the narrative of the life-第18章

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impropriety　in　it。　　All　hands　seemed　to　be　very　well

satisfied。　　Many　of　the　black　carpenters　were　freemen。

Things　seemed　to　be　going　on　very　well。　　All　at　once；

the　white　carpenters　knocked　off；　and　said　they

would　not　work　with　free　colored　workmen。　　Their

reason　for　this；　as　alleged；　was；　that　if　free　colored

carpenters　were　encouraged；　they　would　soon　take

the　trade　into　their　own　hands；　and　poor　white　men

would　be　thrown　out　of　employment。　　They　therefore

felt　called　upon　at　once　to　put　a　stop　to　it。　　And；

taking　advantage　of　Mr。　Gardner's　necessities；　they

broke　off；　swearing　they　would　work　no　longer；　unless

he　would　discharge　his　black　carpenters。　　Now；

though　this　did　not　extend　to　me　in　form；　it　did

reach　me　in　fact。　　My　fellow…apprentices　very　soon

began　to　feel　it　degrading　to　them　to　work　with

me。　　They　began　to　put　on　airs；　and　talk　about　the

〃niggers〃　taking　the　country；　saying　we　all　ought　to

be　killed；　and；　being　encouraged　by　the　journey…

men；　they　commenced　making　my　condition　as

hard　as　they　could；　by　hectoring　me　around；　and

sometimes　striking　me。　　I；　of　course；　kept　the　vow

I　made　after　the　fight　with　Mr。　Covey；　and　struck

back　again；　regardless　of　consequences；　and　while

I　kept　them　from　combining；　I　succeeded　very　well；

for　I　could　whip　the　whole　of　them；　taking　them

separately。　　They；　however；　at　length　combined；　and

came　upon　me；　armed　with　sticks；　stones；　and　heavy

handspikes。　　One　came　in　front　with　a　half　brick。

There　was　one　at　each　side　of　me；　and　one　behind

me。　　While　I　was　attending　to　those　in　front；　and　on

either　side；　the　one　behind　ran　up　with　the　hand…

spike；　and　struck　me　a　heavy　blow　upon　the　head。

It　stunned　me。　　I　fell；　and　with　this　they　all　ran

upon　me；　and　fell　to　beating　me　with　their　fists。　　I

let　them　lay　on　for　a　while；　gathering　strength。　　In

an　instant；　I　gave　a　sudden　surge；　and　rose　to　my

hands　and　knees。　　Just　as　I　did　that；　one　of　their

number　gave　me；　with　his　heavy　boot；　a　powerful

kick　in　the　left　eye。　　My　eyeball　seemed　to　have

burst。　　When　they　saw　my　eye　closed；　and　badly

swollen；　they　left　me。　　With　this　I　seized　the　hand…

spike；　and　for　a　time　pursued　them。　　But　here　the

carpenters　interfered；　and　I　thought　I　might　as　well

give　it　up。　　It　was　impossible　to　stand　my　hand

against　so　many。　　All　this　took　place　in　sight　of　not

less　than　fifty　white　ship…carpenters；　and　not　one

interposed　a　friendly　word；　but　some　cried；　〃Kill

the　damned　nigger！　　Kill　him！　kill　him！　　He　struck

a　white　person。〃　　I　found　my　only　chance　for　life

was　in　flight。　　I　succeeded　in　getting　away　without

an　additional　blow；　and　barely　so；　for　to　strike　a

white　man　is　death　by　Lynch　law；and　that　was　the

law　in　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard；　nor　is　there　much

of　any　other　out　of　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard。

　

　　I　went　directly　home；　and　told　the　story　of　my

wrongs　to　Master　Hugh；　and　I　am　happy　to　say　of

him；　irreligious　as　he　was；　his　conduct　was　heavenly；

compared　with　that　of　his　brother　Thomas　under

similar　circumstances。　　He　listened　attentively　to　my

narration　of　the　circumstances　leading　to　the　savage

outrage；　and　gave　many　proofs　of　his　strong　indigna…

tion　at　it。　　The　heart　of　my　once　overkind　mistress

was　again　melted　into　pity。　　My　puffed…out　eye　and

blood…covered　face　moved　her　to　tears。　　She　took　a

chair　by　me；　washed　the　blood　from　my　face；　and；

with　a　mother's　tenderness；　bound　up　my　head；

covering　the　wounded　eye　with　a　lean　piece　of　fresh

beef。　　It　was　almost　compensation　for　my　suffering

to　witness；　once　more；　a　manifestation　of　kindness

from　this；　my　once　affectionate　old　mistress。　　Master

Hugh　was　very　much　enraged。　　He　gave　expression

to　his　feelings　by　pouring　out　curses　upon　the　heads

of　those　who　did　the　deed。　　As　soon　as　I　got　a　little

the　better　of　my　bruises；　he　took　me　with　him　to

Esquire　Watson's；　on　Bond　Street；　to　see　what　could

be　done　about　the　matter。　　Mr。　Watson　inquired　who

saw　the　assault　committed。　　Master　Hugh　told　him

it　was　done　in　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard　at　midday；

