After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into
a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles
in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I
wanted to go.
a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles
in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I
wanted to go.
Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written
They then got off their
horses and struck a bargain with him for me. They bought me at a
reduced price for speculation.
After they had purchased me, I asked the privilege of going to the
house to take leave of my family before I left, which was granted by
the sportsmen. But the Deacon said I should never again step my foot
inside of his yard; and advised the sportsmen not to take the irons
from my neck until they had sold me; that if they gave me the least
chance I would run away from them, as I did from him. So I was
compelled to mount a horse and go off with them as I supposed, never
again to meet my family in this life.
We had not proceeded far before they informed me that they had bought
me to sell again, and if they kept the irons on me it would be
detrimental to the sale, and that they would therefore take off the
irons and dress me up like a man, and throw away the old rubbish which
I then had on; and they would sell me to some one who would treat me
better than Deacon Whitfield. After they had cut off the irons and
dressed me up, they crossed over Red River into Texas, where they
spent some time horse racing and gambling; and although they were
wicked black legs of the basest character, it is but due to them to
say, that they used me far better than ever the Deacon did. They gave
me plenty to eat and put nothing hard on me to do. They expressed much
sympathy for me in my bereavement; and almost every day they gave me
money more or less, and by my activity in waiting on them, and upright
conduct, I got into the good graces of them all, but they could not
get any person to buy me on account of the amount of intelligence
which they supposed me to have; for many of them thought that I could
read and write. When they left Texas, they intended to go to the
Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to attend a great horse race
which was to take place. Not being much out of their way to go past
Deacon Whitfield's again, I prevailed on them to call on him for the
purpose of trying to purchase my wife and child; and I promised them
that if they would buy my wife and child, I would get some person to
purchase us from them. So they tried to grant my request by calling on
the Deacon, and trying to make the purchase. As we approached the
Deacon's plantation, my heart was filled with a thousand painful and
fearful apprehensions. I had the fullest confidence in the blacklegs
with whom I travelled, believing that they would do according to
promise, and go to the fullest extent of their ability to restore
peace and consolation to a bereaved family--to re-unite husband and
wife, parent and child, who had long been severed by slavery through
the agency of Deacon Whitfield. But I knew his determination in
relation to myself, and I feared his wicked opposition to a
restoration of myself and little family, which he had divided, and
soon found that my fears were not without foundation.
When we rode up and walked into his yard, the Deacon came out and
spoke to all but myself; and not finding me in tattered rags as a
substitute for clothes, nor having an iron collar or bell about my
neck, as was the case when he sold me, he appeared to be much
displeased.
"What did you bring that negro back here for? " said he.
"We have come to try to buy his wife and child; for we can find no one
who is willing to buy him alone; and we will either buy or sell so
that the family may be together," said they.
While this conversation was going on, my poor bereaved wife, who
never expected to see me again in this life, spied me and came rushing
to me through the crowd, throwing her arms about my neck exclaiming in
the most sympathetic tones, "Oh! my dear husband! I never expected to
see you again! " The poor woman was bathed with tears of sorrow and
grief. But no sooner had she reached me, than the Deacon peremptorily
commanded her to go to her work. This she did not obey, but prayed
that her master would not separate us again, as she was there alone,
far from friends and relations whom she should never meet again. And
now to take away her husband, her last and only true friend, would be
like taking her life!
But such appeals made no impression on the unfeeling Deacon's heart.
While he was storming with abusive language, and even using the gory
lash with hellish vengeance to separate husband and wife, I could see
the sympathetic teardrop, stealing its way down the cheek of the
profligate and black-leg, whose object it now was to bind up the
broken heart of a wife, and restore to the arms of a bereaved husband,
his companion.
They were disgusted at the conduct of Whitfield and cried out shame,
even in his presence. They told him that they would give a thousand
dollars for my wife and child, or any thing in reason. But no! he
would sooner see me to the devil than indulge or gratify me after my
having run away from him; and if they did not remove me from his
presence very soon, he said he should make them suffer for it.
But all this, and even the gory lash had yet failed to break the grasp
of poor Malinda, whose prospect of connubial, social, and future
happiness was all at stake. When the dear woman saw there was no help
for us, and that we should soon be separated forever, in the name of
Deacon Whitfield, and American slavery to meet no more as husband and
wife, parent and child--the last and loudest appeal was made on our
knees. We appealed to the God of justice and to the sacred ties of
humanity; but this was all in vain. The louder we prayed the harder he
whipped, amid the most heart-rending shrieks from the poor slave
mother and child, as little Frances stood by, sobbing at the abuse
inflicted on her mother.
"Oh! how shall I give my husband the parting hand never to meet
again? This will surely break my heart," were her parting words.
I can never describe to the reader the awful reality of that
separation--for it was enough to chill the blood and stir up the
deepest feelings of revenge in the hearts of slaveholding black-legs,
who as they stood by, were threatening, some weeping, some swearing
and others declaring vengeance against such treatment being inflicted
on a human being. As we left the plantation, as far as we could see
and hear, the Deacon was still laying on the gory lash, trying to
prevent poor Malinda from weeping over the loss of her departed
husband, who was then, by the hellish laws of slavery, to her,
theoretically and practically dead. One of the black-legs exclaimed
that hell was full of just such Deacon's as Whitfield. This occurred
in December, 1840. I have never seen Malinda, since that period. I
never expect to see her again.
The sportsmen to whom I was sold, showed their sympathy for me not
only by word but by deeds. They said that they had made the most
liberal offer to Whitfield, to buy or sell for the sole purpose of
reuniting husband and wife. But he stood out against it--they felt
sorry for me. They said they had bought me to speculate on, and were
not able to lose what they had paid for me. But they would make a
bargain with me, if I was willing, and would lay a plan, by which I
might yet get free. If I would use my influence so as to get some
person to buy me while traveling about with them, they would give me a
portion of the money for which they sold me, and they would also give
me directions by which I might yet run away and go to Canada.
This offer I accepted, and the plot was made. They advised me to act
very stupid in language and thought, but in business I must be spry;
and that I must persuade men to buy me, and promise them that I would
be smart.
We passed through the State of Arkansas and stopped at many places,
horse-racing and gambling. My business was to drive a wagon in which
they carried their gambling apparatus, clothing, &c. I had also to
black boots and attend to horses. We stopped at Fayettville, where
they almost lost me, betting on a horse race.
They went from thence to the Indian Territory, among the Cherokee
Indians, to attend the great races which were to take place there.
During the races there was a very wealthy half Indian of that tribe,
who became much attached to me, and had some notion of buying me,
after hearing that I was for sale, being a slaveholder. The idea
struck me rather favorable, for several reasons. First, I thought I
should stand a better chance to get away from an Indian than from a
white man. Second, he wanted me only for a kind of a body servant to
wait on him--and in this case I knew that I should fare better than I
should in the field. And my owners also told me that it would be an
easy place to get away from. I took their advice for fear I might not
get another chance so good as that, and prevailed on the man to buy
me. He paid them nine hundred dollars, in gold and silver, for me. I
saw the money counted out.
After the purchase was made, the sportsmen got me off to one side, and
according to promise they gave me a part of the money, and directions
how to get from there to Canada. They also advised me how to act until
I got a good chance to run away. I was to embrace the earliest
opportunity of getting away, before they should become acquainted with
me. I was never to let it be known where I was from, nor where I was
born. I was to act quite stupid and ignorant. And when I started I was
to go up the boundary line, between the Indian Territory and the
States of Arkansas and Missouri, and this would fetch me out on the
Missouri river, near Jefferson city, the capital of Missouri. I was to
travel at first by night, and to lay by in daylight, until I got out
of danger.
The same afternoon that the Indian bought me, he started with me to
his residence, which was fifty or sixty miles distant. And so great
was his confidence in me, that he intrusted me to carry his money. The
amount must have been at least five hundred dollars, which was all in
gold and silver; and when we stopped over night the money and horses
were all left in my charge.
It would have been a very easy matter for me to have taken one of the
best horses, with the money, and run off. And the temptation was truly
great to a man like myself, who was watching for the earliest
opportunity to escape; and I felt confident that I should never have a
better opportunity to escape full handed than then.
CHAPTER XIV.
_Character of my Indian Master. --Slavery among the Indians less
cruel. --Indian carousal. --Enfeebled health of my Indian Master. --His
death. --My escape. --Adventure in a wigwam. --Successful progress toward
liberty. _
The next morning I went home with my new master; and by the way it is
only doing justice to the dead to say, that he was the most
reasonable, and humane slaveholder that I have ever belonged to. He
was the last man that pretended to claim property in my person; and
although I have freely given the names and residences of all others
who have held me as a slave, for prudential reasons I shall omit
giving the name of this individual.
He was the owner of a large plantation and quite a number of slaves.
He raised corn and wheat for his own consumption only. There was no
cotton, tobacco, or anything of the kind produced among them for
market. And I found this difference between negro slavery among the
Indians, and the same thing among the white slaveholders of the South.
