY BIBB, A FUGITIVE FROM SLAVERY, AND REPORT + THEREON: + + Mr. Bibb has addressed several assemblies in Michigan, and + his narrative is generally known. Some of his hearers, among + whom were Liberty men, felt doubt as to the truth of his + statements. Respect for their scruples and the obligation of + duty to the public induced the formation of the present + Committee. + + The Committee entered on the duty confided to them, resolved + on a searching scrutiny, and an unreserved publication of + its result. Mr. Bibb acquiesced in the inquiry with a + praiseworthy spirit. He attended before the Committee and + gave willing aid to its object. He was subjected to a + rigorous examination. Facts--dates--persons--and localities + were demanded and cheerfully furnished. Proper + inquiry--either by letter, or personally, or through the + medium of friends was then made from _every_ person, and in + _every_ quarter likely to elucidate the truth. In fact no + test for its ascertainment, known to the sense or experience + of the Committee, was omitted. The result was the collection + of a large body of testimony from very diversified quarters. + Slave owners, slave dealers, fugitives from slavery, + political friends and political foes contributed to a mass + of testimony, every part of which pointed to a common + conclusion--the undoubted truth of Mr. Bibb's statements. + + In the Committee's opinion no individual can substantiate + the events of his life by testimony more conclusive and + harmonious than is now before them in confirmation of Mr. + Bibb. The main facts of his narrative, and many of the minor + ones are corroborated beyond all question. No inconsistency + has been disclosed nor anything revealed to create + suspicion. The Committee have no hesitation in declaring + their conviction that Mr. Bibb is amply sustained, and is + entitled to public confidence and high esteem. + + The bulk of testimony precludes its publication, but it is + in the Committee's hands for the inspection of any + applicant. + + A.L. PORTER, + C.H. STEWART, + SILAS M. HOLMES. + Committee. + + DETROIT, _April 22, 1845_. + + * * * * * + +From the bulk of testimony obtained, a part only is here introduced. +The remainder fully corroborates and strengthens that. + + [No. 1. An Extract] DAWN MILLS, FEB. 19th, 1845. + + CHARLES H. STEWART, ESQ. + MY DEAR BROTHER: + + Your kind communication of the 13th came to hand yesterday. + I have made inquiries respecting Henry Bibb which may be of + service to you. Mr. Wm. Harrison, to whom you alluded in + your letter, is here. He is a respectable and worthy man--a + man of piety. I have just had an interview with him this + evening. He testifies, that he was well acquainted with + Henry Bibb in Trimble County, Ky., and that he sent a letter + to him by Thomas Henson, and got one in return from him. He + says that Bibb came out to Canada some three years ago, and + went back to get his wife up, but was betrayed at Cincinnati + by a colored man--that he was taken to Louisville but got + away--was taken again and lodged in jail, and sold off to + New Orleans, or he, (Harrison,) understood that he was taken + to New Orleans. He testifies that Bibb is a Methodist man, + and says that two persons who came on with him last Summer, + knew Bibb. One of these, Simpson Young, is now at Malden. + * * * + + Very respectfully, thy friend, + HIRAM WILSON. + + * * * * * + + [No. 2.] BEDFORD, TRIMBLE CO., KENTUCKY. + _March 4, 1845_. + + SIR:--Your letter under date of the 13th ult., is now before + me, making some inquiry about a person supposed to be a + fugitive from the South, "who is lecturing to your religious + community on Slavery and the South." + + I am pleased to inform you that I have it in my power to + give you the information you desire. The person spoken of by + you I have no doubt is Walton, a yellow man, who once + belonged to my father, William Gatewood. He was purchased by + him from John Sibly, and by John Sibly of his brother Albert + G. Sibly, and Albert G. Sibly became possessed of him by his + marriage with Judge David White's daughter, he being born + Judge White's slave. + + The boy Walton at the time he belonged to John Sibly, + married a slave of my father's, a mulatto girl, and sometime + afterwards solicited him to buy him; the old man after much + importuning from Walton, consented to do so, and accordingly + paid Sibly eight hundred and fifty dollars. He did not buy + him because he needed him, but from the fact that he had a + wife there, and Walton on his part promising every thing + that my father could desire. + + It was not long, however, before Walton became indolent and + neglectful of his duty; and in addition to this, he was + guilty, as the old man thought, of worse offences. He + watched his conduct more strictly, and found he was guilty + of disposing of articles from the farm for his own use, and + pocketing the money. + + He actually caught him one day stealing wheat--he had + conveyed one sack full to a neighbor and whilst he was + delivering the other my father caught him in the very act. + + He confessed his guilt and promised to do better for the + future--and on his making promises of this kind my father + was disposed to keep him still, not wishing to part him from + his wife, for whom he professed to entertain the strongest + affection. When the Christmas Holidays came on, the old man, + as is usual in this country, gave his negroes a week + Holiday. Walton, instead of regaling himself by going about + visiting his colored friends, took up his line of march for + her Britanic Majesty's dominions. + + He was gone about two years I think, when I heard of him in + Cincinnati; I repaired thither, with some few friends to aid + me, and succeeded in securing him. + + He was taken to Louisville, and on the next morning after + our arrival there, he escaped, almost from before our face, + while we were on the street before the Tavern. He succeeded + in eluding our pursuit, and again reached Canada in safety. + + Nothing daunted he returned, after a lapse of some twelve or + eighteen months, with the intention, as I have since + learned, of conducting off his wife and eight or ten more + slaves to Canada. + + I got news of his whereabouts, and succeeded in recapturing + him. I took him to Louisville and together with his wife and + child, (she going along with him at her owner's request,) + sold him. He was taken from thence to New Orleans--and from + hence to Red River, Arkansas--and the next news I had of him + he was again wending his way to Canada, and I suppose now is + at or near Detroit. + + In relation to his character, it was the general opinion + here that he was a notorious liar, and a rogue. These + things I can procure any number of respectable witnesses to + prove. + + In proof of it, he says his mother belonged to James Bibb, + which is a lie, there not having been such a man about here, + much less brother of Secretary Bibb. He says that Bibb's + daughter married A.G. Sibly, when the fact is Sibly married + Judge David White's daughter, and his mother belonged to + White also and is now here, free. + + So you will perceive he is guilty of lying for no effect, + and what might it not be supposed he would do where he could + effect anything by it. + + I have been more tedious than I should have been, but being + anxious to give you his rascally conduct in full, must be my + apology. You are at liberty to publish this letter, or make + any use you see proper of it. If you do publish it, let me + have a paper containing the publication--at any rate let me + hear from you again. + + Respectfully yours, &c, + SILAS GATEWOOD. + + TO C.H. STEWART, ESQ. + + * * * * * + + [No. 3. An Extract.] CINCINNATI, _March 10, 1845_. + + MY DEAR SIR:--Mrs. Path, Nickens and Woodson did not see + Bibb on his first visit, in 1837, when he staid with Job + Dundy, but were subsequently told of it by Bibb. They first + saw him in May, 1838. Mrs. Path remembers this date because + it was the month in which she removed from Broadway to + Harrison street, and Bibb assisted her to remove. Mrs. + Path's garden adjoined Dundy's back yard. While engaged in + digging up flowers, she was addressed by Bibb, who was + staying with Dundy, and who offered to dig them up for her. + She hired him to do it. Mrs. Dundy shortly after called over + and told Mrs. Path that he was a slave. After that Mrs. Path + took him into her house and concealed him. While concealed, + he astonished his good protectress by his ingenuity in + bottoming chairs with cane. When the furniture was removed, + Bibb insisted on helping, and was, after some remonstrances, + permitted. At the house on Harrison street, he was employed + for several days in digging a cellar, and was so employed + when seized on Saturday afternoon by the constables. He + held frequent conversations with Mrs. Path and others, in + which he gave them the same account which he has given you. + + On Saturday afternoon, two noted slave-catching constables, + E.V. Brooks and O'Neil, surprised Bibb as he was digging in + the cellar. Bibb sprang for the fence and gained the top of + it, where he was seized and dragged back. They took him + immediately before William Doty, a Justice of infamous + notoriety as an accomplice of kidnappers, proved property, + paid charges and took him away. + + His distressed friends were surprised by his re-appearance + in a few days after, the Wednesday following, as they think. + He reached the house of Dr. Woods, (a colored man since + deceased,) before day-break, and staid until dusk. Mrs. + Path, John Woodson and others made up about twelve dollars + for him. Woodson accompanied him out of town a mile and bid + him "God speed." He has never been here since. Woodson and + Clark saw him at Detroit two years ago. + + Yours truly, + WILLIAM BIRNEY. + + * * * * * + + [No. 4.] LOUISVILLE, _March 14, 1845_. + + MR. STEWART.--Yours of the 1st came to hand on the 13th + inst. You wished me to inform you what became of a boy that + was in the work-house in the fall of '39. The boy you allude + to went by the name of Walton; he had ran away from Kentucky + some time before, and returned for his wife--was caught and + sold to Garrison; he was taken to Louisiana, I think--he was + sold on Red River to a planter. As Garrison is absent in the + City of New Orleans at this time, I cannot inform you who he + was sold to. Garrison will be in Louisville some time this + Spring; if you wish me, I will inquire of Garrison and + inform you to whom he was sold, and where his master lives + at this time. + + Yours, + W. PORTER. + + * * * * * + + [No. 5.] BEDFORD, TRIMBLE COUNTY, KY. + C.H. STEWART, ESQ., + + SIR.--I received your note on the 16th inst., and in + accordance with it I write you these lines. You stated that + you would wish to know something about Walton H. Bibb, and + whether he had a wife and child, and whether they were sold + to New Orleans. Sir, before I answer these inquiries, I + should like to know who Charles H. Stewart is, and why you + should make these inquiries of me, and how you knew who I + was, as you are a stranger to me and I must be to you. In + your next if you will tell me the intention of your + inquiries, I will give you a full history of the whole case. + + I have a boy in your county by the name of King, a large man + and very black; if you are acquainted with him, give him my + compliments, and tell him I am well, and all of his friends. + W.H. Bibb is acquainted with him. + + I wait your answer. + + Your most obedient, + W.H. GATEWOOD. + + _March 17, 1845_. + + * * * * * + + [No. 6.] BEDFORD, KENTUCKY, _April 6th, 1845_. + MR. CHARLES H. STEWART. + + SIR:--Yours of the 1st March is before me, inquiring if one + Walton Bibb, a colored man, escaped from me at Louisville, + Ky., in the Spring of 1839. To that inquiry I answer, he + did. The particulars are these: He ran off from William + Gatewood some time in 1838 I think, and was heard of in + Cincinnati. Myself and some others went there and took him, + and took him to Louisville for sale, by the directions of + his master. While there he made his escape and was gone some + time, I think about one year or longer. He came back it was + said, to get his wife and child, so report says. He was + again taken by his owner; he together with his wife and + child was taken to Louisville and sold to a man who traded + in negroes, and was taken by him to New Orleans and sold + with his wife and child to some man up Red River, so I was + informed by the man who sold him. He then ran off and left + his wife and child and got back, it seems, to your country. + I can say for Gatewood he was a good master, and treated him + well. Gatewood bought him from a Mr. Sibly, who was going + to send him down the river. Walton, to my knowledge, + influenced Gatewood to buy him, and promised if he would, + never to disobey him or run off. Who he belongs to now, I do + not know. I know Gatewood sold his wife and child at a great + sacrifice, to satisfy him. If any other information is + necessary I will give it, if required. You will please write + me again what he is trying to do in your country, or what he + wishes the inquiry from me for. + + Yours, truly, + DANIEL S. LANE. + + * * * * * + +These letters need little comment. Their testimony combined is most +harmonious and conclusive. Look at the points established. + +1. Hiram Wilson gives the testimony of reputable men now in Canada, +who knew Henry Bibb as a slave in Kentucky. + +2. Silas Gatewood, with a peculiar relish, fills three pages of +foolscap, "being anxious to give his rascally conduct in full," as he +says. But he vaults over the saddle and lands on the other side. His +testimony is invaluable as an endorsement of Mr. Bibb's truthfulness. +He illustrates all the essential facts of this narrative. He also +labors to prove him deceitful and a liar. + +Deceit in a slave, is only a slight reflex of the stupendous fraud +practised by his master. And its indulgence has far more logic in its +favor, than the ablest plea ever written for slave holding, under ever +such peculiar circumstances. The attempt to prove Mr. Bibb in the lie, +is a signal failure, as he never affirmed what Gatewood denies. With +this offset, the letter under notice is a triumphant vindication of +one, whom he thought there by to injure sadly. As Mr. Bibb has most +happily acknowledged the wheat, (see page 130,) I pass the charge of +stealing by referring to the logic there used, which will be deemed +convincing. + +3. William Birney, Esq., attests the facts of Mr. Bibb's arrest in +Cincinnati, and the subsequent escape, as narrated by him, from the +declaration of eye witnesses. + +4. W. Porter, Jailor, states that Bibb was in the work-house at +Louisville, held and sold afterwards to the persons and at the places +named in this volume. + +5. W.H. Gatewood, with much Southern dignity, will answer no +questions, but shows his relation to these matters by naming +"King"--saying, "W.H. Bibb is acquainted with him," and promising "a +full history of the case." + +6. Daniel S. Lane, with remarkable straight-forwardness and stupidity, +tells all he knows, and then wants to know what they ask him for. The +writer will answer that question. He wanted to prove by two or more +witnesses, the truth of his own statements; which has most surely been +accomplished. + +Having thus presented an array of testimony sustaining the facts +alleged in this narrative, the introduction will be concluded by +introducing a letter signed by respectable men of Detroit, and +endorsed by Judge Wilkins, showing the high esteem in which Mr. Bibb +is held by those who know him well where he makes his home. Their +testimony expresses their present regard as well as an opinion of his +past character. It is introduced here with the greatest satisfaction, +as the writer is assured, from an intimate acquaintance with Henry +Bibb, that all who know him hereafter will entertain the same +sentiments toward him: + + * * * * * + + DETROIT, _March 10, 1845_. + + The undersigned have pleasure in recommending Henry Bibb to + the kindness and confidence of Anti-slavery friends in every + State. He has resided among us for some years. His + deportment, his conduct, and his Christian course have won + our esteem and affection. The narrative of his sufferings + and more early life has been thoroughly investigated by a + Committee appointed for the purpose. They sought evidence + respecting it in every proper quarter, and their report + attested its undoubted truth. In this conclusion we all + cordially unite. + + H. Bibb has for some years publicly made this narrative to + assemblies, whose number cannot be told; it has commanded + public attention in this State, and provoked inquiry. + Occasionally too we see persons from the South, who knew him + in early years, yet not a word or fact worthy of impairing + its truth has reached us; but on the contrary, every thing + tended to its corroboration. + + Mr. Bibb's Anti-slavery efforts in this State have produced + incalculable benefit. The Lord has blessed him into an + instrument of great power. He has labored much, and for very + inadequate compensation. Lucrative offers for other quarters + did not tempt him to a more profitable field. His sincerity + and disinterestedness are therefore beyond suspicion. + + We bid him "God-speed," on his route. We bespeak for him + every kind consideration. * * * * + + H. HALLOCK, + President of the Detroit Lib. Association. + CULLEN BROWN, _VICE-PRESIDENT_. + S.M. HOLMES, _SECRETARY_. + J.D. BALDWIN, + CHARLES H. STEWART, + MARTIN WILSON, + WILLIAM BARNUM. + + DETROIT, Nov. 11, 1845. + + The undersigned, cheerfully concurs with Mr. Hallock and + others in their friendly recommendation of Mr. Henry Bibb. + The undersigned has known him for many months in the Sabbath + School in this City, partly under his charge, and can + certify to his correct deportment, and commend him to the + sympathies of Christian benevolence. + + ROSS WILKINS. + + * * * * * + + The task now performed, in preparing for the press and + introducing to the public the narrative of Henry Bibb, has + been one of the most pleasant ever required at my hands. And + I conclude it with an expression of the hope that it may + afford interest to the reader, support to the author in his + efforts against slavery, and be instrumental in advancing + the great work of emancipation in this country. + + LUCIUS C. MATLACK. + + NEW YORK CITY, _July 1st, 1849_. + + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE. + + +This work has been written during irregular intervals, while I have +been travelling and laboring for the emancipation of my enslaved +countrymen. The reader will remember that I make no pretension to +literature; for I can truly say, that I have been educated in the +school of adversity, whips, and chains. Experience and observation +have been my principal teachers, with the exception of three weeks +schooling which I have had the good fortune to receive since my escape +from the "grave yard of the mind," or the dark prison of human +bondage. And nothing but untiring perseverance has enabled me to +prepare this volume for the public eye; and I trust by the aid of +Divine Providence to be able to make it intelligible and instructive. +I thank God for the blessings of Liberty--the contrast is truly great +between freedom and slavery. To be changed from a chattel to a human +being, is no light matter, though the process with myself practically +was very simple. And if I could reach the ears of every slave to-day, +throughout the whole continent of America, I would teach the same +lesson, I would sound it in the ears of every hereditary bondman, +"break your chains and fly for freedom!" + +It may be asked why I have written this work, when there has been so +much already written and published of the same character from other +fugitives? And, why publish it after having told it publicly all +through New England and the Western States to multiplied thousands? + +My answer is, that in no place have I given orally the detail of my +narrative; and some of the most interesting events of my life have +never reached the public ear. Moreover, it was at the request of many +friends of down-trodden humanity, that I have undertaken to write the +following sketch, that light and truth might be spread on the sin and +evils of slavery as far as possible. I also wanted to leave my humble +testimony on record against this man-destroying system, to be read by +succeeding generations when my body shall lie mouldering in the dust. + +But I would not attempt by any sophistry to misrepresent slavery in +order to prove its dreadful wickedness. For, I presume there are none +who may read this narrative through, whether Christians or +slaveholders, males or females, but what will admit it to be a system +of the most high-handed oppression and tyranny that ever was tolerated +by an enlightened nation. + + HENRY BIBB + + + + +NARRATIVE + +OF THE + +LIFE OF HENRY BIBB + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Sketch of my Parentage.--Early separation from my Mother.--Hard +Fare.--First Experiments at running away.--Earnest longing for +Freedom.--Abhorrent nature of Slavery._ + + +I was born May 1815, of a slave mother, in Shelby County, Kentucky, +and was claimed as the property of David White Esq. He came into +possession of my mother long before I was born. I was brought up in +the Counties of Shelby, Henry, Oldham, and Trimble. Or, more correctly +speaking, in the above counties, I may safely say, I was _flogged up_; +for where I should have received moral, mental, and religious +instruction, I received stripes without number, the object of which +was to degrade and keep me in subordination. I can truly say, that I +drank deeply of the bitter cup of suffering and woe. I have been +dragged down to the lowest depths of human degradation and +wretchedness, by Slaveholders. + +My mother was known by the name of Milldred Jackson. She is the mother +of seven slaves only, all being sons, of whom I am the eldest. She was +also so fortunate or unfortunate, as to have some of what is called +the slaveholding blood flowing in her veins. I know not how much; but +not enough to prevent her children though fathered by slaveholders, +from being bought and sold in the slave markets of the South. It is +almost impossible for slaves to give a correct account of their male +parentage. All that I know about it is, that my mother informed me +that my fathers name was JAMES BIBB. He was doubtless one of the +present Bibb family of Kentucky; but I have no personal knowledge of +him at all, for he died before my recollection. + +The first time I was separated from my mother, I was young and small. +I knew nothing of my condition then as a slave. I was living with Mr. +White, whose wife died and left him a widower with one little girl, +who was said to be the legitimate owner of my mother, and all her +children. This girl was also my playmate when we were children. + +I was taken away from my mother, and hired out to labor for various +persons, eight or ten years in succession; and all my wages were +expended for the education of Harriet White, my playmate. It was then +my sorrows and sufferings commenced. It was then I first commenced +seeing and feeling that I was a wretched slave, compelled to work +under the lash without wages, and often without clothes enough to hide +my nakedness. I have often worked without half enough to eat, both +late and early, by day and by night. I have often laid my wearied +limbs down at night to rest upon a dirt floor, or a bench, without any +covering at all, because I had no where else to rest my wearied body, +after having worked hard all the day. I have also been compelled in +early life, to go at the bidding of a tyrant, through all kinds of +weather, hot or cold, wet or dry, and without shoes frequently, until +the month of December, with my bare feet on the cold frosty ground, +cracked open and bleeding as I walked. Reader, believe me when I say, +that no tongue, nor pen ever has or can express the horrors of +American Slavery. Consequently I despair in finding language to +express adequately the deep feeling of my soul, as I contemplate the +past history of my life. But although I have suffered much from the +lash, and for want of food and raiment; I confess that it was no +disadvantage to be passed through the hands of so many families, as +the only source of information that I had to enlighten my mind, +consisted in what I could see and hear from others. Slaves were not +allowed books, pen, ink, nor paper, to improve their minds. But it +seems to me now, that I was particularly observing, and apt to retain +what came under my observation. But more especially, all that I heard +about liberty and freedom to the slaves, I never forgot. Among other +good trades I learned the art of running away to perfection. I made a +regular business of it, and never gave it up, until I had broken the +bands of slavery, and landed myself safely in Canada, where I was +regarded as a man, and not as a thing. + +The first time in my life that I ran away, was for ill treatment, in +1835. I was living with a Mr. Vires, in the village of Newcastle. His +wife was a very cross woman. She was every day flogging me, boxing, +pulling my ears, and scolding, so that I dreaded to enter the room +where she was. This first started me to running away from them. I was +often gone several days before I was caught. They would abuse me for +going off, but it did no good. The next time they flogged me, I was +off again; but after awhile they got sick of their bargain, and +returned me back into the hands of my owners. By this time Mr. White +had married his second wife. She was what I call a tyrant. I lived +with her several months, but she kept me almost half of my time in the +woods, running from under the bloody lash. While I was at home she +kept me all the time rubbing furniture, washing, scrubbing the floors; +and when I was not doing this, she would often seat herself in a large +rocking chair, with two pillows about her, and would make me rock her, +and keep off the flies. She was too lazy to scratch her own head, and +would often make me scratch and comb it for her. She would at other +times lie on her bed, in warm weather, and make me fan her while she +slept, scratch and rub her feet; but after awhile she got sick of me, +and preferred a maiden servant to do such business. I was then hired +out again; but by this time I had become much better skilled in +running away, and would make calculation to avoid detection, by taking +with me a bridle. If any body should see me in the woods, as they +have, and asked "what are you doing here sir! you are a runaway!"--I +said, "no, sir, I am looking for our old mare;" at other times, +"looking for our cows." For such excuses I was let pass. In fact, the +only weapon of self defence that I could use successfully, was that of +deception. It is useless for a poor helpless slave, to resist a white +man in a slaveholding State. Public opinion and the law is against +him; and resistance in many cases is death to the slave, while the law +declares, that he shall submit or die. + +The circumstances in which I was then placed, gave me a longing desire +to be free. It kindled a fire of liberty within my breast which has +never yet been quenched. This seemed to be a part of my nature; it was +first revealed to me by the inevitable laws of nature's God. I could +see that the All-wise Creator, had made man a free, moral, intelligent +and accountable being; capable of knowing good and evil. And I +believed then, as I believe now, that every man has a right to wages +for his labor; a right to his own wife and children; a right to +liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and a right to worship God +according to the dictates of his own conscience. But here, in the +light of these truths, I was a slave, a prisoner for life; I could +possess nothing, nor acquire anything but what must belong to my +keeper. No one can imagine my feelings in my reflecting moments, but +he who has himself been a slave. Oh! I have often wept over my +condition, while sauntering through the forest, to escape cruel +punishment. + + "No arm to protect me from tyrants aggression; + No parents to cheer me when laden with grief. + Man may picture the bounds of the rocks and the rivers, + The hills and the valleys, the lakes and the ocean, + But the horrors of slavery, he never can trace." + +The term slave to this day sounds with terror to my soul,--a word too +obnoxious to speak--a system too intolerable to be endured. I know +this from long and sad experience. I now feel as if I had just been +aroused from sleep, and looking back with quickened perception at the +state of torment from whence I fled. I was there held and claimed as a +slave; as such I was subjected to the will and power of my keeper, in +all respects whatsoever. That the slave is a human being, no one can +deny. It is his lot to be exposed in common with other men, to the +calamities of sickness, death, and the misfortunes incident to life. +But unlike other men, he is denied the consolation of struggling +against external difficulties, such as destroy the life, liberty, and +happiness of himself and family. A slave may be bought and sold in the +market like an ox. He is liable to be sold off to a distant land from +his family. He is bound in chains hand and foot; and his sufferings +are aggravated a hundred fold, by the terrible thought, that he is not +allowed to struggle against misfortune, corporeal punishment, insults, +and outrages committed upon himself and family; and he is not allowed +to help himself, to resist or escape the blow, which he sees impending +over him. + +This idea of utter helplessness, in perpetual bondage, is the more +distressing, as there is no period even with the remotest generation +when it shall terminate. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_A fruitless effort for education.--The Sabbath among +Slaves.--Degrading amusements.--Why religion is rejected.--Condition +of poor white people.--Superstition among slaves.