the narrative of the life- 第19部分

were　resolved　to　succeed　or　fail　together；　after　the

calamity　had　befallen　us　as　much　as　before。　　We

were　now　prepared　for　any　thing。　　We　were　to　be

dragged　that　morning　fifteen　miles　behind　horses；

and　then　to　be　placed　in　the　Easton　jail。　　When　we

reached　St。　Michael's；　we　underwent　a　sort　of　exami…

nation。　　We　all　denied　that　we　ever　intended　to　run

away。　　We　did　this　more　to　bring　out　the　evidence

against　us；　than　from　any　hope　of　getting　clear　of

being　sold；　for；　as　I　have　said；　we　were　ready　for

that。　　The　fact　was；　we　cared　but　little　where　we

went；　so　we　went　together。　　Our　greatest　concern　was

about　separation。　　We　dreaded　that　more　than　any

thing　this　side　of　death。　　We　found　the　evidence

against　us　to　be　the　testimony　of　one　person；　our

master　would　not　tell　who　it　was；　but　we　came　to

a　unanimous　decision　among　ourselves　as　to　who

their　informant　was。　　We　were　sent　off　to　the　jail　at

Easton。　　When　we　got　there；　we　were　delivered　up

to　the　sheriff；　Mr。　Joseph　Graham；　and　by　him

placed　in　jail。　　Henry；　John；　and　myself；　were　placed

in　one　room　togetherCharles；　and　Henry　Bailey；

in　another。　　Their　object　in　separating　us　was　to

hinder　concert。

　

　　We　had　been　in　jail　scarcely　twenty　minutes；

when　a　swarm　of　slave　traders；　and　agents　for　slave

traders；　flocked　into　jail　to　look　at　us；　and　to　as…

certain　if　we　were　for　sale。　　Such　a　set　of　beings　I

never　saw　before！　　I　felt　myself　surrounded　by　so

many　fiends　from　perdition。　　A　band　of　pirates　never

looked　more　like　their　father；　the　devil。　　They

laughed　and　grinned　over　us；　saying；　〃Ah；　my　boys！

we　have　got　you；　haven't　we？〃　　And　after　taunting

us　in　various　ways；　they　one　by　one　went　into　an

examination　of　us；　with　intent　to　ascertain　our　value。

They　would　impudently　ask　us　if　we　would　not　like

to　have　them　for　our　masters。　　We　would　make　them

no　answer；　and　leave　them　to　find　out　as　best　they

could。　　Then　they　would　curse　and　swear　at　us；　telling

us　that　they　could　take　the　devil　out　of　us　in　a　very

little　while；　if　we　were　only　in　their　hands。

　

　　While　in　jail；　we　found　ourselves　in　much　more

comfortable　quarters　than　we　expected　when　we

went　there。　　We　did　not　get　much　to　eat；　nor　that

which　was　very　good；　but　we　had　a　good　clean　room；

from　the　windows　of　which　we　could　see　what　was　go…

ing　on　in　the　street；　which　was　very　much　better

than　though　we　had　been　placed　in　one　of　the　dark；

damp　cells。　　Upon　the　whole；　we　got　along　very　well；

so　far　as　the　jail　and　its　keeper　were　concerned。

Immediately　after　the　holidays　were　over；　contrary

to　all　our　expectations；　Mr。　Hamilton　and　Mr。　Free…

land　came　up　to　Easton；　and　took　Charles；　the　two

Henrys；　and　John；　out　of　jail；　and　carried　them

home；　leaving　me　alone。　　I　regarded　this　separation

as　a　final　one。　　It　caused　me　more　pain　than　any

thing　else　in　the　whole　transaction。　　I　was　ready　for

any　thing　rather　than　separation。　　I　supposed　that

they　had　consulted　together；　and　had　decided　that；

as　I　was　the　whole　cause　of　the　intention　of　the

others　to　run　away；　it　was　hard　to　make　the　innocent

suffer　with　the　guilty；　and　that　they　had；　therefore；

concluded　to　take　the　others　home；　and　sell　me；　as

a　warning　to　the　others　that　remained。　　It　is　due

to　the　noble　Henry　to　say；　he　seemed　almost　as

reluctant　at　leaving　the　prison　as　at　leaving　home

to　come　to　the　prison。　　But　we　knew　we　should；　in

all　probability；　be　separated；　if　we　were　sold；　and

since　he　was　in　their　hands；　he　concluded　to　go

peaceably　home。

　

