the narrative of the life-第7部分

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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　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；　t