--Education +forbidden_. + + +In 1833, I had some very serious religious impressions, and there was +quite a number of slaves in that neighborhood, who felt very desirous +to be taught to read the Bible. There was a Miss Davis, a poor white +girl, who offered to teach a Sabbath School for the slaves, +notwithstanding public opinion and the law was opposed to it. Books +were furnished and she commenced the school; but the news soon got to +our owners that she was teaching us to read. This caused quite an +excitement in the neighborhood. Patrols[1] were appointed to go and +break it up the next Sabbath. They were determined that we should not +have a Sabbath School in operation. For slaves this was called an +incendiary movement. + +The Sabbath is not regarded by a large number of the slaves as a day +of rest. They have no schools to go to; no moral nor religious +instruction at all in many localities where there are hundreds of +slaves. Hence they resort to some kind of amusement. Those who make no +profession of religion, resort to the woods in large numbers on that +day to gamble, fight, get drunk, and break the Sabbath. This is often +encouraged by slaveholders. When they wish to have a little sport of +that kind, they go among the slaves and give them whiskey, to see them +dance, "pat juber," sing and play on the banjo. Then get them to +wrestling, fighting, jumping, running foot races, and butting each +other like sheep. This is urged on by giving them whiskey; making bets +on them; laying chips on one slave's head, and daring another to tip +it off with his hand; and if he tipped it off, it would be called an +insult, and cause a fight. Before fighting, the parties choose their +seconds to stand by them while fighting; a ring or a circle is formed +to fight in, and no one is allowed to enter the ring while they are +fighting, but their seconds, and the white gentlemen. They are not +allowed to fight a duel, nor to use weapons of any kind. The blows are +made by kicking, knocking, and butting with their heads; they grab +each other by their ears, and jam their heads together like sheep. If +they are likely to hurt each other very bad, their masters would rap +them with their walking canes, and make them stop. After fighting, +they make friends, shake hands, and take a dram together, and there is +no more of it. + +But this is all principally for want of moral instruction. This is +where they have no Sabbath Schools; no one to read the Bible to them; +no one to preach the gospel who is competent to expound the +Scriptures, except slaveholders. And the slaves, with but few +exceptions, have no confidence at all in their preaching, because they +preach a pro-slavery doctrine. They say, "Servants be obedient to your +masters;--and he that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, +shall be beaten with many stripes;--" means that God will send them to +hell, if they disobey their masters. This kind of preaching has driven +thousands into infidelity. They view themselves as suffering unjustly +under the lash, without friends, without protection of law or gospel, +and the green eyed monster tyranny staring them in the face. They know +that they are destined to die in that wretched condition, unless they +are delivered by the arm of Omnipotence. And they cannot believe or +trust in such a religion, as above named. + +The poor and loafering class of whites, are about on a par in point of +morals with the slaves at the South. They are generally ignorant, +intemperate, licentious, and profane. They associate much with the +slaves; are often found gambling together on the Sabbath; encouraging +slaves to steal from their owners, and sell to them, corn, wheat, +sheep, chickens, or any thing of the kind which they can well conceal. +For such offences there is no law to reach a slave but lynch law. But +if both parties are caught in the act by a white person, the slave is +punished with the lash, while the white man is often punished with +both lynch and common law. But there is another class of poor white +people in the South, who, I think would be glad to see slavery +abolished in self defence; they despise the institution because it is +impoverishing and degrading to them and their children. + +The slave holders are generally rich, aristocratic, overbearing; and +they look with utter contempt upon a poor laboring man, who earns his +bread by the "sweat of his brow," whether he be moral or immoral, +honest or dishonest. No matter whether he is white or black; if he +performs manual labor for a livelihood, he is looked upon as being +inferior to a slaveholder, and but little better off than the slave, +who toils without wages under the lash. It is true, that the +slaveholder, and non-slaveholder, are living under the same laws in +the same State. But the one is rich, the other is poor; one is +educated, the other is uneducated; one has houses, land and influence, +the other has none. This being the case, that class of the +non-slaveholders would be glad to see slavery abolished, but they dare +not speak it aloud. + +There is much superstition among the slaves. Many of them believe in +what they call "conjuration," tricking, and witchcraft; and some of +them pretend to understand the art, and say that by it they can +prevent their masters from exercising their will over their slaves. +Such are often applied to by others, to give them power to prevent +their masters from flogging them. The remedy is most generally some +kind of bitter root; they are directed to chew it and spit towards +their masters when they are angry with their slaves. At other times +they prepare certain kinds of powders, to sprinkle about their masters +dwellings. This is all done for the purpose of defending themselves in +some peaceable manner, although I am satisfied that there is no virtue +at all in it. I have tried it to perfection when I was a slave at the +South. I was then a young man, full of life and vigor, and was very +fond of visiting our neighbors slaves, but had no time to visit only +Sundays, when I could get a permit to go, or after night, when I could +slip off without being seen. If it was found out, the next morning I +was called up to give an account of myself for going off without +permission; and would very often get a flogging for it. + +I got myself into a scrape at a certain time, by going off in this +way, and I expected to be severely punished for it. I had a strong +notion of running off, to escape being flogged, but was advised by a +friend to go to one of those conjurers, who could prevent me from +being flogged. I went and informed him of the difficulty. He said if I +would pay him a small sum, he would prevent my being flogged. After I +had paid him, he mixed up some alum, salt and other stuff into a +powder, and said I must sprinkle it about my master, if he should +offer to strike me; this would prevent him. He also gave me some kind +of bitter root to chew, and spit towards him, which would certainly +prevent my being flogged. According to order I used his remedy, and +for some cause I was let pass without being flogged that time. + +I had then great faith in conjuration and witchcraft. I was led to +believe that I could do almost as I pleased, without being flogged. So +on the next Sabbath my conjuration was fully tested by my going off, +and staying away until Monday morning, without permission. When I +returned home, my master declared that he would punish me for going +off; but I did not believe that he could do it while I had this root +and dust; and as he approached me, I commenced talking saucy to him. +But he soon convinced me that there was no virtue in them. He became +so enraged at me for saucing him, that he grasped a handful of +switches and punished me severely, in spite of all my roots and +powders. + +But there was another old slave in that neighborhood, who professed to +understand all about conjuration, and I thought I would try his skill. +He told me that the first one was only a quack, and if I would only +pay him a certain amount in cash, that he would tell me how to prevent +any person from striking me. After I had paid him his charge, he told +me to go to the cow-pen after night, and get some fresh cow manure, +and mix it with red pepper and white people's hair, all to be put into +a pot over the fire, and scorched until it could be ground into snuff. +I was then to sprinkle it about my master's bed-room, in his hat and +boots, and it would prevent him from ever abusing me in any way. After +I got it all ready prepared, the smallest pinch of it scattered over a +room, was enough to make a horse sneeze from the strength of it; but +it did no good. I tried it to my satisfaction. It was my business to +make fires in my master's chamber, night and morning. Whenever I could +get a chance, I sprinkled a little of this dust about the linen of the +bed, where they would breathe it on retiring. This was to act upon +them as what is called a kind of love powder, to change their +sentiments of anger, to those of love, towards me, but this all +proved to be vain imagination. The old man had my money, and I was +treated no better for it. + +One night when I went in to make a fire, I availed myself of the +opportunity of sprinkling a very heavy charge of this powder about my +master's bed. Soon after their going to bed, they began to cough and +sneeze. Being close around the house, watching and listening, to know +what the effect would be, I heard them ask each other what in the +world it could be, that made them cough and sneeze so. All the while, +I was trembling with fear, expecting every moment I should be called +and asked if I knew any thing about it. After this, for fear they +might find me out in my dangerous experiments upon them, I had to give +them up, for the time being. I was then convinced that running away +was the most effectual way by which a slave could escape cruel +punishment. + +As all the instrumentalities which I as a slave, could bring to bear +upon the system, had utterly failed to palliate my sufferings, all +hope and consolation fled. I must be a slave for life, and suffer +under the lash or die. The influence which this had only tended to +make me more unhappy. I resolved that I would be free if running away +could make me so. I had heard that Canada was a land of liberty, +somewhere in the North; and every wave of trouble that rolled across +my breast, caused me to think more and more about Canada, and liberty. +But more especially after having been flogged, I have fled to the +highest hills of the forest, pressing my way to the North for refuge; +but the river Ohio was my limit. To me it was an impassable gulf. I +had no rod wherewith to smite the stream, and thereby divide the +waters. I had no Moses to go before me and lead the way from bondage +to a promised land. Yet I was in a far worse state than Egyptian +bondage; for they had houses and land; I had none; they had oxen and +sheep; I had none; they had a wise counsel, to tell them what to do, +and where to go, and even to go with them; I had none. I was +surrounded by opposition on every hand. My friends were few and far +between. I have often felt when running away as if I had scarcely a +friend on earth. + +Sometimes standing on the Ohio River bluff, looking over on a free +State, and as far north as my eyes could see, I have eagerly gazed +upon the blue sky of the free North, which at times constrained me to +cry out from the depths of my soul, Oh! Canada, sweet land of +rest--Oh! when shall I get there! Oh, that I had the wings of a dove, +that I might soar away to where there is no slavery; no clanking of +chains, no captives, no lacerating of backs, no parting of husbands +and wives; and where man ceases to be the property of his fellow man. +These thoughts have revolved in my mind a thousand times. I have stood +upon the lofty banks of the river Ohio, gazing upon the splendid +steamboats, wafted with all their magnificence up and down the river, +and I thought of the fishes of the water, the fowls of the air, the +wild beasts of the forest, all appeared to be free, to go just where +they pleased, and I was an unhappy slave! + +But my attention was gradually turned in a measure from this subject, +by being introduced into the society of young women. This for the time +being took my attention from running away, as waiting on the girls +appeared to be perfectly congenial to my nature. I wanted to be well +thought of by them, and would go to great lengths to gain their +affection. I had been taught by the old superstitious slaves, to +believe in conjuration, and it was hard for me to give up the notion, +for all I had been deceived by them. One of these conjurers, for a +small sum agreed to teach me to make any girl love me that I wished. +After I had paid him, he told me to get a bull frog, and take a +certain bone out of the frog, dry it, and when I got a chance I must +step up to any girl whom I wished to make love me, and scratch her +somewhere on her naked skin with this bone, and she would be certain +to love me, and would follow me in spite of herself; no matter who she +might be engaged to, nor who she might be walking with. + +So I got me a bone for a certain girl, whom I knew to be under the +influence of another young man. I happened to meet her in the company +of her lover, one Sunday evening, walking out; so when I got a chance, +I fetched her a tremendous rasp across her neck with this bone, which +made her jump. But in place of making her love me, it only made her +angry with me. She felt more like running after me to retaliate on me +for thus abusing her, than she felt like loving me. After I found +there was no virtue in the bone of a frog, I thought I would try some +other way to carry out my object. I then sought another counsellor +among the old superstitious influential slaves; one who professed to +be a great friend of mine, told me to get a lock of hair from the head +of any girl, and wear it in my shoes: this would cause her to love me +above all other persons. As there was another girl whose affections I +was anxious to gain, but could not succeed, I thought, without trying +the experiment of this hair. I slipped off one night to see the girl, +and asked her for a lock of her hair; but she refused to give it. +Believing that my success depended greatly upon this bunch of hair, I +was bent on having a lock before I left that night let it cost what it +might. As it was time for me to start home in order to get any sleep +that night, I grasped hold of a lock of her hair, which caused her to +screech, but I never let go until I had pulled it out. This of course +made the girl mad with me, and I accomplished nothing but gained her +displeasure. + +Such are the superstitious notions of the great masses of southern +slaves. It is given to them by tradition, and can never be erased, +while the doors of education are bolted and barred against them. But +there is a prohibition by law, of mental and religious instruction. +The state of Georgia, by an act of 1770, declared "that it shall not +be lawful for any number of free negroes, molattoes or mestinos, or +even slaves in company with white persons, to meet together for the +purpose of mental instruction, either before the rising of the sun or +after the going down of the same." 2d Brevard's Digest, 254-5. Similar +laws exist in most of the slave States, and patrols are sent out after +night and on the Sabbath day to enforce them. They go through their +respective towns to prevent slaves from meeting for religious worship +or mental instruction. + +This is the regulation and law of American Slavery, as sanctioned by +the Government of the United States, and without which it could not +exist. And almost the whole moral, political, and religious power of +the nation are in favor of slavery and aggression, and against liberty +and justice. I only judge by their actions, which speak louder than +words. Slaveholders are put into the highest offices in the gift of +the people in both Church and State, thereby making slaveholding +popular and reputable. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Police peculiar to the South. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_My Courtship and Marriage.--Change of owner.--My first born.--Its +sufferings.--My wife abused.--My own anguish._ + + +The circumstances of my courtship and marriage, I consider to be among +the most remarkable events of my life while a slave. To think that +after I had determined to carry out the great idea which is so +universally and practically acknowledged among all the civilized +nations of the earth, that I would be free or die, I suffered myself +to be turned aside by the fascinating charms of a female, who +gradually won my attention from an object so high as that of liberty; +and an object which I held paramount to all others. + +But when I had arrived at the age of eighteen, which was in the year +of 1833, it was my lot to be introduced to the favor of a mulatto +slave girl named Malinda, who lived in Oldham County, Kentucky, about +four miles from the residence of my owner. Malinda was a medium sized +girl, graceful in her walk, of an extraordinary make, and active in +business. Her skin was of a smooth texture, red cheeks, with dark and +penetrating eyes. She moved in the highest circle[2] of slaves, and +free people of color. She was also one of the best singers I ever +heard, and was much esteemed by all who knew her, for her benevolence, +talent and industry. In fact, I considered Malinda to be equalled by +few, and surpassed by none, for the above qualities, all things +considered. + +It is truly marvellous to see how sudden a man's mind can be changed +by the charms and influence of a female. The first two or three visits +that I paid this dear girl, I had no intention of courting or marrying +her, for I was aware that such a step would greatly obstruct my way to +the land of liberty. I only visited Malinda because I liked her +company, as a highly interesting girl. But in spite of myself, before +I was aware of it, I was deeply in love; and what made this passion so +effectual and almost irresistable, I became satisfied that it was +reciprocal. There was a union of feeling, and every visit made the +impression stronger and stronger. One or two other young men were +paying attention to Malinda, at the same time; one of whom her mother +was anxious to have her marry. This of course gave me a fair +opportunity of testing Malinda's sincerity. I had just about +opposition enough to make the subject interesting. That Malinda loved +me above all others on earth, no one could deny. I could read it by +the warm reception with which the dear girl always met me, and treated +me in her mother's house. I could read it by the warm and affectionate +shake of the hand, and gentle smile upon her lovely cheek. I could +read it by her always giving me the preference of her company; by her +pressing invitations to visit even in opposition to her mother's will. +I could read it in the language of her bright and sparkling eye, +penciled by the unchangable finger of nature, that spake but could not +lie. These strong temptations gradually diverted my attention from my +actual condition and from liberty, though not entirely. + +But oh! that I had only then been enabled to have seen as I do now, or +to have read the following slave code, which is but a stereotyped law +of American slavery. It would have saved me I think from having to +lament that I was a husband and am the father of slaves who are still +left to linger out their days in hopeless bondage. The laws of +Kentucky, my native State, with Maryland and Virginia, which are said +to be the mildest slave States in the Union, noted for their humanity, +Christianity and democracy, declare that "Any slave, for rambling in +the night, or riding horseback without leave, or running away, may be +punished by whipping, cropping and branding in the cheek, or +otherwise, not rendering him unfit for labor." "Any slave convicted of +petty larceny, murder, or wilfully burning of dwelling houses, may be +sentenced to have his right hand cut off; to be hanged in the usual +manner, or the head severed from the body, the body divided into four +quarters, and head and quarters stuck up in the most public place in +the county, where such act was committed." + +At the time I joined my wife in holy wedlock, I was ignorant of these +ungodly laws; I knew not that I was propogating victims for this kind +of torture and cruelty. Malinda's mother was free, and lived in +Bedford, about a quarter of a mile from her daughter; and we often met +and passed off the time pleasantly. Agreeable to promise, on one +Saturday evening, I called to see Malinda, at her mother's residence, +with an intention of letting her know my mind upon the subject of +marriage. It was a very bright moonlight night; the dear girl was +standing in the door, anxiously waiting my arrival. As I approached +the door she caught my hand with an affectionate smile, and bid me +welcome to her mother's fire-side. After having broached the subject +of marriage, I informed her of the difficulties which I conceived to +be in the way of our marriage, and that I could never engage myself to +marry any girl only on certain conditions; near as I can recollect the +substance of our conversation upon the subject, it was, that I was +religiously inclined; that I intended to try to comply with the +requisitions of the gospel, both theoretically and practically through +life. Also that I was decided on becoming a freeman before I died; and +that I expected to get free by running away, and going to Canada, +under the British Government. Agreement on those two cardinal +questions I made my test for marriage. + +I said, "I never will give my heart nor hand to any girl in marriage, +until I first know her sentiments upon the all-important subjects of +Religion and Liberty. No matter how well I might love her nor how +great the sacrifice in carrying out these God-given principles. And I +here pledge myself from this course never to be shaken while a single +pulsation of my heart shall continue to throb for Liberty." With this +idea Malinda appeared to be well pleased, and with a smile she looked +me in the face and said, "I have long entertained the same views, and +this has been one of the greatest reasons why I have not felt inclined +to enter the married state while a slave; I have always felt a desire +to be free; I have long cherished a hope that I should yet be free, +either by purchase or running away. In regard to the subject of +Religion, I have always felt that it was a good thing, and something +that I would seek for at some future period." After I found that +Malinda was right upon these all important questions, and that she +truly loved me well enough to make me an affectionate wife, I made +proposals for marriage. She very modestly declined answering the +question then, considering it to be one of a grave character, and +upon which our future destiny greatly depended. And notwithstanding +she confessed that I had her entire affections, she must have some +time to consider the matter. To this I of course consented, and was to +meet her on the next Saturday night to decide the question. But for +some cause I failed to come, and the next week she sent for me, and on +the Sunday evening following I called on her again; she welcomed me +with all the kindness of an affectionate lover, and seated me by her +side. We soon broached the old subject of marriage, and entered upon a +conditional contract of matrimony, viz: that we would marry if our +minds should not change within one year; that after marriage we would +change our former course and live a pious life; and that we would +embrace the earliest opportunity of running away to Canada for our +liberty. Clasping each other by the hand, pledging our sacred honor +that we would be true, we called on high heaven to witness the +rectitude of our purpose. There was nothing that could be more binding +upon us as slaves than this; for marriage among American slaves, is +disregarded by the laws of this country. It is counted a mere +temporary matter; it is a union which may be continued or broken off, +with or without the consent of a slaveholder, whether he is a priest +or a libertine. + +There is no legal marriage among the slaves of the South; I never saw +nor heard of such a thing in my life, and I have been through seven of +the slave states. A slave marrying according to law, is a thing +unknown in the history of American Slavery. And be it known to the +disgrace of our country that every slaveholder, who is the keeper of a +number of slaves of both sexes, is also the keeper of a house or +houses of ill-fame. Licentious white men, can and do, enter at night +or day the lodging places of slaves; break up the bonds of affection +in families; destroy all their domestic and social union for life; and +the laws of the country afford them no protection. Will any man count, +if they can be counted, the churches of Maryland, Kentucky, and +Virginia, which have slaves connected with them, living in an open +state of adultery, never having been married according to the laws of +the State, and yet regular members of these various denominations, but +more especially the Baptist and Methodist churches? And I hazard +nothing in saying, that this state of things exists to a very wide +extent in the above states. + +I am happy to state that many fugitive slaves, who have been enabled +by the aid of an over-ruling providence to escape to the free North +with those whom they claim as their wives, notwithstanding all their +ignorance and superstition, are not at all disposed to live together +like brutes, as they have been compelled to do in slaveholding +Churches. But as soon as they get free from slavery they go before +some anti-slavery clergyman, and have the solemn ceremony of marriage +performed according to the laws of the country. And if they profess +religion, and have been baptized by a slaveholding minister, they +repudiate it after becoming free, and are re-baptized by a man who is +worthy of doing it according to the gospel rule. + +The time and place of my marriage, I consider one of the most trying +of my life. I was opposed by friends and foes; my mother opposed me +because she thought I was too young, and marrying she thought would +involve me in trouble and difficulty. My mother-in-law opposed me, +because she wanted her daughter to marry a slave who belonged to a +very rich man living near by, and who was well known to be the son of +his master. She thought no doubt that his master or father might +chance to set him free before he died, which would enable him to do a +better part by her daughter than I could! and there was no prospect +then of my ever being free. But his master has neither died nor yet +set his son free, who is now about forty years of age, toiling under +the lash, waiting and hoping that his master may die and will him to +be free. + +The young men were opposed to our marriage for the same reason that +Paddy opposed a match when the clergyman was about to pronounce the +marriage ceremony of a young couple. He said "if there be any present +who have any objections to this couple being joined together in holy +wedlock, let them speak now, or hold their peace henceforth." At this +time Paddy sprang to his feet and said, "Sir, I object to this." Every +eye was fixed upon him. "What is your objection?" said the clergyman. +"Faith," replied Paddy, "Sir I want her myself." + +The man to whom I belonged was opposed, because he feared my taking +off from his farm some of the fruits of my own labor for Malinda to +eat, in the shape of pigs, chickens, or turkeys, and would count it +not robbery. So we formed a resolution, that if we were prevented from +joining in wedlock, that we would run away, and strike for Canada, let +the consequences be what they might. But we had one consolation; +Malinda's master was very much in favor of the match, but entirely +upon selfish principles. When I went to ask his permission to marry +Malinda, his answer was in the affirmative with but one condition +which I consider to be too vulgar to be written in this book. Our +marriage took place one night during the Christmas holydays; at which +time we had quite a festival given us. All appeared to be wide awake, +and we had quite a jolly time at my wedding party. And notwithstanding +our marriage was without license or sanction of law, we believed it to +be honorable before God, and the bed undefiled. Our Christmas holydays +were spent in matrimonial visiting among our friends, while it should +have been spent in running away to Canada, for our liberty. But +freedom was little thought of by us, for several months after +marriage. I often look back to that period even now as one of the most +happy seasons of my life; notwithstanding all the contaminating and +heart-rendering features with which the horrid system of slavery is +marked, and must carry with it to its final grave, yet I still look +back to that season with sweet remembrance and pleasure, that yet hath +power to charm and drive back dull cares which have been accumulated +by a thousand painful recollections of slavery. Malinda was to me an +affectionate wife. She was with me in the darkest hours of adversity. +She was with me in sorrow, and joy, in fasting and feasting, in trial +and persecution, in sickness and health, in sunshine and in shade. + +Some months after our marriage, the unfeeling master to whom I +belonged, sold his farm with the view of moving his slaves to the +State of Missouri, regardless of the separation of husbands and wives +forever; but for fear of my resuming my old practice of running away, +if he should have forced me to leave my wife, by my repeated requests, +he was constrained to sell me to his brother, who lived within seven +miles of Wm. Gatewood, who then held Malinda as his property. I was +permitted to visit her only on Saturday nights, after my work was +done, and I had to be at home before sunrise on Monday mornings or +take a flogging. He proved to be so oppressive, and so unreasonable in +punishing his victims, that I soon found that I should have to run +away in self-defence. But he soon began to take the hint, and sold me +to Wm. Gatewood the owner of Malinda. With my new residence I confess +that I was much dissatisfied. Not that Gatewood was a more cruel +master than my former owner--not that I was opposed to living with +Malinda, who was then the centre and object of my affections--but to +live where I must be eye witness to her insults, scourgings and +abuses, such as are common to be inflicted upon slaves, was more than +I could bear. If my wife must be exposed to the insults and licentious +passions of wicked slavedrivers and overseers; if she must bear the +stripes of the lash laid on by an unmerciful tyrant; if this is to be +done with impunity, which is frequently done by slaveholders and their +abettors, Heaven forbid that I should be compelled to witness the +sight. + +Not many months after I took up my residence on Wm. Gatewood's +plantation, Malinda made me a father. The dear little daughter was +called Mary Frances. She was nurtured and caressed by her mother and +father, until she was large enough to creep over the floor after her +parents, and climb up by a chair before I felt it to be my duty to +leave my family and go into a foreign country for a season. Malinda's +business was to labor out in the field the greater part of her time, +and there was no one to take care of poor little Frances, while her +mother was toiling in the field. She was left at the house to creep +under the feet of an unmerciful old mistress, whom I have known to +slap with her hand the face of little Frances, for crying after her +mother, until her little face was left black and blue. I recollect +that Malinda and myself came from the field one summer's day at noon, +and poor little Frances came creeping to her mother smiling, but with +large tear drops standing in her dear little eyes, sobbing and trying +to tell her mother that she had been abused, but was not able to utter +a word. Her little face was bruised black with the whole print of Mrs. +Gatewood's hand. This print was plainly to be seen for eight days +after it was done. But oh! this darling child was a slave; born of a +slave mother. Who can imagine what could be the feelings of a father +and mother, when looking upon their infant child whipped and tortured +with impunity, and they placed in a situation where they could afford +it no protection. But we were all claimed and held as property; the +father and mother were slaves! + +On this same plantation I was compelled to stand and see my wife +shamefully scourged and abused by her master; and the manner in which +this was done, was so violently and inhumanly committed upon the +person of a female, that I despair in finding decent language to +describe the bloody act of cruelty. My happiness or pleasure was then +all blasted; for it was sometimes a pleasure to be with my little +family even in slavery. I loved them as my wife and child. Little +Frances was a pretty child; she was quiet, playful, bright, and +interesting. She had a keen black eye, and the very image of her +mother was stamped upon her cheek; but I could never look upon the +dear child without being filled with sorrow and fearful apprehensions, +of being separated by slaveholders, because she was a slave, regarded +as property. And unfortunately for me, I am the father of a slave, a +word too obnoxious to be spoken by a fugitive slave. It calls fresh to +my mind the separation of husband and wife; of stripping, tying up and +flogging; of tearing children from their parents, and selling them on +the auction block. It calls to mind female virtue trampled under foot +with impunity. But oh! when I remember that my daughter, my only +child, is still there, destined to share the fate of all these +calamities, it is too much to bear. If ever there was any one act of +my life while a slave, that I have to lament over, it is that of being +a father and a husband of slaves. I have the satisfaction of knowing +that I am only the father of one slave. She is bone of my bone, and +flesh of my flesh; poor unfortunate child. She was the first and shall +be the last slave that ever I will father, for chains and slavery on +this earth. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] The distinction among slaves is as marked, as the classes of +society are in any aristocratic community. Some refusing to associate +with others whom they deem beneath them in point of character, color, +condition, or the superior importance of their respective masters. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_My first adventure for liberty.--Parting Scene.--Journey up the +river.--Safe arrival in Cincinnati.--Journey to Canada.--Suffering +from cold and hunger.--Denied food and shelter by some.--One noble +exception.--Subsequent success.--Arrival at Perrysburgh.--I obtained +employment through the winter.--My return to Kentucky to get my +family._ + + +In the fall or winter of 1837 I formed a resolution that I would +escape, if possible, to Canada, for my Liberty. I commenced from that +hour making preparations for the dangerous experiment of breaking the +chains that bound me as a slave. My preparation for this voyage +consisted in the accumulation of a little money, perhaps not exceeding +two dollars and fifty cents, and a suit which I had never been seen or +known to wear before; this last was to avoid detection. + +On the twenty-fifth of December, 1837, my long anticipated time had +arrived when I was to put into operation my former resolution, which +was to bolt for Liberty or consent to die a Slave. I acted upon the +former, although I confess it to be one of the most self-denying acts +of my whole life, to take leave of an affectionate wife, who stood +before me on my departure, with dear little Frances in her arms, and +with tears of sorrow in her eyes as she bid me a long farewell. It +required all the moral courage that I was master of to suppress my +feelings while taking leave of my little family. + +Had Malinda known my intention at that time, it would not have been +possible for me to have got away, and I might have this day been a +slave. Notwithstanding every inducement was held out to me to run away +if I would be free, and the voice of liberty was thundering in my very +soul, "Be free, oh, man! be free," I was struggling against a thousand +obstacles which had clustered around my mind to bind my wounded spirit +still in the dark prison of mental degradation. My strong attachments +to friends and relatives, with all the love of home and birth-place +which is so natural among the human family, twined about my heart and +were hard to break away from. And withal, the fear of being pursued +with guns and blood-hounds, and of being killed, or captured and +taken to the extreme South, to linger out my days in hopeless bondage +on some cotton or sugar plantation, all combined to deter me. But I +had counted the cost, and was fully prepared to make the sacrifice. +The time for fulfilling my pledge was then at hand. I must forsake +friends and neighbors, wife and child, or consent to live and die a +slave. + +By the permission of my keeper, I started out to work for myself on +Christmas. I went to the Ohio River, which was but a short distance +from Bedford. My excuse for wanting to go there was to get work. High +wages were offered for hands to work in a slaughter-house. But in +place of my going to work there, according to promise, when I arrived +at the river I managed to find a conveyance to cross over into a free +state. I was landed in the village of Madison, Indiana, where +steamboats were landing every day and night, passing up and down the +river, which afforded me a good opportunity of getting a boat passage +to Cincinnati. My anticipation being worked up to the highest pitch, +no sooner was the curtain of night dropped over the village, than I +secreted myself where no one could see me, and changed my suit ready +for the passage. Soon I heard the welcome sound of a Steamboat coming +up the river Ohio, which was soon to waft me beyond the limits of the +human slave markets of Kentucky. When the boat had landed at Madison, +notwithstanding my strong desire to get off, my heart trembled within +me in view of the great danger to which I was exposed in taking +passage on board of a Southern Steamboat; hence before I took passage, +I kneeled down before the Great I Am, and prayed for his aid and +protection, which He bountifully bestowed even beyond my expectation; +for I felt myself to be unworthy. I then stept boldly on the deck of +this splendid swift-running Steamer, bound for the city of Cincinnati. +This being the first voyage that I had ever taken on board of a +Steamboat, I was filled with fear and excitement, knowing that I was +surrounded by the vilest enemies of God and man, liable to be seized +and bound hand and foot, by any white man, and taken back into +captivity. But I crowded myself back from the light among the deck +passengers, where it would be difficult to distinguish me from a white +man. Every time during the night that the mate came round with a +light after the hands, I was afraid he would see I was a colored man, +and take me up; hence I kept from the light as much as possible. Some +men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; but +this was not the case with myself; it was to avoid detection in doing +right. This was one of the instances of my adventures that my affinity +with the Anglo-Saxon race, and even slaveholders, worked well for my +escape. But no thanks to them for it. While in their midst they have +not only robbed me of my labor and liberty, but they have almost +entirely robbed me of my dark complexion. Being so near the color of a +slaveholder, they could not, or did not find me out that night among +the white passengers. There was one of the deck hands on board called +out on his watch, whose hammock was swinging up near by me. I asked +him if he would let me lie in it. He said if I would pay him +twenty-five cents that I might lie in it until day. I readily paid him +the price and got into the hammock. No one could see my face to know +whether I was white or colored, while I was in the hammock; but I +never closed my eyes for sleep that night. I had often heard of +explosions on board of Steamboats; and every time the boat landed, and +blowed off steam, I was afraid the boilers had bursted and we should +all be killed; but I lived through the night amid the many dangers to +which I was exposed. I still maintained my position in the hammock, +until the next morning about 8 o'clock, when I heard the passengers +saying the boat was near Cincinnati; and by this time I supposed that +the attention of the people would be turned to the city, and I might +pass off unnoticed. + +There were no questions asked me while on board the boat. The boat +landed about 9 o'clock in the morning in Cincinnati, and I waited +until after most of the passengers had gone off of the boat; I then +walked as gracefully up street as if I was not running away, until I +had got pretty well up Broadway. My object was to go to Canada, but +having no knowledge of the road, it was necessary for me to make some +inquiry before I left the city. I was afraid to ask a white person, +and I could see no colored person to ask. But fortunately for me I +found a company of little boys at play in the street, and through +these little boys, by asking them indirect questions, I found the +residence of a colored man. + +"Boys, can you tell me where that old colored man lives who saws wood, +and works at jobs around the streets?" + +"What is his name?" said one of the boys. + +"I forget." + +"Is it old Job Dundy?" + +"Is Dundy a colored man?