按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
is ever fulfilled or not； it is nevertheless plain that a
very different…looking class of people are springing up
at the south； and are now held in slavery； from those
originally brought to this country from Africa； and
if their increase do no other good； it will do
away the force of the argument； that God cursed
Ham； and therefore American slavery is right。 If the
lineal descendants of Ham are alone to be scriptur…
ally enslaved； it is certain that slavery at the south
must soon become unscriptural； for thousands are
ushered into the world； annually； who； like myself；
owe their existence to white fathers； and those fa…
thers most frequently their own masters。
I have had two masters。 My first master's name
was Anthony。 I do not remember his first name。
He was generally called Captain Anthonya title
which； I presume； he acquired by sailing a craft on
the Chesapeake Bay。 He was not considered a rich
slaveholder。 He owned two or three farms； and about
thirty slaves。 His farms and slaves were under the
care of an overseer。 The overseer's name was
Plummer。 Mr。 Plummer was a miserable drunkard；
a profane swearer； and a savage monster。 He always
went armed with a cowskin and a heavy cudgel。 I
have known him to cut and slash the women's heads
so horribly； that even master would be enraged at
his cruelty； and would threaten to whip him if he
did not mind himself。 Master； however； was not a
humane slaveholder。 It required extraordinary bar…
barity on the part of an overseer to affect him。 He
was a cruel man； hardened by a long life of slave…
holding。 He would at times seem to take great pleas…
ure in whipping a slave。 I have often been awakened
at the dawn of day by the most heart…rending shrieks
of an own aunt of mine； whom he used to tie up
to a joist； and whip upon her naked back till she
was literally covered with blood。 No words； no tears；
no prayers； from his gory victim； seemed to move
his iron heart from its bloody purpose。 The louder
she screamed； the harder he whipped； and where
the blood ran fastest； there he whipped longest。 He
would whip her to make her scream； and whip her
to make her hush； and not until overcome by fatigue；
would he cease to swing the blood…clotted cowskin。
I remember the first time I ever witnessed this hor…
rible exhibition。 I was quite a child； but I well re…
member it。 I never shall forget it whilst I remember
any thing。 It was the first of a long series of such out…
rages； of which I was doomed to be a witness and a
participant。 It struck me with awful force。 It was
the blood…stained gate； the entrance to the hell of
slavery； through which I was about to pass。 It was
a most terrible spectacle。 I wish I could commit to
paper the feelings with which I beheld it。
This occurrence took place very soon after I went
to live with my old master； and under the following
circumstances。 Aunt Hester went out one night；
where or for what I do not know；and happened to
be absent when my master desired her presence。 He
had ordered her not to go out evenings； and warned
her that she must never let him catch her in com…
pany with a young man； who was paying attention
to her belonging to Colonel Lloyd。 The young man's
name was Ned Roberts； generally called Lloyd's
Ned。 Why master was so careful of her； may be
safely left to conjecture。 She was a woman of noble
form； and of graceful proportions； having very few
equals； and fewer superiors； in personal appearance；
among the colored or white women of our neighbor…
hood。
Aunt Hester had not only disobeyed his orders in
going out； but had been found in company with
Lloyd's Ned； which circumstance； I found； from
what he said while whipping her； was the chief of…
fence。 Had he been a man of pure morals himself；
he might have been thought interested in protecting
the innocence of my aunt； but those who knew him
will not suspect him of any such virtue。 Before
he commenced whipping Aunt Hester； he took her
into the kitchen； and stripped her from neck to waist；
leaving her neck； shoulders； and back； entirely
naked。 He then told her to cross her hands； calling
her at the same time a dd b…h。 After crossing
her hands； he tied them with a strong rope； and led
her to a stool under a large hook in the joist； put
in for the purpose。 He made her get upon the stool；
and tied her hands to the hook。 She now stood fair
for his infernal purpose。 Her arms were stretched
up at their full length； so that she stood upon the
ends of her toes。 He then said to her； 〃Now； you
dd b…h； I'll learn you how to disobey my
orders！〃 and after rolling up his sleeves； he com…
menced to lay on the heavy cowskin； and soon the
warm； red blood （amid heart…rending shrieks from
her； and horrid oaths from him） came dripping to
the floor。 I was so terrified and horror…stricken at the
sight； that I hid myself in a closet； and dared not
venture out till long after the bloody transaction was
over。 I expected it would be my turn next。 It was
all new to me。 I had never seen any thing like it
before。 I had always lived with my grandmother on
the outskirts of the plantation； where she was put to
raise the children of the younger women。 I had there…
fore been； until now； out of the way of the bloody
scenes that often occurred on the plantation。
CHAPTER II
My master's family consisted of two sons； Andrew
and Richard； one daughter； Lucretia； and her hus…
band； Captain Thomas Auld。 They lived in one
house； upon the home plantation of Colonel Edward
Lloyd。 My master was Colonel Lloyd's clerk and
superintendent。 He was what might be called the
overseer of the overseers。 I spent two years of child…
hood on this plantation in my old master's family。
It was here that I witnessed the bloody transaction
recorded in the first chapter； and as I received my
first impressions of slavery on this plantation；
I will give some description of it； and of slavery as
it there existed。 The plantation is about twelve miles
north of Easton； in Talbot county； and is situated
on the border of Miles River。 The principal products
raised upon it were tobacco； corn； and wheat。 These
were raised in great abundance； so that； with the
products of this and the other farms belonging to
him； he was able to keep in almost constant em…
ployment a large sloop； in carrying them to market
at Baltimore。 This sloop was named Sally Lloyd；
in honor of one of the colonel's daughters。 My mas…
ter's son…in…law； Captain Auld； was master of the
vessel； she was otherwise manned by the colonel's
own slaves。 Their names were Peter； Isaac； Rich； and
Jake。 These were esteemed very highly by the other
slaves； and looked upon as the privileged ones of the
plantation； for it was no small affair； in the eyes of
the slaves； to be allowed to see Baltimore。
Colonel