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diff --git a/old/50092-0.txt b/old/50092-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7b09859..0000000 --- a/old/50092-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2876 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Illustrated Edition of the Life and Escape -of Wm. Wells Brown from American Slavery, by William Wells Brown - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you’ll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Illustrated Edition of the Life and Escape of Wm. Wells Brown from American Slavery - Written by Himself - -Author: William Wells Brown - -Release Date: September 30, 2015 [EBook #50092] -Last Updated: November 2, 2016 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE AND ESCAPE *** - - - - -Produced by David Widger from page images generously -provided by the Internet Archive - - - - - - - -ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE LIFE AND ESCAPE OF WM. WELLS BROWN FROM -AMERICAN SLAVERY - -By Wm. Wells Brown - -Written By Himself. - -Fourteenth Thousand. - -London: C. Gilpin, 5, Bishopsgate Street Without - -1851 - -One Shilling - - -[Illustration: 0001] - - -[Illustration: 0003] - - - - - -TESTIMONIALS. - -TO THE FRIENDS OF FREEDOM AND EMANCIPATION IN EUROPE. - -Boston, July 17, 1849. - -In consequence of the departure for England of their esteemed friend -and faithful co-labourer in the cause of the American slave, William W. -Brown, the Board of Managers of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society -would commend him to the confidence, respect, esteem, and hospitality of -the friends of emancipation wherever he may travel:-- - -1. Because he is a fugitive slave from the American, house of bondage, -and on the soil which gave him birth can find no spot on which he can -stand in safety from his pursuers; protected by law. - -2. Because he is a man, and not a chattel; and while as the latter -he may at any time be sold at public vendue under the American -star-spangled banner, we rejoice to know that he will be recognised and -protected as the former under the flag of England. - -3. Because, for several years past, he has nobly consecrated his time -and talents, at great personal hazard, and under the most adverse -circumstances, to the uncompromising advocacy of the cause of his -enslaved countrymen. - -4. Because he visits England for the purpose of increasing, -consolidating and directing British humanity and piety against that -horrible system of Slavery in America, by which three millions of human -beings, by creation the children of God, are ranked with fourfooted -beasts, and treated as marketable commodities. - -5. Because he has long been in their employment as a lecturing agent -in Massachusetts, and has laboured to great acceptance and with great -success; and from the acquaintance thus formed, they are enabled -to certify that he has invariably conducted himself with great -circumspection, and won for himself the sympathy, respect, and -friendship, of a very large circle of acquaintance. - -In behalf of the Board of Managers, - -WM. LLOYD GARRISON. - -ROBERT F. WALLCUT. - -SAMUEL MAY, JUN. - - -Boston, July 18, 1849. - -My dear friend, - -To-day you leave the land of your nativity, in which you have been -reared and treated as a slave--a chattel personal--a marketable -commodity--though it claims to be a republican and Christian land, -the freest of the free, the most pious of the pious--for the shores of -Europe; on touching which, your shackles will instantly fall, your limbs -expand, your spirit exult in absolute personal freedom, as a man, and -nothing less than a man. Since your escape from bondage, a few years -since, you have nobly devoted yourself to the cause of the three -millions of our countrymen who are yet clanking their chains in hopeless -bondage--pleading their cause eloquently and effectively, by day and by -night, in season and out of season, before the people of the Free States -(falsely so called) of America, at much personal hazard of being seized -and hurried back to slavery. Not to forsake that cause, but still more -powerfully to aid it, by enlisting the sympathies, and consolidating -the feelings and opinions of the friends of freedom and universal -emancipation in the old world in its favour and against the atrocious -slave system, do you bid farewell to the land of whips and chains -to-day. God--the God of the oppressed, the poor, the needy, the -defenceless--be with you, to guide, strengthen, aid, and bless you -abundantly! Three millions of slaves are your constituents, and you are -their legitimate and faithful representative. With a mother, sister, and -three brothers, yet pining in hopeless servitude, with the marks of the -slavedriver’s lash upon your body, you cannot but “remember them that -are in bonds as bound with them.” Speak in trumpet tones to Europe, and -call upon the friends of “liberty, equality, and fraternity” there, to -cry, “Shame upon recreant and apostate America, which flourishes the -Declaration of Independence in one hand, and the whip of the negro -overseer in the other!” Challenge all that is free, all that is humane, -all that is pious, across the Atlantic, to raise a united testimony -against American slaveholders and their abettors, as the enemies of God -and the human race! So shall that cry and that testimony cause the knees -of the oppressor to smite together, the Bastile of slavery to tremble -to its foundation, and the hearts of the American Abolitionists to be -filled with joy and inspired afresh! Tell Europe that our watchword is, -“Immediate--unconditional emancipation for the slave,” and the motto we -have placed on our anti-slavery banner is, “No Union with Slaveholders, -religiously or politically!” - -You have secured the respect, confidence, and esteem of thousands of the -best portion of the American people; and may you continue faithful to -the end, neither corrupted by praise, nor cast down by opposition, nor -intimidated by any earthly power! - -Accept the assurances of my warm personal regard, and believe me to be, - -Your faithful co-labourer and unwearied advocate of the best of causes, - -WM. LLOYD GARRISON, - -President of the American Anti-Slavery Society. - -WM. W. BROWN. - - -At a large and influential meeting of the coloured citizens of Boston, -U.S., held in the Washington Hall, on Monday evening, 16th of July, -1849, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:--That, in taking -a farewell of our brother, Wm. Wells Brown, we bid him God speed in his -mission to Europe, and we cordially commend him to the hospitality of -the friends of humanity. - -From the Annual Report of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, -adopted at their meeting held in Boston, U.S., on the 26th of January, -1851:--“We have again to express our acknowledgment to the untiring -anti-slavery men and women of Great Britain for their continued -sympathy, encouragement, and assistance, which we have been happy to -acknowledge in former years. The kindness with which Wm. Wells Brown was -received on his first arrival seems to have met with no diminution. We -notice, with pleasure, meetings held for him, and attended by him, -in various parts of the United Kingdom, which appear to have had -an excellent effect in arousing and keeping alive the anti-slavery -sentiments of the British people; of these sentiments we have received -substantial results in the contributions which enrich the Annual Bazaar.” - -FRANCIS JACKSON, President - -EDMUND QUINCY, Secretary - -JOHN T. HILTON, Chairman - -J. H. SNOWDON - -WM. T. RAYMOND - - - - -PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH ENGLISH EDITION. - - -The present Narrative was first published in Boston (U.S.), in July, -1847, and eight thousand copies were sold in less than eighteen months -from the time of its publication. This rapid sale may be attributed to -the circumstance, that for three years preceding its publication, I had -been employed as a lecturing agent by the American Antislavery Society; -and I was thus very generally known throughout the Free States of the -Great Republic as one who had spent the first twenty years of his life -as a slave, in her southern house of bondage. - -In visiting Great Britain I had two objects in view. Firstly, to attend -the Peace Convention held in Paris, in August, 1849, to which I had been -delegated by the American Peace Committee for a Congress of Nations. -Many of the most distinguished American Abolitionists considered it a -triumphant evidence of the progress of their principles, that one of the -oppressed coloured race--one who is even now, by the constitution of the -United States, a slave--should have been selected for this honourable -office, and were therefore very desirous that I should attend. Secondly, -I wished to lay before the people of Great Britain and Ireland the -wrongs that are still committed upon the slaves and the free coloured -people of America. The rapid increase of communication between the -two sides of the Atlantic has brought them so close together that the -personal intercourse between the British people and American slaveowners -is now very great; and the slaveholder, crafty and politic, as -deliberate tyrants generally are, rarely leaves the shores of Europe -without attempting at least to assuage the prevalent hostility against -his beloved “peculiar institution.” The influence of the Southern States -of America is mainly directed to the maintenance and propagation of the -system of slavery in their own and in other countries. In the pursuit -of tins object, every consideration of religion, liberty, national -strength, and social order is made to give way; and hitherto they have -been very successful. The actual number of the slaveholders is small; -but their union is complete, so that they form a dominant oligarchy in -the United States. It is my desire, in common with every Abolitionist, -to diminish their influence; and this can only be effected by the -promulgation of truth and the cultivation of a correct public sentiment -at home and abroad. Slavery cannot be let alone. It is aggressive, and -must be either succumbed to or put down. - -In putting forth the eighth edition of this little book, I cannot but -express a surprise that a work written hastily, and that too by one who -never had a day’s schooling, should have met with so extensive a sale. - -In committing my narrative once more to the public, I cannot do so -without returning my heartfelt thanks to the gentlemen connected with -the English press, for the very kind manner in which they have noticed -it, and thereby aided in getting it before the public. - -WILLIAM WELLS BROWN. - -22, Cecil Street, Strand. May, 1851. - - -[Illustration: 0014] - - - - -NARRATIVE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -I was born in Lexington, Kentucky, one of the Western slave states. My -mother was the slave of Dr. John Young: my father was a slaveholder and -a relative of my master. Dr. Young was the owner of from forty to -fifty slaves, most of whom were field hands. I have no recollection of -Kentucky, as my master removed from that state, during my infancy, to a -large plantation, which he had purchased, near the town of St. Charles. - -My master, being a politician, soon found those who were ready to put -him into office, for the favors he could render them; and a few -years after his arrival in Missouri he was elected to a seat in the -legislature. In his absence from home everything was left in charge of -Mr. Cook, the overseer, and he soon became more tyrannical and cruel. -Among the slaves on the plantation was one by the name of Randall. He -was a man about six feet high, and well-proportioned, and known as a -man of great strength and power. He was considered the most valuable and -able-bodied slave on the plantation; but no matter how good or useful -a slave may be, he seldom escapes the lash. But it was not so with -Randall. He had been on the plantation since my earliest recollection, -and I had never known of his being flogged.. No thanks were due to the -master or overseer for this. I have often heard him declare that no -white man should ever whip him--that he would die first. - -Cook, from the time that he came upon the plantation, had frequently -declared that he could and would flog any nigger that was put into -the field to work under him. My master had repeatedly told him not to -attempt to whip Randall, but he was determined to try it. As soon as he -was left sole dictator, he thought the time had come to put his threats -into execution. He soon began to find fault with Randall, and threatened -to whip him if he did not do better. One day he gave him a very hard -task--more than he could possibly do; and at night, the task not being -performed, he told Randall that he should remember him the next morning. -On the following, morning, after the hands had taken breakfast, Cook -called out to Randall, and told him that he intended to whip him, and -ordered him to cross his hands and be tied. Randall asked why he wished -to whip him. He answered, because he had not finished his task the day -before. Randall said that the task was too great, or he should have done -it. Cook said it made no difference--he should whip him. Randall stood -silent for a moment, and then said, “Mr. Cook, I have always tried to -please you since you have been on the plantation, and I find you are -determined not to be satisfied with my work, let me do as well as I may. -No man has laid hands on me, to whip me, for the last ten years, and -I have long since come to the conclusion not to be whipped by any man -living.” Cook, finding by Randall’s determined look and gestures, -that he would resist, called three of the hands from their work, -and commanded them to seize Randall, and tie him. The hands stood -still;--they knew Randall--and they also knew him to be a powerful man, -and were afraid to grapple with him. As soon as Cook had ordered the men -to seize him, Randall turned to them, and said--“Boys, you all know me; -you know that I can handle any three of you, and the man that lays hands -on me shall die. This white man can’t whip me himself, and therefore -he has called you to help him.” The overseer was unable to prevail upon -them to seize and secure Randall, and finally ordered them all to go to -their work together. - -Nothing was said to Randall by the overseer for more than a week. One -morning, however, while the hands were at work in the field, he came -into it, accompanied by three friends of his, Thompson, Woodbridge and -Jones. They came up to where Randall was at work, and Cook ordered -him to leave his work, and go with them to the barn. He refused to go; -whereupon he was attacked by the overseer and his companions, when he -turned upon them, and laid them, one after another, prostrate on the -ground. Woodbridge drew out his pistol, and fired at him, and brought -him to the ground by a pistol ball. The others rushed upon him with -their clubs, and beat him over the head and face, until they succeeded -in tying him. He was then taken to the barn, and tied to a beam. Cook -gave him over one hundred lashes with a heavy cowhide, had him washed. -with salt and water, and left him tied during the day. The next day he -was untied, and taken to a blacksmith’s shop, and had a ball and chain -attached to his leg. He was compelled to labor in the field, and perform -the same amount of work that the other hands did. When his master -returned home, he was much pleased to find that Randall had been subdued -in his absence. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -Soon afterwards, my master removed to the city of St. Louis, and -purchased a farm four miles from there, which he placed under the charge -of an overseer by the name of Friend Haskell. He was a regular Yankee -from New England. The Yankees are noted for making the most cruel -overseers. - -My mother was hired out in the city, and I was also hired out there to -Major Freeland, who kept a public house. He was formerly from Virginia, -and was a horse-racer, cock-fighter, gambler, and withal an inveterate -drunkard. There were ten or twelve servants in the house, and when he -was present, it was cut and slash--knock down and drag out. In his fits -of anger, he would take up a chair, and throw it at a servant; and in -his more rational moments, when he wished to chastise one, he would tie -them up in the smoke-house, and whip them; after which, he would cause -a fire to be made of tobacco stems, and smoke them. This he called -“Virginia play.” - -I complained to my master of the treatment which I received from Major -Freeland; but it made no difference. He cared nothing about it, so long -as he received the money for my labor. After living with Major Freeland -five or six months, I ran away, and went into the woods back of the -city; and when night came on, I made my way to my master’s farm, but -was afraid to be seen, knowing that if Mr. Haskell, the overseer, should -discover me, I should be again carried back to Major Freeland; so I -kept in the woods. One day while in the woods, I heard the barking and -howling of dogs, and in a short time they came so near that I knew them -to be the bloodhounds of Major Benjamin O’Fallon. He kept five or six, -to hunt runaway slaves with. - -As soon as I was convinced that it was them, I knew there was no chance -of escape. I took refuge in the top of a tree, and the hounds were soon -at its base, and there remained until the hunters came up in a half or -three quarters of an hour afterwards. - -There were two men with the dogs, who, as soon as they came up, ordered -me to descend. I came down, was tied, and taken to St. Louis jail. Major -Freeland soon made his appearance, and took me out, and ordered me to -follow him, which I did. After we returned home, I was tied up in the -smoke-house, and was very severely whipped. After the major had flogged -me to his satisfaction, he sent out his son Robert, a young man eighteen -or twenty years of age, to see that I was well smoked. He made a fire of -tobacco stems, which soon set me to coughing and sneezing. This, Robert -told me, was the way his father used to do to his slaves in Virginia. -After giving me what they conceived to be a decent smoking, I was untied -and again set to work. - -Robert Freeland was a “chip of the old block.” Though quite young, it -was not unfrequently that he came home in a state of intoxication. He -is now, I believe, a popular commander of a steamboat on the Mississippi -river. Major Freeland soon after failed in business, and I was put on -board the steamboat Missouri, which plied between St. Louis and Galena. -The commander of the boat was William B. Culver. I remained on her -during the sailing season, which was the most pleasant time for me that -I had ever experienced. At the close of navigation I was hired to Mr. -John Colburn, keeper of the Missouri Hotel. He was from one of the free -states; but a more inveterate hater of the negro I do not believe ever -walked God’s green earth. This hotel was at that time one of the largest -in the city, and there were employed in it twenty or thirty servants, -mostly slaves. - -Mr. Colburn was very abusive, not only to the servants, but to his -wife also, who was an excellent woman, and one from whom I never knew -a servant to receive a harsh word; but never did I know a kind one to a -servant from her husband. Among the slaves employed in the hotel was one -by the name of Aaron, who belonged to Mr. John F. Darby, a lawyer. Aaron -was the knife-cleaner. One day, one of the knives was put on the table, -not as clean as it might have been. Mr. Colburn, for this offence, tied -Aaron up in the wood-house, and gave him over fifty lashes on the bare -back with a cow-hide, after which, he made me wash him down with rum. -This seemed to put him into more agony than the whipping. After being -untied he went home to his master, and complained of the treatment which -he had received. Mr. Darby would give no heed to anything he had to say, -but sent him directly back. Colburn, learning that he had been to his -master with complaints, tied him up again, and gave him a more severe -whipping than before. The poor fellow’s back was literally cut to -pieces; so much so, that he was not able to work for ten or twelve days. - -There was, also, among the servants, a girl whose master resided in the -country. Her name, was Patsey. Mr. Colburn tied her up one evening, and -whipped her until several of the boarders came out and begged him to -desist. The reason for whipping her was this. She was engaged to be -married to a man belonging to Major William Christy, who resided four -or five miles north of the city. Mr. Colburn had forbid her to see John -Christy. The reason of this was said to be the regard which he himself -had for Patsey. She went to meeting that evening, and John returned home -with her. Mr. Colburn had intended to flog John, if he came within the -inclosure; but John knew too well the temper of his rival, and kept at -a safe distance:--so he took vengeance on the poor girl. If all the -slave-drivers had been called together, I do not think a more cruel -man than John Colburn--and he too a northern man--could have been found -among them. - -While living at the Missouri hotel, a circumstance occurred which caused -me great unhappiness. My master sold my mother, and all her children, -except myself. They were sold to different persons in the city of St. -Louis. - -I turned to my bed, and found no consolation but in my tears. Experience -has taught me that nothing can be more heart-rending than for one to see -a dear and beloved mother or sister tortured, and to hear their cries, -and not be able to render them assistance. But such is the position -which an American slave occupies. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -I was soon after taken from Mr. Colburn’s, and hired to Elijah P. -Lovejoy, who was at that time publisher and editor of the “St. Louis -Times.” My work, while with him, was mainly in the printing office, -waiting on the hands, working the press, &c. Mr. Lovejoy was a very good -man, and decidedly the best master that I had ever had. I am chiefly -indebted to him, and to my employment in the printing office, for what -little learning I obtained while in slavery. - -Though slavery is thought, by some, to be mild in Missouri, when -compared with the cotton, sugar and rice growing states, yet no part -of our slaveholding country is more noted for the barbarity of its -inhabitants than St Louis. It was here that Col. Harney, a United -States officer, whipped a slave woman to death. It was here that -Francis McIntosh, a free colored man from Pittsburg, was taken from the -steamboat Flora and burned at the stake. During a residence of eight -years in this city, numerous cases of extreme cruelty came under my -own observation;--to record them all would occupy more space than could -possibly be allowed in this little volume. I shall, therefore, give but -a few more in addition to what I have already related. - -Capt. J. B. Brant, who resided near my master, had a slave named John. -He was his body servant, carriage driver, &c. On one occasion, while -driving his master through the city--the streets being very muddy, and -the horses going at a rapid rate--some mud spattered upon a gentleman by -the name of Robert More. More was determined to be revenged. Some three -or four months after this occurrence, he purchased John, for the express -purpose, as he said, “to tame the d------d nigger.” - -After the purchase he took him to a blacksmith’s shop, and had a ball -and chain fastened to his leg, and then put him to driving a yoke of -oxen, and kept him at hard labor, until the iron around his leg was so -worn into the flesh, that it was thought mortification would ensue. In -addition to this, John told me that his master whipped him regularly -three times a week for the first two months:--and all this to “_tame -him_” more noblelooking man than he was not to be found in all St. -Louis, before he fell into the hands of More; and a more degraded and -spirit-crushed looking being was never seen on a southern plantation, -after he had been subjected to this “_taming_” process for three months. -The last time that I saw him, he had nearly lost the entire use of his -limbs. - -While living with Mr. Lovejoy, I was often sent on errands to the office -of the “Missouri Republican,” published by Mr. Edward Charless. Once, -while returning to the office with type, I was attacked by several large -boys, sons of slave-holders, who pelted me with snow-balls. Having the -heavy form of type in my hands, I could not make my escape by running; -so I laid down the type and gave them battle. They gathered around me, -pelting me with stones and sticks, until they overpowered me, and would -have captured me, if I had not resorted to my heels. Upon my retreat -they took possession of the type; and what to do to regain it I could -not devise. Knowing Mr. Lovejoy to be a very humane man, I went to the -office and laid the case before him. He told me to remain in the office. -He took one of the apprentices with him and went after the type, -and soon returned with it; but on his return informed me that Samuel -McKinney had told him he would whip me, because I had hurt his boy. -Soon after, McKinney was seen making his way to the office by one of the -printers, who informed me of the fact, and I made my escape through the -back door. - -McKinney not being able to find me on his arrival, left the office in a -great rage, swearing that he would whip me to death. A few days after, -as I was walking along Main street, he seized me by the collar, and -struck me over the head five or six times with a large cane, which -caused the blood to gush from my nose and ears in such a manner that my -clothes were completely saturated with blood. After beating me to his -satisfaction he let me go, and I returned to the office so weak from the -loss of blood that Mr. Lovejoy sent me home to my master. It was five -weeks before I was able to walk again. During this time it was necessary -to have some one to supply my place at the office, and I lost the -situation. - -After my recovery, I was hired to Capt. Otis Reynolds, as a waiter on -board the steamboat Enterprise, owned by Messrs. John and Edward Walsh, -commission merchants at St. Louis. This boat was then running on the -upper Mississippi. - -My employment on board was to wait on gentlemen, and the captain being -a good man, the situation was a pleasant one to me;--but in passing from -place to place, and seeing new faces every day, and knowing that they -could go where they pleased, I soon became unhappy, and several times -thought of leaving the boat at some landing-place, and trying to make -my escape to Canada, which I had heard much about as a place where the -slave might live, be free, and be protected. - -But whenever such thoughts would come into my mind, my resolution would -soon be shaken by the remembrance that my dear mother was a slave in St. -Louis, and I could not bear the idea of leaving her in that condition. -She had often taken me upon her knee, and told me how she had carried me -upon her back to the field when I was an infant--how often she had been -whipped for leaving her work to nurse me--and how happy I would appear -when she would take me into her arms. When these thoughts came over me, -I would resolve never to leave the land of slavery without my mother. -I thought that to leave her in slavery, after she had undergone and -suffered so much for me, would be proving recreant to the duty which I -owed to her. Besides this, I had three brothers and a sister there--two -of my brothers having died. - -My mother, my brothers Joseph and Millford, and my sister Elizabeth, -belonged to Mr. Isaac Mansfield, formerly from one of the free states, -(Massachusetts, I believe.) He was a tinner by trade, and carried on -a large manufacturing establishment. Of all my relatives, mother was -first, and sister next. One evening, while visiting them, I made some -allusion to a proposed journey to Canada, and sister took her seat by my -side, and taking my hand in hers, said, with tears in her eyes-- - -“Brother, you are not going to leave mother and your dear sister here -without a friend, are you?” - -I looked into her face, as the tears coursed swiftly down her cheeks, -and bursting into tears myself, said-- - -“No, I will never desert you and mother!” - -She clasped my hand in hers, and said-- - -“Brother, you have often declared that you would not end your days in -slavery. I see no possible way in which you can escape with us; and now, -brother, you are on a steamboat where there is some chance for you to -escape to a land of liberty. I beseech you not to let us hinder you. If -we cannot get our liberty, we do not wish to be the means of keeping you -from a land of freedom.” - -I could restrain my feelings no longer, and an outburst of my own -feelings caused her to cease speaking upon that subject. In opposition -to their wishes, I pledged myself not to leave them in the hand of the -oppressor. I took leave of them, and returned to the boat, and laid down -in my bunk; but “sleep departed from mine eyes, and slumber from mine -eyelids.” - -A few weeks after, on our downward passage, the boat took on board, -at Hannibal, a drove of slaves, bound for the New Orleans market. They -numbered from fifty to sixty, consisting of men and women from eighteen -to forty years of age. A drove of slaves on a southern steamboat, bound -for the cotton or sugar regions, is an occurrence so common, that no -one, not even the passengers, appear to notice it, though they clank -their chains at every step. There was, however, one in this gang that -attracted the attention of the passengers and crew. It was a beautiful -girl, apparently about twenty years of age, perfectly white, with -straight light hair and blue eyes. But it was not the whiteness of her -skin that created such a sensation among those who gazed upon her--it -was her almost unparalleled beauty. She had been on the boat but a short -time before the attention of all the passengers, including the ladies, -had been called to her, and the common topic of conversation was about -the beautiful slave-girl. She was not in chains. The man who claimed -this article of human merchandise was a Mr. Walker--a well known -slave-trader, residing in St. Louis. There was a general anxiety among -the passengers and crew to learn the history of the girl. Her master -kept close by her side, and it would have been considered impudent -for any of the passengers to have spoken to her, and the crew were not -allowed to have any conversation with them. When we reached St. Louis, -the slaves were removed to a boat bound for New Orleans, and the history -of the beautiful slave-girl remained a mystery. - -I remained on the boat during the season, and it was not an unfrequent -occurrence to have on board gangs of slaves on their way to the cotton, -sugar and rice plantations of the south. - -Toward the latter part of the summer Captain Reynolds left the boat, and -I was sent home. I was then placed on the farm, under Mr. Haskell, the -overseer. As I had been some time out of the field, and not accustomed -to work in the burning sun, it was very hard; but I was compelled to -keep up with the best of the hands. - -I found a great difference between the work in a steamboat cabin and -that in a corn-field. - -My master, who was then living in the city, soon after removed to -the farm, when I was taken out of the field to work in the house as a -waiter. Though his wife was very peevish, and hard to please, I much -preferred to be under her control than the overseer’s. They brought with -them Mr. Sloane, a Presbyterian minister; Miss Martha Tulley, a niece of -theirs from Kentucky; and their nephew William. The latter had been in -the family a number of years, but the others were all newcomers. - -Mr. Sloane was a young minister, who had been at the South but a short -time, and it seemed as if his whole aim was to please the slaveholders, -especially my master and mistress. He was intending to make a visit -during the winter, and he not only tried to please them, but I think he -succeeded admirably. When they wanted singing, he sung; when they wanted -praying, he prayed; when they wanted a story told, he told a story. -Instead of his teaching my master theology, my master taught theology to -him. While I was with Captain Reynolds my master “got religion,” and -new laws were made on the plantation. Formerly we had the privilege of -hunting, fishing, making splint brooms, baskets, &c., on Sunday; but -this was all stopped. Every Sunday we were all compelled to attend -meeting. Master was so religious that he induced some others to join him -in hiring a preacher to preach to the slaves. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -My master had family worship, night and morning. At night the slaves -were called in to attend; but in the mornings they had to be at their -work, and master did all the praying. My master and mistress were great -lovers of mint julep, and every morning, a pitcher-full was made, of -which they all partook freely, not excepting little master William. -After drinking freely all round, they would have family worship, and -then breakfast. I cannot say but I loved the julep as well as any of -them, and during prayer was always careful to seat myself close to the -table where it stood, so as to help myself when they were all busily -engaged in their devotions. By the time prayer was over, I was about as -happy as any of them. A sad accident happened one morning. In helping -myself, and at at the same time keeping an eye on my old mistress, I -accidentally let the pitcher fall upon the floor, breaking it in pieces, -and spilling the contents. This was a bad affair for me; for as soon as -prayer was over, I was taken and severely chastised. - -My master’s family consisted of himself, his wife, and their nephew, -William Moore. He was taken into the family when only a few weeks of -age. His name being that of my own, mine was changed for the purpose -of giving precedence to his, though I was his senior by ten or twelve -years. The plantation being four miles from the city, I had to drive -the family to church. I always dreaded the approach of the Sabbath; -for, during service, I was obliged to stand by the horses in the hot, -broiling sun, or in the rain, just as it happened. - -One Sabbath, as we were driving past the house of D. D. Page, a -gentleman who owned a large baking establishment, as I was sitting upon -the box of the carriage, which was very much elevated, I saw Mr. Page -pursuing a slave around the yard with a long whip, cutting him at every -jump. The man soon escaped from the yard, and was followed by Mr. Page. -They came running past us, and the slave, perceiving that he would be -overtaken, stopped suddenly, and Page stumbled over him, and falling on -the stone pavement, fractured one of his legs, which crippled him for -life. The same gentleman, but a short time previous, tied up a woman of -his, by the name of Delphia, and whipped her nearly to death; yet he -was a deacon in the Baptist church, in good and regular standing. Poor -Delphia! I was well acquainted with her, and called to see her while -upon her sick bed; and I shall never forget her appearance. She was a -member of the same church with her master. - -Soon after this, I was hired out to Mr. Walker, the same man whom I -have mentioned as having carried a gang of slaves down the river on -the steamboat Enterprise. Seeing me in the capacity of a steward on the -boat, and thinking that I would make a good hand to take care of slaves, -he determined to have me for that purpose; and finding that my master -would not sell me, he hired me for the term of one year. - -When I learned the fact of my having been hired to a negro speculator, -or a “soul driver,” as they are generally called among slaves, no one -can tell my emotions. Mr. Walker had offered a high price for me, as I -afterwards learned, but I suppose my master was restrained from selling -me by the fact that I was a near relative of his. On entering the -service of Mr. Walker, I found that my opportunity of getting to a -land of liberty was gone, at least for the time being. He had a gang of -slaves in readiness to start for New Orleans, and in a few days we were -on our journey. I am at a loss for language to express my feelings on -that occasion. Although my master had told me that he had not sold -me, and Mr. Walker had told me that he had not purchased me, I did not -believe them; and not until I had been to New Orleans, and was on my -return, did I believe that I was not sold. - -There was on the boat a large room on the lower deck, in which the -slaves were kept, men and women, promiscuously--all chained two and -two, and a strict watch kept that they did not get loose; for cases -have occurred in which slaves have got off their chains, and made their -escape at landing-places, while the boats were taking in wood;--and with -all our care, we lost one woman who had been taken from her husband and -children, and having no desire to live without them, in the agony of her -soul jumped overboard, and drowned herself. She was not chained. - -It was almost impossible to keep that part of the boat clean. - -On landing at Natchez, the slaves were all carried to the slave-pen, and -there kept one week, during which time several of them were sold. -Mr. Walker fed his slaves well. We took on board at St. Louis several -hundred pounds of bacon (smoked meat) and corn-meal, and his slaves -were better fed than slaves generally were in Natchez, so far as my -observation extended. - -At the end of a week, we left for New Orleans, the place of our final -destination, which we reached in two days. Here the slaves were placed -in a negro-pen, where those who wished to purchase could call and -examine them. The negro-pen is a small yard, surrounded by buildings, -from fifteen to twenty feet wide, with the exception of a large gate -with iron bars. The slaves are kept in the buildings during the night, -and turned out into the yard during the day. After the best of the -stock was sold at private sale at the pen, the balance were taken to the -Exchange Coffee-House Auction Rooms, kept by Isaac L. McCoy, and sold -at public auction. After the sale of this lot of slaves, we left New -Orleans for St. Louis. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -On our arrival at St. Louis I went to Dr. Young, and told him that -I did not wish to live with Mr. Walker any longer. I was heartsick at -seeing my fellow-creatures bought and sold. But the Dr. had hired me for -the year, and stay I must. Mr. Walker again commenced purchasing another -gang of slaves. He bought a man of Colonel John O’Fallon, who resided in -the suburbs of the city. This man had a wife and three children. As soon -as the purchase was made, he was put in jail for safe keeping, until -we should be ready to start for New Orleans. His wife visited him while -there, several times, and several times when she went for that purpose -was refused admittance. - -In the course of eight or nine weeks Mr. Walker had his cargo of human -flesh made up. There was in this lot a number of old men and women, some -of them with gray locks. We left St. Louis in the steamboat Carlton, -Captain Swan, bound for New Orleans. On our way down, and before we -reached Rodney, the place where we made our first stop, I had to prepare -the old slaves for market. I was ordered to have the old men’s whiskers -shaved off, and the grey hairs plucked out where they were not too -numerous, in which case he had a preparation of blacking to color it, -and with a blacking brush we would put it on. This was new business to -me, and was performed in a room where the passengers could not see us. -These slaves were also taught how old they were by Mr. Walker, and after -going through the blacking process they looked ten or fifteen years -younger; and I am sure that some of those who purchased slaves of Mr. -Walker were dreadfully cheated, especially in the ages of the slaves -which they bought. - -We landed at Rodney, and the slaves were driven to the pen in the back -part of the village. Several were sold at this place, during our stay -of four or five days, when we proceeded to Natchez. There we landed at -night, and the gang were put in the warehouse until morning, when they -were driven to the pen. As soon as the slaves are put in these pens, -swarms of planters may be seen in and about them. They knew when Walker -was expected, as he always had the time advertised forehand when he -would be in Rodney, Natchez, and New Orleans. These were the principal -places where he offered his slaves for sale. - -When at Natchez the second time, I saw a slave very cruelly whipped. He -belonged to a Mr. Broadwell, a merchant who kept a store on the wharf. -The slave’s name was Lewis. I had known him several years, as he was -formerly from St. Louis. We were expecting a steamboat down the river, -in which we were to take passage for New Orleans. Mr. Walker sent me -to the landing to watch for the boat, ordering me to inform him on its -arrival. While there I went into the store to see Lewis. I saw a slave -in the store, and asked him where Lewis was. Said he, “They have got -Lewis hanging between the heavens and the earth.” I asked him what he -meant by that. He told me to go into the warehouse and see. I went in, -and found Lewis there. He was tied up to a beam, with his toes just -touching the floor. As there was no one in the warehouse but himself, -I inquired the reason of his being in that situation. He said Mr. -Broadwell had sold his wife to a planter six miles from the city, and -that he had been to visit her--that he went in the night, expecting to -return before daylight, and went without his master’s permission. The -patrol had taken him up before he reached his wife. He was put in jail, -and his master had to pay for his catching and keeping, and that was -what he was tied up for. - -Just as he finished his story, Mr. Broadwell came in, and inquired what -I was doing there. I knew not what to say, and while I was thinking what -reply to make he struck me over the head with the cowhide, the end of -which struck me over my right eye, sinking deep into the flesh, leaving -a scar which I carry to this day. Before I visited Lewis he had received -fifty lashes. Mr. Broad-well gave him fifty lashes more after I came -out, as I was afterwards informed by Lewis himself. - -The next day we proceeded to New Orleans, and put the gang in the same -negro-pen which we occupied before. In a short time the planters came -flocking to the pen to purchase slaves. Before the slaves were exhibited -for sale, they were dressed and driven out into the yard. Some were set -to dancing, some to jumping, some to singing, and some to playing cards. -This was done to make them appear cheerful and happy. My business was to -see that they were placed in those situations before the arrival of the -purchasers, and I have often set them to dancing when their cheeks were -wet with tears. As slaves were in good demand at that time, they were -all soon disposed of, and we again set out for St. Louis. - -On our arrival, Mr. Walker purchased a farm five or six miles from the -city. He had no family, but made a housekeeper of one of his female -slaves. Poor Cynthia! I knew her well. She was a quadroon, and one of -the most beautiful women I ever saw. She was a native of St. Louis, and -bore an irreproachable character for virtue and propriety of conduct. -Mr. Walker bought her for the New Orleans market, and took her down with -him on one of the trips that I made with him. Never shall I forget the -circumstances of that voyage! On the first night that we were on board -the steamboat, he directed me to put her into a state-room he had -provided for her, apart from the other slaves. - -I had seen too much of the workings of slavery not to know what this -meant. I accordingly watched him into the state-room, and listened to -hear what passed between them. I heard him make his base offers, and her -reject them. He told her that if she would accept his vile proposals, -he would take her back with him to St. Louis, and establish her as his -housekeeper on his farm. But if she persisted in rejecting them, he -would sell her as a field hand on the worst plantation on the river. -Neither threats nor bribes prevailed, however, and he retired, -disappointed of his prey. - -The next morning poor Cynthia told me what had passed, and bewailed -her sad fate with floods of tears. I comforted and encouraged her all -I could; but I foresaw but too well what the result must be. Without -entering into any further particulars, suffice it to say that Walker -performed his part of the contract at that time. He took her back to St. -Louis, established her as his mistress and housekeeper at his farm, and -before I left, he had two children by her. But, mark the end! Since I -have been at the North, I have been credibly informed that Walker has -been married, and, as a previous measure, sold poor Cynthia and her -four children (she having had two more since I came away) into hopeless -bondage! - -He soon commenced purchasing to make up the third gang. We took -steamboat, and went to Jefferson City, a town on the Missouri river. -Here we landed, and took stage for the interior of the state. He bought -a number of slaves as he passed the different farms and villages. After -getting twenty-two or twenty-three men and women, we arrived at St. -Charles, a village on the banks of the Missouri. Here he purchased a -woman who had a child in her arms, appearing to be four or five weeks -old. - -We had been travelling by land for some days, and were in hopes to have -found a boat at this place for St. Louis, but were disappointed. As no -boat was expected for some days, we started for St. Louis by land. -Mr. Walker had purchased two horses. He rode one, and I the other. The -slaves were chained together, and we took up our line of march, Mr. -Walker taking the lead, and I bringing up the rear. Though the distance -was not more than twenty miles, we did not reach it the first day. The -road was worse than any that I have ever travelled. - -[Illustration: 0048] - -Soon after we left St. Charles the young child grew very cross, and kept -up a noise during the greater part of the day. Mr. Walker complained -of its crying several times, and told the mother to stop the child’s -d------d noise, or he would. The woman tried to keep the child from -crying, but could not. We put up at night with an acquaintance of Mr. -Walker, and in the morning, just as we were about to start, the child -again commenced crying. Walker stepped up to her, and told her to give -the child to him. The mother tremblingly obeyed. He took the child by -one arm, as you would a cat by the leg, walked into the house, and said -to the lady, - -“Madam, I will make you a present of this little nigger; it keeps such a -noise that I can’t bear it.” - -“Thank you, sir,” said the lady. - -The mother, as soon as she saw that her child was to be left, ran up to -Mr. Walker, and falling upon her knees, begged him to let her have her -child; she clung around his legs, and cried, “Oh, my child! my child! -master, do let me have my child! oh, do, do, do! I will stop its crying -if you will only let me have it again.” When I saw this woman crying -for her child so piteously, a shudder--a feeling akin to horror--shot -through my frame. I have often since in imagination heard her crying for -her child:-- - -None but those who have been in a slave state, and who have seen the -American slave-trader engaged in his nefarious traffic, can estimate the -sufferings their victims undergo. If there is one feature of American -slavery more abominable than another, it is that which sanctions -the buying and selling of human beings. The African slave-trade was -abolished by the American Congress some twenty years since; and now, by -the laws of the country, if an American is found engaged in the African -slave-trade, he is considered a pirate; and if found guilty of such, the -penalty would be death. - -Although the African slave-trader has been branded as a pirate, men -are engaged in the traffic in slaves in this country, who occupy high -positions in society, and hold offices of honor in the councils of the -nation; and not a few have made their fortunes by this business. - -After the woman’s child had been given away, Mr. Walker commanded her to -return into the ranks with the other slaves. Women who had children -were not chained, but those that had none were. As soon as her child was -disposed of she was chained in the gang. - -The following song I have often heard the slaves sing, when about to be -carried to the far south. It is said to have been composed by a slave. - - “See these poor souls from Africa - - Transported to America; - - We are stolen, and sold to Georgia-- - - Will you go along with me? - - We are stolen, and sold to Georgia-- - - Come sound the jubilee! - - See wives and husbands sold apart, - - Their children’s screams will break my heart;-- - - There’s a better day a coming-- - - Will you go along with me? - - There’s a better day a coming, - - Go sound the jubilee! - - O, gracious Lord! when shall it be, - - That we poor souls shall all be free! - - Lord, break them slavery powers, - - Will you go along with me? - - Lord, break them slavery powers, - - Go sound the jubilee! - - Dear Lord, dear Lord, when slavery ‘ll cease, - - Then we poor souls will have our peace;-- - - There’s a better day a coming-- - - Will you go along with me? - - There’s a better day a coming, - - Go sound the jubilee!” - -We finally arrived at Mr. Walker’s farm. He had a house built during -our absence to put slaves in. It was a kind of domestic jail. The slaves -were put in the jail at night, and worked on the farm during the day. -They were kept here until the gang was completed, when we again started -for New Orleans, on board the steamboat North America, Capt. Alexander -Scott. We had a large number of slaves in this gang. One, by the name of -Joe, Mr. Walker was training up to take my place, as my time was nearly -out, and glad was I. We made our first stop at Vicksburg, where we -remained one week and sold several slaves. - -Mr. Walker, though not a good master, had not flogged a slave since I -had been with him, though he had threatened me. The slaves were kept in -the pen, and