the narrative of the life-第5部分

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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　Lloyd　kept　from　three　to　four　hundred

slaves　on　his　home　plantation；　and　owned　a　large

number　more　on　the　neighboring　farms　belonging　to

him。　　The　names　of　the　farms　nearest　to　the　home

plantation　were　Wye　Town　and　New　Design。　　〃Wye

Town〃　was　under　the　overseership　of　a　man　named

Noah　Willis。　　New　Design　was　under　the　overseer…

ship　of　a　Mr。　Townsend。　　The　overseers　of　these；

and　all　the　rest　of　the　farms；　numbering　over　twenty；

received　advice　and　direction　from　the　managers　of

the　home　plantation。　　This　was　the　great　business

place。　　It　was　the　seat　of　government　for　the　whole

twenty　farms。　　All　disputes　among　the　overseers　were

settled　here。　　If　a　slave　was　convicted　of　any　high

misdemeanor；　became　unmanageable；　or　evinced　a

determination　to　run　away；　he　was　brought　immedi…

ately　here；　severely　whipped；　put　on　board　the　sloop；

carried　to　Baltimore；　and　sold　to　Austin　Woolfolk；

or　some　other　slave…trader；　as　a　warning　to　the　slaves

remaining。

　

　　Here；　too；　the　slaves　of　all　the　other　farms　received

their　monthly　allowance　of　food；　and　their　yearly

clothing。　　The　men　and　women　slaves　received；　as

their　monthly　allowance　of　food；　eight　pounds　of

pork；　or　its　equivalent　in　fish；　and　one　bushel　of

corn　meal。　　Their　yearly　clothing　consisted　of　two

coarse　linen　shirts；　one　pair　of　linen　trousers；　like

the　shirts；　one　jacket；　one　pair　of　trousers　for　winter；

made　of　coarse　negro　cloth；　one　pair　of　stockings；

and　one　pair　of　shoes；　the　whole　of　which　could　not

have　cost　more　than　seven　dollars。　　The　allowance

of　the　slave　children　was　given　to　their　mothers；　or

the　old　women　having　the　care　of　them。　　The　chil…

dren　unable　to　work　in　the　field　had　neither　shoes；

stockings；　jackets；　nor　trousers；　given　to　them；　their

clothing　consisted　of　two　coarse　linen　shirts　per　year。

When　these　failed　them；　they　went　naked　until　the

next　allowance…day。　　Children　from　seven　to　ten　years

old；　of　both　sexes；　almost　naked；　might　be　seen

at　all　seasons　of　the　year。

　

　　There　were　no　beds　given　the　slaves；　unless　one

coarse　blanket　be　considered　such；　and　none　but

the　men　and　women　had　these。　　This；　however；　is

not　considered　a　very　great　privation。　　They　find　less

difficulty　from　the　want　of　beds；　than　from　the　want

of　time　to　sleep；　for　when　their　day's　work　in　the

field　is　done；　the　most　of　them　having　their　wash…

ing；　mending；　and　cooking　to　do；　and　having　few　or

none　of　the　ordinary　facilities　for　doing　either　of

these；　very　many　of　their　sleeping　hours　are　con…

sumed　in　preparing　for　the　field　the　coming　day；

and　when　this　is　done；　old　and　young；　male　and

female；　married　and　single；　drop　down　side　by　side；

on　one　common　bed；the　cold；　damp　floor；each

covering　himself　or　herself　with　their　miserable

blankets；　and　here　they　sleep　till　they　are　summoned

to　the　field　by　the　driver's　horn。　　At　the　sound　of

this；　all　must　rise；　and　be　off　to　the　field。　　There

must　be　no　halting；　every　one　must　be　at　his　or

her　post；　and　woe　betides　them　who　hear　not　this

morning　summons　to　the　field；　for　if　they　are　not

awakened　by　the　sense　of　hearing；　they　are　by　the

sense　of　feeling：　no　age　nor　sex　finds　any　favor。

Mr。　Severe；　the　overseer；　used　to　stand　by　the　door

of　the　quarter；　armed　with　a　large　hickory　stick

and　heavy　cowskin；　ready　to　whip　any　one　who　was

so　unfortunate　as　not　to　hear；　or；　from　any　other

cause；　was　prevented　from　being　ready　to　start　for

the　field　at　the　sound　of　the　horn。

　