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"That is the very man I am looking for; will you show me where he +lives?" + +"Yes," said the little boy, and pointed me out the house. + +Mr. D. invited me in, and I found him to be a true friend. He asked me +if I was a slave from Kentucky, and if I ever intended to go back into +slavery? Not knowing yet whether he was truly in favor of slaves +running away, I told him that I had just come over to spend my +christmas holydays, and that I was going back. His reply was, "my son, +I would never go back if I was in your place; you have a right to your +liberty." I then asked him how I should get my freedom? He referred me +to Canada, over which waved freedom's flag, defended by the British +Government, upon whose soil there cannot be the foot print of a slave. + +He then commenced telling me of the facilities for my escape to +Canada; of the Abolitionists; of the Abolition Societies, and of their +fidelity to the cause of suffering humanity. This was the first time +in my life that ever I had heard of such people being in existence as +the Abolitionists. I supposed that they were a different race of +people. He conducted me to the house of one of these warm-hearted +friends of God and the slave. I found him willing to aid a poor +fugitive on his way to Canada, even to the dividing of the last cent, +or morsel of bread if necessary. + +These kind friends gave me something to eat and started me on my way +to Canada, with a recommendation to a friend on my way. This was the +commencement of what was called the under ground rail road to Canada. +I walked with bold courage, trusting in the arm of Omnipotence; guided +by the unchangable North Star by night, and inspired by an elevated +thought that I was fleeing from a land of slavery and oppression, +bidding farewell to handcuffs, whips, thumb-screws and chains. + +I travelled on until I had arrived at the place where I was directed +to call on an Abolitionist, but I made no stop: so great were my fears +of being pursued by the pro-slavery hunting dogs of the South. I +prosecuted my journey vigorously for nearly forty-eight hours without +food or rest, struggling against external difficulties such as no one +can imagine who has never experienced the same: not knowing what +moment I might be captured while travelling among strangers, through +cold and fear, breasting the north winds, being thinly clad, pelted by +the snow storms through the dark hours of the night and not a house in +which I could enter to shelter me from the storm. + +The second night from Cincinnati, about midnight, I thought that I +should freeze; my shoes were worn through, and my feet were exposed to +the bare ground. I approached a house on the road-side, knocked at the +door, and asked admission to their fire, but was refused. I went to +the next house, and was refused the privilege of their fire-side, to +prevent my freezing. This I thought was hard treatment among the human +family. But-- + + "Behind a frowning Providence there was a smiling face," + +which soon shed beams of light upon unworthy me. + +The next morning I was still found struggling on my way faint, hungry, +lame, and rest-broken. I could see people taking breakfast from the +road-side, but I did not dare to enter their houses to get my +breakfast, for neither love nor money. In passing a low cottage, I saw +the breakfast table spread with all its bounties, and I could see no +male person about the house; the temptation for food was greater than +I could resist. + +I saw a lady about the table, and I thought that if she was ever so +much disposed to take me up, that she would have to catch and hold me, +and that would have been impossible. I stepped up to the door with my +hat off, and asked her if she would be good enough to sell me a +sixpence worth of bread and meat. She cut off a piece and brought it +to me; I thanked her for it, and handed her the pay, but instead of +receiving it, she burst into tears, and said "never mind the money," +but gently turned away bidding me go on my journey. This was +altogether unexpected to me: I had found a friend in the time of need +among strangers, and nothing could be more cheering in the day of +trouble than this. When I left that place I started with bolder +courage. The next night I put up at a tavern, and continued stopping +at public houses until my means were about gone. When I got to the +Black Swamp in the county of Wood, Ohio, I stopped one night at a +hotel, after travelling all day through mud and snow; but I soon found +that I should not be able to pay my bill. This was about the time that +the "wild-cat banks" were in a flourishing state, and "shin +plasters"[3] in abundance; they would charge a dollar for one night's +lodging. + +After I had found out this, I slipped out of the bar room into the +kitchen where the landlady was getting supper; as she had quite a +number of travellers to cook for that night, I told her if she would +accept my services, I would assist her in getting supper; that I was a +cook. She very readily accepted the offer, and I went to work. + +She was very much pleased with my work, and the next morning I helped +her to get breakfast. She then wanted to hire me for all winter, but I +refused for fear I might be pursued. My excuse to her was that I had a +brother living in Detroit, whom I was going to see on some important +business, and after I got that business attended to, I would come back +and work for them all winter. + +When I started the second morning they paid me fifty cents beside my +board, with the understanding that I was to return; but I have not +gone back yet. + +I arrived the next morning in the village of Perrysburgh, where I +found quite a settlement of colored people, many of whom were fugitive +slaves. I made my case known to them and they sympathized with me. I +was a stranger, and they took me in and persuaded me to spend the +winter in Perrysburgh, where I could get employment and go to Canada +the next spring, in a steamboat which run from Perrysburgh, if I +thought it proper so to do. + +I got a job of chopping wood during that winter which enabled me to +purchase myself a suit, and after paying my board the next spring, I +had saved fifteen dollars in cash. My intention was to go back to +Kentucky after my wife. + +When I got ready to start, which was about the first of May, my +friends all persuaded me not to go, but to get some other person to +go, for fear I might be caught and sold off from my family into +slavery forever. But I could not refrain from going back myself, +believing that I could accomplish it better than a stranger. + +The money that I had would not pass in the South, and for the purpose +of getting it off to a good advantage, I took a steamboat passage to +Detroit, Michigan, and there I spent all my money for dry goods, to +peddle out on my way back through the State of Ohio. I also purchased +myself a pair of false whiskers to put on when I got back to Kentucky, +to prevent any one from knowing me after night, should they see me. I +then started back after my little family. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] Nickname for temporary paper money. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_My safe arrival at Kentucky.--Surprise and delight to find my +family.--Plan for their escape projected.--Return to Cincinnati.--My +betrayal by traitors.--Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky.--Return to +slavery.--Infamous proposal of the slave catchers.--My reply._ + + +I succeeded very well in selling out my goods, and when I arrived in +Cincinnati, I called on some of my friends who had aided me on my +first escape. They also opposed me in going back only for my own good. +But it has ever been characteristic of me to persevere in what I +undertake. + +I took a Steamboat passage which would bring me to where I should want +to land about dark, so as to give me a chance to find my family during +the night if possible. The boat landed me at the proper place, and at +the proper time accordingly. This landing was about six miles from +Bedford, where my mother and wife lived, but with different families. +My mother was the cook at a tavern, in Bedford. When I approached the +house where mother was living, I remembered where she slept in the +kitchen; her bed was near the window. + +It was a bright moonlight night, and in looking through the kitchen +window, I saw a person lying in bed about where my mother had formerly +slept. I rapped on the glass which awakened the person, in whom I +recognised my dear mother, but she knew me not, as I was dressed in +disguise with my false whiskers on; but she came to the window and +asked who I was and what I wanted. But when I took off my false +whiskers, and spoke to her, she knew my voice, and quickly sprang to +the door, clasping my hand, exclaiming, "Oh! is this my son," drawing +me into the room, where I was so fortunate as to find Malinda, and +little Frances, my wife and child, whom I had left to find the fair +climes of liberty, and whom I was then seeking to rescue from +perpetual slavery. + +They never expected to see me again in this life. I am entirely unable +to describe what my feelings were at that time. It was almost like the +return of the prodigal son. There was weeping and rejoicing. They were +filled with surprise and fear; with sadness and joy. The sensation of +joy at that moment flashed like lightning over my afflicted mind, +mingled with a thousand dreadful apprehensions, that none but a heart +wounded slave father and husband like myself can possibly imagine. +After talking the matter over, we decided it was not best to start +with my family that night, as it was very uncertain whether we should +get a boat passage immediately. And in case of failure, if Malinda +should get back even before day-light the next morning, it would have +excited suspicion against her, as it was not customary for slaves to +leave home at that stage of the week without permission. Hence we +thought it would be the most effectual way for her to escape, to start +on Saturday night; this being a night on which the slaves of Kentucky +are permitted to visit around among their friends, and are often +allowed to stay until the afternoon on Sabbath day. + +I gave Malinda money to pay her passage on board of a Steamboat to +Cincinnati, as it was not safe for me to wait for her until Saturday +night; but she was to meet me in Cincinnati, if possible, the next +Sunday. Her father was to go with her to the Ohio River on Saturday +night, and if a boat passed up during the night she was to get on +board at Madison, and come to Cincinnati. If she should fail in +getting off that night, she was to try it the next Saturday night. +This was the understanding when we separated. This we thought was the +best plan for her escape, as there had been so much excitement caused +by my running away. + +The owners of my wife were very much afraid that she would follow me; +and to prevent her they had told her and other slaves that I had been +persuaded off by the Abolitionists, who had promised to set me free, +but had sold me off to New Orleans. They told the slaves to beware of +the abolitionists, that their object was to decoy off slaves and then +sell them off in New Orleans. Some of them believed this, and others +believed it not; and the owners of my wife were more watchful over her +than they had ever been before as she was unbelieving. + +This was in the month of June, 1838. I left Malinda on a bright but +lonesome Wednesday night. When I arrived at the river Ohio, I found a +small craft chained to a tree, in which I ferried myself across the +stream. + +I succeeded in getting a Steamboat passage back to Cincinnati, where I +put up with one of my abolition friends who knew that I had gone after +my family, and who appeared to be much surprised to see me again. I +was soon visited by several friends who knew of my having gone back +after my family. They wished to know why I had not brought my family +with me; but after they understood the plan, and that my family was +expected to be in Cincinnati within a few days, they thought it the +best and safest plan for us to take a stage passage out to Lake Erie. +But being short of money, I was not able to pay my passage in the +stage, even if it would have prevented me from being caught by the +slave hunters of Cincinnati, or save me from being taken back into +bondage for life. + +These friends proposed helping me by subscription; I accepted their +kind offer, but in going among friends to solicit aid for me, they +happened to get among traitors, and kidnappers, both white and colored +men, who made their living by that kind of business. Several persons +called on me and made me small donations, and among them two white men +came in professing to be my friends. They told me not to be afraid of +them, they were abolitionists. They asked me a great many questions. +They wanted to know if I needed any help? and they wanted to know if +it could be possible that a man so near white as myself could be a +slave? Could it be possible that men would make slaves of their own +children? They expressed great sympathy for me, and gave me fifty +cents each; by this they gained my confidence. They asked my master's +name; where he lived, &c. After which they left the room, bidding me +God speed. These traitors, or land pirates, took passage on board of +the first Steamboat down the river, in search of my owners. When they +found them, they got a reward of three hundred dollars offered for the +re-capture of this "stray" which they had so long and faithfully been +hunting, by day and by night, by land and by water, with dogs and with +guns, but all without success. This being the last and only chance for +dragging me back into hopeless bondage, time and money was no object +when they saw a prospect of my being re-taken. + +Mr. Gatewood got two of his slaveholding neighbors to go with him to +Cincinnati, for the purpose of swearing to anything which might be +necessary to change me back into property. They came on to Cincinnati, +and with but little effort they soon rallied a mob of ruffians who +were willing to become the watch-dogs of slaveholders, for a dram, in +connection with a few slavehunting petty constables. + +While I was waiting the arrival of my family, I got a job of digging a +cellar for the good lady where I was stopping, and while I was digging +under the house, all at once I heard a man enter the house; another +stept up to the cellar door to where I was at work; he looked in and +saw me with my coat off at work. He then rapped over the cellar door +on the house side, to notify the one who had entered the house to look +for me that I was in the cellar. This strange conduct soon excited +suspicion so strong in me, that I could not stay in the cellar and +started to come out, but the man who stood by the door, rapped again +on the house side, for the other to come to his aid, and told me to +stop. I attempted to pass out by him, and he caught hold of me, and +drew a pistol, swearing if I did not stop he would shoot me down. By +this time I knew that I was betrayed. + +I asked him what crime I had committed that I should be murdered. + +"I will let you know, very soon," said he. + +By this time there were others coming to his aid, and I could see no +way by which I could possibly escape the jaws of that hell upon earth. + +All my flattering prospects of enjoying my own fire-side, with my +little family, were then blasted and gone; and I must bid farewell to +friends and freedom forever. + +In vain did I look to the infamous laws of the Commonwealth of Ohio, +for that protection against violence and outrage, that even the vilest +criminal with a white skin might enjoy. But oh! the dreadful thought, +that after all my sacrifice and struggling to rescue my family from +the hands of the oppressor; that I should be dragged back into cruel +bondage to suffer the penalty of a tyrant's law, to endure stripes and +imprisonment, and to be shut out from all moral as well as +intellectual improvement, and linger out almost a living death. + +When I saw a crowd of blood-thirsty, unprincipled slave hunters +rushing upon me armed with weapons of death, it was no use for me to +undertake to fight my way through against such fearful odds. + +But I broke away from the man who stood by with his pistol drawn to +shoot me if I should resist, and reached the fence and attempted to +jump over it before I was overtaken; but the fence being very high I +was caught by my legs before I got over. + +I kicked and struggled with all my might to get away, but without +success. I kicked a new cloth coat off of his back, while he was +holding on to my leg. I kicked another in his eye; but they never let +me go until they got more help. By this time, there was a crowd on the +out side of the fence with clubs to beat me back. Finally, they +succeeded in dragging me from the fence and overpowered me by numbers +and choked me almost to death. + +These ruffians dragged me through the streets of Cincinnati, to what +was called a justice office. But it was more like an office of +injustice. + +When I entered the room I was introduced to three slaveholders, one of +whom was a son of Wm. Gatewood, who claimed me as his property. They +pretended to be very glad to see me. + +They asked me if I did not want to see my wife and child; but I made +no reply to any thing that was said until I was delivered up as a +slave. After they were asked a few questions by the court, the old +pro-slavery squire very gravely pronounced me to be the property of +Mr. Gatewood. + +The office being crowded with spectators, many of whom were colored +persons, Mr. G. was afraid to keep me in Cincinnati, two or three +hours even, until a steamboat got ready to leave for the South. So +they took me across the river, and locked me up in Covington jail, for +safe keeping. This was the first time in my life that I had been put +into a jail. It was truly distressing to my feelings to be locked up +in a cold dungeon for no crime. The jailor not being at home, his wife +had to act in his place. After my owners had gone back to Cincinnati, +the jailor's wife, in company with another female, came into the jail +and talked with me very friendly. + +I told them all about my situation, and these ladies said they hoped +that I might get away again, and went so far as to tell me if I should +be kept in the jail that night, there was a hole under the wall of the +jail where a prisoner had got out. It was only filled up with loose +dirt, they said, and I might scratch it out and clear myself. + +This I thought was a kind word from an unexpected friend: I had power +to have taken the key from those ladies, in spite of them, and have +cleared myself; but knowing that they would have to suffer perhaps for +letting me get away, I thought I would wait until after dark, at which +time I should try to make my escape, if they should not take me out +before that time. But within two or three hours, they came after me, +and conducted me on board of a boat, on which we all took passage down +to Louisville. I was not confined in any way, but was well guarded by +five men, three of whom were slaveholders, and the two young men from +Cincinnati, who had betrayed me. + +After the boat had got fairly under way, with these vile men standing +around me on the upper deck of the boat, and she under full speed +carrying me back into a land of torment, I could see no possible way +of escape. Yet, while I was permitted to gaze on the beauties of +nature, on free soil, as I passed down the river, things looked to me +uncommonly pleasant: The green trees and wild flowers of the forest; +the ripening harvest fields waving with the gentle breezes of Heaven; +and the honest farmers tilling their soil and living by their own +toil. These things seem to light upon my vision with a peculiar charm. +I was conscious of what must be my fate; a wretched victim for Slavery +without limit; to be sold like an ox, into hopeless bondage, and to be +worked under the flesh devouring lash during life, without wages. + +This was to me an awful thought; every time the boat run near the +shore, I was tempted to leap from the deck down into the water, with a +hope of making my escape. Such was then my feeling. + +But on a moment's reflection, reason with her warning voice overcame +this passion by pointing out the dreadful consequences of one's +committing suicide. And this I thought would have a very striking +resemblance to the act, and I declined putting into practice this +dangerous experiment, though the temptation was great. + +These kidnapping gentlemen, seeing that I was much dissatisfied, +commenced talking to me, by saying that I must not be cast down; they +were going to take me back home to live with my family, if I would +promise not to run away again. + +To this I agreed, and told them that this was all that I could ask, +and more than I had expected. + +But they were not satisfied with having recaptured me, because they +had lost other slaves and supposed that I knew their whereabouts; and +truly I did. They wanted me to tell them; but before telling I wanted +them to tell who it was that had betrayed me into their hands. They +said that I was betrayed by two colored men in Cincinnati, whose names +they were backward in telling, because their business in connection +with themselves was to betray and catch fugitive slaves for the reward +offered. They undertook to justify the act by saying if they had not +betrayed me, that somebody else would, and if I would tell them where +they could catch a number of other runaway slaves, they would pay for +me and set me free, and would then take me in as one of the Club. They +said I would soon make money enough to buy my wife and child out of +slavery. + +But I replied, "No, gentlemen, I cannot commit or do an act of that +kind, even if it were in my power so to do. I know that I am now in +the power of a master who can sell me from my family for life, or +punish me for the crime of running away, just as he pleases: I know +that I am a prisoner for life, and have no way of extricating myself; +and I also know that I have been deceived and betrayed by men who +professed to be my best friends; but can all this justify me in +becoming a traitor to others? Can I do that which I complain of others +for doing unto me? Never, I trust, while a single pulsation of my +heart continues to beat, can I consent to betray a fellow man like +myself back into bondage, who has escaped. Dear as I love my wife and +little child, and as much as I should like to enjoy freedom and +happiness with them, I am unwilling to bring this about by betraying +and destroying the liberty and happiness of others who have never +offended me!" + +I then asked them again if they would do me the kindness to tell me +who it was betrayed me into their hands at Cincinnati? They agreed to +tell me with the understanding that I was to tell where there was +living, a family of slaves at the North, who had run away from Mr. +King of Kentucky. I should not have agreed to this, but I knew the +slaves were in Canada, where it was not possible for them to be +captured. After they had told me the names of the persons who betrayed +me, and how it was done, then I told them their slaves were in Canada, +doing well. The two white men were Constables, who claimed the right +of taking up any strange colored person as a slave; while the two +colored kidnappers, under the pretext of being abolitionists, would +find out all the fugitives they could, and inform these Constables for +which they got a part of the reward, after they had found out where +the slaves were from, the name of his master, &c. By the agency of +these colored men, they were seized by a band of white ruffians, +locked up in jail, and their master sent for. These colored +kidnappers, with the Constables, were getting rich by betraying +fugitive slaves. This was told to me by one of the Constables, while +they were all standing around trying to induce me to engage in the +same business for the sake of regaining my own liberty, and that of my +wife and child. But my answer even there, under the most trying +circumstances, surrounded by the strongest enemies of God and man, was +most emphatically in the negative. "Let my punishment be what it may, +either with the lash or by selling me away from my friends and home; +let my destiny be what you please, I can never engage in this business +for the sake of getting free." + +They said I should not be sold nor punished with the lash for what I +had done, but I should be carried back to Bedford, to live with my +wife. Yet when the boat got to where we should have landed, she wafted +by without making any stop. I felt awful in view of never seeing my +family again; they asked what was the matter? what made me look so +cast down? I informed them that I knew I was to be sold in the +Louisville slave market, or in New Orleans, and I never expected to +see my family again. But they tried to pacify me by promising not to +sell me to a slave trader who would take me off to New Orleans; +cautioning me at the same time not to let it be known that I had been +a runaway. This would very much lessen the value of me in market. They +would not punish me by putting irons on my limbs, but would give me a +good name, and sell me to some gentleman in Louisville for a house +servant. They thought I would soon make money enough to buy myself, +and would not part with me if they could get along without. But I had +cost them so much in advertising and looking for me, that they were +involved by it. In the first place they paid eight hundred and fifty +dollars for me; and when I first run away, they paid one hundred for +advertising and looking after me; and now they had to pay about forty +dollars, expenses travelling to and from Cincinnati, in addition to +the three hundred dollars reward; and they were not able to pay the +reward without selling me. + +I knew then the only alternative left for me to extricate myself was +to use deception, which is the most effectual defence a slave can use. +I pretended to be satisfied for the purpose of getting an opportunity +of giving them the slip. + +But oh, the distress of mind, the lamentable thought that I should +never again see the face nor hear the gentle voice of my nearest and +dearest friends in this life. I could imagine what must be my fate +from my peculiar situation. To be sold to the highest bidder, and then +wear the chains of slavery down to the grave. The day star of liberty +which had once cheered and gladdened my heart in freedom's land, had +then hidden itself from my vision, and the dark and dismal frown of +slavery had obscured the sunshine of freedom from me, as they supposed +for all time to come. + +But the understanding between us was, I was not to be tied, chained, +nor flogged; for if they should take me into the city handcuffed and +guarded by five men the question might be asked what crime I had +committed? And if it should be known that I had been a runaway to +Canada, it would lessen the value of me at least one hundred dollars. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Arrival at Louisville, Ky.--Efforts to sell me.--Fortunate escape +from the man-stealers in the public street.--I return to Bedford, +Ky.--The rescue of my family again attempted.--I started alone +expecting them to follow.--After waiting some months I resolve to go +back again to Kentucky._ + + +When the boat arrived at Louisville, the day being too far spent for +them to dispose of me, they had to put up at a Hotel. When we left the +boat, they were afraid of my bolting from them in the street, and to +prevent this they took hold of my arms, one on each side of me, +gallanting me up to the hotel with as much propriety as if I had been +a white lady. This was to deceive the people, and prevent my getting +away from them. + +They called for a bed-room to which I was conducted and locked within. +That night three of them lodged in the same room to guard me. They +locked the door and put the key under the head of their bed. I could +see no possible way for my escape without jumping out of a high three +story house window. + +It was almost impossible for me to sleep that night in my peculiar +situation. I passed the night in prayer to our Heavenly Father, asking +that He would open to me even the smallest chance for escape. + +The next morning after they had taken breakfast, four of them left me +in the care of Dan Lane. He was what might be called one of the watch +dogs of Kentucky. There was nothing too mean for him to do. He never +blushed to rob a slave mother of her children, no matter how young or +small. He was also celebrated for slave selling, kidnapping, and negro +hunting. He was well known in that region by the slaves as well as the +slaveholders, to have all the qualifications necessary for his +business. He was a drunkard, a gambler, a profligate, and a +slaveholder. + +While the other four were looking around through the city for a +purchaser, Dan was guarding me with his bowie knife and pistols. After +a while the others came in with two persons to buy me, but on seeing +me they remarked that they thought I would run away, and asked me if I +had ever run away. Dan sprang to his feet and answered the question +for me, by telling one of the most palpable falsehoods that ever came +from the lips of a slaveholder. He declared that I had never run away +in my life! + +Fortunately for me, Dan, while the others were away, became unwell; +and from taking salts, or from some other cause, was compelled to +leave his room. Off he started to the horse stable which was located +on one of the most public streets of Louisville, and of course I had +to accompany him. He gallanted me into the stable by the arm, and +placed himself back in one of the horses stalls and ordered me to +stand by until he was ready to come out. + +At this time a thousand thoughts were flashing through my mind with +regard to the propriety of trying the springs of my heels, which +nature had so well adapted for taking the body out of danger, even in +the most extraordinary emergencies. I thought in the attempt to get +away by running, if I should not succeed, it could make my condition +no worse, for they could but sell me and this they were then trying to +do. These thoughts impelled me to keep edging towards the door, though +very cautiously. Dan kept looking around after me as if he was not +satisfied at my getting so near to the door. But the last I saw of him +in the stable was just as he turned his eyes from me; I nerved myself +with all the moral courage I could command and bolted for the door, +perhaps with the fleetness of a much frightened deer, who never looks +behind in time of peril. Dan was left in the stable to make ready for +the race, or jump out into the street half dressed, and thereby +disgrace himself before the public eye. + +It would be impossible for me to set forth the speed with which I run +to avoid my adversary; I succeeded in turning a corner before Dan got +sight of me, and by fast running, turning corners, and jumping high +fences, I was enabled to effect my escape. + +In running so swiftly through the public streets, I thought it would +be a safer course to leave the public way, and as quick as thought I +spied a high board fence by the way and attempted to leap over it. The +top board broke and down I came into a hen-coop which stood by the +fence. The dogs barked, and the hens flew and cackled so, that I +feared it would lead to my detection before I could get out of the +yard. + +The reader can only imagine how great must have been the excited state +of my mind while exposed to such extraordinary peril and danger on +every side. In danger of being seized by a savage dog, which sprang at +me when I fell into the hen-coop; in danger of being apprehended by +the tenants of the lot; in danger of being shot or wounded by any one +who might have attempted to stop me, a runaway slave; and in danger on +the other hand of being overtaken and getting in conflict with my +adversary. With these fearful apprehensions, caution dictated me not +to proceed far by day-light in this slaveholding city. + +At this moment every nerve and muscle of my whole system was in full +stretch; and every facility of the mind brought into action striving +to save myself from being re-captured. I dared not go to the forest, +knowing that I might be tracked by blood-hounds, and overtaken. I was +so fortunate as to find a hiding place in the city which seemed to be +pointed out by the finger of Providence. After running across lots, +turning corners, and shunning my fellow men, as if they were wild +ferocious beasts. I found a hiding place in a pile of boards or +scantling, where I kept concealed during that day. + +No tongue nor pen can describe the dreadful apprehensions under which +I labored for the space of ten or twelve hours. My hiding place +happened to be between two workshops, where there were men at work +within six or eight feet of me. I could imagine that I heard them +talking about me, and at other times thought I heard the footsteps of +Daniel Lane in close pursuit. But I retained my position there until 9 +or 10 o'clock at night, without being discovered; after which I +attempted to find my way out, which was exceedingly difficult. The +night being very dark, in a strange city, among slaveholders and slave +hunters, to me it was like a person entering a wilderness among wolves +and vipers, blindfolded. I was compelled from necessity to enter this +place for refuge under the most extraordinary state of excitement, +without regard to its geographical position. I found myself surrounded +with a large block of buildings, which comprised a whole square, +built up mostly on three sides, so that I could see no way to pass out +without exposing myself perhaps to the gaze of patrols, or slave +catchers. + +In wandering around through the dark, I happened to find a calf in a +back yard, which was bawling after the cow; the cow was also lowing in +another direction, as if they were trying to find each other. A +thought struck me that there must be an outlet somewhere about, where +the cow and calf were trying to meet. I started in the direction where +I heard the lowing of the cow, and I found an arch or tunnel extending +between two large brick buildings, where I could see nothing of the +cow but her eyes, shining like balls of fire through the dark tunnel, +between the walls, through which I passed to where she stood. When I +entered the streets I found them well lighted up. My heart was +gladdened to know there was another chance for my escape. No bird ever +let out of a cage felt more like flying, than I felt like running. + +Before I left the city, I chanced to find by the way, an old man of +color. Supposing him to be a friend, I ventured to make known my +situation, and asked him if he would get me a bite to eat. The old man +most cheerfully complied with my request. I was then about forty miles +from the residence of Wm. Gatewood, where my wife, whom I sought to +rescue from slavery, was living. This was also in the direction it was +necessary for me to travel in order to get back to the free North. +Knowing that the slave catchers would most likely be watching the +public highway for me, to avoid them I made my way over the rocky +hills, woods and plantations, back to Bedford. + +I travelled all that night, guided on my way by the shining stars of +heaven alone. The next morning just before the break of day, I came +right to a large plantation, about which I secreted myself, until the +darkness of the next night began to disappear. The morning larks +commenced to chirp and sing merrily--pretty soon I heard the whip +crack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field. About +breakfast time, I heard the sound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in +the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer. He +started to the house before the slaves, which gave me an opportunity +to get the attention of one of the slaves, whom I met at the fence, +before he started to his breakfast, and made known to him my wants and +distresses. I also requested him to bring me a piece of bread if he +could when he came back to the field. + +The hospitable slave complied with my request. He came back to the +field before his fellow laborers, and brought me something to eat, and +as an equivolent for his kindness, I instructed him with regard to +liberty, Canada, the way of escape, and the facilities by the way. He +pledged his word that himself and others would be in Canada, in less +than six months from that day. This closed our interview, and we +separated. I concealed myself in the forest until about sunset, before +I pursued my journey; and the second night from Louisville, I arrived +again in the neighborhood of Bedford, where my little family were held +in bondage, whom I so earnestly strove to rescue. + +I concealed myself by the aid of a friend in that neighborhood, +intending again to make my escape with my family. + +This confidential friend then carried a message to Malinda, requesting +her to meet me on one side of the village. + +We met under the most fearful apprehensions, for my pursuers had +returned from Louisville, with the lamentable story that I was gone, +and yet they were compelled to pay three hundred dollars to the +Cincinnati slave catchers for re-capturing me there. + +Daniel Lane's account of my escape from him, looked so unreasonable to +slaveholders, that many of them charged him with selling me and +keeping the money; while others believed that I had got away from him, +and was then in the neighborhood, trying to take off my wife and +child, which was true. Lane declared that in less than five minutes +after I run out of the stable in Louisville, he had over twenty men +running and looking in every direction after me; but all without +success. They could hear nothing of me. They had turned over several +tons of hay in a large loft, in search, and I was not to be found +there. Dan imputed my escape to my godliness! He said that I must have +gone up in a chariot of fire, for I went off by flying; and that he +should never again have any thing to do with a praying negro. + +Great excitement prevailed in Bedford, and many were out watching for +me at the time Malinda was relating to me these facts. The excitement +was then so great among the slaveholders--who were anxious to have me +re-captured as a means of discouraging other slaves from running +away--that time and money were no object while there was the least +prospect of their success. I therefore declined making an effort just +at that time to escape with my little family. Malinda managed to get +me into the house of a friend that night, in the village, where I kept +concealed several days seeking an opportunity to escape with Malinda +and Frances to Canada. + +But for some time Malinda was watched so very closely by white and by +colored persons, both day and night, that it was not possible for us +to escape together. They well knew that my little family was the only +object of attraction that ever had or ever would induce me to come +back and risk my liberty over the threshold of slavery--therefore this +point was well guarded by the watch dogs of slavery, and I was +compelled again to forsake my wife for a season, or surrender, which +was suicidal to the cause of freedom, in my judgment. + +The next day after my arrival in Bedford, Daniel Lane came to the very +house wherein I was concealed and talked in my hearing to the family +about my escape from him out of the stable in Louisville. He was near +enough for me to have laid my hands on his head while in that +house--and the intimidation which this produced on me was more than I +could bear. I was also aware of the great temptation of the reward +offered to white or colored persons for my apprehension; I was exposed +to other calamities which rendered it altogether unsafe for me to stay +longer under that roof. + +One morning about 2 o'clock, I took leave of my little family and +started for Canada. This was almost like tearing off the limbs from my +body. When we were about to separate, Malinda clasped my hand +exclaiming, "oh my soul! my heart is almost broken at the thought of +this dangerous separation. This may be the last time we shall ever see +each other's faces in this life, which will destroy all my future +prospects of life and happiness forever." At this time the poor +unhappy woman burst into tears and wept loudly; and my eyes were not +dry. We separated with the understanding that she was to wait until +the excitement was all over; after which she was to meet me at a +certain place in the State of Ohio; which would not be longer than two +months from that time. + +I succeeded that night in getting a steamboat conveyance back to +Cincinnati, or within ten miles of the city. I was apprehensive that +there were slave-hunters in Cincinnati, watching the arrival of every +boat up the river, expecting to catch me; and the boat landing to take +in wood ten miles below the city, I got off and walked into +Cincinnati, to avoid detection. + +On my arrival at the house of a friend, I heard that the two young men +who betrayed me for the three hundred dollars had returned and were +watching for me. One of my friends in whom they had great confidence, +called on the traitors, after he had talked with me, and asked them +what they had done with me. Their reply was that I had given them the +slip, and that they were glad of it, because they believed that I was +a good man, and if they could see me on my way to Canada, they would +give me money to aid me on my escape. My friend assured them that if +they would give any thing to aid me on my way, much or little, if they +would put the same into his hands, he would give it to me that night, +or return it to them the next morning. + +They then wanted to know where I was and whether I was in the city; +but he would not tell them, but one of them gave him one dollar for +me, promising that if I was in the city, and he would let him know the +next morning, he would give me ten dollars. + +But I never waited for the ten dollars. I received one dollar of the +amount which they got for betraying me, and started that night for the +north. Their excuse for betraying me, was, that catching runaways was +their business, and if they had not done it somebody else would, but +since they had got the reward they were glad that I had made my +escape. + +Having travelled the road several times from Cincinnati to Lake Erie, +I travelled through without much fear or difficulty. My friends in +Perrysburgh, who knew that I had gone back into the very jaws of +slavery after my family, were much surprised at my return, for they +had heard that I was re-captured. + +After I had waited three months for the arrival of Malinda, and she +came not, it caused me to be one of the most unhappy fugitives that +ever left the South. I had waited eight or nine months without hearing +from my family. I felt it to be my duty, as a husband and father, to +make one more effort. I felt as if I could not give them up to be +sacrificed on the "bloody altar of slavery." I felt as if love, duty, +humanity and justice, required that I should go back, putting my trust +in the God of Liberty for success. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_My safe return to Kentucky.--The perils I encountered there.--Again +betrayed, and taken by a mob; ironed and imprisoned.--Narrow escape +from death.--Life in a slave prison._ + + +I prepared myself for the journey before named, and started back in +the month of July, 1839. + +My intention was, to let no person know my business until I returned +back to the North. I went to Cincinnati, and got a passage down on +board of a boat just as I did the first time, without any misfortune +or delay. I called on my mother, and the raising of a dead body from +the grave could not have been more surprising to any one than my +arrival was to her, on that sad summer's night. She was not able to +suppress her feelings. When I entered the room, there was but one +other person in the house with my mother, and this was a little slave +girl who was asleep when I entered. The impulsive feeling which is +ever ready to act itself out at the return of a long absent friend, +was more than my bereaved mother could suppress. And unfortunately for +me, the loud shouts of joy at that late hour of the night, awakened +the little slave girl, who afterwards betrayed me. She kept perfectly +still, and never let either of us know that she was awake, in order +that she might hear our conversation and report it. Mother informed me +where my family was living, and that she would see them the next day, +and would make arrangements for us to meet the next night at that +house after the people in the village had gone to bed. I then went off +and concealed myself during the next day, and according to promise +came back the next night about eleven o'clock. + +When I got near the house, moving very cautiously, filled with fearful +apprehensions, I saw several men walking around the house as if they +were looking for some person. I went back and waited about one hour, +before I returned, and the number of men had increased. They were +still to be seen lurking about this house, with dogs following them. +This strange movement frightened me off again, and I never returned +until after midnight, at which time I slipped up to the window, and +rapped for my mother, who sprang to it and informed me that I was +betrayed by the girl who overheard our conversation the night before. +She thought that if I could keep out of the way for a few days, the +white people would think that this girl was mistaken, or had lied. She +had told her old mistress that I was there that night, and had made a +plot with my mother to get my wife and child there the next night, and +that I was going to take them off to Canada. + +I went off to a friend of mine, who rendered me all the aid that one +slave could render another, under the circumstances. Thank God he is +now free from slavery, and is doing well. He was a messenger for me to +my wife and mother, until at the suggestion of my mother, I changed an +old friend for a new one, who betrayed me for the sum of five dollars. + +We had set the time when we were to start for Canada, which was to be +on the next Saturday night. My mother had an old friend whom she +thought was true, and she got him to conceal me in a barn, not over +two miles from the village. This man brought provisions to me, sent by +my mother, and would tell me the news which was in circulation about +me, among the citizens. But the poor fellow was not able to withstand +the temptation of money. + +My owners had about given me up, and thought the report of the slave +girl was false; but they had offered a little reward among the slaves +for my apprehension. The night before I was betrayed, I met with my +mother and wife, and we had set up nearly all night plotting to start +on the next Saturday night. I hid myself away in the flax in the barn, +and being much rest broken I slept until the next morning about 9 +o'clock. Then I was awakened by a mob of blood thirsty slaveholders, +who had come armed with all the implements of death, with a +determination to reduce me again to a life of slavery, or murder me on +the spot. + +When I looked up and saw that I was surrounded, they were exclaiming +at the top of their voices, "shoot him down! shoot him down!" "If he +offers to run, or to resist, kill him!" + +I saw it was no use then for me to make any resistance, as I should be +murdered. I felt confident that I had been betrayed by a slave, and +all my flattering prospects of rescuing my family were gone for ever, +and the grim monster slavery with all its horrors was staring me in +the face. + +I surrendered myself to this hostile mob at once. The first thing +done, after they had laid violent hands on me, was to bind my hands +behind me with a cord, and rob me of all I possessed. + +In searching my pockets, they found my certificate from the Methodist +E. Church, which had been given me by my classleader, testifying to my +worthiness as a member of that church. And what made the matter look +more disgraceful to me, many of this mob were members of the M.E. +Church, and they were the persons who took away my church ticket, and +then robbed me also of fourteen dollars in cash, a silver watch for +which I paid ten dollars, a pocket knife for which I paid seventy-five +cents, and a Bible for which I paid sixty-two and one half cents. All +this they tyrannically robbed me of, and yet my owner, Wm. Gatewood, +was a regular member of the same church to which I belonged. + +He then had me taken to a blacksmith's shop, and most wickedly had my +limbs bound with heavy irons, and then had my body locked within the +cold dungeon walls of the Bedford jail, to be sold to a Southern slave +trader. + +My heart was filled with grief--my eyes were filled with tears. I +could see no way of escape. I could hear no voice of consolation. +Slaveholders were coming to the dungeon window in great numbers to ask +me questions. Some were rejoicing--some swearing, and others saying +that I ought to be hung; while others were in favor of sending both me +and my wife to New Orleans. They supposed that I had informed her all +about the facilities for slaves to escape to Canada, and that she +would tell other slaves after I was gone; hence we must all be sent +off to where we could neither escape ourselves, nor instruct others +the way. + +In the afternoon of the same day Malinda was permitted to visit the +prison wherein I was locked, but was not permitted to enter the door. +When she looked through the dungeon grates and saw my sad situation, +which was caused by my repeated adventures to rescue her and my little +daughter from the grasp of slavery, it was more than she could bear +without bursting in tears. She plead for admission into the cold +dungeon where I was confined, but without success. With manacled +limbs; with wounded spirit; with sympathising tears and with bleeding +heart, I intreated Malinda to weep not for me, for it only added to my +grief, which was greater than I could bear. + +I have often suffered from the sting of the cruel slave driver's lash +on my quivering flesh--I have suffered from corporeal punishment in +its various forms--I have mingled my sorrows with those that were +bereaved by the ungodly soul drivers--and I also know what it is to +shed the sympathetic tear at the grave of a departed friend; but all +this is but a mere trifle compared with my sufferings from then to the +end of six months subsequent. + +The second night while I was in jail, two slaves came to the dungeon +grates about the dead hour of night, and called me to the grates to +have some conversation about Canada, and the facilities for getting +there. They knew that I had travelled over the road, and they were +determined to run away and go where they could be free. I of course +took great pleasure in giving them directions how and where to go, and +they started in less than a week from that time and got clear to +Canada. I have seen them both since I came back to the north myself. +They were known by the names of King and Jack. + +The third day I was brought out of the prison to be carried off with +my little family to the Louisville slave market. My hands were +fastened together with heavy irons, and two men to guard me with +loaded rifles, one of whom led the horse upon which I rode. My wife +and child were set upon another nag. After we were all ready to start +my old master thought I was not quite safe enough, and ordered one of +the boys to bring him a bed cord from the store. He then tied my feet +together under the horse, declaring that if I flew off this time, I +should fly off with the horse. + +Many tears were shed on that occasion by our friends and relatives, +who saw us dragged off in irons to be sold in the human flesh market. +No tongue could express the deep anguish of my soul when I saw the +silent tear drops streaming down the sable cheeks of an aged slave +mother, at my departure; and that too, caused by a black hearted +traitor who was himself a slave: + + "I love the man with a feeling soul. + Whose passions are deep and strong; + Whose cords, when touched with a kindred power, + Will vibrate loud and long: + + "The man whose word is bond and law-- + Who ne'er for gold or power, + Would kiss the hand that would stab the heart + In adversity's trying hour." + + "I love the man who delights to help + The panting, struggling poor: + The man that will open his heart, + Nor close against the fugitive at his door. + + "Oh give me a heart that will firmly stand, + When the storm of affliction shall lower-- + A hand that will never shrink, if grasped, + In misfortune's darkest hour." + +As we approached the city of Louisville, we attracted much attention, +my being tied and handcuffed, and a person leading the horse upon +which I rode. The horse appeared to be much frightened at the +appearance of things in the city, being young and skittish. A carriage +passing by jammed against the nag, which caused him to break from the +man who was leading him, and in his fright throw me off backwards. My +hands being confined with irons, and my feet tied under the horse with +a rope, I had no power to help myself. I fell back off of the horse +and could not extricate myself from this dreadful condition; the horse +kicked with all his might while I was tied so close to his rump that +he could only strike me with his legs by kicking. + +The breath was kicked out of my body, but my bones were not broken. No +one who saw my situation would have given five dollars for me. It was +thought by all that I was dead and would never come to life again. +When the horse was caught the cords were cut from my limbs, and I was +rubbed with whiskey, camphor, &c, which brought me to life again. + +Many bystanders expressed sympathy for me in my deplorable condition, +and contempt for the tyrant who tied me to the young horse. + +I was then driven through the streets of the city with my little +family on foot, to jail, wherein I was locked with handcuffs yet on. A +physician was then sent for, who doctored me several days before I was +well enough to be sold in market. + +The jail was one of the most disagreeable places I ever was confined +in. It was not only disagreeable on account of the filth and dirt of +the most disagreeable kind; but there were bed-bugs, fleas, lice and +musquitoes in abundance, to contend with. At night we had to lie down +on the floor in this filth. Our food was very scanty, and of the most +inferior quality. No gentleman's dog would eat what we were compelled +to eat or starve. + +I had not been in this prison many days before Madison Garrison, the +soul driver, bought me and my family to sell again in the New Orleans +slave market. He was buying up slaves to take to New Orleans. So he +took me and my little family to the work-house, to be kept under lock +and key at work until he had bought up as many as he wished to take +off to the South. + +The work-house of Louisville was a very large brick building, built on +the plan of a jail or State's prison, with many apartments to it, +divided off into cells wherein prisoners were locked up after night. +The upper apartments were occupied by females, principally. This +prison was enclosed by a high stone wall, upon which stood watchmen +with loaded guns to guard the prisoners from breaking out, and on +either side there were large iron gates. + +When Garrison conducted me with my family to the prison in which we +were to be confined until he was ready to take us to New Orleans, I +was shocked at the horrid sight of the prisoners on entering the yard. +When the large iron gate or door was thrown open to receive us, it was +astonishing to see so many whites as well as colored men loaded down +with irons, at hard labor, under the supervision of overseers. + +Some were sawing stone, some cutting stone, and others breaking stone. +The first impression which was made on my mind when I entered this +place of punishment, made me think of hell, with all its terrors of +torment; such as "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth," which was +then the idea that I had of the infernal regions from oral +instruction. And I doubt whether there can be a better picture of it +drawn, than may be sketched from an American slave prison. + +In this prison almost every prisoner had a heavy log chain riveted +about his leg. It would indeed be astonishing to a Christian man to +stand in that prison one half hour and hear and see the contaminating +influences of Southern slavery on the body and mind of man--you may +there find almost every variety of character to look on. Some singing, +some crying, some praying, and others swearing. The people of color +who were in there were slaves, there without crime, but for safe +keeping, while the whites were some of the most abandoned characters +living. The keeper took me up to the anvil block and fastened a chain +about my leg, which I had to drag after me both day and night during +three months. My labor was sawing stone; my food was coarse corn bread +and beef shanks and cows heads with pot liquor, and a very scanty +allowance of that. + +I have often seen the meat spoiled when brought to us, covered with +flies and fly blows, and even worms crawling over it, when we were +compelled to eat it, or go without any at all. It was all spread out +on a long table in separate plates; and at the sound of a bell, every +one would take his plate, asking no questions. After hastily eating, +we were hurried back to our work, each man dragging a heavy log chain +after him to his work. + +About a half hour before night they were commanded to stop work, take +a bite to eat, and then be locked up in a small cell until the next +morning after sunrise. The prisoners were locked in, two together. My +bed was a cold stone floor with but little bedding! My visitors were +bed-bugs and musquitoes. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Character of my prison companions.--Jail breaking +contemplated.--Defeat of our plan.--My wife and child +removed.--Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment.--Our +departure in a coffle for New Orleans.--Events of our journey._ + + +Most of the inmates of this prison I have described, were white men +who had been sentenced there by the law, for depredations committed by +them. There was in that prison, gamblers, drunkards, thieves, robbers, +adulterers, and even murderers. There were also in the female +department, harlots, pick-pockets, and adulteresses. In such company, +and under such influences, where there was constant swearing, lying, +cheating, and stealing, it was almost impossible for a virtuous person +to avoid pollution, or to maintain their virtue. No place or places in +this country can be better calculated to inculcate vice of every kind +than a Southern work house or house of correction. + +After a profligate, thief, or a robber, has learned all that they can +out of the prison, they might go in one of those prisons and learn +something more--they might properly be called robber colleges; and if +slaveholders understood this they would never let their slaves enter +them. No man would give much for a slave who had been kept long in one +of these prisons. + +I have often heard them telling each other how they robbed houses, and +persons on the high way, by knocking them down, and would rob them, +pick their pockets, and leave them half dead. Others would tell of +stealing horses, cattle, sheep, and slaves; and when they would be +sometimes apprehended, by the aid of their friends, they would break +jail. But they could most generally find enough to swear them clear of +any kind of villany. They seemed to take great delight in telling of +their exploits in robbery. There was a regular combination of them who +had determined to resist law, wherever they went, to carry out their +purposes. + +In conversing with myself, they learned that I was notorious for +running away, and professed sympathy for me. They thought that I +might yet get to Canada, and be free, and suggested a plan by which I +might accomplish it; and one way was, to learn to read and write, so +that I might write myself a pass ticket, to go just where I pleased, +when I was taken out of the prison; and they taught me secretly all +they could while in the prison. + +But there was another plan which they suggested to me to get away from +slavery; that was to break out of the prison and leave my family. I +consented to engage in this plot, but not to leave my family. + +By my conduct in the prison, after having been there several weeks, I +had gained the confidence of the keeper, and the turnkey. So much so, +that when I wanted water or anything of the kind, they would open my +door and hand it in to me. One of the turnkeys was an old colored man, +who swept and cleaned up the cells, supplied the prisoners with water, +&c. + +On Sundays in the afternoon, the watchmen of the prison were most +generally off, and this old slave, whose name was Stephen, had the +prisoners to attend to. The white prisoners formed a plot to break out +on Sunday in the afternoon, by making me the agent to get the prison +keys from old Stephen. + +I was to prepare a stone that would weigh about one pound, tie it up +in a rag, and keep it in my pocket to strike poor old Stephen with, +when he should open my cell door. But this I would not consent to do, +without he should undertake to betray me. + +I gave old Stephen one shilling to buy me a water melon, which he was +to bring to me in the afternoon. All the prisoners were to be ready to +strike, just as soon as I opened their doors. When Stephen opened my +door to hand me the melon, I was to grasp him by the collar, raise the +stone over his head, and say to him, that if he made any alarm that I +should knock him down with the stone. But if he would be quiet he +should not be hurt. I was then to take all the keys from him, and lock +him up in the cell--take a chisel and cut the chain from my own leg, +then unlock all the cells below, and let out the other prisoners, who +were all to cut off their chains. We were then to go and let out old +Stephen, and make him go off with us. We were to form a line and march +to the front gate of the prison with a sledge hammer, and break it +open, and if we should be discovered, and there should be any out-cry, +we were all to run and raise the alarm of fire, so as to avoid +detection. But while we were all listening for Stephen to open the +door with the melon, he came and reported that he could not get one, +and handed me back the money through the window. All were +disappointed, and nothing done. I looked upon it as being a fortunate +thing for me, for it was certainly a very dangerous experiment for a +slave, and they could never get me to consent to be the leader in that +matter again. + +A few days after, another plot was concocted to to break prison, but +it was betrayed by one of the party, which resulted in the most cruel +punishment to the prisoners concerned in it; and I felt thankful that +my name was not connected with it. They were not only flogged, but +they were kept on bread and water alone, for many days. A few days +after we were put in this prison, Garrison came and took my wife and +child out, I knew not for what purpose, nor to what place, but after +the absence of several days I supposed that he had sold them. But one +morning, the outside door was thrown open, and Malinda thrust in by +the ruthless hand of Garrison, whose voice was pouring forth the most +bitter oaths and abusive language that could be dealt out to a female; +while her heart-rending shrieks and sobbing, was truly melting to the +soul of a father and husband. + +The language of Malinda was, "Oh! my dear little child is gone? What +shall I do? my child is gone." This most distressing sound struck a +sympathetic chord through all the prison among the prisoners. I was +not permitted to go to my wife and inquire what had become of little +Frances. I never expected to see her again, for I supposed that she +was sold. + +That night, however, I had a short interview with my much abused wife, +who told me the secret. She said that Garrison had taken her to a +private house where he kept female slaves for the basest purposes. It +was a resort for slave trading profligates and soul drivers, who were +interested in the same business. + +Soon after she arrived at this place, Garrison gave her to understand +what he brought her there for, and made a most disgraceful assault on +her virtue, which she promptly repeled; and for which Garrison +punished her with the lash, threatening her that if she did not submit +that he would sell her child. The next day he made the same attempt, +which she resisted, declaring that she would not submit to it; and +again he tied her up and flogged her until her garments were stained +with blood. + +He then sent our child off to another part of the city, and said he +meant to sell it, and that she should never see it again. He then +drove Malinda before him to the work-house, swearing by his Maker that +she should submit to him or die. I have already described her entrance +in the prison. + +Two days after this he came again and took Malinda out of the prison. +It was several weeks before I saw her again, and learned that he had +not sold her or the child. At the same time he was buying up other +slaves to take to New Orleans. At the expiration of three months he +was ready to start with us for the New Orleans slave market, but we +never knew when we were to go, until the hour had arrived for our +departure. + +One Sabbath morning Garrison entered the prison and commanded that our +limbs should be made ready for the coffles. They called us up to an +anvill block, and the heavy log chains which we had been wearing on +our legs during three months, were cut off. I had been in the prison +over three months; but he had other slaves who had not been there so +long. The hand-cuffs were then put on to our wrists. We were coupled +together two and two--the right hand of one to the left hand of +another, and a long chain to connect us together. + +The other prisoners appeared to be sorry to see us start off in this +way. We marched off to the river Ohio, to take passage on board of the +steamboat Water Witch. But this was at a very low time of water, in +the fall of 1839. The boat got aground, and did not get off that +night; and Garrison had to watch us all night to keep any from getting +away. He also had a very large savage dog, which was trained up to +catch runaway slaves. + +We were more than six weeks getting to the city of New Orleans, in +consequence of low water. We were shifted on to several boats before +we arrived at the mouth of the river Ohio. But we got but very little +rest at night. As all were chained together night and day, it was +impossible to sleep, being annoyed by the bustle and crowd of the +passengers on board; by the terrible thought that we were destined to +be sold in market as sheep or oxen; and annoyed by the galling chains +that cramped our wearied limbs on the tedious voyage. But I had +several opportunities to have run away from Garrison before we got to +the mouth of the Ohio river. While they were shifting us from one boat +to another, my hands were some times loosed, until they got us all on +board--and I know that I should have broke away had it not been for +the sake of my wife and child who was with me. I could see no chance +to get them off, and I could not leave them in that condition--and +Garrison was not so much afraid of my running away from him while he +held on to my family, for he knew from the great sacrifices which I +had made to rescue them from slavery, that my attachment was too +strong to run off and leave them in his hands, while there was the +least hope of ever getting them away with me. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg.--An account of slave +sales.--Cruel punishment with the paddle.--Attempts to sell myself by +Garrison's direction.--Amusing interview with a slave buyer.--Deacon +Whitfield's examination.--He purchases the family.