The Indians allow their slaves enough to eat and wear. They have no
overseers to whip nor drive them. If a slave offends his master, he
sometimes, in a heat of passion, undertakes to chastise him; but it is
as often the case as otherwise, that the slave gets the better of the
fight, and even flogs his master;[4] for which there is no law to
punish him; but when the fight is over that is the last of it. So far
as religious instruction is concerned, they have it on terms of
equality, the bond and the free; they have no respect of persons, they
have neither slave laws nor negro pews. Neither do they separate
husbands and wives, nor parents and children. All things considered,
if I must be a slave, I had by far, rather be a slave to an Indian,
than to a white man, from the experience I have had with both.
A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their
old heathen traditional notions. They made it a rule to have an Indian
dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; and they would come together
far and near to attend these dances. They would most generally
commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by
the blowing of horns. One would commence blowing and another would
answer, and so it would go all round the neighborhood. When a number
had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in
circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, all
around, in this circle. In the centre they would have a large fire to
dance around, and at each one of the small fires there would be a
squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance.
But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating
drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these
stump dances. At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum
to sell. There would be some dancing, some singing, some gambling,
some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two
days and nights together.
Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird
feathers, coon tails, or something of the kind stuck in their heads,
and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing.
Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and
forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping
around it until they would get drunk or their heads would get to
swimming, and then they would go off and drink, and another set come
on. Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian
slaveholders.
My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me;
and not long after he bought me he went off forty or fifty miles from
home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by his wife. I
was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during
his sickness. But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but
short duration after the doctor commenced on him.
While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability. I
watched over him night and day until he died, and even prepared his
body for the tomb, before I left him. He died about midnight and I
understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the
second day after his death. I pretended to be taking on at a great
rate about his death, but I was more excited about running away, than
I was about that, and before daylight the next morning I proved it,
for I was on my way to Canada.
I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my
escape. I slipped out of the room as if I had gone off to weep for the
deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about me until
after my master was buried and they had returned back to his
residence. And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my
way home; and it would be at least four or five days before they would
make any stir in looking after me. By that time, if I had no bad luck,
I should be out of much danger.
After the first day, I laid by in the day and traveled by night for
several days and nights, passing in this way through several tribes of
Indians. I kept pretty near the boundary line. I recollect getting
lost one dark rainy night. Not being able to find the road I came into
an Indian settlement at the dead hour of the night. I was wet,
wearied, cold and hungry; and yet I felt afraid to enter any of their
houses or wigwams, not knowing whether they would be friendly or not.
But I knew the Indians were generally drunkards, and that occasionally
a drunken white man was found straggling among them, and that such an
one would be more likely to find friends from sympathy than an upright
man.
So I passed myself off that night as a drunkard among them. I walked
up to the door of one of their houses, and fell up against it, making
a great noise like a drunken man; but no one came to the door. I
opened it and staggered in, falling about, and making a great noise.
But finally an old woman got up and gave me a blanket to lie down on.
There was quite a number of them lying about on the dirt floor, but
not one could talk or understand a word of the English language. I
made signs so as to let them know that I wanted something to eat, but
they had nothing, so I had to go without that night. I laid down and
pretended to be asleep, but I slept none that night, for I was afraid
that they would kill me if I went to sleep. About one hour before day,
the next morning, three of the females got up and put into a tin
kettle a lot of ashes with water, to boil, and then poured into it
about one quart of corn. After letting it stand a few moments, they
poured it into a trough, and pounded it into thin hominy. They washed
it out, and boiled it down, and called me up to eat my breakfast of
it.
After eating, I offered them six cents, but they refused to accept it.
I then found my way to the main road, and traveled all that day on my
journey, and just at night arrived at a public house kept by an
Indian, who also kept a store. I walked in and asked if I could get
lodging, which was granted; but I had not been there long before three
men came riding up about dusk, or between sunset and dark. They were
white men, and I supposed slaveholders. At any rate when they asked if
they could have lodging, I trembled for fear they might be in pursuit
of me. But the landlord told them that he could not lodge them, but
they could get lodging about two miles off, with a white man, and they
turned their horses and started.
The landlord asked me where I was traveling to, and where I was from.
I told him that I had been out looking at the country; that I had
thought of buying land, and that I lived in the State of Ohio, in the
village of Perrysburgh. He then said that he had lived there himself,
and that he had acted as an interpreter there among the Maumee tribe
of Indians for several years. He then asked who I was acquainted with
there? I informed him that I knew Judge Hollister, Francis Hollister,
J. W. Smith, and others. At this he was so much pleased that he came up
and took me by the hand, and received me joyfully, after seeing that I
was acquainted with those of his old friends.
I could converse with him understandingly from personal acquaintance,
for I had lived there when I first ran away from Kentucky. But I felt
it to be my duty to start off the next morning before breakfast, or
sunrise. I bought a dozen of eggs, and had them boiled to carry with
me to eat on the way. I did not like the looks of those three men, and
thought I would get on as fast as possible for fear I might be pursued
by them.
I was then about to enter the territory of another slave State,
Missouri. I had passed through the fiery ordeal of Sibley, Gatewood,
and Garrison, and had even slipped through the fingers of Deacon
Whitfield. I had doubtless gone through great peril in crossing the
Indian territory, in passing through the various half civilized
tribes, who seemed to look upon me with astonishment as I passed
along. Their hands were almost invariably filled with bows and arrows,
tomahawks, guns, butcher knives, and all the various implements of
death which are used by them. And what made them look still more
frightful, their faces were often painted red, and their heads muffled
with birds feathers, bushes, coons tails and owls heads. But all this
I had passed through, and my long enslaved limbs and spirit were then
in full stretch for emancipation. I felt as if one more short struggle
would set me free.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] This singular fact is corroborated in a letter read by the
publisher, from an acquaintance while passing through this country in
1849.
CHAPTER XV.
_Adventure on the Prairie. --I borrow a horse without leave. --Rapid
traveling one whole night. --Apology for using other men's horses. --My
manner of living on the road. _
Early in the morning I left the Indian territory as I have already
said, for fear I might be pursued by the three white men whom I had
seen there over night; but I had not proceeded far before my fears
were magnified a hundred fold.
I always dreaded to pass through a prairie, and on coming to one which
was about six miles in width, I was careful to look in every direction
to see whether there was any person in sight before I entered it; but
I could see no one. So I started across with a hope of crossing
without coming in contact with any one on the prairie. I walked as
fast as I could, but when I got about midway of the prairie, I came to
a high spot where the road forked, and three men came up from a low
spot as if they had been there concealed. They were all on horse back,
and I supposed them to be the same men that had tried to get lodging
where I stopped over night. Had this been in timbered land, I might
have stood some chance to have dodged them, but there I was, out in
the open prairie, where I could see no possible way by which I could
escape.
They came along slowly up behind me, and finally passed, and spoke or
bowed their heads on passing, but they traveled in a slow walk and
kept but a very few steps before me, until we got nearly across the
prairie. When we were coming near a plantation a piece off from the
road on the skirt of the timbered land, they whipped up their horses
and left the road as if they were going across to this plantation.
They soon got out of my sight by going down into a valley which lay
between us and the plantation. Not seeing them rise the hill to go up
to the farm, excited greater suspicion in my mind, so I stepped over
on the brow of the hill, where I could see what they were doing, and
to my surprise I saw them going right back in the direction they had
just came, and they were going very fast. I was then satisfied that
they were after me and that they were only going back to get more
help to assist them in taking me, for fear that I might kill some of
them if they undertook it. The first impression was that I had better
leave the road immediately; so I bolted from the road and ran as fast
as I could for some distance in the thick forest, and concealed myself
for about fifteen or twenty minutes, which were spent in prayer to God
for his protecting care and guidance.
My impression was that when they should start in pursuit of me again,
they would follow on in the direction which I was going when they left
me; and not finding or hearing of me on the road, they would come back
and hunt through the woods around, and if they could find no track
they might go and get dogs to trace me out.
I thought my chance of escape would be better, if I went back to the
same side of the road that they first went, for the purpose of
deceiving them; as I supposed that they would not suspect my going in
the same direction that they went, for the purpose of escaping from
them.
So I traveled all that day square off from the road through the wild
forest without any knowledge of the country whatever; for I had
nothing to travel by but the sun by day, and the moon and stars by
night. Just before night I came in sight of a large plantation, where
I saw quite a number of horses running at large in a field, and
knowing that my success in escaping depended upon my getting out of
that settlement within twenty-four hours, to save myself from
everlasting slavery, I thought I should be justified in riding one of
those horses, that night, if I could catch one. I cut a grape vine
with my knife, and made it into a bridle; and shortly after dark I
went into the field and tried to catch one of the horses. I got a
bunch of dry blades of fodder and walked up softly towards the horses,
calling to them "cope," "cope," "cope;" but there was only one out of
the number that I was able to get my hand on, and that was an old
mare, which I supposed to be the mother of all the rest; and I knew
that I could walk faster than she could travel. She had a bell on and
was very thin in flesh; she looked gentle and walked on three legs
only. The young horses pranced and galloped off. I was not able to get
near them, and the old mare being of no use to me, I left them all.
After fixing my eyes on the north star I pursued my journey, holding
on to my bridle with a hope of finding a horse upon which I might ride
that night.
