the narrative of the life-第28章

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〃Lady　of　the　Lake；〃　and　at　once　suggested　that　my

name　be　〃Douglass。〃　　From　that　time　until　now　I

have　been　called　〃Frederick　Douglass；〃　and　as　I　am

more　widely　known　by　that　name　than　by　either　of

the　others；　I　shall　continue　to　use　it　as　my　own。

　

　　I　was　quite　disappointed　at　the　general　appear…

ance　of　things　in　New　Bedford。　　The　impression

which　I　had　received　respecting　the　character　and

condition　of　the　people　of　the　north；　I　found　to　be

singularly　erroneous。　　I　had　very　strangely　supposed；

while　in　slavery；　that　few　of　the　comforts；　and

scarcely　any　of　the　luxuries；　of　life　were　enjoyed　at

the　north；　compared　with　what　were　enjoyed　by　the

slaveholders　of　the　south。　　I　probably　came　to　this

conclusion　from　the　fact　that　northern　people　owned

no　slaves。　　I　supposed　that　they　were　about　upon　a

level　with　the　non…slaveholding　population　of　the

south。　　I　knew　~they~　were　exceedingly　poor；　and　I　had

been　accustomed　to　regard　their　poverty　as　the　nec…

essary　consequence　of　their　being　non…slaveholders。

I　had　somehow　imbibed　the　opinion　that；　in　the

absence　of　slaves；　there　could　be　no　wealth；　and　very

little　refinement。　　And　upon　coming　to　the　north；　I

expected　to　meet　with　a　rough；　hard…handed；　and

uncultivated　population；　living　in　the　most　Spartan…

like　simplicity；　knowing　nothing　of　the　ease；　luxury；

pomp；　and　grandeur　of　southern　slaveholders。　　Such

being　my　conjectures；　any　one　acquainted　with　the

appearance　of　New　Bedford　may　very　readily　infer

how　palpably　I　must　have　seen　my　mistake。

　

　　In　the　afternoon　of　the　day　when　I　reached　New

Bedford；　I　visited　the　wharves；　to　take　a　view　of　the

shipping。　　Here　I　found　myself　surrounded　with　the

strongest　proofs　of　wealth。　　Lying　at　the　wharves；　and

riding　in　the　stream；　I　saw　many　ships　of　the　finest

model；　in　the　best　order；　and　of　the　largest　size。

Upon　the　right　and　left；　I　was　walled　in　by　granite

warehouses　of　the　widest　dimensions；　stowed　to　their

utmost　capacity　with　the　necessaries　and　comforts

of　life。　　Added　to　this；　almost　every　body　seemed　to

be　at　work；　but　noiselessly　so；　compared　with　what

I　had　been　accustomed　to　in　Baltimore。　　There　were

no　loud　songs　heard　from　those　engaged　in　loading

and　unloading　ships。　　I　heard　no　deep　oaths　or　horrid

curses　on　the　laborer。　　I　saw　no　whipping　of　men；

but　all　seemed　to　go　smoothly　on。　　Every　man　ap…

peared　to　understand　his　work；　and　went　at　it　with

a　sober；　yet　cheerful　earnestness；　which　betokened

the　deep　interest　which　he　felt　in　what　he　was　doing；

as　well　as　a　sense　of　his　own　dignity　as　a　man。　　To　me

this　looked　exceedingly　strange。　　From　the　wharves　I

strolled　around　and　over　the　town；　gazing　with　won…

der　and　admiration　at　the　splendid　churches；　beauti…

ful　dwellings；　and　finely…cultivated　gardens；　evincing

an　amount　of　wealth；　comfort；　taste；　and　refinement；

such　as　I　had　never　seen　in　any　part　of　slaveholding

Maryland。

　

