Narrative of the life and adventures of Henry Bibb, an American slave, written by himself

Henry Bibb

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  • INTRODUCTION.
  • CHAPTER I.
  • CHAPTER II
  • CHAPTER III.
  • CHAPTER IV.
  • CHAPTER V.
  • CHAPTER VI
  • CHAPTER VII.
  • CHAPTER VIII.
  • CHAPTER IX
  • CHAPTER X.
  • CHAPTER XI.
  • CHAPTER XII.
  • CHAPTER XIII.
  • CHAPTER XIV.
  • CHAPTER XV
  • CHAPTER XVI.
  • CHAPTER XVII.
  • CHAPTER XVIII.
  • CHAPTER XIX.
  • CHAPTER XX.


  • INTRODUCTION.

    From the most obnoxious substances we often see spring forth, beautiful and fragrant, flowers of every hue, to regale the eye, and perfume the air. Thus,frequently, are results originated which are wholly unlike the cause that gave them birth. An illustration of this truth is afforded by the history of American Slavery.

    Naturally and necessarily, the enemy of literature, it has become the prolific theme of much that is profoundin argument, sublime in poetry, and thrilling in narrative. From the soil of slavery itself havesprung forth some of the most brilliant productions, whose logical levers will ultimately upheave and overthrow the system. Gushing fountains ofpoetic thought, have started from beneath the rod of violence, that will long continue to slake thefeverish thirst of humanity outraged, until swelling to a flood it shall rush with wasting violence over the ill-gotten heritage of the oppressor. Startlingincidents authenticated, far excelling fiction in their touching pathos, from the pen ofself-emancipated slaves, do now exhibit slavery in such revolting aspects, as to secure the execrations of all good men, and become a monument more enduringthan marble, in testimony strong as sacred writ against it.

    Of the class last named, is the narrative of the life of Henry Bibb, which is equally distinguished as arevolting portrait of the hideous slave system, a thrilling narrative of individual suffering, and atriumphant vindication of the slave's manhood and mental dignity. And all this is associated with unmistakable traces of originality andtruthfulness.

    To many, the elevated style, purity of diction, and easy flow of language, frequently exhibited, willappear unaccountable and contradictory, in view of his want of early mental culture. But to the thousands who have listened with delight to his speeches on anniversary and otheroccasions, these same traits will be noted as unequivocal evidence of originality. Very few menpresent in their written composition, so perfect a transcript of their style as is exhibited by Mr. Bibb.

    Moreover, the writer of this introduction is well acquainted with his handwriting and style. The entiremanuscript I have examined and prepared for the press. Many of the closing pages of it werewritten by Mr. Bibb in my office. And the whole is preserved for inspection now. An examination of it will show that no alteration of sentiment, language orstyle, was necessary to make it what it now is, in the hands of the reader. The work of preparationfor the press was that of orthography and punctuation merely, an arrangement of the chapters, and a table of contents — little more than falls to the lot ofpublishers generally.

    The fidelity of the narrative is sustained by the most satisfactory and ample testimony. Time hasproved its claims to truth. Thorough investigation has sifted and analysed every essential factalleged, and demonstrated clearly that this thrilling and eloquent narrative, though stranger than fiction, is undoubtedly true.

    It is only necessary to present the following documents to the reader, to sustain this declaration. Forconvenience of reference, and that they may be more easily understood, the letters will be insertedconsecutively, with explanations following the last.

    The best preface to these letters, is, the report of a committee appointed to investigate the truth of Mr.Bibb's narrative as he has delivered it in public for years past.

    REPORT

    Of the undersigned, Committee appointed by the Detroit Liberty Association to investigate the truth of the narrative of Henry Bibb, a fugitive from Slavery, and report thereon:

    Mr. Bibb has addressed several assemblies in Michigan, and his narrative is generally known. Some ofhis hearers, among whom were Liberty men, felt doubt as to the truth of his statements. Respectfor their scruples and the obligation of duty to the public induced the formation of the present Committee.

    The Committee entered on the duty confided to them, resolved on a searching scrutiny, and anunreserved publication of its result Mr. Bibb acquiesced in the inquiry with a praiseworthy spirit.He attended before the Committee and gave willing aid to its object. He was subjected to a rigorous examination.Facts — dates — persons — and localities were demanded and cheerfullyfurnished. Proper inquiry — either by letter, or personally, or through the medium of friendswas then made from every person, and in every quarter likely toelucidate the truth. In fact no test for its ascertainment, known to the sense or experience of theCommittee, was omitted. The result was the collection of a large body of testimony from very diversified quarters. Slave owners, slave dealers, fugitives fromslavery, political friends and political foes contributed to a mass of testimony, every part of whichpointed to a common conclusion — the undoubted truth of Mr. Bibb's statements.

    In the Committee's opinion no individual can substantiate the events of his life by testimony moreconclusive and harmonious than is now before them in confirmation of Mr. Bibb. The main factsof his narrative, and many of the minor ones are corroborated beyond all question. No inconsistency has been disclosed nor anything revealed to createsuspicion. The Committee have no hesitation in declaring their conviction that Mr. Bibb is amplysustained, and is entitled to public confidence and high esteem.

    The bulk of testimony precludes its publication, but it is in the Committee's hands for the inspection ofany applicant. A. L. PORTER, C. H. STEWART, SILAS M. HOLMES. Committee.

    Detroit, April 22,1845.

    From the bulk of testimony obtained, a part only is here introduced. The remainder fully corroboratesand strengthens that.

    Dawn Mills, Feb. 19th, 1845.

    Charles H. Stewart, Esq.

    My Dear Brother:

    Your kind communication of the 13th came to hand yesterday. I have made inquiries respecting HenryBibb which may be of service to you. Mr. Wm. Harrison, to whom you allude in your letter, ishere. He is a respectable and worthy man — a man of piety. I have just had an interview with him this evening. He testifies, that he was well acquainted withHenry Bibb in Trimble County, Ky., and that he sent a letter to him by Thomas Henson, and gotone in return from him. He says that Bibb came out to Canada some three years ago, and went back to get his wife up, but was betrayed at Cincinnati by acolored man — that he was taken to Louisville but got away — was taken again and lodged in jail, and sold off to New Orleans, or he, (Harrison), understood that hewas taken to New Orleans. He testifies that Bibb is a Methodist man, and says that two personswho came on with him last Summer, knew Bibb. One of these, Simpson Young, is now at Malden. * * *

    Very respectfully, thy friend,

    HIRAM WILSON.

    Bedford, Trimble Co., Kentucky. March 4, 1845.

    Sir: — Your letter under date of the 13th ult., is now before me, making some inquiry about a person supposed to be a fugitive from the South, "who islecturing to your religious community on Slavery and the South."

    I am pleased to inform you that I have it in my power to give you the information you desire. Theperson spoken of by you I have no doubt is Walton, a yellow man, who once belonged to myfather, William Gatewood. He was purchased by him from John Sibly, and by John Sibly of his brother Albert G. Sibly, and Albert G. Sibly became possessed of him byhis marriage with Judge David White's daughter, he being born Judge White's slave.

    The boy Walton at the time he belonged to John Sibly, married a slave of my father's, a mulatto girl,and sometime afterwards solicited him to buy him; the old man after much importuning fromWalton, consented to do so, and accordingly paid Sibly eight hundred and fifty dollars. He did not buy him because he needed him, but from the fact that hehad a wife there, and Walton on his part promising every thing that my father could desire.

    It was not long, however, before Walton became indolent and neglectful of his duty; and in additionto this, he was guilty, as the old man thought, of worse offences. He watched his conduct morestrictly, and found he was guilty of disposing of articles from the farm for his own use, and pocketing the money.

    He actually caught him one day stealing wheat — he had conveyed one sack full to a neighborand whilst he was delivering the other my father caught him in the very act.

    He confessed his guilt and promised to do better for the future — and on his making promises ofthis kind my father was disposed to keep him still, not wishing to part him from his wife, forwhom he professed to entertain the strongest affection. When the Christmas Holidays came on, the old man, as is usual in this country, gave his negroes a weekHoliday. Walton, instead of regaling himself by going about visiting his colored friends, took uphis line of march for her Britanie Majesty's do minions.

    He was gone about two years I think, when I heard of him in Cincinnati; I repaired thither, with some few friends to aid me, and succeeded in securing him.

    He was taken to Louisville, and on the next morning after our arrival there, he escaped, almost frombefore our face, while we were on the street before the Tavern. He succeeded in eluding ourpursuit, and again reached Canada in safety.

    Nothing daunted he returned, after a lapse of some twelve or eighteen months, with the intention, as I havesince learned, of conducting off his wife and eight or ten more slaves to Canada.

    I got news of his whereabouts, and succeeded in recapturing him. I took him to Louisville andtogether with his wife and child, (she going along with him at her owner's request,) sold hem. Hewas taken from thence to New Orleans — and from hence to Red River, Arkansas — and the next news I had of him he was again wending his way to Canada, aud I suppose now is at or near Detroit.

    In relation to his character, it was the general opinion here that he was a notorious liar, and a rogue.These things I can procure any number of respectable witnesses to prove.

    In proof of it, he says his mother belonged to James Bibb, which is a lie, there not having been such a man about here, much less brother of Secretary Bibb. He says that Bibb's danghter married A.G. Sibly, when the fact is Sibly married Judge David White's daughter, aud his mother belonged to White also and is now here, free.

    So you will perceive he is guilty of lying for no effect, and what might it not be supposed he would do where he could effect anything by it.

    I have been more tedious than I should have been, but being anxious to give you his rascallyconduct in full, must be my apology. You are at liberty to publish this letter, or make any use yousee proper of it. If you do publish it, let me have a paper containing the publication — at any rate let me hear from you again.

    Respectfully yours, c., SILAS GATEWOOD.

    To C. H. Stewart, Esq.

    Cincinnati, March 10,1845.

    My Dear Sir: — Mrs. Path, Nickens and Woodson did not see Bibb on his first visit, in 1837, when he staid with Job Dundy, but were subsequently fold of it byBibb. They first saw him in May, 1838. Mrs. Path remembers this date because it was the month in which she removed from Broadway to Harrison street, and Bibbassisted her to remove. Mrs. Path's garden adjoined Dundy's back yard. While engaged in diggingup flowers, she was addressed by Bibb, who was staying with Dundy and who offered to dig them up for her. She hired him to do it. Mrs. Dundy shortly after called ever and told Mrs. Path that he was a slave. After thatMrs. Path took him into her house and concealed him. While concealed, he astonished his goodprotectress by his ingenuity in bottoming chairs with cane. When the furniture was removed, Bibb insisted on helping, and was, after some remonstrances,permitted. At the house on Harrison street, he was employed for several days in digging a cellar,and was so employed when seized on Saturday afternoon by the constables. He held frequent conversations with Mrs. Path and others, in which he gave them the sameaccount which he has given you.

    On Saturday afternoon, two noted slave catching constables, E. V. Brooks and O'Neil, surprised Bibbas he was digging in the cellar. Bibb sprang for the fence and gained the top of it, where he wasseized and dragged back. They took him immediately before William Doty, a Justice of infamous notoriety as an accomplice of kidnappers, proved property,paid charges and took him away.

    His distressed friends were surprised by his re-appearance in a few days after, the Wednesdayfollowing, as they think. He reached the house of Dr. Woods, (a colored man since deceased,)before day-break, and staid until dusk. Mrs. Path, John Woodson and others made up about twelve dollars for him. Woodson accompanied him out of town a mile andbid him "God speed." He has never been here since. Woodson and Clark saw himat Detroit two years ago.

    Yours truly, WILLIAM BIRNEY.

    Louisville, March 14,1845.

    Mr. Stewart. — Yours of the 1st came to hand on the 13th inst You wished me to inform you what became of a boy that was in the work-house in the fall of '39.The boy you allude to went by the name of Walton; he had ran away from Kentucky some time before, and returned for his wife — was caught and sold toGarrison; he was taken to Louisiana, I think — he was sold on Red River to a planter. AsGarrison is absent in the City of New Orleans at this time, I cannot inform you who he was sold to. Garrison will be in Louisville some time this Spring; if you wish me, Iwill inquire of Garrison and inform you to whom he was sold, and where his master lives at thistime.

    Yours, W. PORTER.

    Bedford, Trimble County, Ky

    C. H. Stewart, Esq.,

    Sir. — I received your note on the 16th inst., and in accordancewith it I write you these lines. You stated that you would wish to know something about Walton H. Bibb, and whether he had a wife and child, and whether theywere sold to New Orleans. Sir, before I answer these inquiries, I should like to know who CharlesH. Stewart is, and why you should make these inquiries of me, and how you knew who I was, as you are a stranger to me and I must be to you. In your next ifyou will tell me the intention of your inquiries, I will give you a full history of the whole case.

    I have a boy in your county by the name of King, a large man and very black; if you are acquaintedwith him, give him my compliments, and tell him I am well, and all of his friends. W. H. Bibb isacquainted with him.

    I wait your answer. Your most obedient, W. H. GATEWOOD March 17, 1845.

    Bedford, Kentucky, April6th, 1845.

    Mr. Charles H. Stewart.

    Sir: — Yours of the 1st March is before me, inquiring if oneWalton Bibb, a colored man, escaped from me at Louisville, Ky., in the Spring of 1839. To thatinquiry I answer, he did. The particulars are these: He ran off from William Gatewood some time in 1838 I think, and was heard of in Cincinnati. Myself and someothers went there and took him, and took him to Louisville for sale, by the directions of hismaster. While there he made his escape and was gone some time, I think about one year or longer. He came back it was said, to get his wife and child, so report says. Hewas again taken by his owner; he together with his wife and child was taken to Louisville and soldto a man who traded in negroes, and was taken by him to New Orleans and sold with his wife and child to some man up Red River, so I was informed bythe man who sold him. He then ran off and left his wife and child and got back, it seems, to yourcountry. I can say for Gatewood he was a good master, and treated him well. Gatewood bought him from a Mr. Sibly, who was going to send him down the river.Walton, to my knowledge, influenced Gatewood to buy him, and promised if he would, never todisobey him or run off. Who he belongs to now, I do not know. I know Gatewood sold his wife and child at a great sacrifice, to satisfy him. If any other information is necessary Iwill give it, if required. You will please write me again what he is trying to do in your country, orwhat he wishes the inquiry from me for.

    Yours, truly, DANIEL S. LANE.

    These letters need little comment. Their testimony combined is most harmonious and conclusive. Lookat the points established.

    CHAPTER I.

    Sketch of my Parentage. — Early separation from my Mother. — Hard Fare. — First Experiments at running away. — Earnest longing forFreedom. — Abhorrent nature of Slavery.

    I was born May 1815, of a slave mother, in Shelby County, Kentucky, and was claimed as theproperty of David White Esq. He came into possession of my mother long before I was born. Iwas brought up in the Counties of Shelby, Henry, Oldham, and Trimble. Or, more correctly speaking, in the above counties, I may safely say, I was flogged up; for where I should have received moral, mental, and religiousinstruction, I received stripes without number, the object of which was to degrade and keep me in subordination. I can truly say, that I drank deeply of the bitter cup of suffering andwoe. I have been drag- ged down to the lowest depths of human degradation and wretchedness, by Slaveholders.

    My mother was known by the name of Milldred Jackson. She is the mother of seven slaves only, allbeing sons, of whom I am the eldest. She was also so fortunate or unfortunate, as to have some ofwhat is called the slaveholding blood flowing in her veins. I know not how much; but not enough to prevent her children though fathered by slaveholders,from being bought and sold in the slave markets of the South. It is almost impossible for slaves togive a correct account of their male parentage. All that I know about it is, that my mother informed me that my fathers name was JamesBibb. He was doubtless one of the present Bibb family of Kentucky; but I have no personalknowledge of him at all, for he died before my recollection.

    The first time I was separated from my mother, I was young and small. I knew nothing of mycondition then as a slave. I was living with Mr. White whose wife died and left him a widowerwith one little girl, who was said to be the legitimate owner of my mother, and all her children. This girl was also my playmate when we were children.

    I was taken away from my mother, and hired out to labor for various persons, eight or ten years insuccession; and all my wages were expended for the education of Harriet White, my playmate. Itwas then my sorrows and sufferings commenced. It was then I first commenced seeing and feeling that I was a wretched slave, compelled to work under the lashwithout wages, and often without clothes enough to hide my nakedness. I have often worked without half enough to eat, both late andearly, by day and by night. I have often laid my wearied limbs down at night to rest upon a dirtfloor, or a bench, without any covering at all, because I had no where else to rest my wearied body, after having worked hard all the day. I have also beencompelled in early life, to go at the bidding of a tyrant, through all kinds of weather, hot or cold,wet or dry, and without shoes frequently, until the month of December, with my bare feet on the cold frosty ground, cracked open and bleeding as Iwalked. Reader, believe me when I say, that no tongue, nor pen ever has or can express thehorrors of American Slavery. Consequently I despair in finding language to express adequately the deep feeling of my soul, as I contemplate the past history of my life. Butalthough I have suffered much from the lash, and for want of food and raiment; I confess that itwas no disadvantage to be passed through the hands of so many families, as the only source of information that I had to enlighten my mind, consisted in what Icould see and hear from others. Slaves were not allowed books, pen, ink, nor paper, to improvetheir minds. But it seems to me now, that I was particularly observing, and apt to retain what came under my observation. But more especially, all that I heardabout liberty and freedom to the slaves, I never forgot. Among other good trades I learned the artof running away to perfection. I made a regular business of it, and never gave it up, until I had broken the bands of slavery, and landed myself safely in Canada, where I was regarded as a man, and not as a thing.

    The first time in my life that I ran away, was for ill treatment, in 1825. I was living with a Mr. Vires, inthe village of Newcastle. His wife was a very cross woman. She was every day flogging me,boxing, pulling my ears, and scolding, so that I dreaded to enter the room where she was. This first started me to running away from them. I was oftengone several days before I was caught. They would abuse me for going off, but it did no good.The next time they flogged me, I was off again; but after awhile they got sick of their bargain, and returned me back into the hands of my owners. By this timeMr. White had married his second wife. She was what I call a tyrant. I lived with her severalmonths, but she kept me almost half of my time in the woods, running from under the bloody lash. While I was at home she kept me all the time rubbing furniture,washing, scrubbing the floors; and when I was not doing this, she would often seat herself in alarge rocking chair, with two pillows about her, and would make me rock her, and keep off the flies. She was too lazy to scratch her own head, and would oftenmake me scratch and comb it for her. She would at other times lie on her bed, in warm weather,and make me fan her while she slept, scratch and rub her feet; but after awhile she got sick of me, and preferred a maiden servant to do such business. I was then hired out again; but by this time I had become much better skilled in running away, and would make calculation to avoid detection, by taking with me a bridle. If any body should see me in thewoods, as they have, and asked "what are you doing here sir? you are arunaway?" — I said, "no, sir, I am looking for our old mare;" at other times, "looking for our cows." For such excuses I was let pass. In fact, theonly weapon of self defence that I could use successfully, was that of deception. It is useless for apoor helpless slave, to resist a white man in a slaveholding State. Public opinion and the law is against him; and resistance in many cases is death to the slave,while the law declares, that he shall submit or die.

    The circumstances in which I was then placed, gave me a longing desire to be free. It kindled a fire ofliberty within my breast which has never yet been quenched. This seemed to be a part of mynature; it was first revealed to me by the inevitable laws of nature's God. I could see that the All-wise Creator, had made man a free, moral, intelligent andaccountable being; capable of knowing good and evil. And I believed then, as I believe now, thatevery man has a right to wages for his labor; a right to his own wife and children; a right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and a right to worshipGod according to the dictates of his own conscience. But here, in the light of these truths, I was aslave, a prisoner for life; I could possess nothing, nor acquire anything but what must belong to my keeper. No one can imagine my feelings in myreflecting moments, but he who has himself been a slave. Oh! I have often wept over my con- dition, while sauntering through the forest, to escape cruel punishment. "No arm to protect me from tyrants aggression; No parents to cheer me when laden with grief. Man may picture the bounds of the rocks and the rivers, The hills and the valleys, the lakes and the ocean, But the horrors of slavery, he never can trace."

    The term slave to this day sounds with terror to my soul, — a word too obnoxious tospeak — a system too intolerable to be endured. I know this from long and sad experience. Inow feel as if I had just been aroused from sleep, and looking back with quickened perception at the state of torment from whence I fled. I was there held and claimed as aslave; as such I was subjected to the will and power of my keeper, in all respects whatsoever. Thatthe slave is a human being, no one can deny. It is his lot to be exposed in common with other men, to the calamities of sickness, death, and themisfortunes incident to life. But unlike other men, he is denied the consolation of strugglingagainst external difficulties, such as destroy the life, liberty, and happiness of himself and family. A slave may be bought and sold in the market like an ox. He isliable to be sold off to a distant land from his family. He is bound in chains hand and foot; and hissufferings are aggravated a hundred fold, by the terrible thought, that he is not allowed to struggle against misfortune, corporeal punishment, insults andoutrages committed upon himself and family; and he is not allowed to help himself, to resist orescape the blow, which he sees impending over him.

    This idea of utter helplessness, in perpetual bondage, is the more distressing, as there is no period evenwith the remotest generation when it shall terminate.

    CHAPTER II

    A fruitless effort for education. — The Sabbath among Slaves. — Degrading amusements. — Why religion is rejected. — Condition of poor whitepeople. — Superstition among slaves. — Education forbidden.

    In 1833, I had some very serious religious impressions, and there wasquite a number of slaves in that neighborhood, who felt very desirous to be taught to read theBible. There was a Miss Davis, a poor white girl, who offered to teach a Sabbath School for the slaves, notwithstanding public opinion and the law was opposedto it. Books were furnished and she commenced the school; but the news soon got to our ownersthat she was teaching us to read. This caused quite an excitement in the neighborhood. Patrols* were appointed to go and break it up the next Sabbath. They weredetermined that we should not have a Sabbath School in operation. For slaves this was called anincendiary movement.

    The Sabbath is not regarded by a large number of the slaves as a day of rest. They have no schools togo to; no moral nor religious instruction at all in many localities where there are hundreds of slaves. Hence they resort to some kind of amusement. Those who make no profession of religion, resortto the woods in large numbers on that day to gamble, fight, get drunk, and break the Sabbath.This is often encouraged by slaveholders. When they wish to have a little sport of that kind, they go among the slaves and give them whiskey, to see themdance, "pat juber," sing and play on the banjo. Then get them to wrestling, fighting,jumping, running foot races, and butting each other like sheep. This is urged on by giving them whiskey; making bets on them; laying chips on one slave's head,and daring another to tip it off with his hand; and if he tipped it off, it would be called an insult,and cause a fight. Before fighting, the parties choose their seconds to stand by them while fighting; a ring or a circle is formed to fight in, and no one isallowed to enter the ring while they are fighting, but their seconds, and the white gentlemen. Theyare not allowed to fight a duel, nor to use weapons of any kind. The blows are made by kicking, knocking, and butting with their heads; they grabeach other by their ears, and jam their heads together like sheep. If they are likely to hurt eachother very bad, their masters would rap them with their walking canes, and make them stop. After fighting, they make friends, shake hands, and take a dramtogether, and there is no more of it.

    But this is all principally for want of moral instruction. This is where they have no Sabbath Schools;no one to read the Bible to them; no one to preach the gospel who is competent to expound the Scriptures, except slaveholders. And the slaves, with but few exceptions, have no confidence at allin their preaching, because they preach a pro-slavery doctrine. They say, "Servants beobedient to your masters; — and he that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; — means that God will send them tohell, if they disobey their masters. This kind of preaching has driven thousands into infidelity. Theyview themselves as suffering unjustly under the lash, without friends, without protection of law or gospel, and the green eyed monster tyrannystaring them in the face. They know that they are destined to die in that wretched condition,unless they are delivered by the arm of Omnipotence. And they cannot believe or trust in such a religion, as above named.

    The poor and loafering class of whites, are about on a par in point of morals with the slaves at theSouth. They are generally ignorant, intemperate, licentious, and profane. They associate muchwith the slaves; are often found gambling together on the Sabbath; encouraging slaves to steal from their owners, and sell to them, corn, wheat, sheep,chickens, or any thing of the kind which they can well conceal. For such offences there is no lawto reach a slave but lynch law. But if both parties are caught in the act by a white person, the slave is punished with the lash, while the white man is oftenpunished with both lynch and common law. But there is another class of poor white people in theSouth, who, I think would be glad to see slavery abolished in self defence; they despise the institu- tion because it is impoverishing and degrading to them and their children.

    The slave holders are generally rich, aristocratic, overbearing; and they look with utter contempt upona poor laboring man, who earns his bread by the "sweat of his brow," whether hebe moral or immoral, honest or dishonest. No matter whether he is white or black; if he performs manual labor for a livelihood, he is looked upon as beinginferior to a slaveholder, and but little better off than the slave, who toils without wages under thelash. It is true, that the slaveholder, and non-slaveholder, are living under the same laws in the same State. But the one is rich, the other is poor; one iseducated, the other is uneducated; one has houses, land and influence, the other has none. Thisbeing the case, that class of the non-slaveholders would be glad to see slavery abolished, but they dare not speak it aloud.

    There is much superstition among the slaves Many of them believe in what they call"conjuration," tricking, and witchcraft; and some of them pretend to understand theart, and say that by it they can prevent their masters from exercising their will over their slaves. Such are often applied to by others, to give them power to prevent theirmasters from flogging them. The remedy is most generally some kind of bitter root; they aredirected to chew it and spit towards their masters when they are angry with their slaves. At other times they prepare certain kinds of powders, to sprinkle abouttheir masters dwellings. This is all done for the purpose of defending themselves in some peaceable manner, although I am satisfied that there is no virtueat all in it. I have tried it to perfection when I was a slave at the South. I was then a young man,full of life and vigor, and was very fond of visiting our neighbors slaves, but had no time to visit only Sundays, when I could get a permit to go, orafter night, when I could slip off without being seen. If it was found out, the next morning I wascalled up to give an account of myself for going off without permission; and would very often get a flogging for it.