I found a road leading pretty nearly in the direction which I wanted
to travel, and I kept it. After traveling several miles I found
another large plantation where there was a prospect of finding a
horse. I stepped up to the barn-yard, wherein I found several horses.
There was a little barn standing with the door open, and I found it
quite an easy task to get the horses into the barn, and select out the
best looking one of them. I pulled down the fence, led the noble beast
out and mounted him, taking a northern direction, being able to find a
road which led that way. But I had not gone over three or four miles
before I came to a large stream of water which was past fording; yet I
could see that it had been forded by the road track, but from high
water it was then impassible. As the horse seemed willing to go in I
put him through; but before he got in far, he was in water up to his
sides and finally the water came over his back and he swam over. I got
as wet as could be, but the horse carried me safely across at the
proper place.
After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into
a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles
in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I
wanted to go. I laid whip to the horse, and I think he must have
carried me not less than forty miles that night, or before sun rise
the next morning. I then stopped him in a spot of high grass in an old
field, and took off the bridle. I thanked God, and thanked the horse
for what he had done for me, and wished him a safe journey back home.
I know the poor horse must have felt stiff, and tired from his speedy
jaunt, and I felt very bad myself, riding at that rate all night
without a saddle; but I felt as if I had too much at stake to favor
either horse flesh or man flesh. I could indeed afford to crucify my
own flesh for the sake of redeeming myself from perpetual slavery.
Some may be disposed to find fault with my taking the horse as I did;
but I did nothing more than nine out of ten would do if they were
placed in the same circumstances. I had no disposition to steal a
horse from any man. But I ask, if a white man had been captured by the
Cherokee Indians and carried away from his family for life into
slavery, and could see a chance to escape and get back to his family;
should the Indians pursue him with a determination to take him back or
take his life, would it be a crime for the poor fugitive, whose life,
liberty, and future happiness were all at stake, to mount any man's
horse by the way side, and ride him without asking any questions, to
effect his escape? Or who would not do the same thing to rescue a
wife, child, father, or mother? Such an act committed by a white man
under the same circumstances would not only be pronounced proper, but
praiseworthy; and if he neglected to avail himself of such a means of
escape he would be pronounced a fool. Therefore from this act I have
nothing to regret, for I have done nothing more than any other
reasonable person would have done under the same circumstances. But I
had good luck from the morning I left the horse until I got back into
the State of Ohio. About two miles from where I left the horse, I
found a public house on the road, where I stopped and took breakfast.
Being asked where I was traveling, I replied that I was going home to
Perrysburgh, Ohio, and that I had been out to look at the land in
Missouri, with a view of buying. They supposed me to be a native of
Ohio, from the fact of my being so well acquainted with its location,
its principal cities, inhabitants, &c.
The next night I put up at one of the best hotels in the village where
I stopped, and acted with as much independence as if I was worth a
million of dollars; talked about buying land, stock and village
property, and contrasting it with the same kind of property in the
State of Ohio. In this kind of talk they were most generally
interested, and I was treated just like other travelers. I made it a
point to travel about thirty miles each day on my way to Jefferson
city. On several occasions I have asked the landlords where I have
stopped over night, if they could tell me who kept the best house
where I would stop the next night, which was most generally in a small
village. But for fear I might forget, I would get them to give me the
name on a piece of paper as a kind of recommend. This would serve as
an introduction through which I have always been well received from
one landlord to another, and I have always stopped at the best houses,
eaten at the first tables, and slept in the best beds. No man ever
asked me whether I was bond or free, black or white, rich or poor;
but I always presented a bold front and showed the best side out,
which was all the pass I had. But when I got within about one hundred
miles of Jefferson city, where I expected to take a Steamboat passage
to St. Louis, I stopped over night at a hotel, where I met with a
young white man who was traveling on to Jefferson City on horse back,
and was also leading a horse with a saddle and bridle on.
I asked him if he would let me ride the horse which he was leading, as
I was going to the same city? He said that it was a hired horse, that
he was paying at the rate of fifty cents per day for it, but if I
would pay the same I could ride him. I accepted the offer and we rode
together to the city. We were on the road together two or three days;
stopped and ate and slept together at the same hotels.
CHAPTER XVI.
_Stratagem to get on board, the steamer. --My Irish friends. --My
success in reaching Cincinnati. --Reflections on again seeing
Kentucky. --I get employment in a hotel. --My fright at seeing the
gambler who sold me. --I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith. --His letter. --My
education. _
The greatest of my adventures came off when I arrived at Jefferson
City. There I expected to meet an advertisement for my person; it was
there I must cross the river or take a steamboat down; it was there I
expected to be interrogated and required to prove whether I was
actually a free man or a slave. If I was free, I should have to show
my free papers; and if I was a slave I should be required to tell who
my master was.
I stopped at a hotel, however, and ascertained that there was a
steamboat expected down the river that day for St. Louis. I also found
out that there were several passengers at that house who were going
down on board of the first boat. I knew that the captain of a
steamboat could not take a colored passenger on board of his boat from
a slave state without first ascertaining whether such person was bond
or free; I knew that this was more than he would dare to do by the
laws of the slave states--and now to surmount this difficulty it
brought into exercise all the powers of my mind. I would have got
myself boxed up as freight, and have been forwarded to St. Louis, but
I had no friend that I could trust to do it for me. This plan has
since been adopted by some with success. But finally I thought I might
possibly pass myself off as a body servant to the passengers going
from the hotel down.
So I went to a store and bought myself a large trunk, and took it to
the hotel. Soon, a boat came in which was bound to St. Louis, and the
passengers started down to get on board. I took up my large trunk, and
started along after them as if I was their servant. My heart trembled
in view of the dangerous experiment which I was then about to try. It
required all the moral courage that I was master of to bear me up in
view of my critical condition. The white people that I was following
walked on board and I after them. I acted as if the trunk was full of
clothes, but I had not a stitch of clothes in it. The passengers went
up into the cabin and I followed them with the trunk. I suppose this
made the captain think that I was their slave.
I not only took the trunk in the cabin but stood by it until after the
boat had started as if it belonged to my owners, and I was taking care
of it for them; but as soon as the boat got fairly under way, I knew
that some account would have to be given of me; so I then took my
trunk down on the deck among the deck passengers to prepare myself to
meet the clerk of the boat, when he should come to collect fare from
the deck passengers.
Fortunately for me there was quite a number of deck passengers on
board, among whom there were many Irish. I insinuated myself among
them so as to get into their good graces, believing that if I should
get into a difficulty they would stand by me. I saw several of these
persons going up to the saloon buying whiskey, and I thought this
might be the most effectual way by which I could gain speedily their
respect and sympathy. So I participated with them pretty freely for
awhile, or at least until after I got my fare settled. I placed myself
in a little crowd of them, and invited them all up to the bar with me,
stating that it was my treat. This was responded to, and they walked
up and drank and I footed the bill. This, of course, brought us into a
kind of a union. We sat together and laughed and talked freely. Within
ten or fifteen minutes I remarked that I was getting dry again, and
invited them up and treated again. By this time I was thought to be
one of the most liberal and gentlemanly men on board, by these deck
passengers; they were ready to do any thing for me--they got to
singing songs, and telling long yarns in which I took quite an active
part; but it was all for effect.
By this time the porter came around ringing his bell for all
passengers who had not paid their fare, to walk up to the captain's
office and settle it. Some of my Irish friends had not yet settled,
and I asked one of them if he would be good enough to take my money
and get me a ticket when he was getting one for himself, and he
quickly replied "yes sir, I will get you a tacket. " So he relieved me
of my greatest trouble. When they came round to gather the tickets
before we got to St. Louis, my ticket was taken with the rest, and no
questions were asked me.
The next day the boat arrived at St. Louis; my object was to take
passage on board of the first boat which was destined for Cincinnati,
Ohio; and as there was a boat going out that day for Pittsburgh, I
went on board to make some inquiry about the fare &c, and found the
steward to be a colored man with whom I was acquainted. He lived in
Cincinnati, and had rendered me some assistance in making my escape to
Canada, in the summer of 1838, and he also very kindly aided me then
in getting back into a land of freedom. The swift running steamer
started that afternoon on her voyage, which soon wafted my body beyond
the tyrannical limits of chattel slavery. When the boat struck the
mouth of the river Ohio, and I had once more the pleasure of looking
on that lovely stream, my heart leaped up for joy at the glorious
prospect that I should again be free. Every revolution of the mighty
steam-engine seemed to bring me nearer and nearer the "promised land. "
Only a few days had elapsed, before I was permitted by the smiles of a
good providence, once more to gaze on the green hill-tops and valleys
of old Kentucky, the State of my nativity. And notwithstanding I was
deeply interested while standing on the deck of the steamer looking at
the beauties of nature on either side of the river, as she pressed her
way up the stream, my very soul was pained to look upon the slaves in
the fields of Kentucky, still toiling under their task-masters without
pay. It was on this soil I first breathed, the free air of Heaven, and
felt the bitter pangs of slavery--it was here that I first learned to
abhor it. It was here I received the first impulse of human rights--it
was here that I first entered my protest against the bloody
institution of slavery, by running away from it, and declared that I
would no longer work for any man as I had done, without wages.