--Character of the +Deacon._ + + +When we arrived at the city of Vicksburg, he intended to sell a +portion of his slaves there, and stopped for three weeks trying to +sell. But he met with very poor success. + +We had there to pass through an examination or inspection by a city +officer, whose business it was to inspect slave property that was +brought to that market for sale. He examined our backs to see if we +had been much scarred by the lash. He examined our limbs, to see +whether we were inferior. + +As it is hard to tell the ages of slaves, they look in their mouths at +their teeth, and prick up the skin on the back of their hands, and if +the person is very far advanced in life, when the skin is pricked up, +the pucker will stand so many seconds on the back of the hand. + +But the most rigorous examinations of slaves by those slave +inspectors, is on the mental capacity. If they are found to be very +intelligent, this is pronounced the most objectionable of all other +qualities connected with the life of a slave. In fact, it undermines +the whole fabric of his chattelhood; it prepares for what slaveholders +are pleased to pronounce the unpardonable sin when committed by a +slave. It lays the foundation for running away, and going to Canada. +They also see in it a love for freedom, patriotism, insurrection, +bloodshed, and exterminating war against American slavery. + +Hence they are very careful to inquire whether a slave who is for sale +can read or write. This question has been asked me often by slave +traders, and cotton planters, while I was there for market. After +conversing with me, they have sworn by their Maker, that they would +not have me among their negroes; and that they saw the devil in my +eye; I would run away, &c. + +I have frequently been asked also, if I had ever run away; but +Garrison would generally answer this question for me in the negative. +He could have sold my little family without any trouble, for the sum +of one thousand dollars. But for fear he might not get me off at so +great an advantage, as the people did not like my appearance, he could +do better by selling us all together. They all wanted my wife, while +but very few wanted me. He asked for me and my family twenty-five +hundred dollars, but was not able to get us off at that price. + +He tried to speculate on my Christian character. He tried to make it +appear that I was so pious and honest that I would not runaway for ill +treatment; which was a gross mistake, for I never had religion enough +to keep me from running away from slavery in my life. + +But we were taken from Vicksburgh, to the city of New Orleans, were we +were to be sold at any rate. We were taken to a trader's yard or a +slave prison on the corner of St. Joseph street. This was a common +resort for slave traders, and planters who wanted to buy slaves; and +all classes of slaves were kept there for sale, to be sold in private +or public--young or old, males or females, children or parents, +husbands or wives. + +Every day at 10 o'clock they were exposed for sale. They had to be in +trim for showing themselves to the public for sale. Every one's head +had to be combed, and their faces washed, and those who were inclined +to look dark and rough, were compelled to wash in greasy dish water, +in order to make them look slick and lively. + +When spectators would come in the yard, the slaves were ordered out to +form a line. They were made to stand up straight, and look as +sprightly as they could; and when they were asked a question, they had +to answer it as promptly as they could, and try to induce the +spectators to buy them. If they failed to do this, they were severely +paddled after the spectators were gone. The object for using the +paddle in the place of a lash was, to conceal the marks which would be +made by the flogging. And the object for flogging under such +circumstances, is to make the slaves anxious to be sold. + +The paddle is made of a piece of hickory timber, about one inch thick, +three inches in width, and about eighteen inches in length. The part +which is applied to the flesh is bored full of quarter inch auger +holes; and every time this is applied to the flesh of the victim, the +blood gushes through the holes of the paddle, or a blister makes its +appearance. The persons who are thus flogged, are always stripped +naked, and their hands tied together. They are then bent over double, +their knees are forced between their elbows, and a stick is put +through between the elbows and the bend of the legs, in order to hold +the victim in that position, while the paddle is applied to those +parts of the body which would not be so likely to be seen by those who +wanted to buy slaves. + +I was kept in this prison for several months, and no one would buy me +for fear I would run away. One day while I was in this prison, +Garrison got mad with my wife, and took her off in one of the rooms, +with his paddle in hand, swearing that he would paddle her; and I +could afford her no protection at all, while the strong arm of the +law, public opinion and custom, were all against me. I have often +heard Garrison say, that he had rather paddle a female, than eat when +he was hungry--that it was music for him to hear them scream, and to +see their blood run. + +After the lapse of several months, he found that he could not dispose +of my person to a good advantage, while he kept me in that prison +confined among the other slaves. I do not speak with vanity when I say +the contrast was so great between myself and ordinary slaves, from the +fact that I had enjoyed superior advantages, to which I have already +referred. They have their slaves classed off and numbered. + +Garrison came to me one day and informed me that I might go out +through the city and find myself a master. I was to go to the Hotels, +boarding houses, &c.--tell them that my wife was a good cook, +wash-woman, &c,--and that I was a good dining room servant, carriage +driver, or porter--and in this way I might find some gentleman who +would buy us both; and that this was the only hope of our being sold +together. + +But before starting me out, he dressed me up in a suit of his old +clothes, so as to make me look respectable, and I was so much better +dressed than usual that I felt quite gay. He would not allow my wife +to go out with me however, for fear we might get away. I was out every +day for several weeks, three or four hours in each day, trying to +find a new master, but without success. + +Many of the old French inhabitants have taken slaves for their wives, +in this city, and their own children for their servants. Such commonly +are called Creoles. They are better treated than other slaves, and I +resembled this class in appearance so much that the French did not +want me. Many of them set their mulatto children free, and make +slaveholders of them. + +At length one day I heard that there was a gentleman in the city from +the State of Tennessee, to buy slaves. He had brought down two rafts +of lumber for market, and I thought if I could get him to buy me with +my family, and take us to Tennessee, from there, I would stand a +better opportunity to run away again and get to Canada, than I would +from the extreme South. + +So I brushed up myself and walked down to the river's bank, where the +man was pointed out to me standing on board of his raft, I approached +him, and after passing the usual compliments I said: + +"Sir, I understand that you wish to purchase a lot of servants and I +have called to know if it is so." + +He smiled and appeared to be much pleased at my visit on such laudable +business, supposing me to be a slave trader. He commenced rubbing his +hands together, and replied by saying: "Yes sir, I am glad to see you. +It is a part of my business here to buy slaves, and if I could get you +to take my lumber in part pay I should like to buy four or five of +your slaves at any rate. What kind of slaves have you, sir?" + +After I found that he took me to be a slave trader I knew that it +would be of no use for me to tell him that I was myself a slave +looking for a master, for he would have doubtless brought up the same +objection that others had brought up,--that I was too white; and that +they were afraid that I could read and write; and would never serve as +a slave, but run away. My reply to the question respecting the quality +of my slaves was, that I did not think his lumber would suit me--that +I must have the cash for my negroes, and turned on my heel and left +him! + +I returned to the prison and informed my wife of the fact that I had +been taken to be a slaveholder. She thought that in addition to my +light complexion my being dressed up in Garrison's old slave trading +clothes might have caused the man to think that I was a slave trader, +and she was afraid that we should yet be separated if I should not +succeed in finding some body to buy us. + +Every day to us was a day of trouble, and every night brought new and +fearful apprehensions that the golden link which binds together +husband and wife might be broken by the heartless tyrant before the +light of another day. + +Deep has been the anguish of my soul when looking over my little +family during the silent hours of the night, knowing the great danger +of our being sold off at auction the next day and parted forever. That +this might not come to pass, many have been the tears and prayers +which I have offered up to the God of Israel that we might be +preserved. + +While waiting here to be disposed of, I heard of one Francis +Whitfield, a cotton planter, who wanted to buy slaves. He was +represented to be a very pious soul, being a deacon of a Baptist +church. As the regulations, as well as public opinion generally, were +against slaves meeting for religious worship, I thought it would give +me a better opportunity to attend to my religious duties should I fall +into the hands of this deacon. + +So I called on him and tried to show to the best advantage, for the +purpose of inducing him to buy me and my family. When I approached +him, I felt much pleased at his external appearance--I addressed him +in the following words as well as I can remember: + +"Sir, I understand you are desirous of purchasing slaves?" + +With a very pleasant smile, he replied, "Yes, I do want to buy some, +are you for sale?" + +"Yes sir, with my wife and one child." + +Garrison had given me a note to show wherever I went, that I was for +sale, speaking of my wife and child, giving us a very good character +of course--and I handed him the note. + +After reading it over he remarked, "I have a few questions to ask you, +and if you will tell me the truth like a good boy, perhaps I may buy +you with your family. In the first place, my boy, you are a little too +near white. I want you to tell me now whether you can read or write?" + +My reply was in the negative. + +"Now I want you to tell me whether you have run away? Don't tell me no +stories now, like a good fellow, and perhaps I may buy you." + +But as I was not under oath to tell him the whole truth, I only gave +him a part of it, by telling him that I had run away once. + +He appeared to be pleased at that, but cautioned me to tell him the +truth, and asked me how long I stayed away, when I run off? + +I told him that I was gone a month. + +He assented to this by a bow of his head, and making a long grunt +saying, "That's right, tell me the truth like a good boy." + +The whole truth was that I had been off in the state of Ohio, and +other free states, and even to Canada; besides this I was notorious +for running away, from my boyhood. + +I never told him that I had been a runaway longer than one +month--neither did I tell him that I had not run away more than once +in my life; for these questions he never asked me. + +I afterwards found him to be one of the basest hypocrites that I ever +saw. He looked like a saint--talked like the best of slave holding +Christians, and acted at home like the devil. + +When he saw my wife and child, he concluded to buy us. He paid for me +twelve hundred dollars, and one thousand for my wife and child. He +also bought several other slaves at the same time, and took home with +him. His residence was in the parish of Claiborn, fifty miles up from +the mouth of Red River. + +When we arrived there, we found his slaves poor, ragged, stupid, and +half-starved. The food he allowed them per week, was one peck of corn +for each grown person, one pound of pork, and sometimes a quart of +molasses. This was all that they were allowed, and if they got more +they stole it. + +He had one of the most cruel overseers to be found in that section of +country. He weighed and measured out to them, their week's allowance +of food every Sabbath morning. The overseer's horn was sounded two +hours before daylight for them in the morning, in order that they +should be ready for work before daylight. They were worked from +daylight until after dark, without stopping but one half hour to eat +or rest, which was at noon. And at the busy season of the year, they +were compelled to work just as hard on the Sabbath, as on any other +day. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm--Exposure of the children--Mode +of extorting extra labor--Neglect of the sick--Strange medicine +used--Death of our second child._ + + +My first impressions when I arrived on the Deacon's farm, were that he +was far more like what the people call the devil, than he was like a +deacon. Not many days after my arrival there, I heard the Deacon tell +one of the slave girls, that he had bought her for a wife for his boy +Stephen, which office he compelled her fully to perform against her +will. This he enforced by a threat. At first the poor girl neglected +to do this, having no sort of affection for the man--but she was +finally forced to it by an application of the driver's lash, as +threatened by the Deacon. + +The next thing I observed was that he made the slave driver strip his +own wife, and flog her for not doing just as her master had ordered. +He had a white overseer, and a colored man for a driver, whose +business it was to watch and drive the slaves in the field, and do the +flogging according to the orders of the overseer. + +Next a mulatto girl who waited about the house, on her mistress, +displeased her, for which the Deacon stripped and tied her up. He then +handed me the lash and ordered me to put it on--but I told him I never +had done the like, and hoped he would not compel me to do it. He then +informed me that I was to be his overseer, and that he had bought me +for that purpose. He was paying a man eight hundred dollars a year to +oversee, and he believed I was competent to do the same business, and +if I would do it up right he would put nothing harder on me to do; and +if I knew not how to flog a slave, he would set me an example by which +I might be governed. He then commenced on this poor girl, and gave her +two hundred lashes before he had her untied. + +After giving her fifty lashes, he stopped and lectured her a while, +asking her if she thought that she could obey her mistress, &c. She +promised to do all in her power to please him and her mistress, if he +would have mercy on her. But this plea was all vain. He commenced on +her again; and this flogging was carried on in the most inhuman manner +until she had received two hundred stripes on her naked quivering +flesh, tied up and exposed to the public gaze of all. And this was the +example that I was to copy after. + +He then compelled me to wash her back off with strong salt brine, +before she was untied, which was so revolting to my feelings, that I +could not refrain from shedding tears. + +For some cause he never called on me again to flog a slave. I presume +he saw that I was not savage enough. The above were about the first +items of the Deacon's conduct which struck me with peculiar disgust. + +After having enjoyed the blessings of civil and religious liberty for +a season, to be dragged into that horrible place with my family, to +linger out my existence without the aid of religious societies, or the +light of revelation, was more than I could endure. I really felt as if +I had got into one of the darkest corners of the earth. I thought I +was almost out of humanity's reach, and should never again have the +pleasure of hearing the gospel sound, as I could see no way by which I +could extricate myself; yet I never omitted to pray for deliverance. I +had faith to believe that the Lord could see our wrongs and hear our +cries. + +I was not used quite as bad as the regular field hands, as the greater +part of my time was spent working about the house; and my wife was the +cook. + +This country was full of pine timber, and every slave had to prepare a +light wood torch, over night, made of pine knots, to meet the overseer +with, before daylight in the morning. Each person had to have his +torch lit, and come with it in his hand to the gin house, before the +overseer and driver, so as to be ready to go to the cotton field by +the time they could see to pick out cotton. These lights looked +beautiful at a distance. + +The object of blowing the horn for them two hours before day, was, +that they should get their bite to eat, before they went to the field, +that they need not stop to eat but once during the day. Another object +was, to do up their flogging which had been omitted over night. I have +often heard the sound of the slave driver's lash on the backs, of the +slaves and their heart-rending shrieks, which were enough to melt the +heart of humanity, even among the most barbarous nations of the +earth. + +But the Deacon would keep no overseer on his plantation, who neglected +to perform this every morning. I have heard him say that he was no +better pleased than when he could hear the overseer's loud complaining +voice, long before daylight in the morning, and the sound of the +driver's lash among the toiling slaves. + +This was a very warm climate, abounding with musquitoes, galinippers +and other insects which were exceedingly annoying to the poor slaves +by night and day, at their quarters and in the field. But more +especially to their helpless little children, which they had to carry +with them to the cotton fields, where they had to set on the damp +ground alone from morning till night, exposed to the scorching rays of +the sun, liable to be bitten by poisonous rattle snakes which are +plenty in that section of the country, or to be devoured by large +alligators, which are often seen creeping through the cotton fields +going from swamp to swamp seeking their prey. + +The cotton planters generally, never allow a slave mother time to go +to the house, or quarter during the day to nurse her child; hence they +have to carry them to the cotton fields and tie them in the shade of a +tree, or in clusters of high weeds about in the fields, where they can +go to them at noon, when they are allowed to stop work for one half +hour. This is the reason why so very few slave children are raised on +these cotton plantations, the mothers have no time to take care of +them--and they are often found dead in the field and in the quarter +for want of the care of their mothers. But I never was eye witness to +a case of this kind but have heard many narrated by my slave brothers +and sisters, some of which occurred on the deacon's plantation. + +Their plan of getting large quantities of cotton picked is not only to +extort it from them by the lash, but hold out an inducement and +deceive them by giving small prizes. For example; the overseer will +offer something worth one or two dollars to any slave who will pick +out the most cotton in one day, dividing the hands off in three +classes and offering a prize to the one who will pick out the most +cotton in each of the classes. By this means they are all interested +in trying to get the prize. + +After making them try it over several times and weighing what cotton +they pick every night, the overseer can tell just how much every hand +can pick. He then gives the present to those that pick the most +cotton, and then if they do not pick just as much afterward they are +flogged. + +I have known the slaves to be so much fatigued from labor that they +could scarcely get to their lodging places from the field at night. +And then they would have to prepare something to eat before they could +lie down to rest. Their corn they had to grind on a hand mill for +bread stuff, or pound it in a mortar; and by the time they would get +their suppers it would be midnight; then they would herd down all +together and take but two or three hours rest, before the overseer's +horn called them up again to prepare for the field. + +At the time of sickness among slaves they had but very little +attention. The master was to be the judge of their sickness, but never +had studied the medical profession. He always pronounced a slave who +said he was sick, a liar and a hypocrite; said there was nothing the +matter, and he only wanted to keep from work. + +His remedy was most generally strong red pepper tea, boiled till it +was red. He would make them drink a pint cup full of it at one dose. +If he should not get better very soon after it, the dose was repeated. +If that should not accomplish the object for which it was given, or +have the desired effect, a pot or kettle was then put over the fire +with a large quantity of chimney soot, which was boiled down until it +was as strong as the juice of tobacco, and the poor sick slave was +compelled to drink a quart of it. + +This would operate on the system like salts, or castor oil. But if the +slave should not be very ill, he would rather work as long as he could +stand up, than to take this dreadful medicine. + +If it should be a very valuable slave, sometimes a physician was sent +for and something done to save him. But no special aid is afforded the +suffering slave even in the last trying hour, when he is called to +grapple with the grim monster death. He has no Bible, no family altar, +no minister to address to him the consolations of the gospel, before +he launches into the spirit world. As to the burial of slaves, but +very little more care is taken of their dead bodies than if they were +dumb beasts. + +My wife was very sick while we were both living with the Deacon. We +expected every day would be her last. While she was sick, we lost our +second child, and I was compelled to dig my own child's grave and bury +it myself without even a box to put it in. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_I attend a prayer meeting.--Punishment therefor threatened.--I +attempt to escape alone.--My return to take my family.--Our +sufferings.--Dreadful attack of wolves.--Our recapture._ + + +Some months after Malinda had recovered from her sickness, I got +permission from the Deacon, on one Sabbath day, to attend a prayer +meeting, on a neighboring plantation, with a few old superannuated +slaves, although this was contrary to the custom of the country--for +slaves were not allowed to assemble for religious worship. Being more +numerous than the whites there was fear of rebellion, and the +overpowering of their oppressors in order to obtain freedom. + +But this gentleman on whose plantation I attended the meeting was not +a Deacon nor a professor of religion. He was not afraid of a few old +Christian slaves rising up to kill their master because he allowed +them to worship God on the Sabbath day. + +We had a very good meeting, although our exercises were not conducted +in accordance with an enlightened Christianity; for we had no +Bible--no intelligent leader--but a conscience, prompted by our own +reason, constrained us to worship God the Creator of all things. + +When I returned home from meeting I told the other slaves what a good +time we had at our meeting, and requested them to go with me to +meeting there on the next Sabbath. As no slave was allowed to go from +the plantation on a visit without a written pass from his master, on +the next Sabbath several of us went to the Deacon, to get permission +to attend that prayer meeting; but he refused to let any go. I thought +I would slip off and attend the meeting and get back before he would +miss me, and would not know that I had been to the meeting. + +When I returned home from the meeting as I approached the house I saw +Malinda, standing out at the fence looking in the direction in which I +was expected to return. She hailed my approach, not with joy, but with +grief. She was weeping under great distress of mind, but it was hard +for me to extort from her the reason why she wept. She finally +informed me that her master had found out that I had violated his law, +and I should suffer the penalty, which was five hundred lashes, on my +naked back. + +I asked her how he knew that I had gone? + +She said I had not long been gone before he called for me and I was +not to be found. He then sent the overseer on horseback to the place +where we were to meet to see if I was there. But when the overseer got +to the place, the meeting was over and I had gone back home, but had +gone a nearer route through the woods and the overseer happened not to +meet me. He heard that I had been there and hurried back home before +me and told the Deacon, who ordered him to take me on the next +morning, strip off my clothes, drive down four stakes in the ground +and fasten my limbs to them; then strike me five hundred lashes for +going to the prayer meeting. This was what distressed my poor +companion. She thought it was more than I could bear, and that it +would be the death of me. I concluded then to run away--but she +thought they would catch me with the blood hounds by their taking my +track. But to avoid them I thought I would ride off on one of the +Deacon's mules. She thought if I did, they would sell me. + +"No matter, I will try it," said I, "let the consequences be what they +may. The matter can be no worse than it now is." So I tackled up the +Deacon's best mule with his saddle, &c., and started that night and +went off eight or ten miles from home. But I found the mule to be +rather troublesome, and was like to betray me by braying, especially +when he would see cattle, horses, or any thing of the kind in the +woods. + +The second night from home I camped in a cane break down in the Red +river swamp not a great way off from the road, perhaps not twenty +rods, exposed to wild ferocious beasts which were numerous in that +section of country. On that night about the middle of the night the +mule heard the sound of horses feet on the road, and he commenced +stamping and trying to break away. As the horses seemed to come +nearer, the mule commenced trying to bray, and it was all that I could +do to prevent him from making a loud bray there in the woods, which +would have betrayed me. + +I supposed that it was the overseer out with the dogs looking for me, +and I found afterwards that I was not mistaken. As soon as the people +had passed by, I mounted the mule and took him home to prevent his +betraying me. When I got near by home I stripped off the tackling and +turned the mule loose. I then slipt up to the cabin wherein my wife +laid and found her awake, much distressed about me. She informed me +that they were then out looking for me, and that the Deacon was bent +on flogging me nearly to death, and then selling me off from my +family. This was truly heart-rending to my poor wife; the thought of +our being torn apart in a strange land after having been sold away +from all her friends and relations, was more than she could bear. + +The Deacon had declared that I should not only suffer for the crime of +attending a prayer meeting without his permission, and for running +away, but for the awful crime of stealing a jackass, which was death +by the law when committed by a negro. + +But I well knew that I was regarded as property, and so was the ass; +and I thought if one piece of property took off another, there could +be no law violated in the act; no more sin committed in this than if +one jackass had rode off another. + +But after consultation with my wife I concluded to take her and my +little daughter with me and they would be guilty of the same crime +that I was, so far as running away was concerned; and if the Deacon +sold one he might sell us all, and perhaps to the same person. + +So we started off with our child that night, and made our way down to +the Red river swamps among the buzzing insects and wild beasts of the +forest. We wandered about in the wilderness for eight or ten days +before we were apprehended, striving to make our way from slavery; but +it was all in vain. Our food was parched corn, with wild fruit such as +pawpaws, percimmons, grapes, &c. We did at one time chance to find a +sweet potato patch where we got a few potatoes; but most of the time, +while we were out, we were lost. We wanted to cross the Red river but +could find no conveyance to cross in. + +I recollect one day of finding a crooked tree which bent over the +river or over one fork of the river, where it was divided by an +island. I should think that the tree was at least twenty feet from +the surface of the water. I picked up my little child, and my wife +followed me, saying, "if we perish let us all perish together in the +stream." We succeeded in crossing over. I often look back to that +dangerous event even now with astonishment, and wonder how I could +have run such a risk. What would induce me to run the same risk now? +What could induce me now to leave home and friends and go to the wild +forest and lay out on the cold ground night after night without +covering, and live on parched corn? + +What would induce me to take my family and go into the Red river +swamps of Louisiana among the snakes and alligators, with all the +liabilities of being destroyed by them, hunted down with blood hounds, +or lay myself liable to be shot down like the wild beasts of the +forest? Nothing I say, nothing but the strongest love of liberty, +humanity, and justice to myself and family, would induce me to run +such a risk again. + +When we crossed over on the tree we supposed that we had crossed over +the main body of the river, but we had not proceeded far on our +journey before we found that we were on an Island surrounded by water +on either side. We made our bed that night in a pile of dry leaves +which had fallen from off the trees. We were much rest-broken, +wearied from hunger and travelling through briers, swamps and +cane-brakes--consequently we soon fell asleep after lying down. About +the dead hour of the night I was aroused by the awful howling of a +gang of blood-thirsty wolves, which had found us out and surrounded us +as their prey, there in the dark wilderness many miles from any house +or settlement. + +My dear little child was so dreadfully alarmed that she screamed +loudly with fear--my wife trembling like a leaf on a tree, at the +thought of being devoured there in the wilderness by ferocious wolves. + +The wolves kept howling, and were near enough for us to see their +glaring eyes, and hear their chattering teeth. I then thought that the +hour of death for us was at hand; that we should not live to see the +light of another day; for there was no way for our escape. My little +family were looking up to me for protection, but I could afford them +none. And while I was offering up my prayers to that God who never +forsakes those in the hour of danger who trust in him, I thought of +Deacon Whitfield; I thought of his profession, and doubted his piety. +I thought of his hand-cuffs, of his whips, of his chains, of his +stocks, of his thumb-screws, of his slave driver and overseer, and of +his religion; I also thought of his opposition to prayer meetings, and +of his five hundred lashes promised me for attending a prayer meeting. +I thought of God, I thought of the devil, I thought of hell; and I +thought of heaven, and wondered whether I should ever see the Deacon +there. And I calculated that if heaven was made up of such Deacons, or +such persons, it could not be filled with love to all mankind, and +with glory and eternal happiness, as we know it is from the truth of +the Bible. + +The reader may perhaps think me tedious on this topic, but indeed it +is one of so much interest to me, that I find myself entirely unable +to describe what my own feelings were at that time. I was so much +excited by the fierce howling of the savage wolves, and the frightful +screams of my little family, that I thought of the future; I thought +of the past; I thought the time of my departure had come at last. + +My impression is, that all these thoughts and thousands of others, +flashed through my mind, while I was surrounded by those wolves. But +it seemed to be the will of a merciful providence, that our lives +should be spared, and that we should not be destroyed by them. + +I had no weapon of defence but a long bowie knife which I had slipped +from the Deacon. It was a very splendid blade, about two feet in +length, and about two inches in width. This used to be a part of his +armor of defence while walking about the plantation among his slaves. + +The plan which I took to expel the wolves was a very dangerous one, +but it proved effectual. While they were advancing to me, prancing and +accumulating in number, apparently of all sizes and grades, who had +come to the feast, I thought just at this time, that there was no +alternative left but for me to make a charge with my bowie knife. I +well knew from the action of the wolves, that if I made no farther +resistance, they would soon destroy us, and if I made a break at them, +the matter could be no worse. I thought if I must die, I would die +striving to protect my little family from destruction, die striving +to escape from slavery. My wife took a club in one hand, and her child +in the other, while I rushed forth with my bowie knife in hand, to +fight off the savage wolves. I made one desperate charge at them, and +at the same time making a loud yell at the top of my voice, that +caused them to retreat and scatter, which was equivalent to a victory +on our part. Our prayers were answered, and our lives spared through +the night. We slept no more that night, and the next morning there +were no wolves to be seen or heard, and we resolved not to stay on +that island another night. + +We travelled up and down the river side trying to find a place where +we could cross. Finally we found a lot of drift wood clogged together, +extending across the stream at a narrow place in the river, upon which +we crossed over. But we had not yet surmounted our greatest +difficulty. We had to meet one which was far more formidable than the +first. Not many days after I had to face the Deacon. + +We had been wandering about through the cane brakes, bushes, and +briers, for several days, when we heard the yelping of blood hounds, a +great way off, but they seemed to come nearer and nearer to us. We +thought after awhile that they must be on our track; we listened +attentively at the approach. We knew it was no use for us to undertake +to escape from them, and as they drew nigh, we heard the voice of a +man hissing on the dogs. + +After awhile we saw the hounds coming in full speed on our track, and +the soul drivers close after them on horse back, yelling like tigers, +as they came in sight. The shrill yelling of the savage blood hounds +as they drew nigh made the woods echo. + +The first impulse was to run to escape the approaching danger of +ferocious dogs, and blood thirsty slave hunters, who were so rapidly +approaching me with loaded muskets and bowie knives, with a +determination to kill or capture me and my family. I started to run +with my little daughter in my arms, but stumbled and fell down and +scratched the arm of little Frances with a brier, so that it bled very +much; but the dear child never cried, for she seemed to know the +danger to which we were exposed. + +But we soon found that it was no use for us to run. The dogs were +soon at our heels, and we were compelled to stop, or be torn to pieces +by them. By this time, the soul drivers came charging up on their +horses, commanding us to stand still or they would shoot us down. + +Of course I surrendered up for the sake of my family. The most abusive +terms to be found in the English language were poured forth on us with +bitter oaths. They tied my hands behind me, and drove us home before +them, to suffer the penalty of a slaveholder's broken law. + +As we drew nigh the plantation my heart grew faint. I was aware that +we should have to suffer almost death for running off. I was filled +with dreadful apprehensions at the thought of meeting a professed +follower of Christ, whom I knew to be a hypocrite! No tongue, no pen +can ever describe what my feelings were at that time. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_My sad condition before Whitfield.--My terrible +punishment.--Incidents of a former attempt to escape--Jack at a farm +house.--Six pigs and a turkey.