he always put up at the best hotel, and kept his wines in -his room, for the accommodation of those who called to negotiate with -him for the purchase of slaves. One day, while we were at Vicksburg, -several gentlemen came to see him for that purpose, and as usual the -wine was called for. I took the tray and started around with it, and -having accidentally filled some of the glasses too full, the gentlemen -spilled the wine on their clothes as they went to drink. Mr. Walker -apologized to them for my carelessness, but looked at me as though he -would see me again on this subject. - -After the gentlemen had left the room, he asked me what I meant by my -carelessness, and said that he would attend to me. The next morning he -gave me a note to carry to the jailer, and a dollar in money to give -to him. I suspected that all was not right, so I went down near the -landing, where I met with a sailor, and, walking up to him, asked him -if he would be so kind as to read the note for me. He read it over, and -then looked at me. I asked him to tell me what was in it. Said he, - -“They are going to give you hell.” - -“Wy?” said I. - -He said, “This is a note to have you whipped, and says that you have a -dollar to pay for it.” - -He handed me back the note, and off I started. I knew not what to do, -but was determined not to be whipped. I went up to the jail--took a -look at it, and walked off again. As Mr. Walker was acquainted with -the jailer, I feared that I should be found out if I did not go, and be -treated in consequence of it still worse. - -While I was meditating on the subject, I saw a colored man about my size -walk up, and the thought struck me in a moment to send him with my note. -I walked up to him, and asked him who he belonged to. He said he was a -free man, and had been in the city but a short time. I told him I had -a note to go into the jail, and get a trunk to carry to one of the -steamboats; but was so busily engaged that I could not do it, although I -had a dollar to pay for it. He asked me if I would not give him the job. -I handed him the note and the dollar, and off he started for the jail. - -I watched to see that he went in, and as soon as I saw the door close -behind him, I walked around the corner, and took my station, intending -to see how my friend looked when he came out. I had been there but -a short time, when a colored man came around the corner, and said to -another colored man with whom he was acquainted--“They are giving a -nigger scissors in the jail.” - -“What for?” said the other. The man continued, - -“A nigger came into the jail, and asked for the jailer. The jailer came -out, and he handed him a note, and said he wanted to get a trunk. The -jailer told him to go with him, and he would give him the trunk. So he -took him into the room, and told the nigger to give up the dollar. He -said a man had given him the dollar to pay for getting the trunk. But -that lie would not answer. So they made him strip himself, and then they -tied him down, and are now whipping him.” - -I stood by all the while listening to their talk, and soon found out -that the person alluded to was my customer. I went into the street -opposite the jail, and concealed myself in such a manner that I could -not be seen by any one coming out. I had been there but a short time, -when the young man made his appearance, and looked around for me. I, -unobserved, came forth from my hiding-place, behind a pile of brick, and -he pretty soon saw me, and came up to me complaining bitterly, saying -that I had played a trick upon him. I denied any knowledge of what the -note contained, and asked him what they had done to him. He told me in -substance what I heard the man tell who had come out of the jail. - -“Yes,” said he, “they whipped me and took my dollar, and gave me this -note.” - -He showed me the note which the jailer had given him, telling him to -give it to his master. I told him I would give him fifty cents for -it--that being all the money I had. He gave it to me and took his money. -He had received twenty lashes on his bare back, with the negro-whip. - -I took the note and started for the hotel where I had left Mr. Walker. -Upon reaching the hotel, I handed it to a stranger whom I had not seen -before, and requested him to read it to me. As near as I can recollect, -it was as follows:-- - -“Dear Sir:--By your direction, I have given your boy twenty lashes. He -is a very saucy boy, and tried to make me believe that he did not belong -to you, and I put it on to him well for lying to me. - -“I remain - -“Your obedient servant.” - -It is true that in most of the slave-holding cities, when a gentleman -wishes his servants whipped, he can send him to the jail and have it -done. Before I went in where Mr. Walker was, I wet my cheeks a little, -as though I had been crying. He looked at me, and inquired what was the -matter. I told him that I had never had such a whipping in my life, and -handed him the note. He looked at it and laughed;--“And so you told him -that you did not belong to me?” - -“Yes, sir,” said I. “I did not know that there was any harm in that.” He -told me I must behave myself, if I did not want to be whipped again. - -This incident shows how it is that slavery makes its victims lying and -mean; for which vices it afterwards reproaches them, and uses them as -arguments to prove that they deserve no better fate. Had I entertained -the same views of right and wrong which I now do, I am sure I should -never have practised the deception upon that poor fellow which I did. I -know of no act committed by me while in slavery which I have regretted -more than that; and I heartily desire that it may be at some time or -other in my power to make him amends for his vicarious sufferings in my -behalf. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -In a few days we reached New Orleans, and arriving there in the night, -remained on board until morning. While at New Orleans this time, I saw -a slave killed; an account of which has been published by Theodore D. -Weld, in his book entitled “Slavery as it is.” The circumstances were as -follows. In the evening, between seven and eight o’clock, a slave came -running down the levee, followed by several men and boys. The whites -were crying out, “Stop that nigger! stop that nigger!” while the poor -panting slave, in almost breathless accents, was repeating, “I did not -steal the meat--I did not steal the meat.” The poor man at last took -refuge in the river. The whites who were in pursuit of him, run on board -of one of the boats to see if they could discover him. They finally -espied him under the bow of the steamboat Trenton. They got a pike-pole, -and tried to drive him from his hiding place. When they would strike at -him he would dive under the water. The water was so cold, that it soon -became evident that he must come out or be drowned. - -While they were trying to drive him from under the bow of the boat or -drown him, he would in broken and imploring accents say, “I did not -steal the meat; I did not steal the meat. My master lives up the river. -I want to see my master. I did not steal the meat. Do let me go home -to master.” After punching him, and striking him over the head for some -time, he at last sunk in the water, to rise no more alive. - -On the end of the pike-pole with which they were striking him was a -hook, which caught in his clothing, and they hauled him up on the bow of -the boat. Some said he was dead; others said he was “_playing possum_;” - while others kicked him to make him get up; but it was of no use--he was -dead. - -As soon as they became satisfied of this, they commenced leaving, one -after another. One of the hands on the boat informed the captain that -they had killed the man, and that the dead body was lying on the deck. -The captain came on deck, and said to those who were remaining, “You -have killed this nigger; now take him off of my boat.” The captain’s -name was Hart. The dead body was dragged on shore and left there. I went -on board of the boat where our gang of slaves were, and during the whole -night my mind was occupied with what I had seen. Early in the morning I -went on shore to see if the dead body remained there. I found it in the -same position that it was left the night before. I watched to see what -they would do with it. It was left there until between eight and nine -o’clock, when a cart, which takes up the trash out of the streets, came -along, and the body was thrown in, and in a few minutes more was covered -over with dirt which they were removing from the streets. During the -whole time, I did not see more than six or seven persons around it, who, -from their manner, evidently regarded it as no uncommon occurrence. - -During our stay in the city I met with a young white man with whom I was -well acquainted in St. Louis. He had been sold into slavery, under the -following circumstances. His father was drunkard, and very poor, with a -family of five or six children. The father died, and left the mother to -take care of and provide for the children as best she might. The eldest -was a boy, named Burrill, about thirteen years of age, who did chores -in a store kept by Mr. Riley, to assist his mother in procuring a living -for the family. After working with him two years, Mr. Riley took him to -New Orleans to wait on him while in that city on a visit, and when he -returned to St. Louis, he told the mother of the boy that he had died -with the yellow fever. Nothing more was heard from him, no one supposing -him to be alive. I was much astonished when Burrill told me his story. -Though I sympathized with him I could not assist him. We were both -slaves. He was poor, uneducated, and without friends; and, if living, -is, I presume, still held as a slave. - -After selling out this cargo of human flesh, we returned to St. Louis, -and my time was up with Mr. Walker. I had served him one year, and it -was the longest year I ever lived. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -I was sent home, and was glad enough to leave the service of one who -was tearing the husband from the wife, the child from the mother, and -the sister from the brother--but a trial more severe and heart-rending -than any which I had yet met with awaited me. My dear sister had been -sold to a man who was going to Natchez, and was lying in jail awaiting -the hour of his departure. She had expressed her determination to -die, rather than go to the far south, and she was put in jail for -safekeeping. I went to the jail the same day that I arrived, but as the -jailer was not in I could not see her. - -I went home to my master, in the country, and the first day after my -return he came where I was at work, and spoke to me very politely. I -knew from his appearance that something was the matter. After talking to -me about my several journeys to New Orleans with Mr. Walker, he told me -that he was hard pressed for money, and as he had sold my mother and all -her children except me, he thought it would be better to sell me than -any other one, and that as I had been used to living in the city, he -thought it probable that I would prefer it to a country life. I raised -up my head, and looked him full in the face. When my eyes caught his he -immediately looked to the ground. After a short pause, I said, - -“Master, mother has often told me that you are a near relative of mine, -and I have often heard you admit the fact; and after you have hired me -out, and received, as I once heard you say, nine hundred dollars for my -services--after receiving this large sum, will you sell me to be carried -to New Orleans or some other place?” - -“No,” said he, “I do not intend to sell you to a negro trader. If I -had wished to have done that, I might have sold you to Mr. Walker for a -large sum, but I would not sell you to a negro trader. You may go to the -city, and find you a good master.” - -“But,” said I, “I cannot find a good master in the whole city of St. -Louis.” - -“Why?” said he. - -“Because there are no good masters in the state.” - -“Do you not call me a good master?” - -“If you were you would not sell me.” - -“Now I will give you one week to find a master in and surely you can do -it in that time.” - -The price set by my evangelical master upon my soul and body was -the trifling sum of five hundred dollars. I tried to enter into some -arrangement by which I might purchase my freedom; but he would enter -into no such arrangement. - -I set out for the city with the understanding that I was to return in -a week with some one to become my new master. Soon after reaching the -city, I went to the jail, to learn if I could once more see my sister; -but could not gain admission. I then went to mother, and learned from -her that the owner of my sister intended to start for Natchez in a few -days. - -I went to the jail again the next day, and Mr. Simonds, the keeper, -allowed me to see my sister for the last time. I cannot give a just -description of the scene at that parting interview. Never, never can -be erased from my heart the occurrences of that day! When I entered the -room where she was, she was seated in one corner, alone. There were -four other women in the same room, belonging to the same man. He had -purchased them, he said, for his own use. She was seated with her face -towards the door where I entered, yet she did not look up until I walked -up to her. As soon as she observed me she sprung up, threw her arms -around my neck, leaned her head upon my breast, and, without uttering a -word, burst into tears. As soon as she recovered herself sufficiently to -speak, she advised me to take mother, and try to get out of slavery. She -said there was no hope for herself--that she must live and die a slave. -After giving her some advice, and taking from my finger a ring and -placing it upon hers, I bade her farewell forever, and returned to my -mother, and then and there made up my mind to leave for Canada as soon -as possible. - -I had been in the city nearly two days, and as I was to be absent only -a week, I thought best to get on my journey as soon as possible. In -conversing with mother, I found her unwilling to make the attempt to -reach a land of liberty, but she counselled me to get my liberty if I -could. - -She said, as all her children were in slavery, she did not wish to leave -them. I could not bear the idea of leaving her among those pirates, when -there was a prospect of being able to get away from them. After much -persuasion I succeeded in inducing her to make the attempt to get away. - -The time fixed for our departure was the next night. I had with me a -little money that I had received, from time to time, from gentlemen for -whom I had done errands. I took my scanty means and purchased some dried -beef, crackers and cheese, which I carried to mother, who had provided -herself with a bag to carry it in. I occasionally thought of my old -master, and of my mission to the city to find a new one. I waited with -the most intense anxiety for the appointed time to leave the land of -slavery, in search of a land of liberty. - -The time at length arrived, and we left the city just as the clock -struck nine. We proceeded to the upper part of the city, where I had -been two or three times during the day, and selected a skiff to carry us -across the river. The boat was not mine, nor did I know to whom it did -belong; neither did I care. The boat was fastened with a small pole, -which, with the aid of a rail, I soon loosened from its moorings. After -hunting round and finding a board to use as an oar, I turned to the -city, and bidding it a long farewell, pushed off my boat. The current -running very swift, we had not reached the middle of the stream before -we were directly opposite the city. - -We were soon upon the Illinois shore, and, leaping from the boat, turned -it adrift, and the last I saw of it it was going down the river at -good speed. We took the main road to Alton, and passed through just at -daylight, when we made for the woods, where we remained during the -day. Our reason for going into the woods was, that we expected that Mr. -Mansfield (the man who owned my mother) would start in pursuit of her as -soon as he discovered that she was missing. He also knew that I had been -in the city looking for a new master, and we thought probably he would -go out to my master’s to see if he could find my mother, and in so -doing, Dr. Young might be led to suspect that I had gone to Canada to -find a purchaser. - -We remained in the woods during the day, and as soon as darkness -overshadowed the earth, we started again on our gloomy way, having no -guide but the _north star_. We continued to travel by night, and secrete -ourselves in the woods by day; and every night, before emerging from -our hiding-place, we would anxiously look for our friend and leader--the -_north star_. And in the language of Pierpont we might have exclaimed, - - “Star