When the steamboat arrived at Portsmouth, Ohio, I took off my trunk
with the intention of going to Canada. But my funds were almost
exhausted, so I had to stop and go to work to get money to travel on.
I hired myself at the American Hotel to a Mr. McCoy to do the work of
a porter, to black boots, &c, for which he was to pay me $12 per
month. I soon found the landlord to be bad pay, and not only that, but
he would not allow me to charge for blacking boots, although I had to
black them after everybody had gone to bed at night, and set them in
the bar-room, where the gentlemen could come and get them in the
morning while I was at other work. I had nothing extra for this,
neither would he pay me my regular wages; so I thought this was a
little too much like slavery, and devised a plan by which I got some
pay for my work.
I made it a point never to blacken all the boots and shoes over night,
neither would I put any of them in the bar-room, but lock them up in a
room where no one could get them without calling for me. I got a piece
of broken vessel, placed it in the room just before the boots, and put
into it several pieces of small change, as if it had been given me for
boot blacking; and almost every one that came in after their boots,
would throw some small trifle into my contribution box, while I was
there blacking away. In this way, I made more than my landlord paid
me, and I soon got a good stock of cash again. One morning I blacked a
gentleman's boots who came in during the night by a steamboat. After
he had put on his boots, I was called into the bar-room to button his
straps; and while I was performing this service, not thinking to see
anybody that knew me, I happened to look up at the man's face and who
should it be but one of the very gamblers who had recently sold me. I
dropped his foot and bolted from the room as if I had been struck by
an electric shock. The man happened not to recognize me, but this
strange conduct on my part excited the landlord, who followed me out
to see what was the matter. He found me with my hand to my breast,
groaning at a great rate. He asked me what was the matter; but I was
not able to inform him correctly, but said that I felt very bad
indeed. He of course thought I was sick with the colic and ran in the
house and got some hot stuff for me, with spice, ginger, &c. But I
never got able to go into the bar-room until long after breakfast
time, when I knew this man was gone; then I got well.
And yet I have no idea that the man would have hurt a hair of my head;
but my first thought was that he was after me. I then made up my mind
to leave Portsmouth; its location being right on the border of a slave
State.
A short time after this a gentleman put up there over night named
Smith, from Perrysburgh, with whom I was acquainted in the North. He
was on his way to Kentucky to buy up a drove of fine horses, and he
wanted me to go and help him to drive his horses out to Perrysburgh,
and said he would pay all my expenses if I would go. So I made a
contract to go and agreed to meet him the next week, on a set day, in
Washington, Ky. , to start with his drove to the north. Accordingly at
the time I took a steamboat passage down to Maysville, near where I
was to meet Mr. Smith with my trunk. When I arrived at Maysville, I
found that Washington was still six miles back from the river. I
stopped at a hotel and took my breakfast, and who should I see there
but a captain of a boat, who saw me but two years previous going down
the river Ohio with handcuffs on, in a chain gang; but he happened not
to know me. I left my trunk at the hotel and went out to Washington,
where I found Mr. Smith, and learned that he was not going to start
off with his drove until the next day.
The following letter which was addressed to the committee to
investigate the truth of my narrative, will explain this part of it to
the reader and corroborate my statements:
MAUMEE CITY, April 5, 1845.
CHAS. H. STEWART, ESQ.
DEAR SIR:--Your favor of 13th February, addressed to me at
Perrysburgh, was not received until yesterday; having
removed to this place, the letter was not forwarded as it
should have been. In reply to your inquiry respecting Henry
Bibb, I can only say that about the year 1838 I became
acquainted with him at Perrysburgh--employed him to do some
work by the job which he performed well, and from his
apparent honesty and candor, I became much interested in
him. About that time he went South for the purpose, as was
said, of getting his wife, who was there in slavery. In the
spring of 1841, I found him at Portsmouth on the Ohio river,
and after much persuasion, employed him to assist my man to
drive home some horses and cattle which I was about
purchasing near Maysville, Ky. My confidence in him was such
that when about half way home I separated the horses from
the cattle, and left him with the latter, with money and
instructions to hire what help he wanted to get to
Perrysburgh. This he accomplished to my entire satisfaction.
He worked for me during the summer, and I was unwilling to
part with him, but his desire to go to school and mature
plans for the liberation of his wife, were so strong that he
left for Detroit, where he could enjoy the society of his
colored brethren. I have heard his story and must say that I
have not the least reason to suspect it being otherwise than
true, and furthermore, I firmly believe, and have for a long
time, that he has the foundation to make himself useful. I
shall always afford him all the facilities in my power to
assist him, until I hear of something in relation to him to
alter my mind.
Yours in the cause of truth,
J. W. SMITH
When I arrived at Perrysburgh, I went to work for Mr. Smith for
several months. This family I found to be one of the most
kind-hearted, and unprejudiced that I ever lived with. Mr. and Mrs.
Smith lived up to their profession.
I resolved to go to Detroit, that winter, and go to school, in January
1842. But when I arrived at Detroit I soon found that I was not able
to give myself a very thorough education. I was among strangers, who
were not disposed to show me any great favors. I had every thing to
pay for, and clothing to buy, so I graduated within three weeks! And
this was all the schooling that I have ever had in my life.
W. C. Monroe was my teacher; to him I went about two weeks only. My
occupation varied according to circumstances, as I was not settled in
mind about the condition of my bereaved family for several years, and
could not settle myself down at any permanent business. I saw
occasionally, fugitives from Kentucky, some of whom I knew, but none
of them were my relatives; none could give me the information which I
desired most.
CHAPTER XVII.
_Letter from W. H. Gatewood. --My reply. --My efforts as a public
lecturer. --Singular incident in Steubenville--Meeting with a friend of
Whitfield in Michigan. --Outrage on a canal packet. --Fruitless efforts
to find my wife. _
The first direct information that I received concerning any of my
relations, after my last escape from slavery, was communicated in a
letter from Wm. H. Gatewood, my former owner, which I here insert word
for word, without any correction:
BEDFORD, TRIMBLE COUNTY, KY.
Mr. H. BIBB.
DEAR SIR:--After my respects to you and yours &c, I received
a small book which you sent to me that I peroseed and found
it was sent by H. Bibb I am a stranger in Detroit and know
no man there without it is Walton H. Bibb if this be the man
please to write to me and tell me all about that place and
the people I will tell you the news here as well as I can
your mother is still living here and she is well the people
are generally well in this cuntry times are dull and produce
low give my compliments to King, Jack, and all my friends in
that cuntry I read that book you sent me and think it will
do very well--George is sold, I do not know any thing about
him I have nothing more at present, but remain yours &c
W. H. GATEWOOD.
February 9th, 1844.
P. S. You will please to answer this letter.
Never was I more surprised than at the reception of this letter, it
came so unexpected to me. There had just been a State Convention held
in Detroit, by the free people of color, the proceedings of which were
published in pamphlet form. I forwarded several of them to
distinguished slaveholders in Kentucky--one among others was Mr.
Gatewood, and gave him to understand who sent it. After showing this
letter to several of my anti-slavery friends, and asking their
opinions about the propriety of my answering it, I was advised to do
it, as Mr. Gatewood had no claim on me as a slave, for he had sold
and got the money for me and my family. So I wrote him an answer, as
near as I can recollect, in the following language:
DEAR SIR:--I am happy to inform you that you are not
mistaken in the man whom you sold as property, and received
pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not property now,
but am regarded as a man like yourself, and although I live
far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own
industry. If you should ever chance to be traveling this
way, and will call on me, I will use you better than you did
me while you held me as a slave. Think not that I have any
malice against you, for the cruel treatment which you
inflicted on me while I was in your power. As it was the
custom of your country, to treat your fellow man as you did
me and my little family, I can freely forgive you.
I wish to be remembered in love to my aged mother, and
friends; please tell her that if we should never meet again
in this life, my prayer shall be to God that we may meet in
Heaven, where parting shall be no more.
You wish to be remembered to King and Jack. I am pleased,
sir, to inform you that they are both here, well, and doing
well. They are both living in Canada West. They are now the
owners of better farms than the men are who once owned them.
You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from
slavery, but as to myself, I have but one apology to make
for it, which is this: I have only to regret that I did not
start at an earlier period. I might have been free long
before I was. But you had it in your power to have kept me
there much longer than you did. I think it is very probable
that I should have been a toiling slave on your plantation
to-day, if you had treated me differently.
To be compelled to stand by and see you whip and slash my
wife without mercy, when I could afford her no protection,
not even by offering myself to suffer the lash in her place,
was more than I felt it to be the duty of a slave husband to
endure, while the way was open to Canada. My infant child
was also frequently flogged by Mrs. Gatewood, for crying,
until its skin was bruised literally purple. This kind of
treatment was what drove me from home and family, to seek a
better home for them. But I am willing to forget the past. I
should be pleased to hear from you again, on the reception
of this, and should also be very happy to correspond with
you often, if it should be agreeable to yourself. I
subscribe myself a friend to the oppressed, and Liberty
forever.
HENRY BIBB.
WILLIAM GATEWOOD.