where　there　were　a　large　company　of　men　at　work。

〃As　to　that；〃　he　said；　〃the　deed　was　done；　and　there

was　no　question　as　to　who　did　it。〃　　His　answer　was；

he　could　do　nothing　in　the　case；　unless　some　white

man　would　come　forward　and　testify。　　He　could

issue　no　warrant　on　my　word。　　If　I　had　been　killed

in　the　presence　of　a　thousand　colored　people；　their

testimony　combined　would　have　been　insufficient

to　have　arrested　one　of　the　murderers。　　Master　Hugh；

for　once；　was　compelled　to　say　this　state　of　things

was　too　bad。　　Of　course；　it　was　impossible　to　get　any

white　man　to　volunteer　his　testimony　in　my　behalf；

and　against　the　white　young　men。　　Even　those　who

may　have　sympathized　with　me　were　not　prepared

to　do　this。　　It　required　a　degree　of　courage　unknown

to　them　to　do　so；　for　just　at　that　time；　the　slightest

manifestation　of　humanity　toward　a　colored　person

was　denounced　as　abolitionism；　and　that　name　sub…

jected　its　bearer　to　frightful　liabilities。　　The　watch…

words　of　the　bloody…minded　in　that　region；　and　in

those　days；　were；　〃Damn　the　abolitionists！〃　and

〃Damn　the　niggers！〃　　There　was　nothing　done；　and

probably　nothing　would　have　been　done　if　I　had

been　killed。　　Such　was；　and　such　remains；　the　state

of　things　in　the　Christian　city　of　Baltimore。

　

　　Master　Hugh；　finding　he　could　get　no　redress；　re…

fused　to　let　me　go　back　again　to　Mr。　Gardner。　　He

kept　me　himself；　and　his　wife　dressed　my　wound

till　I　was　again　restored　to　health。　　He　then　took　me

into　the　ship…yard　of　which　he　was　foreman；　in　the

employment　of　Mr。　Walter　Price。　　There　I　was　im…

mediately　set　to　calking；　and　very　soon　learned　the

art　of　using　my　mallet　and　irons。　　In　the　course　of

one　year　from　the　time　I　left　Mr。　Gardner's；　I　was

able　to　command　the　highest　wages　given　to　the

most　experienced　calkers。　　I　was　now　of　some　impor…

tance　to　my　master。　　I　was　bringing　him　from　six

to　seven　dollars　per　week。　　I　sometimes　brought　him

nine　dollars　per　week：　my　wages　were　a　dollar　and

a　half　a　day。　　After　learning　how　to　calk；　I　sought

my　own　employment；　made　my　own　contracts；　and

collected　the　money　which　I　earned。　　My　pathway

became　much　more　smooth　than　before；　my　condi…

tion　was　now　much　more　comfortable。　　When　I　could

get　no　calking　to　do；　I　did　nothing。　　During　these

leisure　times；　those　old　notions　about　freedom　would

steal　over　me　again。　　When　in　Mr。　Gardner's　employ…

ment；　I　was　kept　in　such　a　perpetual　whirl　of　ex…

citement；　I　could　think　of　nothing；　scarcely；　but

my　life；　and　in　thinking　of　my　life；　I　almost　forgot

my　liberty。　　I　have　observed　this　in　my　experience

of　slavery；that　whenever　my　condition　was　im…

proved；　instead　of　its　increasing　my　contentment；

it　only　increased　my　desire　to　be　free；　and　set　me　to

thinking　of　plans　to　gain　my　freedom。　　I　have　found

that；　to　make　a　contented　slave；　it　is　necessary　to

make　a　thoughtless　one。　　It　is　necessary　to　darken　his

moral　and　mental　vision；　and；　as　far　as　possible；　to

annihilate　the　power　of　reason。　　He　must　be　able　to

detect　no　inconsistencies　in　slavery；　he　must　be　made

to　feel　that　slavery　is　right；　and　he　can　be　brought

to　that　only　when　he　ceases　to　be　a　man。

　