    I got myself into a scrape at a certain time, by going off in this way, and I expected to be severelypunished for it. I had a strong notion of running off, to escape being flogged, but was advised by afriend to go to one of those conjurers, who could prevent me from being flogged. I went and informed him of the difficulty. He said if I would payhim a small sum, he would prevent my being flogged. After I had paid him, he mixed up somealum, salt and other stuff into a powder, and said I must sprinkle it about my master, if he should offer to strike me; this would prevent him. He also gave me somekind of bitter root to chew, and spit towards him, which would certainly prevent my beingflogged. According to order I used his remedy, and for some cause I was let pass without being flogged that time.

    I had then great faith in conjuration and witchcraft I was led to believe that I could do almost as Ipleased, without being flogged. So on the next Sabbath my conjuration was fully tested by my going off, and staying away until Mondaymorning, without permission. When I returned home, my master declared that he would punishme for going off; but I did not believe that he could do it while I had this root and dust; and as he approached me, I commenced talking saucy to him. But he soonconvinced me that there was no virtue in them. He became so enraged at me for saucing him, thathe grasped a handful of switches and punished me severely, in spite of all my roots and powders.

    But there was another old slave in that neighborhood, who professed to understand all aboutconjuration, and I thought I would try his skill. He told me that the first one was only a quack,and if I would only pay him a certain amount in cash, that he would tell me how to prevent any person from striking me. After I had paid him his charge, he told me togo to the cow-pen after night, and get some fresh cow manure, and mix it with red pepper andwhite people's hair, all to be put into a pot over the fire, and scorched until it could be ground into snuff. I was then to sprinkle it about my master'sbedroom, in his hat and boots, and it would prevent him from ever abusing me in any way. After Igot it all ready prepared, the smallest pinch of it scattered over a room, was enough to make a horse sneeze from the strength of it; but it did no good. Itried it to my satisfaction. It was my business to make fires in my master's chamber, night andmorning. Whenever I could get a chance, I sprinkled a little of this dust about the linen of the bed, where they would breathe it on retiring. This was to act upon them as what is called a kind of love powder, tochange their sentiments of anger, to those of love, towards me, but this all proved to be vainimagination. The old man had my money, and I was treated no better for it.

    One night when I went in to make a fire, I availed myself of the opportunity of sprinkling a very heavycharge of this powder about my master's bed. Soon after their going to bed, they began to coughand sneeze. Being close around the house, watching and listening, to know what the effect would be, I heard them ask each other what in the world itcould be, that made them cough and sneeze so. All the while, I was trembling with fear, expectingevery moment I should be called and asked if I knew any thing about it. After this, for fear they might find me out in my dangerous experiments upon them, I hadto give them up, for the time being. I was then convinced that running away was the mosteffectual way by which a slave could escape cruel punishment.

    As all the instrumentalities which I as a slave, could bring to bear upon the system, had utterly failedto palliate my sufferings, all hope and consolation fled. I must be a slave for life, and suffer underthe lash or die. The influence which this had only tended to make me more unhappy. I resolved that I would be free if running away couldmake me so. I had heard that Canada was a land of liberty, somewhere in the North; and everywave of trouble that rolled across my breast, caused me to think more and more about Canada, and liberty. But more especially after having been flogged, Ihave fled to the highest hills of the forest, pressing my way to the North for refuge; but the riverOhio was my limit. To me it was an impassable gulf. I had no rod wherewith to smite the stream, and thereby divide the waters. I had no Moses to go beforeme and lead the way from bondage to a promised land. Yet I was in a far worse state thanEgyptian bondage; for they had houses and land; I had none; they had oxen and sheep; I had none; they had a wise counsel, to tell them what to do, and where to go,and even to go with them; I had none. I was surrounded by opposition on every hand. My friendswere few and far between. I have often felt when running away as if I had scarcely a friend on earth.

    Sometimes standing on the Ohio River bluff, looking over on a free State, and as far north as my eyes couldsee, I have eagerly gazed upon the blue sky of the free North, which at times constrained me tocry out from the depths of my soul, Oh! Canada, sweet land of rest — Oh! when shall I get there? Oh, that I had the wings of a dove, that I mightsoar away to where there is no slavery; no clanking of chains, no captives, no lacerating of backs,no parting of husbands and wives; and where man ceases to be the property of his fellow man. These thoughts have revolved in my mind a thousand times.I have stood upon the lofty banks of the river Ohio, gazing upon the splendid steamboats, waftedwith all their magnificence up and down the river, and I thought of the fishes of the water, the fowls of the air, the wildbeasts of the forest, all appeared to be free, to go just where they pleased, and I was an unhappyslave!

    But my attention was gradually turned in a measure from this subject, by being introduced into thesociety of young women. This for the time being took my attention from running away, as waitingon the girls appeared to be perfectly congenial to my nature. I wanted to be well thought of by them, and would go to great lengths to gain their affection. Ihad been taught by the old superstitious slaves, to believe in conjuration, and it was hard for me togive up the notion, for all I had been deceived by them. One of these conjurers, for a small sum agreed to teach me to make any girl love me that Iwished. After I had paid him, he told me to get a bull frog, and take a certain bone out of the frog,dry it, and when I got a chance I must step up to any girl whom I wished to make love me, and scratch her somewhere on her naked skin with this bone,and she would be certain to love me, and would follow me in spite of herself; no matter who shemight be engaged to, nor who she might be walking with.

    So I got me a bone for a certain girl, whom I knew to be under the influence of another young man. Ihappened to meet her in the company of her lover, one Sunday evening, walking out; so when Igot a chance, I fetched her a tremendous rasp across her neck with this bone, which made her jump. But place of making her love me, it only made her angry with me. She felt more like running after meto retaliate on me for thus abusing her, than she felt like loving me. After I found there was novirtue in the bone of a frog, I thought I would try some other way to carry out my object. I then sought another counsellor among the oldsuperstitious influential slaves; one who professed to be a great friend of mine, told me to get alock of hair from the head of any girl, and wear it in my shoes: this would cause her to love me above all other persons. As there was another girl whoseaffections I was anxious to gain, but could not succeed, I thought, without trying the experimentof this hair. I slipped off one night to see the girl, and asked her for a lock of her hair; but she refused to give it. Believing that my success depended greatlyupon this bunch of hair, I was bent on having a lock before I left that night let it cost what itmight. As it was time for me to start home in order to get any sleep that night, I grasped hold of a lock of her hair, which caused her to screech, but Inever let go until I had pulled it out. This of course made the girl mad with me, and Iaccomplished nothing but gained her displeasure.

    Such are the superstitious notions of the great masses of southern slaves. It is given to them bytradition, and can never be erased, while the doors of education are bolted and barred againstthem. But there is a prohibition by law, of mental and religious instruction. The state of Georgia, by an act of 1770, declared "that it shall not be lawful forany number of free negroes, molattoes or mestinos, or even slaves in company with white persons, to meettogether for the purpose of mental instruction, either before the rising of the sun or after the goingdown of the same." 2d Brevard's Digest, 254-5. Similar laws exist in most of the slave States, and patrols are sent out after night and on theSabbath day to enforce them. They go through their respective towns to prevent slaves frommeeting for religious worship or mental instruction.

    This is the regulation and law of American Slavery, as sanctioned by the Government of the UnitedStates, and without which it could not exist. And almost the whole moral, political, and religiouspower of the nation are in favor of slavery and aggression, and against liberty and justice. I only judge by their actions, which speak louder than words.Slaveholders are put into the highest offices in the gift of the people in both Church and State,thereby making slaveholding popular and reputable.

    * Police peculiar to the South.

    CHAPTER III.

    My Courtship and Marriage. — Change of owner. — My first born. — Its sufferings. — My wife abused. — My own anguish.

    The circumstances of my courtship and marriage, I consider to beamong the most remarkable events of my life while a slave. To think that after I had determined tocarry out the great idea which is so universally and practically acknowledged among all the civilized nations of the earth, that I would be free or die, I sufferedmyself to be turned aside by the fascinating charms of a female, who gradually won my attentionfrom an object so high as that of liberty; and an object which I held paramount to all others.

    But when I had arrived at the age of eighteen, which was in the year of 1833, it was my lot to beintroduced to the favor of a mulatto slave girl named Malinda, who lived in Oldham County,Kentucky, about four miles from the residence of my owner. Malinda was a medium sized girl, graceful in her walk, of an extraordinary make, and active in business.Her skin was of a smooth texture, red cheeks, with dark and penetrating eyes. She moved in thehighest circle* of slaves, and free people of color. She was also one of the best singers I ever heard, and was much esteemed by all who knew her,for her benevolence, talent and industry. In fact, I considered Malinda to be equalled by few, andsurpassed by none, for the above qualities, all things considered.

    It is truly marvellous to see how sudden a man's mind can be changed by the charms and influence ofa female. The first two or three visits that I paid this dear girl, I had no intention of courting ormarrying her, for I was aware that such a step would greatly obstruct my way to the land of liberty. I only visited Malinda because I liked her company,as a highly interesting girl. But in spite of myself, before I was aware of it, I was deeply in love;and what made this passion so effectual and almost irresistable, I became satisfied that it was reciprocal. There was a union of feeling, and every visitmade the impression stronger and stronger. One or two other young men were paying attention toMalinda, at the same time; one of whom her mother was anxious to have her marry. This of course gave me a fair opportunity of testing Malinda's sincerity. I hadjust about opposition enough to make the subject interesting. That Malinda loved me above allothers on earth, no one could deny. I could read it by the warm reception with which the dear girl always met me, and treated me in her mother's house. Icould read it by the warm and affectionate shake of the hand, and gentle smile upon her lovelycheek. I could read it by her always giving me the preference of her company; by her pressing invitations to visit even in opposition to her mother's will. I could read it in the language of her bright and sparkling eye,penciled by the unchangable finger of nature, that spake but could not lie. These strongtemptations gradually diverted my attention from my actual condition and from liberty, though not entirely.

    But oh! that I had only then been enabled to have seen as I do now, or to have read the followingslave code, which is but a stereotyped law of American slavery. It would have saved me I thinkfrom having to lament that I was a husband and am the father of slaves who are still left to linger out their days in hopeless bondage. The laws of Kentucky, mynative State, with Maryland and Virginia, which are said to be the mildest slave States in theUnion, noted for their humanity, Christianity and democracy, declare that "Any slave, for rambling in the night, or riding horseback without leave, orrunning away, may be punished by whipping, cropping and branding in the cheek, or otherwise,not rendering him unfit for labor." "Any slave convicted of petty larceny, murder, or wilfully burning of dwelling houses, may be sentenced to have hisright hand cut off; to be hanged in the usual manner, or the head severed from the body, the bodydivided into four quarters, and bead and quarters stuck up in the most public place in the county, where such act was committed."

    At the time I joined my wife in holy wedlock, I was ignorant of these ungodly laws; I knew not that Iwas propogating victims for this kind of tor ture and cruelty. Malinda's mother was free, and lived in Bedford, about a quarter of a mile from her daughter; and we often met and passed off the timepleasantly. Agreeable to promise, on one Saturday evening, I called to see Malinda, at hermother's residence, with an intention of letting her know my mind upon the subject of marriage. It was a very bright moonlight night; the dear girl wasstanding in the door, anxiously waiting my arrival. As I approached the door she caught my handwith an affectionate smile, and bid me welcome to her mother's fireside. After having broached the subject of marriage, I informed her of the difficulties which I conceivedto be in the way of our marriage; and that I could never engage myself to marry any girl only oncertain conditions; near as I can recollect the substance of our conversation upon the subject, it was, that I was religiously inclined; that I intended to tryto comply with the requisitions of the gospel, both theoretically and practically through life. Alsothat I was decided on becoming a free man before I died; and that I expected to get free by running away, and going to Canada, under the BritishGovernment. Agreement on those two cardinal questions I made my test for marriage.

    I said, "I never will give my heart nor hand to any girl in marriage, until I first know hersentiments upon the all-important subjects of Religion and Liberty. No matter how well I mightlove her, nor how great the sacrifice in carrying out these God-given principles. And I here pledge myself from this course never to be shaken while a singlepulsation of my heart shall continue to throb for Liberty." With this idea Malinda appeared to be well pleased, and with a smile she looked me in the faceand said, "I have long entertained the same views, and this has been one of the greatestreasons why I have not felt inclined to enter the married state while a slave; I have always felt a desire to be free; I have long cherished a hope thatI should yet be free, either by purchase or running away. In regard to the subject of Religion, Ihave always felt that it was a good thing, and something that I would seek for at some future period." After I found that Malinda was right uponthese all important questions, and that she truly loved me well enough to make me an affectionatewife, I made proposals for marriage. She very modestly declined answering the question then, considering it to be one of a grave character, and upon which ourfuture destiny greatly depended. And notwithstanding she confessed that I had her entireaffections, she must have some time to consider the matter. To this I of course consented, and was to meet her on the next Saturday night to decide the question. Butfor some cause I failed to come, and the next week she sent for me, and on the Sunday eveningfollowing I called on her again; she welcomed me with all the kindness of an affectionate lover, and seated me by her side. We soon broached the old subject ofmarriage, and entered upon a conditional contract of matrimony, viz: that we would marry if ourminds should not change within one year; that after marriage we would change our former course and live a pious life; and that we would embrace the earliest opportunity of running away to Canada for our liberty. Clasping each other by the hand, pledgingour sacred honor that we would be true, we called on high heaven to witness the rectitude of ourpurpose. There was nothing that could be more binding upon us as slaves than this; for marriage among American slaves, is disregarded by the laws of thiscountry. It is counted a mere temporary matter; it is a union which may be continued or brokenoff, with or without the consent of a slaveholder, whether he is a priest or a libertine.

    There is no legal marriage among the slaves of the South; I never saw nor heard of such a thing in mylife, and I have been through seven of the slave states. A slave marrying according to law, is athing unknown in the history of American Slavery. And be it known to the disgrace of our country that every slaveholder, who is the keeper of a numberof slaves of both sexes, is also the keeper of a house or houses of ill-fame. Licentious white men,can and do, enter at night or day the lodging places of slaves; break up the bonds of affection in families; destroy all their domestic and social union for life; andthe laws of the country afford them no protection. Will any man count, if they can be counted, thechurches of Maryland, Kentucky, and Virginia, which have slaves connected with them, living in an open state of adultery, never having been marriedaccording to the laws of the State, and yet regular members of these various denominations, butmore especially the Baptist and Methodist churches? And I hazard nothing in saying, that this state of things exists to a very wide extent in the abovestates.

    I am happy to state that many fugitive slaves, who have been enabled by the aid of an over-rulingprovidence to escape to the free North with those whom they claim as their wives, notwithstanding all their ignorance and superstition, are not at all disposed to live together like brutes, as they have been compelled to do in slaveholding Churches. But assoon as they get free from slavery they go before some anti-slavery clergyman, and have thesolemn ceremony of marriage performed according to the laws of the country. And if they profess religion, and have been baptized by a slaveholding minister,they repudiate it after becoming free, and are rebaptized by a man who is worthy of doing itaccording to the gospel rule.

    The time and place of my marriage, I consider one of the most trying of my life. I was opposed byfriends and foes; my mother opposed me because she thought I was too young, and marrying shethought would involve me in trouble and difficulty. My mother-in-law opposed me, because she wanted her daughter to marry a slave who belonged to a very rich manliving near by, and who was well known to be the son of his master. She thought no doubt that hismaster or father might chance to set him free before he died, which would enable him to do a better part by her daughter than I could! And there was noprospect then of my ever being free. But his master has neither died nor yet set his son free, whois now about forty years of age, toiling under the lash, waiting and hoping that his master may die and will him to be free.

    The young men were opposed to our marriage for the same reason that Paddy opposed a match whenthe clergyman was about to pronounce the marriage ceremony of a young couple. He said"if there be any present who have any objections to this couple being joined together in holy wedlock, let them speak now, or hold their peace henceforth." Atthis time Paddy sprang to his feet and said, "Sir, I object to this." Every eye wasfixed upon him. "What is your objection?" said the clergyman. "Faith," replied Paddy, "Sir I want her myself."

    The man to whom I belonged was opposed, because he feared my taking off from his farm some of thefruits of my own labor for Malinda to eat, in the shape of pigs, chickens, or turkeys, and wouldcount it not robbery. So we formed a resolution, that if we were prevented from joining in wedlock, that we would run away, and strike for Canada, let theconsequences be what they might. But we had one consolation; Malinda's master was very muchin favor of the match, but entirely upon selfish principles. When I went to ask his permission to marry Malinda, his answer was in the affirmative with but onecondition, which I consider to be too vulgar to be written in this book. Our marriage took placeone night during the Christmas holydays; at which time we had quite a festival given us. All appeared to be wide awake, and we had quite a jolly time at my weddingparty. And notwithstanding our marriage was without license or sanction of law, we believed it to be honorable before God, and the bed undefiled. Our christmasholydays were spent in matrimonial visiting among our friends, while it should have been spent inrunning away to Canada, for our liberty. But freedom was little thought of by us, for several months after marriage. I often look back to that period even now asone of the most happy seasons of my life; notwithstanding all the contaminating and heartrendingfeatures with which the horrid system of slavery is marked, and must carry with it to its final grave, yet I still look back to that season with sweetremembrance and pleasure, that yet hath power to charm and drive back dull cares which havebeen accumulated by a thousand painful recollections of slavery. Malinda was to me an affectionate wife. She was with me in the darkest hours of adversity. She was withme in sorrow, and joy, in fasting and feasting, in trial and persecution, in sickness and health, insunshine and in shade.

    Some months after our marriage, the unfeeling master to whom I belonged, sold his farm with the viewof moving his slaves to the State of Missouri, regardless of the separation of husbands and wivesforever; but for fear of my resuming my old practice of running away, if he should have forced me to leave my wife, by my repeated requests, he wasconstrained to sell me to his brother, who lived within seven miles of Wm. Gatewood, who thenheld Malinda as his property. I was permitted to visit her only on Saturday nights, after my work was done, and I had to be at home before sunrise on Monday mornings or take a flogging. He proved to be so oppressive, and so unreasonable in punishing hisvictims, that I soon found that I should have to run away in self-defence. But he soon began totake the hint, and sold me to Wm. Gatewood the owner of Malinda. With my new residence I confess that I was much dissatisfied. Not that Gatewood was amore cruel master than my former owner — not that I was opposed to living with Malinda,who was then the centre and object of my affections — but to live where I must be eye witness to her insults, scourgings and abuses, such as are common to beinflicted upon slaves, was more than I could bear. If my wife must be exposed to the insults andlicentious passions of wicked slave-drivers and overseers; if she must bear the stripes of the lash laid on by an unmerciful tyrant; if this is tobe done with impunity, which is frequently done by slaveholders and their abettors, Heaven forbidthat I should be compelled to witness the sight.

    Not many months after I took up my residence on Wm. Gatewood's plantation, Malinda made me afather. The dear little daughter was called Mary Frances. She was nurtured and caressed by hermother and father, until she was large enough to creep over the floor after her parents, and climb up by a chair before I felt it to be my duty to leave my family and gointo a foreign country for a season. Malinda's business was to labor out in the field the greaterpart of her time, and there was no one to take care of poor little Frances, while her mother was toiling in the field. She was left at the house to creep under the feet of an unmerciful old mistress,whom. I have known to slap with her hand the face of little Frances, for crying after her mother,until her little face was left black and blue. I recollect that Malinda and myself came from the field one summer's day at noon, and poor little Francescame creeping to her mother smiling, but with large tear drops standing in her dear little eyes,sobbing and trying to tell her mother that she had been abused, but was not able to utter a word. Her little face was bruised black with the whole print ofMrs. Gatewood's hand. This print was plainly to be seen for eight days after it was done. But oh!this darling child was a slave; born of a slave mother. Who can imagine what could be the feelings of a father and mother, when looking upon their infantchild whipped and tortured with impunity, and they placed in a situation where they could affordit no protection. But we were all claimed and held as property; the father and mother were slaves!

    On this same plantation I was compelled to stand and see my wife shamefully scourged and abused byher master; and the manner in which this was done, was so violently and inhumanly committedupon the person of a female, that I despair in finding decent language to describe the bloody act of cruelty. My happiness or pleasure was then all blasted; forit was sometimes a pleasure to be with my little family even in slavery. I loved them as my wifeand child. Little Frances was a pretty child; she was quiet, playful, bright, and interesting. She had a keen black eye, and the very image of her mother was stamped upon her cheek; but I couldnever look upon the dear child without being filled with sorrow and fearful apprehensions, ofbeing separated by slaveholders, because she was a slave, regarded as property. And unfortunately for me, I am the father of a slave, a word too obnoxious to bespoken by a fugitive slave. It calls fresh to my mind the separation of husband and wife; ofstripping, tying up and flogging; of tearing children from their parents, and selling them on the auction block. It calls to mind female virtue trampled under foot withimpunity. But oh! when I remember that my daughter, my only child, is still there, destined toshare the fate of all these calamities, it is too much to bear. If ever there was any one act of my life while a slave, that I have to lament over it is that of beinga father and a husband of slaves. I have the satisfaction of knowing that I am only the father ofone slave. She is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; poor unfortunate child. She was the first and shall be the last slave that ever I will father, forchains and slavery on this earth.

    * The distinction among slaves is as marked, as the classes of society are in any aristocraticcommunity. Some refusing to associate with others whom they deem beneath them in point ofcharacter, color, condition, or the superior importance of their respective masters.

    CHAPTER IV.

    My first adventure for liberty. — Parting Scene. — Journey up theriver. — Safe arrival in Cincinnati. — Journey to Canada. — Suffering from coldand hunger. — Denied food and shelter by some. — One nobleexception. — Subsequent success. — Arrival at Perrysburgh. — I obtained employment through the winter. — My return to Kentucky to get my family.

    In the fall or winter of 1837 I formed a resolution that I wouldescape, if possible, to Canada, for my Liberty. I commenced from that hour making preparationsfor the dangerous experiment of breaking the chains that bound me as a slave. My preparation for this voyage consisted in the accumulation of a little money, perhapsnot exceeding two dollars and fifty cents, and a suit which I had never been seen or known towear before; this last was to avoid detection.

    On the twenty-fifth of December, 1837, my long anticipated time had arrived when I was to put intooperation my former resolution, which was to bolt for Liberty or consent to die a Slave. I actedupon the former, although I confess it to be one of the most self-denying acts of my whole life, to take leave of an affectionate wife, who stood before me onmy departure, with dear little Frances in her arms, and with tears of sorrow in her eyes as she bidme a long farewell. It required all the moral courage that I was master of to suppress my feelings while taking leave of my little family.

    Had Malinda known my intention at that time, it would not have been possible for me to have gotaway, and I might have this day been a slave. Notwithstanding every inducement was held out tome to run away if I would be free, and the voice of liberty was thundering in my very soul, "Be free oh, man! be free," I was struggling against athousand obstacles which had clustered around my mind to bind my wounded spirit still in thedark prison of mental degradation. My strong attachments to friends and relatives, with all the love of home and birth-place which is so natural among the humanfamily, twined about my heart and were hard to break away from. And withal, the fear of beingpursued with guns and blood-hounds, and of being killed, or captured and taken to the extreme South, to linger out my days in hopeless bondage on some cotton orsugar plantation, all combined to deter me. But I had counted the cost, and was fully prepared tomake the sacrifice. The time for fulfilling my pledge was then at hand. I must forsake friends and neighbors, wife and child, or consent to live and die aslave.

    By the permission of my keeper, I started out to work for myself on Christmas. I went to the OhioRiver, which was but a short distance from Bedford. My excuse for wanting to go there was toget work. High wages were offered for hands to work in a slaughter house. But in place of my going to work there, according to promise, when I arrived at the river Imanaged to find a conveyance to cross over into a free state. I was landed in the village of Madison, Indiana, where steamboats were landing every day and night, passing up and down the river,which afforded me a good opportunity of getting a boat passage to Cincinnati. My anticipationbeing worked up to the highest pitch, no sooner was the curtain of night dropped over the village, than I secreted myself where no one could see me, and changedmy suit ready for the passage. Soon I heard the welcome sound of a Steamboat coming up theriver Ohio, which was soon to waft me beyond the limits of the human slave markets of Kentucky. When the boat had landed at Madison, notwithstanding my strongdesire to get off, my heart trembled within me in view of the great danger to which I was exposedin taking passage on board of a Southern Steamboat; hence before I took passage, I kneeled down before the Great I Am, and prayed for his aid and protection,which He bountifully bestowed even beyond my expectation; for I felt myself to be unworthy. Ithen stept boldly on the deck of this splendid swift-running Steamer, bound for the city of Cincinnati. This being the first voyage that I had ever taken on board of aSteamboat, I was filled with fear and excitement, knowing that I was surrounded by the vilestenemies of God and man, liable to be seized and bound hand and foot, by any white man, and taken back into captivity. But I crowded myself back from thelight among the deck passengers, where it would be difficult to distinguish me from a white man.Every time during the night that the mate came rouud with a light after the hands, I was afraid he would see I was a colored man, and take me up; hence I kept from the light as much as possible. Some menlove darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; but this was not the case with myself;it was to avoid detection in doing right. This was one of the instances of my adventures that my affinity with the Anglo-Saxon race, and evenslaveholders, worked well for my escape. But no thanks to them for it. While in their midst theyhave not only robbed me of my labor and liberty, but they have almost entirely robbed me of my dark complexion. Being so near the color of a slaveholder, they could not, ordid not find me out that night among the white passengers. There was one of the deck hands onboard called out on his watch, whose hammock was swinging up near by me. I asked him if he would let me lie in it. He said if I would pay him twenty-five centsthat I might lie in it until day. I readily paid him the price and got into the hammock. No one couldsee my face to know whether I was white or colored, while I was in the hammock; but I never closed my eyes for sleep that night. I had often heard ofexplosions on board of Steamboats; and every time the boat landed, and blowed off steam, I wasafraid the boilers had bursted and we should all be killed; but I lived through the night amid the many dangers to which I was exposed. I still maintained myposition in the hammock, until the next morning about 8 o'clock, when I heard the passengerssaying the boat was near Cincinnati; and by this time I supposed that the attention of the people would be turned to the city, and I might pass off unnoticed.

