CHAPTER XIV.

by Solomon Northup

　　CHAPTER XIV.DESTRUCTION OF THE COTTON CROP IN 1845 DEMAND FOR LABORERS INST. MART'S PARISH SENT THITHER IN A DROVE THE ORDER OF THEMARCH THE GRAND COTEAU HIRED TO JUDGE TURNER ON BAYOUSALLE APPOINTED DRIVER IN HIS SUGAR HOUSE SUNDAY SERVICESSLAVE FURNITURE, HOW OBTAINED THE PARTY AT YARNEY's IN CEN-TREVILLE GOOD FORTUNE THE CAPTAIN OF THE STEAMER HIS RE-FUSAL TO SECRETE ME RETURN TO BAYOU BOJUF SIGHT OF TIBEATSPATSEY'S SORROWS TUMULT AND CONTENTION HUNTING THE COONAND OPOSSUM THE CUNNING OF THE LATTER THE LEAN CONDITIONOF THE SLAVE DESCRIPTION OF THE FISH TRAP THE MURDER OF THEMAN FROM NATCHEZ EPPS CHALLENGED BY MARSHALL THE INFLUENCEOF SLAVERY THE LOVE OF FREEDOM.The first year of Epps' residence on the bayou,1845, the caterpillars almost totally destroyed thecotton crop throughout that region. There was littleto be done, so that the slaves were necessarily idlehalf the time. However, there came a rumor to Ba-you Bceuf that wages were high, and laborers in greatdemand on the sugar plantations in St. Mary's parish.This parish is situated on the coast of the Gulf ofMexico, about one hundred and forty miles fromAvoyelles. The Eio Teche, a considerable stream,flows through St. Mary's to the gulf.

　　192 TWELVE TEAKS A SLAVE.It was determined by the planters, on the receiptof this intelligence, to make up a drove of slaves to"be sent down to Tuckapaw in St. Mary's, for the pur-pose of hiring them out in the cane fields. Accord-ingly, in the month of September, there were onehundred and forty-seven collected at Holmesville,Abram, Bob and myself among the number. Of theseabout one-half were women. Epps, Alonson Pierce,Henry Toler, and Addison Roberts, were the whitemen, selected to accompany, and take charge of thedrove. They had a two-horse carriage and two sad-dle horses for their use. A large wagon, drawn byfour horses, and driven by John, a boy belonging toMr. Roberts, carried the blankets and provisions.About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, having been fed,preparations were made to depart. The duty assign-ed me was, to take charge of the blankets and pro-visions, and see that none were lost by the way. Thecarriage proceeded in advance, the wagon following ;behind this the slaves were arranged, while the two,horsemen brought up the rear, and in this order theprocession moved out of Holmesville.That night we reached a Mr. McCrow's plantation,a distance of ten or fifteen miles, when we were or-dered to halt. Large fires were built, and each onespreading his blanket on the ground, laid down uponit. The white men lodged in the great house. Anhour before day we were aroused by the drivers com-ing among us, cracking their whips and ordering usto arise. Then the blankets were rolled up, and be-

　　' MARCH TO ST. MARY'S PARISH. 193ing severally delivered to me and deposited in thowagon, the procession set forth again.The following night it rained violently. We wereall drenched, our clothes saturated with mud and wa-ter. Reaching an open shed, formerly a gin-house) wefound beneath it such shelter as it afforded. Therewas not room for all of us to lay down. There. Weremained, huddled together, through the night, con-tinuing our march, as usual, in the morning. Duringthe journey we were fed twice a day, boiling ourbacon and baking our corn-cake at the fires in thesame manner as in our huts. We passed through La-fayetteville, Mountsville, ISTew-Town, to Centreville,where Bob and Uncle Abram were hired. Our num-ber decreased as we advanced — nearly every sugarplantation requiring the services of one or more.On our route we passed the Grand Coteau or prairie,a vast space of level, monotonous country, without atree, except an occasional one which had been trans-planted near some dilapidated dwelling. It was oncethickly populated, and under cultivation, but for somecause had been abandoned. The business of thescattered inhabitants that now dwell upon it is prin-cipally raising cattle. Immense herds were feedingupon it as we passed. In the centre of the GrandCoteau one feels as if he were on the ocean, outof sight of land. As far as the eye can see, in alldirections, it is but a ruined and deserted waste.I was hired to Judge Turner, a distinguished man,and extensive planter, whose large esta^T 13

