the narrative of the life-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　

　　We　were　not　regularly　allowanced。　　Our　food　was

coarse　corn　meal　boiled。　　This　was　called　MUSH。　　It

was　put　into　a　large　wooden　tray　or　trough；　and　set

down　upon　the　ground。　　The　children　were　then

called；　like　so　many　pigs；　and　like　so　many　pigs　they

would　come　and　devour　the　mush；　some　with　oyster…

shells；　others　with　pieces　of　shingle；　some　with　naked

hands；　and　none　with　spoons。　　He　that　ate　fastest

got　most；　he　that　was　strongest　secured　the　best

place；　and　few　left　the　trough　satisfied。

　

　　I　was　probably　between　seven　and　eight　years　old

when　I　left　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation。　　I　left　it　with

joy。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　ecstasy　with　which　I

received　the　intelligence　that　my　old　master　（An…

thony）　had　determined　to　let　me　go　to　Baltimore；

to　live　with　Mr。　Hugh　Auld；　brother　to　my　old

master's　son…in…law；　Captain　Thomas　Auld。　　I　re…

ceived　this　information　about　three　days　before　my

departure。　　They　were　three　of　the　happiest　days

I　ever　enjoyed。　　I　spent　the　most　part　of　all　these

three　days　in　the　creek；　washing　off　the　plantation

scurf；　and　preparing　myself　for　my　departure。

　

　　The　pride　of　appearance　which　this　would　indicate

was　not　my　own。　　I　spent　the　time　in　washing；　not　so

much　because　I　wished　to；　but　because　Mrs。

Lucretia　had　told　me　I　must　get　all　the　dead　skin

off　my　feet　and　knees　before　I　could　go　to　Balti…

more；　for　the　people　in　Baltimore　were　very　cleanly；

and　would　laugh　at　me　if　I　looked　dirty。　　Besides；

she　was　going　to　give　me　a　pair　of　trousers；　which　I

should　not　put　on　unless　I　got　all　the　dirt　off　me。

The　thought　of　owning　a　pair　of　trousers　was　great

indeed！　　It　was　almost　a　sufficient　motive；　not　only

to　make　me　take　off　what　would　be　called　by　pig…

drovers　the　mange；　but　the　skin　itself。　　I　went　at　it

in　good　earnest；　working　for　the　first　time　with　the

hope　of　reward。

　

　　The　ties　that　ordinarily　bind　children　to　their

homes　were　all　suspended　in　my　case。　　I　found　no

severe　trial　in　my　departure。　　My　home　was　charm…

less；　it　was　not　home　to　me；　on　parting　from　it；　I

could　not　feel　that　I　was　leaving　any　thing　which　I

could　have　enjoyed　by　staying。　　My　mother　was　dead；

my　grandmother　lived　far　off；　so　that　I　seldom　saw

her。　　I　had　two　sisters　and　one　brother；　that　lived　in

the　same　house　with　me；　but　the　early　separation　of

us　from　our　mother　had　well　nigh　blotted　the　fact

of　our　relationship　from　our　memories。　　I　looked　for

home　elsewhere；　and　was　confident　of　finding　none

which　I　should　relish　less　than　the　one　which　I　was

leaving。　　If；　however；　I　found　in　my　new　home　hard…

ship；　hunger；　whipping；　and　nakedness；　I　had　the

consolation　that　I　should　not　have　escaped　any　one

of　them　by　staying。　　Having　already　had　more　than

a　taste　of　them　in　the　house　of　my　old　master；　and

having　endured　them　there；　I　very　naturally　inferred

my　ability　to　endure　them　elsewhere；　and　especially

at　Baltimore；　for　I　had　something　of　the　feeling

about　Baltimore　that　is　expressed　in　the　proverb；

that　〃being　hanged　in　England　is　preferable　to

dying　a　natural　death　in　Ireland。〃　　I　had　the　strongest

desire　to　see　Baltimore。　　Cousin　Tom；　though　not

fluent　in　speech；　had　inspired　me　with　that　desire

by　his　eloquent　description　of　the　place。　　I　could

never　point　out　any　thing　at　the　Great　House；　no

matter　how　beautiful　or　powerful；　but　that　he　had

seen　something　at　Baltimore　far　exceeding；　both　in

beauty　and　strength；　the　object　which　I　pointed　out

to　him。　　Even　the　Great　House　itself；　with　all　its

pictures；　was　far　inferior　to　many　buildings　in　Bal…

timore。　　So　strong　was　my　desire；　that　I　thought　a

gratification　of　it　would　fully　compensate　for　what…

ever　loss　of　comforts　I　should　sustain　by　the　ex…

change。　　I　left　without　a　regret；　and　with　the　highest

hopes　of　future　happiness。

　

