the narrative of the life-第20章

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yet　I　dared　not　to　unfold　to　any　one　of　them　my

sad　condition。　　I　was　afraid　to　speak　to　any　one　for

fear　of　speaking　to　the　wrong　one；　and　thereby　fall…

ing　into　the　hands　of　money…loving　kidnappers；

whose　business　it　was　to　lie　in　wait　for　the　panting

fugitive；　as　the　ferocious　beasts　of　the　forest　lie　in

wait　for　their　prey。　　The　motto　which　I　adopted

when　I　started　from　slavery　was　this〃Trust　no

man！〃　　I　saw　in　every　white　man　an　enemy；　and　in

almost　every　colored　man　cause　for　distrust。　　It　was

a　most　painful　situation；　and；　to　understand　it；　one

must　needs　experience　it；　or　imagine　himself　in

similar　circumstances。　　Let　him　be　a　fugitive　slave　in

a　strange　landa　land　given　up　to　be　the　hunting…

ground　for　slaveholderswhose　inhabitants　are　legal…

ized　kidnapperswhere　he　is　every　moment　sub…

jected　to　the　terrible　liability　of　being　seized　upon

by　his　fellowmen；　as　the　hideous　crocodile　seizes

upon　his　prey！I　say；　let　him　place　himself　in　my

situationwithout　home　or　friendswithout　money

or　creditwanting　shelter；　and　no　one　to　give　it

wanting　bread；　and　no　money　to　buy　it；and　at　the

same　time　let　him　feel　that　he　is　pursued　by　merci…

less　men…hunters；　and　in　total　darkness　as　to　what

to　do；　where　to　go；　or　where　to　stay；perfectly　help…

less　both　as　to　the　means　of　defence　and　means　of

escape；in　the　midst　of　plenty；　yet　suffering　the　ter…

rible　gnawings　of　hunger；in　the　midst　of　houses；

yet　having　no　home；among　fellow…men；　yet　feeling

as　if　in　the　midst　of　wild　beasts；　whose　greediness

to　swallow　up　the　trembling　and　half…famished　fugi…

tive　is　only　equalled　by　that　with　which　the　monsters

of　the　deep　swallow　up　the　helpless　fish　upon　which

they　subsist；I　say；　let　him　be　placed　in　this　most

trying　situation；the　situation　in　which　I　was　placed；

then；　and　not　till　then；　will　he　fully　appreciate　the

hardships　of；　and　know　how　to　sympathize　with；　the

toil…worn　and　whip…scarred　fugitive　slave。

　

　　Thank　Heaven；　I　remained　but　a　short　time　in

this　distressed　situation。　　I　was　relieved　from　it　by　the

humane　hand　of　Mr。　DAVID　RUGGLES；　whose　vigi…

lance；　kindness；　and　perseverance；　I　shall　never　for…

get。　　I　am　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　express；　as　far　as

words　can；　the　love　and　gratitude　I　bear　him。　　Mr。

Ruggles　is　now　afflicted　with　blindness；　and　is　him…

self　in　need　of　the　same　kind　offices　which　he　was

once　so　forward　in　the　performance　of　toward　others。

I　had　been　in　New　York　but　a　few　days；　when　Mr。

Ruggles　sought　me　out；　and　very　kindly　took　me

to　his　boarding…house　at　the　corner　of　Church　and

Lespenard　Streets。　　Mr。　Ruggles　was　then　very　deeply

engaged　in　the　memorable　~Darg~　case；　as　well　as　at…

tending　to　a　number　of　other　fugitive　slaves；　devis…

ing　ways　and　means　for　their　successful　escape；　and；

though　watched　and　hemmed　in　on　almost　every

side；　he　seemed　to　be　more　than　a　match　for　his

enemies。

　

　　Very　soon　after　I　went　to　Mr。　Ruggles；　he　wished

to　know　of　me　where　I　wanted　to　go；　as　he　deemed

it　unsafe　for　me　to　remain　in　New　York。　　I　told　him

I　was　a　calker；　and　should　like　to　go　where　I　could

get　work。　　I　thought　of　going　to　Canada；　but　he　de…

cided　against　it；　and　in　favor　of　my　going　to　New

Bedford；　thinking　I　should　be　able　to　get　work　there

at　my　trade。　　At　this　time；　Anna；*　my　intended　wife；

came　on；　for　I　wrote　to　her　immediately　after　my

arrival　at　New　York；　（notwithstanding　my　homeless；

houseless；　and　helpless　condition；）　informing　her　of

my　successful　flight；　and　wishing　her　to　come　on

forthwith。　　In　a　few　days　after　her　arrival；　Mr。　Rug…

gles　called　in　the　Rev。　J。　W。　C。　Pennington；　who；　in

the　presence　of　Mr。　Ruggles；　Mrs。　Michaels；　and

two　or　three　others；　performed　the　marriage　cere…

mony；　and　gave　us　a　certificate；　of　which　the　fol…

lowing　is　an　exact　copy：

　

