the narrative of the life-第17章

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in　his　absence　almost　as　well　as　in　his　presence；　and

he　had　the　faculty　of　making　us　feel　that　he　was

ever　present　with　us。　　This　he　did　by　surprising　us。

He　seldom　approached　the　spot　where　we　were　at

work　openly；　if　he　could　do　it　secretly。　　He　always

aimed　at　taking　us　by　surprise。　　Such　was　his　cunning；

that　we　used　to　call　him；　among　ourselves；　〃the

snake。〃　　When　we　were　at　work　in　the　cornfield；　he

would　sometimes　crawl　on　his　hands　and　knees　to

avoid　detection；　and　all　at　once　he　would　rise

nearly　in　our　midst；　and　scream　out；　〃Ha；　ha！

Come；　come！　　Dash　on；　dash　on！〃　　This　being　his

mode　of　attack；　it　was　never　safe　to　stop　a　single

minute。　　His　comings　were　like　a　thief　in　the　night。

He　appeared　to　us　as　being　ever　at　hand。　　He　was

under　every　tree；　behind　every　stump；　in　every　bush；

and　at　every　window；　on　the　plantation。　　He　would

sometimes　mount　his　horse；　as　if　bound　to　St。　Mi…

chael's；　a　distance　of　seven　miles；　and　in　half　an

hour　afterwards　you　would　see　him　coiled　up　in

the　corner　of　the　wood…fence；　watching　every　motion

of　the　slaves。　　He　would；　for　this　purpose；　leave　his

horse　tied　up　in　the　woods。　　Again；　he　would　some…

times　walk　up　to　us；　and　give　us　orders　as　though

he　was　upon　the　point　of　starting　on　a　long　journey；

turn　his　back　upon　us；　and　make　as　though　he　was

going　to　the　house　to　get　ready；　and；　before　he　would

get　half　way　thither；　he　would　turn　short　and　crawl

into　a　fence…corner；　or　behind　some　tree；　and　there

watch　us　till　the　going　down　of　the　sun。

　

　　Mr。　Covey's　FORTE　consisted　in　his　power　to　de…

ceive。　　His　life　was　devoted　to　planning　and　perpe…

trating　the　grossest　deceptions。　　Every　thing　he　pos…

sessed　in　the　shape　of　learning　or　religion；　he　made

conform　to　his　disposition　to　deceive。　　He　seemed

to　think　himself　equal　to　deceiving　the　Almighty。

He　would　make　a　short　prayer　in　the　morning；　and

a　long　prayer　at　night；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；

few　men　would　at　times　appear　more　devotional

than　he。　　The　exercises　of　his　family　devotions　were

always　commenced　with　singing；　and；　as　he　was　a

very　poor　singer　himself；　the　duty　of　raising　the

hymn　generally　came　upon　me。　　He　would　read　his

hymn；　and　nod　at　me　to　commence。　　I　would　at

times　do　so；　at　others；　I　would　not。　　My　non…com…

pliance　would　almost　always　produce　much　confu…

sion。　　To　show　himself　independent　of　me；　he　would

start　and　stagger　through　with　his　hymn　in　the　most

discordant　manner。　　In　this　state　of　mind；　he　prayed

with　more　than　ordinary　spirit。　　Poor　man！　such　was

his　disposition；　and　success　at　deceiving；　I　do　verily

believe　that　he　sometimes　deceived　himself　into　the

solemn　belief；　that　he　was　a　sincere　worshipper　of

the　most　high　God；　and　this；　too；　at　a　time　when

he　may　be　said　to　have　been　guilty　of　compelling

his　woman　slave　to　commit　the　sin　of　adultery。　　The

facts　in　the　case　are　these：　　Mr。　Covey　was　a　poor

man；　he　was　just　commencing　in　life；　he　was　only

able　to　buy　one　slave；　and；　shocking　as　is　the　fact；

he　bought　her；　as　he　said；　for　A　BREEDER。　　This　woman

was　named　Caroline。　　Mr。　Covey　bought　her　from

Mr。　Thomas　Lowe；　about　six　miles　from　St。　Mi…

chael's。　　She　was　a　large；　able…bodied　woman；　about

twenty　years　old。　　She　had　already　given　birth　to　one

child；　which　proved　her　to　be　just　what　he　wanted。

After　buying　her；　he　hired　a　married　man　of　Mr。

Samuel　Harrison；　to　live　with　him　one　year；　and　him

he　used　to　fasten　up　with　her　every　night！　　The　re…

sult　was；　that；　at　the　end　of　the　year；　the　miserable

woman　gave　birth　to　twins。　　At　this　result　Mr。　Covey

seemed　to　be　highly　pleased；　both　with　the　man　and

the　wretched　woman。　　Such　was　his　joy；　and　that　of

his　wife；　that　nothing　they　could　do　for　Caroline

during　her　confinement　was　too　good；　or　too　hard；

to　be　done。　　The　children　were　regarded　as　being

quite　an　addition　to　his　wealth。

　

