the narrative of the life-第7章

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other　slaves；one　which；　if　suffered　to　pass　without

some　such　demonstration　on　his　part；　would　finally

lead　to　the　total　subversion　of　all　rule　and　order

upon　the　plantation。　　He　argued　that　if　one　slave　re…

fused　to　be　corrected；　and　escaped　with　his　life；　the

other　slaves　would　soon　copy　the　example；　the　re…

sult　of　which　would　be；　the　freedom　of　the　slaves；

and　the　enslavement　of　the　whites。　　Mr。　Gore's　de…

fence　was　satisfactory。　　He　was　continued　in　his　sta…

tion　as　overseer　upon　the　home　plantation。　　His

fame　as　an　overseer　went　abroad。　　His　horrid　crime

was　not　even　submitted　to　judicial　investigation。　　It

was　committed　in　the　presence　of　slaves；　and　they　of

course　could　neither　institute　a　suit；　nor　testify

against　him；　and　thus　the　guilty　perpetrator　of　one　of

the　bloodiest　and　most　foul　murders　goes　unwhipped

of　justice；　and　uncensured　by　the　community　in

which　he　lives。　　Mr。　Gore　lived　in　St。　Michael's；　Tal…

bot　county；　Maryland；　when　I　left　there；　and　if　he

is　still　alive；　he　very　probably　lives　there　now；　and　if

so；　he　is　now；　as　he　was　then；　as　highly　esteemed

and　as　much　respected　as　though　his　guilty　soul

had　not　been　stained　with　his　brother's　blood。

　

　　I　speak　advisedly　when　I　say　this；that　killing

a　slave；　or　any　colored　person；　in　Talbot　county；

Maryland；　is　not　treated　as　a　crime；　either　by　the

courts　or　the　community。　　Mr。　Thomas　Lanman；　of

St。　Michael's；　killed　two　slaves；　one　of　whom　he

killed　with　a　hatchet；　by　knocking　his　brains　out。　　He

used　to　boast　of　the　commission　of　the　awful　and

bloody　deed。　　I　have　heard　him　do　so　laughingly；

saying；　among　other　things；　that　he　was　the　only

benefactor　of　his　country　in　the　company；　and　that

when　others　would　do　as　much　as　he　had　done；　we

should　be　relieved　of　〃the　dd　niggers。〃

　

　　The　wife　of　Mr。　Giles　Hicks；　living　but　a　short

distance　from　where　I　used　to　live；　murdered　my

wife's　cousin；　a　young　girl　between　fifteen　and　six…

teen　years　of　age；　mangling　her　person　in　the　most

horrible　manner；　breaking　her　nose　and　breastbone

with　a　stick；　so　that　the　poor　girl　expired　in　a　few

hours　afterward。　　She　was　immediately　buried；　but

had　not　been　in　her　untimely　grave　but　a　few　hours

before　she　was　taken　up　and　examined　by　the　cor…

oner；　who　decided　that　she　had　come　to　her　death

by　severe　beating。　　The　offence　for　which　this　girl

was　thus　murdered　was　this：She　had　been　set

that　night　to　mind　Mrs。　Hicks's　baby；　and　during　the

night　she　fell　asleep；　and　the　baby　cried。　　She；　having

lost　her　rest　for　several　nights　previous；　did　not　hear

the　crying。　　They　were　both　in　the　room　with　Mrs。

Hicks。　　Mrs。　Hicks；　finding　the　girl　slow　to　move；

jumped　from　her　bed；　seized　an　oak　stick　of　wood

by　the　fireplace；　and　with　it　broke　the　girl's　nose

and　breastbone；　and　thus　ended　her　life。　　I　will　not

say　that　this　most　horrid　murder　produced　no　sen…

sation　in　the　community。　　It　did　produce　sensation；

but　not　enough　to　bring　the　murderess　to　punish…

ment。　　There　was　a　warrant　issued　for　her　arrest；

but　it　was　never　served。　　Thus　she　escaped　not　only

punishment；　but　even　the　pain　of　being　arraigned

before　a　court　for　her　horrid　crime。

　

　　Whilst　I　am　detailing　bloody　deeds　which　took

place　during　my　stay　on　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation；

I　will　briefly　narrate　another；　which　occurred　about

the　same　time　as　the　murder　of　Demby　by　Mr。

Gore。

　

