CHAPTER XIII: A FUGITIVE SLAVE
"Well, sar, work bery much de same on plantation in Virginia and Cuba,but de slabe much merrier in 'Merica, when de master am good. My newmassa bery good man. Slabes all treat bery kind, work not too hard. Atnight dance and sing bery much. Den I marry again, dis time to one obde girls in de house. She favorite ob missy, and so when we marry, missyhab me taken off de fields and put to garden. Bery fine garden dat was.Tree, four of us work dar, Sam jus' as happy as man could be. Sometime,when der am party, Sam come into the house to help at de table, dat howSam know how to do tings proper. De little massas dey bery fond ob me,and when dey want to go out hunting de coon or fishing in de riber, deyalways cry for Sam.
"So fifteen years passed by, bery happy years, sar, den do ole massadie; missy, too, soon after. De young massa not like him father. Me tinkde ole gentleman make mistake wid him when him chile, let him hab toomuch his own way. I bery fond ob him because I had been wid him so much,but I often shake my head when I tink de time come dat he be massa ob deplantation. It was not dat his nature was bad; he get in rage sometime,but dat all ober in no time, but he lub pleasure too much; go to deraces and 'top at de town weeks together, and play too much wid decards. Dere were two boys and two girls; de second boy, he go to WestPoint and become officer in de army.
"After de death ob de ole people de house change bery much. Before dattime we keep good company, gib sometimes grand balls, and all de fustfamilies ob Virginia in dat part visit dar. After dat always peoplein de house. De young massa, when he go to Richmond, bring back six oreight young men wid him, and dey laugh and drink and play cards half denight. I tink de young missys speak to him about his ways. Anyhow, oneday dere great row, and dey off to lib wid an aunt in de city. After dattings get worse. One day missy come back from town and she gib my wifeher papers of freedom. You see, my wife was giben by de ole man to missywhen her war a little girl, and fortunate it was dat he had made out depapers all right and presented dem to her. When missy gib her de papersob freedom, she cry bery much. 'Me 'fraid bad time coming, Sally,' shesaid. 'Me tink dat it better for a time dat you clar out ob dis. Now yougot de paper you free woman, but you wife ob slabe; might be difficultyabout it. Me fear dat broder Dick ruined--de plantation and slabes to besole;' and wid dat she bu'st out crying wus dan eber. Ob course my wifeshe cry too.
"'Better you go norf, Sally,' missy say presently. 'I gib you letterto friends dar, and tell dem you bery good nurse. Den if Sam get goodmaster you can come back to him again. If not, as you tell me dat whenhe slabe before he run away, it jus' possible he do de same again.'
"'Don't you tink, missy,' de wife said, 'dat de young massa gib freedomto Sam too. Sam wait on him a great many years, sabe him life when hetumbled into water.'
"'I bery much afraid,' missy said, shaking her head, 'dat my brodernot able to do so if he wish. He borrow money on de plantation and deslabes, and dat prevent him from making any ob dem free. De sale sooncome now. You go tell Sam; tell him not to say word to nobody. Den youpack up and come right away wid me to de city. It bery much better youclar out ob dis before dey come down and seize eberybody.'
"Well, sar, you guess when Sam heard dis he in fine taking. He oftengrieve bery much dat he and Sally hab no children. Now he tank de Lordwid all his heart dat dere no piccanniny, for dey would hab been sold,one one way and one another, and we should neber hab seen dem again.Hows'ever, I make great effort, and tell Sally she do jus' what missysay. I tell her to go norf while she can, and promise dat some day oroder Sam join her dar. 'Better for to be parted for ten year, Sally, danto hab de risk ob you being seize and sold to one master, me to anoder.You trus' Sam to break out some day. He do bery well here for a time.He bery good strong nigger, good gardner, good at de horses, goodcarpenter. Sam sure to get good place, but, howeber good, when he see achance he run away. If no chance, he sabe up his money, and you sabe upyour money, Sally, and buy him freedom.'
"Well, sar, we bofe cry bery much, and den Sally go away wid de youngmissy. A week after dat de bust up come. De officers dey come down andseize de place, and a little while after dey sell all de slabes. Datwas a terrible affair, to see de husbands and de wives and de childrenseparated and sold to different masters. De young massa he not dereat sale. Dey say he pretty nigh break him heart, but he ought to habthought ob dat before. Me sure dat de ole gentleman and de ole missypretty nigh turn in deir grabe at de thought ob all de hands they was sokind to sold away.