　　If　at　any　one　time　of　my　life　more　than　another；

I　was　made　to　drink　the　bitterest　dregs　of　slavery；

that　time　was　during　the　first　six　months　of　my　stay

with　Mr。　Covey。　　We　were　worked　in　all　weathers。

It　was　never　too　hot　or　too　cold；　it　could　never　rain；

blow；　hail；　or　snow；　too　hard　for　us　to　work　in　the

field。　　Work；　work；　work；　was　scarcely　more　the　order

of　the　day　than　of　the　night。　　The　longest　days　were

too　short　for　him；　and　the　shortest　nights　too　long

for　him。　　I　was　somewhat　unmanageable　when　I　first

went　there；　but　a　few　months　of　this　discipline

tamed　me。　　Mr。　Covey　succeeded　in　breaking　me。　　I

was　broken　in　body；　soul；　and　spirit。　　My　natural

elasticity　was　crushed；　my　intellect　languished；　the

disposition　to　read　departed；　the　cheerful　spark　that

lingered　about　my　eye　died；　the　dark　night　of　slavery

closed　in　upon　me；　and　behold　a　man　transformed

into　a　brute！

　

　　Sunday　was　my　only　leisure　time。　　I　spent　this　in

a　sort　of　beast…like　stupor；　between　sleep　and　wake；

under　some　large　tree。　　At　times　I　would　rise　up；　a

flash　of　energetic　freedom　would　dart　through　my

soul；　accompanied　with　a　faint　beam　of　hope；　that

flickered　for　a　moment；　and　then　vanished。　　I　sank

down　again；　mourning　over　my　wretched　condition。

I　was　sometimes　prompted　to　take　my　life；　and　that

of　Covey；　but　was　prevented　by　a　combination　of

hope　and　fear。　　My　sufferings　on　this　plantation　seem

now　like　a　dream　rather　than　a　stern　reality。

　

　　Our　house　stood　within　a　few　rods　of　the　Chesa…

peake　Bay；　whose　broad　bosom　was　ever　white　with

sails　from　every　quarter　of　the　habitable　globe。

Those　beautiful　vessels；　robed　in　purest　white；　so

delightful　to　the　eye　of　freemen；　were　to　me　so

many　shrouded　ghosts；　to　terrify　and　torment　me

with　thoughts　of　my　wretched　condition。　　I　have　of…

ten；　in　the　deep　stillness　of　a　summer's　Sabbath；

stood　all　alone　upon　the　lofty　banks　of　that　noble

bay；　and　traced；　with　saddened　heart　and　tearful

eye；　the　countless　number　of　sails　moving　off　to

the　mighty　ocean。　　The　sight　of　these　always　affected

me　powerfully。　　My　thoughts　would　compel　utter…

ance；　and　there；　with　no　audience　but　the　Almighty；

I　would　pour　out　my　soul's　complaint；　in　my　rude

way；　with　an　apostrophe　to　the　moving　multitude　of

ships：

　

　　〃You　are　loosed　from　your　moorings；　and　are　free；

I　am　fast　in　my　chains；　and　am　a　slave！　　You　move

merrily　before　the　gentle　gale；　and　I　sadly　before

the　bloody　whip！　　You　are　freedom's　swift…winged

angels；　that　fly　round　the　world；　I　am　confined　in

bands　of　iron！　　O　that　I　were　free！　　O；　that　I　were

on　one　of　your　gallant　decks；　and　under　your　pro…

tecting　wing！　　Alas！　betwixt　me　and　you；　the　turbid

waters　roll。　　Go　on；　go　on。　　O　that　I　could　also　go！

Could　I　but　swim！　　If　I　could　fly！　　O；　why　was　I　born

a　man；　of　whom　to　make　a　brute！　　The　glad　ship

is　gone；　she　hides　in　the　dim　distance。　　I　am　left　in

the　hottest　hell　of　unending　slavery。　　O　God；　save

me！　　God；　deliver　me！　　Let　me　be　free！　　Is　there　any

God？　　Why　am　I　a　slave？　　I　will　run　away。　　I　will　not

stand　it。　　Get　caught；　or　get　clear；　I'll　try　it。　　I　had

as　well　die　with　ague　as　the　fever。　　I　have　only　one

life　to　lose。　　I　had　as　well　be　killed　running　as　die

standing。　　Only　think　of　it；　one　hundred　miles

straight　north；　and　I　am　free！　　Try　it？　　Yes！　　God

helping　me；　I　will。　　It　cannot　be　that　I　shall　live

and　die　a　slave。　　I　will　take　to　the　water。　　This　very

bay　shall　yet　bear　me　into　freedom。　　The　steam…

boats　steered　in　a　north…east　course　from　North

Point。　　I　will　do　the　same；　and　when　I　get　to　the

head　of　the　bay；　I　will　turn　my　canoe　adrift；　and

walk　straight　through　Delaware　into　Pennsylvania。

When　I　get　there；　I　shall　not　be　required　to　have　a

pass；　I　can　travel　without　being　disturbed。　　Let　but

the　first　opportunity　offer；　and；　come　what　will；　I

am　off。　　Meanwhile；　I　will　try　to　bear　up　under　the

yoke。　　I　am　not　the　only　slave　in　the　world。　　Why

should　I　fret？　　I　can　bear　as　much　as　any　of　them。

Besides；　I　am　but　a　bo