running a thousand miles for freedom-第9章

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placed　on　a　fly；　and　I　took　my　master　by　the　arm；　and　with　a　little　difficulty　he　hobbled　on　shore；　got　in　and　drove　off　to　the　best　hotel；　which　John　C。　Calhoun；　and　all　the　other　great　southern　fire…eating　statesmen；　made　their　head…quarters　while　in　Charleston。

On　arriving　at　the　house　the　landlord　ran　out　and　opened　the　door：　but　judging；　from　the　poul…　tices　and　green　glasses；　that　my　master　was　an　invalid；　he　took　him　very　tenderly　by　one　arm　and　ordered　his　man　to　take　the　other。

My　master　then　eased　himself　out；　and　with　their　assistance　found　no　trouble　in　getting　up　the　steps　into　the　hotel。　　The　proprietor　made　me　stand　on　one　side；　while　he　paid　my　master　the　attention　and　homage　he　thought　a　gentleman　of　his　high　position　merited。

My　master　asked　for　a　bed…room。　　The　servant　was　ordered　to　show　a　good　one；　into　which　we　helped　him。　　The　servant　returned。　　My　master　then　handed　me　the　bandages；　I　took　them　down…　stairs　in　great　haste；　and　told　the　landlord　my　master　wanted　two　hot　poultices　as　quickly　as　possible。　　He　rang　the　bell；　the　servant　came　in；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Run　to　the　kitchen　and　tell　the　cook　to　make　two　hot　poultices　right　off；　for　there　is　a　gentleman　upstairs　very　badly　off　indeed！〃

In　a　few　minutes　the　smoking　poultices　were　brought　in。　　I　placed　them　in　white　handker…　chiefs；　and　hurried　upstairs；　went　into　my　master's　apartment；　shut　the　door；　and　laid　them　on　the　mantel…piece。　　As　he　was　alone　for　a　little　while；　he　thought　he　could　rest　a　great　deal　better　with　the　poultices　off。　　However；　it　was　necessary　to　have　them　to　complete　the　remainder　of　the　journey。　I　then　ordered　dinner；　and　took　my　master's　boots　out　to　polish　them。　　While　doing　so　I　en…　tered　into　conversation　with　one　of　the　slaves。　　I　may　state　here；　that　on　the　sea…coast　of　South　Carolina　and　Georgia　the　slaves　speak　worse　Eng…　lish　than　in　any　other　part　of　the　country。　　This　is　owing　to　the　frequent　importation；　or　smug…　gling　in；　of　Africans；　who　mingle　with　the　natives。　Consequently　the　language　cannot　properly　be　called　English　or　African；　but　a　corruption　of　the　two。

The　shrewd　son　of　African　parents　to　whom　I　referred　said　to　me；　〃Say；　brudder；　way　you　come　from；　and　which　side　you　goin　day　wid　dat　ar　little　don　up　buckra〃　（white　man）？

I　replied；　〃To　Philadelphia。〃

〃What！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　astonishment；　〃to　Philumadelphy？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃By　squash！　　I　wish　I　was　going　wid　you！　　I　hears　um　say　dat　dare's　no　slaves　way　over　in　dem　parts；　is　um　so？〃

I　quietly　said；　〃I　have　heard　the　same　thing。〃

〃Well；〃　continued　he；　as　he　threw　down　the　boot　and　brush；　and；　placing　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　strutted　across　the　floor　with　an　air　of　independence〃Gorra　Mighty；　dem　is　de　parts　for　Pompey；　and　I　hope　when　you　get　dare　you　will　stay；　and　nebber　follow　dat　buckra　back　to　dis　hot　quarter　no　more；　let　him　be　eber　so　good。〃

I　thanked　him；　and　just　as　I　took　the　boots　up　and　started　off；　he　caught　my　hand　between　his　two；　and　gave　it　a　hearty　shake；　and；　with　tears　streaming　down　his　cheeks；　said：

〃God　bless　you；　broder；　and　may　de　Lord　be　wid　you。　　When　you　gets　de　freedom；　and　sitin　under　your　own　wine　and　fig…tree；　don't　forget　to　pray　for　poor　Pompey。〃

I　was　afraid　to　say　much　to　him；　but　I　shall　never　forget　his　earnest　request；　nor　fail　to　do　what　little　I　can　to　release　the　millions　of　unhappy　bondmen；　of　whom　he　was　one。

At　the　proper　time　my　master　had　the　poultices　placed　on；　came　down；　and　seated　himself　at　a　table　in　a　very　brilliant　dining…room；　to　have　his　dinner。　I　had　to　have　something　at　the　same　time；　in　order　to　be　ready　for　the　boat；　so　they　gave　me　my　dinner　in　an　old　broken　plate；　with　a　rusty　knife　and　fork；　and　said；　〃Here；　boy；　you　go　in　the　kitchen。〃　　I　took　it　and　went　out；　but　did　not　stay　more　than　a　few　minutes；　because　I　was　in　a　great　hurry　to　get　back　to　see　how　the　invalid　was　getting　on。　　On　arriving　I　found　two　or　three　servants　waiting　on　him；　but　as　he　did　not　feel　able　to　make　a　very　hearty　dinner；　he　soon　finished；　paid　the　bill；　and　gave　the　servants　each　a　trifle；　which　caused　one　of　them　to　say　to　me；　〃Your　massa　is　a　big　bug〃meaning　a　gentleman　of　distinction　〃he　is　the　greatest　gentleman　dat　has　been　dis　way　for　dis　six　months。〃　　I　said；　〃Yes；　he　is　some　pumpkins；〃　meaning　the　same　as　〃big　bug。〃

