the narrative of the life-第6部分

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with　the　horrible　character　of　slavery；　than　the　read…

ing　of　whole　volumes　of　philosophy　on　the　subject

could　do。

　

　　I　did　not；　when　a　slave；　understand　the　deep

meaning　of　those　rude　and　apparently　incoherent

songs。　　I　was　myself　within　the　circle；　so　that　I　nei…

ther　saw　nor　heard　as　those　without　might　see　and

hear。　　They　told　a　tale　of　woe　which　was　then　al…

together　beyond　my　feeble　comprehension；　they

were　tones　loud；　long；　and　deep；　they　breathed　the

prayer　and　complaint　of　souls　boiling　over　with　the

bitterest　anguish。　　Every　tone　was　a　testimony　against

slavery；　and　a　prayer　to　God　for　deliverance　from

chains。　　The　hearing　of　those　wild　notes　always　de…

pressed　my　spirit；　and　filled　me　with　ineffable　sad…

ness。　　I　have　frequently　found　myself　in　tears　while

hearing　them。　　The　mere　recurrence　to　those　songs；

even　now；　afflicts　me；　and　while　I　am　writing　these

lines；　an　expression　of　feeling　has　already　found　its

way　down　my　cheek。　　To　those　songs　I　trace　my　first

glimmering　conception　of　the　dehumanizing　char…

acter　of　slavery。　　I　can　never　get　rid　of　that　concep…

tion。　　Those　songs　still　follow　me；　to　deepen　my

hatred　of　slavery；　and　quicken　my　sympathies　for

my　brethren　in　bonds。　　If　any　one　wishes　to　be　im…

pressed　with　the　soul…killing　effects　of　slavery；　let

him　go　to　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation；　and；　on　allow…

ance…day；　place　himself　in　the　deep　pine　woods；　and

there　let　him；　in　silence；　analyze　the　sounds　that

shall　pass　through　the　chambers　of　his　soul；and　if

he　is　not　thus　impressed；　it　will　only　be　because

〃there　is　no　flesh　in　his　obdurate　heart。〃

　

　　I　have　often　been　utterly　astonished；　since　I　came

to　the　north；　to　find　persons　who　could　speak　of

the　singing；　among　slaves；　as　evidence　of　their　con…

tentment　and　happiness。　　It　is　impossible　to　conceive

of　a　greater　mistake。　　Slaves　sing　most　when　they　are

most　unhappy。　　The　songs　of　the　slave　represent　the

sorrows　of　his　heart；　and　he　is　relieved　by　them；　only

as　an　aching　heart　is　relieved　by　its　tears。　　At　least；

such　is　my　experience。　　I　have　often　sung　to　drown

my　sorrow；　but　seldom　to　express　my　happiness。

Crying　for　joy；　and　singing　for　joy；　were　alike　un…

common　to　me　while　in　the　jaws　of　slavery。　　The

singing　of　a　man　cast　away　upon　a　desolate　island

might　be　as　appropriately　considered　as　evidence　of

contentment　and　happiness；　as　the　singing　of　a

slave；　the　songs　of　the　one　and　of　the　other　are

prompted　by　the　same　emotion。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　

　

