the narrative of the life- 第18部分

On　the　other　hand；　away　back　in　the　dim　distance；

under　the　flickering　light　of　the　north　star；　behind

some　craggy　hill　or　snow…covered　mountain；　stood

a　doubtful　freedomhalf　frozenbeckoning　us　to

come　and　share　its　hospitality。　　This　in　itself　was

sometimes　enough　to　stagger　us；　but　when　we　per…

mitted　ourselves　to　survey　the　road；　we　were　fre…

quently　appalled。　　Upon　either　side　we　saw　grim

death；　assuming　the　most　horrid　shapes。　　Now　it　was

starvation；　causing　us　to　eat　our　own　flesh；now　we

were　contending　with　the　waves；　and　were　drowned；

now　we　were　overtaken；　and　torn　to　pieces　by　the

fangs　of　the　terrible　bloodhound。　　We　were　stung

by　scorpions；　chased　by　wild　beasts；　bitten　by　snakes；

and　finally；　after　having　nearly　reached　the　desired

spot；after　swimming　rivers；　encountering　wild

beasts；　sleeping　in　the　woods；　suffering　hunger　and

nakedness；we　were　overtaken　by　our　pursuers；　and；

in　our　resistance；　we　were　shot　dead　upon　the　spot！

I　say；　this　picture　sometimes　appalled　us；　and　made

us

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃rather　bear　those　ills　we　had；

　

　　　　　　　　　Than　fly　to　others；　that　we　knew　not　of。〃

　

　

　　In　coming　to　a　fixed　determination　to　run　away；

we　did　more　than　Patrick　Henry；　when　he　resolved

upon　liberty　or　death。　　With　us　it　was　a　doubtful

liberty　at　most；　and　almost　certain　death　if　we　failed。

For　my　part；　I　should　prefer　death　to　hopeless　bond…

age。

　

　　Sandy；　one　of　our　number；　gave　up　the　notion；

but　still　encouraged　us。　　Our　company　then　consisted

of　Henry　Harris；　John　Harris；　Henry　Bailey；　Charles

Roberts；　and　myself。　　Henry　Bailey　was　my　uncle；

and　belonged　to　my　master。　　Charles　married　my

aunt：　he　belonged　to　my　master's　father…in…law；　Mr。

William　Hamilton。

　

　　The　plan　we　finally　concluded　upon　was；　to　get

a　large　canoe　belonging　to　Mr。　Hamilton；　and　upon

the　Saturday　night　previous　to　Easter　holidays；

paddle　directly　up　the　Chesapeake　Bay。　　On　our　ar…

rival　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　a　distance　of　seventy

or　eighty　miles　from　where　we　lived；　it　was　our

purpose　to　turn　our　canoe　adrift；　and　follow　the

guidance　of　the　north　star　till　we　got　beyond　the

limits　of　Maryland。　　Our　reason　for　taking　the　water

route　was；　that　we　were　less　liable　to　be　suspected　as

runaways；　we　hoped　to　be　regarded　as　fishermen；

whereas；　if　we　should　take　the　land　route；　we　should

be　subjected　to　interruptions　of　almost　every　kind。

Any　one　having　a　white　face；　and　being　so　disposed；

could　stop　us；　and　subject　us　to　examination。

　

　　The　week　before　our　intended　start；　I　wrote　sev…

eral　protections；　one　for　each　of　us。　　As　well　as　I

can　remember；　they　were　in　the　following　words；　to

wit：

　

　

　　〃This　is　to　certify　that　I；　the　undersigned；　have

given　the　bearer；　my　servant；　full　liberty　to　go　to

Baltimore；　and　spend　the　Easter　holidays。　　Written

with　mine　own　hand；　&c。；　1835。

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃WILLIAM　HAMILTON；

　

　　〃Near　St。　Michael's；　in　Talbot　county；　Maryland。〃

　

　

　　We　were　not　going　to　Baltimore；　but；　in　going　up

the　bay；　we　went　toward　Baltimore；　and　these　pro…

tections　were　only　intended　to　protect　us　while　on

the　bay。

　