　　Mr。　Severe　was　rightly　named：　he　was　a　cruel

man。　　I　have　seen　him　whip　a　woman；　causing　the

blood　to　run　half　an　hour　at　the　time；　and　this；　too；

in　the　midst　of　her　crying　children；　pleading　for　their

mother's　release。　　He　seemed　to　take　pleasure　in

manifesting　his　fiendish　barbarity。　　Added　to　his

cruelty；　he　was　a　profane　swearer。　　It　was　enough　to

chill　the　blood　and　stiffen　the　hair　of　an　ordinary

man　to　hear　him　talk。　　Scarce　a　sentence　escaped　him

but　that　was　commenced　or　concluded　by　some　hor…

rid　oath。　　The　field　was　the　place　to　witness　his

cruelty　and　profanity。　　His　presence　made　it　both

the　field　of　blood　and　of　blasphemy。　　From　the　rising

till　the　going　down　of　the　sun；　he　was　cursing；　raving；

cutting；　and　slashing　among　the　slaves　of　the　field；

in　the　most　frightful　manner。　　His　career　was　short。

He　died　very　soon　after　I　went　to　Colonel　Lloyd's；

and　he　died　as　he　lived；　uttering；　with　his　dying

groans；　bitter　curses　and　horrid　oaths。　　His　death　was

regarded　by　the　slaves　as　the　result　of　a　merciful

providence。

　

　　Mr。　Severe's　place　was　filled　by　a　Mr。　Hopkins。

He　was　a　very　different　man。　　He　was　less　cruel；　less

profane；　and　made　less　noise；　than　Mr。　Severe。　　His

course　was　characterized　by　no　extraordinary　demon…

strations　of　cruelty。　　He　whipped；　but　seemed　to　take

no　pleasure　in　it。　　He　was　called　by　the　slaves　a　good

overseer。

　

　　The　home　plantation　of　Colonel　Lloyd　wore　the

appearance　of　a　country　village。　　All　the　mechanical

operations　for　all　the　farms　were　performed　here。

The　shoemaking　and　mending；　the　blacksmithing；

cartwrighting；　coopering；　weaving；　and　grain…grind…

ing；　were　all　performed　by　the　slaves　on　the　home

plantation。　　The　whole　place　wore　a　business…like　as…

pect　very　unlike　the　neighboring　farms。　　The　num…

ber　of　houses；　too；　conspired　to　give　it　advantage

over　the　neighboring　farms。　　It　was　called　by　the

slaves　the　~Great　House　Farm。~　　Few　privileges　were

esteemed　higher；　by　the　slaves　of　the　out…farms；　than

that　of　being　selected　to　do　errands　at　the　Great

House　Farm。　　It　was　associated　in　their　minds　with

greatness。　　A　representative　could　not　be　prouder　of

his　election　to　a　seat　in　the　American　Congress；

than　a　slave　on　one　of　the　out…farms　would　be　of　his

election　to　do　errands　at　the　Great　House　Farm。

They　regarded　it　as　evidence　of　great　confidence　re…

posed　in　them　by　their　overseers；　and　it　was　on

this　account；　as　well　as　a　constant　desire　to　be　out　of

the　field　from　under　the　driver's　lash；　that　they　es…

teemed　it　a　high　privilege；　one　worth　careful　living

for。　　He　was　called　the　smartest　and　most　trusty　fel…

low；　who　had　this　honor　conferred　upon　him　the

most　frequently。　　The　competitors　for　this　office

sought　as　diligently　to　please　their　overseers；　as　the

office…seekers　in　the　political　parties　seek　to　please

and　deceive　the　people。　　The　same　traits　of　character

might　be　seen　in　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves；　as　are　seen

in　the　slaves　of　the　political　parties。

　

　　The　slaves　selected　to　go　to　the　Great　House　Farm；

for　the　monthly　allowance　for　themselves　and　their

fellow…slaves；　were　peculiarly　enthusiastic。　　While　on

their　way；　they　would　make　the　dense　old　woods；

for　miles　around；　reverberate　with　their　wild　songs；

revealing　at　once　the　highest　joy　and　the　deepest

sadness。　　They　would　compose　and　sing　as　they　went

along；　consulting　neither　time　nor　tune。　　The　thought

that　came　up；　came　outif　not　in　the　word；　in　the

sound；and　as　frequently　in　the　one　as　in　the　other。

They　would　sometimes　sing　the　most　pathetic　senti…

ment　in　the　most　rapturous　tone；　and　the　most　rap…

turous　sentiment　in　the　most　pathetic　tone。　　Into　all

of　their　songs　they　would　manage　to　weave　some…

thing　of　the　Great　House　Farm。　　Especially　would

they　do　this；　when　leaving　home。　　They　would　then

sing　most　exultingly　the　following　words：

　

　

　　　　　　　　　〃I　am　going　away　to　the　Great　House　Farm！

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　O；　yea！　　O；　yea！　　O！〃

This　they　would　sing；　as　a　chorus；　to　words　which　to

many　would　seem　unmeaning　jargon；　but　which；

nevertheless；　were　full　of　meaning　to　themselves。　　I

have　sometimes　thought　that　the　mere　hearing　of

those　songs　would　do　more　to　impress　some　minds

with　the　horrible　character　of　slavery；　than　the　read…

ing　of　whole　volumes　of　philosophy　on　the　subject

could　do。