　　Colonel　Lloyd　kept　a　large　and　finely　cultivated

garden；　which　afforded　almost　constant　employment

for　four　men；　besides　the　chief　gardener；　（Mr。

M'Durmond。）　　This　garden　was　probably　the　great…

est　attraction　of　the　place。　　During　the　summer

months；　people　came　from　far　and　nearfrom

Baltimore；　Easton；　and　Annapolisto　see　it。　　It

abounded　in　fruits　of　almost　every　description；　from

the　hardy　apple　of　the　north　to　the　delicate　orange

of　the　south。　　This　garden　was　not　the　least　source

of　trouble　on　the　plantation。　　Its　excellent　fruit　was

quite　a　temptation　to　the　hungry　swarms　of　boys；

as　well　as　the　older　slaves；　belonging　to　the　colonel；

few　of　whom　had　the　virtue　or　the　vice　to　resist

it。　　Scarcely　a　day　passed；　during　the　summer；　but

that　some　slave　had　to　take　the　lash　for　stealing　fruit。

The　colonel　had　to　resort　to　all　kinds　of　stratagems

to　keep　his　slaves　out　of　the　garden。　　The　last　and

most　successful　one　was　that　of　tarring　his　fence

all　around；　after　which；　if　a　slave　was　caught　with

any　tar　upon　his　person；　it　was　deemed　sufficient

proof　that　he　had　either　been　into　the　garden；　or　had

tried　to　get　in。　　In　either　case；　he　was　severely　whip…

ped　by　the　chief　gardener。　　This　plan　worked　well；

the　slaves　became　as　fearful　of　tar　as　of　the　lash。

They　seemed　to　realize　the　impossibility　of　touching

TAR　without　being　defiled。

　

　　The　colonel　also　kept　a　splendid　riding　equipage。

His　stable　and　carriage…house　presented　the　appear…

ance　of　some　of　our　large　city　livery　establishments。

His　horses　were　of　the　finest　form　and　noblest　blood。

His　carriage…house　contained　three　splendid　coaches；

three　or　four　gigs；　besides　dearborns　and　barouches

of　the　most　fashionable　style。

　

　　This　establishment　was　under　the　care　of　two

slavesold　Barney　and　young　Barneyfather　and　son。

To　attend　to　this　establishment　was　their　sole　work。

But　it　was　by　no　means　an　easy　employment；　for　in

nothing　was　Colonel　Lloyd　more　particular　than　in

the　management　of　his　horses。　　The　slightest　inat…

tention　to　these　was　unpardonable；　and　was　visited

upon　those；　under　whose　care　they　were　placed；　with

the　severest　punishment；　no　excuse　could　shield

them；　if　the　colonel　only　suspected　any　want　of

attention　to　his　horsesa　supposition　which　he　fre…

quently　indulged；　and　one　which；　of　course；　made

the　office　of　old　and　young　Barney　a　very　trying　one。

They　never　knew　when　they　were　safe　from　punish…

ment。　　They　were　frequently　whipped　when　least

deserving；　and　escaped　whipping　when　most　deserv…

ing　it。　　Every　thing　depended　upon　the　looks　of　the

horses；　and　the　state　of　Colonel　Lloyd's　own　mind

when　his　horses　were　brought　to　him　for　use。　　If　a

horse　did　not　move　fast　enough；　or　hold　his　head

high　enough；　it　was　owing　to　some　fault　of　his　keep…

ers。　　It　was　painful　to　stand　near　the　stable…door；

and　hear　the　various　complaints　against　the　keepers

when　a　horse　was　taken　out　for　use。　　〃This　horse　has

not　had　proper　attention。　　He　has　not　been　suffi…

ciently　rubbed　and　curried；　or　he　has　not　been　prop…

erly　fed；　his　food　was　too　wet　or　too　dry；　he　got　it

too　soon　or　too　late；　he　was　too　hot　or　too　cold；　he

had　too　much　hay；　and　not　enough　of　grain；　or　he

had　too　much　grain；　and　not　enough　of　hay；　instead

of　old　Barney's　attending　to　the　horse；　he　had　very

improperly　left　it　to　his　son。〃　　To　all　these　com…

plaints；　no　matter　how　unjust；　the　slave　must　an…

swer　never　a　word。　　Colonel　Lloyd　could　not　brook

any　contradiction　from　a　slave。　　When　he　spoke；　a

slave　must　stand；　listen；　and　tremble；　and　such　was

literally　the　case。　　I　have　seen　Colonel　Lloyd　make

old　Barney；　a　man　between　fifty　and　sixty　years　of

age；　uncover　his　bald　head；　kneel　down　upon　the

cold；　damp　ground；　and　receive　upon　his　naked　and

toil…worn　shoulders　more　than　thirty　lashes　at　the

time。　　Colonel　Lloyd　had　three　sonsEdward；　Mur…

ray；　and　Daniel；and　three　sons…in…law；　Mr。　Winder；

Mr。　Nicholson；　and　Mr。　Lowndes。　　All　of　these　lived

at　the　Great　House　Farm；　and　enjoyed　the　luxury　of

whipping　the　servants　when　they　pleased；　from　old

Barney　down　to　William　Wilkes；　the　coach…driver。

I　have　seen　Winder　make　one　of　the　house…servants

stand　off　from　him　a　suitable　distance　to　be　touched

with　the　end　of　his　whip；　and　at　every　stroke　raise

great　ridges　upon　his　back。

　