　　We　sailed　out　of　Miles　River　for　Baltimore　on　a

Saturday　morning。　　I　remember　only　the　day　of　the

week；　for　at　that　time　I　had　no　knowledge　of　the

days　of　the　month；　nor　the　months　of　the　year。　　On

setting　sail；　I　walked　aft；　and　gave　to　Colonel　Lloyd's

plantation　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　look。　　I

then　placed　myself　in　the　bows　of　the　sloop；　and

there　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　looking

ahead；　interesting　myself　in　what　was　in　the　distance

rather　than　in　things　near　by　or　behind。

　

　　In　the　afternoon　of　that　day；　we　reached　Annap…

olis；　the　capital　of　the　State。　　We　stopped　but　a

few　moments；　so　that　I　had　no　time　to　go　on　shore。

It　was　the　first　large　town　that　I　had　ever　seen；　and

though　it　would　look　small　compared　with　some　of

our　New　England　factory　villages；　I　thought　it　a

wonderful　place　for　its　sizemore　imposing　even

than　the　Great　House　Farm！

　

　　We　arrived　at　Baltimore　early　on　Sunday　morn…

ing；　landing　at　Smith's　Wharf；　not　far　from　Bow…

ley's　Wharf。　　We　had　on　board　the　sloop　a　large

flock　of　sheep；　and　after　aiding　in　driving　them　to

the　slaughterhouse　of　Mr。　Curtis　on　Louden　Slater's

Hill；　I　was　conducted　by　Rich；　one　of　the　hands

belonging　on　board　of　the　sloop；　to　my　new　home

in　Alliciana　Street；　near　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard；　on

Fells　Point。

　

　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Auld　were　both　at　home；　and　met

me　at　the　door　with　their　little　son　Thomas；　to　take

care　of　whom　I　had　been　given。　　And　here　I　saw　what

I　had　never　seen　before；　it　was　a　white　face　beaming

with　the　most　kindly　emotions；　it　was　the　face　of

my　new　mistress；　Sophia　Auld。　　I　wish　I　could　de…

scribe　the　rapture　that　flashed　through　my　soul　as　I

beheld　it。　　It　was　a　new　and　strange　sight　to　me；

brightening　up　my　pathway　with　the　light　of　happi…

ness。　　Little　Thomas　was　told；　there　was　his　Freddy；

and　I　was　told　to　take　care　of　little　Thomas；　and

thus　I　entered　upon　the　duties　of　my　new　home　with

the　most　cheering　prospect　ahead。

　

　　I　look　upon　my　departure　from　Colonel　Lloyd's

plantation　as　one　of　the　most　interesting　events　of

my　life。　　It　is　possible；　and　even　quite　probable；　that

but　for　the　mere　circumstance　of　being　removed

from　that　plantation　to　Baltimore；　I　should　have

to…day；　instead　of　being　here　seated　by　my　own　table；

in　the　enjoyment　of　freedom　and　the　happiness　of

home；　writing　this　Narrative；　been　confined　in　the

galling　chains　of　slavery。　　Going　to　live　at　Baltimore

laid　the　foundation；　and　opened　the　gateway；　to　all

my　subsequent　prosperity。　　I　have　ever　regarded　it

as　the　first　plain　manifestation　of　that　kind　provi…

dence　which　has　ever　since　attended　me；　and　marked

my　life　with　so　many　favors。　　I　regarded　the　selection

of　myself　as　being　somewhat　remarkable。　　There　were

a　number　of　slave　children　that　might　have　been

sent　from　the　plantation　to　Baltimore。　　There　were

those　younger；　those　older；　and　those　of　the　same

age。　　I　was　chosen　from　among　them　all；　and　was

the　first；　last；　and　only　choice。

　

　　I　may　be　deemed　superstitious；　and　even　egotisti…

cal；　in　regarding　this　event　as　a　special　interposition

of　divine　Providence　in　my　favor。　　But　I　should　be

false　to　the　earliest　sentiments　of　my　soul；　if　I　sup…

pressed　the　opinion。　　I　prefer　to　be　true　to　myself；

even　at　the　hazard　of　incurring　the　ridicule　of　others；

rather　than　to　be　false；　and　incur　my　own　abhor…

rence。　　From　my　earliest　recollection；　I　date　the　en…

tertainment　of　a　deep　conviction　that　slavery　would

not　always　be　able　to　hold　me　within　its　foul　em…

brace；　and　in　the　darkest　hours　of　my　career　in　slav…

ery；　this　living　word　of　faith　and　spirit　of　hope　de…

parted　not　from　me；　but　remained　like　ministering

angels　to　cheer　me　through　the　gloom。　　This　good

spirit　was　from　God；　and　to　him　I　offer　thanksgiving

and　praise。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI

　

　

　　My　new　mistress　proved　to　be　all　she　appeared

when　I　first　met　her　at　the　door；a　woman　of　the

kindest　heart　and　finest　feelings。　　She　had　never　had

a　slave　under　her　control　previously　to　myself；　and

prior　to　her　marr