　　As　the　time　drew　near　for　our　departure；　our

anxiety　became　more　and　more　intense。　　It　was　truly

a　matter　of　life　and　death　with　us。　　The　strength　of

our　determination　was　about　to　be　fully　tested。　　At

this　time；　I　was　very　active　in　explaining　every　dif…

ficulty；　removing　every　doubt；　dispelling　every　fear；

and　inspiring　all　with　the　firmness　indispensable　to

success　in　our　undertaking；　assuring　them　that　half

was　gained　the　instant　we　made　the　move；　we　had

talked　long　enough；　we　were　now　ready　to　move；

if　not　now；　we　never　should　be；　and　if　we　did　not

intend　to　move　now；　we　had　as　well　fold　our　arms；

sit　down；　and　acknowledge　ourselves　fit　only　to　be

slaves。　　This；　none　of　us　were　prepared　to　acknowl…

edge。　　Every　man　stood　firm；　and　at　our　last　meeting；

we　pledged　ourselves　afresh；　in　the　most　solemn

manner；　that；　at　the　time　appointed；　we　would　cer…

tainly　start　in　pursuit　of　freedom。　　This　was　in　the

middle　of　the　week；　at　the　end　of　which　we　were

to　be　off。　　We　went；　as　usual；　to　our　several　fields

of　labor；　but　with　bosoms　highly　agitated　with

thoughts　of　our　truly　hazardous　undertaking。　　We

tried　to　conceal　our　feelings　as　much　as　possible；

and　I　think　we　succeeded　very　well。

　

　　After　a　painful　waiting；　the　Saturday　morning；

whose　night　was　to　witness　our　departure；　came。　　I

hailed　it　with　joy；　bring　what　of　sadness　it　might。

Friday　night　was　a　sleepless　one　for　me。　　I　probably

felt　more　anxious　than　the　rest；　because　I　was；　by

common　consent；　at　the　head　of　the　whole　affair。

The　responsibility　of　success　or　failure　lay　heavily

upon　me。　　The　glory　of　the　one；　and　the　confusion

of　the　other；　were　alike　mine。　　The　first　two　hours

of　that　morning　were　such　as　I　never　experienced

before；　and　hope　never　to　again。　　Early　in　the

morning；　we　went；　as　usual；　to　the　field。　　We　were

spreading　manure；　and　all　at　once；　while　thus　en…

gaged；　I　was　overwhelmed　with　an　indescribable　feel…

ing；　in　the　fulness　of　which　I　turned　to　Sandy；　who

was　near　by；　and　said；　〃We　are　betrayed！〃　　〃Well；〃

said　he；　〃that　thought　has　this　moment　struck　me。〃

We　said　no　more。　　I　was　never　more　certain　of　any

thing。

　

　　The　horn　was　blown　as　usual；　and　we　went　up

from　the　field　to　the　house　for　breakfast。　　I　went　for

the　form；　more　than　for　want　of　any　thing　to　eat

that　morning。　　Just　as　I　got　to　the　house；　in　looking

out　at　the　lane　gate；　I　saw　four　white　men；　with

two　colored　men。　　The　white　men　were　on　horseback；

and　the　colored　ones　were　walking　behind；　as　if　tied。

I　watched　them　a　few　moments　till　they　got　up　to

our　lane　gate。　　Here　they　halted；　and　tied　the　colored

men　to　the　gate…post。　　I　was　not　yet　certain　as　to

what　the　matter　was。　　In　a　few　moments；　in　rode

Mr。　Hamilton；　with　a　speed　betokening　great　excite…

ment。　　He　came　to　the　door；　and　inquired　if　Master

William　was　in。　　He　was　told　he　was　at　the　barn。　　Mr。

Hamilton；　without　dismounting；　rode　up　to　the　barn

with　extraordinary　speed。　　In　a　few　moments；　he　and

Mr。　Freeland　returned　to　the　house。　　By　this　time；

the　three　constables　rode　up；　and　in　great　haste　dis…

mounted；　tied　their　horses；　and　met　Master　William

and　Mr。　Hamilton　returning　from　the　barn；　and

after　talking　awhile；　they　all　walked　up　to　the

kitchen　door。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　kitchen　but

myself　and　John。　　Henry　and　Sandy　were　up　at　the

barn。　　Mr。　Freeland　put　his　head　in　at　the　door；　and

called　me　by　name；　saying；　there　were　some　gentle…

men　at　the　door　who　wished　to　see　me。　　I　stepped

to　the　door；　and　inquired　what　they　wanted。　　They

at　once　seized　me；　and；　without　giving　me　any　satis…

faction；　tied　melashing　my　hands　closely　together。

I　insisted　upon　knowing　what　the　matter　was。　　They

at　length　said；　that　they　had　learned　I　had　been　in　a

〃scrape；〃　and　that　I　was　to　be　examined　before　my

master；　and　if　their　information　proved　false；　I

should　not　be　hurt。

　