Detroit, March 23d, 1844.
horses and struck a bargain with him for me. They bought me at a
reduced price for speculation.
After they had purchased me, I asked the privilege of going to the
house to take leave of my family before I left, which was granted by
the sportsmen. But the Deacon said I should never again step my foot
inside of his yard; and advised the sportsmen not to take the irons
from my neck until they had sold me; that if they gave me the least
chance I would run away from them, as I did from him. So I was
compelled to mount a horse and go off with them as I supposed, never
again to meet my family in this life.
We had not proceeded far before they informed me that they had bought
me to sell again, and if they kept the irons on me it would be
detrimental to the sale, and that they would therefore take off the
irons and dress me up like a man, and throw away the old rubbish which
I then had on; and they would sell me to some one who would treat me
better than Deacon Whitfield. After they had cut off the irons and
dressed me up, they crossed over Red River into Texas, where they
spent some time horse racing and gambling; and although they were
wicked black legs of the basest character, it is but due to them to
say, that they used me far better than ever the Deacon did. They gave
me plenty to eat and put nothing hard on me to do. They expressed much
sympathy for me in my bereavement; and almost every day they gave me
money more or less, and by my activity in waiting on them, and upright
conduct, I got into the good graces of them all, but they could not
get any person to buy me on account of the amount of intelligence
which they supposed me to have; for many of them thought that I could
read and write. When they left Texas, they intended to go to the
Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to attend a great horse race
which was to take place. Not being much out of their way to go past
Deacon Whitfield's again, I prevailed on them to call on him for the
purpose of trying to purchase my wife and child; and I promised them
that if they would buy my wife and child, I would get some person to
purchase us from them. So they tried to grant my request by calling on
the Deacon, and trying to make the purchase. As we approached the
Deacon's plantation, my heart was filled with a thousand painful and
fearful apprehensions. I had the fullest confidence in the blacklegs
with whom I travelled, believing that they would do according to
promise, and go to the fullest extent of their ability to restore
peace and consolation to a bereaved family--to re-unite husband and
wife, parent and child, who had long been severed by slavery through
the agency of Deacon Whitfield. But I knew his determination in
relation to myself, and I feared his wicked opposition to a
restoration of myself and little family, which he had divided, and
soon found that my fears were not without foundation.
When we rode up and walked into his yard, the Deacon came out and
spoke to all but myself; and not finding me in tattered rags as a
substitute for clothes, nor having an iron collar or bell about my
neck, as was the case when he sold me, he appeared to be much
displeased.
"What did you bring that negro back here for? " said he.
"We have come to try to buy his wife and child; for we can find no one
who is willing to buy him alone; and we will either buy or sell so
that the family may be together," said they.
While this conversation was going on, my poor bereaved wife, who
never expected to see me again in this life, spied me and came rushing
to me through the crowd, throwing her arms about my neck exclaiming in
the most sympathetic tones, "Oh! my dear husband! I never expected to
see you again! " The poor woman was bathed with tears of sorrow and
grief. But no sooner had she reached me, than the Deacon peremptorily
commanded her to go to her work. This she did not obey, but prayed
that her master would not separate us again, as she was there alone,
far from friends and relations whom she should never meet again. And
now to take away her husband, her last and only true friend, would be
like taking her life!
But such appeals made no impression on the unfeeling Deacon's heart.
While he was storming with abusive language, and even using the gory
lash with hellish vengeance to separate husband and wife, I could see
the sympathetic teardrop, stealing its way down the cheek of the
profligate and black-leg, whose object it now was to bind up the
broken heart of a wife, and restore to the arms of a bereaved husband,
his companion.
They were disgusted at the conduct of Whitfield and cried out shame,
even in his presence. They told him that they would give a thousand
dollars for my wife and child, or any thing in reason. But no! he
would sooner see me to the devil than indulge or gratify me after my
having run away from him; and if they did not remove me from his
presence very soon, he said he should make them suffer for it.
But all this, and even the gory lash had yet failed to break the grasp
of poor Malinda, whose prospect of connubial, social, and future
happiness was all at stake. When the dear woman saw there was no help
for us, and that we should soon be separated forever, in the name of
Deacon Whitfield, and American slavery to meet no more as husband and
wife, parent and child--the last and loudest appeal was made on our
knees. We appealed to the God of justice and to the sacred ties of
humanity; but this was all in vain. The louder we prayed the harder he
whipped, amid the most heart-rending shrieks from the poor slave
mother and child, as little Frances stood by, sobbing at the abuse
inflicted on her mother.
"Oh! how shall I give my husband the parting hand never to meet
again? This will surely break my heart," were her parting words.
I can never describe to the reader the awful reality of that
separation--for it was enough to chill the blood and stir up the
deepest feelings of revenge in the hearts of slaveholding black-legs,
who as they stood by, were threatening, some weeping, some swearing
and others declaring vengeance against such treatment being inflicted
on a human being. As we left the plantation, as far as we could see
and hear, the Deacon was still laying on the gory lash, trying to
prevent poor Malinda from weeping over the loss of her departed
husband, who was then, by the hellish laws of slavery, to her,
theoretically and practically dead. One of the black-legs exclaimed
that hell was full of just such Deacon's as Whitfield. This occurred
in December, 1840. I have never seen Malinda, since that period. I
never expect to see her again.
The sportsmen to whom I was sold, showed their sympathy for me not
only by word but by deeds. They said that they had made the most
liberal offer to Whitfield, to buy or sell for the sole purpose of
reuniting husband and wife. But he stood out against it--they felt
sorry for me. They said they had bought me to speculate on, and were
not able to lose what they had paid for me. But they would make a
bargain with me, if I was willing, and would lay a plan, by which I
might yet get free. If I would use my influence so as to get some
person to buy me while traveling about with them, they would give me a
portion of the money for which they sold me, and they would also give
me directions by which I might yet run away and go to Canada.
This offer I accepted, and the plot was made. They advised me to act
very stupid in language and thought, but in business I must be spry;
and that I must persuade men to buy me, and promise them that I would
be smart.
We passed through the State of Arkansas and stopped at many places,
horse-racing and gambling. My business was to drive a wagon in which
they carried their gambling apparatus, clothing, &c. I had also to
black boots and attend to horses. We stopped at Fayettville, where
they almost lost me, betting on a horse race.
They went from thence to the Indian Territory, among the Cherokee
Indians, to attend the great races which were to take place there.
During the races there was a very wealthy half Indian of that tribe,
who became much attached to me, and had some notion of buying me,
after hearing that I was for sale, being a slaveholder. The idea
struck me rather favorable, for several reasons. First, I thought I
should stand a better chance to get away from an Indian than from a
white man. Second, he wanted me only for a kind of a body servant to
wait on him--and in this case I knew that I should fare better than I
should in the field. And my owners also told me that it would be an
easy place to get away from. I took their advice for fear I might not
get another chance so good as that, and prevailed on the man to buy
me. He paid them nine hundred dollars, in gold and silver, for me. I
saw the money counted out.
After the purchase was made, the sportsmen got me off to one side, and
according to promise they gave me a part of the money, and directions
how to get from there to Canada. They also advised me how to act until
I got a good chance to run away. I was to embrace the earliest
opportunity of getting away, before they should become acquainted with
me. I was never to let it be known where I was from, nor where I was
born. I was to act quite stupid and ignorant. And when I started I was
to go up the boundary line, between the Indian Territory and the
States of Arkansas and Missouri, and this would fetch me out on the
Missouri river, near Jefferson city, the capital of Missouri. I was to
travel at first by night, and to lay by in daylight, until I got out
of danger.
The same afternoon that the Indian bought me, he started with me to
his residence, which was fifty or sixty miles distant. And so great
was his confidence in me, that he intrusted me to carry his money. The
amount must have been at least five hundred dollars, which was all in
gold and silver; and when we stopped over night the money and horses
were all left in my charge.
It would have been a very easy matter for me to have taken one of the
best horses, with the money, and run off. And the temptation was truly
great to a man like myself, who was watching for the earliest
opportunity to escape; and I felt confident that I should never have a
better opportunity to escape full handed than then.
CHAPTER XIV.
_Character of my Indian Master. --Slavery among the Indians less
cruel. --Indian carousal. --Enfeebled health of my Indian Master. --His
death. --My escape. --Adventure in a wigwam. --Successful progress toward
liberty. _
The next morning I went home with my new master; and by the way it is
only doing justice to the dead to say, that he was the most
reasonable, and humane slaveholder that I have ever belonged to. He
was the last man that pretended to claim property in my person; and
although I have freely given the names and residences of all others
who have held me as a slave, for prudential reasons I shall omit
giving the name of this individual.
He was the owner of a large plantation and quite a number of slaves.
He raised corn and wheat for his own consumption only. There was no
cotton, tobacco, or anything of the kind produced among them for
market. And I found this difference between negro slavery among the
Indians, and the same thing among the white slaveholders of the South.