    There were no questions asked me while on board the boat. The boat landed about 9 o'clock in themorning in Cincinnati, and I waited until after most of the passengers had gone off of the boat; Ithen walked as gracefully up street as if I was not running away, until I had got pretty well up Broadway. My object was to go to Canada, but having noknowledge of the road, it was necessary for me to make some inquiry before I left the city. I wasafraid to ask a white person, and I could see no colored person to ask. But fortunately for me I found a company of little boys at play in the street, and throughthese little boys, by asking them indirect questions, I found the residence of a colored man.

    "Boys, can you tell me where that old colored man lives who saws wood, and works at jobs around thestreets?"

    "What is his name?" said one of the boys,

    "I forget."

    "Is it old Job Dundy?"

    "Is Dundy a colored man?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "That is the very man I am looking for; will you show me where he lives?"

    "Yes," said the little boy, and pointed me out the house.

    Mr. D. invited me in, and I found him to be a true friend. He asked me if I was a slave from Kentucky,and if I ever intended to go back into slavery? Not knowing yet whether he was truly in favor ofslaves running away, I told him that I had just come over to spend my christmas holydays, and that I was going back. His reply was, "my son, I would nevergo back if I was in your place; you have a right to your liberty." I then asked him how Ishould get my freedom? He referred me to Canada, over which waved freedom's flag, defended by the British Government, upon whose soil there cannot be thefoot print of a slave.

    He then commenced telling me of the facilities for my escape to Canada; of the Abolitionists; of theAbolition Societies, and of their fidelity to the cause of suffering humanity. This was the first timein my life that ever I had heard of such people being in existence as the Abolitionists. I supposed that they were a different race of people. Heconducted me to the house of one of these warm-hearted friends of God and the slave. I foundhim willing to aid a poor fugitive on his way to Canada, even to the dividing of the last cent, or morsel of bread if necessary.

    These kind friends gave me something to eat, and started me on my way to Canada, with arecommendation to a friend on my way. This was the commencement of what was called theunder ground rail road to Canada. I walked with bold courage, trusting in the arm of Omnipotence; guided by the unchangable North Star by night, and inspired by an elevatedthought that I was fleeing from a land of slavery and oppression, bidding farewell to hand-cuffs, whips, thumb-screws and chains.

    I travelled on until I had arrived at the place where I was directed to call on an Abolitionist, but I made no stop: so great were my fears of beingpursued by the pro-slavery hunting dogs of the South. I prosecuted my journey vigorously fornearly forty-eight hours without food or rest, struggling against external difficulties such as no one can imagine who has never experienced the same: not knowingwhat moment I might be captured while travelling among strangers, through cold and fear,breasting the north winds, being thinly clad, pelted by the snow storms through the dark hours of the night, and not a house in which I could enter to shelter mefrom the storm.

    The second night from Cincinnati, about midnight, I thought that I should freeze; my shoes were wornthrough, and my feet were exposed to the bare ground. I approached a house on the road-side,knocked at the door, and asked admission to their fire, but was refused. I went to the next house, and was refused the privilege of their fire-side, to preventmy freezing. This I thought was hard treatment among the human family. But — "Behind a frowning Providence there was a smiling face,"

    which soon shed beams of light upon unworthy me.

    The next morning I was still found struggling on my way, faint, hungry, lame, and rest-broken. I couldsee people taking breakfast from the road-side, but I did not dareto enter their houses to get my breakfast, for neither love nor money. In passing a low cottage, I saw the breakfast table spread with all its bounties,and I could see no male person about the house; the temptation for food was greater than I could resist.

    I saw a lady about the table, and I thought that if she was ever so much disposed to take me up,that she would have to catch and hold me, and that would have been impossible. I stepped up tothe door with my hat off, and asked her if she would be good enough to sell me a sixpence worth of bread and meat. She cut off a piece and brought it to me; Ithanked her for it, and handed her the pay, but instead of receiving it, she burst into tears, and said"never mind the money," but gently turned away bidding me go on my journey. This was altogether unexpected to me: I had found a friend inthe time of need among strangers, and nothing could be more cheering in the day of trouble thanthis. When I left that place I started with bolder courage. The next night I put up at a tavern, and continued stopping at public houses until my means wereabout gone. When I got to the Black Swamp in the county of Wood, Ohio, I stopped one night ata hotel, after travelling all day through mud and snow; but I soon found that I should not be able to pay my bill. This was about the time that the "wild-catbanks" were in a flourishing state, and "shin plasters"* in abundance; theywould charge a dollar for one night's lodging.

    After I had found out this, I slipped out of the bar room into the kitchen where the landlady was gettingsupper; as she had quite a number of trav- ellers to cook for that night, I told her if she would accept my services, I would assist her in gettingsupper; that I was a cook. She very readily accepted the offer, and I went to work.

    She was very much pleased with my work, and the next morning I helped her to get breakfast. Shethen wanted to hire me for all winter, but I refused for fear I might be pursued. My excuse to herwas that I had a brother living in Detroit, whom I was going to see on some important business, and after I got that business attended to, I would come backand work for them all winter.

    When I started the second morning they paid me fifty cents beside my board, with the understanding thatI was to return; but I have not gone back yet.

    I arrived the next morning in the village of Perrysburgh, where I found quite a settlement of coloredpeople, many of whom were fugitive slaves. I made my case known to them and they sympathizedwith me. I was a stranger, and they took me in and persuaded me to spend the winter in Perrysburgh, where I could get employment and go to Canada the nextspring, in a steamboat which run from Perrysburgh, if I thought it proper so to do.

    I got a job of chopping wood during that winter which enabled me to purchase myself a suit, andafter paying my board the next spring, I had saved fifteen dollars in cash. My intention was to goback to Kentucky after my wife.

    When I got ready to start, which was about the first of May, my friends all persuaded me not to go, butto get some other person to go, for fear I might be caught and sold off from my family into slavery forever. But I could not refrainfrom going back myself, believing that I could accomplish it better than a stranger.

    The money that I had would not pass in the South, and for the purpose of getting it off to a goodadvantage, I took a steamboat passage to Detroit, Michigan, and there I spent all my money fordry goods, to peddle out on my way back through the State of Ohio. I also purchased myself a pair of false whiskers to put on when I got back to Kentucky, toprevent any one from knowing me after night, should they see me. I then started back after mylittle family.

    * Nickname for temporary paper money.

    CHAPTER V.

    My safe arrival at Kentucky. — Surprise and delight to find my family. — Plan for their escape projected. — Return to Cincinnati. — My betrayalby traitors. — Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky. — Return toslavery. — Infamous proposal of the slave catchers. — My reply.

    I succeeded very well in selling out my goods, and when I arrived in Cincinnati, I called on some ofmy friends who had aided me on my first escape. They also opposed me in going back only for myown good. But it has ever been characteristic of me to persevere in what I undertake.

    I took a Steamboat passage which would bring me to where I should want to land about dark, so asto give me a chance to find my family during the night if possible. The boat landed me at theproper place, and at the proper time accordingly. This landing was about six miles from Bedford, where my mother and wife lived, but with different families.My mother was the cook at a tavern, in Bedford. When I approached the house where motherwas living, I remembered where she slept in the kitchen, her bed was near the window.

    It was a bright moonlight night, and in looking through the kitchen window, I saw a person lying inbed about where my mother had formerly slept. I rapped on the glass which awakened the person, in whom I recognised my dear mother, but she knew me not, as I was dressed in disguise with myfalse whiskers on; but she came to the window and asked who I was and what I wanted. Butwhen I took off my false whiskers, and spoke to her, she knew my voice, and quickly sprang to the door, clasping my hand, exclaiming, "Oh! is this my son,"drawing me into the room, where I was so fortunate as to find Malinda, and little Frances, mywife and child, whom I had left to find the fair climes of liberty, and whom I was then seeking to rescue from perpetual slavery.

    They never expected to see me again in this life. I am entirely unable to describe what my feelings wereat that time. It was almost like the return of the prodigal son. There was weeping and rejoicing.They were filled with surprise and fear; with sadness and joy. The sensation of joy at that moment flashed like lightning over my afflicted mind, mingledwith a thousand dreadful apprehensions, that none but a heart wounded slave father and husbandlike myself can possibly imagine. After talking the matter over, we decided it was not best to start with my family that night, as it was very uncertainwhether we should get a boat passage immediately. And in case of failure, if Malinda should getback even before daylight the next morning, it would have excited suspicion against her, as it was not customary for slaves to leave home at that stage of the weekwithout permission. Hence we thought it would be the most effectual way for her to escape, tostart on Saturday night; this being a night on which the slaves of Kentucky are permitted to visit around among theirfriends, and are often allowed to stay until the afternoon on Sabbath day.

    I gave Malinda money to pay her passage on board of a Steamboat to Cincinnati, as it was not safefor me to wait for her until Saturday night; but she was to meet me in Cincinnati, if possible, thenext Sunday. Her father was to go with her to the Ohio River on Saturday night, and if a boat passed up during the night she was to get on board atMadison, and come to Cincinnati. If she should fail in getting off that night, she was to try it thenext Saturday night. This was the understanding when we separated. This we thought was the best plan for her escape, as there had been so much excitement causedby my running away.

    The owners of my wife were very much afraid that she would follow me; and to prevent her they hadtold her and other slaves that I had been persuaded off by the Abolitionists, who had promised toset me free, but had sold me off to New Orleans. They told the slaves to beware of the abolitionists, that their object was to decoy off slaves and then sellthem off in New Orleans. Some of them believed this, and others believed it not; and the ownersof my wife were more watchful over her than they had ever been before as she was unbelieving.

    This was in the month of June, 1838. I left Malinda on a bright but lonesome Wednesday night. When Iarrived at the river Ohio, I found a small craft chained to a tree, in which I ferried myself across the stream.

    I succeeded in getting a Steamboat passage back to Cincinnati, where I put up with one of myabolition friends who knew that I had gone after my family, and who appeared to be muchsurprised to see me again. I was soon visited by several friends who knew of my having gone back after my family. They wished to know why I had not brought my familywith me; but after they understood the plan, and that my family was expected to be in Cincinnatiwithin a few days, they thought it the best and safest plan for us to take a stage passage out to Lake Erie. But being short of money, I was not able to pay mypassage in the stage, even if it would have prevented me from being caught by the slave hunters ofCincinnati, or save me from being taken back into bondage for life.

    These friends proposed helping me by subscription; I accepted their kind offer, but in going amongfriends to solicit aid for me, they happened to get among traitors, and kidnappers, both white andcolored men, who made their living by that kind of business. Several persons called on me and made me small donations, and among them two white men camein professing to be my friends. They told me not to be afraid of them, they were abolitionists.They asked me a great many questions. They wanted to know if I needed any help? and they wanted to know if it could be possible that a man so near white asmyself could be a slave? Could it be possible that men would make slaves of their own children? They expressed great sympathy for me, and gave me fifty cents each; by this they gainedmy confidence. They asked my master's name; where he lived, After which they left theroom, bidding me God speed. These traitors, or land pirates, took passage on board of the first Steamboat down the river, in search of my owners. When theyfound them, they got a reward of three hundred dollars offered for the re-capture of this"stray" which they had so long and faithfully been hunting, by day and by night, by land and by water with dogs and with guns, but all without success. Thisbeing the last and only chance for dragging me back into hopeless bondage, time and money wasno object when they saw a prospect of my being retaken.

    Mr. Gatewood got two of his slaveholding neighbors to go with him to Cincinnati, for the purpose ofswearing to anything which might be necessary to change me back into property. They came on toCincinnati, and with but little effort they soon rallied a mob of ruffians who were willing to become the watch-dogs of slaveholders, for a dram, inconnection with a few slavehunting petty constables.

    While I was waiting the arrival of my family, I got a job of digging a cellar for the good lady where Iwas stopping, and while I was digging under the house, all at once I heard a man enter the house;another stept up to the cellar door to where I was at work; he looked in and saw me with my coat off at work. He then rapped over the cellar dooron the house side, to notify the one who had entered the house to look for me that I was in the cellar. This strange conduct soon excited suspicion sostrong in me, that I could not stay in the cellar and started to come out, but the man who stood bythe door, rapped again on the house side, for the other to come to his aid, and told me to stop. I attempted to pass out by him, and he caught hold of me,and drew a pistol, swearing if I did not stop he would shoot me down. By this time I knew that Iwas betrayed.

    I asked him what crime I had committed that I should be murdered.

    "I will let you know, very soon," said he.

    By this time there were others coming to his aid, and I could see no way by which I could possiblyescape the jaws of that hell upon earth.

    All my flattering prospects of enjoying my own fire-side, with my little family, were then blasted andgone; and I must bid farewell to friends and freedom forever.

    In vain did I look to the infamous laws of the Commonwealth of Ohio, for that protection againstviolence and outrage, that even the vilest criminal with a white skin might enjoy. But oh! thedreadful thought, that after all my sacrifice and struggling to rescue my family from the hands of the oppressor; that I should be dragged back into cruelbondage to suffer the penalty of a tyrant's law, to endure stripes and imprisonment, and to be shutout from all moral as well as intellectual improvement, and linger out almost a living death.

    When I saw a crowd of blood-thirsty, unprincipled slave hunters rushing upon me armed with weaponsof death, it was no use for me to undertake to fight my way through against such fearfulodds.

    But I broke away from the man who stood by with his pistol drawn to shoot me if I should resist, andreached the fence and attempted to jump over it before I was overtaken; but the fence being veryhigh I was caught by my legs before I got over.

    I kicked and struggled with all my might to get away, but without success. I kicked a new clothcoat off of his back, while he was holding on to my leg. I kicked another in his eye; but they neverlet me go until they got more help. By this time, there was a crowd on the out side of the fence with clubs to beat me back. Finally, they succeeded indragging me from the fence and overpowered me by numbers and choked me almost todeath.

    These ruffians dragged me through the streets of Cincinnati, to what was called a justice office. But itwas more like an office of injustice.

    When I entered the room I was introduced to three slaveholders, one of whom was a son of Wm.Gatewood, who claimed me as his property. They pretended to be very glad to see me.

    They asked me if I did not want to see my wife and child; but I made no reply to any thing that was saiduntil I was delivered up as a slave. After they were asked a few questions by the court, the oldpro-slavery squire very gravely pronounced me to be the property of Mr. Gatewood.

    The office being crowded with spectators, many of whom were colored persons, Mr. G. was afraid to keep me in Cincinnati, two or three hours even,until a steamboat got ready to leave for the South. So they took me across the river, and lockedme up in Covington jail, for safe keeping. This was the first time in my life that I had been put into a jail. It was truly distressing to my feelings to be lockedup in a cold dungeon for no crime. The jailor not being at home, his wife had to act in his place.After my owners had gone back to Cincinnati, the jailor's wife, in company with another female, came into the jail and talked with me very friendly.

    I told them all about my situation, and these ladies said they hoped that I might get away again, andwent so far as to tell me if I should be kept in the jail that night, there was a hole under the wall ofthe jail where a prisoner had got out. It was only filled up with loose dirt, they said, and I might scratch it out and clear myself.

    This I thought was a kind word from an unexpected friend: I had power to have taken the key fromthose ladies, in spite of them, and have cleared myself; but knowing that they would have to sufferperhaps for letting me get away, I thought I would wait until after dark, at which time I should try to make my escape, if they should not take me outbefore that time. But within two or three hours, they came after me, and conducted me on boardof a boat on which we all took passage down to Louisville. I was not confined in any way, but was well guarded by five men, three of whom were slaveholders, and the two young men from Cincinnati, who had betrayed me.

    After the boat had got fairly under way, with these vile men standing around me on the upper deck ofthe boat, and she under full speed carrying me back into a land of torment, I could see no possibleway of escape. Yet, while I was permitted to gaze on the beauties of nature, on free soil, as I passed down the river, things looked to me uncommonlypleasant: The green trees and wild flowers of the forest; the ripening harvest fields waving withthe gentle breezes of Heaven; and the honest farmers tilling their soil and living by their own toil. These things seem to light upon my vision with a peculiarcharm. I was conscious of what must be my fate; a wretched victim for Slavery without limit; tobe sold like an ox, into hopeless bondage, and to be worked under the flesh devouring lash during life, without wages.

    This was to me an awful thought; every time the boat run near the shore, I was tempted to leap fromthe deck down into the water, with a hope of making my escape. Such was then my feeling.

    But on a moment's reflection, reason with her warning voice overcame this passion by pointing out thedreadful consequences of one's committing suicide. And this I thought would have a very strikingresemblance to the act, and I declined putting into practice this dangerous experiment, though the temptation was great.

    These kidnapping gentlemen, seeing that I was much dissatisfied, commenced talking to me, by say- ing that I must not be cast down; they were going to take me back home to live with my family, if Iwould promise not to run away again.

    To this I agreed, and told them that this was all that I could ask, and more than I had expected.

    But they were not satisfied with having recaptured me, because they had lost other slaves andsupposed that I knew their whereabouts; and truly I did. They wanted me to tell them; but beforetelling I wanted them to tell who it was that had betrayed me into their hands. They said that I was betrayed by two colored men in Cincinnati, whose namesthey were backward in telling, because their business in connection with themselves was to betrayand catch fugitive slaves for the reward offered. They undertook to justify the act by saying if they had not betrayed me, that somebody else would, and if I wouldtell them where they could catch a number of other runaway slaves, they would pay for me andset me free, and would then take me in as one of the Club. They said I would soon make money enough to buy my wife and child out of slavery.

    But I replied, "No, gentlemen, I cannot commit or do an act of that kind, even if it were in mypower so to do. I know that I am now in the power of a master who can sell me from my familyfor life, or punish me for the crime of running away, just as he pleases: I know that I am a prisoner for life, and have no way of extricating myself; and Ialso know that I have been deceived and betrayed by men who professed to be my best friends; but can all this justify me in becoming a traitor to others? Can I do thatwhich I complain of others for doing unto me? Never, I trust, while a single pulsation of my heartcontinues to beat, can I consent to betray a fellow man like myself back into bondage, who has escaped. Dear as I love my wife and little child, andas much as I should like to enjoy freedom and happiness with them, I am unwilling to bring thisabout by betraying and destroying the liberty and happiness of others who have never offended me!"

    I then asked them again if they would do me the kindness to tell me who it was betrayed me intotheir hands at Cincinnati? They agreed to tell me with the understanding that I was to tell wherethere was living, a family of slaves at the North, who had run away from Mr. King of Kentucky. I should not have agreed to this, but I knew the slaveswere in Canada, where it was not possible for them to be captured. After they had told me thenames of the persons who betrayed me, and how it was done, then I told them their slaves were in Canada, doing well. The two white men were Constables, who claimedthe right of taking up any strange colored person as a slave; while the two colored kidnappers,under the pretext of being abolitionists, would find out all the fugitives they could, and inform these Constables for which they got a part of the reward, afterthey had found out where the slaves were from, the name of his master, By the agency ofthese colored men, they were seized by a band of white ruffians, locked up in jail, and their master sent for. These colored kidnappers, with theConstables, were getting rich by betraying fugitive slaves. This was told to me by one of theConstables, while they were all standing around trying to induce me to engage in the same business for the sake of regaining my own liberty, and that of mywife and child. But my answer even there, under the most trying circumstances, surrounded by thestrongest enemies of God and man, was most emphatically in the negative. "Let my punishment be what it may, either with the lash or by selling meaway from my friends and home; let my destiny be what you please, I can never engage in thisbusiness for the sake of getting free."

    They said I should not be sold nor punished with the lash for what I had done, but I should be carriedback to Bedford, to live with my wife. Yet when the boat got to where we should have landed,she wafted by without making any stop. I felt awful in view of never seeing my family again; they asked what was the matter? what made me look so castdown? I informed them that I knew I was to be sold in the Louisville slave market, or in NewOrleans, and I never expected to see my family again. But they tried to pacify me by promising not to sell me to a slave trader who would take me off to New Orleans;cautioning me at the same time not to let it be known that I had been a runaway. This would verymuch lessen the value of me in market They would not punish me by putting irons on my limbs, but would give me a good name, and sell me to some gentleman in Louisville for ahouse servant. They thought I would soon make money enough to buy myself, and would not partwith me if they could get along without. But I had cost them so much in advertising and looking for me, that they were involved by it. In the first place they paideight hundred and fifty dollars for me; and when I first run away, they paid one hundred foradvertising and looking after me; and now they had to pay about forty dollars, expenses travelling to and from Cincinnati, in addition to the three hundred dollarsreward; and they were not able to pay the reward without selling me.

    I knew then the only alternative left for me to extricate myself was to use deception, which is themost effectual defence a slave can use. I pretended to be satisfied for the purpose of getting anopportunity of giving them the slip.

    But oh, the distress of mind, the lamentable thought that I should never again see the face nor hear thegentle voice of my nearest and dearest friends in this life. I could imagine what must be my fatefrom my peculiar situation. To be sold to the highest bidder, and then wear the chains of slavery down to the grave. The day star of liberty which hadonce cheered and gladdened my heart in freedom's land, had then hidden itself from my vision,and the dark and dismal frown of slavery had obscured the sunshine of freedom from me, as they supposed for all time to come.

    But the understanding between us was, I was not to be tied, chained, nor flogged; for if they shouldtake me into the city handcuffed and guarded by five men the question might be asked what crimeI had committed? And if it should be known that I had been a runaway to Canada, it would lessen the value of me at least one hundred dollars.

    CHAPTER VI

    Arrival at Louisville, Ky. — Efforts to sell me. — Fortunate escapefrom the man-stealers in the public street. — I return to Bed ford. Ky. — The rescue ofmy family again attempted. — I started alone expecting them to follow. — After waiting some months I resolve to go back again to Kentucky.

    When the boat arrived at Louisville, the day being too far spent forthem to dispose of me, they had to put up at a Hotel. When we left the boat, they were afraid ofmy bolting from them in the street, and to prevent this they took hold of my arms, one on each side of me, gallanting me up to the hotel with as muchpropriety as if I had been a white lady. This was to deceive the people, and prevent my gettingaway from them.

    They called for a bed-room to which I was conducted and locked within. That night three of themlodged in the same room to guard me. They locked the door and put the key under the head oftheir bed. I could see no possible way for my escape without jumping out of a high three story house window.

    It was almost impossible for me to sleep that night in my peculiar situation. I passed the night inprayer to our Heavenly Father, asking that He would open to me even the smallest chance forescape.

    The morning after they had taken breakfast, fear of them left me in the care ofDan Lane. He was what might be called one of the watch dogs of Kentucky. There was nothingtoo mean for him to do. He never blushed to rob a slave mother of her children, no matter how young or small. He was also celebrated for slave selling,kidnapping, and negro hunting. He was well known in that region by the slaves as well as theslaveholders, to have all the qualifications necessary for his business. He was a drunkard, a gambler, a profligate, and a slaveholder.

    While the other four were looking around through the city for a purchaser, Dan was guarding me withhis bowie knife and pistols. After a while the others came in with two persons to buy me, but onseeing me they remarked that they thought I would run away, and asked me if I had ever run away. Dan sprang to his feet and answered the question for me, bytelling one of the most palpable falsehoods that ever came from the lips of a slaveholder. Hedeclared that I had never run away in my life!

    Fortunately for me, Dan, while the others were away, became unwell; and from taking salts, or from someother cause, was compelled to leave his room. Off he started to the horse stable which waslocated on one of the most public streets of Louisville, and of course I had to accompany him. He gallanted me into the stable by the arm, and placed himselfback in one of the horses stalls and ordered me to stand by until he was ready to come out.

    At this time a thousand thoughts were flashing through my mind with regard to the propriety of trying the springs of my heels, which nature had so welladapted for taking the body out of danger, even in the most extraordinary emergencies. I thoughtin the attempt to get away by running, if I should not succeed, it could make my condition no worse, for they could but sell me and this they were thentrying to do. These thoughts impelled me to keep edging towards the door, though verycautiously. Dan kept looking around after me as if he was not satisfied at my getting so near to the door. But the last I saw of him in the stable was just as he turned hiseyes from me; I nerved myself with all the moral courage I could command and bolted for thedoor, perhaps with the fleetness of a much frightened deer, who never looks behind in time of peril. Dan was left in the stable to make ready for the race, or jumpout into the street half dressed, and thereby disgrace himself before the public eye.

    It would be impossible for me to set forth the speed with which I run to avoid my adversary; Isucceeded in turning a corner before Dan got sight of me, and by fast running, turning corners,and jumping high fences, I was enabled to effect my escape.

    In running so swiftly through the public streets, I thought it would be a safer course to leave thepublic way, and as quick as thought I spied a high board fence by the way and attempted to leapover it. The top board broke and down I came into a hen-coop which stood by the fence. The dogs barked, and the hens flew and cackled so, that I feared it would lead to my detection before I could get out of the yard.

    The reader can only imagine how great must have been the excited state of my mind while exposed tosuch extraordinary peril and danger on every side. In danger of being seized by a savage dog,which sprang at me when I fell into the hen-coop; in danger of being apprehended by the tenants of the lot; in danger of being shot or wounded by any onewho might have attempted to stop me, a runaway slave; and in danger on the other hand of beingovertaken and getting in conflict with my adversary. With these fearful apprehensions, caution dictated me not to proceed far by day-light in this slaveholding city.

    At this moment every nerve and muscle of my whole system was in full stretch; and every facility ofthe mind brought into action striving to save myself from being re-captured. I dared not go to theforest, knowing that I might be tracked by blood-hounds, and overtaken. I was so fortunate as to find a hiding place in the city which seemed to be pointedout by the finger of Providence. After running across lots, turning corners, and shunning myfellow men, as if they were wild ferocious beasts, I found a hiding place in a pile of boards or scantling, where I keptconcealed during that day.

