the narrative of the life-第17章

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what　the　matter　was。　　In　a　few　moments；　in　rode

Mr。　Hamilton；　with　a　speed　betokening　great　excite…

ment。　　He　came　to　the　door；　and　inquired　if　Master

William　was　in。　　He　was　told　he　was　at　the　barn。　　Mr。

Hamilton；　without　dismounting；　rode　up　to　the　barn

with　extraordinary　speed。　　In　a　few　moments；　he　and

Mr。　Freeland　returned　to　the　house。　　By　this　time；

the　three　constables　rode　up；　and　in　great　haste　dis…

mounted；　tied　their　horses；　and　met　Master　William

and　Mr。　Hamilton　returning　from　the　barn；　and

after　talking　awhile；　they　all　walked　up　to　the

kitchen　door。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　kitchen　but

myself　and　John。　　Henry　and　Sandy　were　up　at　the

barn。　　Mr。　Freeland　put　his　head　in　at　the　door；　and

called　me　by　name；　saying；　there　were　some　gentle…

men　at　the　door　who　wished　to　see　me。　　I　stepped

to　the　door；　and　inquired　what　they　wanted。　　They

at　once　seized　me；　and；　without　giving　me　any　satis…

faction；　tied　melashing　my　hands　closely　together。

I　insisted　upon　knowing　what　the　matter　was。　　They

at　length　said；　that　they　had　learned　I　had　been　in　a

〃scrape；〃　and　that　I　was　to　be　examined　before　my

master；　and　if　their　information　proved　false；　I

should　not　be　hurt。

　

　　In　a　few　moments；　they　succeeded　in　tying　John。

They　then　turned　to　Henry；　who　had　by　this　time

returned；　and　commanded　him　to　cross　his　hands。

〃I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　firm　tone；　indicating　his

readiness　to　meet　the　consequences　of　his　refusal。

〃Won't　you？〃　said　Tom　Graham；　the　constable。　　〃No；

I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　still　stronger　tone。　　With

this；　two　of　the　constables　pulled　out　their　shining

pistols；　and　swore；　by　their　Creator；　that　they　would

make　him　cross　his　hands　or　kill　him。　　Each　cocked

his　pistol；　and；　with　fingers　on　the　trigger；　walked

up　to　Henry；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　if　he　did　not

cross　his　hands；　they　would　blow　his　damned　heart

out。　　〃Shoot　me；　shoot　me！〃　said　Henry；　〃you　can't

kill　me　but　once。　　Shoot；　shoot；and　be　damned！　　~I

won't　be　tied！~〃　　This　he　said　in　a　tone　of　loud　defi…

ance；　and　at　the　same　time；　with　a　motion　as　quick

as　lightning；　he　with　one　single　stroke　dashed　the

pistols　from　the　hand　of　each　constable。　　As　he　did

this；　all　hands　fell　upon　him；　and；　after　beating

him　some　time；　they　finally　overpowered　him；　and

got　him　tied。

　

　　During　the　scuffle；　I　managed；　I　know　not　how；

to　get　my　pass　out；　and；　without　being　discovered；

put　it　into　the　fire。　　We　were　all　now　tied；　and　just

as　we　were　to　leave　for　Easton　jail；　Betsy　Freeland；

mother　of　William　Freeland；　came　to　the　door　with

her　hands　full　of　biscuits；　and　divided　them　between

Henry　and　John。　　She　then　delivered　herself　of　a

speech；　to　the　following　effect：addressing　herself

to　me；　she　said；　〃~You　devil！　　You　yellow　devil！~　it　was

you　that　put　it　into　the　heads　of　Henry　and　John

to　run　away。　　But　for　you；　you　long…legged　mulatto

devil！　Henry　nor　John　would　never　have　thought

of　such　a　thing。〃　　I　made　no　reply；　and　was　imme…

diately　hurried　off　towards　St。　Michael's。　　Just　a　mo…

ment　previous　to　the　scuffle　with　Henry；　Mr。　Hamil…

ton　suggested　the　propriety　of　making　a　search　for

the　protections　which　he　had　understood　Frederick

had　written　for　himself　and　the　rest。　　But；　just　at

the　moment　he　was　about　carrying　his　proposal　into

effect；　his　aid　was　needed　in　helping　to　tie　Henry；

and　the　excitement　attending　the　scuffle　caused

them　either　to　forget；　or　to　deem　it　unsafe；　under

the　circumstances；　to　search。　　So　we　were　not　yet

convicted　of　the　intention　to　run　away。

　