The Indians allow their slaves enough to eat and wear. They have no
overseers to whip nor drive them. If a slave offends his master, he
sometimes, in a heat of passion, undertakes to chastise him; but it is
as often the case as otherwise, that the slave gets the better of the
fight, and even flogs his master;[4] for which there is no law to
punish him; but when the fight is over that is the last of it. So far
as religious instruction is concerned, they have it on terms of
equality, the bond and the free; they have no respect of persons, they
have neither slave laws nor negro pews. Neither do they separate
husbands and wives, nor parents and children. All things considered,
if I must be a slave, I had by far, rather be a slave to an Indian,
than to a white man, from the experience I have had with both.
A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their
old heathen traditional notions. They made it a rule to have an Indian
dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; and they would come together
far and near to attend these dances. They would most generally
commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by
the blowing of horns. One would commence blowing and another would
answer, and so it would go all round the neighborhood. When a number
had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in
circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, all
around, in this circle. In the centre they would have a large fire to
dance around, and at each one of the small fires there would be a
squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance.
But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating
drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these
stump dances. At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum
to sell. There would be some dancing, some singing, some gambling,
some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two
days and nights together.
Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird
feathers, coon tails, or something of the kind stuck in their heads,
and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing.
Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and
forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping
around it until they would get drunk or their heads would get to
swimming, and then they would go off and drink, and another set come
on. Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian
slaveholders.
My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me;
and not long after he bought me he went off forty or fifty miles from
home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by his wife. I
was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during
his sickness. But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but
short duration after the doctor commenced on him.
While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability. I
watched over him night and day until he died, and even prepared his
body for the tomb, before I left him. He died about midnight and I
understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the
second day after his death. I pretended to be taking on at a great
rate about his death, but I was more excited about running away, than
I was about that, and before daylight the next morning I proved it,
for I was on my way to Canada.
I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my
escape. I slipped out of the room as if I had gone off to weep for the
deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about me until
after my master was buried and they had returned back to his
residence. And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my
way home; and it would be at least four or five days before they would
make any stir in looking after me. By that time, if I had no bad luck,
I should be out of much danger.
After the first day, I laid by in the day and traveled by night for
several days and nights, passing in this way through several tribes of
Indians. I kept pretty near the boundary line. I recollect getting
lost one dark rainy night. Not being able to find the road I came into
an Indian settlement at the dead hour of the night. I was wet,
wearied, cold and hungry; and yet I felt afraid to enter any of their
houses or wigwams, not knowing whether they would be friendly or not.
But I knew the Indians were generally drunkards, and that occasionally
a drunken white man was found straggling among them, and that such an
one would be more likely to find friends from sympathy than an upright
man.
So I passed myself off that night as a drunkard among them. I walked
up to the door of one of their houses, and fell up against it, making
a great noise like a drunken man; but no one came to the door. I
opened it and staggered in, falling about, and making a great noise.
But finally an old woman got up and gave me a blanket to lie down on.
There was quite a number of them lying about on the dirt floor, but
not one could talk or understand a word of the English language. I
made signs so as to let them know that I wanted something to eat, but
they had nothing, so I had to go without that night. I laid down and
pretended to be asleep, but I slept none that night, for I was afraid
that they would kill me if I went to sleep. About one hour before day,
the next morning, three of the females got up and put into a tin
kettle a lot of ashes with water, to boil, and then poured into it
about one quart of corn. After letting it stand a few moments, they
poured it into a trough, and pounded it into thin hominy. They washed
it out, and boiled it down, and called me up to eat my breakfast of
it.
After eating, I offered them six cents, but they refused to accept it.
I then found my way to the main road, and traveled all that day on my
journey, and just at night arrived at a public house kept by an
Indian, who also kept a store. I walked in and asked if I could get
lodging, which was granted; but I had not been there long before three
men came riding up about dusk, or between sunset and dark. They were
white men, and I supposed slaveholders. At any rate when they asked if
they could have lodging, I trembled for fear they might be in pursuit
of me. But the landlord told them that he could not lodge them, but
they could get lodging about two miles off, with a white man, and they
turned their horses and started.
The landlord asked me where I was traveling to, and where I was from.
I told him that I had been out looking at the country; that I had
thought of buying land, and that I lived in the State of Ohio, in the
village of Perrysburgh. He then said that he had lived there himself,
and that he had acted as an interpreter there among the Maumee tribe
of Indians for several years. He then asked who I was acquainted with
there? I informed him that I knew Judge Hollister, Francis Hollister,
J. W. Smith, and others. At this he was so much pleased that he came up
and took me by the hand, and received me joyfully, after seeing that I
was acquainted with those of his old friends.
I could converse with him understandingly from personal acquaintance,
for I had lived there when I first ran away from Kentucky. But I felt
it to be my duty to start off the next morning before breakfast, or
sunrise. I bought a dozen of eggs, and had them boiled to carry with
me to eat on the way. I did not like the looks of those three men, and
thought I would get on as fast as possible for fear I might be pursued
by them.
I was then about to enter the territory of another slave State,
Missouri. I had passed through the fiery ordeal of Sibley, Gatewood,
and Garrison, and had even slipped through the fingers of Deacon
Whitfield. I had doubtless gone through great peril in crossing the
Indian territory, in passing through the various half civilized
tribes, who seemed to look upon me with astonishment as I passed
along. Their hands were almost invariably filled with bows and arrows,
tomahawks, guns, butcher knives, and all the various implements of
death which are used by them. And what made them look still more
frightful, their faces were often painted red, and their heads muffled
with birds feathers, bushes, coons tails and owls heads. But all this
I had passed through, and my long enslaved limbs and spirit were then
in full stretch for emancipation. I felt as if one more short struggle
would set me free.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] This singular fact is corroborated in a letter read by the
publisher, from an acquaintance while passing through this country in
1849.
CHAPTER XV.
_Adventure on the Prairie. --I borrow a horse without leave. --Rapid
traveling one whole night. --Apology for using other men's horses. --My
manner of living on the road. _
Early in the morning I left the Indian territory as I have already
said, for fear I might be pursued by the three white men whom I had
seen there over night; but I had not proceeded far before my fears
were magnified a hundred fold.
I always dreaded to pass through a prairie, and on coming to one which
was about six miles in width, I was careful to look in every direction
to see whether there was any person in sight before I entered it; but
I could see no one. So I started across with a hope of crossing
without coming in contact with any one on the prairie. I walked as
fast as I could, but when I got about midway of the prairie, I came to
a high spot where the road forked, and three men came up from a low
spot as if they had been there concealed. They were all on horse back,
and I supposed them to be the same men that had tried to get lodging
where I stopped over night. Had this been in timbered land, I might
have stood some chance to have dodged them, but there I was, out in
the open prairie, where I could see no possible way by which I could
escape.
They came along slowly up behind me, and finally passed, and spoke or
bowed their heads on passing, but they traveled in a slow walk and
kept but a very few steps before me, until we got nearly across the
prairie. When we were coming near a plantation a piece off from the
road on the skirt of the timbered land, they whipped up their horses
and left the road as if they were going across to this plantation.
They soon got out of my sight by going down into a valley which lay
between us and the plantation. Not seeing them rise the hill to go up
to the farm, excited greater suspicion in my mind, so I stepped over
on the brow of the hill, where I could see what they were doing, and
to my surprise I saw them going right back in the direction they had
just came, and they were going very fast. I was then satisfied that
they were after me and that they were only going back to get more
help to assist them in taking me, for fear that I might kill some of
them if they undertook it. The first impression was that I had better
leave the road immediately; so I bolted from the road and ran as fast
as I could for some distance in the thick forest, and concealed myself
for about fifteen or twenty minutes, which were spent in prayer to God
for his protecting care and guidance.
My impression was that when they should start in pursuit of me again,
they would follow on in the direction which I was going when they left
me; and not finding or hearing of me on the road, they would come back
and hunt through the woods around, and if they could find no track
they might go and get dogs to trace me out.
I thought my chance of escape would be better, if I went back to the
same side of the road that they first went, for the purpose of
deceiving them; as I supposed that they would not suspect my going in
the same direction that they went, for the purpose of escaping from
them.
So I traveled all that day square off from the road through the wild
forest without any knowledge of the country whatever; for I had
nothing to travel by but the sun by day, and the moon and stars by
night. Just before night I came in sight of a large plantation, where
I saw quite a number of horses running at large in a field, and
knowing that my success in escaping depended upon my getting out of
that settlement within twenty-four hours, to save myself from
everlasting slavery, I thought I should be justified in riding one of
those horses, that night, if I could catch one. I cut a grape vine
with my knife, and made it into a bridle; and shortly after dark I
went into the field and tried to catch one of the horses. I got a
bunch of dry blades of fodder and walked up softly towards the horses,
calling to them "cope," "cope," "cope;" but there was only one out of
the number that I was able to get my hand on, and that was an old
mare, which I supposed to be the mother of all the rest; and I knew
that I could walk faster than she could travel. She had a bell on and
was very thin in flesh; she looked gentle and walked on three legs
only. The young horses pranced and galloped off. I was not able to get
near them, and the old mare being of no use to me, I left them all.
After fixing my eyes on the north star I pursued my journey, holding
on to my bridle with a hope of finding a horse upon which I might ride
that night.
I found a road leading pretty nearly in the direction which I wanted
to travel, and I kept it. After traveling several miles I found
another large plantation where there was a prospect of finding a
horse. I stepped up to the barn-yard, wherein I found several horses.
