the narrative of the life-第14章

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he　could　reach　me；　I　succeeded　in　getting　to　the

cornfield；　and　as　the　corn　was　very　high；　it　afforded

me　the　means　of　hiding。　　He　seemed　very　angry；　and

searched　for　me　a　long　time。　　My　behavior　was　al…

together　unaccountable。　　He　finally　gave　up　the

chase；　thinking；　I　suppose；　that　I　must　come　home

for　something　to　eat；　he　would　give　himself　no　fur…

ther　trouble　in　looking　for　me。　　I　spent　that　day

mostly　in　the　woods；　having　the　alternative　before

me；to　go　home　and　be　whipped　to　death；　or　stay

in　the　woods　and　be　starved　to　death。　　That　night；

I　fell　in　with　Sandy　Jenkins；　a　slave　with　whom

I　was　somewhat　acquainted。　　Sandy　had　a　free　wife

who　lived　about　four　miles　from　Mr。　Covey's；　and

it　being　Saturday；　he　was　on　his　way　to　see　her。　　I

told　him　my　circumstances；　and　he　very　kindly　in…

vited　me　to　go　home　with　him。　　I　went　home　with

him；　and　talked　this　whole　matter　over；　and　got　his

advice　as　to　what　course　it　was　best　for　me　to　pursue。

I　found　Sandy　an　old　adviser。　　He　told　me；　with

great　solemnity；　I　must　go　back　to　Covey；　but　that

before　I　went；　I　must　go　with　him　into　another

part　of　the　woods；　where　there　was　a　certain　~root；~

which；　if　I　would　take　some　of　it　with　me；　carrying

it　~always　on　my　right　side；~　would　render　it　impos…

sible　for　Mr。　Covey；　or　any　other　white　man；　to

whip　me。　　He　said　he　had　carried　it　for　years；　and

since　he　had　done　so；　he　had　never　received　a　blow；

and　never　expected　to　while　he　carried　it。　　I　at　first

rejected　the　idea；　that　the　simple　carrying　of　a　root

in　my　pocket　would　have　any　such　effect　as　he　had

said；　and　was　not　disposed　to　take　it；　but　Sandy

impressed　the　necessity　with　much　earnestness；　tell…

ing　me　it　could　do　no　harm；　if　it　did　no　good。　　To

please　him；　I　at　length　took　the　root；　and；　ac…

cording　to　his　direction；　carried　it　upon　my　right

side。　　This　was　Sunday　morning。　　I　immediately

started　for　home；　and　upon　entering　the　yard　gate；

out　came　Mr。　Covey　on　his　way　to　meeting。　　He

spoke　to　me　very　kindly；　bade　me　drive　the　pigs

from　a　lot　near　by；　and　passed　on　towards　the

church。　　Now；　this　singular　conduct　of　Mr。　Covey

really　made　me　begin　to　think　that　there　was　some…

thing　in　the　ROOT　which　Sandy　had　given　me；　and

had　it　been　on　any　other　day　than　Sunday；　I　could

have　attributed　the　conduct　to　no　other　cause　than

the　influence　of　that　root；　and　as　it　was；　I　was　half

inclined　to　think　the　~root~　to　be　something　more

than　I　at　first　had　taken　it　to　be。　　All　went　well　till

Monday　morning。　　On　this　morning；　the　virtue　of

the　ROOT　was　fully　tested。　　Long　before　daylight；　I

was　called　to　go　and　rub；　curry；　and　feed；　the　horses。

I　obeyed；　and　was　glad　to　obey。　　But　whilst　thus

engaged；　whilst　in　the　act　of　throwing　down　some

blades　from　the　loft；　Mr。　Covey　entered　the　stable

with　a　long　rope；　and　just　as　I　was　half　out　of　the

loft；　he　caught　hold　of　my　legs；　and　was　about　tying

me。　　As　soon　as　I　found　what　he　was　up　to；　I　gave

a　sudden　spring；　and　as　I　did　so；　he　holding　to　my

legs；　I　was　brought　sprawling　on　the　stable　floor。

Mr。　Covey　seemed　now　to　think　he　had　me；　and

could　do　what　he　pleased；　but　at　this　moment

from　whence　came　the　spirit　I　don't　knowI　re…

solved　to　fight；　and；　suiting　my　action　to　the　reso…

lution；　I　seized　Covey　hard　by　the　throat；　and　as　I

did　so；　I　rose。　　He　held　on　to　me；　and　I　to　him。　　My

resistance　was　so　entirely　unexpected　that　Covey

seemed　taken　all　aback。　　He　trembled　like　a　leaf。

This　gave　me　assurance；　and　I　held　him　uneasy；

causing　the　blood　to　run　where　I　touched　him　with

the　ends　of　my　fingers。　　Mr。　Covey　soon　called　out

to　Hughes　for　help。　　Hughes　came；　and；　while　Covey

held　me；　attempted　to　tie　my　right　hand。　　While　he

was　in　the　act　of　doing　so；　I　watched　my　chance；

and　gave　him　a　heavy　kick　close　under　the　ribs。

This　kick　fairly　sickened　Hughes；　so　that　he　left

me　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Covey。　　This　kick　had　the