　　When　we　got　about　half　way　to　St。　Michael's；

while　the　constables　having　us　in　charge　were　look…

ing　ahead；　Henry　inquired　of　me　what　he　should

do　with　his　pass。　　I　told　him　to　eat　it　with　his　biscuit；

and　own　nothing；　and　we　passed　the　word　around；

〃~Own　nothing；~〃　and　〃~Own　nothing！~〃　said　we　all。

Our　confidence　in　each　other　was　unshaken。　　We

were　resolved　to　succeed　or　fail　together；　after　the

calamity　had　befallen　us　as　much　as　before。　　We

were　now　prepared　for　any　thing。　　We　were　to　be

dragged　that　morning　fifteen　miles　behind　horses；

and　then　to　be　placed　in　the　Easton　jail。　　When　we

reached　St。　Michael's；　we　underwent　a　sort　of　exami…

nation。　　We　all　denied　that　we　ever　intended　to　run

away。　　We　did　this　more　to　bring　out　the　evidence

against　us；　than　from　any　hope　of　getting　clear　of

being　sold；　for；　as　I　have　said；　we　were　ready　for

that。　　The　fact　was；　we　cared　but　little　where　we

went；　so　we　went　together。　　Our　greatest　concern　was

about　separation。　　We　dreaded　that　more　than　any

thing　this　side　of　death。　　We　found　the　evidence

against　us　to　be　the　testimony　of　one　person；　our

master　would　not　tell　who　it　was；　but　we　came　to

a　unanimous　decision　among　ourselves　as　to　who

their　informant　was。　　We　were　sent　off　to　the　jail　at

Easton。　　When　we　got　there；　we　were　delivered　up

to　the　sheriff；　Mr。　Joseph　Graham；　and　by　him

placed　in　jail。　　Henry；　John；　and　myself；　were　placed

in　one　room　togetherCharles；　and　Henry　Bailey；

in　another。　　Their　object　in　separating　us　was　to

hinder　concert。

　

　　We　had　been　in　jail　scarcely　twenty　minutes；

when　a　swarm　of　slave　traders；　and　agents　for　slave

traders；　flocked　into　jail　to　look　at　us；　and　to　as…

certain　if　we　were　for　sale。　　Such　a　set　of　beings　I

never　saw　before！　　I　felt　myself　surrounded　by　so

many　fiends　from　perdition。　　A　band　of　pirates　never

looked　more　like　their　father；　the　devil。　　They

laughed　and　grinned　over　us；　saying；　〃Ah；　my　boys！

we　have　got　you；　haven't　we？〃　　And　after　taunting

us　in　various　ways；　they　one　by　one　went　into　an

examination　of　us；　with　intent　to　ascertain　our　value。

They　would　impudently　ask　us　if　we　would　not　like

to　have　them　for　our　masters。　　We　would　make　them

no　answer；　and　leave　them　to　find　out　as　best　they

could。　　Then　they　would　curse　and　swear　at　us；　telling

us　that　they　could　take　the　devil　out　of　us　in　a　very

little　while；　if　we　were　only　in　their　hands。

　

　　While　in　jail；　we　found　ourselves　in　much　more

comfortable　quarters　than　we　expected　when　we

went　there。　　We　did　not　get　much　to　eat；　nor　that

which　was　very　good；　but　we　had　a　good　clean　room；

from　the　windows　of　which　we　could　see　what　was　go…

ing　on　in　the　street；　which　was　very　much　better

than　though　we　had　been　placed　in　one　of　the　dark；

damp　cells。　　Upon　the　whole；　we　got　along　very　well；

so　far　as　the　jail　and　its　keeper　were　concerned。

Immediately　after　the　holidays　were　over；　contrary

to　all　our　expectations；　Mr。　Hamilton　and　Mr。　Free…

land　came　up　to　Easton；　and　took　Charles；　the　two

Henrys；　and　John；　out　of　jail；　and　carried　them

home；　leaving　me　alone。　　I　regarded　this　separation

as　a　final　one。　　It　caused　me　more　pain　than　any

thing　else　in　the　whole　transaction。　　I　was　ready　for

any　thing　rather　than　separation。　　I　supposed　that

they　had　consulted　together；　and　had　decided　that；

as　I　was　the　whole　cause　of　the　intention　of　the

others　to　run　away；　it　was　hard　to　make　the　innocent

suffer　with　the　guilty；　and　that　they　had；　therefore；

concluded　to　take　the　others　home；　and　sell　me；　as

a　warning　to　the　others　that　remained。　　It　is　due

to　the　noble　Henry　to　say；　he　seemed　almost　as

reluctant　at　leaving　the　prison　as　at　leaving　home

to　come　to　the　prison。　　But　we　knew　we　should；　in

all　probability；　be　separated；　if　we　were　sold；　and

since　he　was　in　their　hands；　he　concluded　to　go

peaceably　home。

　