　

　　〃This　may　certify；　that　I　joined　together　in　holy

matrimony　Frederick　Johnson＋　and　Anna　Murray；　as

man　and　wife；　in　the　presence　of　Mr。　David　Ruggles

and　Mrs。　Michaels。

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃JAMES　W。　C。　PENNINGTON

　

　　〃NEW　YORK；　SEPT。　15；　1838〃

　

　

　　Upon　receiving　this　certificate；　and　a　five…dollar

bill　from　Mr。　Ruggles；　I　shouldered　one　part　of　our

baggage；　and　Anna　took　up　the　other；　and　we　set

out　forthwith　to　take　passage　on　board　of　the　steam…

boat　John　W。　Richmond　for　Newport；　on　our　way

to　New　Bedford。　　Mr。　Ruggles　gave　me　a　letter　to　a

Mr。　Shaw　in　Newport；　and　told　me；　in　case　my

money　did　not　serve　me　to　New　Bedford；　to　stop　in

Newport　and　obtain　further　assistance；　but　upon　our

　

　

　　*She　was　free。

　

　　＋I　had　changed　my　name　from　Frederick　BAILEY

to　that　of　JOHNSON。

　

　

arrival　at　Newport；　we　were　so　anxious　to　get　to　a

place　of　safety；　that；　notwithstanding　we　lacked　the

necessary　money　to　pay　our　fare；　we　decided　to　take

seats　in　the　stage；　and　promise　to　pay　when　we　got

to　New　Bedford。　　We　were　encouraged　to　do　this　by

two　excellent　gentlemen；　residents　of　New　Bedford；

whose　names　I　afterward　ascertained　to　be　Joseph

Ricketson　and　William　C。　Taber。　　They　seemed　at

once　to　understand　our　circumstances；　and　gave　us

such　assurance　of　their　friendliness　as　put　us　fully

at　ease　in　their　presence。　　It　was　good　indeed　to　meet

with　such　friends；　at　such　a　time。　　Upon　reaching

New　Bedford；　we　were　directed　to　the　house　of　Mr。

Nathan　Johnson；　by　whom　we　were　kindly　received；

and　hospitably　provided　for。　　Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。

Johnson　took　a　deep　and　lively　interest　in　our　wel…

fare。　　They　proved　themselves　quite　worthy　of　the

name　of　abolitionists。　　When　the　stage…driver　found

us　unable　to　pay　our　fare；　he　held　on　upon　our　bag…

gage　as　security　for　the　debt。　　I　had　but　to　mention

the　fact　to　Mr。　Johnson；　and　he　forthwith　advanced

the　money。

　

　　We　now　began　to　feel　a　degree　of　safety；　and　to

prepare　ourselves　for　the　duties　and　responsibilities

of　a　life　of　freedom。　　On　the　morning　after　our　ar…

rival　at　New　Bedford；　while　at　the　breakfast…table；

the　question　arose　as　to　what　name　I　should　be

called　by。　　The　name　given　me　by　my　mother　was；

〃Frederick　Augustus　Washington　Bailey。〃　　I；　how…

ever；　had　dispensed　with　the　two　middle　names　long

before　I　left　Maryland　so　that　I　was　generally　known

by　the　name　of　〃Frederick　Bailey。〃　　I　started　from

Baltimore　bearing　the　name　of　〃Stanley。〃　　When　I

got　to　New　York；　I　again　changed　my　name　to　〃Fred…

erick　Johnson；〃　and　thought　that　would　be　the　last

change。　　But　when　I　got　to　New　Bedford；　I　found　it

necessary　again　to　change　my　name。　　The　reason　of

this　necessity　was；　that　there　were　so　many　Johnsons

in　New　Bedford；　it　was　already　quite　difficult　to

distinguish　between　them。　　I　gave　Mr。　Johnson　the

privilege　of　choosing　me　a　name；　but　told　him　he

must　not　take　from　me　the　name　of　〃Frederick。〃

I　must　hold　on　to　that；　to　preserve　a　sense　of　my

identity。　　Mr。　Johnson　had　just　been　reading　the

〃Lady　of　the　Lake；〃　and　at　once　suggested　that　my

name　be　〃Douglass。〃　　From　that　time　until　now　I

have　been　called　〃Frederick　Douglass；〃　and　as　I　am

more　widely　known　by　that　name　than　by　either　of

the　others；　I　shall　continue　to　use　it　as　my　own。

　