effect　of　not　only　weakening　Hughes；　but　Covey　also。

When　he　saw　Hughes　bending　over　with　pain；　his

courage　quailed。　　He　asked　me　if　I　meant　to　persist

in　my　resistance。　　I　told　him　I　did；　come　what

might；　that　he　had　used　me　like　a　brute　for　six

months；　and　that　I　was　determined　to　be　used　so

no　longer。　　With　that；　he　strove　to　drag　me　to　a

stick　that　was　lying　just　out　of　the　stable　door。　　He

meant　to　knock　me　down。　　But　just　as　he　was　leaning

over　to　get　the　stick；　I　seized　him　with　both　hands

by　his　collar；　and　brought　him　by　a　sudden　snatch

to　the　ground。　　By　this　time；　Bill　came。　　Covey　called

upon　him　for　assistance。　　Bill　wanted　to　know　what

he　could　do。　　Covey　said；　〃Take　hold　of　him；　take

hold　of　him！〃　　Bill　said　his　master　hired　him　out　to

work；　and　not　to　help　to　whip　me；　so　he　left　Covey

and　myself　to　fight　our　own　battle　out。　　We　were

at　it　for　nearly　two　hours。　　Covey　at　length　let　me

go；　puffing　and　blowing　at　a　great　rate；　saying　that

if　I　had　not　resisted；　he　would　not　have　whipped

me　half　so　much。　　The　truth　was；　that　he　had　not

whipped　me　at　all。　　I　considered　him　as　getting　en…

tirely　the　worst　end　of　the　bargain；　for　he　had　drawn

no　blood　from　me；　but　I　had　from　him。　　The　whole

six　months　afterwards；　that　I　spent　with　Mr。　Covey；

he　never　laid　the　weight　of　his　finger　upon　me　in

anger。　　He　would　occasionally　say；　he　didn't　want

to　get　hold　of　me　again。　　〃No；〃　thought　I；　〃you

need　not；　for　you　will　come　off　worse　than　you　did

before。〃

　

　　This　battle　with　Mr。　Covey　was　the　turning…

point　in　my　career　as　a　slave。　　It　rekindled　the　few

expiring　embers　of　freedom；　and　revived　within　me

a　sense　of　my　own　manhood。　　It　recalled　the　de…

parted　self…confidence；　and　inspired　me　again　with

a　determination　to　be　free。　　The　gratification　af…

forded　by　the　triumph　was　a　full　compensation　for

whatever　else　might　follow；　even　death　itself。　　He

only　can　understand　the　deep　satisfaction　which　I

experienced；　who　has　himself　repelled　by　force　the

bloody　arm　of　slavery。　　I　felt　as　I　never　felt　before。

It　was　a　glorious　resurrection；　from　the　tomb　of

slavery；　to　the　heaven　of　freedom。　　My　long…crushed

spirit　rose；　cowardice　departed；　bold　defiance　took

its　place；　and　I　now　resolved　that；　however　long　I

might　remain　a　slave　in　form；　the　day　had　passed

forever　when　I　could　be　a　slave　in　fact。　　I　did　not

hesitate　to　let　it　be　known　of　me；　that　the　white

man　who　expected　to　succeed　in　whipping；　must

also　succeed　in　killing　me。

　

　　From　this　time　I　was　never　again　what　might　be

called　fairly　whipped；　though　I　remained　a　slave

four　years　afterwards。　　I　had　several　fights；　but　was

never　whipped。

　

　　It　was　for　a　long　time　a　matter　of　surprise　to　me

why　Mr。　Covey　did　not　immediately　have　me　taken

by　the　constable　to　the　whipping…post；　and　there

regularly　whipped　for　the　crime　of　raising　my　hand

against　a　white　man　in　defence　of　myself。　　And　the

only　explanation　I　can　now　think　of　does　not　entirely

satisfy　me；　but　such　as　it　is；　I　will　give　it。　　Mr。　Covey

enjoyed　the　most　unbounded　reputation　for　being

a　first…rate　overseer　and　negro…breaker。　　It　was　of　con…

siderable　importance　to　him。　　That　reputation　was　at

stake；　and　had　he　sent　mea　boy　about　sixteen　years

oldto　the　public　whipping…post；　his　reputation

would　have　been　lost；　so；　to　save　his　reputation；　he

suffered　me　to　go　unpunished。

　