　　I　was　now　left　to　my　fate。　　I　was　all　alone；　and

within　the　walls　of　a　stone　prison。　　But　a　few　days

before；　and　I　was　full　of　hope。　　I　expected　to　have

been　safe　in　a　land　of　freedom；　but　now　I　was　cov…

ered　with　gloom；　sunk　down　to　the　utmost　despair。

I　thought　the　possibility　of　freedom　was　gone。　　I

was　kept　in　this　way　about　one　week；　at　the　end

of　which；　Captain　Auld；　my　master；　to　my　surprise

and　utter　astonishment；　came　up；　and　took　me　out；

with　the　intention　of　sending　me；　with　a　gentleman

of　his　acquaintance；　into　Alabama。　　But；　from　some

cause　or　other；　he　did　not　send　me　to　Alabama；

but　concluded　to　send　me　back　to　Baltimore；　to

live　again　with　his　brother　Hugh；　and　to　learn　a

trade。

　

　　Thus；　after　an　absence　of　three　years　and　one

month；　I　was　once　more　permitted　to　return　to　my

old　home　at　Baltimore。　　My　master　sent　me　away；

because　there　existed　against　me　a　very　great　preju…

dice　in　the　community；　and　he　feared　I　might　be

killed。

　

　　In　a　few　weeks　after　I　went　to　Baltimore；　Master

Hugh　hired　me　to　Mr。　William　Gardner；　an　ex…

tensive　ship…builder；　on　Fell's　Point。　　I　was　put　there

to　learn　how　to　calk。　　It；　however；　proved　a　very

unfavorable　place　for　the　accomplishment　of　this

object。　　Mr。　Gardner　was　engaged　that　spring　in

building　two　large　man…of…war　brigs；　professedly　for

the　Mexican　government。　　The　vessels　were　to　be

launched　in　the　July　of　that　year；　and　in　failure

thereof；　Mr。　Gardner　was　to　lose　a　considerable　sum；

so　that　when　I　entered；　all　was　hurry。　　There　was

no　time　to　learn　any　thing。　　Every　man　had　to　do

that　which　he　knew　how　to　do。　　In　entering　the　ship…

yard；　my　orders　from　Mr。　Gardner　were；　to　do　what…

ever　the　carpenters　commanded　me　to　do。　　This　was

placing　me　at　the　beck　and　call　of　about　seventy…five

men。　　I　was　to　regard　all　these　as　masters。　　Their

word　was　to　be　my　law。　　My　situation　was　a　most

trying　one。　　At　times　I　needed　a　dozen　pair　of　hands。

I　was　called　a　dozen　ways　in　the　space　of　a　single

minute。　　Three　or　four　voices　would　strike　my　ear

at　the　same　moment。　　It　was〃Fred。；　come　help　me

to　cant　this　timber　here。〃〃Fred。；　come　carry　this

timber　yonder。〃〃Fred。；　bring　that　roller　here。〃

〃Fred。；　go　get　a　fresh　can　of　water。〃〃Fred。；　come

help　saw　off　the　end　of　this　timber。〃〃Fred。；　go

quick；　and　get　the　crowbar。〃〃Fred。；　hold　on　the

end　of　this　fall。〃〃Fred。；　go　to　the　blacksmith's

shop；　and　get　a　new　punch。〃〃Hurra；　Fred。！　run

and　bring　me　a　cold　chisel。〃〃I　say；　Fred。；　bear　a

hand；　and　get　up　a　fire　as　quick　as　lightning　under

that　steam…box。〃〃Halloo；　nigger！　come；　turn　this

grindstone。〃〃Come；　come！　move；　move！　and　BOWSE

this　timber　forward。〃〃I　say；　darky；　blast　your　eyes；

why　don't　you　heat　up　some　pitch？〃〃Halloo！

halloo！　halloo！〃　　（Three　voices　at　the　same　time。）

〃Come　here！Go　there！Hold　on　where　you　are！

Damn　you；　if　you　move；　I'll　knock　your　brains　out！〃

　

　　This　was　my　school　for　eight　months；　and　I　might

have　remained　there　longer；　but　for　a　most　horrid

fight　I　had　with　four　of　the　white　apprentices；　in

which　my　left　eye　was　nearly　knocked　out；　and　I

was　horribly　mangled　in　other　respects。　　The　facts

in　the　case　were　these：　Until　a　very　little　while

after　I　went　there；　white　and　black　ship…carpenters

worked　side　by　side；　and　no　one　seemed　to　see　any

impropriety　in　it。　　All　hands　seemed　to　be　very　well

satisfied。　　Many　of　the　black　carpenters　were　fre