When　we　left　Macon；　it　was　our　intention　to　take　a　steamer　at　Charleston　through　to　Phila…　delphia；　but　on　arriving　there　we　found　that　the　vessels　did　not　run　during　the　winter；　and　I　have　no　doubt　it　was　well　for　us　they　did　not；　for　on　the　very　last　voyage　the　steamer　made　that　we　intended　to　go　by；　a　fugitive　was　discovered　secreted　on　board；　and　sent　back　to　slavery。　　However；　as　we　had　also　heard　of　the　Overland　Mail　Route；　we　were　all　right。　　So　I　ordered　a　fly　to　the　door；　had　the　luggage　placed　on；　we　got　in；　and　drove　down　to　the　Custom…house　Office；　which　was　near　the　wharf　where　we　had　to　obtain　tickets；　to　take　a　steamer　for　Wilmington；　North　Carolina。　　When　we　reached　the　building；　I　helped　my　master　into　the　office；　which　was　crowded　with　passengers。　He　asked　for　a　ticket　for　himself　and　one　for　his　slave　to　Philadelphia。　　This　caused　the　prin…　cipal　officera　very　mean…looking；　cheese…coloured　fellow；　who　was　sitting　thereto　look　up　at　us　very　suspiciously；　and　in　a　fierce　tone　of　voice　he　said　to　me；　〃Boy；　do　you　belong　to　that　gentleman？〃　I　quickly　replied；　〃Yes；　sir〃　（which　was　quite　correct）。　　The　tickets　were　handed　out；　and　as　my　master　was　paying　for　them　the　chief　man　said　to　him；　〃I　wish　you　to　register　your　name　here；　sir；　and　also　the　name　of　your　nigger；　and　pay　a　dollar　duty　on　him。〃

My　master　paid　the　dollar；　and　pointing　to　the　hand　that　was　in　the　poultice；　requested　the　officer　to　register　his　name　for　him。　　This　seemed　to　offend　the　〃high…bred〃　South　Carolinian。　　He　jumped　up；　shaking　his　head；　and；　cramming　his　hands　almost　through　the　bottom　of　his　trousers　pockets；　with　a　slave…bullying　air；　said；　〃I　shan't　do　it。〃

This　attracted　the　attention　of　all　the　passengers。　Just　then　the　young　military　officer　with　whom　my　master　travelled　and　conversed　on　the　steamer　from　Savannah　stepped　in；　somewhat　the　worse　for　brandy；　he　shook　hands　with　my　master；　and　pre…　tended　to　know　all　about　him。　　He　said；　〃I　know　his　kin　（friends）　like　a　book；〃　and　as　the　officer　was　known　in　Charleston；　and　was　going　to　stop　there　with　friends；　the　recognition　was　very　much　in　my　master's　favor。

The　captain　of　the　steamer；　a　good…looking；　jovial　fellow；　seeing　that　the　gentleman　appeared　to　know　my　master；　and　perhaps　not　wishing　to　lose　us　as　passengers；　said　in　an　off…hand　sailor…like　manner；　〃I　will　register　the　gentleman's　name；　and　take　the　responsibility　upon　myself。〃　　He　asked　my　master's　name。　　He　said；　〃William　Johnson。〃　　The　names　were　put　down；　I　think；　〃Mr。　Johnson　and　slave。〃　　The　captain　said；　〃It's　all　right　now；　Mr。　Johnson。〃　　He　thanked　him　kindly；　and　the　young　officer　begged　my　master　to　go　with　him；　and　have　something　to　drink　and　a　cigar；　but　as　he　had　not　acquired　these　accomplishments；　he　excused　him…　self；　and　we　went　on　board　and　came　off　to　Wil…　mington；　North　Carolina。　　When　the　gentleman　finds　out　his　mistake；　he　will；　I　have　no　doubt；　be　careful　in　future　not　to　pretend　to　have　an　intimate　acquaintance　with　an　entire　stranger。　　During　the　voyage　the　captain　said；　〃It　was　rather　sharp　shooting　this　morning；　Mr。　Johnson。　　It　was　not　out　of　any　disrespect　to　you；　sir；　but　they　make　it　a　rule　to　be　very　strict　at　Charleston。　　I　have　known　families　to　be　detained　there　with　their　slaves　till　reliable　information　could　be　received　respecting　them。　　If　they　were　not　very　careful；　any　dd　abolitionist　might　take　off　a　lot　of　valuable　niggers。〃

My　master　said；　〃I　suppose　so；〃　and　thanked　him　again　for　helping　him　over　the　difficulty。

We　reached　Wilmington　the　next　morning；　and　took　the　train　for　Richmond；　Virginia。　　I　have　stated　that　the　American　railway　carriages　（or　cars；　as　they　are　called）；　are　constructed　differently　to　those　in　England。　　At　one　end　of　some　of　them；　in　the　South；　there　is　a　little　apartment　with　a　couch　on　both　sides　for　the　convenience　of　families　and　invalids；　and　as　they　thought　my　mast