　　194 TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE.on Bayou Salle, within a few miles of the gulf. Bayon Salle is a small stream flowing into the hay ofAtchafalaya. For some days I was employed atTurner's in repairing his sugar house, when a caneknife was put into my hand, and with thirty orforty others, I was sent into the field. I found nosuch difficulty in learning the art of cutting canethat I had in picking cotton. It came to me natural-ly and intuitively, and in a short time I was able tokeep up with the fastest knife. Before the cuttingwas over, however, Judge Tanner transferred me fromthe field to the sugar house, to act there in the ca-pacity of driver. From the time of the commence-ment of sugar making to the close, the grinding andboiling does not cease day or night. The whip wasgiven me with directions to use it upon any one whowas caught standing idle. If I failed to obey themto the letter, there was another one for my own back.In addition to this my duty was to call on and off thedifferent gangs at the proper time. I had no regularperiods of rest, and could never snatch but a few mo-ments of sleep at a time.It is the custom in Louisiana, as I presume it is inother slave States, to allow the slave to retain what-•ever compensation he may obtain for services per-formed on Sundays. In this way, only, are they ableto provide themselves with any luxury or conveni-ence whatever. When a slave, purchased, or kidnap-ped in the North, is transported to a cabin on Bayou23 -- "f be is furnished with neither knife, nor fork,

　　SUNDAY SERVICES. 195nor dish, nor kettle, nor any other thing in the shapeof crockery, or furniture of any nature or description.He is furnished with a blanket before he reachesthere, and wrapping that around him, he can eitherstand up, or lie down upon the ground, or on aboard,if his master has no nse for it. He is at liberty tofind a gonrd in which to keep his meal, or he can eathis corn from the cob, just as he pleases. To ask themaster for a knife, or skillet, or any small convenienceof the kind, would be answered with a kick, or laugh-ed at as a joke. Whatever necessary article of thisnature is found in a cabin has been purchased withSunday money. However injurious to the morals,it is certainly a blessing to the physical condition ofthe slave, to be permitted to break the Sabbath.Otherwise there would be no way to provide him-self with any utensils, which seem to be indispensa-ble to him who is compelled to be his own cook.On cane plantations in sugar time, there is no dis-tinction as to the days of the week. It is well un-derstood that all hands must labor on the Sabbath,and it is equally well understood that those especial-ly who are hired, as I was to Judge Turner, and oth-ers in succeeding years, shall receive remunerationfor it. It is usual, also, in the most hurrying time ofcotton-picking, to require the same extra service.From this source, slaves generally are afforded anopportunity of earning sufficient to purchase a knife,a kettle, tobacco and so forth. The females, discard-ing the latter luxury, are apt to expend their little

　　196 TWELTE TEARS A SLAVE.revenue in the purchase of gaudy ribbons, wherewithalto deck their hair in the merry season of the holidays.I remained in St. Mary's until the first of January,during which time my Sunday money amounted toten dollars. I met with other good fortune, for whichI was indebted to my violin, my constant companion,the source of profit, and soother of my sorrows duringyears of servitude. There was ' a grand party ofwhites assembled at Mr. Yarney's, in Centreville, ahamlet in the vicinity of Turner's plantation. I wasemployed to play for them, and so well pleased werethe merry-makers with my performance, that a con-tribution was taken for my benefit, which amountedto seventeen dollars."With this sum in possession, I was looked upon bymy fellows as a millionaire. It afforded me greatpleasure to look at it — to count it over and overagain, day after day. Visions of cabin furniture, ofwater pails, of pocket knives, new shoes and coatsand hats, floated through my fancy, and up throughall rose the triumphant contemplation, that I wasthe wealthiest " nigger" on Bayou Bceuf.Vessels run up the Bio Teche to Centreville."While there, I was bold enough one day to presentmyself before the captain of a steamer, and beg per-mission to hide myself among the freight. I wasemboldened to risk the hazard of such a step, fromoverhearing a conversation, in the course of which Iascertained he was a native of the I^orth. I did notrelate to him the particulars of my history, but only

