the narrative of the life-第6章

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the　office　of　old　and　young　Barney　a　very　trying　one。

They　never　knew　when　they　were　safe　from　punish…

ment。　　They　were　frequently　whipped　when　least

deserving；　and　escaped　whipping　when　most　deserv…

ing　it。　　Every　thing　depended　upon　the　looks　of　the

horses；　and　the　state　of　Colonel　Lloyd's　own　mind

when　his　horses　were　brought　to　him　for　use。　　If　a

horse　did　not　move　fast　enough；　or　hold　his　head

high　enough；　it　was　owing　to　some　fault　of　his　keep…

ers。　　It　was　painful　to　stand　near　the　stable…door；

and　hear　the　various　complaints　against　the　keepers

when　a　horse　was　taken　out　for　use。　　〃This　horse　has

not　had　proper　attention。　　He　has　not　been　suffi…

ciently　rubbed　and　curried；　or　he　has　not　been　prop…

erly　fed；　his　food　was　too　wet　or　too　dry；　he　got　it

too　soon　or　too　late；　he　was　too　hot　or　too　cold；　he

had　too　much　hay；　and　not　enough　of　grain；　or　he

had　too　much　grain；　and　not　enough　of　hay；　instead

of　old　Barney's　attending　to　the　horse；　he　had　very

improperly　left　it　to　his　son。〃　　To　all　these　com…

plaints；　no　matter　how　unjust；　the　slave　must　an…

swer　never　a　word。　　Colonel　Lloyd　could　not　brook

any　contradiction　from　a　slave。　　When　he　spoke；　a

slave　must　stand；　listen；　and　tremble；　and　such　was

literally　the　case。　　I　have　seen　Colonel　Lloyd　make

old　Barney；　a　man　between　fifty　and　sixty　years　of

age；　uncover　his　bald　head；　kneel　down　upon　the

cold；　damp　ground；　and　receive　upon　his　naked　and

toil…worn　shoulders　more　than　thirty　lashes　at　the

time。　　Colonel　Lloyd　had　three　sonsEdward；　Mur…

ray；　and　Daniel；and　three　sons…in…law；　Mr。　Winder；

Mr。　Nicholson；　and　Mr。　Lowndes。　　All　of　these　lived

at　the　Great　House　Farm；　and　enjoyed　the　luxury　of

whipping　the　servants　when　they　pleased；　from　old

Barney　down　to　William　Wilkes；　the　coach…driver。

I　have　seen　Winder　make　one　of　the　house…servants

stand　off　from　him　a　suitable　distance　to　be　touched

with　the　end　of　his　whip；　and　at　every　stroke　raise

great　ridges　upon　his　back。

　

　　To　describe　the　wealth　of　Colonel　Lloyd　would

be　almost　equal　to　describing　the　riches　of　Job。　　He

kept　from　ten　to　fifteen　house…servants。　　He　was　said

to　own　a　thousand　slaves；　and　I　think　this　estimate

quite　within　the　truth。　　Colonel　Lloyd　owned　so

many　that　he　did　not　know　them　when　he　saw　them；

nor　did　all　the　slaves　of　the　out…farms　know　him。　　It

is　reported　of　him；　that；　while　riding　along　the　road

one　day；　he　met　a　colored　man；　and　addressed　him

in　the　usual　manner　of　speaking　to　colored　people

on　the　public　highways　of　the　south：　〃Well；　boy；

whom　do　you　belong　to？〃　　〃To　Colonel　Lloyd；〃　re…

plied　the　slave。　　〃Well；　does　the　colonel　treat　you

well？〃　　〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　ready　reply。　　〃What；　does

he　work　you　too　hard？〃　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　　〃Well；　don't　he

give　you　enough　to　eat？〃　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　gives　me

enough；　such　as　it　is。〃

　

　　The　colonel；　after　ascertaining　where　the　slave

belonged；　rode　on；　the　man　also　went　on　about　his

business；　not　dreaming　that　he　had　been　conversing

with　his　master。　　He　thought；　said；　and　heard　noth…

ing　more　of　the　matter；　until　two　or　three　weeks

afterwards。　　The　poor　man　was　then　informed　by　his

overseer　that；　for　having　found　fault　with　his　master；

he　was　now　to　be　sold　to　a　Georgia　trader。　　He　was

immediately　chained　and　handcuffed；　and　thus；

without　a　moment's　warning；　he　was　snatched　away；

and　forever　sundered；　from　his　family　and　friends；

by　a　hand　more　unrelenting　than　death。　　This　is　the

penalty　of　telling　the　truth；　of　telling　the　simple

truth；　in　answer　to　a　series　of　plain　questions。

　