　　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　were　in　the　habit　of　spend…

ing　a　part　of　their　nights　and　Sundays　in　fishing　for

oysters；　and　in　this　way　made　up　the　deficiency　of

their　scanty　allowance。　　An　old　man　belonging　to

Colonel　Lloyd；　while　thus　engaged；　happened　to　get

beyond　the　limits　of　Colonel　Lloyd's；　and　on　the

premises　of　Mr。　Beal　Bondly。　　At　this　trespass；　Mr。

Bondly　took　offence；　and　with　his　musket　came

down　to　the　shore；　and　blew　its　deadly　contents

into　the　poor　old　man。

　

　　Mr。　Bondly　came　over　to　see　Colonel　Lloyd　the

next　day；　whether　to　pay　him　for　his　property；　or

to　justify　himself　in　what　he　had　done；　I　know　not。

At　any　rate；　this　whole　fiendish　transaction　was　soon

hushed　up。　　There　was　very　little　said　about　it　at　all；

and　nothing　done。　　It　was　a　common　saying；　even

among　little　white　boys；　that　it　was　worth　a　half…

cent　to　kill　a　〃nigger；〃　and　a　half…cent　to　bury　one。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V

　

　

　　As　to　my　own　treatment　while　I　lived　on　Colonel

Lloyd's　plantation；　it　was　very　similar　to　that　of　the

other　slave　children。　　I　was　not　old　enough　to　work　in

the　field；　and　there　being　little　else　than　field　work

to　do；　I　had　a　great　deal　of　leisure　time。　　The　most

I　had　to　do　was　to　drive　up　the　cows　at　evening；

keep　the　fowls　out　of　the　garden；　keep　the　front

yard　clean；　and　run　of　errands　for　my　old　master's

daughter；　Mrs。　Lucretia　Auld。　　The　most　of　my　lei…

sure　time　I　spent　in　helping　Master　Daniel　Lloyd

in　finding　his　birds；　after　he　had　shot　them。　　My

connection　with　Master　Daniel　was　of　some　advan…

tage　to　me。　　He　became　quite　attached　to　me；　and

was　a　sort　of　protector　of　me。　　He　would　not　allow

the　older　boys　to　impose　upon　me；　and　would　divide

his　cakes　with　me。

　

　　I　was　seldom　whipped　by　my　old　master；　and　suf…

fered　little　from　any　thing　else　than　hunger　and

cold。　　I　suffered　much　from　hunger；　but　much　more

from　cold。　　In　hottest　summer　and　coldest　winter；　I

was　kept　almost　nakedno　shoes；　no　stockings；　no

jacket；　no　trousers；　nothing　on　but　a　coarse　tow　linen

shirt；　reaching　only　to　my　knees。　　I　had　no　bed。　　I

must　have　perished　with　cold；　but　that；　the　coldest

nights；　I　used　to　steal　a　bag　which　was　used　for　carry…

ing　corn　to　the　mill。　　I　would　crawl　into　this　bag；

and　there　sleep　on　the　cold；　damp；　clay　floor；　with

my　head　in　and　feet　out。　　My　feet　have　been　so

cracked　with　the　frost；　that　the　pen　with　which　I

am　writing　might　be　laid　in　the　gashes。

　

　　We　were　not　regularly　allowanced。　　Our　food　was

coarse　corn　meal　boiled。　　This　was　called　MUSH。　　It

was　put　into　a　large　wooden　tray　or　trough；　and　set

down　upon　the　ground。　　The　children　were　then

called；　like　so　many　pigs；　and　like　so　many　pigs　they

would　come　and　devour　the　mush；　some　with　oyster…

shells；　others　with　pieces　of　shingle；　some　with　naked

hands；　and　none　with　spoons。　　He　that　ate　fastest

got　most；　he　that　was　strongest　secured　the　best

place；　and　few　left　the　trough　satisfied。

　

　　I　was　probably　between　seven　and　eight　years　old

when　I　left　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation。　　I　left　it　with

joy。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　ecstasy　with　which　I

received　the　intelligence　that　my　old　master　（An…

thony）　had　determined　to　let　me　go　to　Baltimore；

to　live　with　Mr。　Hugh　Auld；　brother　to　my　old

master's　son…in…law；　Captain　Thomas　Auld。　　I　re…

ceived　this　information　about　three　days　before　my

departure。　　They　were　three　of　the　happiest　days

I　ever　enjoyed。　　I　spent　the　most　part　of　all　these

three　days　in　the　creek；　washing　off　the　plantation

scurf；　and　preparing　myself　for　my　departure。

　