of the North! while blazing day - - Pours round me its full tide of light, - - And hides thy pale but faithful ray, - - I, too, lie hid, and long for night. - - For night;--I dare not walk at noon, - - Nor dare I trust the faithless moon, - - Nor faithless man, whose burning lust - - For gold hath riveted my chain; - - No other leader can I trust - - But thee, of even the starry train; - - For, all the host around thee burning, - - Like faithless man, keep turning, turning. - - In the dark top of southern pines - - I nestled, when the driver’s horn - - Called to the field, in lengthening lines, - - My fellows, at the break of morn. - - And there I lay, till thy sweet face - - Looked in upon my ‘hiding place,’ - - Star of the North! - - Thy light, that no poor slave deceiveth, - - Shall set me free.” - -I - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -As we travelled towards a land of liberty, my heart would at times leap -for joy. At other times, being, as I was, almost constantly on my -feet, I felt as though I could travel no further. But when I thought -of slavery, with its democratic whips--its republican chains--its -evangelical blood-hounds, and its religious slave-holders--when I -thought of all this paraphernalia of American democracy and religion -behind me, and the prospect of liberty before me, I was encouraged to -press forward, my heart was strengthened, and I forgot that I was tired -or hungry. - -On the eighth day of our journey, we had a very heavy rain, and in a few -hours after it commenced we had not a dry thread upon our bodies. This -made our journey still more unpleasant. On the tenth day, we found -ourselves entirely destitute of provisions, and how to obtain any we -could not tell. We finally resolved to stop at some farmhouse, and try -to get something to eat. We had no sooner determined to do this, than -we went to a house, and asked them for some food. We were treated with -great kindness, and they not only gave us something to eat, but gave us -provisions to carry with us. They advised us to travel by day and lie by -at night. Finding ourselves about one hundred and fifty miles from St. -Louis, we concluded that it would be safe to travel by daylight, and -did not leave the house until the next morning. We travelled on that day -through a thickly settled country, and through one small village. Though -we were fleeing from a land of oppression, our hearts were still there. -My dear sister and two beloved brothers were behind us, and the idea of -giving them up, and leaving them, forever, made us feel sad. But with -all this depression of heart, the thought that I should one day be free, -and call my body my own, buoyed me up, and made my heart leap for joy. -I had just been telling my mother how I should try to get employment as -soon as we reached Canada, and how I intended to purchase us a little -farm, and how I would earn money enough to buy sister and brothers, and -how happy we would be in our own _free home_--when three men came up on -horseback, and ordered us to stop. - -[Illustration: 0072] - -I turned to the one who appeared to be the principal man, and asked -him what he wanted. He said he had a warrant to take us up. The three -immediately dismounted, and one took from his pocket a handbill, -advertising us as runaways, and offering a reward of two hundred -dollars for our apprehension and delivery in the city of St. Louis. The -advertisement had been put out by Isaac Mansfield and John Young. - -While they were reading the advertisement, mother looked me in the face, -and burst into tears. A cold chill ran over me, and such a sensation -I never experienced before, and I hope never to again. They took out a -rope and tied me, and we were taken back about six miles, to the house -of the individual who appeared to be the leader. We reached there about -seven o’clock in the evening, had supper, and were separated for the -night. Two men remained in the room during the night. Before the family -retired to rest, they were all called together to attend prayers. The -man who but a few hours before had bound my hands together with a strong -cord, read a chapter from the - -Bible, and then offered up prayer, just as though God had sanctioned the -act he had just committed upon a poor, panting, fugitive slave. - -The next morning a blacksmith came in, and put a pair of handcuffs on -me, and we started on our journey back to the land of whips, chains and -Bibles. Mother was not tied, but was closely watched at night. We were -carried back in a wagon, and after four days’ travel, we came in sight -of St. Louis. I cannot describe my feelings upon approaching the city. - -As we were crossing the ferry, Mr. Wiggins, the owner of the ferry, came -up to me, and inquired what I had been doing that I was in chains. -He had not heard that I had run away. In a few minutes we were on the -Missouri side, and were taken directly to the jail. On the way thither, -I saw several of my friends, who gave me a nod of recognition as I -passed them. After reaching the jail, we were locked up in different -apartments. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -I had been in jail but a short time when I heard that my master was -sick, and nothing brought more joy to my heart than that intelligence. -I prayed fervently for him--not for his recovery, but for his death. I -knew he would be exasperated at having to pay for my apprehension, and -knowing his cruelty, I feared him. While in jail, I learned that my -sister Elizabeth, who was in prison when we left the city, had been -carried off four days before our arrival. - -I had been in jail but a few hours when three negro-traders, learning -that I was secured thus for running away, came to my prison-house and -looked at me, expecting that I would be offered for sale. Mr. Mansfield, -the man who owned mother, came into the jail as soon as Mr. Jones, the -man who arrested us, informed him that he had brought her back. He told -her that he would not whip her, but would sell her to a negro-trader, -or take her to New Orleans himself. After being in jail about one week, -master sent a man to take me out of jail, and send me home. I was taken -out and carried home, and the old man was well enough to sit up. He had -me brought into the room where he was, and as I entered, he asked me -where I had been? I told him I had acted according to his orders. He -had told me to look for a master, and I had been to look for one. He -answered that he did not tell me to go to Canada to look for a master. I -told him that as I had served him faithfully, and had been the means of -putting a number of hundreds of dollars into his pocket, I thought I had -a right to my liberty. He said he had promised my father that I should -not be sold to supply the New Orleans market, or he would sell me to a -negro-trader. - -I was ordered to go into the field to work, and was closely watched by -the overseer during the day, and locked up at night. The overseer gave -me a severe whipping on the second day that I was in the field. I had -been at home but a short time, when master was able to ride to the city; -and on his return he informed me that he had sold me to Samuel Willi, -a merchant tailor. I knew Mr. Willi. I had lived with him three or four -months some years before when he hired me of my master. - -Mr. Willi was not considered by his servants as a very bad man, nor was -he the best of masters. I went to my new home, and found my new mistress -very glad to see me. Mr. Willi owned two servants before he purchased -me--Robert and Charlotte. Robert was an excellent white-washer, and -hired his time from his master, paying him one dollar per day, besides -taking care of himself. He was known in the city by the name of Bob -Music. Charlotte was an old woman, who attended to the cooking, washing, -&c. Mr. Willi was not a wealthy man, and did not feel able to keep many -servants around his house; so he soon decided to hire me out, and as I -had been accustomed to service in steamboats, he gave me the privilege -of finding such employment. - -I soon secured a situation on board the steamer Otto, Capt. J. B. Hill, -which sailed from St. Louis to Independence, Missouri. My former master, -Dr. Young, did not let Mr. Willi know that I had run away, or he would -not have permitted me to go on board a steamboat. The boat was not quite -ready to commence running, and therefore I had to remain with Mr. Willi. -But during this time, I had to undergo a trial for which I was entirely -unprepared. My mother, who had been in jail since her return until the -present time, was now about being carried to New Orleans, to die on a -cotton, sugar, or rice plantation! - -I had been several times to the jail, but could obtain no interview -with her. I ascertained, however, the time the boat in which she was to -embark would sail, and as I had not seen mother since her being thrown -into prison, I felt anxious for the hour of sailing to come. At last, -the day arrived when I was to see her for the first time after our -painful separation, and, for aught that I knew, for the last time in -this world! - -At about ten o’clock in the morning I went on board of the boat, and -found her there in company with, fifty or sixty other slaves. She was -chained to another woman. On seeing me, she immediately dropped her -head upon her heaving bosom. She moved not, neither did she weep. Her -emotions were too deep for tears. I approached, threw my arms around her -neck, kissed her, and fell upon my knees, begging her forgiveness, for -I thought myself to blame for her sad condition; for if I had not -persuaded her to accompany me, she would not then have been in chains. - -She finally raised her head, looked me in the lace, (and such a look -none but an angel can give!) and said, “_My dear son, you are not to -blame for my being here. You have done nothing more nor less than your -duty. Do not, I pray you, weep for me. I cannot last long upon a cotton -plantation. I feel that my heavenly Master will soon call me home, and -then I shall be out of the hands of the slave-holders!_” - -I could bear no more--my heart struggled to free itself from the human -form. In a moment she saw Mr. Mansfield coming toward that part of the -boat, and she whispered into my ear, “_My child, we must soon part to -meet no more this side of the grave. You have ever said that you would -not die a slave; that you would be a freeman. Now try to get your -liberty! You will soon have no one to look after but yourself!_” and -just as she whispered the last sentence into my ear, Mansfield came up -to me, and with an oath, said, “Leave here this instant; you have been -the means of my losing one hundred dollars to get this wench back”--at -the same time kicking me with a heavy pair of boots. As I left her, she -gave one shriek, saying, “God be with you!” It was the last time that I -saw her, and the last word I heard her utter. - -I walked on shore. The bell was tolling. The boat was about to start. -I stood with a heavy heart, waiting to see her leave the wharf. As I -thought of my mother, I could but feel that I had lost - - “------the glory of my life, - - My blessing and my pride! - - I half forgot the name of slave, - - When she was by my side.” - -The love of liberty that had been burning in my bosom had well-nigh gone -out. I felt as though I was ready to die. The boat moved gently from the -wharf, and while she glided down the river, I realized that my mother -was indeed - - “Gone--gone--sold and gone, - - To the rice swamp, dank and lone!” - -After the boat was out of sight I returned home; but my thoughts were so -absorbed in what I had witnessed, that I knew not what I was about half -of the time. Night came, but it brought no sleep to my eyes. - -In a few days, the boat upon which I was to work being ready, I went on -board to commence. This employment suited me better than living in the -city, and I remained until the close of navigation; though it -proved anything but pleasant. The captain was a drunken, profligate, -hardhearted creature, not knowing how to treat himself, or any other -person. - -The boat, on its second trip, brought down Mr. Walker, the man of whom I -have spoken in a previous chapter, as hiring my time. He had between one -and two hundred slaves, chained and manacled. Among them was a man that -formerly belonged to my old master’s brother, Aaron Young. His name was -Solomon. He was a preacher, and belonged to the same church with his -master. I was glad to see the old man. He wept like a child when he told -me how he had been sold from his wife and children. - -The boat carried down, while I remained on board, four or five gangs of -slaves. Missouri, though a comparatively new state, is very much engaged -in raising slaves to supply the southern market. In a former chapter, -I have mentioned that I was once in the employ of a slave-trader, or -driver, as he is called at the south. For fear that some may think that -I have misrepresented a slave-driver, I will here give an extract from -a paper published in a slave-holding state, Tennessee called the -“Millennial Trumpeter.” - -“Droves of negroes, chained together in dozens and scores, and -hand-cuffed, have been driven through our country in numbers far -surpassing any previous year, and these vile slave-drivers and dealers -are swarming like buzzards around a carrion. Through this county, you -cannot pass a few miles in the great roads without having every feeling -of humanity insulted and lacerated by this spectacle, nor can you go -into any county or any neighborhood, scarcely, without seeing or hearing -of some of these despicable creatures, called negro-drivers. - -“Who is a negro-driver? One whose eyes dwell with delight on lacerated -bodies of helpless men, women and children; whose soul feels diabolical -raptures at the chains, and hand-cuffs, and cart-whips, for inflicting -tortures on weeping mothers torn from helpless babes, and on husbands -and wives torn asunder forever!” - -Dark and revolting as is the picture here drawn, it is from the pen of -one living in the midst of slavery. But though these men may cant about -negro-drivers, and tell what despicable creatures they are, who is it, -I ask, that supplies them with the human beings that they are tearing -asunder? - -I answer, as far as I have any knowledge of the state where I came from, -that those who raise slaves for the market are to be found among all -classes, from Thomas H. Benton down to the lowest political demagogue -who may be able to purchase a woman for the purpose of raising stock, -and from the doctor of divinity down to the most humble lay member in -the church. - -It was not uncommon in St. Louis to pass by an auction-stand, and behold -a woman upon the auction-block, and hear the seller crying out, - -“_How much is offered for this woman? She is a good cook, good washer, a -good obedient servant. She has got religion!_” Why should this man tell -the purchasers that she has religion? I answer, because in Missouri, -and as far as I have any knowledge of slavery in the other states, the -religious teaching consists in teaching the slave that he must never -strike a white man; that God made him for a slave; and that, when -whipped, he must not find fault--for the Bible says, “_He that knoweth -his master’s will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes!_” - And slaveholders find such religion very profitable to them. - -After leaving the steamer Otto, I resided at home, in Mr. Willi’s -family, and again began to lay my plans for making my escape from -slavery. The anxiety to be a freeman would not let me rest day or night. -I would think of the northern cities that I had heard so much about;--of -Canada, where so many of my acquaintances had found a refuge. I would -dream at night that I was in Canada, a freeman, and on waking in the -morning, weep to find myself so sadly mistaken. - - “I would think of Victoria’s domain, - - And in a moment I seemed to be there! - - But the fear of being taken again, - - Soon hurried me back to despair.” - -Mr. Willi treated me better than Dr. Young ever had; but instead of -making me contented and happy, it only rendered me the more miserable, -for it enabled me better to appreciate liberty. Mr. Willi was a man who -loved money as most men do, and without looking for an opportunity to -sell me, he found one in the offer of Captain Enoch Price, a steamboat -owner and commission merchant, living in the city of St. Louis. Captain -Price tendered seven hundred dollars, which was two hundred more than -Mr. Willi had paid. He therefore thought best to accept the offer. I was -wanted for a carriage driver, and Mrs. Price was very much pleased with -the captain’s bargain. His family consisted of himself, wife, one child, -and three servants, besides myself,--one man and two women. - -Mrs. Price was very proud of her servants, always keeping them well -dressed, and as soon as I had been purchased, she resolved to have a new -carriage. And soon one was procured, and all preparations were made for -a turn-out in grand style, I being the driver. - -One of the female servants was a girl some eighteen or twenty years of -age, named Maria. Mrs. Price was very soon determined to have us united, -if she could so arrange matters. She would often urge upon me the -necessity of having a wife, saying that it would be so pleasant for me -to take one in the same family! But getting married, while in slavery, -was the last of my thoughts; and had I been ever so inclined, I should -not have married Maria, as my love had already gone in another quarter. -Mrs. Price soon found out that her efforts at this match-making between -Maria and myself would not prove successful. She also discovered (or -thought she had) that I was rather partial to a girl named Eliza, -who was owned by Dr. Mills. This induced her at once to endeavor the -purchase of Eliza, so great was her desire to get me a wife! - -Before making the attempt, however, she deemed it best to talk to me a -little upon the subject of love, courtship, and marriage. Accordingly, -one afternoon she called me into her room--telling me to take a chair -and sit down. I did so, thinking it rather strange, for servants are not -very often asked thus to sit down in the same room with the master or -mistress. She said that she had found out that I did not care enough -about Maria to marry her. I told her that was true. She then asked me -if there was not a girl in the city that I loved. Well, now, this was -coming into too close quarters with me! People, generally, don’t like -to tell their love stories to everybody that may think fit to ask about -them, and it was so with me. But, after blushing a while and recovering -myself, I told her that I did not want a wife. She then asked me if I -did not think something of Eliza. I told her that I did. She then said -that if I wished to marry Eliza, she would purchase her if she could. - -I gave but little encouragement to this proposition, as I was determined -to make another trial to get my liberty, and I knew that if I should -have a wife, I should not be willing to leave her behind; and if I -should attempt to bring her with me, the chances would be difficult for -success. However, Eliza was purchased, and brought into the family. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -But the more I thought of the trap laid by Mrs. Price to make me -satisfied with my new home, by getting me a wife, the more I determined -never to marry any woman on earth until I should get my liberty. But -this secret I was compelled to keep to myself, which placed me in a -very critical position. I must keep upon good terms with Mrs. Price and -Eliza. I therefore promised Mrs. Price that I would marry Eliza; but -said that I was not then ready. And I had to keep upon good terms with -Eliza, for fear that Mrs. Price would find out that I did not intend to -get married. - -I have here spoken of marriage, and it is very common among slaves -themselves to talk of it. And it is common for slaves to be married; or -at least to have the marriage ceremony performed. But there is no such -thing as slaves being lawfully married. There has never yet a case -occurred where a slave has been tried for bigamy. The man may have as -many women as he wishes and the women as many men; and the law takes -no cognizance of such acts among slaves. And in fact some masters, when -they have sold the husband from the wife, compel her to take another. - -There lived opposite Captain Price’s, Doctor Farrar, well known in St. -Louis. He sold a man named Ben, to one of the traders. He also owned -Ben’s wife, and in a few days he compelled Sally (that was her name) -to marry Peter, another man belonging to him. I asked Sally “why she -married Peter so soon after Ben was sold.” She said, “because master -made her do it.” - -Mr. John Calvert, who resided near our place, had a woman named Lavinia. -She was quite young, and a man to whom she was about to be married was -sold, and carried into the country near St. Charles, about twenty miles -from St. Louis. Mr. Calvert wanted her to get a husband; but she had -resolved not to marry any other man, and she refused. Mr. Calvert -whipped her in such a manner that it was thought she would die. Some of -the citizens had him arrested, but it was soon hushed up. And that was -the last of it. The woman did not die, but it would have been the same -if she had. - -Captain Price purchased me in the month of October, and I remained with -him until December, when the family made a voyage to New Orleans, in a -boat owned by himself, and named the “Chester.” I served on board as -one of the stewards. On arriving at New Orleans, about the middle of the -month, the boat took in freight for Cincinnati; and it was decided that -the family should go up the river in her, and what was of more interest -to me, I was to accompany them. - -The long looked for opportunity to make my escape from slavery was near -at hand. - -Captain Price had some fears as to the propriety of taking me near a -free state, or a place where it was likely I could run away, with a -prospect of liberty. He asked me if I had ever been in a free state. “Oh -yes,” said I, “I have been in Ohio; my master carried me into that state -once, but I never liked a free state.” - -It was soon decided that it would be safe to take me with them, and what -made it more safe, Eliza was on the boat with us, and Mrs. Price, to try -me, asked if I thought as much as ever of Eliza. - -I told her that Eliza was very dear to me indeed, and that nothing but -death should part us. It was the same as if we were married. This had -the desired effect. The boat left New Orleans, and proceeded up the -river. - -I had at different times obtained little sums of money, which I had -reserved for a “rainy day.” I procured some cotton cloth, and made me -a bag to carry provisions in. The trials of the past were all lost in -hopes for the future. The love of liberty, that had been burning in -my bosom for years, and had been well-nigh extinguished, was now -resuscitated. At night, when all around was peaceful, I would walk the -decks, meditating upon my happy prospects. - -I should have stated, that, before leaving St. Louis, I went to an old -man named Frank, a slave, owned by a Mr. Sarpee. This old man was very -distinguished (not only among the slave population, but also the whites) -as a fortune-teller. He was about seventy years of age, something over -six feet high, and very slender. Indeed, he was so small around his -body, that it looked as though it was not strong enough to hold up his -head. - -Uncle Frank was a very great favorite with the young ladies, who would -go to him in great numbers to get their fortunes told. And it was -generally believed that he could really penetrate into the mysteries of -futurity. Whether true or not, he had the _name_, and that is about half -of what one needs in this gullible age. I found Uncle Frank seated in -the chimney corner, about ten o’clock at night. As soon as I entered, -the old man left his seat. I watched his movement as well as I could by -the dim light of the fire. He soon lit a lamp, and coming up, looked me -full in the face, saying, “Well, my son, you have come to get uncle to -tell your fortune, have you?” - -“Yes,” said I. But how the old man should know what I came for, I could -not tell. However, I paid the fee of twenty-five cents, and he commenced -by looking into a gourd, filled with water. Whether the old man was a -prophet, or the son of a prophet, I cannot say; but there is one thing -certain, many of his predictions were verified. - -I am no believer in soothsaying; yet I am sometimes at a loss to know -how Uncle Frank could tell so accurately what would occur in the future. -Among the many things he told was one which was enough to pay me for -all the trouble of hunting him up. It was that I _should be free!_ He -further said, that in trying to get my liberty I would meet with many -severe trials. I thought to myself any fool could tell me that! - -The first place in which we landed in a free state was Cairo, a small -village at the mouth of the Ohio river. We remained here but a few -hours, when we proceeded to Louisville. After unloading some of the -cargo, the boat started on her upward trip. The next day was the first -of January. I had looked forward to New Year’s day as the commencement -of a new era in the history of my life. I had decided upon leaving the -peculiar institution that day. - -During the last night that I served in slavery I did not close my eyes -a single moment. When not thinking of the future, my mind dwelt on the -past. The love of a dear mother, a dear sister, and three dear brothers, -yet living, caused me to shed many tears. If I could only have been -assured of their being dead, I should have felt satisfied; but I -imagined I saw my dear mother in the cotton-field, followed by a -merciless taskmaster, and no one to speak a consoling word to her! I -beheld my dear sister in the hands of a slave-driver, and compelled to -submit to his cruelty! None but one placed in such a situation can for -a moment imagine the intense agony to which these reflections subjected -me. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -At last the time for action arrived. The boat landed at a point which -appeared to me the place of all others to start from. I found that -it would be impossible to carry anything with me but what was upon my -person. I had some provisions, and a single suit of clothes, about -half worn. When the boat was discharging her cargo, and the passengers -engaged carrying their baggage on and off shore, I improved the -opportunity to convey myself with my little effects on land. Taking up -a trunk, I went up the wharf, and was soon out of the crowd. I made -directly for the woods, where I remained until night, knowing well that -I could not travel, even in the state of Ohio, during the day, without -danger of being arrested. - -I had long since made up my mind that I would not trust myself in the -hands of any man, white or colored. The slave is brought up to look upon -every white man as an enemy to him and his race; and twenty-one years -in slavery had taught me that there were traitors, even among colored -people. After dark, I emerged from the woods into a narrow path, which -led me into the main travelled road. But I knew not which way to go. I -did not know north from south, east from west. I looked in vain for the -North Star; a heavy cloud hid it from my view. I walked up and down the -road until near midnight, when the clouds disappeared, and I welcomed -the sight of my friend--truly the slave’s friend--the North Star! - -As soon as I saw it, I knew my course, and before daylight I travelled -twenty or twenty-five miles. It being in the winter, I suffered -intensely from the cold; being without an overcoat, and my other clothes -rather thin for the season. I was provided with a tinder-box, so that -I could make up a fire when necessary. And but for this, I should -certainly have frozen to death; for I was determined not to go to any -house for shelter. I knew of a man belonging to Gen. Ashly, of St. -Louis, who had run away near Cincinnati, on the way to Washington, -but had been caught and carried back into slavery; and I felt that, a -similar fate awaited me, should I be seen by any one. I travelled at -night, and lay by during the day. - -On the fourth day my provisions gave out, and then what to do I could -not tell. Have something to eat I must; but how to get it was the -question! On the first night after my food was gone, I went to a barn on -the road-side and there found some ears of corn. I took ten or twelve of -them, and kept on my journey. During the next day, while in the woods, -I roasted my corn and feasted upon it, thanking God that I was so well -provided for. - -My escape to a land of freedom now appeared certain, and the prospects -of the future occupied a great part of my thoughts. What should be my -occupation, was a subject of much anxiety to me; and the next thing what -should be my name? I have before stated that my old master, Dr. Young, -had no children of his own, but had with him a nephew, the son of his -brother, Benjamin Young. When this boy was brought to Dr. Young, his -name being William, the same as mine, my mother was ordered to change -mine to something else. This, at the time, I thought to be one of the -most cruel acts that could be committed upon my rights; and I received -several very severe whippings for telling people that my name was -William, after orders were given to change it. Though young, I was -old enough to place a high appreciation upon my name. It was decided, -however, to call me “Sandford,” and this name I was known by, not only -upon my master’s plantation, but up to the time that I made my escape. I -was sold under the name of Sandford. - -But as soon as the subject came to my mind, I resolved on adopting my -old name of William, and let Sandford go by the board, for I always -hated it. Not because there was anything peculiar in the name; but -because it had been forced upon me. It is sometimes common, at the -south, for slaves to take the name of their masters. Some have a -legitimate right to do so. But I always detested the idea of being -called by the name of either of my masters. And as for my father, I -would rather have adopted the name of “Friday,” and been known as the -servant of some Robinson Crusoe, than to have taken his name. So I was -not only hunting for my liberty, but also hunting for a name; though I -regarded the latter as of little consequence, if I could but gain the -former. Travelling along the road, I would sometimes speak to myself, -sounding my name over, by way of getting used to it, before I should -arrive among civilized human beings. On the fifth or six day, it rained -very fast, and froze about as fast as it fell, so that my clothes were -one glare of ice. I travelled on at night until I became so chilled and -benumbed--the wind blowing into my face--that I found it impossible -to go any further, and accordingly took shelter in a barn, where I was -obliged to walk about to keep from freezing. - -I have ever looked upon that night as the most eventful part of my -escape from slavery. Nothing but the providence of God, and that old -barn, saved me from freezing to death. I received a very severe cold, -which settled upon my lungs, and from time to time my feet had been -frostbitten, so that it was with difficulty I could walk. In this -situation I travelled two days, when I found that I must seek shelter -somewhere, or die. - -The thought of death was nothing frightful to me, compared with that -of being caught, and again carried back into slavery. Nothing but the -prospect of enjoying liberty could have induced me to undergo such -trials, for - - “Behind I left the whips and chains, - - Before me were sweet Freedom’s plains!” - -This, and this alone, cheered me onward. But I at last resolved to seek -protection from the inclemency of the weather, and therefore I secured -myself behind some logs and brush, intending to wait there until some -one should pass by; for I thought it probable that I might see some -colored person, or, if not, some one who was not a slaveholder; for I -had an idea that I should know a slaveholder as far as I could see him. - -The first person that passed was a man in a buggy-wagon. He looked too -genteel for me to hail him. Very soon another passed by on horseback. I -attempted to speak to him, but fear made my voice fail me. As he passed, -I left my hiding-place, and was approaching the road, when I observed -an old man walking towards me, leading a white horse. He had on a -broad-brimmed hat and a very long coat, and was evidently walking for -exercise. As soon as I saw him, and observed his dress, I thought -to myself, “You are the man that have been looking for!” Nor was I -mistaken. He was the very man! - -On approaching me, he asked me, “if I was not a slave.” I looked at him -some time, and then asked him “if he knew of any one who would help me, -as I was sick.” He answered that he would; but again asked, if I was not -a slave. I told him I was. He then said that I was in a very pro-slavery -neighborhood, and if I would wait until he went home, he would get a -covered wagon for me. I promised to remain. He mounted his horse, and -was soon out of sight. - -After he was gone, I meditated whether to wait or not; being -apprehensive that he had gone for some one to arrest me. But I finally -concluded to remain until he should return; removing some few rods to -watch his movements. After a suspense of an hour and a half or more, he -returned with a two-horse covered wagon, such as are usually seen under -the shed of a Quaker meetinghouse on Sundays and Thursdays; for the old -man proved to be a Quaker of the George Fox stamp. - -He took me to his house, but it was some time before I could be induced -to enter it; not until the old lady came out, did I venture into the -house. I thought I saw something in the old lady’s cap that told me -I was not only safe, but welcome, in her house. I was not, however, -prepared to receive their hospitalities. The only fault I found with -them was their being too kind. I had never had a white man to treat me -as an equal, and the idea of a white lady waiting on me at the table was -still worse! Though the table was loaded with the good things of -this life, I could not eat. I thought if I could only be allowed the -privilege of eating in the kitchen I should be more than satisfied! - -Finding that I could not eat, the old lady, who was a “Thompsonian,” - made me a cup of “composition,” or “number six;” but it was so strong -and hot, that I called it “_number seven!