    No tongue nor pen can describe the dreadful apprehensions under which I labored for the space of tenor twelve hours. My hiding place happened to be between two workshops, where there were menat work within six or eight feet of me. I could imagine that I heard them talking about me, and at other times thought I heard the footsteps of Daniel Lane in close pursuit. But I retained my positionthere until 9 or 10 o'clock at night, without being discovered; after which I attempted to find myway out, which was exceedingly difficult. The night being very dark, in a strange city, among slaveholders and slave hunters, to me it was like a personentering a wilderness among wolves and vipers, blindfolded. I was compelled from necessity toenter this place for refuge under the most extraordinary state of excitement, without regard to its geographical position. I found myself surrounded with a largeblock of buildings, which comprised a whole square, built up mostly on three sides, so that I couldsee no way to pass out without exposing myself perhaps to the gaze of patrols, or slave catchers.

    In wandering around through the dark, I happened to find a calf in a back yard, which was bawlingafter the cow; the cow was also lowing in another direction, as if they were trying to find eachother. A thought struck me that there must be an outlet somewhere about, where the cow and calf were trying to meet. I started in the direction where I heard thelowing of the cow, and I found an arch or tunnel extending between two large brick buildings,where I could see nothing of the cow but her eyes, shining like balls of fire through the dark tunnel, between the walls, through which I passed to where shestood. When I entered the streets I found them well lighted up. My heart was gladdened to knowthere was another chance for my escape. No bird ever let out of a cage felt more like flying, than I felt like running.

    Before I left the city, I chanced to find by the way, an old man of color. Supposing him to be a friend, Iventured to make known my situation, and asked him if he would get me a bite to eat. The oldman most cheerfully complied with my request. I was then about forty miles from the residence of Wm. Gatewood, where my wife, whom I sought to rescuefrom slavery, was living. This was also in the direction it was necessary for me to travel in orderto get back to the free North. Knowing that the slave catchers would most likely be watching the public highway for me, to avoid them I made my way over therocky hills, woods and plantations, back to Bedford.

    I travelled all that night, guided on my way by the shining stars of heaven alone. The next morningjust before the break of day, I came right to a large plantation, about which I secreted myself, untilthe darkness of the next night began to disappear. The morning larks commenced to chirp and sing merrily — pretty soon I heard the whipcrack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field. About breakfast time, I heard thesound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer. He started to the house before the slaves, which gaveme an opportunity to get the attention of one of the slaves, whom I met at the fence, before hestarted to his breakfast, and made known to him my wants and distresses. I also requested him to bring me a piece of bread if he could when he came back to the field.

    The hospitable slave complied with my request. He came back to the field before his fellow laborers,and brought me something to eat, and as an equivolent for his kindness, I instructed him withregard to liberty, Canada, the way of escape, and the facilities by the way. He pledged his word that himself and others would be in Canada, in less than sixmonths from that day. This closed our interview, and we separated. I concealed myself in theforest until about sunset, before I pursued my journey; and the second night from Louisville, I arrived again in the neighborhood of Bedford, where my littlefamily were held in bondage, whom I so earnestly strove to rescue.

    I concealed myself by the aid of a friend in that neighborhood, intending again to make my escapewith my family. This confidential friend then carried a message to Malinda, requesting her to meetme on one side of the village.

    We met under the most fearful apprehensions, for my pursuers had returned from Louisville, with thelamentable story that I was gone, and yet they were compelled to pay three hundred dollars to theCincinnati slave catchers for re-capturing me there.

    Daniel Lane's account of my escape from him, looked so unreasonable to slaveholders, that many of themcharged him with selling me and keeping the money; while others believed that I had got awayfrom him, and was then in the neighborhood, trying to take off my wife and child, which was true. Lane declared that in less than five minutes after I run out of the stable in Louisville, he had over twentymen running and looking in every direction after me; but all without success. They could hearnothing of me. They had turned over several tons of hay in a large loft, in search, and I was not to be found there. Dan imputed my escape to mygodliness! He said that I must have gone up in a chariot of fire, for I went off by flying; and thathe should never again have any thing to do with a praying negro.

    Great excitement prevailed in Bedford, and many were out watching for me at the time Malinda wasrelating to me these facts. The excitement was then so great among the slaveholders — whowere anxious to have me re-captured as a means of discouraging other slaves from running away — that time and money were no object while there was theleast prospect of their success. I therefore declined making an effort just at that time to escapewith my little family. Malinda managed to get me into the house of a friend that night, in the village, where I kept concealed several days seeking an opportunity toescape with Malinda and Frances to Canada.

    But for some time Malinda was watched so very closely by white and by colored persons, both dayand night, that it was not possible for us to escape together. They well knew that my little familywas the only object of attraction that ever had or ever would induce me to come back and risk my liberty over the threshold of slavery — therefore thispoint was well guarded by the watch dogs of slavery, and I was compelled again to forsake my wife for a season, or surrender, which was suicidal to thecause of freedom, in my judgment.

    The next day after my arrival in Bedford, Daniel Lane came to the very house wherein I was concealedand talked in my hearing to the family about my escape from him out of the stable in Louisville.He was near enough for me to have laid my hands on his head while in that house — and the intimidation which this produced on me was more than Icould bear. I was also aware of the great temptation of the reward offered to white or coloredpersons for my apprehension; I was exposed to other calamities which rendered it altogether unsafe for me to stay longer under that roof.

    One morning about 2 o'clock, I took leave of my little family and started for Canada. This was almostlike tearing off the limbs from my body. When we were about to separate, Malinda clasped myhand exclaiming, "oh my soul! my heart is almost broken at the thought of this dangerous separation. This may be the last time we shall ever see eachother's faces in this life, which will destroy all my future prospects of life and happinessforever." At this time the poor unhappy woman burst into tears and wept loudly; and my eyes were not dry. We separated with the understanding that she was towait until the excitement was all over; after which she was to meet me at a certain place in theState of Ohio; which would not be longer than two months from that time.

    I succeeded that night in getting a steamboat con- veyance back to Cincinnati, or within ten miles of the city. I was apprehensive that there were slave-hunters in Cincinnati, watching the arrival of every boat up theriver, expecting to catch me; and the boat landing to take in wood ten miles below the city, I got off and walked into Cincinnati, to avoid detection.

    No my arrival at the house of a friend, I heard that the two young men who betrayed me for the threehundred dollars had returned and were watching for me. One of my friends in whom they hadgreat confidence, called on the traitors, after he had talked with me, and asked them what they had done with me. Their reply was that I had given them theslip, and that they were glad of it, because they believed that I was a good man, and if they couldsee me on my way to Canada, they would give me money to aid me on my escape. My friend assured them that if they would give any thing to aid me on my way,much or little, if they would put the same into his hands, he would give it to me that night, orreturn it to them the next morning.

    They then wanted to know where I was and whether I was in the city; but he would not tell them, butone of them gave him one dollar for me, promising that if I was in the city, and he would let himknow the next morning, he would give me ten dollars.

    But I never waited for the ten dollars. I received one dollar of the amount which they got for betrayingme, and started that night for the north. Their excuse for betraying me, was, that catching runaways was their business, and if they had not done it somebody else would, but since they had got thereward they were glad that I had made my escape.

    Having travelled the road several times from Cincinnati to Lake Erie, I travelled through without muchfear or difficulty. My friends in Perrysburgh, who knew that I had gone back into the very jaws ofslavery after my family, were much surprised at my return, for they had heard that I was re-captured.

    After I had waited three months for the arrival of Malinda, and she came not, it caused me to be one ofthe most unhappy fugitives that ever left the South. I had waited eight or nine months withouthearing from my family. I felt it to be my duty, as a husband and father, to make one more effort. I felt as if I could not give them up to be sacrificedon the "bloody altar of slavery." I felt as if love, duty, humanity and justice,required that I should go back, putting my trust in the God of Liberty for success.

    CHAPTER VII.

    My safe return to Kentucky. — The perils I encountered there — Again betrayed, and taken by a mob; ironed and imprisoned. — Narrow escape fromdeath. — Life in a slave prison.

    I prepared myself for the journey before named, and started back in the month of July, 1839.

    My intention was, to let no person know my business until I returned back to the North. I went toCincinnati, and got a passage down on board of a boat just as I did the first time, without anymisfortune or delay. I called on my mother, and the raising of a dead body from the grave could not have been more surprising to any one than my arrivalwas to her, on that sad summer's night. She was not able to suppress her feelings. When I enteredthe room, there was but one other person in the house with my mother, and this was a little slave girl who was asleep when I entered. The impulsive feeling which is everready to act itself out at the return of a long absent friend, was more than my bereaved mothercould suppress. And unfortunately for me, the loud shouts of joy at that late hour of the night, awakened the little slave girl, who afterwards betrayed me.She kept perfectly still, and never let either of us know that she was awake, in order that shemight hear our conversation and report it. Mother informed me where my family was living, and that she would see them the next day, and wouldmake arrangements for us to meet the next night at that house after the people in the village hadgone to bed. I then went off and concealed myself during the next day, and according to promise came back the next night about eleven o'clock.

    When I got near the house, moving very cautiously, filled with fearful apprehensions, I saw several menwalking around the house as if they were looking for some person. I went back and waited aboutone hour, before I returned, and the number of men had increased. They were still to be seen lurking about this house, with dogs following them. Thisstrange movement frightened me off again, and I never returned until after midnight, at whichtime I slipped up to the window, and rapped for my mother, who sprang to it and informed me that I was betrayed by the girl who overheard our conversation the nightbefore. She thought that if I could keep out of the way for a few days, the white people wouldthink that this girl was mistaken, or had lied. She had told her old mistress that I was there that night, and had made a plot with my mother to get my wifeand child there the next night, and that I was going to take them off to Canada.

    I went off to a friend of mine, who rendered me all the aid that one slave could render another,under the circumstances. Thank God he is now free from slavery, and is doing well. He was amessenger for me to my wife and mother, until at the suggestion of my mother, I changed an old friend for a new one, who betrayed me for the sum of fivedollars.

    We had set the time when we were to start for Canada, which was to be on the next Saturday night.My mother had an old friend whom she thought was true, and she got him to conceal me in abarn, not over two miles from the village. This man brought provisions to me, sent by my mother, and would tell me the news which was in circulation about me, amongthe citizens. But the poor fellow was not able to withstand the temptation of money.

    My owners had about given me up, and thought the report of the slave girl was false; but they hadoffered a little reward among the slaves for my apprehension. The night before I was betrayed, Imet with my mother and wife, and we had set up nearly all night plotting to start on the next Saturday night. I hid myself away in the flax in the barn, andbeing much rest broken I slept until the next morning about 9 o'clock. Then I was awakened by amob of blood thirsty slaveholders, who had come armed with all the implements of death, with a determination to reduce me again to a life of slavery, or murderme on the spot.

    When I looked up and saw that I was surrounded, they were exclaiming at the top of their voices,"shoot him down! shoot him down!" "If he offers to run, or to resist, killhim!"

    I saw it was no use then for me to make any resistance, as I should be murdered. I felt confidentthat I had been betrayed by a slave, and all my flattering prospects of rescuing my family weregone for ever, and the grim monster slavery with all its horrors was staring me in the face.

    I surrendered myself to this hostile mob at once. The first thing done, after they had laid violenthands on me, was to bind my hands behind me with a cord, and rob me of all I possessed.

    In searching my pockets, they found my certificate from the Methodist E. Church, which had beengiven me by my classleader, testifying to my worthiness as a member of that church. And whatmade the matter look more disgraceful to me, many of this mob were members of the M. E. Church, and they were the persons who took away my church ticket, andthen robbed me also of fourteen dollars in cash, a silver watch for which I paid ten dollars, apocket knife for which I paid seventy-five cents, and a Bible for which I paid sixty-two and one half cents. All this they tyrannically robbed me of, and yet myowner, Wm. Gatewood, was a regular member of the same church to which I belonged.

    He then had me taken to a blacksmith's shop, and most wickedly had my limbs bound with heavyirons, and then had my body locked within the cold dungeon walls of the Bedford jail, to be soldto a Southern slave trader.

    My heart was filled with grief — my eyes were filled with tears. I could see no way of escape. Icould hear no voice of consolation. Slaveholders were coming to the dungeon window in greatnumbers to ask me questions. Some were rejoicing — some swearing, and others saying that I ought to be hung; while others were in favor of sending both me and my wife to New Orleans. They supposed that I had informed her all about the facilities forslaves to escape to Canada, and that she would tell other slaves after I was gone; hence we mustall be sent off to where we could neither escape ourselves, nor instruct others the way.

    In the afternoon of the same day Malinda was permitted to visit the prison wherein I was locked, butwas not permitted to enter the door. When she looked through the dungeon grates and saw mysad situation, which was caused by my repeated adventures to rescue her and my little daughter from the grasp of slavery, it was more than she could bearwithout bursting in tears. She plead for admission into the cold dungeon where I was confined,but without success. With manacled limbs; with wounded spirit; with sympathising tears and with bleeding heart, I intreated Malinda to weep not for me, for it onlyadded to my grief, which was greater than I could bear.

    I have often suffered from the sting of the cruel slave driver's lash on my quivering flesh — Ihave suffered from corporeal punishment in its various forms — I have mingled my sorrowswith those that were bereaved by the ungodly soul drivers — and I also know what it is to shed the sympathetic tear at the grave of a departed friend; but all this isbut a mere trifle compared with my sufferings from then to the end of six months subsequent.

    The second night while I was in jail, two slaves came to the dungeon grates about the dead hour or night, and called me to the grates to have some conversation about Canada, and the facilities for gettingthere. They knew that I had travelled over the road, and they were determined to run away and gowhere they could be free. I of course took great pleasure in giving them directions how and where to go, and they started in less than a week from that timeand got clear to Canada. I have seen them both since I came back to the north myself. They wereknown by the names of King and Jack.

    The third day I was brought out of the prison to be carried off with my little family to the Louisvilleslave market. My hands were fastened together with heavy irons, and two men to guard me withloaded rifles, one of whom led the horse upon which I rode. My wife and child were set upon another nag. After we were all ready to start my old masterthought I was not quite safe enough, and ordered one of the boys to bring him a bed cord fromthe store. He then tied my feet together under the horse, declaring that if I flew off this time, I should fly off with the horse.

    Many tears were shed on that occasion by our friends and relatives, who saw us dragged off in irons tobe sold in the human flesh market. No tongue could express the deep anguish of my soul when Isaw the silent tear drops streaming down the sable cheeks of an aged slave mother, at my departure; and that too, caused by a black hearted traitor who washimself a slave:

    "I love the man with a feeling soul, Whose passions are deep and strong; Whose cords, when touched with a kindred power, Will vibrate loud and long: "The man whose word is bond and law — Who ne'er for gold or power, Would kiss the hand that would stab the heart In adversity's trying hour." "I love the man who delights to help The panting, struggling poor: The man that will open his heart, Nor close against the fugitive at his door. "Oh give me a heart that will firmly stand, When the storm of affliction shall lower — A hand that will never shrink, if grasped, In misfortune's darkest hour."

    As we approached the city of Louisville, we attracted much attention, my being tied and handcuffed,and a person leading the horse upon which I rode. The horse appeared to be much frightened atthe appearance of things in the city, being young and skittish. A carriage passing by jammed against the nag, which caused him to break from the man who wasleading him, and in his fright throw me off backwards. My hands being confined with irons, andmy feet tied under the horse with a rope, I had no power to help myself. I fell back off of the horse and could not extricate myself from this dreadful condition; thehorse kicked with all his might while I was tied so close to his rump that he could only strike mewith his legs by kicking.

    The breath was kicked out of my body, but my bones were not broken. No one who saw my situationwould have given five dollars for me. It was thought by all that I was dead and would never cometo life again. When the horse was caught the cords were cut from my limbs, and I was rubbed with whiskey, camphor, which brought me tolife again.

    Many bystanders expressed sympathy for me in my deplorable condition, and contempt for the tyrantwho tied me to the young horse.

    I was then driven through the streets of the city with my little family on foot, to jail, wherein I waslocked with handcuffs yet on. A physician was then sent for, who doctored me several days beforeI was well enough to be sold in market.

    The jail was one of the most disagreeable places I ever was confined in. It was not only disagreeableon account of the filth and dirt of the most disagreeable kind; but there were bed-bugs, fleas, liceand musquitoes in abundance, to contend with. At night we had to lie down on the floor in this filth. Our food was very scanty, and of the most inferiorquality. No gentleman's dog would eat what we were compelled to eat or starve.

    I had not been in this prison many days before Madison Garrison, the soul driver, bought me andmy family to sell again in the New Orleans slave market. He was buying up slaves to take to NewOrleans. So he took me and my little family to the work-house, to be kept under lock and key at work until he had bought up as many as he wished to take off tothe South.

    The work-house of Louisville was a very large brick building, built on the plan of a jail or State'sprison, with many apartments to it, divided off into cells wherein prisoners were locked up afternight. The upper apartments were occupied by females, principally. This prison was enclosed by a high stonewall, upon which stood watchmen with loaded guns to guard the prisoners from breaking out, andon either side there were large iron gates.

    When Garrison conducted me with my family to the prison in which we were to be confined until he wasready to take us to New Orleans, I was shocked at the horrid sight of the prisoners on enteringthe yard. When the large iron gate or door was thrown open to receive us, it was astonishing to see so many whites as well as colored men loaded down withirons, at hard labor, under the supervision of overseers.

    Some were sawing stone, some cutting stone, and others breaking stone. The first impression which wasmade on my mind when I entered this place of punishment, made me think of hell, with all itsterrors of torment; such as "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth," which was then the idea that I had of the infernal regions from oral instruction.And I doubt whether there can be a better picture of it drawn, than may be sketched from anAmerican slave prison.

    In this prison almost every prisoner had a heavy log chain riveted about his leg. It would indeed beastonishing to a christian man to stand in that prison one half hour and hear and see thecontaminating influence of Southern slavery on the body and mind of man — you may there find almost every variety of character to look on. Some singing,some crying, some praying, and others swearing. The people of color who were in there were slaves there without crime, but for safe keeping, while the whiteswere some of the most abandoned characters living. The keeper took me up to the anvil block andfastened a chain about my leg, which I had to drag after me both day and night during three months. My labor was sawing stone; my food was coarse cornbread and beef shanks and cows heads with pot liquor, and a very scanty allowance of that.

    I have often seen the meat spoiled when brought to us, covered with flies and fly blows, and evenworms crawling over it, when we were compelled to eat it, or go without any at all. It was allspread out on a long table in separate plates; and at the sound of a bell, every one would take his plate, asking no questions. After hastily eating, we werehurried back to our work, each man dragging a heavy log chain after him to his work.

    About a half hour before night they were commanded to stop work, take a bite to eat, and then be lockedup in a small cell until the next morning after sunrise. The prisoners were locked in, two together.My bed was a cold stone floor with but little bedding! My visitors were bed-bugs and musquitoes.

    CHAPTER VIII.

    Character of my prison companions. — Jail breakingcontemplated. — Defeat of our plan. — My wife and childremoved. — Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment. — Our departure in acoffle for New Orleans. — Events of our journey.

    Most of the inmates of this prison I have described, were white menwho had been sentenced there by the law, for depredations committed by them. There was in thatprison, gamblers, drunkards, thieves, robbers, adulterers, and even murderers. There were also in the female department, harlots, pickpockets, and adulteresses. Insuch company, and under such influences, where there was constant swearing, lying, cheating, andstealing, it was almost impossible for a virtuous person to avoid pollution, or to maintain their virtue. No place or places in this country can be bettercalculated to inculcate vice of every kind than a Southern work house or house of correction.

    After a profligate, thief, or a robber, has learned all that they can out of the prison, they might go in oneof those prisons and learn something more — they might properly be called robber colleges;and if slaveholders understood this they would never let their slaves enter them. No man would give much for a slave who had been kept long inone of these prisons.

    I have often heard them telling each other how they robbed houses, and persons on the high way,by knocking them down, and would rob them, pick their pockets, and leave them half dead.Others would tell of stealing horses, cattle, sheep, and slaves; and when they would be sometimes apprehended, by the aid of their friends, they would break jail. Butthey could most generally find enough to swear them clear of any kind of villany. They seemed totake great delight in telling of their exploits in robbery. There was a regular combination of them who had determined to resist law, wherever they went,to carry out their purposes.

    In conversing with myself, they learned that I was notorious for running away, and professedsympathy for me. They thought that I might yet get to Canada, and be free, and suggested a planby which I might accomplish it; and one way was, to learn to read and write, so that I might write myself a pass ticket, to go just where I pleased, when I was takenout of the prison; and they taught me secretly all they could while in the prison.

    But there was another plan which they suggested to me to get away from slavery; that was to breakout of the prison and leave my family. I consented to engage in this plot, but not to leave myfamily.

    By my conduct in the prison, after having been there several weeks, I had gained the confidence ofthe keeper, and the turnkey. So much so, that when I wanted water or anything of the kind, theywould open my door and hand it in to me. One of the turnkeys was an old colored man, who swept and cleaned up the cells, supplied the prisoners with water,

    On Sundays in the afternoon, the watchmen of the prison were most generally off, and this old slave,whose name was Stephen, had the prisoners to attend to. The white prisoners formed a plot tobreak out on Sunday in the afternoon, by making me the agent to get the prison keys from old Stephen.

    I was to prepare a stone that would weigh about one pound, tie it up in a rag, and keep it in mypocket to strike poor old Stephen with, when he should open my cell door. But this I would notconsent to do, without he should undertake to betray me.

    I gave old Stephen one shilling to buy me a water melon, which he was to bring to me in theafternoon. All the prisoners were to be ready to strike, just as soon as I opened their doors. WhenStephen opened my door to hand me the melon, I was to grasp him by the collar, raise the stone over his head, and say to him, that if he made any alarm that I shouldknock him down with the stone. But if he would be quiet he should not be hurt. I was then to takeall the keys from him, and lock him up in the cell — take a chisel and cut the chain from my own leg, then unlock all the cells below, and let out the otherprisoners, who were all to cut off their chains. We were then to go and let out old Stephen, andmake him go off with us. We were to form a line and march to the front gate of the prison with a sledge hammer, and break it open, and if we should bediscovered, and there should be any out-cry, we were all to run and raise the alarm of fire, so as to avoid detection. But while we wereall listening for Stephen to open the door with the melon, he came and reported that he could notget one, and handed me back the money through the window. All were disappointed, and nothing done. I looked upon it as being a fortunate thing for me, for itwas certainly a very dangerous experiment for a slave, and they could never get me to consent tobe the leader in that matter again.

    A few days after, another plot was concocted to to break prison, but it was betrayed by one of theparty, which resulted in the most cruel punishment to the prisoners concerned in it; and I feltthankful that my name was not connected with it. They were not only flogged, but they were kept on bread and water alone, for many days. A few days afterwe were put in this prison, Garrison came and took my wife and child out, I knew not for whatpurpose, nor to what place, but after the absence of several days I supposed that he had sold them. But one morning, the outside door was thrown open, andMalinda thrust in by the ruthless hand of Garrison, whose voice was pouring forth the most bitteroaths and abusive language that could be dealt out to a female; while her heart-rending shrieks and sobbing, was truly melting to the soul of a father and husband.

    The language of Malinda was, "Oh! my dear little child is gone? What shall I do? my child isgone." This most distressing sound struck a sympathetic chord through all the prisonamong the prisoners. I was not permitted to go to my wife and inquire what had become of little Frances. I neverexpected to see her again, for I supposed that she was sold.

    That night, however, I had a short interview with my much abused wife, who told me the secret. Shesaid that Garrison had taken her to a private house where he kept female slaves for the basetpurposes. It was a resort for slave trading profligates and soul drivers, who were interested in the same business.

    Soon after she arrived at this place, Garrison gave her to understand what he brought her there for, andmade a most disgraceful assault on her virtue, which she promptly repeled; and for whichGarrison punished her with the lash, threatening her that if she did not submit that he would sell her child. The next day he made the same attempt, which sheresisted, declaring that she would not submit to it; and again he tied her up and flogged her untilher garments were stained with blood.

    He then sent our child off to another part of the city, and said he meant to sell it, and that she shouldnever see it again. He then drove Malinda before him to the work-house, swearing by his Makerthat she should submit to him or die. I have already described her entrance in the prison.

    Two days after this he came again and took Malinda out of the prison. It was several weeks before Isaw her again, and learned that he had not sold her or the child. At the same time he was buyingup other slaves to take to New Orleans. At the oxpiration of three months he was ready to start with us for the New Orleans slave market, but we never knew when we were to go, until the hour hadarrived for our departure.

    One Sabbath morning Garrison entered the prison and commanded that our limbs should be madeready for the coffles. They called us up to an anvill block, and the heavy log chains which we hadbeen wearing on our legs during three months, were cut off. I had been in the prison over three months; but he had other slaves who had not been there so long.The hand-cuffs were then put on to our wrists. We were coupled together two andtwo — the right hand of one to the left hand of another, and a long chain to connect us together.

    The other prisoners appeared to be sorry to see us start off in this way. We marched off to the riverOhio, to take passage on board of the steamboat Water Witch. But this was at a very low time ofwater, in the fall of 1839. The boat got aground, and did not get off that night; and Garrison had to watch us all night to keep any from getting away. Healso had a very large savage dog, which was trained up to catch runaway slaves.

    We were more than six weeks getting to the city of New Orleans, in consequence of low water. Wewere shifted on to several boats before we arrived at the mouth of the river Ohio. But we got butvery little rest at night. As all were chained together night and day, it was impossible to sleep, being annoyed by the bustle and crowd of the passengers onboard; by the terrible thought that we were destined to be sold in market as sheep or oxen; and annoyed by the galling chains that cramped our wearied limbs, on the tedious voyage. But I had severalopportunities to have run away from Garrison before we got to the mouth of the Ohio river.While they were shifting us from one boat to another my hands were some times loosed, until they got us all on board — and I know that I should havebroke away had it not been for the sake of my wife and child who was with me. I could see nochance to get them off, and I could not leave them in that condition — and Garrison was not so much afraid of my running away from him while he held on to my family, forhe knew from the great sacrifices which I had made to rescue them from slavery, that myattachment was too strong to run off and leave them in his hands, while there was the least hope of ever getting them away with me.