"Dat de curse of slabery, sar. Me trabel a good deal, and me tink datno working people in de world are so merry and happy as de slabe in aplantation wid a good massa and missy. Dey not work so hard as de whiteman. Dey have plenty to eat and drink, dey hab deir gardens and deirfowls. When dey are sick dey are taken care ob, when dey are ole theyare looked after and hab nothing to do. I have heard people talk a lotof nonsense about de hard life of de plantation slabe. Dat not true,sar, wid a good massa. De slabe hab no care and he bery happy. If allmassas were good, and dere were a law dat if a plantation were broken upde slabes must be sold in families together, me tell you dat de life ona plantation a thousand times happier dan de life ob a black man inhis own country. But all masters are not good. Some neber look after deslabes, and leabe all to overseers, and dese bery often bad, cruel men.But worst of all is when a sale comes. Dat terrible, sar. De husban'sold to Alabama, de wife to Carolina, de children scattered trough deStates. Dis too bad, sar, dis make ob slabery a curse to de black men.
"Well, sar, we all sold. Me fetch high price and sold to a planter inMissouri. Sam no like dat. Dat a long way from the frontier. Tree yearsSam work dar in plantation. Den he sold again to a man who hab boats onde riber at New Orleans. Dar Sam work discharging de ships and workingde barges. Dar he come to learn for sure which de British flag. De timeswere slack, and my massa hire me out to be waiter in a saloon. Dat placedey hab dinners, and after dinner dey gamble. Dat war a bad place, mos'ebery night quarrels, and sometimes de pistols drawn, and de bulletsflying about. Sam 'top dar six months; de place near de riber, and decaptains ob de ships often come to dine.
"One young fellow come bery often, and one day Sam saw tree or four menhe knew to be Texas horse dealers talking wid him. Now dis young captainhad been bery friendly wid Sam; always speak cibil and gib him quarterfor himself, and Sam sorry to see dose chaps get hold ob him. Dis wenton for two or tree days, till one ebening de captain, instead of goingaway after dinner, stopped talking to dese follows. De play begin at detable, and dey persuade him to join. He hab de debil's luck. Dey thoughtthey going to cheat him, and if dey had got him by demselves dey wouldhave cleaned him out sure. But dere were oder people playing and dey notable to cheat.
"Well, sar, he won all de money. Drinks had been flying about, and whenat last de man dat kep' de table said, 'De bank will close for tonight,'de young fellow could scarce walk steady on his feet. His pockets werefull ob notes. I went up to him and said, 'Will you hab a bed here, sar,bery good bed?' but he laugh and say, 'No, Sam, I may be a little freshin de wind, but I tink I can make de boat.' I saw dose fellows scowlwhen I speak to him, and I make up my mind dey after no good. Well, sar,dey go out fust. Den he go out wid some oder people and stand laughingand talking at de door. Sam run up to him room, slip on his money belt,for he had had a good deal giben him while he was dar, and was sabing upto buy his freedom, and he didn't know what was going to happen. Den Samlook into de kitchen and caught up a heavy poker and a long knife, denhe run down and turn out de lights ob de saloon and lock de door afterhim.
"He was jus' in time, for he saw at de corner, where de street go downon to the wharves, de young captain separate from de men who had goneout wid him and walk away by hisself. Sam kicked off his shoes and ranas fast as he could to de end ob de street. De wharf was bery badlylighted, jus' a lamp here and dere. Sam ran along till he got widinabout thirty yards ob de sailor, and den stole quiet along in de shadowob de houses. Sudden he see five men run out. Den Sam he leap forwardlike tiger and gibs a shout to warn de c
aptain. He turn round jus' intime. Sam saw an arm lifted and de captain fall, and den at de samemoment almost him poker come down wid a crunch upon de top ob one ofdeir head. Den they turn on Sam, but, law bless you, sar! what was degood ob dat? Bery strong negro wid heavy poker in one hand and longknife in de oder more dan match for four men. He knock dem ober likenine pin. Tree of dem, he tink he kill straight, the poker fall on detop ob deir heads, de oder man give a dig in Sam's left shoulder wid hisknife, and de sudden pain shake Sam's aim a little and de blow fallon him neck. He gib a shout and tumble down. None ob do oder fourhad shouted or made any remark when Sam hit dem. Den Sam caught up decaptain and ran along de wharf. Presently he heard a hail. 'All right,'Sam said.
"'Am dat you, captain?' some one say.
"'Me got a captain here,' Sam say; 'you come and see wheder he yours.'
"De men came up and look in de captain's face.
"'Hullo,' dey say; 'de captain am dead.'
"'Me no tink him dead,' I say. 'He had a fight, and Sam come to him aidand beat de rascals off. You had better take him straight on board deship.'