　　RETURN TO BATOU BCEUF. 197expressed an ardent desire to escape from slavery toa free State. He pitied me, but said it would be im-possible to avoid the vigilant custom house officers inNew-Orleans, and that detection would subject himto punishment, and his vessel to confiscation. Myearnest entreaties evidently excited his sympathies, Iand doubtless he would have yielded to them, couldhe have done so with any kind of safety. I wascompelled to smother the sudden flame that lightedup my bosom with sweet hopes of liberation, andturn my steps once more towards the increasingdarkness of despair.Immediately after this event the drove assembledat Centreville, and several of the owners having ar-rived and collected the monies due for our services,we were driven back to Bayou Bceuf. It was on ourreturn, while passing through a small village, that Icaught sight of Tib eats, seated in the door of a dirtygrocery, looking somewhat seedy and out of repair.Passion and poor whisky, I doubt not, have ere thislaid him on the shelf.During our absence, I learned from Aunt Phebe ^and Patsey, that the latter had been getting deeperand deeper into trouble. The poor girl was truly anobject of pity. " Old Hogjaw," the name by whichEpps was called, when the slaves were by themselves,had beaten her more severely and frequently thanever. As surely as he came from Holmesville, elatedwith liquor — and it was often in those days — hewould whip her, merely to gratify the mistress ; would

　　198 TWELVE TEAKS A SLAVE.punish her to an extent almost beyond endurance, foran offence of which he himself was the sole and irre-sistible cause. In his sober moments he could not al-ways be prevailed upon to indulge his wife's insatia-ble thirst for vengeance.To be rid of Patsey — to place her beyond sight orreach, by sale, or death, or in any other manner, oflate years, seemed to be the ruling thought and pas-sion of my mistress. Patsey had been a favorite whena child, even in the great house. She had been pet-ted and admired for her uncommon sprightliness andpleasant disposition. She had been fed many a time,so Uncle Abram said, even on biscuit and milk, whenthe madam, in her younger days,- was wont to callher to the piazza, and fondle her as she would a play-ful Idtten. But a sad change had come over the spiritof the woman. ISTow, only black and angry fiendsministered in the temple of her heart, until she couldlook on Patsey but with concentrated venom.Mistress Epps was not naturally such an evil wo-man, after all. She was possessed of the devil, jeal-ousy, it is true, but aside from that, there was muchin her character to admire. Her father, Mr. Roberts,resided in Cheneyville, an influential and honorableman, and as much respected throughout the parishas any other citizen. She had been well educated atsome institution this side the Mississippi ; was beauti-ful, accomplished, and usually good-humored. Shewas kind to all of us but Patsey — frequently, in theabsence of her husband, sending out to us some little

　　patsey's sokkows. 199dainty from her own table. In other situations — ina different society from that which exists on the shoresof Bayou Boeuf, she would have been pronounced anelegant and fascinating woman. An ill wind it wasthat blew her into the arms of Epps.He respected and loved his wife as much as a coarsenature like his is capable of loving, but supreme sel-fishness always overmastered conjugal affection."He loved as well as baser natures can,But a mean heart and soul were in that man."He was ready to gratify any whim — to grant any re-quest she made, provided it did not cost too much.Patsey was equal to any two of his slaves in the cot-ton field. He could not replace her with the samemoney she would bring. The idea of disposing ofher, therefore, could not be entertained. The mistressdid not regard her at all in that light. The pride ofthe haughty woman was aroused ; the blood of thefiery southern boiled at the sight of Patsey, and noth-ing less than trampling out the life of the helplessbondwoman would satisfy her.Sometimes the current of her wrath turned uponhim whom she had jus.t cause to hate. But the stormof angry words would pass over at length, and therewould be a season of calm again. At such times Pat-sey trembled with fear, and cried as if her heart wouldbreak, for she knew from painful experience, that ifmistress should work herself to the red-hot pitch ofrage, Epps would quiet her at last with a promise thatPatsey should be flogged — a promise he was sure to