    CHAPTER IX

    Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg. — An account of slavesales. — Cruel punishment with the paddle. — Attempts to sell myself by Garrison'sdirection. — Amusing interview with a slave buyer. — Deacon Whitfield's examination. — He purchases the family. — Character of the Deacon.

    When we arrived at the city of Vicksburg, he intended to sell aportion of his slaves there, and stopped for three weeks trying to sell. But he met with very poorsuccess.

    We had there to pass through an examination or inspection by a city officer, whose business it was toinspect slave property that was brought to that market for sale. He examined our backs to see ifwe had been much scarred by the lash. He examined our limbs, to see whether we were inferior.

    As it is hard to tell the ages of slaves, they look in their mouths at their teeth, and prick up the skinon the back of their hands, and if the person is very far advanced in life, when the skin is prickedup, the pucker will stand so many seconds on the back of the hand.

    But the most rigorous examinations of slaves by those slave inspectors, is on the mental capacity. they are found to be very intelligent, this is pronounced the mostobjectionable of all other qualities connected with the life of a slave In act, it undermines the whole fabric of his chattelhood; it prepares for what slaveholders are pleased to pronounce theunpardonable sin when committed by a slave. It lays the foundation for running away, and goingto Canada. They also see in it a love for freedom, patriotism, insurrection, bloodshed, and exterminating war against American slavery.

    Hence they are very careful to inquire whether a slave who is for sale can read or write. This questionhas been asked me often by slave traders, and cotton planters, while I was there for market. Afterconversing with me, they have sworn by their Maker, that they would not have me among their negroes; and that they saw the devil in my eye; I wouldrun away,

    I have frequently been asked also, if I had ever run away; but Garrison would generally answer thisquestion for me in the negative. He could have sold my little family without any trouble, for thesum of one thousand dollars. But for fear he might not get me off at so great an advantage, as the people did not like my appearance, he could do betterby selling us all together. They all wanted my wife, while but very few wanted me. He asked forme and my family twenty-five hundred dollars, but was not able to get us off at that price.

    He tried to speculate on my Christian character. He tried to make it appear that I was so pious andhonest that I would not runaway for ill treatment; which was a gross mistake, for I never hadreligion enough to keep me from running away from slavery in my life.

    But we were taken from Vicksburgh, to the city of New Orleans, were we were to be sold at any rate.We were taken to a trader's yard or a slave prison on the corner of St. Joseph street. This was acommon resort for slave traders, and planters who wanted to buy slaves; and all classes of slaves were kept there for sale, to be sold in private orpublic — young or old, males or females, children or parents, husbands or wives.

    Every day at 10 o'clock they were exposed for sale. They had to be in trim for showing themselves tothe public for sale. Every one's head had to be combed, and their faces washed, and those whowere inclined to look dark and rough, were compelled to wash in greasy dish water, in order to make them look slick and lively.

    When spectators would come in the yard, the slaves were ordered out to form a line. They were made tostand up straight, and look as sprightly as they could; and when they were asked a question, theyhad to answer it as promptly as they could, and try to induce the spectators to buy them. If they failed to do this, they were severely paddled after thespectators were gone. The object for using the paddle in the place of a lash was, to conceal themarks which would be made by the flogging. And the object for flogging under such circumstances, is to make the slaves anxious to be sold.

    The paddle is made of a piece of hickory timber, about one inch thick, three inches in width, and abouteighteen inches in length. The part which is applied to the flesh is bored full of quarter inch auger holes, and every time this is applied to the flesh of the victim, the blood gushes through the holesof the paddle, or a blister makes its appearance. The persons who are thus flogged, are alwaysstripped naked, and their hands tied together. They are then bent over double, their knees are forced between their elbows, and a stick is put throughbetween the elbows and the bend of the legs, in order to hold the victim in that position, while thepaddle is applied to those parts of the body which would not be so likely to be seen by those who wanted to buy slaves. (See on page 133.)

    I was kept in this prison for several months, and no one would buy me for fear I would run away.One day while I was in this prison, Garrison got mad with my wife, and took her off in one of therooms, with his paddle in hand, swearing that he would paddle her; and I could afford her no protection at all, while the strong arm of the law, public opinion andcustom, were all against me. I have often heard Garrison say, that he had rather paddle a female,than eat when he was hungry — that it was music for him to hear them scream, and too see their blood run.

    After the lapse of several months, he found that he could not dispose of my person to a goodadvantage, while he kept me in that prison confined among the other slaves. I do not speak withvanity when I say the contrast was so great between myself and ordinary slaves, from the fact that I had enjoyed superior advantages, to which I have already re- ferred. They have their slaves classed off and numbered.

    Garrison came to me one day and informed me that I might go out through the city and find myself amaster. I was to go to the Hotels, boarding houses, — tell them that my wife was agood cook, wash-woman, — and that I was a good dining room servant, carriage driver, or porter — and in this way I might find somegentleman who would buy us both; and that this was the only hope of our being soldtogether.

    But before starting me out, he dressed me up in a suit of his old clothes, so as to make me lookrespectable, and I was so much better dressed than usual that I felt quite gay. He would not allowmy wife to go out with me however, for fear we might get away. I was out every day for several weeks, three or four hours in each day, trying to find a newmaster, but without success.

    Many of the old French inhabitants have taken slaves for their wives, in this city, and their own childrenfor their servants. Such commonly are called Creoles. They are better treated than other slaves,and I resembled this class in appearance so much that the French did not want me. Many of them set their mulatto children free, and makeslaveholders of them.

    At length one day I heard that there was a gentleman in the city from the State of Tennessee, to buyslaves. He had brought down two rafts of lumber for market, and I thought if I could get him tobuy me with my family, and take us to Tennessee, from there, I would stand a better opportunity to run away again and get to Canada, than I would fromthe extreme South.

    So I brushed up myself and walked down to the river's bank, where the man was pointed out to mestanding on board of his raft, I approached him, and after passing the usual compliments Isaid:

    "Sir, I understand that you wish to purchase a lot of servants and I have called to know if it iso."

    He smiled and appeared to be much pleased at my visit on such laudable business, supposing me to bea slave trader. He commenced rubbing his hands together, and replied by saying: "Yes sir,I am glad to see you. It is a part of my business here to buy slaves, and if I could get you to take my lumber in part pay I should like to buy four or five ofyour slaves at any rate. What kind of slaves have you, sir?"

    After I found that he took me to be a slave trader I knew that it would be of no use for me to tell himthat I was myself a slave looking for a master, for he would have doubtless brought up the sameobjection that others had brought up, — that I was too white; and that they were afraid that I could read and write; and would never serve as a slave,but run away. My reply to the question respecting the quality of my slaves was, that I did notthink his lumber would suit me — that I must have the cash for my negroes, and turned on my heel and left him!

    I returned to the prison and informed my wife of the fact that I had been taken to be a slaveholder. She thought that in addition to my light complexionmy being dressed up in Garrison's old slave trading clothes might have caused the man to thinkthat I was a slave trader, and she was afraid that we should yet be separated if I should not succeed in finding some body to buy us.

    Every day to us was a day of trouble, and every night brought new and fearful apprehensions that thegolden link which binds together husband and wife might be broken by the heartless tyrant beforethe light of another day.

    Deep has been the anguish of my soul when looking over my little family during the silent hours of thenight, knowing the great danger of our being sold off at auction the next day and parted forever.That this might not come to pass, many have been the tears and prayers which I have offered up to the God of Israel that we might be preserved.

    While waiting here to be disposed of, I heard of one Francis Whitfield, a cotton planter, who wanted tobuy slaves. He was represented to be a very pious soul, being a deacon of a Baptist church. As theregulations, as well as public opinion generally, were against slaves meeting for religious worship, I thought it would give me a better opportunityto attend to my religious duties should I fall into the hands of this deacon.

    So I called on him and tried to show to the best advantage, for the purpose of inducing him to buyme and my family. When I approached him, I felt much pleased at his externalappearance — I address- ed him in the following words as well as I can remember:

    "Sir, I understand you are desirous of purchasing slaves?"

    With a very pleasant smile, he replied, "Yes, I do want to buy some, are you forsale?"

    "Yes sir, with my wife and one child."

    Garrison had given me a note to show wherever I went, that I was for sale, speaking of my wife and child,giving us a very good character of course — and I handed him the note.

    After reading it over he remarked, "I have a few questions to ask you, and if you will tell me thetruth like a good boy, perhaps I may buy you with your family. In the first place, my boy, you area little too near white. I want you to tell me now whether you can read or write?"

    My reply was in the negative.

    "Now I want you to tell me whether you have run away? Don't tell me no stories now, like a goodfellow, and perhaps I may buy you."

    But as I was not under oath to tell him the whole truth, I only gave him a part of it, by telling him thatI had run away once.

    He appeared to be pleased at that, but cautioned me to tell him the truth, and asked me how long Istayed away, when I run off?

    I told him that I was gone a month.

    He assented to this by a bow of his head, and making a long grunt saying, "That's right, tell methe truth like a good boy."

    The whole truth was that I had been off in the state of Ohio, and other free states, and even to Canada; besides this I was notorious for running away,from my boyhood.

    I never told him that I had been a runaway longer than one month — neither did I tell him thatI had not run away more than once in my life; for these questions he never asked me.

    I afterwards found him to be one of the basest hypocrites that I ever saw. He looked like a saint — talked like the best of slave holding Christians, and acted at home like the devil.

    When he saw my wife and child, he concluded to buy us. He paid for me twelve hundred dollars, andone thousand for my wife and child. He also bought several other slaves at the same time, andtook home with him. His residence was in the parish of Claiborn, fifty miles up from the mouth of Red River.

    When we arrived there, we found his slaves poor, ragged, stupid, and half-starved. The food he allowedthem per week, was one peck of corn for each grown person, one pound of pork, and sometimesa quart of molasses. This was all that they were allowed, and if they got more they stole it.

    He had one of the most cruel overseers to be found in that section of country. He weighed andmeasured out to them, their week's allowance of food every Sabbath morning. The overseer'shorn was sounded two hours before daylight for them in the morning, in order that they should be ready for work before daylight. They were worked from daylight untilafter dark, without stopping but one half hour to eat or rest, which was at noon. And at the busy season of the year, they were compelled towork just as hard on the Sabbath, as on any other day.

    CHAPTER X.

    Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm — Exposure of the children — Mode of extorting extra labor — Neglect of the sick — Strange medicineused — Death of our second child.

    My first impressions when I arrived on the Deacon's farm, were thathe was far more like what the people call the devil, than he was like a deacon. Not many daysafter my arrival there, I heard the Deacon tell one of the slave girls, that he had bought her for a wife or his boy Stephen, which office he compelled her fully toperform against her will. This he enforced by a threat. At first the poor girl neglected to do this,having no sort of affection for the man — but she was finally forced to it by an application of the driver's lash, as threatened by the Deacon.

    The next thing I observed was that he made the slave driver strip his own wife, and flog her for notdoing just as her master had ordered. He had a white overseer, and a colored man for a driver,whose business it was to watch and drive the slaves in the field, and do the flogging according to the orders of the overseer.

    Next a mulatto girl who waited about the house, on her mistress, displeased her, for which the Deaconstripped and tied her up. He then handed me the lash and ordered me to put it on — but Itold him I never had done the like, and hoped he would not compel me to do it. He then informed me that Iwas to be his overseer, and that he had bought me for that purpose. He was paying a man eighthundred dollars a year to oversee, and he believed I was competent to do the same business, and if I would do it up right he would put nothing harder on me to do;and if I knew not how to flog a slave, he would set me an example by which I might be governed.He then commenced on this poor girl, and gave her two hundred lashes before he had her untied.

    After giving her fifty lashes, he stopped and lectured her a while, asking her if she thought that shecould obey her mistress, She promised to do all in her power to please him and hermistress, if he would have mercy on her. But this plea was all vain. He commenced on her again; and this flogging was carried on in the most inhumanmanner until she had received two hundred stripes on her naked quivering flesh, tied up andexposed to the public gaze of all. And this was the example that I was to copy after.

    He then compelled me to wash her back off with strong salt brine, before she was untied, which wasso revolting to my feelings, that I could not refrain from shedding tears.

    For some cause he never called on me again to flog a slave. I presume he saw that I was not savageenough. The above were about the first items of the Deacon's conduct which struck me withpeculiar disgust.

    After having enjoyed the blessings of civil and religious liberty for a season, to be dragged into thathorrible place with my family, to linger out my existence without the aid of religious societies, orthe light of revelation, was more than I could endure. I really felt as if I had got into one of the darkest corners of the earth. I thought I was almost outof humanity's reach, and should never again have the pleasure of hearing the gospel sound, as Icould see no way by which I could extricate myself; yet I never omitted to pray for deliverance. I had faith to believe that the Lord could see ourwrongs and hear our cries.

    I was not used quite as bad as the regular field hands, as the greater part of my time was spentworking about the house; and my wife was the cook.

    This country was full of pine timber, and every slave had to prepare a light wood torch, over night,made of pine knots, to meet the overseer with, before daylight in the morning. Each person had to have his torch lit, and come with it in his hand to the gin house, before the overseer and driver, so as tobe ready to go to the cotton field by the time they could see to pick out cotton. These lightslooked beautiful at a distance.

    The object of blowing the horn for them two hours before day, was, that they should get their bite toeat, before they went to the field, that they need not stop to eat but once during the day. Anotherobject was, to do up their flogging which had been omitted over night. I have often heard the sound of the slave driver's lash on the backs, of theslaves, and their heart-rending shrieks, which were enough to melt the heart of humanity, evenamong the most barbarous nations of the earth.

    But the Deacon would keep no overseer on his plantation, who neglected to perform this everymorning. I have heard him say that he was no better pleased than when he could hear theoverseer's loud complaining voice, long before daylight in the morning, and the sound of the driver's lash among the toiling slaves.

    This was a very warm climate, abounding with musquitoes, galinippers and other insects which wereexceedingly annoying to the poor slaves by night and day, at their quarters and in the field. Butmore especially to their helpless little children, which they had to carry with them to the cotton fields, where they had to set on the damp ground alonefrom morning till night, exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, liable to be bitten by poisonousrattle snakes which are plenty in that section of the country, or to be devoured by large alligators, which are often seen creeping through the cotton fieldsgoing from swamp to swamp seeking their prey.

    The cotton planters generally, never allow a slave mother time to go to the house, or quarter duringthe day to nurse her child; hence they have to carry them to the cotton fields and tie them in theshade of a tree, or in clusters of high weeds about in the fields, where they can go to them at noon, when they are allowed to stop work for one halfhour. This is the reason why so very few slave children are raised on these cotton plantations, themothers have no time to take care of them — and they are often found dead in the field and in the quarter for want of the care of their mothers. But I neverwas eye witness to a case of this kind, but have heard many narrated by my slave brothers andsisters, some of which occurred on the deacon's plantation.

    Their plan of getting large quantities of cotton picked is not only to extort it from them by the lash, but hold out an inducement and deceive them by giving small prizes. For example; the overseerwill offer something worth one or two dollars to any slave who will pick out the most cotton inone day; dividing the hands off in three classes and offering a prize to the one who will pick out the most cotton in each of the classes. By this means they areall interested in trying to get the prize.

    After making them try it over several times and weighing what cotton they pick every night, theoverseer can tell just how much every hand can pick. He then gives the present to those that pickthe most cotton, and then if they do not pick just as much afterward they are flogged.

    I have known the slaves to be so much fatigued from labor that they could scarcely get to theirlodging places from the field at night. And then they would have to prepare something to eatbefore they could lie down to rest. Their corn they had to grind on a hand mill for bread stuff, or pound it in a mortar; and by the time they would get theirsuppers it would be midnight; then they would herd down all together and take but two or threehours rest, before the overseer's horn called them up again to prepare for the field.

    At the time of sickness among slaves they had but very little attention. The master was to be thejudge of their sickness, but never had studied the medical profession. He always pronounced aslave who said he was sick, a liar and a hypocrite; said there was nothing the matter, and he only wanted to keep from work.

    His remedy was most generally strong red pepper tea, boiled till it was red. He would make themdrink a pint cup full of it at one dose. If he should not get better very soon after it, the dose wasrepeated. If that should not accomplish the object for which it was given, or have the desired effect, a pot or kettle was then put over the fire with alarge quantity of chimney soot, which was boiled down until it was as strong as the juice oftobacco, and the poor sick slave was compelled to drink a quart of it.

    This would operate on the system like salts, or castor oil. But if the slave should not be very ill, hewould rather work as long as he could stand up, than to take this dreadful medicine.

    If it should be a very valuable slave, sometimes a physician was sent for and something done to savehim. But no special aid is afforded the suffering slave even in the last trying hour, when he iscalled to grapple with the grim monster death. He has no Bible, no family altar, no minister to address to him the consolations of the gospel, before helaunches into the spirit world. As to the burial of slaves, but very littlemore care is taken of theirdead bodies than if they were dumb beasts.

    My wife was very sick while we were both living with the Deacon. We expected every day would beher last. While she was sick, we lost our second child, and I was compelled to dig my own child'sgrave and bury it myself without even a box to put it in.

    CHAPTER XI.

    I attend a prayer meeting. — Punishment therefor threatened. — I attempt to escape alone. — My return to take my family. — Oursufferings. — Dreadful attack of wolves. — Our recapture.

    Some months after Malinda had recovered from her sickness, I got permission from the Deacon, on one Sabbath day, to attend a prayer meeting, on a neighboringplantation, with a few old superanuated slaves, although this was contrary to the custom of the country — for slaves were not allowed to assemble for religiousworship. Being more numerous than the whites there was fear of rebellion, and the overpoweringof their oppressors in order to obtain freedom.

    But this gentleman on whose plantation I attended the meeting was not a Deacon nor a professor ofreligion. He was not afraid of a few old Christian slaves rising up to kill their master because heallowed them to worship God on the Sabbath day.

    We had a very good meeting, although our exercises were not conducted in accordance with anenlightened Christianity; for we had no Bible — no intelligent leader — but aconscience, prompted by our own reason, constrained us to worship God the Creator of all things.

    When I returned home from meeting I told the other slaves what a good time we had at our meeting, and requested them to go with me to meetingthere on the next Sabbath. As no slave was allowed to go from the plantation on a visit without awritten pass from his master, on the next Sabbath several of us went to the Deacon, to get permission to attend that prayer meeting; but he refused to let anygo. I thought I would slip off and attend the meeting and get back before he would miss me, andwould not know that I had been to the meeting.

    When I returned home from the meeting as I approached the house I saw Malinda, standing out at thefence looking in the direction in which I was expected to return. She hailed my approach, not withjoy, but with grief. She was weeping under great distress of mind, but it was hard for me to extort from her the reason why she wept. She finally informedme that her master had found out that I had violated his law, and I should suffer the penalty.which was five hundred lashes, on my naked back.

    I asked her how he knew that I had gone?

    She said I had not long been gone before he called for me and I was not to be found. He then sent theoverseer on horseback to the place where we were to meet to see if I was there. But when theoverseer got to the place, the meeting was over and I had gone back home, but had gone a nearer route through the woods and the overseer happened notto meet me. He heard that I had been there and hurried back home before me and told theDeacon, who ordered him to take me on the next morning, strip off my clothes, drive down four stakes in the ground and fasten my limbs to them; then strike me five hundred lashes for going to the prayer meeting.This was what distressed my poor companion. She thought it was more than I could bear, andthat it would be the death of me. I concluded then to run away — but she thought they would catch me with the blood hounds by their taking my track. But to avoidthem I thought I would ride off on one of the Deacon's mules. She thought if I did, they wouldsell me.

    "No matter, I will try it," said I, "let the consequences be what they may. The mattercan be no worse than it now is." So I tackled up the Deacon's best mule with his saddle,and started that night and went off eight or ten miles from home. But I found the mule to be rather troublesome, and was like to betray me bybraying, especially when he would see cattle, horses, or any thing of the kind in the woods.

    The second night from home I camped in a cane break down in the Red river swamp not a great wayoff from the road, perhaps not twenty rods, exposed to wild ferocious beasts which werenumerous in that section of country. On that night about the middle of the night the mule heard the sound of horses feet on the road, and he commenced stamping andtrying to break away. As the horses seemed to come nearer, the mule commenced trying to bray,and it was all that I could do to prevent him from making a loud bray there in the woods, which would have betrayed me.

    I supposed that it was the overseer out with the dogs looking for me, and I found afterwards that I was not mistaken. As soon as the people had passedby, I mounted the mule and took him home to prevent his betraying me. When I got near by homeI stripped off the tackling and turned the mule loose. I then slipt up to the cabin wherein my wife laid and found her awake, much distressed about me. Sheinformed me that they were then out looking for me, and that the Deacon was bent on floggingme nearly to death, and then selling me off from my family. This was truly heart-rending to my poor wife; the thought of our being torn apart in a strange land afterhaving been sold away from all her friends and relations, was more than she could bear.

    The Deacon had declared that I should not only suffer for the crime of attending a prayer meetingwithout his permission, and for running away, but for the awful crime of stealing a jackass, whichwas death by the law when committed by a negro.

    But I well knew that I was regarded as property, and so was the ass; and I thought if one piece ofproperty took off another, there could be no law violated in the act; no more sin committed in thisthan if one jackass had rode off another.

    But after consultation with my wife I concluded to take her and my little daughter with me and theywould be guilty of the same crime that I was, so far as running away was concerned; and if theDeacon sold one he might sell us all, and perhaps to the same person.

    So we started off with our child that night, and made our way down to the Red river swamps among the buzzing insects and wild beasts of the forest.We wandered about in the wilderness for eight or ten days before we were apprehended, strivingto make our way from slavery; but it was all in vain. Our food was parched corn, with wild fruit such as pawpaws, percimmons, grapes, We did at onetime chance to find a sweet potato patch where we got a few potatoes; but most of the time, whilewe were out, we were lost. We wanted to cross the Red river but could find no conveyance to cross in.

    I recollect one day of finding a crooked tree which bent over the river or over one fork of the river,where it was divided by an island. I should think that the tree was at least twenty feet from thesurface of the water. I picked up my little child, and my wife followed me, saying, "if we perish let us all perish together in the stream."We succeeded in crossing over. I often look back to that dangerous event even now withastonishment, and wonder how I could have run such a risk. What would induce me to run the same risk now? What could induce me now to leave home and friends andgo to the wild forest and lay out on the cold ground night after night without covering, and liveon parched corn?

    What would induce me to take my family and go into the Red river swamps of Louisiana among thesnakes and alligators, with all the liabilities of being destroyed by them, hunted down with bloodhounds, or lay myself liable to be shot down like the wild beasts of the forest? Nothing I say, nothing but the strongest love of liberty, humanity, and justice tomyself and family, would induce me to run such a risk again.

    When we crossed over on the tree we supposed that we had crossed over the main body of the river, butwe had not proceeded far on our journey before we found that we were on an Island surroundedby water on either side. We made our bed that night in a pile of dry leaves which had fallen from off the trees. We were much rest-broken, wearied fromhunger and travelling through briers, swamps and cane-brakes — consequently we soon fellasleep after lying down. About the dead hour of the night I was aroused by the awful howling of a gang of blood-thirsty wolves, whichhad found us out and surrounded us as their prey, there in the dark wilderness many miles fromany house or settlement.

    My dear little child was so dreadfully alarmed that she screamed loudly with fear — my wifetrembling like a leaf on a tree, at the thought of being devoured there in the wilderness byferocious wolves.

    The wolves kept howling, and were near enough for us to see their glaring eyes, and hear theirchattering teeth. I then thought that the hour of death for us was at hand; that we should not liveto see the light of another day; for there was no way for our escape. My little family were looking up to me for protection, but I could afford them none.And while I was offering up my prayers to that God who never forsakes those in the hour of danger who trust in him, I thought of Deacon Whitfield; I thought of his profession, and doubted hispiety. I thought of his hand-cuffs, of his whips, of his chains, of his stocks, of his thumb-screws,of his slave driver and overseer, and of his religion; I also thought of his opposition to prayer meetings, and of his five hundred lashes promised mefor attending a prayer meeting. I thought of God, I thought of the devil, I thought of hell; and Ithought of heaven, and wondered whether I should ever see the Deacon there. And I calculated that if heaven was made up of such Deacons, or such persons, itcould not be filled with love to all mankind, and with glory and eternal happiness, as we know it isfrom the truth of the Bible.

    The reader may perhaps think me tedious on this topic, but indeed it is one of so much interest to me,that I find myself entirely unable to describe what my own feelings were at that time. I was somuch excited by the fierce howling of the savage wolves, and the frightful screams of my little family, that I thought of the future; I thought of the past; Ithought the time of my departure had come at last.

    My impression is, that all these thoughts and thousands of others, flashed through my mind, while Iwas surrounded by those wolves. But it seemed to be the will of a merciful providence, that ourlives should be spared, and that we should not be destroyed by them.

    I had no weapon of defence but a long bowie knife which I had slipped from the Deacon. It was avery splendid blade, about two feet in length, and about two inches in width. This used to be a part of his armor of defence while walking about theplantation among his slaves.

    The plan which I took to expel the wolves was a very dangerous one, but it proved effectual. Whilethey were advancing to me, prancing and accumulating in number, apparently of all sizes andgrades, who had come to the feast, I thought just at this time, that there was no alternative left but for me to make a charge with my bowie knife. I well knewfrom the action of the wolves, that if I made no farther resistance, they would soon destroy us,and if I made a break at them, the matter could be no worse. I thought if I must die, I would die striving to protect my little family from destruction, diestriving to escape from slavery. My wife took a club in one hand, and her child in the other, whileI rushed forth with my bowie knife in hand, to fight off the savage wolves. I made one desperate charge at them, and at the same time making a loud yell atthe top of my voice, that caused them to retreat and scatter, which was equivalent to a victory onour part. Our prayers were answered, and our lives spared through the night. We slept no more that night, and the next morning there were no wolves to beseen or heard, and we resolved not to stay on that island another night.