　　My　term　of　actual　service　to　Mr。　Edward　Covey

ended　on　Christmas　day；　1833。　　The　days　between

Christmas　and　New　Year's　day　are　allowed　as　holi…

days；　and；　accordingly；　we　were　not　required　to　per…

form　any　labor；　more　than　to　feed　and　take　care　of

the　stock。　　This　time　we　regarded　as　our　own；　by　the

grace　of　our　masters；　and　we　therefore　used　or

abused　it　nearly　as　we　pleased。　　Those　of　us　who　had

families　at　a　distance；　were　generally　allowed　to

spend　the　whole　six　days　in　their　society。　　This　time；

however；　was　spent　in　various　ways。　　The　staid；　sober；

thinking　and　industrious　ones　of　our　number　would

employ　themselves　in　making　corn…brooms；　mats；

horse…collars；　and　baskets；　and　another　class　of　us

would　spend　the　time　in　hunting　opossums；　hares；

and　coons。　　But　by　far　the　larger　part　engaged　in

such　sports　and　merriments　as　playing　ball；　wres…

tling；　running　foot…races；　fiddling；　dancing；　and

drinking　whisky；　and　this　latter　mode　of　spending

the　time　was　by　far　the　most　agreeable　to　the　feel…

ings　of　our　masters。　　A　slave　who　would　work　during

the　holidays　was　considered　by　our　masters　as

scarcely　deserving　them。　　He　was　regarded　as　one

who　rejected　the　favor　of　his　master。　　It　was　deemed

a　disgrace　not　to　get　drunk　at　Christmas；　and　he

was　regarded　as　lazy　indeed；　who　had　not　provided

himself　with　the　necessary　means；　during　the　year；

to　get　whisky　enough　to　last　him　through　Christmas。

　

　　From　what　I　know　of　the　effect　of　these　holidays

upon　the　slave；　I　believe　them　to　be　among　the

most　effective　means　in　the　hands　of　the　slaveholder

in　keeping　down　the　spirit　of　insurrection。　　Were

the　slaveholders　at　once　to　abandon　this　practice；

I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　it　would　lead　to　an

immediate　insurrection　among　the　slaves。　　These

holidays　serve　as　conductors；　or　safety…valves；　to　carry

off　the　rebellious　spirit　of　enslaved　humanity。　　But

for　these；　the　slave　would　be　forced　up　to　the　wild…

est　desperation；　and　woe　betide　the　slaveholder；　the

day　he　ventures　to　remove　or　hinder　the　operation

of　those　conductors！　　I　warn　him　that；　in　such　an

event；　a　spirit　will　go　forth　in　their　midst；　more　to

be　dreaded　than　the　most　appalling　earthquake。

　

　　The　holidays　are　part　and　parcel　of　the　gross

fraud；　wrong；　and　inhumanity　of　slavery。　　They　are

professedly　a　custom　established　by　the　benevolence

of　the　slaveholders；　but　I　undertake　to　say；　it　is　the

result　of　selfishness；　and　one　of　the　grossest　frauds

committed　upon　the　down…trodden　slave。　　They　do

not　give　the　slaves　this　time　because　they　would

not　like　to　have　their　work　during　its　continuance；

but　because　they　know　it　would　be　unsafe　to　deprive

them　of　it。　　This　will　be　seen　by　the　fact；　that　the

slaveholders　like　to　have　their　slaves　spend　those

days　just　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　them　as　glad

of　their　ending　as　of　their　beginning。　　Their　object

seems　to　be；　to　disgust　their　slaves　with　freedom；

by　plunging　them　into　the　lowest　depths　of　dissipa…

tion。　　For　instance；　the　slaveholders　not　only　like　to

see　the　slave　drink　of　his　own　accord；　but　will　adopt

various　plans　to　make　him　drunk。　　One　plan　is；　to

make　bets　on　their　slaves；　as　to　who　can　drink　the

most　whisky　without　getting　drunk；　and　in　this　way

they　succeed　in　getting　whole　multitudes　to　drink

to　excess。　　Thus；　when　the　slave　asks　for　virtuous

freedom；　the　cunning　slaveholder；　knowing　his　ig…

norance；　cheats　him　with　a　dose　of　vicious　dissi…

pation；　artfully　labelled　with　the　name　of　liberty。

The　most　of　us　used　t