the narrative of the life-第7章

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election　to　do　errands　at　the　Great　House　Farm。

They　regarded　it　as　evidence　of　great　confidence　re…

posed　in　them　by　their　overseers；　and　it　was　on

this　account；　as　well　as　a　constant　desire　to　be　out　of

the　field　from　under　the　driver's　lash；　that　they　es…

teemed　it　a　high　privilege；　one　worth　careful　living

for。　　He　was　called　the　smartest　and　most　trusty　fel…

low；　who　had　this　honor　conferred　upon　him　the

most　frequently。　　The　competitors　for　this　office

sought　as　diligently　to　please　their　overseers；　as　the

office…seekers　in　the　political　parties　seek　to　please

and　deceive　the　people。　　The　same　traits　of　character

might　be　seen　in　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves；　as　are　seen

in　the　slaves　of　the　political　parties。

　

　　The　slaves　selected　to　go　to　the　Great　House　Farm；

for　the　monthly　allowance　for　themselves　and　their

fellow…slaves；　were　peculiarly　enthusiastic。　　While　on

their　way；　they　would　make　the　dense　old　woods；

for　miles　around；　reverberate　with　their　wild　songs；

revealing　at　once　the　highest　joy　and　the　deepest

sadness。　　They　would　compose　and　sing　as　they　went

along；　consulting　neither　time　nor　tune。　　The　thought

that　came　up；　came　outif　not　in　the　word；　in　the

sound；and　as　frequently　in　the　one　as　in　the　other。

They　would　sometimes　sing　the　most　pathetic　senti…

ment　in　the　most　rapturous　tone；　and　the　most　rap…

turous　sentiment　in　the　most　pathetic　tone。　　Into　all

of　their　songs　they　would　manage　to　weave　some…

thing　of　the　Great　House　Farm。　　Especially　would

they　do　this；　when　leaving　home。　　They　would　then

sing　most　exultingly　the　following　words：

　

　

　　　　　　　　　〃I　am　going　away　to　the　Great　House　Farm！

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　O；　yea！　　O；　yea！　　O！〃

This　they　would　sing；　as　a　chorus；　to　words　which　to

many　would　seem　unmeaning　jargon；　but　which；

nevertheless；　were　full　of　meaning　to　themselves。　　I

have　sometimes　thought　that　the　mere　hearing　of

those　songs　would　do　more　to　impress　some　minds

with　the　horrible　character　of　slavery；　than　the　read…

ing　of　whole　volumes　of　philosophy　on　the　subject

could　do。

　

　　I　did　not；　when　a　slave；　understand　the　deep

meaning　of　those　rude　and　apparently　incoherent

songs。　　I　was　myself　within　the　circle；　so　that　I　nei…

ther　saw　nor　heard　as　those　without　might　see　and

hear。　　They　told　a　tale　of　woe　which　was　then　al…

together　beyond　my　feeble　comprehension；　they

were　tones　loud；　long；　and　deep；　they　breathed　the

prayer　and　complaint　of　souls　boiling　over　with　the

bitterest　anguish。　　Every　tone　was　a　testimony　against

slavery；　and　a　prayer　to　God　for　deliverance　from

chains。　　The　hearing　of　those　wild　notes　always　de…

pressed　my　spirit；　and　filled　me　with　ineffable　sad…

ness。　　I　have　frequently　found　myself　in　tears　while

hearing　them。　　The　mere　recurrence　to　those　songs；

even　now；　afflicts　me；　and　while　I　am　writing　these

lines；　an　expression　of　feeling　has　already　found　its

way　down　my　cheek。　　To　those　songs　I　trace　my　first

glimmering　conception　of　the　dehumanizing　char…

acter　of　slavery。　　I　can　never　get　rid　of　that　concep…

tion。　　Those　songs　still　follow　me；　to　deepen　my

hatred　of　slavery；　and　quicken　my　sympathies　for

my　brethren　in　bonds。　　If　any　one　wishes　to　be　im…

pressed　with　the　soul…killing　effects　of　slavery；　let

him　go　to　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation；　and；　on　allow…

ance…day；　place　himself　in　the　deep　pine　woods；　and

there　let　him；　in　silence；　analyze　the　sounds　that

shall　pass　through　the　chambers　of　his　soul；and　if

he　is　not　thus　impressed；　it　will　only　be　because

〃there　is　no　flesh　in　his　obdurate　heart。〃

　