　　In　a　few　moments；　they　succeeded　in　tying　John。

They　then　turned　to　Henry；　who　had　by　this　time

returned；　and　commanded　him　to　cross　his　hands。

〃I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　firm　tone；　indicating　his

readiness　to　meet　the　consequences　of　his　refusal。

〃Won't　you？〃　said　Tom　Graham；　the　constable。　　〃No；

I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　still　stronger　tone。　　With

this；　two　of　the　constables　pulled　out　their　shining

pistols；　and　swore；　by　their　Creator；　that　they　would

make　him　cross　his　hands　or　kill　him。　　Each　cocked

his　pistol；　and；　with　fingers　on　the　trigger；　walked

up　to　Henry；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　if　he　did　not

cross　his　hands；　they　would　blow　his　damned　heart

out。　　〃Shoot　me；　shoot　me！〃　said　Henry；　〃you　can't

kill　me　but　once。　　Shoot；　shoot；and　be　damned！　　~I

won't　be　tied！~〃　　This　he　said　in　a　tone　of　loud　defi…

ance；　and　at　the　same　time；　with　a　motion　as　quick

as　lightning；　he　with　one　single　stroke　dashed　the

pistols　from　the　hand　of　each　constable。　　As　he　did

this；　all　hands　fell　upon　him；　and；　after　beating

him　some　time；　they　finally　overpowered　him；　and

got　him　tied。

　

　　During　the　scuffle；　I　managed；　I　know　not　how；

to　get　my　pass　out；　and；　without　being　discovered；

put　it　into　the　fire。　　We　were　all　now　tied；　and　just

as　we　were　to　leave　for　Easton　jail；　Betsy　Freeland；

mother　of　William　Freeland；　came　to　the　door　with

her　hands　full　of　biscuits；　and　divided　them　between

Henry　and　John。　　She　then　delivered　herself　of　a

speech；　to　the　following　effect：addressing　herself

to　me；　she　said；　〃~You　devil！　　You　yellow　devil！~　it　was

you　that　put　it　into　the　heads　of　Henry　and　John

to　run　away。　　But　for　you；　you　long…legged　mulatto

devil！　Henry　nor　John　would　never　have　thought

of　such　a　thing。〃　　I　made　no　reply；　and　was　imme…

diately　hurried　off　towards　St。　Michael's。　　Just　a　mo…

ment　previous　to　the　scuffle　with　Henry；　Mr。　Hamil…

ton　suggested　the　propriety　of　making　a　search　for

the　protections　which　he　had　understood　Frederick

had　written　for　himself　and　the　rest。　　But；　just　at

the　moment　he　was　about　carrying　his　proposal　into

effect；　his　aid　was　needed　in　helping　to　tie　Henry；

and　the　excitement　attending　the　scuffle　caused

them　either　to　forget；　or　to　deem　it　unsafe；　under

the　circumstances；　to　search。　　So　we　were　not　yet

convicted　of　the　intention　to　run　away。

　

　　When　we　got　about　half　way　to　St。　Michael's；

while　the　constables　having　us　in　charge　were　look…

ing　ahead；　Henry　inquired　of　me　what　he　should

do　with　his　pass。　　I　told　him　to　eat　it　with　his　biscuit；

and　own　nothing；　and　we　passed　the　word　around；

〃~Own　nothing；~〃　and　〃~Own　nothing！~〃　said　we　all。

Our　confidence　in　each　other　was　unshaken。　　We

were　resolved　to　succeed　or　fail　together；　after　the

calamity　had　befallen　us　as　much　as　before。　　We

were　now　prepared　for　an