_” However, I soon found myself -at home in this family. On different occasions, when telling these -facts, I have been asked how I felt upon finding myself regarded as -a man by a white family; especially just having run away from one. I -cannot say that I have ever answered the question yet. - -The fact that I was in all probability a freeman, sounded in my ears -like a charm. I am satisfied that none but a slave could place such an -appreciation upon liberty as I did at that time. I wanted to see mother -and sister, that I might tell them “I was free!” I wanted to see my -fellow-slaves in St. Louis, and let them know that the chains were no -longer upon my limbs. I wanted to see Captain Price, and let him learn -from my own lips that I was no more a chattel, but a man! I was anxious, -too, thus to inform Mrs. Price that she must get another coachman. And I -wanted to see Eliza more than I did either Mr. or Mrs. Price! - -The fact that I was a freeman--could walk, talk, eat and sleep, as a -man, and no one to stand over me with the blood-clotted cow-hide--all -this made me feel that I was not myself. - -The kind friend that had taken me in was named Wells Brown. He was a -devoted friend of the slave; but was very old, and not in the enjoyment -of good health. After being by the fire awhile, I found that my feet had -been very much frozen. I was seized with a fever, which threatened -to confine me to my bed. But my Thompsonian friends soon raised me, -treating me as kindly as if I had been one of their own children. I -remained with them twelve or fifteen days, during which time they made -me some clothing, and the old gentleman purchased me a pair of boots. - -I found that I was about fifty or sixty miles from Dayton, in the State -of Ohio, and between one and two hundred miles from Cleaveland, on Lake -Erie, a place I was desirous of reaching on my way to Canada. This I -know will sound strangely to the ears of people in foreign lands, but it -is nevertheless true. An American citizen was fleeing from a democratic, -republican, Christian government, to receive protection under the -monarchy of Great Britain. While the people of the United States boast -of their freedom, they at the same time keep three millions of their own -citizens in chains; and while I am seated here in sight of Bunker Hill -Monument, writing this narrative, I am a slave, and no law, not even in -Massachusetts, can protect me from the hands of the slaveholder! - -Before leaving this good Quaker friend, he inquired what my name was -besides William. I told him that I had no other name. “Well,” said he, -“thee must have another name. Since thee has got out of slavery, thee -has become a man, and men always have two names.” - -I told him that he was the first man to extend the hand of friendship to -me, and I would give him the privilege of naming me. - -“If I name thee,” said he, “I shall call thee Wells Brown, after -myself,” - -“But,” said I, “I am not willing to lose my name of William. As it was -taken from me once against my will, I am not willing to part with it -again upon any terms. - -“Then,” said he, “I will call thee William Wells Brown.” - -“So be it,” said I; and I have been known by that name ever since I left -the house of my first white friend, Wells Brown. - -After giving me some little change, I again started for Canada. In -four days I reached a public house, and went in to warm myself. I there -learned that some fugitive slaves had just passed through the place. The -men in the bar-room were talking about it, and I thought that it must -have been myself they referred to, and I was therefore afraid to start, -fearing they would seize me; but I finally mustered courage enough, and -took my leave. As soon as I was out of sight, I went into the woods, -and remained there until night, when I again regained the road, and -travelled on until next day. - -Not having had any food for nearly two days, I was faint with hunger, -and was in a dilemma what to do, as the little cash supplied me by my -adopted father, and which had contributed to my comfort, was now all -gone. I however concluded to go to a farm-house, and ask for something -to eat. On approaching the door of the first one presenting itself, I -knocked, and was soon met by a man who asked me what I wanted. I told -him that I would like something to eat. He asked me where I was from, -and where I was going. I replied that I had come some way, and was going -to Cleaveland. - -After hesitating a moment or two, he told me that he could give me -nothing to eat, adding, “that if I would work, I could get something to -eat.” - -I felt bad, being thus refused something to sustain nature, but did not -dare tell him that I was a slave. - -Just as I was leaving the door, with a heavy heart, a woman, who proved -to be the wife of this gentleman, came to the door, and asked her -husband what I wanted. He did not seem inclined to inform her. She -therefore asked me herself. I told her that I had asked for something to -eat. After a few other questions, she told me to come in, and that she -would give me something to eat. - -I walked up to the door, but the husband remained in the passage, as if -unwilling to let me enter. - -She asked him two or three times to get out of the way, and let me in. -But as he did not move, she pushed him on one side, bidding me walk in! -I was never before so glad to see a woman push a man aside! Ever since -that act, I have been in favor of “woman’s rights!” - -After giving me as much food as I could eat, she presented me with ten -cents, all the money then at her disposal, accompanied with a note to -a friend, a few miles further on the road. Thanking this angel of mercy -from an overflowing heart, I pushed on my way, and in three days arrived -at Cleaveland, Ohio. - -Being an entire stranger in this place, it was difficult for me to find -where to stop. I had no money, and the lake being frozen, I saw that I -must remain until the opening of the navigation, or go to Canada by way -of Buffalo. But believing myself to be somewhat out of danger, I secured -an engagement at the Mansion House, as a table waiter, in payment for my -board. The proprietor, however, whose name was E. M. Segur, in a short -time, hired me for twelve dollars a month; on which terms I remained -until spring, when I found good employment on board a lake steamboat. - -I purchased some books, and at leisure moments perused them with -considerable advantage to my-self. While at Cleaveland, I saw, for the -first time, an anti-slavery newspaper. It was the “_Genius of Universal -Emancipation_,” published by Benjamin Lundy; and though I had no home, -I subscribed for the paper. It was my great desire, being out of slavery -myself, to do what I could for the emancipation of my brethren yet in -chains, and while on Lake Erie, I found many opportunities of “helping -their cause along.” - -It is well known that a great number of fugitives make their escape -to Canada, by way of Cleaveland; and while on the lakes, I always made -arrangement to carry them on the boat to Buffalo or Detroit, and thus -effect their escape to the “promised land.” The friends of the slave, -knowing that I would transport them without charge, never failed to have -a delegation when the boat arrived at Cleaveland. I have sometimes had -four or five on board at one time. - -In the year 1842 I conveyed, from the first of May to the first of -December, sixty-nine fugitives over Lake Erie to Canada. In 1843, I -visited Malden, in Upper Canada, and counted seventeen in that small -village, whom I had assisted in reaching Canada. Soon after coming north -I subscribed for the Liberator, edited by that champion of freedom, -William Lloyd Garrison. I had heard nothing of the anti-slavery movement -while in slavery, and as soon as I found that my enslaved countrymen had -friends who were laboring for their liberation, I felt anxious to join -them, and give what aid I could to the cause. - -I early embraced the temperance cause, and found that a temperance -reformation was needed among my colored brethren. In company with a few -friends, I commenced a temperance reformation among the colored people -in the city of Buffalo, and labored three years, in which time a society -was built up, numbering over five hundred out of a population of less -than seven hundred. - -In the autumn, 1843, impressed with the importance of spreading -anti-slavery truth, as a means to bring about the abolition of slavery, -I commenced lecturing as an agent of the western New York Anti-Slavery -Society, and have ever since devoted my time to the cause of my enslaved -countrymen. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -During the autumn of 1836, a slaveholder by the name of Bacon Tate, -from the State of Tennessee, came to the north in search of fugitives -from slavery. On his arrival at Buffalo he heard of two of the most -valuable of the slaves that he was in pursuit of. They were residing in -St. Catharine’s, in Upper Canada, some twenty-five miles from Buffalo. -After hearing that they were in Canada, one would have supposed that -Tate would have given up all hope of getting them. But not so. Bacon -Tate was a man who had long been engaged in the slave-trade, and -previous to that had been employed as a negro-driver. In these -two situations he had gained the name of being the most complete -“negro-breaker” in that part of Tennessee where he resided. He was as -unfeeling and as devoid of principle as a man could possibly be. This -made him the person, above all others, to be selected to be put on the -track of the fugitive slave. He had not only been commissioned to catch -Stanford and his wife, the two valuable slaves already alluded to, but -he had the names of some twenty others. - -Many slaves had made their escape from the vicinity of Nashville, and -the slaveholders were anxious to have some caught, that they might make -an example of them. And Tate, anxious to sustain his high reputation -as a negro-catcher, left no stone unturned to carry out his nefarious -objects. - -Stanford and his little family were as happily situated as fugitives -can be, who make their escape to Canada in the cold season of the year. -Tate, on his arrival at Buffalo, took lodgings at the Eagle Tavern, the -best house at that time in the city. And here he began to lay his -plans to catch and carry back into slavery those men and women who had -undergone so much to get their freedom. He soon became acquainted with a -profligate colored woman, who was a servant in the hotel, and who was as -unprincipled as himself! This woman was sent to St. Catharine’s, to spy -out the situation of Stanford’s family. Under the pretence of wishing to -get board in the family, and at the same time offering to pay a week’s -board in advance, she was taken in. After remaining with them three or -four days, the spy returned to Buffalo, and informed Tate how they were -situated. By the liberal use of money, Tate soon found those who were -willing to do his bidding. A carriage was hired, and four men employed -to go with it to St. Catharine’s, and to secure their victims during the -night. - -The carriage, with the kidnappers, crossed the Niagara river at Black -Rock, on Saturday evening, about seven o’clock, and went on its way -towards St. Catharine’s; no one suspecting in the least that they were -after fugitive slaves. About twelve o’clock that night they attacked -Stanford’s dwelling by breaking in the door. They found the family -asleep, and of course met with no obstacle whatever in tying, gagging, -and forcing them into the carriage. - -The family had one child about six weeks old That was kept at its -mother’s breast, to keep it quiet. The carriage re-crossed the river, at -the same place, the next morning at sunrise, and proceeded to Buffalo, -where it remained a short time, and after changing horses and leaving -some of its company, it proceeded on its journey. The carriage being -closely covered, no one had made the least discovery as to its contents. -But some time during the morning, a man, who was neighbor to Stanford, -and who resided but a short distance from him, came on an errand; and -finding the house deserted, and seeing the most of the family’s clothes -lying on the floor, and seeing here and there stains of blood, soon gave -the alarm, and the neighbors started in every direction, to see if they -could find the kidnappers. One man got on the track of the carriage, -and followed it to the ferry at Black Rock, where he heard that it had -crossed some three hours before. He went on to Buffalo, and gave the -alarm to the colored people of that place. The colored people of Buffalo -are noted for their promptness in giving aid to the fugitive slave. -The alarm was given just as the bells were ringing for church. I was in -company with five or six others, when I heard that a brother slave with -his family had been seized and dragged from his home during the night -previous. We started on a run for the livery-stable, where we found as -many more of our own color trying to hire horses to go in search of the -fugitives. There were two roads which the kidnappers could take, and -we were at some loss to know which to take ourselves. But we soon -determined to be on the right track, and so divided our company,--one -half taking the road to Erie, the other taking the road leading to -Hamburgh. I was among those who took the latter. - -We travelled on at a rapid rate, until we came within half a mile of -Hamburgh Corners, when we met a man on the side of the road on foot, who -made signs to us to stop. We halted for a moment, when he informed us -that the carriage that we were in pursuit of was at the public house, -and that he was then in search of some of his neighbors, to assemble -and to demand of the kidnappers the authority by which they were taking -these people into slavery. - -We proceeded to the tavern, where we found the carriage standing in -front of the door, with a pair of fresh horses ready to proceed on their -journey. The kidnappers, seeing us coming, took their victims into -a room, and locked the door and fastened down the windows. We all -dismounted, fastened our horses, and entered the house. We found four or -five persons in the bar-room, who seemed to rejoice as we entered. - -One of our company demanded the opening of the door, while others went -out and surrounded the house. The kidnappers stationed one of their -number at the door, and another at the window. They refused to let us -enter the room, and the tavern-keeper, who was more favorable to us than -we had anticipated, said to us, “Boys, get into the room in any way -that you can; the house is mine, and I give you the liberty to break in -through the door or window.” This was all that we wanted, and we were -soon making preparations to enter the room at all hazards. Those within -had warned us that if we should attempt to enter they would “shoot the -first one.” One of our company, who had obtained a crow-bar, went to the -window, and succeeded in getting it under the sash, and soon we had -the window up, and the kidnappers, together with their victims, in full -view. - -One of the kidnappers, while we were raising the window, kept crying -at the top of his voice, “I’ll shoot, I’ll shoot!” but no one seemed -to mind him. As soon as they saw that we were determined to rescue the -slaves at all hazards, they gave up, one of their number telling us that -we might “come in.” - -The door was thrown open, and we entered, and there found Stanford -seated in one corner of the room, with his hands tied behind him, and -his clothing, what little he had on, much stained with blood. Near him -was his wife, with her child, but a few weeks old, in her arms. Neither -of them had anything on except their night-clothes. They had both been -gagged, to keep them from alarming the people, and had been