　　I　have　often　been　utterly　astonished；　since　I　came

to　the　north；　to　find　persons　who　could　speak　of

the　singing；　among　slaves；　as　evidence　of　their　con…

tentment　and　happiness。　　It　is　impossible　to　conceive

of　a　greater　mistake。　　Slaves　sing　most　when　they　are

most　unhappy。　　The　songs　of　the　slave　represent　the

sorrows　of　his　heart；　and　he　is　relieved　by　them；　only

as　an　aching　heart　is　relieved　by　its　tears。　　At　least；

such　is　my　experience。　　I　have　often　sung　to　drown

my　sorrow；　but　seldom　to　express　my　happiness。

Crying　for　joy；　and　singing　for　joy；　were　alike　un…

common　to　me　while　in　the　jaws　of　slavery。　　The

singing　of　a　man　cast　away　upon　a　desolate　island

might　be　as　appropriately　considered　as　evidence　of

contentment　and　happiness；　as　the　singing　of　a

slave；　the　songs　of　the　one　and　of　the　other　are

prompted　by　the　same　emotion。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　

　

　　Colonel　Lloyd　kept　a　large　and　finely　cultivated

garden；　which　afforded　almost　constant　employment

for　four　men；　besides　the　chief　gardener；　（Mr。

M'Durmond。）　　This　garden　was　probably　the　great…

est　attraction　of　the　place。　　During　the　summer

months；　people　came　from　far　and　nearfrom

Baltimore；　Easton；　and　Annapolisto　see　it。　　It

abounded　in　fruits　of　almost　every　description；　from

the　hardy　apple　of　the　north　to　the　delicate　orange

of　the　south。　　This　garden　was　not　the　least　source

of　trouble　on　the　plantation。　　Its　excellent　fruit　was

quite　a　temptation　to　the　hungry　swarms　of　boys；

as　well　as　the　older　slaves；　belonging　to　the　colonel；

few　of　whom　had　the　virtue　or　the　vice　to　resist

it。　　Scarcely　a　day　passed；　during　the　summer；　but

that　some　slave　had　to　take　the　lash　for　stealing　fruit。

The　colonel　had　to　resort　to　all　kinds　of　stratagems

to　keep　his　slaves　out　of　the　garden。　　The　last　and

most　successful　one　was　that　of　tarring　his　fence

all　around；　after　which；　if　a　slave　was　caught　with

any　tar　upon　his　person；　it　was　deemed　sufficient

proof　that　he　had　either　been　into　the　garden；　or　had

tried　to　get　in。　　In　either　case；　he　was　severely　whip…

ped　by　the　chief　gardener。　　This　plan　worked　well；

the　slaves　became　as　fearful　of　tar　as　of　the　lash。

They　seemed　to　realize　the　impossibility　of　touching

TAR　without　being　defiled。

　

　　The　colonel　also　kept　a　splendid　riding　equipage。

His　stable　and　carriage…house　presented　the　appear…

ance　of　some　of　our　large　city　livery　establishments。

His　horses　were　of　the　finest　form　and　noblest　blood。

His　carriage…house　contained　three　splendid　coaches；

three　or　four　gigs；　besides　dearborns　and　barouches

of　the　most　fashionable　style。

　

　　This　establishment　was　under　the　care　of　two

slavesold　Barney　and　young　Barneyfather　and　son。

To　attend　to　this　establishment　was　their　sole　work。

But　it　was　by　no　means　an　easy　employment；　for　in

nothing　was　Colonel　Lloyd　more　particular　than　in

the　management　of　his　horses。　　The　slightest　inat…

tention　to　these　was　unpardonable；　and　was　visited

upon　those；　under　whose　care　they　were　placed；　with

the　severest　punishment；　no　excuse　could　shield

them；　if　the　colonel　only　suspected　any　want　of

attention　to　his　horsesa　supposition　which　he　fre…

quently　indulged；　and　one　which；　of　course；　made

the　office　of　old　and　young　Barney　a　very　trying　one。

They　never　knew　when　they　were　safe　from　punish…

ment。　　They　were　frequently　whipped　when　least

deserving；　and　escaped　whipping　when　most　deserv…

ing　it。　　Every　thing　depended　upon　the　looks　of　the

horses；　and　the　state　of　Colonel　Lloyd's　own　mind

when　his　horses　were　brought　to　him　for　use。　　If　a

horse　did　not　move　fast　enough；　or　hold　his　head

high　enough；　it　was　owing　to　some　fault　of　his　keep…

ers。　　It　was　painful　to　stand　near　the　stable…door；

and　hear　the　various　complaints　against　the　keepers

when　a　horse　was　taken　out　for　use。　　〃This　horse　has

not　had　proper　attention。　　He　has　not　been　suffi…

ciently　rubbed　and　curried；　or　he　has　not　been　prop…

erly　fed；　his　food　was　too　wet　or　too　dry；　he　got　it

too　soon　or　too　late；　he　was　too　hot　or　too　cold；　he

had　too　much　hay；　and　not　enough　of　grain；　or　he

had　too　much　grain；　and　not　enough　of　hay；　instead

of　old　Barney's　attending　to　the　horse；　he　had　very

improperly　left　it　to　his　son。〃　　To　all　these　com…

plaints；　no　matter　how　unjust；　the　slav