--Our surprise and arrest._ + + +The reader may perhaps imagine what must have been my feelings when I +found myself surrounded on the island with my little family, at +midnight, by a gang of savage wolves. This was one of those trying +emergencies in my life when there was apparently but one step between +us and the grave. But I had no cords wrapped about my limbs to prevent +my struggling against the impending danger to which I was then +exposed. I was not denied the consolation of resisting in self +defence, as was now the case. There was no Deacon standing before me, +with a loaded rifle, swearing that I should submit to the torturing +lash, or be shot down like a dumb beast. + +I felt that my chance was by far better among the howling wolves in +the Red river swamp, than before Deacon Whitfield, on the cotton +plantation. I was brought before him as a criminal before a bar, +without counsel, to be tried and condemned by a tyrant's law. My arms +were bound with a cord, my spirit broken, and my little family +standing by weeping. I was not allowed to plead my own cause, and +there was no one to utter a word in my behalf. + +He ordered that the field hands should be called together to witness +my punishment, that it might serve as a caution to them never to +attend a prayer meeting, or runaway as I had, lest they should receive +the same punishment. + +At the sound of the overseer's horn, all the slaves came forward and +witnessed my punishment. My clothing was stripped off and I was +compelled to lie down on the ground with my face to the earth. Four +stakes were driven in the ground, to which my hands and feet were +tied. Then the overseer stood over me with the lash and laid it on +according to the Deacon's order. Fifty lashes were laid on before +stopping. I was then lectured with reference to my going to prayer +meeting without his orders, and running away to escape flogging. + +While I suffered under this dreadful torture, I prayed, and wept, and +implored mercy at the hand of slavery, but found none. After I was +marked from my neck to my heels, the Deacon took the gory lash, and +said he thought there was a spot on my back yet where he could put in +a few more. He wanted to give me something to remember him by, he +said. + +After I was flogged almost to death in this way, a paddle was brought +forward and eight or ten blows given me with it, which was by far +worse than the lash. My wounds were then washed with salt brine, after +which I was let up. A description of such paddles I have already given +in another page. I was so badly punished that I was not able to work +for several days. After being flogged as described, they took me off +several miles to a shop and had a heavy iron collar riveted on my neck +with prongs extending above my head, on the end of which there was a +small bell. I was not able to reach the bell with my hand. This heavy +load of iron I was compelled to wear for six weeks. I never was +allowed to lie in the same house with my family again while I was the +slave of Whitfield. I either had to sleep with my feet in the stocks, +or be chained with a large log chain to a log over night, with no bed +or bedding to rest my wearied limbs on, after toiling all day in the +cotton field. I suffered almost death while kept in this confinement; +and he had ordered the overseer never to let me loose again; saying +that I thought of getting free by running off, but no negro should +ever get away from him alive. + +I have omitted to state that this was the second time I had run away +from him; while I was gone the first time, he extorted from my wife +the fact that I had been in the habit of running away, before we left +Kentucky; that I had been to Canada, and that I was trying to learn +the art of reading and writing. All this was against me. + +It is true that I was striving to learn myself to write. I was a kind +of a house servant and was frequently sent off on errands, but never +without a written pass; and on Sundays I have sometimes got permission +to visit our neighbor's slaves, and I have often tried to write myself +a pass. + +Whenever I got hold of an old letter that had been thrown away, or a +piece of white paper, I would save it to write on. I have often gone +off in the woods and spent the greater part of the day alone, trying +to learn to write myself a pass, by writing on the backs of old +letters; copying after the pass that had been written by Whitfield; by +so doing I got the use of the pen and could form letters as well as I +can now, but knew not what they were. + +The Deacon had an old slave by the name of Jack whom he bought about +the time that he bought me. Jack was born in the State of Virginia. He +had some idea of freedom; had often run away, but was very ignorant; +knew not where to go for refuge; but understood all about providing +something to eat when unjustly deprived of it. + +So for ill treatment, we concluded to take a tramp together. I was to +be the pilot, while Jack was to carry the baggage and keep us in +provisions. Before we started, I managed to get hold of a suit of +clothes the Deacon possessed, with his gun, ammunition and bowie +knife. We also procured a blanket, a joint of meat, and some bread. + +We started in a northern direction, being bound for the city of Little +Rock, State of Arkansas. We travelled by night and laid by in the day, +being guided by the unchangeable North Star; but at length, our +provisions gave out, and it was Jack's place to get more. We came in +sight of a large plantation one morning, where we saw people of color, +and Jack said he could get something there, among the slaves, that +night, for us to eat. So we concealed ourselves, in sight of this +plantation, until about bed time, when we saw the lights extinguished. + +During the day we saw a female slave passing from the dwelling house +to the kitchen as if she was the cook; the house being about three +rods from the landlord's dwelling. After we supposed the whites were +all asleep, Jack slipped up softly to the kitchen to try his luck with +the cook, to see if he could get any thing from her to eat. + +I would remark that the domestic slaves are often found to be traitors +to their own people, for the purpose of gaining favor with their +masters; and they are encouraged and trained up by them to report +every plot they know of being formed about stealing any thing, or +running away, or any thing of the kind; and for which they are paid. +This is one of the principal causes of the slaves being divided among +themselves, and without which they could not be held in bondage one +year, and perhaps not half that time. + +I now proceed to describe the unsuccessful attempt of poor Jack to +obtain something from the female slave to satisfy hunger. The +planter's house was situated on an elevated spot on the side of a +hill. The fencing about the house and garden was very crookedly laid +up with rails. The night was rather dark and rainy, and Jack left me +with the understanding that I was to stay at a certain place until he +returned. I cautioned him before he left me to be very careful--and +after he started, I left the place where he was to find me when he +returned, for fear something might happen which might lead to my +detection, should I remain at that spot. So I left it and went off +where I could see the house, and that place too. + +Jack had not long been gone, before I heard a great noise; a man, +crying out with a loud voice, "Catch him! Catch him!" and hissing the +dogs on, and they were close after Jack. The next thing I saw, was +Jack running for life, and an old white man after him, with a gun, and +his dogs. The fence being on sidling ground, and wet with the rain, +when Jack run against it he knocked down several panels of it and +fell, tumbling over and over to the foot of the hill; but soon +recovered and ran to where he had left me; but I was gone. The dogs +were still after him. + +There happened to be quite a thicket of small oak shrubs and bushes in +the direction he ran. I think he might have been heard running and +straddling bushes a quarter of a mile! The poor fellow hurt himself +considerably in straddling over bushes in that way, in making his +escape. + +Finally the dogs relaxed their chase and poor Jack and myself again +met in the thick forest. He said when he rapped on the cook-house +door, the colored woman came to the door. He asked her if she would +let him have a bite of bread if she had it, that he was a poor hungry +absconding slave. But she made no reply to what he said but +immediately sounded the alarm by calling loudly after her master, +saying, "here is a runaway negro!" Jack said that he was going to +knock her down but her master was out within one moment, and he had to +run for his life. + +As soon as we got our eyes fixed on the North Star again, we started +on our way. We travelled on a few miles and came to another large +plantation, where Jack was determined to get something to eat. He +left me at a certain place while he went up to the house to find +something if possible. + +He was gone some time before he returned, but when I saw him coming, +he appeared to be very heavy loaded with a bag of something. We walked +off pretty fast until we got some distance in the woods. Jack then +stopped and opened his bag in which he had six small pigs. I asked him +how he got them without making any noise; and he said that he found a +bed of hogs, in which there were the pigs with their mother. While the +pigs were sucking he crawled up to them without being discovered by +the sow, and took them by their necks one after another, and choked +them to death, and slipped them into his bag! + +We intended to travel on all that night and lay by the next day in the +forest and cook up our pigs. We fell into a large road leading on the +direction which we were travelling, and had not proceeded over three +miles before I found a white hat lying in the road before me. Jack +being a little behind me I stopped until he camp up, and showed it to +him. He picked it up. We looked a few steps farther and saw a man +lying by the way, either asleep or intoxicated, as we supposed. + +I told Jack not to take the hat, but he would not obey me. He had only +a piece of a hat himself, which he left in exchange for the other. We +travelled on about five miles farther, and in passing a house +discovered a large turkey sitting on the fence, which temptation was +greater than Jack could resist. Notwithstanding he had six very nice +fat little pigs on his back, he stepped up and took the turkey off the +fence. + +By this time it was getting near day-light and we left the road and +went off a mile or so among the hills of the forest, where we struck +camp for the day. We then picked our turkey, dressed our pigs, and +cooked two of them. We got the hair off by singeing them over the +fire, and after we had eaten all we wanted, one of us slept while the +other watched. We had flint, punk, and powder to strike fire with. A +little after dark the next night, we started on our way. + +Buy about ten o'clock that night just as we were passing through a +thick skirt of woods, five men sprang out before us with fire-arms, +swearing if we moved another step, they would shoot us down; and each +man having a gun drawn up for shooting we had no chance to make any +defence, and surrendered sooner than run the risk of being killed. + +They had been lying in wait for us there, for several hours. They had +seen a reward out, for notices were put up in the most public places, +that fifty dollars would be paid for me, dead or alive, if I should +not return home within so many days. And the reader will remember that +neither Jack nor myself was able to read the advertisement. It was of +very little consequence with the slave catchers, whether they killed +us or took us alive, for the reward was the same to them. + +After we were taken and tied, one of the men declared to me that he +would have shot me dead just as sure as he lived, if I had moved one +step after they commanded us to stop. He had his gun levelled at my +breast, already cocked, and his finger on the trigger. The way they +came to find us out was from the circumstance of Jack's taking the +man's hat in connection with the advertisement. The man whose hat was +taken was drunk; and the next morning when he came to look for his hat +it was gone and Jack's old hat lying in the place of it; and in +looking round he saw the tracks of two persons in the dust, who had +passed during the night, and one of them having but three toes on one +foot. He followed these tracks until they came to a large mud pond in +a lane on one side of which a person might pass dry shod; but the man +with three toes on one foot had plunged through the mud. This led the +man to think there must be runaway slaves, and from out of that +neighborhood; for all persons in that settlement knew which side of +that mud hole to go. He then got others to go with him, and they +followed us until our track left the road. They supposed that we had +gone off in the woods to lay by until night, after which we should +pursue our course. + +After we were captured they took us off several miles to where one of +them lived, and kept us over night. One of our pigs was cooked for us +to eat that night; and the turkey the next morning. But we were both +tied that night with our hands behind us, and our feet were also tied. +The doors were locked, and a bedstead was set against the front door, +and two men slept in it to prevent our getting out in the night. They +said that they knew how to catch runaway negroes, and how to keep them +after they were caught. + +They remarked that after they found we had stopped to lay by until +night, and they saw from our tracks what direction we were travelling, +they went about ten miles on that direction, and hid by the road side +until we came up that night. That night after all had got fast to +sleep, I thought I would try to get out, and I should have succeeded, +if I could have moved the bed from the door. I managed to untie myself +and crawled under the bed which was placed at the door, and strove to +remove it, but in so doing I awakened the men and they got up and +confined me again, and watched me until day light, each with a gun in +hand. + +The next morning they started with us back to Deacon Whitfield's +plantation; but when they got within ten miles of where he lived they +stopped at a public house to stay over night; and who should we meet +there but the Deacon, who was then out looking for me. + +The reader may well imagine how I felt to meet him. I had almost as +soon come in contact with Satan himself. He had two long poles or +sticks of wood brought in to confine us to. I was compelled to lie on +my back across one of those sticks with my arms out, and have them +lashed fast to the log with a cord. My feet were also tied to the +other, and there I had to lie all that night with my back across this +stick of wood, and my feet and hands tied. I suffered that night under +the most excruciating pain. From the tight binding of the cord the +circulation of the blood in my arms and feet was almost entirely +stopped. If the night had been much longer I must have died in that +confinement. + +The next morning we were taken back to the Deacon's farm, and both +flogged for going off, and set to work. But there was some allowance +made for me on account of my being young. They said that they knew old +Jack had persuaded me off, or I never would have gone. And the +Deacon's wife begged that I might be favored some, for that time, as +Jack had influenced me, so as to bring up my old habits of running +away that I had entirely given up. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_I am sold to gamblers.--They try to purchase my family.--Our parting +scene.--My good usage.--I am sold to an Indian.--His confidence in my +integrity manifested._ + + +The reader will remember that this brings me back to the time the +Deacon had ordered me to be kept in confinement until he got a chance +to sell me, and that no negro should ever get away from him and live. +Some days after this we were all out at the gin house ginning cotton, +which was situated on the road side, and there came along a company of +men, fifteen or twenty in number, who were Southern sportsmen. Their +attention was attracted by the load of iron which was fastened about +my neck with a bell attached. They stopped and asked the Deacon what +that bell was put on my neck for? and he said it was to keep me from +running away, &c. + +They remarked that I looked as if I might be a smart negro, and asked +if he wanted to sell me. The reply was, yes. They then got off their +horses and struck a bargain with him for me. They bought me at a +reduced price for speculation. + +After they had purchased me, I asked the privilege of going to the +house to take leave of my family before I left, which was granted by +the sportsmen. But the Deacon said I should never again step my foot +inside of his yard; and advised the sportsmen not to take the irons +from my neck until they had sold me; that if they gave me the least +chance I would run away from them, as I did from him. So I was +compelled to mount a horse and go off with them as I supposed, never +again to meet my family in this life. + +We had not proceeded far before they informed me that they had bought +me to sell again, and if they kept the irons on me it would be +detrimental to the sale, and that they would therefore take off the +irons and dress me up like a man, and throw away the old rubbish which +I then had on; and they would sell me to some one who would treat me +better than Deacon Whitfield. After they had cut off the irons and +dressed me up, they crossed over Red River into Texas, where they +spent some time horse racing and gambling; and although they were +wicked black legs of the basest character, it is but due to them to +say, that they used me far better than ever the Deacon did. They gave +me plenty to eat and put nothing hard on me to do. They expressed much +sympathy for me in my bereavement; and almost every day they gave me +money more or less, and by my activity in waiting on them, and upright +conduct, I got into the good graces of them all, but they could not +get any person to buy me on account of the amount of intelligence +which they supposed me to have; for many of them thought that I could +read and write. When they left Texas, they intended to go to the +Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to attend a great horse race +which was to take place. Not being much out of their way to go past +Deacon Whitfield's again, I prevailed on them to call on him for the +purpose of trying to purchase my wife and child; and I promised them +that if they would buy my wife and child, I would get some person to +purchase us from them. So they tried to grant my request by calling on +the Deacon, and trying to make the purchase. As we approached the +Deacon's plantation, my heart was filled with a thousand painful and +fearful apprehensions. I had the fullest confidence in the blacklegs +with whom I travelled, believing that they would do according to +promise, and go to the fullest extent of their ability to restore +peace and consolation to a bereaved family--to re-unite husband and +wife, parent and child, who had long been severed by slavery through +the agency of Deacon Whitfield. But I knew his determination in +relation to myself, and I feared his wicked opposition to a +restoration of myself and little family, which he had divided, and +soon found that my fears were not without foundation. + +When we rode up and walked into his yard, the Deacon came out and +spoke to all but myself; and not finding me in tattered rags as a +substitute for clothes, nor having an iron collar or bell about my +neck, as was the case when he sold me, he appeared to be much +displeased. + +"What did you bring that negro back here for?" said he. + +"We have come to try to buy his wife and child; for we can find no one +who is willing to buy him alone; and we will either buy or sell so +that the family may be together," said they. + +While this conversation was going on, my poor bereaved wife, who +never expected to see me again in this life, spied me and came rushing +to me through the crowd, throwing her arms about my neck exclaiming in +the most sympathetic tones, "Oh! my dear husband! I never expected to +see you again!" The poor woman was bathed with tears of sorrow and +grief. But no sooner had she reached me, than the Deacon peremptorily +commanded her to go to her work. This she did not obey, but prayed +that her master would not separate us again, as she was there alone, +far from friends and relations whom she should never meet again. And +now to take away her husband, her last and only true friend, would be +like taking her life! + +But such appeals made no impression on the unfeeling Deacon's heart. +While he was storming with abusive language, and even using the gory +lash with hellish vengeance to separate husband and wife, I could see +the sympathetic teardrop, stealing its way down the cheek of the +profligate and black-leg, whose object it now was to bind up the +broken heart of a wife, and restore to the arms of a bereaved husband, +his companion. + +They were disgusted at the conduct of Whitfield and cried out shame, +even in his presence. They told him that they would give a thousand +dollars for my wife and child, or any thing in reason. But no! he +would sooner see me to the devil than indulge or gratify me after my +having run away from him; and if they did not remove me from his +presence very soon, he said he should make them suffer for it. + +But all this, and even the gory lash had yet failed to break the grasp +of poor Malinda, whose prospect of connubial, social, and future +happiness was all at stake. When the dear woman saw there was no help +for us, and that we should soon be separated forever, in the name of +Deacon Whitfield, and American slavery to meet no more as husband and +wife, parent and child--the last and loudest appeal was made on our +knees. We appealed to the God of justice and to the sacred ties of +humanity; but this was all in vain. The louder we prayed the harder he +whipped, amid the most heart-rending shrieks from the poor slave +mother and child, as little Frances stood by, sobbing at the abuse +inflicted on her mother. + +"Oh! how shall I give my husband the parting hand never to meet +again? This will surely break my heart," were her parting words. + +I can never describe to the reader the awful reality of that +separation--for it was enough to chill the blood and stir up the +deepest feelings of revenge in the hearts of slaveholding black-legs, +who as they stood by, were threatening, some weeping, some swearing +and others declaring vengeance against such treatment being inflicted +on a human being. As we left the plantation, as far as we could see +and hear, the Deacon was still laying on the gory lash, trying to +prevent poor Malinda from weeping over the loss of her departed +husband, who was then, by the hellish laws of slavery, to her, +theoretically and practically dead. One of the black-legs exclaimed +that hell was full of just such Deacon's as Whitfield. This occurred +in December, 1840. I have never seen Malinda, since that period. I +never expect to see her again. + +The sportsmen to whom I was sold, showed their sympathy for me not +only by word but by deeds. They said that they had made the most +liberal offer to Whitfield, to buy or sell for the sole purpose of +reuniting husband and wife. But he stood out against it--they felt +sorry for me. They said they had bought me to speculate on, and were +not able to lose what they had paid for me. But they would make a +bargain with me, if I was willing, and would lay a plan, by which I +might yet get free. If I would use my influence so as to get some +person to buy me while traveling about with them, they would give me a +portion of the money for which they sold me, and they would also give +me directions by which I might yet run away and go to Canada. + +This offer I accepted, and the plot was made. They advised me to act +very stupid in language and thought, but in business I must be spry; +and that I must persuade men to buy me, and promise them that I would +be smart. + +We passed through the State of Arkansas and stopped at many places, +horse-racing and gambling. My business was to drive a wagon in which +they carried their gambling apparatus, clothing, &c. I had also to +black boots and attend to horses. We stopped at Fayettville, where +they almost lost me, betting on a horse race. + +They went from thence to the Indian Territory, among the Cherokee +Indians, to attend the great races which were to take place there. +During the races there was a very wealthy half Indian of that tribe, +who became much attached to me, and had some notion of buying me, +after hearing that I was for sale, being a slaveholder. The idea +struck me rather favorable, for several reasons. First, I thought I +should stand a better chance to get away from an Indian than from a +white man. Second, he wanted me only for a kind of a body servant to +wait on him--and in this case I knew that I should fare better than I +should in the field. And my owners also told me that it would be an +easy place to get away from. I took their advice for fear I might not +get another chance so good as that, and prevailed on the man to buy +me. He paid them nine hundred dollars, in gold and silver, for me. I +saw the money counted out. + +After the purchase was made, the sportsmen got me off to one side, and +according to promise they gave me a part of the money, and directions +how to get from there to Canada. They also advised me how to act until +I got a good chance to run away. I was to embrace the earliest +opportunity of getting away, before they should become acquainted with +me. I was never to let it be known where I was from, nor where I was +born. I was to act quite stupid and ignorant. And when I started I was +to go up the boundary line, between the Indian Territory and the +States of Arkansas and Missouri, and this would fetch me out on the +Missouri river, near Jefferson city, the capital of Missouri. I was to +travel at first by night, and to lay by in daylight, until I got out +of danger. + +The same afternoon that the Indian bought me, he started with me to +his residence, which was fifty or sixty miles distant. And so great +was his confidence in me, that he intrusted me to carry his money. The +amount must have been at least five hundred dollars, which was all in +gold and silver; and when we stopped over night the money and horses +were all left in my charge. + +It would have been a very easy matter for me to have taken one of the +best horses, with the money, and run off. And the temptation was truly +great to a man like myself, who was watching for the earliest +opportunity to escape; and I felt confident that I should never have a +better opportunity to escape full handed than then. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Character of my Indian Master.--Slavery among the Indians less +cruel.--Indian carousal.--Enfeebled health of my Indian Master.--His +death.--My escape.--Adventure in a wigwam.--Successful progress toward +liberty._ + + +The next morning I went home with my new master; and by the way it is +only doing justice to the dead to say, that he was the most +reasonable, and humane slaveholder that I have ever belonged to. He +was the last man that pretended to claim property in my person; and +although I have freely given the names and residences of all others +who have held me as a slave, for prudential reasons I shall omit +giving the name of this individual. + +He was the owner of a large plantation and quite a number of slaves. +He raised corn and wheat for his own consumption only. There was no +cotton, tobacco, or anything of the kind produced among them for +market. And I found this difference between negro slavery among the +Indians, and the same thing among the white slaveholders of the South. +The Indians allow their slaves enough to eat and wear. They have no +overseers to whip nor drive them. If a slave offends his master, he +sometimes, in a heat of passion, undertakes to chastise him; but it is +as often the case as otherwise, that the slave gets the better of the +fight, and even flogs his master;[4] for which there is no law to +punish him; but when the fight is over that is the last of it. So far +as religious instruction is concerned, they have it on terms of +equality, the bond and the free; they have no respect of persons, they +have neither slave laws nor negro pews. Neither do they separate +husbands and wives, nor parents and children. All things considered, +if I must be a slave, I had by far, rather be a slave to an Indian, +than to a white man, from the experience I have had with both. + +A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their +old heathen traditional notions. They made it a rule to have an Indian +dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; and they would come together +far and near to attend these dances. They would most generally +commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by +the blowing of horns. One would commence blowing and another would +answer, and so it would go all round the neighborhood. When a number +had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in +circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, all +around, in this circle. In the centre they would have a large fire to +dance around, and at each one of the small fires there would be a +squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance. + +But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating +drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these +stump dances. At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum +to sell. There would be some dancing, some singing, some gambling, +some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two +days and nights together. + +Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird +feathers, coon tails, or something of the kind stuck in their heads, +and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing. +Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and +forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping +around it until they would get drunk or their heads would get to +swimming, and then they would go off and drink, and another set come +on. Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian +slaveholders. + +My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me; +and not long after he bought me he went off forty or fifty miles from +home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by his wife. I +was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during +his sickness. But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but +short duration after the doctor commenced on him. + +While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability. I +watched over him night and day until he died, and even prepared his +body for the tomb, before I left him. He died about midnight and I +understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the +second day after his death. I pretended to be taking on at a great +rate about his death, but I was more excited about running away, than +I was about that, and before daylight the next morning I proved it, +for I was on my way to Canada. + +I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my +escape. I slipped out of the room as if I had gone off to weep for the +deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about me until +after my master was buried and they had returned back to his +residence. And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my +way home; and it would be at least four or five days before they would +make any stir in looking after me. By that time, if I had no bad luck, +I should be out of much danger. + +After the first day, I laid by in the day and traveled by night for +several days and nights, passing in this way through several tribes of +Indians. I kept pretty near the boundary line. I recollect getting +lost one dark rainy night. Not being able to find the road I came into +an Indian settlement at the dead hour of the night. I was wet, +wearied, cold and hungry; and yet I felt afraid to enter any of their +houses or wigwams, not knowing whether they would be friendly or not. +But I knew the Indians were generally drunkards, and that occasionally +a drunken white man was found straggling among them, and that such an +one would be more likely to find friends from sympathy than an upright +man. + +So I passed myself off that night as a drunkard among them. I walked +up to the door of one of their houses, and fell up against it, making +a great noise like a drunken man; but no one came to the door. I +opened it and staggered in, falling about, and making a great noise. +But finally an old woman got up and gave me a blanket to lie down on. + +There was quite a number of them lying about on the dirt floor, but +not one could talk or understand a word of the English language. I +made signs so as to let them know that I wanted something to eat, but +they had nothing, so I had to go without that night. I laid down and +pretended to be asleep, but I slept none that night, for I was afraid +that they would kill me if I went to sleep. About one hour before day, +the next morning, three of the females got up and put into a tin +kettle a lot of ashes with water, to boil, and then poured into it +about one quart of corn. After letting it stand a few moments, they +poured it into a trough, and pounded it into thin hominy. They washed +it out, and boiled it down, and called me up to eat my breakfast of +it. + +After eating, I offered them six cents, but they refused to accept it. +I then found my way to the main road, and traveled all that day on my +journey, and just at night arrived at a public house kept by an +Indian, who also kept a store. I walked in and asked if I could get +lodging, which was granted; but I had not been there long before three +men came riding up about dusk, or between sunset and dark. They were +white men, and I supposed slaveholders. At any rate when they asked if +they could have lodging, I trembled for fear they might be in pursuit +of me. But the landlord told them that he could not lodge them, but +they could get lodging about two miles off, with a white man, and they +turned their horses and started. + +The landlord asked me where I was traveling to, and where I was from. +I told him that I had been out looking at the country; that I had +thought of buying land, and that I lived in the State of Ohio, in the +village of Perrysburgh. He then said that he had lived there himself, +and that he had acted as an interpreter there among the Maumee tribe +of Indians for several years. He then asked who I was acquainted with +there? I informed him that I knew Judge Hollister, Francis Hollister, +J.W. Smith, and others. At this he was so much pleased that he came up +and took me by the hand, and received me joyfully, after seeing that I +was acquainted with those of his old friends. + +I could converse with him understandingly from personal acquaintance, +for I had lived there when I first ran away from Kentucky. But I felt +it to be my duty to start off the next morning before breakfast, or +sunrise. I bought a dozen of eggs, and had them boiled to carry with +me to eat on the way. I did not like the looks of those three men, and +thought I would get on as fast as possible for fear I might be pursued +by them. + +I was then about to enter the territory of another slave State, +Missouri. I had passed through the fiery ordeal of Sibley, Gatewood, +and Garrison, and had even slipped through the fingers of Deacon +Whitfield. I had doubtless gone through great peril in crossing the +Indian territory, in passing through the various half civilized +tribes, who seemed to look upon me with astonishment as I passed +along. Their hands were almost invariably filled with bows and arrows, +tomahawks, guns, butcher knives, and all the various implements of +death which are used by them. And what made them look still more +frightful, their faces were often painted red, and their heads muffled +with birds feathers, bushes, coons tails and owls heads. But all this +I had passed through, and my long enslaved limbs and spirit were then +in full stretch for emancipation. I felt as if one more short struggle +would set me free. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] This singular fact is corroborated in a letter read by the +publisher, from an acquaintance while passing through this country in +1849. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_Adventure on the Prairie.--I borrow a horse without leave.--Rapid +traveling one whole night.--Apology for using other men's horses.--My +manner of living on the road._ + +Early in the morning I left the Indian territory as I have already +said, for fear I might be pursued by the three white men whom I had +seen there over night; but I had not proceeded far before my fears +were magnified a hundred fold. + +I always dreaded to pass through a prairie, and on coming to one which +was about six miles in width, I was careful to look in every direction +to see whether there was any person in sight before I entered it; but +I could see no one. So I started across with a hope of crossing +without coming in contact with any one on the prairie. I walked as +fast as I could, but when I got about midway of the prairie, I came to +a high spot where the road forked, and three men came up from a low +spot as if they had been there concealed. They were all on horse back, +and I supposed them to be the same men that had tried to get lodging +where I stopped over night. Had this been in timbered land, I might +have stood some chance to have dodged them, but there I was, out in +the open prairie, where I could see no possible way by which I could +escape. + +They came along slowly up behind me, and finally passed, and spoke or +bowed their heads on passing, but they traveled in a slow walk and +kept but a very few steps before me, until we got nearly across the +prairie. When we were coming near a plantation a piece off from the +road on the skirt of the timbered land, they whipped up their horses +and left the road as if they were going across to this plantation. +They soon got out of my sight by going down into a valley which lay +between us and the plantation. Not seeing them rise the hill to go up +to the farm, excited greater suspicion in my mind, so I stepped over +on the brow of the hill, where I could see what they were doing, and +to my surprise I saw them going right back in the direction they had +just came, and they were going very fast. I was then satisfied that +they were after me and that they were only going back to get more +help to assist them in taking me, for fear that I might kill some of +them if they undertook it. The first impression was that I had better +leave the road immediately; so I bolted from the road and ran as fast +as I could for some distance in the thick forest, and concealed myself +for about fifteen or twenty minutes, which were spent in prayer to God +for his protecting care and guidance. + +My impression was that when they should start in pursuit of me again, +they would follow on in the direction which I was going when they left +me; and not finding or hearing of me on the road, they would come back +and hunt through the woods around, and if they could find no track +they might go and get dogs to trace me out. + +I thought my chance of escape would be better, if I went back to the +same side of the road that they first went, for the purpose of +deceiving them; as I supposed that they would not suspect my going in +the same direction that they went, for the purpose of escaping from +them. + +So I traveled all that day square off from the road through the wild +forest without any knowledge of the country whatever; for I had +nothing to travel by but the sun by day, and the moon and stars by +night. Just before night I came in sight of a large plantation, where +I saw quite a number of horses running at large in a field, and +knowing that my success in escaping depended upon my getting out of +that settlement within twenty-four hours, to save myself from +everlasting slavery, I thought I should be justified in riding one of +those horses, that night, if I could catch one. I cut a grape vine +with my knife, and made it into a bridle; and shortly after dark I +went into the field and tried to catch one of the horses. I got a +bunch of dry blades of fodder and walked up softly towards the horses, +calling to them "cope," "cope," "cope;" but there was only one out of +the number that I was able to get my hand on, and that was an old +mare, which I supposed to be the mother of all the rest; and I knew +that I could walk faster than she could travel. She had a bell on and +was very thin in flesh; she looked gentle and walked on three legs +only. The young horses pranced and galloped off. I was not able to get +near them, and the old mare being of no use to me, I left them all. +After fixing my eyes on the north star I pursued my journey, holding +on to my bridle with a hope of finding a horse upon which I might ride +that night. + +I found a road leading pretty nearly in the direction which I wanted +to travel, and I kept it. After traveling several miles I found +another large plantation where there was a prospect of finding a +horse. I stepped up to the barn-yard, wherein I found several horses. +There was a little barn standing with the door open, and I found it +quite an easy task to get the horses into the barn, and select out the +best looking one of them. I pulled down the fence, led the noble beast +out and mounted him, taking a northern direction, being able to find a +road which led that way. But I had not gone over three or four miles +before I came to a large stream of water which was past fording; yet I +could see that it had been forded by the road track, but from high +water it was then impassible. As the horse seemed willing to go in I +put him through; but before he got in far, he was in water up to his +sides and finally the water came over his back and he swam over. I got +as wet as could be, but the horse carried me safely across at the +proper place. After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into +a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles +in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I +wanted to go. I laid whip to the horse, and I think he must have +carried me not less than forty miles that night, or before sun rise +the next morning. I then stopped him in a spot of high grass in an old +field, and took off the bridle. I thanked God, and thanked the horse +for what he had done for me, and wished him a safe journey back home. + +I know the poor horse must have felt stiff, and tired from his speedy +jaunt, and I felt very bad myself, riding at that rate all night +without a saddle; but I felt as if I had too much at stake to favor +either horse flesh or man flesh. I could indeed afford to crucify my +own flesh for the sake of redeeming myself from perpetual slavery. + +Some may be disposed to find fault with my taking the horse as I did; +but I did nothing more than nine out of ten would do if they were +placed in the same circumstances. I had no disposition to steal a +horse from any man. But I ask, if a white man had been captured by the +Cherokee Indians and carried away from his family for life into +slavery, and could see a chance to escape and get back to his family; +should the Indians pursue him with a determination to take him back or +take his life, would it be a crime for the poor fugitive, whose life, +liberty, and future happiness were all at stake, to mount any man's +horse by the way side, and ride him without asking any questions, to +effect his escape? Or who would not do the same thing to rescue a +wife, child, father, or mother? Such an act committed by a white man +under the same circumstances would not only be pronounced proper, but +praiseworthy; and if he neglected to avail himself of such a means of +escape he would be pronounced a fool. Therefore from this act I have +nothing to regret, for I have done nothing more than any other +reasonable person would have done under the same circumstances. But I +had good luck from the morning I left the horse until I got back into +the State of Ohio. About two miles from where I left the horse, I +found a public house on the road, where I stopped and took breakfast. +Being asked where I was traveling, I replied that I was going home to +Perrysburgh, Ohio, and that I had been out to look at the land in +Missouri, with a view of buying. They supposed me to be a native of +Ohio, from the fact of my being so well acquainted with its location, +its principal cities, inhabitants, &c. + +The next night I put up at one of the best hotels in the village where +I stopped, and acted with as much independence as if I was worth a +million of dollars; talked about buying land, stock and village +property, and contrasting it with the same kind of property in the +State of Ohio. In this kind of talk they were most generally +interested, and I was treated just like other travelers. I made it a +point to travel about thirty miles each day on my way to Jefferson +city. On several occasions I have asked the landlords where I have +stopped over night, if they could tell me who kept the best house +where I would stop the next night, which was most generally in a small +village. But for fear I might forget, I would get them to give me the +name on a piece of paper as a kind of recommend. This would serve as +an introduction through which I have always been well received from +one landlord to another, and I have always stopped at the best houses, +eaten at the first tables, and slept in the best beds. No man ever +asked me whether I was bond or free, black or white, rich or poor; +but I always presented a bold front and showed the best side out, +which was all the pass I had. But when I got within about one hundred +miles of Jefferson city, where I expected to take a Steamboat passage +to St. Louis, I stopped over night at a hotel, where I met with a +young white man who was traveling on to Jefferson City on horse back, +and was also leading a horse with a saddle and bridle on. + +I asked him if he would let me ride the horse which he was leading, as +I was going to the same city? He said that it was a hired horse, that +he was paying at the rate of fifty cents per day for it, but if I +would pay the same I could ride him. I accepted the offer and we rode +together to the city. We were on the road together two or three days; +stopped and ate and slept together at the same hotels. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_Stratagem to get on board, the steamer.--My Irish friends.--My +success in reaching Cincinnati.--Reflections on again seeing +Kentucky.--I get employment in a hotel.--My fright at seeing the +gambler who sold me.--I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith.--His letter.--My +education._ + + +The greatest of my adventures came off when I arrived at Jefferson +City. There I expected to meet an advertisement for my person; it was +there I must cross the river or take a steamboat down; it was there I +expected to be interrogated and required to prove whether I was +actually a free man or a slave. If I was free, I should have to show +my free papers; and if I was a slave I should be required to tell who +my master was. + +I stopped at a hotel, however, and ascertained that there was a +steamboat expected down the river that day for St. Louis. I also found +out that there were several passengers at that house who were going +down on board of the first boat. I knew that the captain of a +steamboat could not take a colored passenger on board of his boat from +a slave state without first ascertaining whether such person was bond +or free; I knew that this was more than he would dare to do by the +laws of the slave states--and now to surmount this difficulty it +brought into exercise all the powers of my mind. I would have got +myself boxed up as freight, and have been forwarded to St. Louis, but +I had no friend that I could trust to do it for me. This plan has +since been adopted by some with success. But finally I thought I might +possibly pass myself off as a body servant to the passengers going +from the hotel down. + +So I went to a store and bought myself a large trunk, and took it to +the hotel. Soon, a boat came in which was bound to St. Louis, and the +passengers started down to get on board. I took up my large trunk, and +started along after them as if I was their servant. My heart trembled +in view of the dangerous experiment which I was then about to try. It +required all the moral courage that I was master of to bear me up in +view of my critical condition. The white people that I was following +walked on board and I after them. I acted as if the trunk was full of +clothes, but I had not a stitch of clothes in it. The passengers went +up into the cabin and I followed them with the trunk. I suppose this +made the captain think that I was their slave. + +I not only took the trunk in the cabin but stood by it until after the +boat had started as if it belonged to my owners, and I was taking care +of it for them; but as soon as the boat got fairly under way, I knew +that some account would have to be given of me; so I then took my +trunk down on the deck among the deck passengers to prepare myself to +meet the clerk of the boat, when he should come to collect fare from +the deck passengers. + +Fortunately for me there was quite a number of deck passengers on +board, among whom there were many Irish. I insinuated myself among +them so as to get into their good graces, believing that if I should +get into a difficulty they would stand by me. I saw several of these +persons going up to the saloon buying whiskey, and I thought this +might be the most effectual way by which I could gain speedily their +respect and sympathy. So I participated with them pretty freely for +awhile, or at least until after I got my fare settled. I placed myself +in a little crowd of them, and invited them all up to the bar with me, +stating that it was my treat. This was responded to, and they walked +up and drank and I footed the bill. This, of course, brought us into a +kind of a union. We sat together and laughed and talked freely. Within +ten or fifteen minutes I remarked that I was getting dry again, and +invited them up and treated again. By this time I was thought to be +one of the most liberal and gentlemanly men on board, by these deck +passengers; they were ready to do any thing for me--they got to +singing songs, and telling long yarns in which I took quite an active +part; but it was all for effect. + +By this time the porter came around ringing his bell for all +passengers who had not paid their fare, to walk up to the captain's +office and settle it. Some of my Irish friends had not yet settled, +and I asked one of them if he would be good enough to take my money +and get me a ticket when he was getting one for himself, and he +quickly replied "yes sir, I will get you a tacket." So he relieved me +of my greatest trouble. When they came round to gather the tickets +before we got to St. Louis, my ticket was taken with the rest, and no +questions were asked me. + +The next day the boat arrived at St. Louis; my object was to take +passage on board of the first boat which was destined for Cincinnati, +Ohio; and as there was a boat going out that day for Pittsburgh, I +went on board to make some inquiry about the fare &c, and found the +steward to be a colored man with whom I was acquainted. He lived in +Cincinnati, and had rendered me some assistance in making my escape to +Canada, in the summer of 1838, and he also very kindly aided me then +in getting back into a land of freedom. The swift running steamer +started that afternoon on her voyage, which soon wafted my body beyond +the tyrannical limits of chattel slavery. When the boat struck the +mouth of the river Ohio, and I had once more the pleasure of looking +on that lovely stream, my heart leaped up for joy at the glorious +prospect that I should again be free. Every revolution of the mighty +steam-engine seemed to bring me nearer and nearer the "promised land." +Only a few days had elapsed, before I was permitted by the smiles of a +good providence, once more to gaze on the green hill-tops and valleys +of old Kentucky, the State of my nativity. And notwithstanding I was +deeply interested while standing on the deck of the steamer looking at +the beauties of nature on either side of the river, as she pressed her +way up the stream, my very soul was pained to look upon the slaves in +the fields of Kentucky, still toiling under their task-masters without +pay. It was on this soil I first breathed, the free air of Heaven, and +felt the bitter pangs of slavery--it was here that I first learned to +abhor it. It was here I received the first impulse of human rights--it +was here that I first entered my protest against the bloody +institution of slavery, by running away from it, and declared that I +would no longer work for any man as I had done, without wages. + +When the steamboat arrived at Portsmouth, Ohio, I took off my trunk +with the intention of going to Canada. But my funds were almost +exhausted, so I had to stop and go to work to get money to travel on. +I hired myself at the American Hotel to a Mr. McCoy to do the work of +a porter, to black boots, &c, for which he was to pay me $12 per +month. I soon found the landlord to be bad pay, and not only that, but +he would not allow me to charge for blacking boots, although I had to +black them after everybody had gone to bed at night, and set them in +the bar-room, where the gentlemen could come and get them in the +morning while I was at other work. I had nothing extra for this, +neither would he pay me my regular wages; so I thought this was a +little too much like slavery, and devised a plan by which I got some +pay for my work. + +I made it a point never to blacken all the boots and shoes over night, +neither would I put any of them in the bar-room, but lock them up in a +room where no one could get them without calling for me. I got a piece +of broken vessel, placed it in the room just before the boots, and put +into it several pieces of small change, as if it had been given me for +boot blacking; and almost every one that came in after their boots, +would throw some small trifle into my contribution box, while I was +there blacking away. In this way, I made more than my landlord paid +me, and I soon got a good stock of cash again. One morning I blacked a +gentleman's boots who came in during the night by a steamboat. After +he had put on his boots, I was called into the bar-room to button his +straps; and while I was performing this service, not thinking to see +anybody that knew me, I happened to look up at the man's face and who +should it be but one of the very gamblers who had recently sold me. I +dropped his foot and bolted from the room as if I had been struck by +an electric shock. The man happened not to recognize me, but this +strange conduct on my part excited the landlord, who followed me out +to see what was the matter. He found me with my hand to my breast, +groaning at a great rate. He asked me what was the matter; but I was +not able to inform him correctly, but said that I felt very bad +indeed. He of course thought I was sick with the colic and ran in the +house and got some hot stuff for me, with spice, ginger, &c. But I +never got able to go into the bar-room until long after breakfast +time, when I knew this man was gone; then I got well. + +And yet I have no idea that the man would have hurt a hair of my head; +but my first thought was that he was after me. I then made up my mind +to leave Portsmouth; its location being right on the border of a slave +State. + +A short time after this a gentleman put up there over night named +Smith, from Perrysburgh, with whom I was acquainted in the North. He +was on his way to Kentucky to buy up a drove of fine horses, and he +wanted me to go and help him to drive his horses out to Perrysburgh, +and said he would pay all my expenses if I would go. So I made a +contract to go and agreed to meet him the next week, on a set day, in +Washington, Ky., to start with his drove to the north. Accordingly at +the time I took a steamboat passage down to Maysville, near where I +was to meet Mr. Smith with my trunk. When I arrived at Maysville, I +found that Washington was still six miles back from the river. I +stopped at a hotel and took my breakfast, and who should I see there +but a captain of a boat, who saw me but two years previous going down +the river Ohio with handcuffs on, in a chain gang; but he happened not +to know me. I left my trunk at the hotel and went out to Washington, +where I found Mr. Smith, and learned that he was not going to start +off with his drove until the next day. + +The following letter which was addressed to the committee to +investigate the truth of my narrative, will explain this part of it to +the reader and corroborate my statements: + + MAUMEE CITY, April 5, 1845. + + CHAS. H. STEWART, ESQ. + + DEAR SIR:--Your favor of 13th February, addressed to me at + Perrysburgh, was not received until yesterday; having + removed to this place, the letter was not forwarded as it + should have been. In reply to your inquiry respecting Henry + Bibb, I can only say that about the year 1838 I became + acquainted with him at Perrysburgh--employed him to do some + work by the job which he performed well, and from his + apparent honesty and candor, I became much interested in + him. About that time he went South for the purpose, as was + said, of getting his wife, who was there in slavery. In the + spring of 1841, I found him at Portsmouth on the Ohio river, + and after much persuasion, employed him to assist my man to + drive home some horses and cattle which I was about + purchasing near Maysville, Ky. My confidence in him was such + that when about half way home I separated the horses from + the cattle, and left him with the latter, with money and + instructions to hire what help he wanted to get to + Perrysburgh. This he accomplished to my entire satisfaction. + He worked for me during the summer, and I was unwilling to + part with him, but his desire to go to school and mature + plans for the liberation of his wife, were so strong that he + left for Detroit, where he could enjoy the society of his + colored brethren. I have heard his story and must say that I + have not the least reason to suspect it being otherwise than + true, and furthermore, I firmly believe, and have for a long + time, that he has the foundation to make himself useful. I + shall always afford him all the facilities in my power to + assist him, until I hear of something in relation to him to + alter my mind. + + Yours in the cause of truth, + J.W. SMITH + +When I arrived at Perrysburgh, I went to work for Mr. Smith for +several months. This family I found to be one of the most +kind-hearted, and unprejudiced that I ever lived with. Mr. and Mrs. +Smith lived up to their profession. + +I resolved to go to Detroit, that winter, and go to school, in January +1842. But when I arrived at Detroit I soon found that I was not able +to give myself a very thorough education. I was among strangers, who +were not disposed to show me any great favors. I had every thing to +pay for, and clothing to buy, so I graduated within three weeks! And +this was all the schooling that I have ever had in my life. + +W.C. Monroe was my teacher; to him I went about two weeks only. My +occupation varied according to circumstances, as I was not settled in +mind about the condition of my bereaved family for several years, and +could not settle myself down at any permanent business. I saw +occasionally, fugitives from Kentucky, some of whom I knew, but none +of them were my relatives; none could give me the information which I +desired most. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_Letter from W.H. Gatewood.--My reply.--My efforts as a public +lecturer.--Singular incident in Steubenville--Meeting with a friend of +Whitfield in Michigan.--Outrage on a canal packet.--Fruitless efforts +to find my wife._ + + +The first direct information that I received concerning any of my +relations, after my last escape from slavery, was communicated in a +letter from Wm. H. Gatewood, my former owner, which I here insert word +for word, without any correction: + + BEDFORD, TRIMBLE COUNTY, KY. + + Mr. H. BIBB. + + DEAR SIR:--After my respects to you and yours &c, I received + a small book which you sent to me that I peroseed and found + it was sent by H. Bibb I am a stranger in Detroit and know + no man there without it is Walton H. Bibb if this be the man + please to write to me and tell me all about that place and + the people I will tell you the news here as well as I can + your mother is still living here and she is well the people + are generally well in this cuntry times are dull and produce + low give my compliments to King, Jack, and all my friends in + that cuntry I read that book you sent me and think it will + do very well--George is sold, I do not know any thing about + him I have nothing more at present, but remain yours &c + + W.H. GATEWOOD. + + February 9th, 1844. + P.S. You will please to answer this letter. + +Never was I more surprised than at the reception of this letter, it +came so unexpected to me. There had just been a State Convention held +in Detroit, by the free people of color, the proceedings of which were +published in pamphlet form. I forwarded several of them to +distinguished slaveholders in Kentucky--one among others was Mr. +Gatewood, and gave him to understand who sent it. After showing this +letter to several of my anti-slavery friends, and asking their +opinions about the propriety of my answering it, I was advised to do +it, as Mr. Gatewood had no claim on me as a slave, for he had sold +and got the money for me and my family. So I wrote him an answer, as +near as I can recollect, in the following language: + + DEAR SIR:--I am happy to inform you that you are not + mistaken in the man whom you sold as property, and received + pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not property now, + but am regarded as a man like yourself, and although I live + far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own + industry. If you should ever chance to be traveling this + way, and will call on me, I will use you better than you did + me while you held me as a slave. Think not that I have any + malice against you, for the cruel treatment which you + inflicted on me while I was in your power. As it was the + custom of your country, to treat your fellow man as you did + me and my little family, I can freely forgive you. + + I wish to be remembered in love to my aged mother, and + friends; please tell her that if we should never meet again + in this life, my prayer shall be to God that we may meet in + Heaven, where parting shall be no more. + + You wish to be remembered to King and Jack. I am pleased, + sir, to inform you that they are both here, well, and doing + well. They are both living in Canada West. They are now the + owners of better farms than the men are who once owned them. + + You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from + slavery, but as to myself, I have but one apology to make + for it, which is this: I have only to regret that I did not + start at an earlier period. I might have been free long + before I was. But you had it in your power to have kept me + there much longer than you did. I think it is very probable + that I should have been a toiling slave on your plantation + to-day, if you had treated me differently. + + To be compelled to stand by and see you whip and slash my + wife without mercy, when I could afford her no protection, + not even by offering myself to suffer the lash in her place, + was more than I felt it to be the duty of a slave husband to + endure, while the way was open to Canada. My infant child + was also frequently flogged by Mrs. Gatewood, for crying, + until its skin was bruised literally purple. This kind of + treatment was what drove me from home and family, to seek a + better home for them. But I am willing to forget the past. I + should be pleased to hear from you again, on the reception + of this, and should also be very happy to correspond with + you often, if it should be agreeable to yourself. I + subscribe myself a friend to the oppressed, and Liberty + forever. + + HENRY BIBB. + + WILLIAM GATEWOOD. + Detroit, March 23d, 1844. + +The first time that I ever spoke before a public audience, was to give +a narration of my own sufferings and adventures, connected with +slavery. I commenced in the village of Adrian, State of Michigan, May, +1844. From that up to the present period, the principle part of my +time has been faithfully devoted to the cause of freedom--nerved up +and encouraged by the sympathy of anti-slavery friends on the one +hand, and prompted by a sense of duty to my enslaved countrymen on the +other, especially, when I remembered that slavery had robbed me of my +freedom--deprived me of education--banished me from my native State, +and robbed me of my family. + +I went from Michigan to the State of Ohio, where I traveled over some +of the Southern counties of that State, in company with Samuel Brooks, +and Amos Dresser, lecturing upon the subject of American Slavery. The +prejudice of the people at that time was very strong against the +abolitionists; so much so that they were frequently mobbed for +discussing the subject. + +We appointed a series of meetings along on the Ohio River, in sight of +the State of Virginia; and in several places we had Virginians over to +hear us upon the subject. I recollect our having appointed a meeting +in the city of Steubenville, which is situated on the bank of the +river Ohio. There was but one known abolitionist living in that city, +named George Ore. On the day of our meeting, when we arrived in this +splendid city there was not a church, school house, nor hall, that we +could get for love or money, to hold our meeting in. Finally, I +believe that the whigs consented to let us have the use of their club +room, to hold the meeting in; but before the hour had arrived for us +to commence, they re-considered the matter, and informed us that we +could not have the use of their house for an abolition meeting. + +We then got permission to hold forth in the public market house, and +even then so great was the hostility of the rabble, that they tried to +bluff us off, by threats and epithets. Our meeting was advertised to +take place at nine o'clock, A.M. The pro-slavery parties hired a +colored man to take a large auction bell, and go all over the city +ringing it, and crying, "ho ye! ho ye! Negro auction to take place in +the market house, at nine o'clock, by George Ore!" This cry was +sounded all over the city, which called out many who would not +otherwise have been present. They came to see if it was really the +case. The object of the rabble in having the bell rung was, to prevent +us from attempting to speak. But at the appointed hour, Bro. Dresser +opened the meeting with prayer, and Samuel Brooks mounted the block +and spoke for fifteen or twenty minutes, after which Mr. Dresser took +the block and talked about one hour upon the wickedness of +slaveholding. There were not yet many persons present. They were +standing off I suppose to see if I was to be offered for sale. Many +windows were hoisted and store doors open, and they were looking and +listening to what was said. After Mr. Dresser was through, I was +called to take the stand. Just at this moment there was no small stir +in rushing forward; so much indeed, that I thought they were coming up +to mob me. I should think that in less than fifteen minutes there were +about one thousand persons standing around, listening. I saw many of +them shedding tears while I related the sad story of my wrongs. At +twelve o'clock we adjourned the meeting, to meet again at the same +place at two P.M. Our afternoon meeting was well attended until nearly +sunset, at which time, we saw some signs of a mob and adjourned. The +mob followed us that night to the house of Mr. Ore, and they were +yelling like tigers, until late that night, around the house, as if +they wanted to tear it down. + +In the fall of 1844, S.B. Treadwell, of Jackson, and myself, spent two +or three months in lecturing through the State of Michigan, upon the +abolition of slavery, in a section of country where abolitionists +were few and far between. Our meetings were generally appointed in +small log cabins, school houses, among the farmers, which were some +times crowded full; and where they had no horse teams, it was often +the case that there would be four or five ox teams come, loaded down +with men, women and children, to attend our meetings. + +But the people were generally poor, and in many places not able to +give us a decent night's lodging. We most generally carried with us a +few pounds of candles to light up the houses wherein we held our +meetings after night; for in many places, they had neither candles nor +candlesticks. After meeting was out, we have frequently gone from +three to eight miles to get lodging, through the dark forest, where +there was scarcely any road for a wagon to run on. + +I have traveled for miles over swamps, where the roads were covered +with logs, without any dirt over them, which has sometimes shook and +jostled the wagon to pieces, where we could find no shop or any place +to mend it. We would have to tie it up with bark, or take the lines to +tie it with, and lead the horse by the bridle. At other times we were +in mud up to the hubs of the wheels. I recollect one evening, we +lectured in a little village where there happened to be a Southerner +present, who was a personal friend of Deacon Whitfield, who became +much offended at what I said about his "Bro. Whitfield," and +complained about it after the meeting was out. + +He told the people not to believe a word that I said, that it was all +a humbug. They asked him how he knew? "Ah!" said he, "he has slandered +Bro. Whitfield. I am well acquainted with him, we both belonged to one +church; and Whitfield is one of the most respectable men in all that +region of country." They asked if he (Whitfield) was a slaveholder? + +The reply was "yes, but he treated his slaves well." + +"Well," said one, "that only proves that he has told us the truth; for +all we wish to know, is that there is such a man as Whitfield, as +represented by Bibb, and that he is a slave holder." + +On the 2d Sept., 1847, I started from Toledo on board the canal packet +Erie, for Cincinnati, Ohio. But before going on board, I was waited on +by one of the boat's crew, who gave me a card of the boat, upon which +was printed, that no pains would be spared to render all passengers +comfortable who might favor them with their patronage to Cincinnati. +This card I slipped into my pocket, supposing it might be of some use +to me. There were several drunken loafers on board going through as +passengers, one of whom used the most vulgar language in the cabin, +where there were ladies, and even vomited! But he was called a white +man, and a southerner, which made it all right. I of course took my +place in the cabin with the rest, and there was nothing said against +it that night. When the passengers went forward to settle their fare I +paid as much as any other man, which entitled me to the same +privileges. The next morning at the ringing of the breakfast bell, the +proprietor of the packet line, Mr. Samuel Doyle, being on board, +invited the passengers to sit up to breakfast. He also invited me +personally to sit up to the table. But after we were all seated, and +some had began to eat, he came and ordered me up from the table, and +said I must wait until the rest were done. + +I left the table without making any reply, and walked out on the deck +of the boat. After breakfast the passengers came up, and the cabin boy +was sent after me to come to breakfast, but I refused. Shortly after, +this man who had ordered me from the table, came up with the ladies. I +stepped up and asked him if he was the captain of the boat. His answer +was no, that he was one of the proprietors. I then informed him that I +was going to leave his boat at the first stopping place, but before +leaving I wanted to ask him a few questions: "Have I misbehaved to any +one on board of this boat? Have I disobeyed any law of this boat?" + +"No," said he. + +"Have I not paid you as much as any other passenger through to +Cincinnati?" + +"Yes," said he. + +"Then I am sure that I have been insulted and imposed upon, on board +of this boat, without any just cause whatever." + +"No one has misused you, for you ought to have known better than to +have come to the table where there were white people." + +"Sir, did you not ask me to come to the table?" + +"Yes, but I did not know that you was a colored man, when I asked you; +and then it was better to insult one man than all the passengers on +board of the boat." + +"Sir, I do not believe that there is a gentleman or lady on board of +this boat who would have considered it an insult for me to have taken +my breakfast, and you have imposed upon me by taking my money and +promising to use me well, and then to insult me as you have." + +"I don't want any of your jaw," said he. + +"Sir, with all due respect to your elevated station, you have imposed +upon me in a way which is unbecoming a gentleman. I have paid my +money, and behaved myself as well as any other man, and I am +determined that no man shall impose on me as you have, by deceiving +me, without my letting the world know it. I would rather a man should +rob me of my money at midnight, than to take it in that way." + +I left this boat at the first stopping place, and took the next boat +to Cincinnati. On the last boat I had no cause to complain of my +treatment. When I arrived at Cincinnati, I published a statement of +this affair in the Daily Herald. + +The next day Mr. Doyle called on the editor in a great +passion.