 | Incidents in the life of a slave girl |  |
XX.
NEW PERILS.
The doctor, more exasperated than ever, again tried
to revenge himself on my relatives. He arrested uncle
Phillip on the charge of having aided my flight. He
was carried before a court, and swore truly that he
knew nothing of my intention to escape, and that he
had not seen me since I left my master's plantation.
The doctor then demanded that he should give bail for
five hundred dollars that he would have nothing to do
with me. Several gentlemen offered to be security for
him; but Mr. Sands told him he had better go back to
jail, and he would see that he came out without giving
bail.
The news of his arrest was carried to my grandmother,
who conveyed it to Betty. In the kindness
of her heart, she again stowed me away under the
floor; and as she walked back and forth, in the performance
of her culinary duties, she talked apparently
to herself, but with the intention that I should hear
what was going on. I hoped that my uncle's imprisonment
would last but few days; still I was anxious. I
thought it likely Dr. Flint would do his utmost to
taunt and insult him, and I was afraid my uncle might
lose control of himself, and retort in some way that
would be construed into a punishable offence; and I
was well aware that in court his word would not be
taken against any white man's. The search for me
I was in the vicinity. They searched the house I was
in. I heard their steps and their voices. At night,
when all were asleep, Betty came to release me from
my place of confinement. The fright I had undergone,
the constrained posture, and the dampness of
the ground, made me ill for several days. My uncle
was soon after taken out of prison; but the movements
of all my relatives, and of all our friends, were very
closely watched.
We all saw that I could not remain where I was
much longer. I had already staid longer than was
intended, and I knew my presence must be a source
of perpetual anxiety to my kind benefactress. During
this time, my friends had laid many plans for my
escape, but the extreme vigilance of my persecutors
made it impossible to carry them into effect.
One morning I was much startled by hearing somebody
trying to get into my room. Several keys were
tried, but none fitted. I instantly conjectured it was
one of the housemaids; and I concluded she must either
have heard some noise in the room, or have noticed
the entrance of Betty. When my friend came, at her
usual time, I told her what had happened. “I knows
who it was,” said she. “'Pend upon it, 'twas dat
Jenny. Dat nigger allers got de debble in her.” I
suggested that she might have seen or heard something
that excited her curiosity.
“Tut! tut! chile!” exclaimed Betty, “she ain't
seen notin', nor hearn notin'. She only 'spects someting.
Dat's all. She wants to fine out who hab cut
and make my gownd. But she won't nebber know.
Dat's sartin. I'll git missis to fix her.”
I reflected a moment, and said, “Betty, I must leave
here to-night.”
“Do as you tink best, poor chile,” she replied.
“I'se mighty 'fraid dat 'ere nigger vill pop on you
some time.”
She reported the incident to her mistress, and received
orders to keep Jenny busy in the kitchen till
she could see my uncle Phillip. He told her he would
send a friend for me that very evening. She told him
she hoped I was going to the north, for it was very
dangerous for me to remain any where in the vicinity.
Alas, it was not an easy thing, for one in my situation,
to go to the north. In order to leave the coast quite
clear for me, she went into the country to spend the
day with her brother, and took Jenny with her. She
was afraid to come and bid me good by, but she left
a kind message with Betty. I heard her carriage roll
from the door, and I never again saw her who had so
generously befriended the poor, trembling fugitive!
Though she was a slaveholder, to this day my heart
blesses her!
I had not the slightest idea where I was going.
Betty brought me a suit of sailor's clothes, — jacket,
trowsers, and tarpaulin hat. She gave me a small
bundle, saying I might need it where I was going. In
cheery tones, she exclaimed, “I'se so glad you is gwine
to free parts! Don't forget ole Betty. P'raps I'll come
'long by and by.”
I tried to tell her how grateful I felt for all her kindness,
but she interrupted me. “I don't want no tanks,
honey. I'se glad I could help you, and I hope de
good Lord vill open de path for you. I'se gwine wid
and walk ricketty, like de sailors.”
I performed to her satisfaction. At the gate I found
Peter, a young colored man, waiting for me. I had
known him for years. He had been an apprentice to
my father, and had always borne a good character. I
was not afraid to trust to him. Betty bade me a hurried
good by, and we walked off. “Take courage,
Linda,” said my friend Peter. “I've got a dagger,
and no man shall take you from me, unless he passes
over my dead body.”
It was a long time since I had taken a walk out of
doors, and the fresh air revived me. It was also pleasant
to hear a human voice speaking to me above a whisper.
I passed several people whom I knew, but they
did not recognize me in my disguise. I prayed internally
that, for Peter's sake, as well as my own, nothing
might occur to bring out his dagger. We walked on
till we came to the wharf. My aunt Nancy's husband
was a seafaring man, and it had been deemed necessary
to let him into our secret. He took me into his
boat, rowed out to a vessel not far distant, and hoisted
me on board. We three were the only occupants of
the vessel. I now ventured to ask what they proposed
to do with me. They said I was to remain on board
till near dawn, and then they would hide me in Snaky
Swamp, till my uncle Phillip had prepared a place of
concealment for me. If the vessel had been bound
north, it would have been of no avail to me, for it
would certainly have been searched. About four
o'clock, we were again seated in the boat, and rowed
three miles to the swamp. My fear of snakes had been
dreaded to enter this hiding-place. But I was in no
situation to choose, and I gratefully accepted the best
that my poor, persecuted friends could do for me.
Peter landed first, and with a large knife cut a path
through bamboos and briers of all descriptions. He
came back, took me in his arms, and carried me to a
seat made among the bamboos. Before we reached it,
we were covered with hundreds of mosquitos. In an
hour's time they had so poisoned my flesh that I was
a pitiful sight to behold. As the light increased, I saw
snake after snake crawling round us. I had been
accustomed to the sight of snakes all my life, but these
were larger than any I had ever seen. To this day I
shudder when I remember that morning. As evening
approached, the number of snakes increased so much
that we were continually obliged to thrash them with
sticks to keep them from crawling over us. The bamboos
were so high and so thick that it was impossible
to see beyond a very short distance. Just before it
became dark we procured a seat nearer to the entrance
of the swamp, being fearful of losing our way back to
the boat. It was not long before we heard the paddle
of oars, and the low whistle, which had been agreed
upon as a signal. We made haste to enter the boat,
and were rowed back to the vessel. I passed a wretched
night; for the heat of the swamp, the mosquitos, and
the constant terror of snakes, had brought on a burning
fever. I had just dropped asleep, when they came
and told me it was time to go back to that horrid
swamp. I could scarcely summon courage to rise.
But even those large, venomous snakes were less dreadful
community called civilized. This time Peter took a
quantity of tobacco to burn, to keep off the mosquitos.
It produced the desired effect on them, but gave
me nausea and severe headache. At dark we returned
to the vessel. I had been so sick during the day, that
Peter declared I should go home that night, if the
devil himself was on patrol. They told me a place of
concealment had been provided for me at my grandmother's.
I could not imagine how it was possible to
hide me in her house, every nook and corner of which
was known to the Flint family. They told me to wait
and see. We were rowed ashore, and went boldly
through the streets, to my grandmother's. I wore my
sailor's clothes, and had blackened my face with charcoal.
I passed several people whom I knew. The
father of my children came so near that I brushed
against his arm; but he had no idea who it was.
“You must make the most of this walk,” said my
friend Peter, “for you may not have another very
soon.”
I thought his voice sounded sad. It was kind of
him to conceal from me what a dismal hole was to be
my home for a long, long time.
| Incidents in the life of a slave girl | |