much beaten -and bruised when first attacked by the kidnappers. Their countenances -lighted up the moment we entered the room. - -The most of those who made up our company were persons who had made -their escape from slavery, and who knew its horrors from personal -experience, and who had left near and dear relatives behind them. And we -knew how to “feel for those in bonds as bound with them.” - -The woman who had betrayed them, and who was in the house at the -time they were taken, had been persuaded by Tate to go on with him to -Tennessee. She had accompanied them from Canada, and we found her in the -same room with Stanford and his wife. As soon as she found that we were -about to enter the room, she ran under the bed. - -We knew nothing of her being in the room until Stanford pointed to the -bed and said, “Under there is our betrayer.” She was soon hauled out, -and it was as much as some of us could do to keep the others from -lynching her upon the spot. The curses came thick and fast from a -majority of the company. But nothing attracted my attention at the time -more than the look of Mrs. Stanford at the betrayer, as she sat before -her. She did not say a word to her, but her countenance told the -feelings of her inmost soul, and we could but think, that had she spoken -to her, she would have said, “May the world deny thee a shelter! earth a -home! the dust a grave! the sun his light! and Heaven her God!” - -The betrayer begged us to let her go. I was somewhat disposed to comply -with her request, but I found many to oppose me; in fact, I was entirely -alone. My main reason for wishing to let her escape was that I was -afraid that her life would be in danger. I knew that, if she was taken -back to Buffalo or Canada, she would fall into the hands of an excited -people, the most of whom had themselves been slaves. And they, being -comparatively ignorant of the laws, would be likely to take the law into -their own hands. - -However, the woman was not allowed to escape, but was put into the -coach, together with Stanford and his wife; and after an hour and a -half’s drive, we found ourselves in the city of Buffalo. The excitement -which the alarm had created in the morning had broken up the meetings of -the colored people for that day; and on our arrival in the city we were -met by some forty or fifty colored persons. The kidnappers had not been -inactive; for, on our arrival in the city, we learned that the man who -had charge of the carriage and fugitives when we caught up with them, -returned to the city immediately after giving the slaves up to us, and -had informed Tate, who had remained behind, of what had occurred. Tate -immediately employed the sheriff and his posse to re-take the slaves. -So, on our arrival in Buffalo, we found that the main battle had yet -to be fought. Stanford and his wife and child were soon provided with -clothing and some refreshment, while we were preparing ourselves with -clubs, pistols, knives, and other weapons of defence. News soon come to -us that the sheriff, with his under officers, together with some sixty -or seventy men who were at work on the canal, were on the road between -Buffalo and Black Rock, and that they intended to re-take the slaves -when we should attempt to take them to the ferry to convey them to -Canada. This news was anything but pleasant to us, but we prepared for -the worst. - -We returned to the city about two o’clock in the afternoon, and about -four we started for Black Rock ferry, which is about three miles below -Buffalo. We had in our company some fifty or more able-bodied, resolute -men, who were determined to stand by the slaves, and who had resolved, -before they left the city, that if the sheriff and his men took the -slaves, they should first pass over their dead bodies. - -We started, and when about a mile below the city, the sheriff and his -men came upon us, and surrounded us. The slaves were in a carriage, and -the horses were soon stopped, and we found it advisable to take them -out of the carriage, and we did so. The sheriff came forward, and read -something purporting to be a “Riot Act,” and at the same time called -upon all good citizens to aid him in keeping the “peace.” This was a -trick of his, to get possession of the slaves. His men rushed upon us -with their clubs and stones, and a general fight ensued. Our company had -surrounded the slaves, and had succeeded in keeping the sheriff and his -men off. We fought, and at the same time kept pushing on towards the -ferry. - -In the midst of the fight, a little white man made his appearance among -us, and proved to be a valuable friend. His name was Pepper; and he -proved himself a _pepper_ to the sheriff and his posse that day. He was -a lawyer; and as the officers would arrest any of our company, he would -step up and ask the officer if he had a warrant to take that man and as -none of them had warrants, and could not answer affirmatively, he would -say to the colored man, “He has no right to take you; knock him down.” - The command was no sooner given than the man would fall. If the one who -had been arrested was not able to knock him down, some who were close -by, and who were armed with a club or other weapon, would come to his -assistance. - -After it became generally known in our company that the “little man” was -a lawyer, he had a tremendous influence with them. You could hear them -cry out occasionally, “That’s right, knock him down; the little man told -you to do it, and he is a lawyer; he knows all about the law; that’s -right,--hit him again! he is a white man, and he has done our color -enough.” - -Such is but a poor representation of what was said by those who were -engaged in the fight. After a hard-fought battle; of nearly two hours, -we arrived at the ferry, the slaves still in our possession. On arriving -at the ferry, we found that some of the sheriff’s gang had taken -possession of the ferry-boat. Here another battle was to be fought, -before the slaves could reach Canada. The boat was fastened at each end -by a chain, and in the scuffle for the ascendency, one party took charge -of one end of the boat, while the other took the other end. The blacks -were commanding the ferry man to carry them over, while the whites were -commanding him not to. While each party was contending for power, the -slaves were pushed on board, and the boat shoved from the wharf. Many -of the blacks jumped on board of the boat, while the whites jumped on -shore. And the swift current of the Niagara soon carried them off, amid -the shouts of the blacks, and the oaths and imprecations of the -whites. We on shore swung our hats and gave three cheers, just as a -reinforcement came to the whites. Seeing the odds entirely against us -in numbers, and having gained the great victory, we gave up without -resistance, and suffered ourselves to be arrested by the sheriff’s -posse. However, we all remained on the shore until the ferry-boat had -landed on the Canada side. As the boat landed, Stanford leaped on shore, -and rolled over in the sand, and even rubbed it into his hair. - -I did not accompany the boat over, but those who did informed us that -Mrs. Stanford, as she stepped on the shore, with her child in her arms, -exclaimed, “I thank God that I am again in Canada!” We returned to the -city, and some forty of our company were lodged in jail, to await their -trial the next morning. - -And now I will return to the betrayer. On our return to Buffalo, she -was given over to a committee of women, who put her in a room, and put -a guard over her. Tate, who had been very active from the time that he -heard that we had recaptured the carriage with the slaves, was still -in the city. He was not with the slaves when we caught up with them at -Hamburgh, nor was he to be found in the fight. He sent his hirelings, -while he remained at the hotel drinking champagne. As soon as he found -the slaves were out of his reach, he then made an offer of fifty dollars -to any person who would find the betrayer. He pretended that he wished -to save, her from the indignation of the colored people. But the fact -is, he had promised her that if she would accompany him to the south, -that he would put her in a situation where she would be a lady. Poor -woman! She was foolish enough to believe him; and now that the people -had lost all sympathy for her, on account of her traitorous act, he -still thought that, by pretending to be her friend, he could induce her -to go to the south, that he might sell her. But those who had her in -charge were determined that she should be punished for being engaged in -this villanous transaction. - -Several meetings were held to determine what should be done with -her. Some were in favor of hanging her, others for burning her, but a -majority were for taking her to the Niagara river, tying a fifty-six -pound weight to her, and throwing her in. There seemed to be no way in -which she could be reached by the civil law. She was kept in confinement -three days, being removed to different places each night. - -So conflicting were the views of those who had her in charge, that -they could not decide upon what should be done with her. However, there -seemed to be such a vast majority in favor of throwing her into the -Niagara river, that some of us, who were opposed to taking life, -succeeded in having her given over to another committee, who, after -reprimanding her, let her go. - -Tate, in the mean time, hearing that the colored people had resolved to -take vengeance on him, thought it best to leave the city. On Monday, at -ten o’clock, we were all carried before Justice Grosvenor; and of the -forty who had been committed the evening before, twenty-five were held -to bail to answer to a higher court. When the trials came on, we were -fined more or less, from five to fifty dollars each. - -During the fight no one was killed, though there were many broken noses -and black eyes; one young man, who was attached to a theatrical corps, -was so badly injured in the conflict that he died some three months -after. - -Thus ended one of the most fearful fights for human freedom that I ever -witnessed. The reader will observe that this conflict took place on the -Sabbath, and that those who were foremost in getting it up were officers -of justice. The plea of the sheriff and his posse was, that we were -breaking the Sabbath by assembling in such large numbers to protect -a brother slave and his wife and child from being dragged back into -slavery which is far worse than death itself. - - - - -THE AMERICAN SLAVE-TRADE. - -From the Liberty Bell of 1848. - -By William Wells Brown. - - -Of the many features which American slavery presents, the most cruel -is that of the slave-trade. A traffic in the bodies and souls of -native-born Americans is carried on in the slave-holding states to -an extent little dreamed of by the great mass of the people in the -non-slave-holding states. The precise number of slaves carried from the -slave-raising to the slave-consuming states we have no means of knowing. -But it must be very great, as forty thousand were sold and carried out -of the State of Virginia in one single year! - -This heart-rending and cruel traffic is not confined to any particular -class of persons. No person forfeits his or her character or standing -in society by being engaged in raising and selling slaves to supply the -cotton, sugar, and rice plantations of the south. Few persons who have -visited the slave states have not, on their return, told of the gangs -of slaves they had seen on their way to the southern market. This trade -presents some of the most revolting and atrocious scenes which can -be imagined. Slave-prisons, slave-auctions, handcuffs, whips, chains, -bloodhounds, and other instruments of cruelty, are part of the furniture -which belongs to the American slave-trade. It is enough to make humanity -bleed at every pore, to see these implements of torture. - -Known to God only is the amount of human agony and suffering which sends -its cry from these slave-prisons, unheard or unheeded by man, up to His -ear; mothers weeping for their children--breaking the night-silence -with the shrieks of their breaking hearts. We wish no human being to -experience emotions of needless pain, but we do wish that every man, -woman, and child in New England, could visit a southern slave-prison and -auction-stand. - -I shall never forget a scene which took place in the city of St. Louis, -while I was in slavery. A man and his wife, both slaves, were brought -from the country to the city, for sale. They were taken to the rooms of -_Austin & Savage_, auctioneers. - -Several slave-speculators, who are always to be found at auctions where -slaves are to be sold, were present. The man was first put up, and sold -to the highest bidder. The wife was next ordered to ascend the platform. -I was present. She slowly obeyed the order. The auctioneer commenced, -and soon several hundred dollars were bid. My eyes were intensely -fixed on the face of the woman, whose cheeks were wet with tears. But -a conversation between the slave and his new master attracted my -attention. I drew near them to listen. The slave was begging his new -master to purchase his wife. Said he, “Master, if you will only buy -Fanny, I know you will get the worth of your money. She is a good cook, -a good washer, and her last mistress liked her very much. If you will -only buy her how happy I shall be.” The new master replied that he did -not want her but if she sold cheap he would purchase her. He watched the -countenance of the man while the different persons were bidding on his -wife. When his new master bid on his wife you could see the smile upon -his countenance, and the tears stop; but as soon as another would bid, -you could see the countenance change and the tears start afresh. - -From this change of countenance one could see the workings of the inmost -soul. But this suspense did not last long; the wife was struck off to -the highest bidder, who proved not to be the owner of her husband. As -soon as they became aware that they were to be separated, they both -burst into tears; and as she descended from the auction-stand, the -husband, walking up to her and taking her by the hand, said, “Well, -Fanny, we are to part forever, on earth; you have been a good wife to -me. I did all that I could to get my new master to buy you; but he did -not want you, and all I have to say is, I hope you will try to meet me -in heaven. I shall try to meet you there.” The wife made no reply, -but her sobs and cries told, too well, her own feelings. I saw the -countenances of a number of whites who were present, and whose eyes were -dim with tears at hearing the man bid his wife farewell. - -Such are but common occurrences in the slave states. At these -auction-stands, bones, muscles, sinews, blood and nerves, of human -beings, are sold with as much indifference as a farmer in the north -sells a horse or sheep. And this great American nation is, at the -present time, engaged in the slave-trade. I have before me now the -Washington “_Union_,” the organ of the government, in which I find -an advertisement of several slaves to be sold for the benefit of the -government. They will, in all human probability, find homes among the -rice-swamps of Georgia, or the cane-brakes of Mississippi. - -With every disposition on the part of those who are engaged in it to -veil the truth, certain facts have, from time to time, transpired, -sufficient to show, if not the full amount of the evil, at least that it -is one of prodigious magnitude. And what is more to be wondered at, is -the fact that the greatest slave-market is to be found at the capital of -the country! The American slave-trader marches by the capitol with his -“coffle-gang,”--the stars and stripes waving over their heads, and the -constitution of the United States in his pocket! - -The Alexandria Gazette, speaking of the slave-trade at the capital, -says, “Here you may behold fathers and brothers leaving behind them the -dearest objects of affection, and moving slowly along in the mute agony -of despair; there, the young mother, sobbing over the infant whose -innocent smile seems but to increase her misery. From some you will hear -the burst of bitter lamentation, while from others, the loud hysteric -laugh breaks forth, denoting still deeper agony. Such is but a faint -picture of the American slave-trade which is carried on in the -United States: yet there are those who are willing to fellowship the -slaveholder as a Christian, when they should know that whatever in -its proper tendency and general effect destroys, abridges, or renders -insecure human welfare, is opposed to the spirit and genius of -Christianity, and should be immediately abandoned. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Illustrated Edition of the Life and -Escape of Wm. 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