There was a little barn standing with the door open, and I found it
quite an easy task to get the horses into the barn, and select out the
best looking one of them. I pulled down the fence, led the noble beast
out and mounted him, taking a northern direction, being able to find a
road which led that way. But I had not gone over three or four miles
before I came to a large stream of water which was past fording; yet I
could see that it had been forded by the road track, but from high
water it was then impassible. As the horse seemed willing to go in I
put him through; but before he got in far, he was in water up to his
sides and finally the water came over his back and he swam over. I got
as wet as could be, but the horse carried me safely across at the
proper place.
After I got out a mile or so from the river, I came into
a large prairie, which I think must have been twenty or thirty miles
in width, and the road run across it about in the direction that I
wanted to go. I laid whip to the horse, and I think he must have
carried me not less than forty miles that night, or before sun rise
the next morning. I then stopped him in a spot of high grass in an old
field, and took off the bridle. I thanked God, and thanked the horse
for what he had done for me, and wished him a safe journey back home.
I know the poor horse must have felt stiff, and tired from his speedy
jaunt, and I felt very bad myself, riding at that rate all night
without a saddle; but I felt as if I had too much at stake to favor
either horse flesh or man flesh. I could indeed afford to crucify my
own flesh for the sake of redeeming myself from perpetual slavery.
Some may be disposed to find fault with my taking the horse as I did;
but I did nothing more than nine out of ten would do if they were
placed in the same circumstances. I had no disposition to steal a
horse from any man. But I ask, if a white man had been captured by the
Cherokee Indians and carried away from his family for life into
slavery, and could see a chance to escape and get back to his family;
should the Indians pursue him with a determination to take him back or
take his life, would it be a crime for the poor fugitive, whose life,
liberty, and future happiness were all at stake, to mount any man's
horse by the way side, and ride him without asking any questions, to
effect his escape? Or who would not do the same thing to rescue a
wife, child, father, or mother? Such an act committed by a white man
under the same circumstances would not only be pronounced proper, but
praiseworthy; and if he neglected to avail himself of such a means of
escape he would be pronounced a fool. Therefore from this act I have
nothing to regret, for I have done nothing more than any other
reasonable person would have done under the same circumstances. But I
had good luck from the morning I left the horse until I got back into
the State of Ohio. About two miles from where I left the horse, I
found a public house on the road, where I stopped and took breakfast.
Being asked where I was traveling, I replied that I was going home to
Perrysburgh, Ohio, and that I had been out to look at the land in
Missouri, with a view of buying. They supposed me to be a native of
Ohio, from the fact of my being so well acquainted with its location,
its principal cities, inhabitants, &c.
The next night I put up at one of the best hotels in the village where
I stopped, and acted with as much independence as if I was worth a
million of dollars; talked about buying land, stock and village
property, and contrasting it with the same kind of property in the
State of Ohio. In this kind of talk they were most generally
interested, and I was treated just like other travelers. I made it a
point to travel about thirty miles each day on my way to Jefferson
city. On several occasions I have asked the landlords where I have
stopped over night, if they could tell me who kept the best house
where I would stop the next night, which was most generally in a small
village. But for fear I might forget, I would get them to give me the
name on a piece of paper as a kind of recommend. This would serve as
an introduction through which I have always been well received from
one landlord to another, and I have always stopped at the best houses,
eaten at the first tables, and slept in the best beds. No man ever
asked me whether I was bond or free, black or white, rich or poor;
but I always presented a bold front and showed the best side out,
which was all the pass I had. But when I got within about one hundred
miles of Jefferson city, where I expected to take a Steamboat passage
to St. Louis, I stopped over night at a hotel, where I met with a
young white man who was traveling on to Jefferson City on horse back,
and was also leading a horse with a saddle and bridle on.
I asked him if he would let me ride the horse which he was leading, as
I was going to the same city? He said that it was a hired horse, that
he was paying at the rate of fifty cents per day for it, but if I
would pay the same I could ride him. I accepted the offer and we rode
together to the city. We were on the road together two or three days;
stopped and ate and slept together at the same hotels.
CHAPTER XVI.
_Stratagem to get on board, the steamer. --My Irish friends. --My
success in reaching Cincinnati. --Reflections on again seeing
Kentucky. --I get employment in a hotel. --My fright at seeing the
gambler who sold me. --I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith. --His letter. --My
education. _
The greatest of my adventures came off when I arrived at Jefferson
City. There I expected to meet an advertisement for my person; it was
there I must cross the river or take a steamboat down; it was there I
expected to be interrogated and required to prove whether I was
actually a free man or a slave. If I was free, I should have to show
my free papers; and if I was a slave I should be required to tell who
my master was.
I stopped at a hotel, however, and ascertained that there was a
steamboat expected down the river that day for St. Louis. I also found
out that there were several passengers at that house who were going
down on board of the first boat. I knew that the captain of a
steamboat could not take a colored passenger on board of his boat from
a slave state without first ascertaining whether such person was bond
or free; I knew that this was more than he would dare to do by the
laws of the slave states--and now to surmount this difficulty it
brought into exercise all the powers of my mind. I would have got
myself boxed up as freight, and have been forwarded to St. Louis, but
I had no friend that I could trust to do it for me. This plan has
since been adopted by some with success. But finally I thought I might
possibly pass myself off as a body servant to the passengers going
from the hotel down.
So I went to a store and bought myself a large trunk, and took it to
the hotel. Soon, a boat came in which was bound to St. Louis, and the
passengers started down to get on board. I took up my large trunk, and
started along after them as if I was their servant. My heart trembled
in view of the dangerous experiment which I was then about to try. It
required all the moral courage that I was master of to bear me up in
view of my critical condition. The white people that I was following
walked on board and I after them. I acted as if the trunk was full of
clothes, but I had not a stitch of clothes in it. The passengers went
up into the cabin and I followed them with the trunk. I suppose this
made the captain think that I was their slave.
I not only took the trunk in the cabin but stood by it until after the
boat had started as if it belonged to my owners, and I was taking care
of it for them; but as soon as the boat got fairly under way, I knew
that some account would have to be given of me; so I then took my
trunk down on the deck among the deck passengers to prepare myself to
meet the clerk of the boat, when he should come to collect fare from
the deck passengers.
Fortunately for me there was quite a number of deck passengers on
board, among whom there were many Irish. I insinuated myself among
them so as to get into their good graces, believing that if I should
get into a difficulty they would stand by me. I saw several of these
persons going up to the saloon buying whiskey, and I thought this
might be the most effectual way by which I could gain speedily their
respect and sympathy. So I participated with them pretty freely for
awhile, or at least until after I got my fare settled. I placed myself
in a little crowd of them, and invited them all up to the bar with me,
stating that it was my treat. This was responded to, and they walked
up and drank and I footed the bill. This, of course, brought us into a
kind of a union. We sat together and laughed and talked freely. Within
ten or fifteen minutes I remarked that I was getting dry again, and
invited them up and treated again. By this time I was thought to be
one of the most liberal and gentlemanly men on board, by these deck
passengers; they were ready to do any thing for me--they got to
singing songs, and telling long yarns in which I took quite an active
part; but it was all for effect.
By this time the porter came around ringing his bell for all
passengers who had not paid their fare, to walk up to the captain's
office and settle it. Some of my Irish friends had not yet settled,
and I asked one of them if he would be good enough to take my money
and get me a ticket when he was getting one for himself, and he
quickly replied "yes sir, I will get you a tacket. " So he relieved me
of my greatest trouble. When they came round to gather the tickets
before we got to St. Louis, my ticket was taken with the rest, and no
questions were asked me.
The next day the boat arrived at St. Louis; my object was to take
passage on board of the first boat which was destined for Cincinnati,
Ohio; and as there was a boat going out that day for Pittsburgh, I
went on board to make some inquiry about the fare &c, and found the
steward to be a colored man with whom I was acquainted. He lived in
Cincinnati, and had rendered me some assistance in making my escape to
Canada, in the summer of 1838, and he also very kindly aided me then
in getting back into a land of freedom. The swift running steamer
started that afternoon on her voyage, which soon wafted my body beyond
the tyrannical limits of chattel slavery. When the boat struck the
mouth of the river Ohio, and I had once more the pleasure of looking
on that lovely stream, my heart leaped up for joy at the glorious
prospect that I should again be free. Every revolution of the mighty
steam-engine seemed to bring me nearer and nearer the "promised land. "
Only a few days had elapsed, before I was permitted by the smiles of a
good providence, once more to gaze on the green hill-tops and valleys
of old Kentucky, the State of my nativity. And notwithstanding I was
deeply interested while standing on the deck of the steamer looking at
the beauties of nature on either side of the river, as she pressed her
way up the stream, my very soul was pained to look upon the slaves in
the fields of Kentucky, still toiling under their task-masters without
pay. It was on this soil I first breathed, the free air of Heaven, and
felt the bitter pangs of slavery--it was here that I first learned to
abhor it. It was here I received the first impulse of human rights--it
was here that I first entered my protest against the bloody
institution of slavery, by running away from it, and declared that I
would no longer work for any man as I had done, without wages.