    We travelled up and down the river side trying to find a place where we could cross. Finally we founda lot of drift wood clogged together, extending across the stream at a narrow place in the river,upon which we crossed over. But we had not yet surmounted our greatest difficulty. We had to meet one which was far more formidable thanthe first. Not many days after I had to face the Deacon.

    We had been wandering about through the cane brakes, bushes, and briers, for several days, when weheard the yelping of blood hounds, a great way off, but they seemed to come nearer and nearer tous. We thought after awhile that they must be on our track; we listened attentively at the approach. We knew it was no use for us to undertake to escape fromthem, and as they drew nigh, we heard the voice of a man hissing on the dogs.

    After awhile we saw the hounds coming in full speed on our track, and the soul drivers close after themon horse back, yelling like tigers, as they came in sight. The shrill yelling of the savage bloodhounds as they drew nigh made the woods echo.

    The first impulse was to run to escape the approaching danger of ferocious dogs, and blood thirstyslave hunters, who were so rapidly approaching me with loaded muskets and bowie knives, with adetermination to kill or capture me and my family. I started to run with my little daughter in my arms, but stumbled and fell down and scratched the arm oflittle Frances with a brier, so that it bled very much; but the dear child never cried, for she seemedto know the danger to which we were exposed.

    But we soon found that it was no use for us to run. The dogs were soon at our heels, and we werecompelled to stop, or be torn to pieces by them. By this time, the soul drivers came charging up on their horses, commanding us to stand still or theywould shoot us down.

    Of course I surrendered up for the sake of my family. The most abusive terms to be found in theEnglish language were poured forth on us with bitter oaths. They tied my hands behind me, anddrove us home before them, to suffer the penalty of a slaveholder's broken law.

    As we drew nigh the plantation my heart grew faint. I was aware that we should have to sufferalmost death for running off. I was filled with dreadful apprehensions at the thought of meeting aprofessed follower of Christ, whom I knew to be a hypocrite! No tongue, no pen can ever describe what my feelings were at that time.

    CHAPTER XII.

    My sad condition before Whitfield. — My terrible punishment. — Incidents of a former attempt to escape. — Jack at a farm house. — Six pigs and aturkey. — Our surprise and arrest.

    The reader may perhaps imagine what must have been my feelings when I found myself surrounded on the island with my little family, at midnight, by a gang ofsavage wolves. This was one of those trying emergencies in my life when there was apparently but one step between us and the grave. But I had no cords wrapped aboutmy limbs to prevent my struggling against the impending danger to which I was then exposed. Iwas not denied the consolation of resisting in self defence, as was now the case. There was no Deacon standing before me, with a loaded rifle, swearing that Ishould submit to the torturing lash, or be shot down like a dumb beast.

    I felt that my chance was by far better among the howling wolves in the Red river swamp, thanbefore Deacon Whitfield, on the cotton plantation. I was brought before him as a criminal before abar, without counsel, to be tried and condemned by a tyrant's law. My arms were bound with a cord, my spirit broken, and my little family standing by weeping. I was not allowed to plead my own cause, and there was no one to utter a word in my behalf.

    He ordered that the field hands should be called together to witness my punishment, that it mightserve as a caution to them never to attend a prayer meeting, or runaway as I had, lest they should receive the same punishment.

    At the sound of the overseer's horn, all the slaves came forward and witnessed my punishment. Myclothing was stripped off and I was compelled to lie down on the ground with my face to the earthFour stakes were driven in the ground, to which my hands and feet were tied. Then the overseer stood over me with the lash and laid it on according to theDeacon's order. Fifty lashes were laid on before stopping. I was then lectured with reference tomy going to prayer meeting without his orders, and running away to escape flogging.

    While I suffered under this dreadful torture, I prayed, and wept, and implored mercy at the hand ofslavery, but found none. After I was marked from my neck to my heels, the Deacon took the gorylash, and said he thought there was a spot on my back yet where he could put in afew more. He wanted to give me something to remember him by, hesaid.

    After I was flogged almost to death in this way, a paddle was brought forward and eight or ten blowsgiven me with it, which was by far worse than the lash. My wounds were then washed with saltbrine, after which I was let up. A description of such paddles I have already given in another page. I was so badly punished that I was not able to work for several days. After being flogged as described,they took me off several miles to a shop and had a heavy iron collar riveted on my neck withprongs extending above my head, on the end of which there was a small bell. I was not able to reach the bell with my hand. This heavy load of iron I wascompelled to wear for six weeks. I never was allowed to lie in the same house with my familyagain while I was the slave of Whitfield. I either had to sleep with my feet in the stocks, or be chained with a large log chain to a log over night, with no bed or beddingto rest my wearied limbs on, after toiling all day in the cotton field. I suffered almost death whilekept in this confinement; and he had ordered the overseer never to let me loose again; saying that I thought of getting free by running off, but no negroshould ever get away from him alive.

    I have omitted to state that this was the second time I had run away from him; while I was gone thefirst time, he extorted from my wife the fact that I had been in the habit of running away, beforewe left Kentucky; that I had been to Canada, and that I was trying to learn the art of reading and writing. All this was against me.

    It is true that I was striving to learn myself to write. I was a kind of a house servant and wasfrequently sent off on errands, but never without a written pass; and on Sundays I have sometimesgot permission to visit our neighbor's slaves, and I have often tried to write myself a pass.

    Whenever I got hold of an old letter that had been thrown away, or a piece of white paper, I would save it to write on. I have often gone off in thewoods and spent the greater part of the day alone, trying to learn to write myself a pass, bywriting on the backs of old letters; copying after the pass that had been written by Whitfield; by so doing I got the use of the pen and could form letters aswell as I can now, but knew not what they were.

    The Deacon had an old slave by the name of Jack whom he bought about the time that he bought me.Jack was born in the State of Virginia. He had some idea of freedom; had often run away, but wasvery ignorant; knew not where to go for refuge; but understood all about providing something to eat when unjustly deprived of it.

    So for ill treatment, we concluded to take a tramp together. I was to be the pilot, while Jack was tocarry the baggage and keep us in provisions. Before we started, I managed to get hold of a suit ofclothes the Deacon possessed, with his gun, ammunition and bowie knife. We also procured a blanket, a joint of meat, and some bread.

    We started in a northern direction, being bound for the city of Little Rock, State of Arkansas. Wetravelled by night and laid by-in the day, being guided by the unchangeable North Star; but atlength, our provisions gave out, and it was Jack's place to get more. We came in sight of a large plantation one morning, where we saw people of color, andJack said he could get something there, among the slaves, that night, for us to eat. So weconcealed ourselves, in sight of this plantation until about bed time, when we saw the lights extinguished.

    During the day we saw a female slave passing from the dwelling house to the kitchen as if she was thecook; the house being about three rods from the landlord's dwelling. After we supposed thewhites were all asleep, Jack slipped up softly to the kitchen to try his luck with the cook, to see if he could get any thing from her to eat.

    I would remark that the domestic slaves are often found to be traitors to their own people, for thepurpose of gaining favor with their masters; and they are encouraged and trained up by them toreport every plot they know of being formed about stealing any thing, or running away, or any thing of the kind; and for which they are paid. This is one ofthe principal causes of the slaves being divided among themselves, and without which they couldnot be held in bondage one year, and perhaps not half that time.

    I now proceed to describe the unsuccessful attempt of poor Jack to obtain something from thefemale slave to satisfy hunger. The planter's house was situated on an elevated spot on the side ofa hill. The fencing about the house and garden was very crookedly laid up with rails. The night was rather dark and rainy, and Jack left me with the understandingthat I was to stay at a certain place until he returned. I cautioned him before he left me to be verycareful — and after he started, I left the place where he was to find me when he returned, for fear something might happen which might lead to my detection, should I remain at that spot. So I left it and went off where I could see the house,and that place too.

    Jack had not long been gone, before I heard a great noise; a man, crying out with a loud voice,"Catch him! Catch him!" and hissing the dogs on, and they were close after Jack.The next thing I saw, was Jack running for life, and an old white man after him, with a gun, and his dogs. The fence being on sidling ground, and wet with the rain,when Jack run against it he knocked down several pannels of it and fell, tumbling over and over tothe foot of the hill; but soon recovered and ran to where he had left me; but I was gone. The dogs were still after him.

    There happened to be quite a thicket of small oak shrubs and bushes in the direction he ran. I think hemight have been heard running and straddling bushes a quarter of a mile! The poor fellow hurthimself considerably in straddling over bushes in that way, in making his escape.

    Finally the dogs relaxed their chase and poor Jack and myself again met in the thick forest. He said whenhe rapped on the cook-house door, the colored woman came to the door. He asked her if shewould let him have a bite of bread if she had it, that he was a poor hungry absconding slave. But she made no reply to what he said but immediatelysounded the alarm by calling loudly after her master, saying, "here is a runawaynegro!" Jack said that he was going to knock her down but her mas- ter was out within one moment, and he had to run for his life.

    As soon as we got our eyes fixed on the North Star again, we started on our way. We travelled on afew miles and came to another large plantation, where Jack was determined to get something toeat. He left me at a certain place while he went up to the house to find something if possible.

    He was gone some time before he returned, but when I saw him coming, he appeared to be veryheavy loaded with a bag of something. We walked off pretty fast until we got some distance in thewoods. Jack then stopped and opened his bag in which he had six small pigs. I asked him how he got them without making any noise; and he said that he found abed of hogs, in which there were the pigs with their mother. While the pigs were sucking hecrawled up to them without being discovered by the sow, and took them by their necks one after another, and choked them to death, and slipped them into his bag!

    We intended to travel on all that night and lay by the next day in the forest and cook up our pigs. Wefell into a large road leading on the direction which we were travelling, and had not proceededover three miles before I found a white hat lying in the road before me. Jack being a little behind me I stopped until he came up, and showed it to him.He picked it up. We looked a few steps farther and saw a man lying by the way, either asleep orintoxicated, as we supposed.

    I told Jack not to take the hat, but he would not obey me. He had only a piece of a hat himself, which he left in exchange for the other. We travelled onabout five miles farther, and in passing a house discovered a large turkey sitting on the fence,which temptation was greater than Jack could resist. Notwithstanding he had six very nice fat little pigs on his back, he stepped up and took the turkey off thefence.

    By this time it was getting near day-light and we left the road and went off a mile or so among thehills of the forest, where we struck camp for the day. We then picked our turkey, dressed ourpigs, and cooked two of them. We got the hair off by singeing them over the fire, and after we had eaten all we wanted, one of us slept while the other watched.We had flint, punk, and powder to strike fire with. A little after dark the next night, we started onour way.

    But about ten o'clock that night just as we were passing through a thick skirt of woods, five mensprang out before us with fire-arms, swearing if we moved another step, they would shoot usdown; and each man having his gun drawn up for shooting we had no chance to make any defence, and surren dered sooner than run the risk of being killed.

    They had been lying in wait for us there, for several hours. They had seen a reward out, for noticeswere put up in the most public places, that fifty dollars would be paid for me, dead or alive, [unclear: ] I should not return home within so many days. And the reader will remember that neither Jack nor myself was able to read theadvertisement. It was of very little consequence with the slave catchers, whether they killed us or took us alive, for thereward was the same to them.

    After we were taken and tied, one of the men declared to me that he would have shot me dead just assure as he lived, if I had moved one step after they commanded us to stop. He had his gun levelledat my breast, already cocked, and his finger on the trigger. The way they came to find us out was from the circumstance of Jack's taking the man's hat inconnection with the advertisement. The man whose hat was taken was drunk; and the nextmorning when he came to look for his hat it was gone and Jack's old hat lying in the place of it; and in looking round he saw the tracks of two persons in the dust, whohad passed during the night, and one of them having but three toes on one foot. He followed thesetracks until they came to a large mud pond, in a lane on one side of which a person might pass dry shod; but the man with three toes on one foot hadplunged through the mud. This led the man to think there must be runaway slaves, and from out of that neighborhood; for all persons in that settlement knew which side of that mud holeto go. He then got others to go with him, and they followed us until our track left the road. Theysupposed that we had gone off in the woods to lay by until night, after which we should pursue our course.

    After we were captured they took us off several miles to where one of them lived, and kept us overnight. One of our pigs was cooked for us to eat that night; and the turkey the next morning. Butwe were both tied that night with our hands behind us, and our feet were also tied. The doors were locked, and a bedstead was set against the front door, andtwo men slept in it to prevent our getting out in the night. They said that they knew how to catchrunaway negroes, and how to keep them after they were caught.

    They remarked that after they found we had stopped to lay by until night, and they saw from our trackswhat direction we were travelling, they went about ten miles on that direction, and hid by the roadside until we came up that night. That night after all had got fast to sleep, I thought I would try to get out, and I should have succeeded, if I couldhave moved the bed from the door. I managed to untie myself and crawled under the bed whichwas placed at the door, and strove to remove it, but in so doing I awakened the men and they got up and confined me again, and watched me until day light, eachwith a gun in hand.

    The next morning they started with us back to Deacon Whitfield's plantation; but when they got within ten miles of where he lived they stopped at apublic house to stay over night; and who should we meet there but the Deacon, who was then outlooking for me.

    The reader may well imagine how I felt to meet him. I had almost as soon come in contact with Satanhimself. He had two long poles or sticks of wood brought in to confine us to. I was compelled tolie on my back across one of those sticks with my arms out, and have them lashed fast to the log with a cord. My feet were also tied to the other, and there Ihad to lie all that night with my back across this stick of wood, and my feet and hands tied. Isuffered that night under the most excruciating pain. From the tight binding of the cord the circulation of the blood in my arms and feet was almost entirelystopped. If the night had been much longer I must have died in that confinement.

    The next morning we were taken back to the Deacon's farm, and both flogged for going off, and set towork. But there was some allowance made for me on account of my being young. They said thatthey knew old Jack had pursuaded me off, or I never would have gone. And the Deacon's wife begged that I might be favored some, for that time, as Jack hadinfluenced me, so as to bring up my old habits of running away that I had entirely given up.

    CHAPTER XIII.

    I am sold to gamblers. — They try to purchase my family. — Ourparting scene. — My good usage. — I am sold to an Indian. — His confidence inmy integrity manifested.

    The reader will remember that this brings me back to the time theDeacon had ordered me to be kept in confinement until he got a chance to sell me, and that nonegro should ever get away from him and live. Some days after this we were all out at the gin house ginning cotton, which was situated on the road side, and therecame along a company of men, fifteen or twenty in number, who were Southern sportsmen. Theirattention was attracted by the load of iron which was fastened about my neck with a bell attached. They stopped and asked the Deacon what that bell was put on myneck for? and he said it was to keep me from running away,

    They remarked that I looked as if I might be a smart negro, and asked if he wanted to sell me. The replywas, yes. They then got off their horses and struck a bargain with him for me. They bought me ata reduced price for speculation.

    After they had purchased me, I asked the privilege of going to the house to take leave of my familybefore I left, which was granted by the sportsmen. But the Deacon said I should never again stepmy foot inside of his yard; and advised the sportsmen not to take the irons from my neck until they hadsold me; that if they gave me the least chance I would run away from them, as I did from him. SoI was compelled to mount a horse and go off with them as I supposed, never again to meet my family in this life.

    We had not proceeded far before they informed me that they had bought me to sell again, and if theykept the irons on me it would be detrimental to the sale, and that they would therefore take off theirons and dress me up like a man, and throw away the old rubbish which I then had on; and they would sell me to some one who would treat me betterthan Deacon Whitfield. After they had cut off the irons and dressed me up, they crossed over RedRiver into Texas, where they spent some time horse racing and gambling; and although they were wicked black legs of the basest character, it is but due to them to say, thatthey used me far better than ever the Deacon did. They gave me plenty to eat and put nothinghard on me to do. They expressed much sympathy for me in my bereavement; and almost every day they gave me money more or less, and by my activity inwaiting on them, and upright conduct, I got into the good graces of them all, but they could notget any person to buy me on account of the amount of intelligence which they supposed me to have; for many of them thought that I could read and write. Whenthey left Texas, they intended to go to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to attend agreat horse race which was to take place. Not being much out of their way to go past Deacon Whitfield's again, I prevailed on themto call on him for the purpose of trying to purchase my wife and child; and I promised them that ifthey would buy my wife and child, I would get some person to purchase us from them. So they tried to grant my request by calling on the Deacon, and tryingto make the purchase. As we approached the Deacon's plantation, my heart was filled with athousand painful and fearful apprehensions. I had the fullest confidence in the blacklegs with whom I travelled, believing that they would do according to promise, and goto the fullest extent of their ability to restore peace and consolation to a bereavedfamily — to re-unite husband and wife, parent and child, who had long been severed by slavery through the agency of Deacon Whitfield. But I knew hisdetermination in relation to myself, and I feared his wicked opposition to a restoration of myselfand little family, which he had divided, and soon found that my fears were not without foundation.

    When we rode up and walked into his yard, the Deacon came out and spoke to all but myself; and notfinding me in tattered rags as a substitute for clothes, nor having an iron collar or bell about myneck, as was the case when he sold me, he appeared to be much displeased.

    "What did you bring that negro back here for?" said he.

    "We have come to try to buy his wife and child; for we can find no one who is willing to buy him alone; and we will either buy or sell so that the family may be together," said they.

    While this conversation was going on, my poor bereaved wife, who never expected to see me again inthis life, spied me and came rushing to me through the crowd, throwing her arms about my neckexclaiming in the most sympathetic tones, "Oh! my dear husband! I never expected to see you again!" The poor woman was bathed with tears ofsorrow and grief. But no sooner had she reached me, than the Deacon peremptorily commandedher to go to her work. This she did not obey, but prayed that her master would not separate us again, as she was there alone, far from friends and relations whom sheshould never meet again. And now to take away her husband, her last and only true friend, wouldbe like taking her life!

    But such appeals made no impression on the unfeeling Deacon's heart. While he was storming withabusive language, and even using the gory lash with hellish vengeance to separate husband andwife, I could see the sympathetic tear-drop, stealing its way down the cheek of the profligate and black-leg, whose object it now was to bind up the broken heart ofa wife, and restore to the arms of a bereaved husband, his companion.

    They were disgusted at the conduct of Whitfield and cried out shame, even in his presence. They toldhim that they would give a thousand dollars for my wife and child, or any thing in reason. But no!he would sooner see me to the devil than indulge or gratify me after my having run away from him; and if they did not remove me from his presence very soon, he said he should make them sufferfor it.

    But all this, and even the gory lash had yet failed to break the grasp of poor Malinda, whose prospectof connubial, social, and future happiness was all at stake. When the dear woman saw there wasno help for us, and that we should soon be separated forever, in the name of Deacon Whitfield, and American slavery to meet no more as husband and wife,parent and child — the last and loudest appeal was made on our knees. We appealed to the God ofjustice and to the sacred ties of humanity; but this was all in vain. The louder we prayed the harder he whipped, amid the most heart-rending shrieks from thepoor slave mother and child, as little Frances stood by, sobbing at the abuse inflicted on hermother.

    "Oh! how shall I give my husband the parting hand never to meet again? This will surely break myheart," were her parting words.

    I can never describe to the reader the awful reality of that separation — for it was enough tochill the blood and stir up the deepest feeling of revenge in the hearts of slaveholding black-legs,who as they stood by, were threatening, some weeping, some swearing and others declaring vengeance against such treatment being inflicted on a humanbeing. As we left the plantation, as far as we could see and hear, the Deacon was still laying onthe gory lash, trying to prevent poor Malinda from weeping over the loss of her departed husband, who was then, by the hellish laws of slavery, to her, theoreticallyand practically dead. One of the black-legs exclaimed that hell was full of just such Deacon's as Whitfield. Thisoccurred in December, 1840. I have never seen Malinda, since that period. I never expect to seeher again.

    The sportsmen to whom I was sold, showed their sympathy for me not only by word but by deeds.They said that they had made the most liberal offer to Whitfield, to buy or sell for the solepurpose of reuniting husband and wife. But he stood out against it — they felt sorry for me. They said they had bought me to speculate on, and were not able to lose whatthey had paid for me. But they would make a bargain with me, if I was willing, and would lay aplan, by which I might yet get free. If I would use my influence so as to get some person to buy me while traveling about with them, they would giveme a portion of the money for which they sold me, and they would also give me directions bywhich I might yet run away and go to Canada.

    This offer I accepted, and the plot was made. They advised me to act very stupid in language andthought, but in business I must be spry; and that I must persuade men to buy me, and promisethem that I would be smart.

    We passed through the State of Arkansas and stopped at many places, horse-racing and gambling. Mybusiness was to drive a wagon in which they carried their gambling apparatus, clothing, Ihad also to black boots and attend to horses. We stopped at Fayettville, where they almost lost me, betting on a horse race.

    They went from thence to the Indian Territory among the Cherokee Indians, to attend the great raceswhich were to take place there. During the races there was a very wealthy half Indian of that tribe,who became much attached to me, and had some notion of buying me, after hearing that I was for sale, being a slaveholder. The idea struck me ratherfavorable, for several reasons. First, I thought I should stand a better chance to get away from anIndian than from a white man. Second, he wanted me only for a kind of a body servant to wait on him — and in this case I knew that I should fare betterthan I should in the field. And my owners also told me that it would be an easy place to get awayfrom. I took their advice for fear I might not get another chance so good as that, and prevailed on the man to buy me. He paid them nine hundred dollars, in goldand silver, for me. I saw the money counted out.

    After the purchase was made, the sportsmen got me off to one side, and according to promise they gaveme a part of the money, and directions how to get from there to Canada. They also advised mehow to act until I got a good chance to run away. I was to embrace the earliest opportunity of getting away, before they should become acquainted with me.I was never to let it be known where I was from, nor where I was born. I was to act quite stupidand ignorant. And when I started I was to go up the boundary line, between the Indian Territory and the States of Arkansas and Missouri, and this would fetchme out on the Missouri river, near Jefferson city, the capital of Missouri. I was to travel at first by night, aud to lay by in day light, until I gotout of danger.

    The same afternoon that the Indian bought me, he started with me to his residence, which was fifty orsixty miles distant. And so great was his confidence in me, that he intrusted me to carry hismoney. The amount must have been at least five hundred dollars, which was all in gold and silver; and when we stopped over night the money and horses were allleft in my charge.

    It would have been a very easy matter for me to have taken one of the best horses, with the money,and run off. And the temptation was truly great to a man like myself, who was watching for theearliest opportunity to escape; and I felt confident that I should never have a better opportunity to escape full handed than then.

    CHAPTER XIV.

    Character of my Indian Master. — Slavery among the Indians less cruel. — Indian carousal. — Enfeebled health of my Indian Master. — Hisdeath. — My escape. — Adventure in a wigwam. — Successful progress toward liberty.

    The next morning I went home with my new master; and by the way itis only doing justice to the dead to say, that he was the most reasonable, and humane slaveholder that I have ever belonged to. He was the last man that pretended to claim property in my person; and although I have freely given the names and residences of all others who have held me as a slave, for prudential reasons I shall omit giving the name of this individual.

    He was the owner of a large plantation and quite a number of slaves. He raised corn and wheat for hisown consumption only. There was no cotton, tobacco, or anything of the kind produced amongthem for market. And I found this difference between negro slavery among the Indians, and the same thing among the white slaveholders of the South. The Indiansallow their slaves enough to eat and wear. They have no overseers to whip nor drive them. If aslave offends his master, he sometimes, in a heat of passion, undertakes to chastise him; but it is as often the case as otherwise, that the slave gets the better of the fight, and even flogs his master;* for which there is no law to punish him; butwhen the fight is over that is the last of it. So far as religious instruction is concerned, they have iton terms of equality, the bond and the free; they have no respect of persons, they have neither slave laws nor negro pews. Neither do they separatehusbands and wives, nor parents and children. All things considered, if I must be a slave, I had byfar, rather be a slave to an Indian, than to a white man, from the experience I have had with both.

    A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their old heathen traditionalnotions. They made it a rule to have an Indian dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; and theywould come together far and near to attend these dances. They would most generally commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by theblowing of horns. One would commence blowing and another would answer, and so it would goall round the neighborhood. When a number had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, allaround, in this circle. In the centre they would have a large fire to dance around, and at each oneof the small fires there would be a squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance.

    But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these stump dances.At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum to sell. There would be some dancing,some singing, some gambling, some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two days and nights together.

    Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird feathers, coon tails, or something ofthe kind stuck in their heads, and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing.Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping around ituntil they would get drunk or their heads would get to swimming, and then they would go off anddrink, and another set come on. Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian slaveholders.

    My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me; and not long after he bought mehe went off forty or fifty miles from home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by hiswife. I was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during his sickness. But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but shortduration after the doctor commenced on him.

    While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability. I watched over him night and dayuntil he died, and even prepared his body for the tomb, before I left him. He died about midnightand I understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the second day after his death. I pretended to be taking on at a great rate abouthis death, but I was more excited about running away, than I was about that, and before daylightthe next morning I proved it, for I was on my way to Canada.

    I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my escape. I slipped out of the roomas if I had gone off to weep for the deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about meuntil after my master was buried and they had returned back to his residence. And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my way home; and itwould be at least four or five days before they would make any stir in looking after me. By thattime, if I had no bad luck, I should be out of much danger.

    After the first day, I laid by in the day and traveled by night for several days and nights, passing in thisway through several tribes of Indians. I kept pretty near the boundary line. I recollect getting lostone dark rainy night. Not being able to find the road I came into an Indian settlement at the dead hour of the night. I was wet, wearied, coldand hungry; and yet I felt afraid to enter any of their houses or wigwams, not knowing whetherthey would be friendly or not. But I knew the Indians were generally drunkards, and that occasionally a drunken white man was found straggling amongthem, and that such an one would be more likely to find friends from sympathy than an uprightman.