　　To　describe　the　wealth　of　Colonel　Lloyd　would

be　almost　equal　to　describing　the　riches　of　Job。　　He

kept　from　ten　to　fifteen　house…servants。　　He　was　said

to　own　a　thousand　slaves；　and　I　think　this　estimate

quite　within　the　truth。　　Colonel　Lloyd　owned　so

many　that　he　did　not　know　them　when　he　saw　them；

nor　did　all　the　slaves　of　the　out…farms　know　him。　　It

is　reported　of　him；　that；　while　riding　along　the　road

one　day；　he　met　a　colored　man；　and　addressed　him

in　the　usual　manner　of　speaking　to　colored　people

on　the　public　highways　of　the　south：　〃Well；　boy；

whom　do　you　belong　to？〃　　〃To　Colonel　Lloyd；〃　re…

plied　the　slave。　　〃Well；　does　the　colonel　treat　you

well？〃　　〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　ready　reply。　　〃What；　does

he　work　you　too　hard？〃　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　　〃Well；　don't　he

give　you　enough　to　eat？〃　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　gives　me

enough；　such　as　it　is。〃

　

　　The　colonel；　after　ascertaining　where　the　slave

belonged；　rode　on；　the　man　also　went　on　about　his

business；　not　dreaming　that　he　had　been　conversing

with　his　master。　　He　thought；　said；　and　heard　noth…

ing　more　of　the　matter；　until　two　or　three　weeks

afterwards。　　The　poor　man　was　then　informed　by　his

overseer　that；　for　having　found　fault　with　his　master；

he　was　now　to　be　sold　to　a　Georgia　trader。　　He　was

immediately　chained　and　handcuffed；　and　thus；

without　a　moment's　warning；　he　was　snatched　away；

and　forever　sundered；　from　his　family　and　friends；

by　a　hand　more　unrelenting　than　death。　　This　is　the

penalty　of　telling　the　truth；　of　telling　the　simple

truth；　in　answer　to　a　series　of　plain　questions。

　

　　It　is　partly　in　consequence　of　such　facts；　that

slaves；　when　inquired　of　as　to　their　condition　and

the　character　of　their　masters；　almost　universally　say

they　are　contented；　and　that　their　masters　are　kind。

The　slaveholders　have　been　known　to　send　in　spies

among　their　slaves；　to　ascertain　their　views　and　feel…

ings　in　regard　to　their　condition。　　The　frequency　of

this　has　had　the　effect　to　establish　among　the　slaves

the　maxim；　that　a　still　tongue　makes　a　wise　head。

They　suppress　the　truth　rather　than　take　the　con…

sequences　of　telling　it；　and　in　so　doing　prove　them…

selves　a　part　of　the　human　family。　　If　they　have　any

thing　to　say　of　their　masters；　it　is　generally　in　their

masters'　favor；　especially　when　speaking　to　an　un…

tried　man。　　I　have　been　frequently　asked；　when　a

slave；　if　I　had　a　kind　master；　and　do　not　remember

ever　to　have　given　a　negative　answer；　nor　did　I；　in

pursuing　this　course；　consider　myself　as　uttering　what

was　absolutely　false；　for　I　always　measured　the　kind…

ness　of　my　master　by　the　standard　of　kindness　set

up　among　slaveholders　around　us。　　Moreover；　slaves

are　like　other　people；　and　imbibe　prejudices　quite

common　to　others。　　They　think　their　own　better　than

that　of　others。　　Many；　under　the　influence　of　this

prejudice；　think　their　own　masters　are　better　than

the　masters　of　other　slaves；　and　this；　too；　in　some

cases；　when　the　very　reverse　is　true。　　Indeed；　it　is

no