When the steamboat arrived at Portsmouth, Ohio, I took off my trunk
with the intention of going to Canada. But my funds were almost
exhausted, so I had to stop and go to work to get money to travel on.
I hired myself at the American Hotel to a Mr. McCoy to do the work of
a porter, to black boots, &c, for which he was to pay me $12 per
month. I soon found the landlord to be bad pay, and not only that, but
he would not allow me to charge for blacking boots, although I had to
black them after everybody had gone to bed at night, and set them in
the bar-room, where the gentlemen could come and get them in the
morning while I was at other work. I had nothing extra for this,
neither would he pay me my regular wages; so I thought this was a
little too much like slavery, and devised a plan by which I got some
pay for my work.
I made it a point never to blacken all the boots and shoes over night,
neither would I put any of them in the bar-room, but lock them up in a
room where no one could get them without calling for me. I got a piece
of broken vessel, placed it in the room just before the boots, and put
into it several pieces of small change, as if it had been given me for
boot blacking; and almost every one that came in after their boots,
would throw some small trifle into my contribution box, while I was
there blacking away. In this way, I made more than my landlord paid
me, and I soon got a good stock of cash again. One morning I blacked a
gentleman's boots who came in during the night by a steamboat. After
he had put on his boots, I was called into the bar-room to button his
straps; and while I was performing this service, not thinking to see
anybody that knew me, I happened to look up at the man's face and who
should it be but one of the very gamblers who had recently sold me. I
dropped his foot and bolted from the room as if I had been struck by
an electric shock. The man happened not to recognize me, but this
strange conduct on my part excited the landlord, who followed me out
to see what was the matter. He found me with my hand to my breast,
groaning at a great rate. He asked me what was the matter; but I was
not able to inform him correctly, but said that I felt very bad
indeed. He of course thought I was sick with the colic and ran in the
house and got some hot stuff for me, with spice, ginger, &c. But I
never got able to go into the bar-room until long after breakfast
time, when I knew this man was gone; then I got well.
And yet I have no idea that the man would have hurt a hair of my head;
but my first thought was that he was after me. I then made up my mind
to leave Portsmouth; its location being right on the border of a slave
State.
A short time after this a gentleman put up there over night named
Smith, from Perrysburgh, with whom I was acquainted in the North. He
was on his way to Kentucky to buy up a drove of fine horses, and he
wanted me to go and help him to drive his horses out to Perrysburgh,
and said he would pay all my expenses if I would go. So I made a
contract to go and agreed to meet him the next week, on a set day, in
Washington, Ky. , to start with his drove to the north. Accordingly at
the time I took a steamboat passage down to Maysville, near where I
was to meet Mr. Smith with my trunk. When I arrived at Maysville, I
found that Washington was still six miles back from the river. I
stopped at a hotel and took my breakfast, and who should I see there
but a captain of a boat, who saw me but two years previous going down
the river Ohio with handcuffs on, in a chain gang; but he happened not
to know me. I left my trunk at the hotel and went out to Washington,
where I found Mr. Smith, and learned that he was not going to start
off with his drove until the next day.
The following letter which was addressed to the committee to
investigate the truth of my narrative, will explain this part of it to
the reader and corroborate my statements:
MAUMEE CITY, April 5, 1845.
CHAS. H. STEWART, ESQ.
DEAR SIR:--Your favor of 13th February, addressed to me at
Perrysburgh, was not received until yesterday; having
removed to this place, the letter was not forwarded as it
should have been. In reply to your inquiry respecting Henry
Bibb, I can only say that about the year 1838 I became
acquainted with him at Perrysburgh--employed him to do some
work by the job which he performed well, and from his
apparent honesty and candor, I became much interested in
him. About that time he went South for the purpose, as was
said, of getting his wife, who was there in slavery. In the
spring of 1841, I found him at Portsmouth on the Ohio river,
and after much persuasion, employed him to assist my man to
drive home some horses and cattle which I was about
purchasing near Maysville, Ky. My confidence in him was such
that when about half way home I separated the horses from
the cattle, and left him with the latter, with money and
instructions to hire what help he wanted to get to
Perrysburgh. This he accomplished to my entire satisfaction.
He worked for me during the summer, and I was unwilling to
part with him, but his desire to go to school and mature
plans for the liberation of his wife, were so strong that he
left for Detroit, where he could enjoy the society of his
colored brethren. I have heard his story and must say that I
have not the least reason to suspect it being otherwise than
true, and furthermore, I firmly believe, and have for a long
time, that he has the foundation to make himself useful. I
shall always afford him all the facilities in my power to
assist him, until I hear of something in relation to him to
alter my mind.
Yours in the cause of truth,
J. W. SMITH
When I arrived at Perrysburgh, I went to work for Mr. Smith for
several months. This family I found to be one of the most
kind-hearted, and unprejudiced that I ever lived with. Mr. and Mrs.
Smith lived up to their profession.
I resolved to go to Detroit, that winter, and go to school, in January
1842. But when I arrived at Detroit I soon found that I was not able
to give myself a very thorough education. I was among strangers, who
were not disposed to show me any great favors. I had every thing to
pay for, and clothing to buy, so I graduated within three weeks! And
this was all the schooling that I have ever had in my life.
W. C. Monroe was my teacher; to him I went about two weeks only. My
occupation varied according to circumstances, as I was not settled in
mind about the condition of my bereaved family for several years, and
could not settle myself down at any permanent business. I saw
occasionally, fugitives from Kentucky, some of whom I knew, but none
of them were my relatives; none could give me the information which I
desired most.
CHAPTER XVII.
_Letter from W. H. Gatewood. --My reply. --My efforts as a public
lecturer. --Singular incident in Steubenville--Meeting with a friend of
Whitfield in Michigan. --Outrage on a canal packet. --Fruitless efforts
to find my wife. _
The first direct information that I received concerning any of my
relations, after my last escape from slavery, was communicated in a
letter from Wm. H. Gatewood, my former owner, which I here insert word
for word, without any correction:
BEDFORD, TRIMBLE COUNTY, KY.
Mr. H. BIBB.
DEAR SIR:--After my respects to you and yours &c, I received
a small book which you sent to me that I peroseed and found
it was sent by H. Bibb I am a stranger in Detroit and know
no man there without it is Walton H. Bibb if this be the man
please to write to me and tell me all about that place and
the people I will tell you the news here as well as I can
your mother is still living here and she is well the people
are generally well in this cuntry times are dull and produce
low give my compliments to King, Jack, and all my friends in
that cuntry I read that book you sent me and think it will
do very well--George is sold, I do not know any thing about
him I have nothing more at present, but remain yours &c
W. H. GATEWOOD.
February 9th, 1844.
P. S. You will please to answer this letter.
Never was I more surprised than at the reception of this letter, it
came so unexpected to me. There had just been a State Convention held
in Detroit, by the free people of color, the proceedings of which were
published in pamphlet form. I forwarded several of them to
distinguished slaveholders in Kentucky--one among others was Mr.
Gatewood, and gave him to understand who sent it. After showing this
letter to several of my anti-slavery friends, and asking their
opinions about the propriety of my answering it, I was advised to do
it, as Mr. Gatewood had no claim on me as a slave, for he had sold
and got the money for me and my family. So I wrote him an answer, as
near as I can recollect, in the following language:
DEAR SIR:--I am happy to inform you that you are not
mistaken in the man whom you sold as property, and received
pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not property now,
but am regarded as a man like yourself, and although I live
far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own
industry. If you should ever chance to be traveling this
way, and will call on me, I will use you better than you did
me while you held me as a slave. Think not that I have any
malice against you, for the cruel treatment which you
inflicted on me while I was in your power. As it was the
custom of your country, to treat your fellow man as you did
me and my little family, I can freely forgive you.
I wish to be remembered in love to my aged mother, and
friends; please tell her that if we should never meet again
in this life, my prayer shall be to God that we may meet in
Heaven, where parting shall be no more.
You wish to be remembered to King and Jack. I am pleased,
sir, to inform you that they are both here, well, and doing
well. They are both living in Canada West. They are now the
owners of better farms than the men are who once owned them.
You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from
slavery, but as to myself, I have but one apology to make
for it, which is this: I have only to regret that I did not
start at an earlier period. I might have been free long
before I was. But you had it in your power to have kept me
there much longer than you did. I think it is very probable
that I should have been a toiling slave on your plantation
to-day, if you had treated me differently.
To be compelled to stand by and see you whip and slash my
wife without mercy, when I could afford her no protection,
not even by offering myself to suffer the lash in her place,
was more than I felt it to be the duty of a slave husband to
endure, while the way was open to Canada. My infant child
was also frequently flogged by Mrs. Gatewood, for crying,
until its skin was bruised literally purple. This kind of
treatment was what drove me from home and family, to seek a
better home for them. But I am willing to forget the past. I
should be pleased to hear from you again, on the reception
of this, and should also be very happy to correspond with
you often, if it should be agreeable to yourself. I
subscribe myself a friend to the oppressed, and Liberty
forever.
HENRY BIBB.
WILLIAM GATEWOOD.
Detroit, March 23d, 1844.