"Dey put him in boat and Sam go wid him to ship. Dey examine de woundand find it not bery serious. De captain was turning round when deystruck, and de blow had glanced off, but it had made a ugly gash; andwhat wid de surprise, and de loss ob blood, and knocking him head onde wharf, and de liquor, de captain had lost his consciousness. He sooncome round, and Sam tell all about it. De captain shake Sam's hand berymuch and call him his preserver, and ask what he do for him.
"'You take me out ob dis country,' me said, 'and Sam be grateful.'
"'Sartain, I will,' he said; 'and now what am de best ting to do?'
"'Me not stop on board now. Dey come and search de vessel for sure inde morning. When de four white men found, me hope five, den dere greatrumpus. If five dead no suspicion fall on Sam, but you're sure to beasked questions. It would be known dat dey were gambling in de saloon,and it would be known dat you had broken de bank and had gone away widyour pockets stuffed full ob notes. People would suspec' dat likelyenuff dey had made an attack on you. Dis you couldn't deny, for you willbe bandaged up in de morning, and if you had killed dem no one wouldblame you. But it a different ting wid Sam. All dose rascals friendstogether, and you be bery sure dat some ob dem pay him off for it. Iffive men dead, all well and good. Den you say you knocked down and knownufing furder. You s'pose some people came up and take your side, andkill dose men, and carry you to de boat, and gib you ober to de sailors,and den go away; but dat you know nufing at all about it. If only fourmen killed den do oder, who will be sure to go away and say nufing obhis share in de business, will tell all his mates dat dis nigger intrudehimself into de affair, and dat bad for Sam. So, sar, propose dat I goashore, and dat I go down de bank five or six mile, and dere hide in debush. When your ship come down you hoist little white flag, so Sam sureob de right ship. If Sam tink de coast am clear he swim off. If you nosee Sam when you get fifteen mile down de riber, den you anchor, and atnight send a boat ashore. Sam come down to it for sure.'
"So de matter was arranged. De captain say he tree more days fill up hisship, but dat no do for me come on board by daylight because dere wouldbe a pilot on board. Also he says little white flag no do, pilot tinkhim strange, but would tell one ob de men to hang a red shirt, as if todry, up in de rigging. At night would show two lights ober de bow for meto know which was de ship.
"Fust dey bind up de wound on my shoulder, den dey gib me food for fourdays and a bottle of rum, and den row me ashore. Den Sam start, andbefore morning he hid in de swampy bush ten miles down de riber. He waitdere two days, den make him way down anoder four miles and dere stop.Late dat afternoon he see a ship come down de riber wid a red shirt inde rigging. He go on and on, and jus' as it got dark he anchor two milesfurder down. Sam make his way along through de bush and at last getfacing de ship. At twelve o'clock boat come along bery quiet. Samgo down and get in. De men say, 'Hush, make no noise. De pilot am aswatchful as a cat. Dey had tied tings round de oars dat dey should makeno noise, and when dey get to de side ob de ship dey lay dem in veryquiet, hook on de tackle and hoist her up. De hatchway were off, andde men beckon to Sam, and two ob dem go down wid him, and de hatchwaysclosed down again.
"'I tink we hab tricked him,' one ob de sailors said. 'Dere great row atNew Orleans about de four men found dead dar. Dey come off and inquireob de captain ober and ober again. Dey know you missing, and dey find dekitchen poker lying by de men, and tink you must have had a hand in it.A thousand dollars reward have been offered, and dey searched de shiphigh and low, and turn ober all de cargo. A guard stop on board till delast ting to see no one come off. When de captain say he anchor de pilotsay no, but de captain say he in no hurry and not going to risk his shipby sailing at night. Me tink pilot smell a rat, for ebery time he heara noise on deck he come out of his cabin and look round. We greased defalls to make dem run quiet, and took off our shoes so as to make nonoise while we were lowering it. De men on deck was told to get dehatchway open when dey saw us coming, and so we hoped dat de pilot heardnufing. Now we must head you up in a cask. We hab bored some holes init for de air. Den we shall pile oder casks on de top and leabe you.Dey are as likely as not to search de ship again when she goes past deforts, for de pilot will suspect dat it am possible dat you have come onboard tonight.'
"Me take my place in a big sugar cask. Dey give me some water and somefood, and den shut in de head ober me. Dere I remain two days. I heardsome men come below and make a great noise, moving de cargo about nearde hatchway, and dey hammered in all de casks ob de top tier to see ifany ob dem was empty. I felt bery glad when it was all ober, and de holdwas quiet again. I slept a great deal and did not know anything abouttime; but at last I heard a noise again, and de moving of casks, and dende head of de hogshead was taken out, and dere were de sailors and decaptain. Dey shook Sam very hearty by de hand, and told him dat de shipwas safe out at sea, and dat he was a free man.