　　I　was　now　left　to　my　fate。　　I　was　all　alone；　and

within　the　walls　of　a　stone　prison。　　But　a　few　days

before；　and　I　was　full　of　hope。　　I　expected　to　have

been　safe　in　a　land　of　freedom；　but　now　I　was　cov…

ered　with　gloom；　sunk　down　to　the　utmost　despair。

I　thought　the　possibility　of　freedom　was　gone。　　I

was　kept　in　this　way　about　one　week；　at　the　end

of　which；　Captain　Auld；　my　master；　to　my　surprise

and　utter　astonishment；　came　up；　and　took　me　out；

with　the　intention　of　sending　me；　with　a　gentleman

of　his　acquaintance；　into　Alabama。　　But；　from　some

cause　or　other；　he　did　not　send　me　to　Alabama；

but　concluded　to　send　me　back　to　Baltimore；　to

live　again　with　his　brother　Hugh；　and　to　learn　a

trade。

　

　　Thus；　after　an　absence　of　three　years　and　one

month；　I　was　once　more　permitted　to　return　to　my

old　home　at　Baltimore。　　My　master　sent　me　away；

because　there　existed　against　me　a　very　great　preju…

dice　in　the　community；　and　he　feared　I　might　be

killed。

　

　　In　a　few　weeks　after　I　went　to　Baltimore；　Master

Hugh　hired　me　to　Mr。　William　Gardner；　an　ex…

tensive　ship…builder；　on　Fell's　Point。　　I　was　put　there

to　learn　how　to　calk。　　It；　however；　proved　a　very

unfavorable　place　for　the　accomplishment　of　this

object。　　Mr。　Gardner　was　engaged　that　spring　in

building　two　large　man…of…war　brigs；　professedly　for

the　Mexican　government。　　The　vessels　were　to　be

launched　in　the　July　of　that　year；　and　in　failure

thereof；　Mr。　Gardner　was　to　lose　a　considerable　sum；

so　that　when　I　entered；　all　was　hurry。　　There　was

no　time　to　learn　any　thing。　　Every　man　had　to　do

that　which　he　knew　how　to　do。　　In　entering　the　ship…

yard；　my　orders　from　Mr。　Gardner　were；　to　do　what…

ever　the　carpenters　commanded　me　to　do。　　This　was

placing　me　at　the　beck　and　call　of　about　seventy…five

men。　　I　was　to　regard　all　these　as　masters。　　Their

word　was　to　be　my　law。　　My　situation　was　a　most

trying　one。　　At　times　I　needed　a　dozen　pair　of　hands。

I　was　called　a　dozen　ways　in　the　space　of　a　single

minute。　　Three　or　four　voices　would　strike　my　ear

at　the　same　moment。　　It　was〃Fred。；　come　help　me

to　cant　this　timber　here。〃〃Fred。；　come　carry　this

timber　yonder。〃〃Fred。；　bring　that　roller　here。〃

〃Fred。；　go　get　a　fresh　can　of　water。〃〃Fred。；　come

help　saw　off　the　end　of　this　timber。〃〃Fred。；　go

quick；　and　get　the　crowbar。〃〃Fred。；　hold　on　the

end　of　this　fall。〃〃Fred。；　go　to　the　blacksmith's

shop；　and　get　a　new　punch。〃〃Hurra；　Fred。！　run

and　bring　me　a　cold　chisel。〃〃I　say；　Fred。；　bear　a

hand；　and　get　up　a　fire　as　quick　as　lightning　under

that　steam…box。〃〃Halloo；　nigger！　come；　turn　this

grindstone。〃〃Come；　come！　move；　move！　and　BOWSE

this　timber　forward。〃〃I　say；　darky；　blast　your　eyes；

why　don't　you　heat　up　some　pitch？〃〃Halloo！

halloo！　halloo！〃　　（Three　voices　at　the　same　time。）

〃Come　here！Go　there！Hold　on　where　you　are！

Damn　you；　if　you　move；　I'll　knock　your　brains　out！〃

　