　　200 TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE.keep. Thus did pride, and jealousy, and vengeancewar with avarice and brute-passion in the mansion ofmy master, filling it with daily tumult and conten-tion. Thus, upon the head of Patsey — the simple-minded slave, in whose heart God had implanted theseeds of virtue — the force of all these domestic tem-pests spent itself at last.During the summer succeeding my return from St.Mary's parish, I conceived a plan of providing myselfwith food, which, though simple, succeeded "beyondexpectation. It has been followed by many othersin my condition, up and down the bayou, and of suchbenefit has it become that I am almost persuaded tolook upon myself as a benefactor. That summer theworms got into the bacon. JSTothing but ravenoushunger could induce us to swallow it. The weeklyallowance of meal scarcely sufficed to satisfy us. Itwas customary with us, as it is with all in that region,where the allowance is exhausted before Saturdaynight, or is in such a state as to render it nauseousand disgusting, to hunt in the swamps for coon andopossum. This, however, must be done at night, af-ter the day's work is accomplished. There are plan-ters whose slaves, for months at a time, have no othermeat than such as is obtained in this manner. ]S"oobjections are made to hunting, inasmuch as it dis-penses with drafts upon the smoke-house, and because•every marauding coon that is killed is so much savedfrom the standing corn. They are hunted with dogsand clubs, slaves not being allowed the use of fire-arms.

　　HUNTING THE COON AND OPOSSUM. 201The flesh of the coon is palatable, but verily thereis nothing in all butcherdom so delicious as a roasted'possum. They are a round, rather long-bodied, little*animal, of a whitish color, with nose like a pig, andcaudal extremity like a rat. They burrow amongthe roots and in the hollows of the gum tree, and areclumsy and slow of motion. They are deceitful andcunning creatures. On receiving the slightest tap ofa stick, they will roll over on the ground and feigndeath. If the hunter leaves him, in pursuit of anoth-er, without first taking particular pains to break hisneck, the chances are, on his return, he is not to befound. The little animal has out witted the enemy■ — has " played 'possum" — and is off. But after along and hard day's work, the weary slave feels littlelike going to the swamp for his supper, and half thetime prefers throwing himself on the cabin floor with-out it. It is for the interest of the master that the ser-vant should not suffer in health from starvation, andit is also for his interest that he should not become grossfrom over-feeding. In the estimation of the owner, aslave is the most serviceable when in rather a leanand lank condition, such a condition as the race-horseis in, when fitted for the course, and in that conditionthey are generally to be found on the sugar and cot-ton plantations along Red River.My cabin was within a few rods of the bayou bank,and necessity being indeed the mother of invention, Iresolved upon a mode of obtaining the requisiteamount of food, without the trouble of resorting night-I*

　　202 TWELVE TEARS A SLAVEly to the woods. This was to construct a fish trap.Having, in niy mind, conceived the manner in whichit could be done, the next Sunday I set about puttingit into practical execution. It may be impossible forme to convey to the reader a full and correct idea ofits construction, but the following will serve as a gen-eral description :A frame between two and three feet square is made,and of a greater or less height, according to thedepth of water. Boards or slats are nailed on threesides of this frame, not so closely, however, as to pre-vent the water circulating freely through it. A dooris fitted into the fourth side, in such manner that itwill slide easily up and down in the grooves cut inthe two posts. A movable bottom is then so fittedthat it can be raised to the top of the frame withoutdifficulty. In the centre of the movable bottom anauger hole is bored, and into this one end of a handleor round stick is fastened on the under side so looselythat it will turn. The handle ascends from the centreof the movable bottom to the top of the frame, or asmuch higher as is desirable. Up and down thishandle, in a great many places, are gimlet holes,through which small sticks are inserted, extending toopposite sides of the frame. So many of these smallsticks are running out from the handle in all direc-tions, that a fish of any considerable dimensions can-not pass through without hitting one of them. Theframe is then placed in the water and made sta-tionary.

　　DESCRIPTION OF THE FISH TEAP. 203The trap is " set" by sliding or drawing up the door,and kept in that position by another stick, one endof which rests in a notch on the inner side, the otherend in a notch made in the handle, running up fromthe centre of the movable bottom. The trap isbaited by rolling a handful of wet meal and cottontogether until it becomes hard, and depositing it inthe back part of the frame. A fish swimming throughthe upraised door towards the bait, necessarily strikesone of the small sticks turning the handle, which displacing the stick supporting the door, the latter falls,securing the fish within the frame. Taking hold ofthe top of the handle, the movable bottom is thendrawn up to the surface of the water, and the fishtaken out. There may have been other such traps inuse before mine was constructed, but if there wereI had never happened to see one. Bayou Bceufabounds in fish of large size and excellent quality,and after this time I was very rarely in want of onefor myself, or for my comrades. Thus a mine wasopened — a new resource was developed, hitherto un-thought of by the enslaved children of Africa, whotoil and hunger along the shores of that sluggish, butprolific stream.About the time of which I am now writing, anevent occurred in our immediate neighborhood, whichmade a deep impression upon me, and which showsthe state of society existing there, and the manner inwhich affronts are oftentimes avenged. Directly op-posite our quarters, on the other side of the bayou,