　　It　is　partly　in　consequence　of　such　facts；　that

slaves；　when　inquired　of　as　to　their　condition　and

the　character　of　their　masters；　almost　universally　say

they　are　contented；　and　that　their　masters　are　kind。

The　slaveholders　have　been　known　to　send　in　spies

among　their　slaves；　to　ascertain　their　views　and　feel…

ings　in　regard　to　their　condition。　　The　frequency　of

this　has　had　the　effect　to　establish　among　the　slaves

the　maxim；　that　a　still　tongue　makes　a　wise　head。

They　suppress　the　truth　rather　than　take　the　con…

sequences　of　telling　it；　and　in　so　doing　prove　them…

selves　a　part　of　the　human　family。　　If　they　have　any

thing　to　say　of　their　masters；　it　is　generally　in　their

masters'　favor；　especially　when　speaking　to　an　un…

tried　man。　　I　have　been　frequently　asked；　when　a

slave；　if　I　had　a　kind　master；　and　do　not　remember

ever　to　have　given　a　negative　answer；　nor　did　I；　in

pursuing　this　course；　consider　myself　as　uttering　what

was　absolutely　false；　for　I　always　measured　the　kind…

ness　of　my　master　by　the　standard　of　kindness　set

up　among　slaveholders　around　us。　　Moreover；　slaves

are　like　other　people；　and　imbibe　prejudices　quite

common　to　others。　　They　think　their　own　better　than

that　of　others。　　Many；　under　the　influence　of　this

prejudice；　think　their　own　masters　are　better　than

the　masters　of　other　slaves；　and　this；　too；　in　some

cases；　when　the　very　reverse　is　true。　　Indeed；　it　is

not　uncommon　for　slaves　even　to　fall　out　and　quar…

rel　among　themselves　about　the　relative　goodness　of

their　masters；　each　contending　for　the　superior　good…

ness　of　his　own　over　that　of　the　others。　　At　the　very

same　time；　they　mutually　execrate　their　masters

when　viewed　separately。　　It　was　so　on　our　plantation。

When　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　met　the　slaves　of　Jacob

Jepson；　they　seldom　parted　without　a　quarrel　about

their　masters；　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　contending　that

he　was　the　richest；　and　Mr。　Jepson's　slaves　that　he

was　the　smartest；　and　most　of　a　man。　　Colonel　Lloyd's

slaves　would　boast　his　ability　to　buy　and　sell　Jacob

Jepson。　　Mr。　Jepson's　slaves　would　boast　his　ability

to　whip　Colonel　Lloyd。　　These　quarrels　would　almost

always　end　in　a　fight　between　the　parties；　and　those

that　whipped　were　supposed　to　have　gained　the

point　at　issue。　　They　seemed　to　think　that　the　great…

ness　of　their　masters　was　transferable　to　themselves。

It　was　considered　as　being　bad　enough　to　be　a

slave；　but　to　be　a　poor　man's　slave　was　deemed　a

disgrace　indeed！


　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV

　

　

　　Mr。　Hopkins　remained　but　a　short　time　in　the

office　of　overseer。　　Why　his　career　was　so　short；　I

do　not　know；　but　suppose　he　lacked　the　necessary

severity　to　suit　Colonel　Lloyd。　　Mr。　Hopkins　was　suc…

ceeded　by　Mr。　Austin　Gore；　a　man　possessing；　in

an　eminent　degree；　all　those　traits　of　character　in…

dispensable　to　what　is　called　a　first…rate　overseer。　　Mr。

Gore　had　served　Colonel　Lloyd；　in　the　capacity　of

overseer；　upon　one　of　the　out…farms；　and　had　shown

himself　worthy　of　the　high　station　of　overseer　upon

the　home　or　Great　House　Farm。

　