    So I passed myself off that night as a drunkard among them. I walked up to the door of one of theirhouses, and fell up against it, making a great noise like a drunken man; but no one came to thedoor. I opened it and staggered in, falling about, and making a great noise. But finally an old woman got up and gave me a blanket to lie down on.

    There was quite a number of them lying about on the dirt floor, but not one could talk or understand aword of the English language. I made signs so as to let them know that I wanted something toeat, but they had nothing, so I had to go without that night. I laid down and pretended to be asleep, but I slept none that night, for I was afraid that theywould kill me if I went to sleep. About one hour before day, the next morning, three of thefemales got up and put into a tin kettle a lot of ashes with water, to boil, and then poured into it about one quart of corn. After letting it stand a few moments, theypoured it into a trough, and pounded it into thin hominy. They washed it out, and boiled it down,and called me up to eat my breakfast of it.

    After eating, I offered them six cents, but they refused to accept it. I then found my way to the mainroad, and traveled all that day on my journey, and just at night arrived at a public house kept by anIndian, who also kept a store. I walked in and asked if I could get lodging, which was granted; but I had not been there long before three men cameriding up about dusk, or between sunset and dark. They were white men, and I supposedslaveholders. At any rate when they asked if they could have lodging, I trembled for fear they might be in pursuitof me. But the landlord told them that he could not lodge them, but they could get lodging abouttwo miles off, with a white man, and they turned their horses and started.

    The landlord asked me where I was traveling to, and where I was from. I told him that I had been outlooking at the country; that I had thought of buying land, and that I lived in the State of Ohio, inthe village of Perrysburgh. He then said that he had lived there himself, and that he had acted as an interpreter there among the Maumee tribe ofIndians for several years. He then asked who I was acquainted with there? I informed him that Iknew Judge Hollister, Francis Hollister, J. W. Smith, and others. At this he was so much pleased that he came up and took me by the hand, and received mejoyfully, after seeing that I was acquainted with those of his old friends.

    I could converse with him understandingly from personal acquaintance, for I had lived there when Ifirst ran away from Kentucky. But I felt it to be my duty to start off the next morning beforebreakfast, or sunrise. I bought a dozen of eggs, and had them boiled to carry with me to eat on the way. I did not like the looks of those three men, and thoughtI would get on as fast as possible for fear I might be pursued by them.

    I was then about to enter the territory of another slave State, Missouri. I had passed through thefiery ordeal of Sibley, Gatewood, and Garrison, and had even slipped through the fingers of Deacon Whitfield. I had doubtless gone through great peril incrossing the Indian territory, in passing through the various half civilized tribes, who seemed tolook upon me with astonishment as I passed along. Their hands were almost invariably filled with bows and arrows, tomahawks, guns, butcher knives, andall the various implements of death which are used by them. And what made them look still morefrightful, their faces were often painted red, and their heads muffled with birds feathers, bushes, coons tails and owls heads. But all this I had passed through, and mylong enslaved limbs and spirit were then in full stretch for emancipation. I felt as if one more shortstruggle would set me free.

    * This singular fact is corroborated in a letter read by the publisher, from an acquaintance whilepassing through this country in 1849.

    CHAPTER XV

    Adventure on the Prairie. — I borrow a horse without leave. — Rapid traveling one whole night. — Apology for using other men's horses. — My manner of living on the road.

    Early in the morning I left the Indian territory as I have already said,for fear I might be pursued by the three white men whom I had seen there over night; but I hadnot proceeded far before my fears were magnified a hundred fold.

    I always dreaded to pass through a prairie, and on coming to one which was about six miles inwidth, I was careful to look in every direction to see whether there was any person in sight beforeI entered it; but I could see no one. So I started across with a hope of crossing without coming in contact with any one on the prairie. I walked as fast as Icould, but when I got about midway of the prairie, I came to a high spot where the road forked,and three men came up from a low spot as if they had been there concealed. They were all on horse back, and I supposed them to be the same men that had tried toget lodging where I stopped over night. Had this been in timbered land, I might have stood somechance to have dodged them, but there I was, out in the open prairie, where I could see no possible way by which I could escape.

    They came along slowly up behind me, and finally passed, and spoke or bowed their heads on passing,but they traveled in a slow walk and kept but a very few steps before me, until we got nearlyacross the prairie. When we were coming near a plantation a piece off from the road on the skirt of the timbered land, they whipped up their horses and left theroad as if they were going across to this plantation. They soon got out of my sight by going downinto a valley which lay between us and the plantation. Not seeing them rise the hill to go up to the farm, excited greater suspicion in my mind, so Istepped over on the brow of the hill, where I could see what they were doing, and to my surprise Isaw them going right back in the direction they had just came, and they were going very fast. I was then satisfied that they were after me and that they were onlygoing back to get more help to assist them in taking me, for fear that I might kill some of them ifthey undertook it. The first impression was that I had better leave the road immediately; so I bolted from the road and ran as fast as I could for somedistance in the thick forest, and concealed myself for about fifteen or twenty minutes, which werespent in prayer to God for his protecting care and guidance.

    My impression was that when they should start in pursuit of me again, they would follow on in thedirection which I was going when they left me; and not finding or hearing of me on the road, theywould come back and hunt through the woods [unclear: ] and if they could find no track they might go and get dogs to trace me out.

    I thought my chance of escape would be better, if I went back to the same side of the road that theyfirst went, for the purpose of deceiving them; as I supposed that they would not suspect my goingin the same direction that they went, for the purpose of escaping from them.

    So I traveled all that day square off from the road through the wild forest without any knowledge ofthe country whatever; for I had nothing to travel by but the sun by day, and the moon and stars bynight. Just before night I came in sight of a large plantation, where I saw quite a number of horses running at large in a field, and knowing that my success inescaping depended upon my getting out of that settlement within twenty-four hours, to savemyself from everlasting slavery, I thought I should be justified in riding one of those horses, that night, if I could catch one. I cut a grape vine with my knife, andmade it into a bridle; and shortly after dark I went into the field and tried to catch one of thehorses. I got a bunch of dry blades of fodder and walked up softly towards the horses, calling to them "cope,""cope," "cope;" but there was only one out of the number that I wasable to get my hand on, and that was an old mare, which I supposed to be the mother of all the rest; and I knew that I could walk faster than she could travel. She had a bell on and wasvery thin in flesh; she looked gentle and walked on three legs only. The young horses pranced andgalloped off. I was not able to get near them, and the old mare being of no use to me, I left them all. Afterfixing my eyes on the north star I pursued my journey, holding on to my bridle with a hope offinding a horse upon which I might ride that night.

    I found a road leading pretty nearly in the direction which I wanted to travel, and I kept it. Aftertraveling several miles I found another large plantation where there was a prospect of finding ahorse. I stepped up to the barn-yard, wherein I found several horses. There was a little barn standing with the door open, and I found it quite an easy task toget the horses into the barn, and select out the best looking one of them. I pulled down the fence,led the noble beast out and mounted him, taking a northern direction, being able to find a road which led that way. But I had not gone over three orfour miles before I came to a large stream of water which was past fording; yet I could see that ithad been forded by the road track, but from high water it was then impassible. As the horse seemed willing to go in I put him through; but before he got infar, he was in water up to his sides and finally the water came over his back and he swam over. Igot as wet as could be, but the horse carried me safely across at the proper place. After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into a large prairie, which Ithink must have been twenty or thirty miles in width, and the road run across it about in thedirection that I wanted to go. I laid whip to the horse, and I think he must have carried me not less than forty miles that night, or before sun rise the next morning. I then stopped him in a spot of high grass in an old field, and took off thebridle. I thanked God, and thanked the horse for what he had done for me, and wished him a safejourney back home.

    I know the poor horse must have felt stiff, and tired from his speedy jaunt, and I felt very badmyself, riding at that rate all night without a saddle; but I felt as if I had too much at stake tofavor either horse flesh or man flesh. I could indeed afford to crucify my own flesh for the sake of redeeming myself from perpetual slavery.

    Some may be disposed to find fault with my taking the horse as I did; but I did nothing more than nineout of ten would do if they were placed in the same circumstances. I had no disposition to steal ahorse from any man. But I ask, if a white man had been captured by the Cherokee Indians and carried away from his family for life into slavery, and couldsee a chance to escape and get back to his family; should the Indians pursue him with adetermination to take him back or take his life, would it be a crime for the poor fugitive, whose life, liberty and future happiness were all at stake, to mount any man'shorse by the way side, and ride him without asking any questions, to effect his escape? Or whowould not do the same thing to rescue a wife, child, father, or mother? Such an act committed by a white man under the same circumstances wouldnot only be pronounced proper, but praiseworthy; and if he neglected to avail himself of such ameans of escape he would be pronounced a fool. Therefore from this act I have nothing to regret, for I have done nothing more than any other reasonable personwould have done under the same circumstances. But I had good luck from the morning I left thehorse until I got back into the State of Ohio. About two miles from where I left the horse, I found a public house on the road, where I stopped and tookbreakfast. Being asked where I was traveling, I replied that I was going home to Perrysburgh,Ohio, and that I had been out to look at the land in Missouri, with a view of buying. They supposed me to be a native of Ohio, from the fact of my being so wellacquainted with its location, its principal cities, inhabitants,

    The next night I put up at one of the best hotels in the village where I stopped, and acted with as muchindependence as if I was worth a million of dollars; talked about buying land, stock and villageproperty, and contrasting it with the same kind of property in the State of Ohio. In this kind of talk they were most generally interested, and I wastreated just like other travelers. I made it a point to travel about thirty miles each day on my wayto Jefferson city. On several occasions I have asked the landlords where I have stopped over night, if they could tell me who kept the best house where Iwould stop the next night, which was most generally in a small village. But for fear I might forget,I would get them to give me the name on a piece of paper as a kind of recommend. This would serve as an introduction through which I have always beenwell received from one landlord to another, and I have always stopped at the best houses, eaten at the first tables, and slept in the best beds. No man ever askedme whether I was bond or free, black or white, rich or poor; but I always presented a bold frontand showed the best side out, which was all the pass I had. But when I got within about one hundred miles of Jefferson city, where I expected to take aSteamboat passage to St. Louis, I stopped over night at a hotel, where I met with a young whiteman who was traveling on to Jefferson City on horse back, and was also leading a horse with a saddle and bridle on.

    I asked him if he would let me ride the horse which he was leading, as I was going to the same city?He said that it was a hired horse, that he was paying at the rate of fifty cents per day for it, but if Iwould pay the same I could ride him. I accepted the offer and we rode together to the city. We were on the road together two or three daysstopped and ate and slept together at the same hotels.

    CHAPTER XVI.

    Stratagem to get on board the steamer. — My Irish friends. — Mysuccess in reaching Cincinnati. — Reflections on again seeing Kentucky. — I getemployment in a hotel. — My fright at seeing the gambler who sold me. — I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith. — His letter. — My education.

    The greatest of my adventures came off when I arrived at JeffersonCity. There I expected to meet an advertisement for my person; it was there I must cross the riveror take a steamboat down; it was there I expected to be interrogated and required to prove whether I was actually a free man or a slave. If I was free, I should have toshow my free papers; and if I was a slave I should be required to tell who my master was.

    I stopped at a hotel, however, and ascertained that there was a steamboat expected down the riverthat day for St. Louis. I also found out that there were several passengers at that house who weregoing down on board of the first boat. I knew that the captain of a steamboat could not take a colored passenger on board of his boat from a slave state withoutfirst ascertaining whether such person was bond or free; I knew that this was more than he woulddare to do by the laws of the slave states — and now to surmount this difficulty it brought into exercise all the powers of my mind. I would have got myself boxed up as freight, and have been forwardedto St. Louis, but I had no friend that I could trust to do it for me. This plan has since beenadopted by some with success. But finally I thought I might possibly pass myself off as a body servant to the passengers going from the hotel down.

    So I went to a store and bought myself a large trunk, and took it to the hotel. Soon, a boat came inwhich was bound to St. Louis, and the passengers started down to get on board. I took up mylarge trunk, and started along after them as if I was their servant. My heart trembled in view of the dangerous experiment which I was then about to try. Itrequired all the moral courage that I was master of to bear me up in view of my critical condition.The white people that I was following walked on board and I after them. I acted as if the trunk was full of clothes, but I had not a stitch of clothes in it. Thepassengers went up into the cabin and I followed them with the trunk. I suppose this made thecaptain think that I was their slave.

    I not only took the trunk in the cabin but stood by it until after the boat had started as if it belongedto my owners, and I was taking care of it for them; but as soon as the boat got fairly under way, Iknew that some account would have to be given of me; so I then took my trunk down on the deck among the deck passengers to prepare myself tomeet the clerk of the boat, when he should come to collect fare from the deck passengers.

    Fortunately for me there was quite a number of deck passengers on board, among whom there were manyIrish. I insinuated myself among them so as to get into their good graces, believing that if I shouldget into a difficulty they would stand by me. I saw several of these persons going up to the saloon buying whiskey, and I thought this might be themost effectual way by which I could gain speedily their respect and sympathy. So I participatedwith them pretty freely for awhile, or at least until after I got my fare settled. I placed myself in a little crowd of them, and invited them all up to the barwith me, stating that it was my treat. This was responded to, and they walked up and drank and Ifooted the bill. This, of course, brought us into a kind of a union. We sat together and laughed and talked freely. Within ten or fifteen minutes I remarkedthat I was getting dry again, and invited them up and treated again. By this time I was thought tobe one of the most liberal and gentlemanly men on board, by these deck passengers; they were ready to do any thing for me — they got to singing songs,and telling long yarns in which I took quite an active part; but it was all for effect.

    By this time the porter came around ringing his bell for all passengers who had not paid their fare, towalk up to the captain's office and settle it. Some of my Irish friends had not yet settled, and Iasked one of them if he would be good enough to take my money and get me a ticket when he was getting one for himself, and he quickly replied"yes sir, I will get you a tacket," So he relieved me of my greatest trouble. When they came round to gather the tickets before we got to St. Louis, myticket was taken with the rest, and no questions were asked me.

    The next day the boat arrived at St. Louis; my object was to take passage on board of the first boatwhich was destined for Cincinnati, Ohio; and as there was a boat going out that day forPittsburgh, I went on board to make some inquiry about the fare and found the steward to be a colored man with whom I was acquainted. He lived inCincinnati, and had rendered me some assistance in making my escape to Canada, in the summerof 1838, and he also very kindly aided me then in getting back into a land of freedom. The swift running steamer started that afternoon on her voyage, which soon waftedmy body beyond the tyrannical limits of chattel slavery. When the boat struck the mouth of theriver Ohio, and I had once more the pleasure of looking on that lovely stream, my heart leaped up for joy at the glorious prospect that I should again be free.Every revolution of the mighty steam-engine seemed to bring me nearer and nearer the"promised land." Only a few days had elapsed, before I was permitted by the smiles of a good providence, once more to gaze on the green hill-tops and valleys of oldKentucky, the State of my nativity. And notwithstanding I was deeply interested while standing onthe deck of the steamer looking at the beauties of nature on either side of the river, as she pressed her way up the stream, my very soul was pained to lookupon the slaves in the fields of Kentucky, still toiling under their task-masters without pay. It was on this soil I first breathed the free air ofHeaven, and felt the bitter pangs of slavery — it was here that I first learned to abhor it. Itwas here I received the first impulse of human rights — it was here that I first entered my protest against the bloody institution ofslavery, by running away from it, and declared that I would no longer work for any man as I haddone, without wages.

    When the steamboat arrived at Portsmouth, Ohio, I took off my trunk with the intention of going toCanada. But my funds were almost exhausted, so I had to stop and go to work to get money totravel on. I hired myself at the American Hotel to a Mr. McCoy to do the work of a porter, to black boots, for which he was to pay me $12 per month. Isoon found the landlord to be bad pay, and not only that, but he would not allow me to charge forblacking boots, although I had to black them after everybody had gone to bed at night, and set them in the bar-room, where thegentlemen could come and get them in the morning while I was at other work. I had nothing extrafor this, neither would he pay me my regular wages; so I thought this was a little too much like slavery, and devised a plan by which I got some pay for mywork.

    I made it a point never to blacken all the boots and shoes over night, neither would I put any ofthem in the bar-room, but lock them up in a room where no one could get them without callingfor me. I got a piece of broken vessel, placed it in the room just before the boots, and put into it several pieces of small change, as if it had been given me for boot blacking; and almost every one that came in aftertheir boots, would throw some small trifle into my contribution box, while I was there blackingaway. In this way, I made more than my landlord paid me, and I soon got a good stock of cash again. One morning I blacked a gentleman's boots who camein during the night by a steamboat. After he had put on his boots, I was called into the bar-room to button his straps; and while I was performing this service, not thinking to see anybody that knew me, I happened to look up at theman's face and who should it be but one of the very gamblers who had recently sold me. Idropped his foot and bolted from the room as if I had been struck by an electric shock. The man happened not to recognize me, but this strange conduct on my partexcited the landlord, who followed me out to see what was the matter. He found me with myhand to my breast, groaning at a great rate. He asked me what was the matter; but I was not able to inform him correctly, but said that I felt very bad indeed. He ofcourse thought I was sick with the colic and ran in the house and got some hot stuff for me, withspice, ginger, But I never got able to go into the bar-room until long after breakfast time, when I knew this man was gone; then I got well.

    And yet I have no idea that the man would have hurt a hair of my head; but my first thought was thathe was after me. I then made up my mind to leave Portsmouth; its location being right on theborder of a slave State.

    A short time after this a gentleman put up there over night named Smith, from Perrysburgh, withwhom I was acquainted in the North. He was on his way to Kentucky to buy up a drove of finehorses, and he wanted me to go and help him to drive his horses out to Perrysburgh, and said he would pay all my expenses if I would go. So I made a contract to goand agreed to meet him the next week, on a set day, in Washington, Ky., to start with his drove tothe north. Accordingly at the time I took a steamboat passage down to Maysville, near where I was to meet Mr. Smith with my trunk. When I arrived atMaysville, I found that Washington was still six miles back from the river. I stopped at a hotel andtook my breakfast, and who should I see there but a captain of a boat, who saw me but two years previous going down the river Ohio with handcuffs on, in achain gang; but he happened not to know me. I left my trunk at the hotel and went out toWashington, where I found Mr. Smith, and learned that he was not going to start off with his drove until the next day.

    The followig letter which was addressed to the committee to investigate the truth of my narrative, willexplain this part of it to the reader and corroborate my statements: Letter Maumee City, April 5,1845. Chas. H. Stewart, Esq. DearSir: —

    Your favor of 13th February, addressed to me at Perrysburgh, was not received until yesterday; havingremoved to this place the letter was not forwarded as it should have been, In reply to your inquiry respecting Henry Bibb, I canonly say that about the year 1838 I became acquainted with him at Perrysbugh — employedhim to do some work by the job which he performed well, and from his apparent honesty and candor, I became much interested in him. About that time he went Southfor the purpose, as was said, of getting his wife, who was there in slavery. In the spring of 1841, Ifound him at Portsmouth on the Ohio river, and after much persuasion, employed him to assist my man to drive home some horses and cattle which Iwas about purchasing near Maysville, Ky. My confidence in him was such that when about halfway home I separated the horses from the cattle, and left him with the latter, with money and instructions to hire what help he wanted to get to Perrysburgh. This heaccomplished to my entire satisfaction. He worked for me during the summer, and I was unwillingto part with him, but his desire to go to school and mature plans for the liberation of his wife, were so strong that he left for Detroit, where he could enjoy thesociety of his colored brethren. I have heard his story and must say that I have not the least reasonto suspect it being otherwise than true, and furthermore, I firmly believe, and have for a long time, that he has the foundation to make himself useful. I shallalways afford him all the facilities in my power to assist him, until I hear of something in relationto him to alter my mind. Yours in the cause of truth, J. W. SMITH.

    When I arrived at Perrysburgh, I went to work for Mr. Smith for several months. This family I found tobe one of the most kind-hearted, and unprejudiced that I ever lived with. Mr. and Mrs. Smith livedup to their profession.

    I resolved to go to Detroit, that winter, and go to school, in January 1842. But when I arrived atDetroit I soon found that I was not able to give myself a very thorough education. I was amongstrangers, who were not disposed to show me any great favors. I had every thing to pay for, and clothing to buy, so I graduated within three weeks! And this wasall the schooling that I have ever had in my life.

    W. C. Monroe was my teacher; to him I went about two weeks only. My occupation varied accordingto circumstances, as I was not settled in mind about the condition of my bereaved family forseveral years, and could not settle myself down at any permanent business. I saw occasionally, fugitives from Kentucky, some of whom I knew, but none of themwere my relatives; none could give me the information which I desired most.

    CHAPTER XVII.

    Letter from W. H. Gatewood. — My reply. — My efforts as a publiclecturer. — Singular incident in Steubenville — Meeting with a friend of Whitfield inMichigan. — Outrage on a canal packet. — Fruitless efforts to find my wife.

    The first direct information that I received concerning any of myrelations, after my last escape from slavery, was communicated in a letter from Wm. H.Gatewood, my former owner, which I here insert word for word, without any correction:

    Letter
    Bedford, Trimble County,Ky.
    Mr. H. Bibb, Dear Sir: —

    After my respects to you and yours I received a small book which you sent to me that Iperoseed and found it was sent by H. Bibb I am a stranger in Detroit and know no man therewithout it is Walton H. Bibb if this be the man please to write to me and tell me all about that place and the people I will tell you the news here as well as I canyour mother is still living here and she is well the people are generally well in this cuntry times aredull and produce low give my compliments to King, Jack, and all my friends in that cuntry I read that book you sent me and think it will do verywell — George is sold, I do not know any thing about him I have nothing more at present, but remain yours c

    W. H. GATEWOOD.
    February 9th, 1844.
    P. S. You will please to answer this letter.

    Never was I more surprised than at the reception of this letter, it came so unexpected to me. There hadjust been a State Convention held in Detroit, by the free people of color, the proceedings of whichwere published in pamphlet form. I forwarded several of them to distinguished slaveholders in Kentucky — one among others was Mr. Gatewood,and gave him to understand who sent it. After showing this letter to several of my anti-slaveryfriends, and asking their opinions about the propriety of my answering it, I was advised to do it, as Mr. Gatewood had no [unclear: ] on me as a slave, for hehad sold and got the money for me and my family. So I wrote him an answer, as near as I canrecollect, in the following language:

    Letter

    "Dear Sir: —

    I am happy to inform you that you are not mistaken in the man whom you sold as pro perty, andreceived pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not property now, but am regarder as a manlike yourself, and although I live far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own industry. If you should ever chance to be traveling this way, and will call on me,I will use you better than you did me while you held me as a slave. Think not that I have anymalice against you, for the crued treatment which you inflicted on me while I was in your power. As it was the custom of your country, totreat your fellow men as you did me and my little family, I can freely forgive you.

    I wish to be remembered in love to my aged mother, and friends; please tell her that if we shouldnever meet again in this life, my prayer shall be to God that we may meet in Heaven, whereparting shall be no more.

    "You wish to be remembered to King and Jack. I am pleased, sir, to inform you that they are both here,well, and doing well. They are both living in Canada West. They are now the owners of betterfarms than the men are who once owned them.

    You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from slavery, but as to myself, I have but oneapology to make for it, which is this: I have only to regret that I did not start at an earlier period. Imight have been free long before I was. But you had it in your power to have kept me there much longer than you did. I think it is very probable that Ishould have been a toiling slave on your plantation to-day, if you had treated me differently.

    To be compelled to stand by and see you whip and slash my wife without mercy, when I could affordher no protection, not even by offering myself to suffer the lash in her place, was more than I feltit to be the duty of a slave husband to endure, while the way was open to Canada. My infant child was also frequently flogged by Mrs. Gatewood, forcrying, until its skin was bruised literally purple. This kind of treatment was what drove me from home and family, to seek a better home for them. But I am willing to forget the past. I should be pleasedto hear from you again, on the reception of this, and should also be very happy to correspond withyou often, if it should be agreeable to yourself. I subscribe myself a friend to the oppressed, and Liberty forever.

    HENRY BIBB.

    William Gatewood. Detroit, March 23d,1844.

    The first time that I ever spoke before a public audience, was to give a narration of my own sufferingsand adventures, connected with slavery. I commenced in the village of Adrian, State of Michigan,May, 1844. From that up to the present period, the principle part of my time has been faithfully devoted to the cause of freedom — nerved up andencouraged by the sympathy of anti-slavery friends on the one hand, and prompted by a sense ofduty to my enslaved countrymen on the other, especially, when I remembered that slavery had robbed me of my freedom — deprived me ofeducation — banished me from my native State, and robbed me of my family.

    I went from Michigan to the State of Ohio, where I traveled over some of the Southern counties ofthat State, in company with Samuel Brooks, and Amos Dresser, lecturing upon the subject ofAmerican Slavery. The prejudice of the people at that time was very strong against the abolitionists; so much so that they were frequently mobbed for discussing thesubject.

    We appointed a series of meetings along on the Ohio River, in sight of the State of Virginia; and inseveral places we had Virginians over to hear us upon the subject. I recollect our havingappointed a meeting in the city of Steubenville, which is situated on the bank of the river Ohio. There was but one known abolitionist living in that city, namedGeorge Ore. On the day of our meeting, when we arrived in this splendid city there was not achurch, school house, nor hall, that we could get for love or money, to hold our meeting in. Finally, I believe that the whigs consented to let us have the use oftheir club room, to hold the meeting in; but before the hour had arrived for us to commence, theyre-considered the matter, and informed us that we could not have the use of their house for an abolition meeting.