　　I　was　now　getting；　as　I　have　said；　one　dollar　and

fifty　cents　per　day。　　I　contracted　for　it；　I　earned　it；

it　was　paid　to　me；　it　was　rightfully　my　own；　yet；

upon　each　returning　Saturday　night；　I　was　compelled

to　deliver　every　cent　of　that　money　to　Master　Hugh。

And　why？　　Not　because　he　earned　it；not　because

he　had　any　hand　in　earning　it；not　because　I　owed

it　to　him；nor　because　he　possessed　the　slightest

shadow　of　a　right　to　it；　but　solely　because　he　had

the　power　to　compel　me　to　give　it　up。　　The　right　of

the　grim…visaged　pirate　upon　the　high　seas　is　exactly

the　same。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI

　

　

　　I　now　come　to　that　part　of　my　life　during　which　I

planned；　and　finally　succeeded　in　making；　my　escape

from　slavery。　　But　before　narrating　any　of　the　pe…

culiar　circumstances；　I　deem　it　proper　to　make

known　my　intention　not　to　state　all　the　facts　con…

nected　with　the　transaction。　　My　reasons　for　pursuing

this　course　may　be　understood　from　the　following：

First；　were　I　to　give　a　minute　statement　of　all　the

facts；　it　is　not　only　possible；　but　quite　probable；　that

others　would　thereby　be　involved　in　the　most　embar…

rassing　difficulties。　　Secondly；　such　a　statement　would

most　undoubtedly　induce　greater　vigilance　on　the

part　of　slaveholders　than　has　existed　heretofore

among　them；　which　would；　of　course；　be　the　means

of　guarding　a　door　whereby　some　dear　brother　bond…

man　might　escape　his　galling　chains。　　I　deeply　regret

the　necessity　that　impels　me　to　suppress　any　thing

of　importance　connected　with　my　experience　in

slavery。　　It　would　afford　me　great　pleasure　indeed；

as　well　as　materially　add　to　the　interest　of　my　nar…

rative；　were　I　at　liberty　to　gratify　a　curiosity；　which

I　know　exists　in　the　minds　of　many；　by　an　accurate

statement　of　all　the　facts　pertaining　to　my　most

fortunate　escape。　　But　I　must　deprive　myself　of　this

pleasure；　and　the　curious　of　the　gratification　which

such　a　statement　would　afford。　　I　would　allow　my…

self　to　suffer　under　the　greatest　imputations　which

evil…minded　men　might　suggest；　rather　than　excul…

pate　myself；　and　thereby　run　the　hazard　of　closing

the　slightest　avenue　by　which　a　brother　slave　might

clear　himself　of　the　chains　and　fetters　of　slavery。

　

　　I　have　never　approved　of　the　very　public　manner

in　which　some　of　our　western　friends　have　conducted

what　they　call　the　~underground　railroad；~　but　which

I　think；　by　their　open　declarations；　has　been　made

most　emphatically　the　~upperground　railroad。~　　I　honor

those　good　men　and　women　for　their　noble　daring；

and　applaud　them　for　willingly　subjecting　them…

selves　to　bloody　persecution；　by　openly　avowing　their

participation　in　the　escape　of　slaves。　　I；　however；　can

see　very　little　good　resulting　from　such　a　course；

either　to　themselves　or　the　slaves　escaping；　while；

upon　the　other　hand；　I　see　and　feel　assured　that

those　open　declarations　are　a　positive　evil　to　the

slaves　remaining；　who　are　seeking　to　escape。　　They

do　nothing　towards　enlightening　the　slave；　whilst

they　do　much　towards　enlightening　the　master。

They　stimulate　him　to　greater　watchfulness；　and

enhance　his　power　to　capture　his　slave。　　We　owe

something　to　the　slave　south　of　the　line　as　well　as

to　those　north　of　it；　and　in　aiding　the　latter　on　their

way　to　freedom；　we　should　be　careful　to　do　nothing

which　would　be　likely　to　hinder　the　former　from

escaping　from　slavery。　　I　would　keep　the　merciless

slaveholder　profoundly　ignorant　of　the　means　of

flight　adopted　by　the　slave。　　I　would　leave　him　to

imagine　himself　surrounded　by　myriads　of　invisible

tormentors；　ever　ready　to　s