"All through dat voyage dey bery kind to Sam. He libed de life ob agentleman; ate, and drank, and smoke plenty, and nufing at all to do. Atlast we got to Liberpool, and dar de captain take Sam to a vessel boundto New York, pay him passage across, and gib Sam a present ob fiftypound. Dis chile had saved fifty beside, so he felt dat he was a richman. Nufing happen on passage, except great storm, and Sam thought datde steamer go to de bottom, but she got through all right, and Sam landat New York. Den he journey to Philadelphia, dat the place where missygive Sam a card wid a name and address written on it, for him to go toask where Sally was living. Well, sar, you could have knocked me downwhen I find a great bill in de window, saying dat de house were to let.Sam almost go out ob his mind. He ask a great many people, de servantsat de doors, and de people in de shops and at last find dat de family amgone to trabel in Europe, and dat dey might be away for years.
"For two months Sam searched about Philadelphia, and looked at eberyblack woman he saw in de streets. He could see no signs whatsomeber obSally. Den he took a place as waiter at an hotel, and he wrote to missyat Richmond, to ask if she know Sally's address, but he neber got noanswer to dat letter, and s'posed that missy was either dead or goneaway. After he work dere for some months de idea came to Sam dat firstclass hotel wasn't de best place in de world to look for black woman.Den Sam went to warehouse and bought a lot of books and started topeddle them trough de country. He walked thousands ob miles, andaltogether saw thousands ob black men, but nothing like Sally. Eberyblack woman he could he spoke to, and asked dem if dey knew her. It wasa curious ting dat no one did. Me did not find Sally, but me made a gooddeal of money, and tree more years pass away at dis work. By dis timeme was nigh forty-five years old, as well as me could tell. Ebery fewmonths me go back to Philadelphia and search dere again.
"One day a woman, dressed bery plain, came up to me and said, 'I habbeen tole by my nurse dat you have been asking her if she had seen yourwife.' I s'pose I looked hopeful like for she said at once, 'Me knownothing ob her, but I was interested a
bout you. You are an escapedslabe, are you not?'
"'Yes, ma'am,' me said. 'Dere is no law against me here.'
"'None at all,' she said. 'But I thought that you might, like me, beinterested in freeing slabes.'
"'Dat I am,' I said, 'dough I had neber thought much about it.'
"'You hab heard, p'raps,' she said, 'ob de underground railway.'
"'Yes, ma'am,' said I. 'Dat is de blessed 'stitution which smugglesslaves across the frontier.'
"'Dat is it,' she said, 'and I belongs to it.'
"'Does you, missy?' me says. 'De Lord bless you.'
"'Now,' she said, 'we want two or three more earnest men, men not afraidto risk deir libes, or what is worse deir freedom, to help deir followcreatures. I thought that you, habing suffered so much yourself, mightbe inclined to devote yourself to freeing oders from de horrors ofslabery.'
"'Sam is ready, ma'am,' me says, 'It may be dat de Lord neber intends mesee my Sally again, but if I can be de means ob helping to get oder mento join deir wives I shall be content.'
"'Very well,' she said. 'Come into my house now and we will talk aboutit.'
"Den she 'splained the whole business to me. Dere were, principally inlonely places, in swamps and woods, but sometimes libing in villages andtowns in de south, people who had devoted deir libes to de carryingout of de purposes ob de underground railway. For de most part dese ledlibes differing no way from deir neighbors; dey tilled de land, or keptstores like oders, and none of dose around dem suspected in de slightestdegree deir mission in de south. To deir houses at night fugitive slabeswould come, guided by dose from de next post. De fugitives would beconcealed for twenty-four hours or more, and den passed on at nightagain to de next station. Dose formed the larger portion ob de body.
"Dere were oders who lived a life in de swamps, scattered trough thecountry. Deir place of residence would be known to de slabes ob deneighborhood, but de masters had no suspicion dat de emissaries ob deassociation were so near. To dese any negro, driben to desperationby harsh treatment, would resort, and from dem instructions would bereceived as to de route to be taken, and de places where aid could beobtained. Dose people held deir life in deir hands. Had any suspicionfallen upon dem ob belonging to de 'stitution dey would be lynched forsartin. De lady set before me all de dangers ob de venture. She said itwar a case whar dere were no money to be earned, and only de chancesof martyrdom. My mind quite made up. Me ready to undertake any work deylike to give me. My life ob no value to no one. De next day me saw someob de oder people connected wid de affair, and tree days afterwards Istarted for de south."