--"Here," said he, "what does this mean." + +"What, sir?" said the editor quietly. + +"Why, the stuff here, read it and see." + +"Read it yourself," answered the editor. + +"Well, I want to know if you sympathize with this nigger here." + +"Who, Mr. Bibb? Why yes, I think he is a gentleman, and should be used +as such." + +"Why this is all wrong--all of it." + +"Put your finger on the place, and I will right it." + +"Well, he says that we took his money, when we paid part back. And if +you take his part, why I'll have nothing to do with your paper." + +So ended his wrath. + +In 1845, the anti-slavery friends of Michigan employed me to take the +field as an anti-slavery Lecturer, in that State, during the Spring, +Summer, and Fall, pledging themselves to restore to me my wife and +child, if they were living, and could be reached by human agency, +which may be seen by the following circular from the Signal of +Liberty: + + TO LIBERTY FRIENDS:--In the Signal of the 28th inst. is a + report from the undersigned respecting Henry Bibb. His + narrative always excites deep sympathy for himself and + favorable bias for the cause, which seeks to abolish the + evils he so powerfully portrays. Friends and foes attest his + efficiency. + + Mr. Bibb has labored much in lecturing, yet has collected + but a bare pittance. He has received from Ohio lucrative + offers, but we have prevailed on him to remain in this + State. + + We think that a strong obligation rests on the friends in + this State to sustain Mr. Bibb, and restore to him his wife + and child. Under the expectation that Michigan will yield to + these claims: will support their laborer, and re-unite the + long severed ties of husband and wife, parent and child, Mr. + Bibb will lecture through the whole State. + + Our object is to prepare friends for the visit of Mr. Bibb, + and to suggest an effective mode of operations for the whole + State. + + Let friends in each vicinity appoint a collector--pay to him + all contributions for the freedom of Mrs. Bibb and child: + then transmit them to us. We will acknowledge them in the + Signal, and be responsible for them. We will see that the + proper measures for the freedom of Mrs. Bibb and child are + taken, and if it be within our means we will accomplish + it--nay we will accomplish it, if the objects be living and + the friends sustain us. But should we fail, the + contributions will be held subject to the order of the + donors, less however, by a proportionate deduction of + expenses from each. + + The hope of this re-union will nerve the heart and body of + Mr. Bibb to re-doubled effort in a cause otherwise dear to + him. And as he will devote his whole time systematically to + the anti-slavery cause, he must also depend on friends for + the means of livelihood. We bespeak for him your + hospitality, and such pecuniary contributions as you can + afford, trusting that the latter may be sufficient to enable + him to keep the field. + + A.L. PORTER, + C.H. STEWART, + SILAS M. HOLMES + + DETROIT, APRIL 22, 1845. + +I have every reason to believe that they acted faithfully in the +matter, but without success. They wrote letters in every quarter where +they would be likely to gain any information respecting her. There +were also two men sent from Michigan in the summer of 1845, down +South, to find her if possible, and report--and whether they found out +her condition, and refused to report, I am not able to say--but +suffice it to say that they never have reported. They were respectable +men and true friends of the cause, one of whom was a Methodist +minister, and the other a cabinet maker, and both white men. + +The small spark of hope which had still lingered about my heart had +almost become extinct. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +_My last effort to recover my family.--Sad tidings of my wife.--Her +degradation.--I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolved +forever._ + + +In view of the failure to hear any thing of my wife, many of my best +friends advised me to get married again, if I could find a suitable +person. They regarded my former wife as dead to me, and all had been +done that could be. + +But I was not yet satisfied myself, to give up. I wanted to know +certainly what had become of her. So in the winter of 1845, I resolved +to go back to Kentucky, my native State, to see if I could hear +anything from my family. And against the advice of all my friends, I +went back to Cincinnati, where I took passage on board of a Southern +steamboat to Madison, in the State of Indiana, which was only ten +miles from where Wm. Gatewood lived, who was my former owner. No +sooner had I landed in Madison, than I learned, on inquiry, and from +good authority, that my wife was living in a state of adultery with +her master, and had been for the last three years. This message she +sent back to Kentucky, to her mother and friends. She also spoke of +the time and manner of our separation by Deacon Whitfield, my being +taken off by the Southern black-legs, to where she knew not; and that +she had finally given me up. The child she said was still with her. +Whitfield had sold her to this man for the above purposes at a high +price, and she was better used than ordinary slaves. This was a death +blow to all my hopes and pleasant plans. While I was in Madison I +hired a white man to go over to Bedford, in Kentucky, where my mother +was then living, and bring her over into a free State to see me. I +hailed her approach with unspeakable joy. She informed me too, on +inquiring whether my family had ever been heard from, that the report +which I had just heard in relation to Malinda was substantially true, +for it was the same message that she had sent to her mother and +friends. And my mother thought it was no use for me to run any more +risks, or to grieve myself any more about her. + +From that time I gave her up into the hands of an all-wise +Providence. As she was then living with another man, I could no longer +regard her as my wife. After all the sacrifices, sufferings, and risks +which I had run, striving to rescue her from the grasp of slavery; +every prospect and hope was cut off. She has ever since been regarded +as theoretically and practically dead to me as a wife, for she was +living in a state of adultery, according to the law of God and man. + +Poor unfortunate woman, I bring no charge of guilt against her, for I +know not all the circumstances connected with the case. It is +consistent with slavery, however, to suppose that she became +reconciled to it, from the fact of her sending word back to her +friends and relatives that she was much better treated than she had +ever been before, and that she had also given me up. It is also +reasonable to suppose that there might have been some kind of +attachment formed by living together in this way for years; and it is +quite probable that they have other children according to the law of +nature, which would have a tendency to unite them stronger together. + +In view of all the facts and circumstances connected with this matter, +I deem further comments and explanations unnecessary on my part. +Finding myself thus isolated in this peculiarly unnatural state, I +resolved, in 1846, to spend my days in traveling, to advance the +anti-slavery cause. I spent the summer in Michigan, but in the +subsequent fall I took a trip to New England, where I spent the +winter. And there I found a kind reception wherever I traveled among +the friends of freedom. + +While traveling about in this way among strangers, I was sometimes +sick, with no permanent home, or bosom friend to sympathise or take +that care of me which an affectionate wife would. So I conceived the +idea that it would be better for me to change my position, provided I +should find a suitable person. + +In the month of May, 1847, I attended the anti-slavery anniversary in +the city of New York, where I had the good fortune to be introduced to +the favor of a Miss Mary E. Miles, of Boston; a lady whom I had +frequently heard very highly spoken of, for her activity and devotion +to the anti-slavery cause, as well as her talents and learning, and +benevolence in the cause of reforms, generally. I was very much +impressed with the personal appearance of Miss Miles, and was deeply +interested in our first interview, because I found that her principles +and my own were nearly one and the same. I soon found by a few visits, +as well as by letters, that she possessed moral principle, and +frankness of disposition, which is often sought for but seldom found. +These, in connection with other amiable qualities, soon won my entire +confidence and affection. But this secret I kept to myself until I was +fully satisfied that this feeling was reciprocal; that there was +indeed a congeniality of principles and feeling, which time nor +eternity could never change. + +When I offered myself for matrimony, we mutually engaged ourselves to +each other, to marry in one year, with this condition, viz: that if +either party should see any reason to change their mind within that +time, the contract should not be considered binding. We kept up a +regular correspondence during the time, and in June, 1848, we had the +happiness to be joined in holy wedlock. Not in slaveholding style, +which is a mere farce, without the sanction of law or gospel; but in +accordance with the laws of God and our country. My beloved wife is a +bosom friend, a help-meet, a loving companion in all the social, +moral, and religious relations of life. She is to me what a poor +slave's wife can never be to her husband while in the condition of a +slave; for she can not be true to her husband contrary to the will of +her master. She can neither be pure nor virtuous, contrary to the will +of her master. She dare not refuse to be reduced to a state of +adultery at the will of her master; from the fact that the +slaveholding law, customs and teachings are all against the poor +slaves. + +I presume there are no class of people in the United States who so +highly appreciate the legality of marriage as those persons who have +been held and treated as property. Yes, it is that fugitive who knows +from sad experience, what it is to have his wife tyrannically snatched +from his bosom by a slaveholding professor of religion, and finally +reduced to a state of adultery, that knows how to appreciate the law +that repels such high-handed villany. Such as that to which the writer +has been exposed. But thanks be to God, I am now free from the hand of +the cruel oppressor, no more to be plundered of my dearest rights; the +wife of my bosom, and my poor unoffending offspring. Of Malinda I +will only add a word in conclusion. The relation once subsisting +between us, to which I clung, hoping against hope, for years, after we +were torn assunder, not having been sanctioned by any loyal power, +cannot be cancelled by a legal process. Voluntarily assumed without +law mutually, it was by her relinquished years ago without my +knowledge, as before named; during which time I was making every +effort to secure her restoration. And it was not until after living +alone in the world for more than eight years without a companion known +in law or morals, that I changed my condition. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +_Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing.--Their +conduct vindicated.--Comments on W. Gatewood's letter._ + + +But it seems that I am not now beyond the reach of the foul slander of +slaveholders. They are not satisfied with selling and banishing me +from my native State. As soon as they got news of my being in the free +North, exposing their peculiar Institution, a libelous letter was +written by Silas Gatewood of Kentucky, a son of one of my former +owners, to a Northern Committee, for publication, which he thought +would destroy my influence and character. This letter will be found in +the introduction. + +He has charged me with the awful crime of taking from my keeper and +oppressor, some of the fruits of my own labor for the benefit of +myself and family. + +But while writing this letter he seems to have overlooked the +disgraceful fact that he was guilty himself of what would here be +regarded highway robbery, in his conduct to me as narrated on page 60 +of this narrative. + +A word in reply to Silas Gatewood's letter. I am willing to admit all +that is true, but shall deny that which is so basely false. In the +first place, he puts words in my mouth that I never used. He says that +I represented that "my mother belonged to James Bibb." I deny ever +having said so in private or public. He says that I stated that Bibb's +daughter married a Sibley. I deny it. He also says that the first time +that I left Kentucky for my liberty, I was gone about two years, +before I went back to rescue my family. I deny it. I was gone from +Dec. 25th, 1837, to May, or June, 1838. He says that I went back the +second time for the purpose of taking off my family, and eight or ten +more slaves to Canada. This I will not pretend to deny. He says I was +guilty of disposing of articles from the farm for my own use, and +pocketing the money, and that his father caught me stealing a sack +full of wheat. I admit the fact. I acknowledge the wheat. + +And who had a better right to eat of the fruits of my own hard +earnings than myself? Many a long summer's day have I toiled with my +wife and other slaves, cultivating his father's fields, and gathering +in his harvest, under the scorching rays of the sun, without half +enough to eat, or clothes to wear, and at the same time his meat-house +was filled with bacon and bread stuff; his dairy with butter and +cheese; his barn with grain, husbanded by the unrequited toil of the +slaves. And yet if a slave presumed to take a little from the +abundance which he had made by his own sweat and toil, to supply the +demands of nature, to quiet the craving appetite which is sometimes +almost irresistible, it is called stealing by slaveholders. + +But I did not regard it as stealing then, I do not regard it as such +now. I hold that a slave has a moral right to eat drink and wear all +that he needs, and that it would be a sin on his part to suffer and +starve in a country where there is a plenty to eat and wear within his +reach. I consider that I had a just right to what I took, because it +was the labor of my own hands. Should I take from a neighbor as a +freeman, in a free country, I should consider myself guilty of doing +wrong before God and man. But was I the slave of Wm. Gatewood to-day, +or any other slaveholder, working without wages, and suffering with +hunger or for clothing, I should not stop to inquire whether my master +would approve of my helping myself to what I needed to eat or wear. +For while the slave is regarded as property, how can he steal from his +master? It is contrary to the very nature of the relation existing +between master and slave, from the fact that there is no law to punish +a slave for theft, but lynch law; and the way they avoid that is to +hide well. For illustration, a slave from the State of Virginia, for +cruel treatment left the State between daylight and dark, being borne +off by one of his master's finest horses, and finally landed in +Canada, where the British laws recognise no such thing as property in +a human being. He was pursued by his owners, who expected to take +advantage of the British law by claiming him as a fugitive from +justice, and as such he was arrested and brought before the court of +Queen's Bench. They swore that he was, at a certain time, the slave of +Mr. A., and that he ran away at such a time and stole and brought off +a horse. They enquired who the horse belonged to, and it was +ascertained that the slave and horse both belonged to the same +person. The court therefore decided that the horse and the man were +both recognised, in the State of Virginia, alike, as articles of +property, belonging to the same person--therefore, if there was theft +committed on either side, the former must have stolen off the +latter--the horse brought away the man, and not the man the horse. So +the man was discharged and pronounced free according to the laws of +Canada. There are several other letters published in this work upon +the same subject, from slaveholders, which it is hardly necessary for +me to notice. However, I feel thankful to the writers for the +endorsement and confirmation which they have given to my story. No +matter what their motives were, they have done me and the anti-slavery +cause good service in writing those letters--but more especially the +Gatewood's. Silas Gatewood has done more for me than all the rest. He +has labored so hard in his long communication in trying to expose me, +that he has proved every thing that I could have asked of him; and for +which I intend to reward him by forwarding him one of my books, hoping +that it may be the means of converting him from a slaveholder to an +honest man, and an advocate of liberty for all mankind. + +The reader will see in the introduction that Wm. Gatewood writes a +more cautious letter upon the subject than his son Silas. "It is not a +very easy matter to catch old birds with chaff," and I presume if +Silas had the writing of his letter over again, he would not be so +free in telling all he knew, and even more, for the sake of making out +a strong case. The object of his writing such a letter will doubtless +be understood by the reader. It was to destroy public confidence in +the victims of slavery, that the system might not be exposed--it was +to gag a poor fugitive who had undertaken to plead his own cause and +that of his enslaved brethren. It was a feeble attempt to suppress the +voice of universal freedom which is now thundering on every gale. But +thank God it is too late in the day. + + Go stop the mighty thunder's roar, + Go hush the ocean's sound, + Or upward like the eagle soar + To skies' remotest bound. + + And when thou hast the thunder stopped, + And hushed the ocean's waves, + Then, freedom's spirit bind in chains, + And ever hold us slaves. + + And when the eagle's boldest fest, + Thou canst perform with skill, + Then, think to stop proud freedom's march, + And hold the bondman still. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +_Review of my narrative.--Licentiousness a prop of slavery.--A case of +mild slavery given.--Its revolting features.--Times of my purchase and +sale by professed Christians.--Concluding remarks._ + + +I now conclude my narrative, by reviewing briefly what I have written. +This little work has been written without any personal aid or a +knowledge of the English grammer, which must in part be my apology for +many of its imperfections. + +I find in several places, where I have spoken out the deep feelings of +my soul, in trying to describe the horrid treatment which I have so +often received at the hands of slaveholding professors of religion, +that I might possibly make a wrong impression on the minds of some +northern freemen, who are unacquainted theoretically or practically +with the customs and treatment of American slaveholders to their +slaves. I hope that it may not be supposed by any, that I have +exaggerated in the least, for the purpose of making out the system of +slavery worse than it really is, for, to exaggerate upon the cruelties +of this system, would be almost impossible; and to write herein the +most horrid features of it would not be in good taste for my book. + +I have long thought from what has fallen under my own observation +while a slave, that the strongest reason why southerners stick with +such tenacity to their "peculiar institution," is because licentious +white men could not carry out their wicked purposes among the +defenceless colored population as they now do, without being exposed +and punished by law, if slavery was abolished. Female virtue could not +be trampled under foot with impunity, and marriage among the people of +color kept in utter obscurity. + +On the other hand, lest it should be said by slaveholders and their +apologists, that I have not done them the justice to give a sketch of +the best side of slavery, if there can be any best side to it; +therefore in conclusion, they may have the benefit of the following +case, that fell under the observation of the writer. And I challenge +America to show a milder state of slavery than this. I once knew a +Methodist in the state of Ky., by the name of Young, who was the owner +of a large number of slaves, many of whom belonged to the same church +with their master. They worshipped together in the same church. + +Mr. Young never was known to flog one of his slaves or sell one. He +fed and clothed them well, and never over-worked them. He allowed each +family a small house to themselves with a little garden spot, whereon +to raise their own vegetables; and a part of the day on Saturdays was +allowed them to cultivate it. + +In process of time he became deeply involved in debt by endorsing +notes, and his property was all advertised to be sold by the sheriff +at public auction. It consisted in slaves, many of whom were his +brothers and sisters in the church. + +On the day of sale there were slave traders and speculators on the +ground to buy. The slaves were offered on the auction block one after +another, until they were all sold before their old master's face. The +first man offered on the block was an old gray-headed slave by the +name of Richard. His wife followed him up to the block, and when they +had bid him up to seventy or eighty dollars one of the bidders asked +Mr. Young what he could do, as he looked very old and infirm? Mr. +Young replied by saying, "he is not able to accomplish much manual +labor, from his extreme age and hard labor in early life. Yet I would +rather have him than many of those who are young and vigorous; who are +able to perform twice as much labor--because I know him to be faithful +and trustworthy, a Christian in good standing in my church. I can +trust him anywhere with confidence. He has toiled many long years on +my plantation and I have always found him faithful." + +This giving him a good Christian character caused them to run him up +to near two hundred dollars. His poor old companion stood by weeping +and pleading that they might not be separated. But the marriage +relation was soon dissolved by the sale, and they were separated never +to meet again. + +Another man was called up whose wife followed him with her infant in +her arms, beseeching to be sold with her husband, which proved to be +all in vain. After the men were all sold they then sold the women and +children. They ordered the first woman to lay down her child and +mount the auction block; she refused to give up her little one and +clung to it as long as she could, while the cruel lash was applied to +her back for disobedience. She pleaded for mercy in the name of God. +But the child was torn from the arms of its mother amid the most +heart-rending shrieks from the mother and child on the one hand, and +bitter oaths and cruel lashes from the tyrants on the other. Finally +the poor little child was torn from the mother while she was +sacrificed to the highest bidder. In this way the sale was carried on +from beginning to end. + +There was each speculator with his hand-cuffs to bind his victims +after the sale; and while they were doing their writings, the +Christian portion of the slaves asked permission to kneel in prayer on +the ground before they separated, which was granted. And while bathing +each other with tears of sorrow on the verge of their final +separation, their eloquent appeals in prayer to the Most High seemed +to cause an unpleasant sensation upon the ears of their tyrants, who +ordered them to rise and make ready their limbs for the caffles. And +as they happened not to bound at the first sound, they were soon +raised from their knees by the sound of the lash, and the rattle of +the chains, in which they were soon taken off by their respective +masters,--husbands from wives, and children from parents, never +expecting to meet until the judgment of the great day. Then Christ +shall say to the slaveholding professors of religion, "Inasmuch as ye +did it unto one of the least of these little ones, my brethren, ye did +it unto me." + +Having thus tried to show the best side of slavery that I can conceive +of, the reader can exercise his own judgment in deciding whether a man +can be a Bible Christian, and yet hold his Christian brethren as +property, so that they may be sold at any time in market, as sheep or +oxen, to pay his debts. + +During my life in slavery I have been sold by professors of religion +several times. In 1836 "Bro." Albert G. Sibley, of Bedford, Kentucky, +sold me for $850 to "Bro." John Sibley; and in the same year he sold +me to "Bro." Wm. Gatewood of Bedford, for $850. In 1839 "Bro." +Gatewood sold me to Madison Garrison, a slave trader, of Louisville, +Kentucky, with my wife and child--at a depreciated price because I was +a runaway. In the same year he sold me with my family to "Bro." +Whitfield, in the city of New Orleans, for $1200. In 1841 "Bro." +Whitfield sold me from my family to Thomas Wilson and Co., blacklegs. +In the same year they sold me to a "Bro." in the Indian Territory. I +think he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. F.E. Whitfield was a +deacon in regular standing in the Baptist Church. A. Sibley was a +Methodist exhorter of the M.E. Church in good standing. J. Sibley was +a class-leader in the same church; and Wm. Gatewood was also an +acceptable member of the same church. + +Is this Christianity? Is it honest or right? Is it doing as we would +be done by? Is it in accordance with the principles of humanity or +justice? + +I believe slaveholding to be a sin against God and man under all +circumstances. I have no sympathy with the person or persons who +tolerate and support the system willingly and knowingly, morally, +religiously or politically. + +Prayerfully and earnestly relying on the power of truth, and the aid +of the divine providence, I trust that this little volume will bear +some humble part in lighting up the path of freedom and +revolutionizing public opinion upon this great subject. And I here +pledge myself, God being my helper, ever to contend for the natural +equality of the human family, without regard to color, which is but +fading _matter_, while _mind_ makes the man. + +NEW YORK CITY, _May 1, 1849_. + + HENRY BIBB. + + + + +INDEX. + + + Introduction. 1 + + Author's Preface. 12 + + + Chap. I.-- + Sketch of my Parentage, 15. + Early separation from my Mother, 15. + Hard Fare, 16. + First Experiments at running away, 16. + Earnest longing for Freedom, 17. + Abhorrent nature of Slavery, 18. + + + Chap. II.-- + A fruitless effort for education, 19. + The Sabbath among Slaves, 19. + Degrading amusements, 19. + Why religion is rejected, 20. + Condition of poor white people, 20. + Superstition among slaves, 21. + Education forbidden, 25. + + + Chap. III.-- + My Courtship and Marriage, 26. + Change of owner, 31. + My first born, 32. + Its sufferings, 32. + My wife abused, 33. + My own anguish, 33. + + + Chap. IV.-- + My first adventure for liberty, 34. + Parting Scene, 34. + Journey up the river, 35. + Safe arrival in Cincinnati, 36. + Journey to Canada, 37. + Suffering from cold and hunger, 38. + Denied food and shelter by some, 38. + One noble exception, 38. + Subsequent success, 39. + Arrival at Perrysburgh, 39. + Obtain employment through the winter, 39. + My return to Kentucky to get my family, 40. + + + Chap. V-- + My safe arrival at Kentucky, 41. + Surprise and delight to find my family, 41. + Plan for their escape, projected, 42. + Return to Cincinnati, 43. + My betrayal by traitors, 43. + Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky, 45. + Return to slavery, 46. + Infamous proposal of the slave catchers, 47. + My reply, 47. + + + Chap. VI.-- + Arrival at Louisville, Kentucky, 50. + Efforts to sell me, 50. + Fortunate escape from the man-stealers in the public street, 51. + I return to Bedford, Ky., 55. + The rescue of my family again attempted, 55. + I started alone expecting them to follow, 2. + After waiting some months I resolve to go back again to Kentucky, 57. + + + Chap. VII.-- + My safe return to Kentucky, 58. + The perils I encountered there, 59. + Again betrayed, and taken by a mob, ironed and imprisoned, 60. + Narrow escape from death, 62. + Life in a slave prison, 63. + + + Chap. VIII.-- + Character of my prison companions, 65. + Jail breaking contemplated, 66. + Defeat of our plan, 67. + My wife and child removed, 67. + Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment, 67. + Our departure in a coffle for New Orleans, 68. + Events of our journey, 69. + + + Chap. IX.-- + Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg, 70. + An account of slave sales, 71. + Cruel punishment with the paddle, 71. + Attempts to sell myself by Garrison's direction, 72. + Amusing interview with a slave buyer, 73. + Deacon Whitfield's examination, 74. + He purchases the family, 75. + Character of the Deacon, 75. + + + Chap. X.-- + Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm, 77. + Exposure of the children, 77. + Mode of extorting extra labor, 78. + Neglect of the sick, 80. + Strange medicine used, 80. + Death of our second child, 81. + + + Chap. XI.-- + I attend a prayer meeting, 82. + Punishment therefor threatened, 82. + I attempt to escape alone, 82. + My return to take my family, 84. + Our sufferings, 85. + Dreadful attack of wolves, 85. + Our recapture, 88. + + + Chap. XII.-- + My sad condition before Whitfield, 89. + My terrible punishment, 89. + Incidents of a former attempt to escape, 91. + Jack at a farm house, 92. + Six pigs and a turkey, 93. + Our surprise and arrest, 94. + + + Chap. XIII.-- + I am sold to gamblers, 96. + They try to purchase my family, 97. + Our parting scene, 98. + My good usage, 99. + I am sold to an Indian, 100. + His confidence in my integrity manifested, 100. + + + Chap. XIV-- + Character of my Indian Master, 101. + Slavery among the Indians less cruel, 101. + Indian carousal, 102. + Enfeebled health of my Indian Master, 102. + His death, 102. + My escape, 103. + Adventure in a wigwam, 103. + Successful progress toward liberty, 104. + + + Chap. XV + Adventure on the Prairie, 106. + I borrow a horse without leave, 108. + Rapid traveling one whole night, 108. + Apology for using other men's horses, 109. + My manner of living on the road, 109. + + + Chap. XVI. + Stratagem to get on board the steamer, 111. + My Irish friends, 112. + My success in reaching the Ohio, 113. + Reflections on again seeing Kentucky, 113. + I get employment in a hotel, 113. + My fright at seeing the gambler who sold me, 114. + I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith, 115. + His letter, 115. + My education, 116. + + + Chap. XVII. + Letter from W.H. Gatewood, 117. + My reply, 118. + My efforts as a public lecturer, 119. + Singular incident in Steubenville, 119. + Meeting with a friend of Whitfield in Michigan, 121. + Outrage on a canal packet, 122. + Fruitless efforts to find my wife, 124. + + + Chap. XVIII. + My last effort to recover my family, 126. + Sad tidings of my wife, 126. + Her degradation, 126. + I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolved for ever, 127. + + + Chap. XIX. + Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing, 130. + Their conduct vindicated, 131. + Comments on W. Gatewood's letter, 132. + + + Chap. XX. + Review of my narrative, 134. + Licentiousness a prop of Slavery, 134. + A case of mild slavery given, 135. + Its revolting features, 135. + Times of my purchase and sale by professed Christians, 136. + Concluding remarks, 137. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Life and Adventures +of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself, by Henry Bibb + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND *** + +***** This file should be named 15398.txt or 15398.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/9/15398/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. 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