    We then got permission to hold forth in the public market house, and even then so great was thehostility of the rabble, that they tried to bluff us off, by threats and epithets. Our meeting wasadvertised to take place at nine o'clock, A. M. The pro-slavery parties hired a colored man to take a large auction bell, and go all over the city ringing it, andcrying, "ho ye! ho ye! Negro auction to take place in the market house, at nine o'clock, byGeorge Ore!" This cry was sounded all over the city, which called out many who would not otherwise have been present. They came to see if itwas really the case. The object of the rabble in having the bell rung was, to prevent us fromattempting to speak. But at the appointed hour, Bro. Dresser opened the meeting with prayer and Samuel Brooks mounted the block and spokefor fifteen or twenty minutes, after which Mr. Dresser took the block and talked about one hourupon the wickedness of slaveholding. There were not yet many persons present. They were standing off I suppose to see if I was to be offered for sale. Many windowswere hoisted and store doors open, and they were looking and listening to what was said. AfterMr. Dresser was through, I was called to take the stand. Just at this moment there was no small stir in rushing forward; so much indeed, that I thought theywere coming up to mob me. I should think that in less than fifteen minutes there were about onethousand persons standing around, listening. I saw many of them shedding tears while I related the sad story of my wrongs. At twelve o'clock we adjourned themeeting, to meet again at the same place at two P. M. Our afternoon meeting was well attendeduntil nearly sunset, at which time, we saw some signs of a mob and adjourned. The mob followed us that night to the house of Mr. Ore, and they were yelling liketigers, until late that night, around the house, as if they wanted to tear it down.

    In the fall of 1844, S. B. Treadwell, of Jackson, and myself, spent two or three months in lecturingthrough the State of Michigan, upon the abolition of slavery, in a section of country whereabolitionists were few and far between. Our meetings were generally appointed in small log cabins, school houses, among the farmers, which were some times crowded full; and where they had no horse teams, it was often the case that there would be four or five oxteams come, loaded down with men, women and children, to attend our meetings.

    But the people were generally poor, and in many places not able to give us a decent night's lodging.We most generally carried with us a few pounds of candles to light up the houses wherein we heldour meetings after night; for in many places, they had neither candles nor candlesticks. After meeting was out, we have frequently gone from three toeight miles to get lodging, through the dark forest, where there was scarcely any road for a wagonto run on.

    I have traveled for miles over swamps, where the roads were covered with logs, without any dirtover them, which has sometimes shook and jostled the wagon to pieces, where we could find noshop or any place to mend it. We would have to tie it up with bark, or take the lines to tie it with, and lead the horse by the bridle. At other times we were in mud upto the hubs of the wheels. I recollect one evening, we lectured in a little village where therehappened to be a Southerner present, who was a personal friend of Deacon Whitfield, who became much offended at what I said about his "Bro.Whitfield," and complained about it after the meeting was out.

    He told the people not to believe a word that I said, that it was all a humbug. They asked him how heknew? "Ah!" said he, "he has slandered Bro. Whitfield. I am well acquaintedwith him, we both belonged to one church; and Whitfield is one of the most respectable men in all that region of country." They asked if he (Whitfield)was a slaveholder?

    The reply was "yes, but he treated his slaves well."

    "Well," said one, "that only proves that he has told us the truth; for all we wish to know, is thatthere is such a man as Whitfield, as represented by Bibb, and that he is a slaveholder."

    On the 2d Sept., 1847, I started from Toledo on board the canal packet Erie, for Cincinnati, Ohio.But before going on board, I was waited on by one of the boat's crew, who gave me a card of theboat, upon which was printed, that no pains would be spared to render all passengers comfortable who might favor them with their patronage to Cincinnati.This card I slipped into my pocket, supposing it might be of some use to me. There were severaldrunken loafers on board going through as passengers, one of whom used the most vulgar language in the cabin, where there were ladies, and even vomited! But hewas called a white man, and a southerner, which made it all right. I of course took my place in thecabin with the rest, and there was nothing said against it that night. When the passengers went forward to settle their fare I paid as much as any other man,which entitled me to the same privileges. The next morning at the ringing of the breakfast bell, theproprietor of the packet line, Mr. Samuel Doyle, being on board, invited the passengers to sit up to breakfast. He also invited me personally to sit up tothe table. But after we were all seated, and some had began to eat, he came and ordered me up from the table,and said I must wait until the rest were done.

    I left the table without making any reply, and walked out on the deck of the boat. After breakfastthe passengers came up, and the cabin boy was sent after me to come to breakfast, but I refused.Shortly after, this man who had ordered me from the table, came up with the ladies. I stepped up and asked him if he was the captain of the boat. His answerwas no, that he was one of the proprietors. I then informed him that I was going to leave his boatat the first stopping place, but before leaving I wanted to ask him a few questions: "Have I misbehaved to any one on board of this boat? Have Idisobeyed any law of this boat?

    "No," said he.

    Have I not paid you as much as any other passenger through to Cincinnati?"

    "Yes," said he.

    "Then I am sure that I have been insulted and imposed upon, on board of this boat, without any justcause whatever."

    "No one has misused you, for you ought to have known better than to have come to the table wherethere were white people."

    "Sir, did you not ask me to come to the table?"

    "Yes, but I did not know that you was a colored man, when I asked you; and then it was better to insultone man than all the passengers on board of the boat."

    Sir, I do not believe that there is a gentleman or lady on board of this boat who would have considered it an insult for me to have taken my breakfast,and you have imposed upon me by taking my money and promising to use me well, and then toinsult me as you have."

    "I don't want any of your jaw," said he.

    "Sir, with all due respect to your elevated station, you have imposed upon me in a way which isunbecoming a gentleman. I have paid my money, and behaved myself as well as any other man,and I am determined that no man shall impose on me as you have, by deceiving me, without my letting the world know it. I would rather a man should rob me of mymoney at midnight, than to take it in that way."

    I left this boat at the first stopping place, and took the next boat to Cincinnati. On the last boat Ihad no cause to complain of my treatment. When I arrived at Cincinnati, I published a statementof this affair in the Daily Herald.

    The next day Mr. Doyle called on the editor in a great passion. — "Here," said he,"what does this mean."

    "What, sir?" said the editor quietly.

    "Why, the stuff here, read it and see."

    "Read it yourself," answered the editor.

    "Well, I want to know if you sympathize with this nigger here."

    "Who, Mr. Bibb? Why yes, I think he is a gentleman, and should be used as such."

    "Why this is all wrong — all of it."

    "Put your finger on the place, and I will right it."

    "Well, he says that we took his money, when we paid part back. And if you take his part, why I'll have nothing to do with your paper."

    So ended his wrath.

    In 1845, the anti-slavery friends of Michigan employed me to take the field as an anti-slaveryLecturer, in that State, during the Spring, Summer, and Fall, pledging themselves to restore to memy wife and child, if they were living, and could be reached by human agency, which may be seen by the following circular from the Signal ofLiberty:

    TO LIBERTY FRIENDS: — In the Signal of the 28th inst. is a reportfrom the undersigned respecting Henry Bibb. His narrative always excites deep sympathy forhimself and favorable bias for the cause, which seeks to abolish the evils he so powerfully portrays. Friends and foes attest his efficiency.

    Mr. Bibb has labored much in lecturing,yet has collected but a bare pittance. He has received from Ohio lucrative offers, but we haveprevailed on him to remain in this State.

    We think that a strong obligation rests on the friends in this State to sustain Mr. Bibb, and restore to him hiswife and child. Under the expectation that Michigan will yield to these claims: will support theirlaborer, and re-unite the long severed ties of husband and wife, parent and child, Mr. Bibb will lecture through the whole State.

    Our object is toprepare friends for the visit of Mr. Bibb, and to suggest an effective mode of operations for thewhole State.

    Let friends in each vicinity appoint a collector — pay to him all contributions for the freedom ofMrs. Bibb and child: then transmit them to us. We will acknowledge them in the Signal, and beresponsible for them. We will see that the proper measures for the freedom of Mrs. Bibb and child are taken, and if it be within our means we will accomplishit — nay we will accomplish it, if the objects be living and the friends sustain us. But shouldwe fail, the contributions will be held subject to the order of the donors, less however, by a proportionate deduction of expenses fromeach.

    The hope of this re-union will nerve the heart and body of Mr. Bibb to re-doubledeffort in a cause otherwise dear to him. And as he will devote his whole time systematically to the anti-slavery cause he must also depend on friends for the means oflivelihood. We bespeak for him your hospitality, and such pecuniary contributions as you canafford, trusting that the latter may be sufficient to enable him to keep the field. A. L. PORTER, C. H. STEWART, SILAS M.HOLMES

    Detroit, April 22, 1845.

    I have every reason to believe that they acted faithfully in the matter, but without success. Theywrote letters in every quarter where they would be likely to gain any information respecting her.There were also two men sent from Michigan in the summer of 1845, down South, to find her if possible, and report — and whether they found out her condition, and refused to report, I am not able to say — butsuffice it to say that they never have reported. They were respectable men and true friends of thecause, one of whom was a Methodist minister, and the other a cabinet maker, and both white men.

    The small spark of hope which had still lingered about my heart had almost become extinct.

    CHAPTER XVIII.

    My last effort to recover my family. — Sad tidings of my wife. — Her degradation. — I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolvedforever.

    In view of the failure to hear any thing of my wife, many of my best friends advised me to getmarried again, if I could find a suitable person. They regarded my former wife as dead to me, andall had been done that could be.

    But I was not yet satisfied myself, to give up. I wanted to know certainly what had become of her. Soin the winter of 1845, I resolved to go back to Kentucky, my native State, to see if I could hearanything from my family. And against the advice of all my friends, I went back to Cincinnati, where I took passage on board of a Southern steamboat toMadison, in the State of Indiana, which was only ten miles from where Wm. Gatewood lived, whowas my former owner. No sooner had I landed in Madison, than I learned, on inquiry, and from good authority, that my wife was living in a state of adultery withher master, and had been for the last three years. This message she sent back to Kentucky, to hermother and friends. She also spoke of the time and nanner of our separation by Deacon Whitfield, my being taken off by the Southern black legs, to where she knew not; and that she had finally given me up. The child she said was still with her.Whitfield had sold her to this man for the above purposes at a high price, and she was better usedthan ordinary slaves. This was a death blow to all my hopes and pleasant plans. While I was in Madison I hired a white man to go over to Bedford,in Kentucky, where my mother was then living, and bring her over into a free State to see me. Ihailed her approach with unspeakable joy. She informed me too, on inquiring whether my family had ever been heard from, that the report which I had just heard inrelation to Malinda was substantially true, for it was the same message that she had sent to hermother and friends. And my mother thought it was no use for me to run any more risks, or to grieve myself any more about her.

    From that time I gave her up into the hands of an all-wise Providence. As she was then living withanother man, I could no longer regard her as my wife. After all the sacrifices, sufferings, and riskswhich I had run, striving to rescue her from the grasp of slavery; every prospect and hope was cut off. She has ever since been regarded as theoreticallyand practically dead to me as a wife, for she was living in a state of adultery, according to the lawof God and man.

    Poor unfortunate woman, I bring no charge of guilt against her, for I know not all the circumstancesconnected with the case. It is consistent with slavery; however, to suppose that she becamereconciled to it, from the fact of her sending word back to her friends and relatives that she was much better treated than she had ever been before, andthat she had also given me up. It is also reasonable to suppose that there might have been somekind of attachment formed by living together in this way for years; and it is quite probable that they have other children according to the law of nature, whichwould have a tendency to unite them stronger together.

    In view of all the facts and circumstances connected with this matter, I deem further comments andexplanations unnecessary on my part. Finding myself thus isolated in this peculiarly unnaturalstate, I resolved, in 1846, to spend my days in traveling, to advance the anti-slavery cause. I spent the summer in Michigan, but in the subsequent fall Itook a trip to New England, where I spent the winter. And there I found a kind receptionwhereever I traveled among the friends of freedom.

    While traveling about in this way among strangers, I was sometimes sick, with no permanent home, orbosom friend to sympathise or take that care of me which an affectionate wife would. So Iconceived the idea that it would be better for me to change my position, provided I should find a suitable person.

    In the month of May, 1847, I attended the anti-slavery anniversaryin the city of New York, where I had the good fortune to be introduced to the favor of a MissMary E. Miles, of Boston; a lady whom I had frequently heard very highly spoken of, for her activity and devotion to the anti-slavery cause, as well as her talents and learning, and benevolence in the cause of reforms, generally. I was very muchimpressed with the personal appearance of Miss Miles, and was deeply interested in our firstinterview, because I found that her principles and my own were nearly one and the same. I soon found by a few visits, as well as by letters, that she possessedmoral principle, and frankness of disposition, which is often sought for but seldom found. These,in connection with other amiable qualities, soon won my entire confidence and affection. But this secret I kept to myself until I was fully satisfied that this feelingwas reciprocal; that there was indeed a congeniality of principles and feeling, which time noreternity could never change.

    When I offered myself for matrimony, we mutually engaged ourselves to each other, to marry in oneyear, with this condition, viz: that if either party should see any reason to change their mind withinthat time, the contract should not be considered binding. We kept up a regular correspondence during the time, and in June, 1848, we had the happiness tobe joined in holy wedlock. Not in slaveholding style, which is a mere farce, without the sanctionof law or gospel; but in accordance with the laws of God and our country. My beloved wife is a bosom friend, a help-meet, a loving companion in all thesocial, moral, and religious relations of life. She is to me what a poor slave's wife can never be toher husband while in the condition of a slave; for she can not be true to her husband contrary to the will of her master. She can neither be pure nor virtuous, contrary to the will of her master. She dare not refuse to be reduced to a state of adultery at thewill of her master; from the fact that the slaveholding law, customs and teachings are all againstthe poor slaves.

    I presume there are no class of people in the United States who so highly appreciate the legality ofmarriage as those persons who have been held and treated as property. Yes, it is that fugitive whoknows from sad experience, what it is to have his wife tyrannically snatched from his bosom by a slaveholding professor of religion, and finally reducedto a state of adultery, that knows how to appreciate the law that repels such high-handed villany.Such as that to which the writer has been exposed. But thanks be to God, I am now free from the hand of the cruel oppressor, no more to be plundered of mydearest rights; the wife of my bosom, and my poor unoffending offspring. Of Malinda I will onlyadd a word in conclusion. The relation once subsisting between us, to which I clung, hoping against hope, for years, after we were torn assunder, not having beensanctioned by any loyal power, cannot be cancelled by a legal process. Voluntarily assumedwithout law mutually, it was by her relinquished years ago without my knowledge, as before named; during which time I was making every effort to secure herrestoration. And it was not until after living alone in the world for more than eight years without acompanion known in law or morals, that I changed my condition.

    CHAPTER XIX.

    Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing. — Their conduct vindicated. — Comments on W. Gatewood's letter.

    But it seems that I am not now beyond the reach of the foul slander of slaveholders. They are not satisfied with selling and banishing me from my native State. As soonas they got news of my being in the free North, exposing their peculiar Institution, a libelous letter was written by Silas Gatewood of Kentucky, a son of one ofmy former owners, to a Northern Committee, for publication, which he thought would destroy myinfluence and character. This letter will be found in the introduction.

    He has charged me with the awful crime of taking from my keeper and oppressor, some of the fruitsof my own labor for the benefit of myself and family.

    But while writing this letter he seems to have overlooked the disgraceful fact that he was guiltyhimself of what would here be regarded highway robbery, in his conduct to me as narrated onpage 87 of this narrative.

    A word in reply to Silas Gatewood's letter. I am willing to admit all that is true, but shall deny thatwhich is so basely false. In the first place, he puts words in my mouth that I never used. He says that I represented that "my mother belongedto James Bibb." I deny ever having said so in private or public. He says that I stated thatBibb's daughter married a Sibley. I deny it. He also says that the first time that I left Kentucky for my liberty, I was gone about two years, before I wentback to rescue my family. I deny it. I was gone from Dec. 25th, 1837, to May, or June, 1838. Hesays that I went back the second time for the purpose of taking off my family, and eight or ten more slaves to Canada. This I will not pretend to deny. He says Iwas guilty of disposing of articles from the farm for my own use, and pocketing the money, andthat his father caught me stealing a sack full of wheat. I admit the fact. I acknowledge the wheat.

    And who had a better right to eat of the fruits of my own hard earnings than myself? Many a longsummer's day have I toiled with my wife and other slaves, cultivating his father's fields, andgathering in his harvest, under the scorching rays of the sun, without half enough to eat, or clothes to wear, and at the same time his meat-house was filledwith bacon and bread stuff; his dairy with butter and cheese; his barn with grain, husbanded by theunrequited toil of the slaves. And yet if a slave presumed to take a little from the abundance which he had made by his own sweat and toil, to supply thedemands of nature, to quiet the craving appetite which is sometimes almost irresistible, it is calledstealing by slaveholders.

    But I did not regard it as stealing then, I do not regard it as such now. I hold that a slave has a moralright to eat drink and wear all that he needs, and that it would be a sin on his part to suffer andstarve in a country where there is a plenty to eat and wear within his reach. I consider that I had a just right to what I took, because it was thelabor of my own hands. Should I take from a neighbor as a freeman, in a free country, I shouldconsider myself guilty of doing wrong before God and man. But was I the slave of Wm. Gatewood to-day, or any other slaveholder, working without wages, andsuffering with hunger or for clothing, I should not stop to inquire whether my master wouldapprove of my helping myself to what I needed to eat or wear. For while the slave is regarded as property, how can he steal from his master? It is contrary to the verynature of the relation existing between master and slave, from the fact that there is no law topunish a slave for theft, but lynch law; and the way they avoid that is to hide well. For illustration, a slave from the State of Virginia, for cruel treatmentleft the State between daylight and dark, being borne off by one of his master's finest horses, andfinally landed in Canada, where the British laws recognise no such thing as property in a human being. He was pursued by his owners, who expected to takeadvantage of the British law by claiming him as a fugitive from justice, and as such he wasarrested and brought before the court of Queen's Bench. They swore that he was, at a certain time, the slave of Mr. A., and that he ran away at such a time and stole and brought off a horse. They enquired who the horse belonged to and itwas ascertained that the slave and horse both belonged to the same person. The court thereforedecided that the horse and the man were both recognised, in the State of Virginia, alike, as articles of property, belonging to the sameperson — therefore, if there was theft committed on either side, the former must have stolenoff the latter — the horse brought away the man, and not the man the horse. So the man was discharged and pronounced free according to the laws of Canada. There areseveral other letters published in this work upon the same subject, from slaveholders, which it ishardly necessary for me to notice. However, I feel thankful to the writers for the endorsement and confirmation which they have given to my story. No matter whattheir motives were, they have done me and the anti-slavery cause good service in writing thoseletters — but more especially the Gatewood's. Silas Gatewood has done more for me than all the rest. He has labored so hard in his long communication in tryingto expose me, that he has proved every thing that I could have asked of him; and for which Iintend to reward him by forwarding him one of my books, hoping that it may be the means of converting him from a slaveholder to an honest man, and an advocateof liberty for all mankind.

    The reader will see in the introduction that Wm. Gatewood writes a more cautious letter upon thesubject than his son Silas. "It is not a very easy matter to catch old birds withchaff," and I presume if Silas had the writing of his letter over again, he would not be so free in telling all he knew, andeven more, for the sake of making out a strong case. The object of his writing such a letter willdoubtless be understood by the reader. It was to destroy public confidence in the victims of slavery, that the system might not be exposed — it was togag a poor fugitive who had undertaken to plead his own cause and that of his enslaved brethren.It was a feeble attempt to suppress the voice of universal freedom which is now thundering on every gale. But thank God it is too late in the day.

    Go stop the mighty thunder's roar,
    Go hush the ocean's sound,
    Or upward like the eagle soar
    To skies' remotest bound.
    And when thou hast the thunder stopped,
    And hushed the ocean's waves,
    Then, freedom's spirit bind in chains,
    And ever hold us slaves.
    And when the eagle's boldest feat,
    Thou canst perform with skill,
    Then, think to stop proud freedom's march
    And hold the bondman still.
    

    CHAPTER XX.

    Review of my narrative. — Licentiousness a prop of slavery. — A case of mild slavery given. — Its revolting features. — Times [unclear: ] mypurchase and sale by professed Christians. — Concluding remarks.

    I now conclude my narrative, by reviewing briefly what I have written. This little work has beenwritten without any personal aid or a knowledge of the English grammer, which must in part bemy apology for many of its imperfections.

    I find in several places, where I have spoken out the deep feelings of my soul, in trying to describethe horrid treatment which I have so often received at the hands of slaveholding professors ofreligion, that I might possibly make a wrong impression on the minds of some northern freemen, who are unacquainted theoretically or practically with thecustoms and treatment of American slaveholders to their slaves. I hope that it may not besupposed by any, that I have exaggerated in the least, for the purpose of making out the system of slavery worse than it really is, for, to exaggerate upon the cruelties ofthis system, would be almost impossible; and to write herein the most horrid features of it wouldnot be in good taste for my book.

    I have long thought from what has fallen under my own observation while a slave, that the strongest reason why southerners stick with such tenacityto their "peculiar instiution," is because licentious white men could not carry outtheir wicked purposes among the defenceless colored population as they now do, without being exposed and punished by law, if slavery was abolished. Femalevirtue could not be trampled under foot with impunity, and marriage among the people of colorkept in utter obscurity.

    On the other hand, lest it should be said by slaveholders and their apologists, that I have not donethem the justice to give a sketch of the best side of slavery, if there can be any best side to it,therefore in conclusion, they may have the benefit of the following case, that fell under the observation of the writer. And I challenge America to showa milder state of slavery than this. I once knew a Methodist in the state of Ky., by the name ofYoung, who was the owner of a large number of slaves, many of whom belonged to the same church with their master. They worshipped together in the samechurch.

    Mr. Young never was known to flog one of his slaves or sell one. He fed and clothed them well, andnever over-worked them. He allowed each family a small house to themselves with a little gardenspot, whereon to raise their own vegetables; and a part of the day on Saturdays was allowed them to cultivate it.

    In process of time he became deeply involved in debt by endorsing notes, and his property was all advertised to be sold by the sheriff at public auction. It consisted in slaves, many of whom were his brothersand sisters in the church.

    On the day of sale there were slave traders and speculators on the ground to buy. The slaves wereoffered on the auction block one after another until they were all sold before their old master'sface. The first man offered on the block was an old gray-headed slave by the name of Richard. His wife followed him up to the block, and when they had bid himup to seventy or eighty dollars one of the bidders asked Mr. Young what he could do, as helooked very old and infirm? Mr. Young replied by saying, "he is not able to accomplish much manual labor, from his extreme age and hard labor in early life.Yet I would rather have him than many of those who are young and vigorous; who are able toperform twice as much labor — because I know him to be faithful and trustworthy, a Christian in good standing in my church. I can trust him anywhere withconfidence. He has toiled many long years on my plantation and I have always found himfaithful.

    This giving him a good Christian character caused them to run him up to near two hundred dollars. Hispoor old companion stood by weeping and pleading that they might not be separated. But themarriage relation was soon dissolved by the sale, and they were separated never to meet again.

    Another man was called up whose wife followed him with her infant in her arms, beseeching to be soldwith her husband, which proved to be all in vain. After the men were all sold they then the women and children. They orderedthe first woman to lay down her child and mount the auction block; she refused to give up herlittle one and clung to it as long as she could, while the cruel lash was applied to her back for disobedience. She pleaded for mercy in the name of God. But thechild was torn from the arms of its mother amid the most heart rending-shrieks from the motherand child on the one hand, and bitter oaths and cruel lashes from the tyrants on the other. Finally the poor little child was torn from the mother while she wassacrificed to the highest bidder. In this way the sale was carried on from begining to end.

    There was each speculator with his hand-cuffs to bind his victims after the sale; and while they weredoing their writings, the Christian portion of the slaves asked permission to kneel in prayer on theground before they separated, which was granted. And while bathing each other with tears of sorrow on the verge of their final separation, their eloquentappeals in prayer to the Most High seemed to cause an unpleasant sensation upon the ears of theirtyrants, who ordered them to rise and make ready their limbs for the caffles. And as they happened not to bound at the first sound, they were soon raisedfrom their knees by the sound of the lash, and the rattle of the chains, in which they were soontaken off by their respective masters, — husbands from wives, and children from parents, never expecting to meet until the judgement of the great day. Then Christ shall say to the slaveholding professors of religion, "Inasmuch as ye did it untoone of the least of these little ones, my brethren, ye did it unto me."

    Having thus tried to show the best side of slavery that I can conceive of, the reader can exercise his ownjudgment in deciding whether a man can be a Bible Christian, and yet hold his Christian brethrenas property, so that they may be sold at any time in market, as sheep or oxen, to pay his debts.

    During my life in slavery I have been sold by professors of religion several times. In 1836"Bro." Albert G. Sibley, of Bedford, Kentucky, sold me for $850 to"Bro." John Sibley; and in the same year he sold me to "Bro." Wm. Gatewood of Bedford, for $850. In 1839 "Bro." Gatewood sold me toMadison Garrison, a slave trader, of Louisville, Kentucky, with my wife and child — at adepreciated price because I was a runaway. In the same year he sold me with my family to "Bro." Whitfield, in the city of New Orleans, for $1200. In 1841"Bro." Whitfield sold me from my family to Thomas Wilson and Co., blacklegs. Inthe same year they sold me to a "Bro." in the Indian Territory. I think he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. F. E. Whitfield was a deacon in regularstanding in the Baptist Church. A. Sibley was a Methodist exhorter of the M. E. Church in goodstanding. J. Sibley was a class-leader in the same church; and Wm. Gatewood was also an acceptable member of the same church.

    Is this Christianity? Is it honest or right? Is it doing as we would be done by? Is it in accordance with the principles of humanity or justice?

    I believe slaveholding to be a sin against God and man under all circumstances. I have no sympathywith the person or persons who tolerate and support the system willingly and knowingly, morally,religiously or politically.

    Prayerfully and earnestly relying on the power of truth, and the aid of the divine providence, I trust that thislittle volume will bear some humble part in lighting up the path of freedom and revolutionizingpublic opinion upon this great subject. And I here pledge myself, God being my helper, ever to contend for the natural equality of the humanfamily, without regard to color, which is but fading matter, while mind makes the man. New York City, May 1, 1849.
    HENRY BIBB.