　　Mr。　Gore　was　proud；　ambitious；　and　persevering。

He　was　artful；　cruel；　and　obdurate。　　He　was　just　the

man　for　such　a　place；　and　it　was　just　the　place　for

such　a　man。　　It　afforded　scope　for　the　full　exercise

of　all　his　powers；　and　he　seemed　to　be　perfectly

at　home　in　it。　　He　was　one　of　those　who　could　torture

the　slightest　look；　word；　or　gesture；　on　the　part　of

the　slave；　into　impudence；　and　would　treat　it　ac…

cordingly。　　There　must　be　no　answering　back　to　him；

no　explanation　was　allowed　a　slave；　showing　himself

to　have　been　wrongfully　accused。　　Mr。　Gore　acted

fully　up　to　the　maxim　laid　down　by　slaveholders；

〃It　is　better　that　a　dozen　slaves　should　suffer　under　the

lash；　than　that　the　overseer　should　be　convicted；　in

the　presence　of　the　slaves；　of　having　been　at　fault。〃

No　matter　how　innocent　a　slave　might　beit　availed

him　nothing；　when　accused　by　Mr。　Gore　of　any

misdemeanor。　　To　be　accused　was　to　be　convicted；

and　to　be　convicted　was　to　be　punished；　the　one

always　following　the　other　with　immutable　certainty。

To　escape　punishment　was　to　escape　accusation；　and

few　slaves　had　the　fortune　to　do　either；　under　the

overseership　of　Mr。　Gore。　　He　was　just　proud　enough

to　demand　the　most　debasing　homage　of　the　slave；

and　quite　servile　enough　to　crouch；　himself；　at　the

feet　of　the　master。　　He　was　ambitious　enough　to　be

contented　with　nothing　short　of　the　highest　rank

of　overseers；　and　persevering　enough　to　reach　the

height　of　his　ambition。　　He　was　cruel　enough　to　in…

flict　the　severest　punishment；　artful　enough　to　de…

scend　to　the　lowest　trickery；　and　obdurate　enough　to

be　insensible　to　the　voice　of　a　reproving　conscience。

He　was；　of　all　the　overseers；　the　most　dreaded　by

the　slaves。　　His　presence　was　painful；　his　eye　flashed

confusion；　and　seldom　was　his　sharp；　shrill　voice

heard；　without　producing　horror　and　trembling　in

their　ranks。

　

　　Mr。　Gore　was　a　grave　man；　and；　though　a　young

man；　he　indulged　in　no　jokes；　said　no　funny　words；

seldom　smiled。　　His　words　were　in　perfect　keeping

with　his　looks；　and　his　looks　were　in　perfect　keeping

with　his　words。　　Overseers　will　sometimes　indulge　in

a　witty　word；　even　with　the　slaves；　not　so　with　Mr。

Gore。　　He　spoke　but　to　command；　and　commanded

but　to　be　obeyed；　he　dealt　sparingly　with　his　words；

and　bountifully　with　his　whip；　never　using　the

former　where　the　latter　would　answer　as　well。　　When

he　whipped；　he　seemed　to　do　so　from　a　sense　of

duty；　and　feared　no　consequences。　　He　did　nothing

reluctantly；　no　matter　how　disagreeable；　always　at　his

post；　never　inconsistent。　　He　never　promised　but　to

fulfil。　　He　was；　in　a　word；　a　man　of　the　most　in…

flexible　firmness　and　stone…like　coolness。

　

　　His　savage　barbarity　was　equalled　only　by　the　con…

summate　coolness　with　which　he　committed　the

grossest　and　most　savage　deeds　upon　the　slaves　under

his　charge。　　Mr。　Gore　once　undertook　to　whip　one　of

Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves；　by　the　name　of　Demby。　　He

had　given　Demby　but　few　stripes；　when；　to　get　rid

of　the　scourging；　he　ran　and　plunged　himself　into　a

creek；　and　stood　there　at　the　depth　of　his　shoulders；

refusing　to　come　out。　　Mr。　Gore　told　him　that　he

would　give　him　three　calls；　and　that；　if　he　did　not

come　out　at　the　third　call；　he　would　shoot　him。

The　first　call　was　given。　　Demby　made　no　response；

but　stood　his　ground。　　The　second　and　third　calls

were　given　with　the　same　result。　　Mr。　Gore　then；

without　consultation　or　deliberation　with　any　one；

not　even　giving　Demby　an　additional　call；　raised

his　musket　to　his　face；　taking　deadly　aim　at　his

standing　victim；　and　in　an　instant　poor　Demby　was

no　more。　　His　mangled　body　sank　out　of　sight；　and

blood　and　brains　marked　the　water　where　he　had

stood。

　

　　A　thrill　of　horror　flashed　through　every　soul　upon

the　plantation；　excepting　Mr。　Gore。　　He　alone

seemed　cool　and　collected。　　He　was　asked　by　Colonel

Lloyd　and　my　old　master；　why　he　resorted　to　this

extraordinary　expedient。　　His　reply　was；　（as　well　as

I　can　remember；）　that　Demby　had　become　unman…

ageable。　　He　was　setting　a　dangerous　example　to　the

other　slaves；one　which；　if　suffered　to　pass　without

some　such　demonstration　on　his　part；　would　fi