　　I　was　quite　disappointed　at　the　general　appear…

ance　of　things　in　New　Bedford。　　The　impression

which　I　had　received　respecting　the　character　and

condition　of　the　people　of　the　north；　I　found　to　be

singularly　erroneous。　　I　had　very　strangely　supposed；

while　in　slavery；　that　few　of　the　comforts；　and

scarcely　any　of　the　luxuries；　of　life　were　enjoyed　at

the　north；　compared　with　what　were　enjoyed　by　the

slaveholders　of　the　south。　　I　probably　came　to　this

conclusion　from　the　fact　that　northern　people　owned

no　slaves。　　I　supposed　that　they　were　about　upon　a

level　with　the　non…slaveholding　population　of　the

south。　　I　knew　~they~　were　exceedingly　poor；　and　I　had

been　accustomed　to　regard　their　poverty　as　the　nec…

essary　consequence　of　their　being　non…slaveholders。

I　had　somehow　imbibed　the　opinion　that；　in　the

absence　of　slaves；　there　could　be　no　wealth；　and　very

little　refinement。　　And　upon　coming　to　the　north；　I

expected　to　meet　with　a　rough；　hard…handed；　and

uncultivated　population；　living　in　the　most　Spartan…

like　simplicity；　knowing　nothing　of　the　ease；　luxury；

pomp；　and　grandeur　of　southern　slaveholders。　　Such

being　my　conjectures；　any　one　acquainted　with　the

appearance　of　New　Bedford　may　very　readily　infer

how　palpably　I　must　have　seen　my　mistake。

　

　　In　the　afternoon　of　the　day　when　I　reached　New

Bedford；　I　visited　the　wharves；　to　take　a　view　of　the

shipping。　　Here　I　found　myself　surrounded　with　the

strongest　proofs　of　wealth。　　Lying　at　the　wharves；　and

riding　in　the　stream；　I　saw　many　ships　of　the　finest

model；　in　the　best　order；　and　of　the　largest　size。

Upon　the　right　and　left；　I　was　walled　in　by　granite

warehouses　of　the　widest　dimensions；　stowed　to　their

utmost　capacity　with　the　necessaries　and　comforts

of　life。　　Added　to　this；　almost　every　body　seemed　to

be　at　work；　but　noiselessly　so；　compared　with　what

I　had　been　accustomed　to　in　Baltimore。　　There　were

no　loud　songs　heard　from　those　engaged　in　loading

and　unloading　ships。　　I　heard　no　deep　oaths　or　horrid

curses　on　the　laborer。　　I　saw　no　whipping　of　men；

but　all　seemed　to　go　smoothly　on。　　Every　man　ap…

peared　to　understand　his　work；　and　went　at　it　with

a　sober；　yet　cheerful　earnestness；　which　betokened

the　deep　interest　which　he　felt　in　what　he　was　doing；

as　well　as　a　sense　of　his　own　dignity　as　a　man。　　To　me

this　looked　exceedingly　strange。　　From　the　wharves　I

strolled　around　and　over　the　town；　gazing　with　won…

der　and　admiration　at　the　splendid　churches；　beauti…

ful　dwellings；　and　finely…cultivated　gardens；　evincing

an　amount　of　wealth；　comfort；　taste；　and　refinement；

such　as　I　had　never　seen　in　any　part　of　slaveholding

Maryland。

　

　　Every　thing　looked　clean；　new；　and　beautiful。　　I

saw　few　or　no　dilapidated　houses；　with　poverty…

stricken　inmates；　no　half…naked　children　and　bare…

footed　women；　such　as　I　had　been　accustomed　to　see

in　Hillsborough；　Easton；　St。　Michael's；　and　Balti…

more。　　The　people　looked　more　able；　stronger；　health…

ier；　and　happier；　than　those　of　Maryland。　　I　was　for

once　made　glad　by　a　view　of　extreme　wealth；　without

being　saddened　by　seeing　extreme　poverty。　　But　the

most　astonishing　as　well　as　the　most　interesting　thing

to　me　was　the　condition　of　the　colored　people；　a

great　many　of　whom；　like　myself；　had　escaped

thither　as　a　refuge　from　the　hunters　of　men。　　I　found

many；　who　had　not　been　seven　years　out　of　their

chains；　living　in　finer　houses；　and　evidently　enjoying

more　of　the　comforts　of　life；　than　the　average　of

slaveholders　in　Maryland。　　I　will　venture　to　assert；

that　my　friend　Mr。　Nathan　Johnson　（of　whom　I

can　say　with　a　grateful　heart；　〃I　was　hungry；　and　he

gave　me　meat；　I　was　thirsty；　and　he　gave　me　drink；

I　was　a　stranger；　and