　　The　pride　of　appearance　which　this　would　indicate

was　not　my　own。　　I　spent　the　time　in　washing；　not　so

much　because　I　wished　to；　but　because　Mrs。

Lucretia　had　told　me　I　must　get　all　the　dead　skin

off　my　feet　and　knees　before　I　could　go　to　Balti…

more；　for　the　people　in　Baltimore　were　very　cleanly；

and　would　laugh　at　me　if　I　looked　dirty。　　Besides；

she　was　going　to　give　me　a　pair　of　trousers；　which　I

should　not　put　on　unless　I　got　all　the　dirt　off　me。

The　thought　of　owning　a　pair　of　trousers　was　great

indeed！　　It　was　almost　a　sufficient　motive；　not　only

to　make　me　take　off　what　would　be　called　by　pig…

drovers　the　mange；　but　the　skin　itself。　　I　went　at　it

in　good　earnest；　working　for　the　first　time　with　the

hope　of　reward。

　

　　The　ties　that　ordinarily　bind　children　to　their

homes　were　all　suspended　in　my　case。　　I　found　no

severe　trial　in　my　departure。　　My　home　was　charm…

less；　it　was　not　home　to　me；　on　parting　from　it；　I

could　not　feel　that　I　was　leaving　any　thing　which　I

could　have　enjoyed　by　staying。　　My　mother　was　dead；

my　grandmother　lived　far　off；　so　that　I　seldom　saw

her。　　I　had　two　sisters　and　one　brother；　that　lived　in

the　same　house　with　me；　but　the　early　separation　of

us　from　our　mother　had　well　nigh　blotted　the　fact

of　our　relationship　from　our　memories。　　I　looked　for

home　elsewhere；　and　was　confident　of　finding　none

which　I　should　relish　less　than　the　one　which　I　was

leaving。　　If；　however；　I　found　in　my　new　home　hard…

ship；　hunger；　whipping；　and　nakedness；　I　had　the

consolation　that　I　should　not　have　escaped　any　one

of　them　by　staying。　　Having　already　had　more　than

a　taste　of　them　in　the　house　of　my　old　master；　and

having　endured　them　there；　I　very　naturally　inferred

my　ability　to　endure　them　elsewhere；　and　especially

at　Baltimore；　for　I　had　something　of　the　feeling

about　Baltimore　that　is　expressed　in　the　proverb；

that　〃being　hanged　in　England　is　preferable　to

dying　a　natural　death　in　Ireland。〃　　I　had　the　strongest

desire　to　see　Baltimore。　　Cousin　Tom；　though　not

fluent　in　speech；　had　inspired　me　with　that　desire

by　his　eloquent　description　of　the　place。　　I　could

never　point　out　any　thing　at　the　Great　House；　no

matter　how　beautiful　or　powerful；　but　that　he　had

seen　something　at　Baltimore　far　exceeding；　both　in

beauty　and　strength；　the　object　which　I　pointed　out

to　him。　　Even　the　Great　House　itself；　with　all　its

pictures；　was　far　inferior　to　many　buildings　in　Bal…

timore。　　So　strong　was　my　desire；　that　I　thought　a

gratification　of　it　would　fully　compensate　for　what…

ever　loss　of　comforts　I　should　sustain　by　the　ex…

change。　　I　left　without　a　regret；　and　with　the　highest

hopes　of　future　happiness。

　

　　We　sailed　out　of　Miles　River　for　Baltimore　on　a

Saturday　morning。　　I　remember　only　the　day　of　the

week；　for　at　that　time　I　had　no　knowledge　of　the

days　of　the　month；　nor　the　months　of　the　year。　　On

setting　sail；　I　walked　aft；　and　gave　to　Colonel　Lloyd's

plantation　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　look。　　I

then　placed　myself　in　the　bows　of　the　sloop；　and

there　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　looking

ahead；　interesting　myself　in　what　was　in　the　distance

rather　than　in　things　near　by　or　behind。

　

　　In　the　afternoon　of　that　day；　we　reached　Annap…

olis；　the　capital　of　the　State。　　We　stopped　but　a

few　moments；　so　that　I　had　no　time　to　go　on　shore。

It　was　the　first　large　town　that　I　had　ever　seen；　and

though　it　would　look　small　compared　with　some　of

our　New　England　factory　villages；　I　thought　it　a

wonderful　place　for　its　sizemore　imposing　even

than　the　Great　House　Farm！

　

　　We　arrived　at　Baltimore　early　on　Sunday　morn…

ing；　landing　at　Smith's　Wharf；　not　far　from　Bow…

ley's　Wharf。　　We　had　on　board　the　sloop　a　large

flock　of　sheep；　and　after　aiding　in　driving　them　to

the　slaughterhouse　of　Mr。　Curtis　on　Louden　Slater's

Hill