　　Every　thing　looked　clean；　new；　and　beautiful。　　I

saw　few　or　no　dilapidated　houses；　with　poverty…

stricken　inmates；　no　half…naked　children　and　bare…

footed　women；　such　as　I　had　been　accustomed　to　see

in　Hillsborough；　Easton；　St。　Michael's；　and　Balti…

more。　　The　people　looked　more　able；　stronger；　health…

ier；　and　happier；　than　those　of　Maryland。　　I　was　for

once　made　glad　by　a　view　of　extreme　wealth；　without

being　saddened　by　seeing　extreme　poverty。　　But　the

most　astonishing　as　well　as　the　most　interesting　thing

to　me　was　the　condition　of　the　colored　people；　a

great　many　of　whom；　like　myself；　had　escaped

thither　as　a　refuge　from　the　hunters　of　men。　　I　found

many；　who　had　not　been　seven　years　out　of　their

chains；　living　in　finer　houses；　and　evidently　enjoying

more　of　the　comforts　of　life；　than　the　average　of

slaveholders　in　Maryland。　　I　will　venture　to　assert；

that　my　friend　Mr。　Nathan　Johnson　（of　whom　I

can　say　with　a　grateful　heart；　〃I　was　hungry；　and　he

gave　me　meat；　I　was　thirsty；　and　he　gave　me　drink；

I　was　a　stranger；　and　he　took　me　in〃）　lived　in　a

neater　house；　dined　at　a　better　table；　took；　paid

for；　and　read；　more　newspapers；　better　understood

the　moral；　religious；　and　political　character　of　the

nation；than　nine　tenths　of　the　slaveholders　in　Tal…

bot　county　Maryland。　　Yet　Mr。　Johnson　was　a　work…

ing　man。　　His　hands　were　hardened　by　toil；　and　not

his　alone；　but　those　also　of　Mrs。　Johnson。　　I　found　the

colored　people　much　more　spirited　than　I　had　sup…

posed　they　would　be。　　I　found　among　them　a　deter…

mination　to　protect　each　other　from　the　blood…thirsty

kidnapper；　at　all　hazards。　　Soon　after　my　arrival；　I

was　told　of　a　circumstance　which　illustrated　their

spirit。　　A　colored　man　and　a　fugitive　slave　were　on

unfriendly　terms。　　The　former　was　heard　to　threaten

the　latter　with　informing　his　master　of　his　where…

abouts。　　Straightway　a　meeting　was　called　among　the

colored　people；　under　the　stereotyped　notice；　〃Busi…

ness　of　importance！〃　　The　betrayer　was　invited　to　at…

tend。　　The　people　came　at　the　appointed　hour；　and

organized　the　meeting　by　appointing　a　very　religious

old　gentleman　as　president；　who；　I　believe；　made　a

prayer；　after　which　he　addressed　the　meeting　as　fol…

lows：　〃~Friends；　we　have　got　him　here；　and　I　would

recommend　that　you　young　men　just　take　him　out…

side　the　door；　and　kill　him！~〃　　With　this；　a　number

of　them　bolted　at　him；　but　they　were　intercepted

by　some　more　timid　than　themselves；　and　the　be…

trayer　escaped　their　vengeance；　and　has　not　been

seen　in　New　Bedford　since。　　I　believe　there　have

been　no　more　such　threats；　and　should　there　be　here…

after；　I　doubt　not　that　death　would　be　the　conse…

quence。

　

　　I　found　employment；　the　third　day　after　my　ar…

rival；　in　stowing　a　sloop　with　a　load　of　oil。　　It　was

new；　dirty；　and　hard　work　for　me；　but　I　went　at　it

with　a　glad　heart　and　a　willing　hand。　　I　was　now　my

own　master。　　It　was　a　happy　moment；　the　rapture　of

which　can　be　understood　only　by　those　who　have

been　slaves。　　It　was　the　first　work；　the　reward　of

which　was　to　be　entirely　my　own。　　There　was　no　Mas…

ter　Hugh　standing　ready；　the　moment　I　earned　the

money；　to　rob　me　of　it。　　I　worked　that　day　with　a

pleasure　I　had　never　before　experienced。　　I　was　at

work　for　myself　and　newly…married　wife。　　It　was　to　me

the　starting…point　of　a　new　existence。　　When　I　got

through　with　that　job；　I　went　in　pursuit　of　a　job　of

calking；　but　such　was　the　strength　of　prejudice

against　color；　among　the　white　calkers；　that　they　re…

fused　to　work　with　me；　and　of　course　I　could　get　no

employment。*　　Finding　my　trade　of　no　immediate

benefit；　I　threw　off　my　calking　habiliments；　and　pre…

pared　myself　to　do　any　kind　of　work　I　could　get　to

do。　　Mr。　Johnson　kindly　let　me　have　his　wood…horse

and　saw；　and　I　very　soon　found　myself　a　plenty　of

work。　　There　was　no　work　too　hardnone　too　dirty。

I　was　ready　to　saw　wood；　shovel　coal；　carry　wood；

sweep　the　chimney；　or　roll　oil　casks；all　of　which　I

　

　

　　*　I　am　told　that　colored　persons　can　now　get　employment

at　calking　in　New　Bedforda　result　of　anti…slavery　effort。

did　for　nearly　three　years　in　New　Bedford；　before　I

became　known　to　the　anti…slavery　world。

　

　　In　about　four　months　after　I　went　to　New　Bed…

ford；　there　came　a　young　man　to　me；　and　inquired

if　I　did　not　wish　to　take　the　〃Liberator。〃　　I　told　him

I　did；　but；　just　having　made　my　escape　from　slavery；

I　remarked　that　I　was　unable　to　pay　for　it　then。　　I；

however；　finally　became　a　subscriber　to　it。　　The　paper

came；　and　I　read　it　from　week　to　week　with　such

feelings　as　it　would　be　quite　idle　for　me　to　attempt

to　describe。　　The　paper　became　my　meat　and　my

drink。　　My　soul　was　set　all　on　fire。　　Its　sympathy　for

my　brethren　in　bondsits　scathing　denunciations　of

slaveholdersits　faithful　exposures　of　slaveryand　its

powerful　attacks　upon　the　upholders　of　the　institu…

tionsent　a　thrill　of　joy　through　my　soul；　such　as

I　had　never　felt　before！

　

　　I　had　not