　　2was situated the plantation of Mr. Marshall. He"belonged to a family among the most wealthy andaristocratic in the country. A gentleman from thevicinity of Natchez had been negotiating with himfor the purchase of the estate. One day a messengercame in great haste to our plantation, saying that abloody and fearful battle was going on at Mar-shall's — that blood had been spilled — and unlessthe combatants were forthwith separated, the resultwould be disastrous.On repairing to Marshall's house, a scene presenteditself that beggars description. On the floor of oneof the rooms lay the ghastly corpse of the man fromNatchez, while Marshall, enraged and covered withwounds and blood, was stalking back and forth," breathing out threatenings and slaughter." A diffi-culty had arisen in the course of their negotiation,high words ensued, when drawing their weapons, thedeadly strife began that ended so unfortunately.Marshall was never placed in confinement. A sort oftrial or investigation was had at Marksville, when hewas acquitted, and returned to his plantation, rathermore respected, as I thought, than ever, from the factthat the blood of a fellow being was on his soul.Epps interested himself in his behalf, accompany-ing him to Marksville, and on all occasions loudlyjustifying him, but his services in this respect did notafterwards deter a kinsman of this same Marshallfrom seeking his life also. A brawl occurred betweenthem over a gambling-table, which terminated in a

　　EPPS CHALLENGED. 205deadly feud. Riding up on horseback in front of thehouse one day, armed with pistols and bowie knife,Marshall challenged him to come forth and make afinal settlement of the quarrel, or he would brandhim as a coward, and shoot him like a dog the firstopportunity. ISTot through cowardice, nor from anyconscientious scruples, in my opinion, but through theinfluence of his wife, he was restrained from accept-ing the challenge of his enemy. A reconciliation,however, was effected afterward, since which timethey have been on terms of the closest intimacy.Such occurrences, which would bring upon theparties concerned in them merited and condign pun-ishment in the Northern States, are frequent on thebayou, and pass without notice, and almost withoutcomment. Every man carries his bowie knife, andwhen two fall out, they set to work hacking andthrusting at each other, more like savages than civ-ilized and enlightened beings.The existence of Slavery in its most cruel formamong them, has a tendency to brutalize the humaneand finer feelings of their nature. Daily witnesses ofhuman suffering — listening to the agonizing screechesof the slave — beholding him writhing beneath themerciless lash — bitten and torn by dogs — dyingwithout attention, and buried without shroud orcoffin — it cannot otherwise be expected, than thatthey should become brutified and reckless of humanlife. It is true there are many kind-hearted and goodmen in the parish of Avoyelles — such men as "Wil-

　　206 TWELVE TEAKS A SLAVE.liam Ford — who can look with pity upon the suffer-ings of a slave, just as there are, over all the world,sensitive and sympathetic spirits, who cannot lookwith indifference upon the sufferings of any creaturewhich the Almighty has endowed with life. It isnot the fault of the slaveholder that he is cruel, somuch as it is the fault of the system under which helives. He cannot withstand the influence of habitand associations that surround him. Taught fromearliest childhood, by all that he sees and hears, thatthe rod is for the slave's back, he will not be apt tochange his opinions in maturer years.There may be humane masters, as there certainlyare inhuman ones — there may be slaves well-clothed,well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad, half-starved and miserable ; nevertheless, theinstitution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanityas I have witnessed, is a cruel, unjust, and barbarousone. Men may write fictions portraying lowly life asit is, or as it is not — may expatiate with owlishgravity upon the bliss of ignorance — discourse flip-pantly from arm chairs of the pleasures of slave life ;but let them toil with him in the field — sleep withhim in the cabin — feed with him on husks ; let them 'behold him scourged, hunted, trampled on, and theywill come back with another story in their mouths.Let them know the heart of the poor slave — learnhis secret thoughts — thoughts he dare not utter inthe hearing of the white man ; let them sit by himin the silent watches of the night — converse with

　　THE LOVE OF FREEDOM. 207him in trustful confidence, of " life, liberty, and thepursuit of happiness," and they will find that ninety-nine out of every hundred are intelligent enough tounderstand their situation, and to cherish in theirbosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as them-selves.