　　This　was　my　school　for　eight　months；　and　I　might

have　remained　there　longer；　but　for　a　most　horrid

fight　I　had　with　four　of　the　white　apprentices；　in

which　my　left　eye　was　nearly　knocked　out；　and　I

was　horribly　mangled　in　other　respects。　　The　facts

in　the　case　were　these：　Until　a　very　little　while

after　I　went　there；　white　and　black　ship…carpenters

worked　side　by　side；　and　no　one　seemed　to　see　any

impropriety　in　it。　　All　hands　seemed　to　be　very　well

satisfied。　　Many　of　the　black　carpenters　were　freemen。

Things　seemed　to　be　going　on　very　well。　　All　at　once；

the　white　carpenters　knocked　off；　and　said　they

would　not　work　with　free　colored　workmen。　　Their

reason　for　this；　as　alleged；　was；　that　if　free　colored

carpenters　were　encouraged；　they　would　soon　take

the　trade　into　their　own　hands；　and　poor　white　men

would　be　thrown　out　of　employment。　　They　therefore

felt　called　upon　at　once　to　put　a　stop　to　it。　　And；

taking　advantage　of　Mr。　Gardner's　necessities；　they

broke　off；　swearing　they　would　work　no　longer；　unless

he　would　discharge　his　black　carpenters。　　Now；

though　this　did　not　extend　to　me　in　form；　it　did

reach　me　in　fact。　　My　fellow…apprentices　very　soon

began　to　feel　it　degrading　to　them　to　work　with

me。　　They　began　to　put　on　airs；　and　talk　about　the

〃niggers〃　taking　the　country；　saying　we　all　ought　to

be　killed；　and；　being　encouraged　by　the　journey…

men；　they　commenced　making　my　condition　as

hard　as　they　could；　by　hectoring　me　around；　and

sometimes　striking　me。　　I；　of　course；　kept　the　vow

I　made　after　the　fight　with　Mr。　Covey；　and　struck

back　again；　regardless　of　consequences；　and　while

I　kept　them　from　combining；　I　succeeded　very　well；

for　I　could　whip　the　whole　of　them；　taking　them

separately。　　They；　however；　at　length　combined；　and

came　upon　me；　armed　with　sticks；　stones；　and　heavy

handspikes。　　One　came　in　front　with　a　half　brick。

There　was　one　at　each　side　of　me；　and　one　behind

me。　　While　I　was　attending　to　those　in　front；　and　on

either　side；　the　one　behind　ran　up　with　the　hand…

spike；　and　struck　me　a　heavy　blow　upon　the　head。

It　stunned　me。　　I　fell；　and　with　this　they　all　ran

upon　me；　and　fell　to　beating　me　with　their　fists。　　I

let　them　lay　on　for　a　while；　gathering　strength。　　In

an　instant；　I　gave　a　sudden　surge；　and　rose　to　my

hands　and　knees。　　Just　as　I　did　that；　one　of　their

number　gave　me；　with　his　heavy　boot；　a　powerful

kick　in　the　left　eye。　　My　eyeball　seemed　to　have

burst。　　When　they　saw　my　eye　closed；　and　badly

swollen；　they　left　me。　　With　this　I　seized　the　hand…

spike；　and　for　a　time　pursued　them。　　But　here　the

carpenters　interfered；　and　I　thought　I　might　as　well

give　it　up。　　It　was　impossible　to　stand　my　hand

against　so　many。　　All　this　took　place　in　sight　of　not

less　than　fifty　white　ship…carpenters；　and　not　one

interposed　a　friendly　word；　but　some　cried；　〃Kill

the　damned　nigger！　　Kill　him！　kill　him！　　He　struck

a　white　person。〃　　I　found　my　only　chance　for　life

was　in　flight。　　I　succeeded　in　getting　away　without

an　additional　blow；　and　barely　so；　for　to　strike　a

white　man　is　death　by　Lynch　law；and　that　was　the

law　in　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard；　nor　is　there　much

of　any　other　out　of　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard。

　

　　I　went　directly　home；　and　told　the　story　of　my

wrongs　to　Master　Hugh；　and　I　am　happy　to　say　of

him；　irreligious　as　he　was；　his　conduct　was　heavenly；

compared　with　that　of　his　brother　Thomas　under

similar　circumstances