CHAPTER XIX.

by Solomon Northup

　　CHAPTER XIX.AVERY, OF BAYOU EOUGE PECULIARITY OF DWELLINGS EPPS BUILDS ANEW HOUSE BASS, THE CARPENTER HIS NOBLE QUALITIES HIS PFE-SONAL APPEAEANCE AND ECCENTRICITIES BASS AND EPPS DISCUSS THEQUESTION OF SLAVEEY EPPS' OPINION OF BASS 1 MAKE MYSELFKNOWN TO HTM OUR CONVERSATION HIS SUP>PRISE THE MIDNIGHTMEETING ON THE BAYOU BANK BASS' ASSURANCES DECLARES WARAGAINST SLAVERY WHY I DID NOT DISCLOSE MY HISTORY BASS WRITESLETTERS COPY OF HIS LETTER TO MESSES. PAEKEE AND PEERY THEFEVER OF SUSPENSE DISAPPOINTMENTS BASS ENDEAVORS TO CHEERME MY FAITH IN HIM.In the month of June, 1852, in pursuance of a pre-vious contract, Mr. Avery, a carpenter of BayouRouge, commenced the erection of a house for Mas-ter Epps. It has previously been stated that thereare no cellars on Bayou Boauf ; on the other hand,such is the low and swampy nature of the ground,the great houses are usually built upon spiles. An-other peculiarity is, the rooms are not plastered, butthe ceiling and sides are covered with matched cy-press boards, painted such color as most pleases theowner's taste. Generally the plank and boards aresawed by slaves with whip-saws, there being no water-power upon which mills might be built within manymiles. "When the planter erects for himself a dwel-ling, therefore, there is plenty of extra work for his

　　264 TWELVE YEAK9 A SLATE.slaves. Having had some experience under Tibeatsas a carpenter, I was taken from the field altogether,on the arrival of Avery and his hands.. Among them was one to whom I owe an immeas-urable debt of gratitude. Only for him, in all prob-ability, I should have ended my days in slavery. Hewas my deliverer — a man whose true heart over-flowed with noble and generous emotions. To thelast moment of my existence I shall remember himwith feelings of thankfulness. His name was Bass,and at that time he resided in Marksville. It willbe difficult to convey a correct impression of his ap-pearance or character. He was a large man, betweenforty and fifty years old, of light complexion andlight hair. He was very cool and self-possessed, fondof argument, but always speaking with extreme de-liberation. He was that kind of person whose pecu-liarity of manner was such that nothing he utteredever gave offence. "What would be intolerable, com-ing from the lips of another, could be said by himwith impunity. There was not a man on Red River,perhaps, that agreed with him on the subject of poli-tics or religion, and not a man, I venture to say, whodiscussed either of those subjects half as much. Itseemed to be taken for granted that he would espousethe unpopular side of every local question, and it al-ways created amusement rather than displeasureamong his auditors, to listen to the ingenious andoriginal manner in which he maintained the contro-versy. He was a bachelor — an " old bachelor," ac-

　　BASS, THE CAKPENTEK. 265cording to the true acceptation of the term — havingno kindred living, as he knew of, in the world. Nei-ther had he any permanent abiding place ■ — wander-ing frcm one State to another, as his fancy dictated.He had lived in Marksville three or four years, andin the prosecution of his business as a carpenter ; andin consequence, likewise, of his peculiarities, wasquite extensively known throughout the parish ofAvoyelles. He was liberal to a fault ; and his manyacts of kindness and transparent goodness of heartrendered him popular in the community, the senti-ment of which he unceasingly combated.He was a native of Canada, from whence he hadwandered in early life, and after visiting all the prin-cipal localities in the northern and western States, inthe course of his peregrinations, arrived in the un-healthy region of the Red River. His last removalwas froni Illinois. Whither he has now gone, I re-gret to be obliged to say, is unknown to me. Hegathered up his effects and departed quietly fromMarksville the day before I did, the suspicions of hisinstrumentality in procuring my liberation renderingsuch a step necessary. For the commission of a justand righteous act he would undoubtedly have suffer-ed death, had he remained within reach of the slave-whipping tribe on Bayou Bceuf.One day, while working on the new house, Bassand Epps became engaged in a controversy, to which,as will be readily supposed, I listened with absorbinginterest. They were discussing the subj ect of Slavery.

　　266 TWELVE YEARS A SLATE." I tell you what it is Epps," said Bass, " it's allwrong — all wrong, sir — there's no justice nor right-eousness in it. I wouldn't own a slave if I was richas Crcesus, which I am not, as is perfectly well under-stood, more particularly among my creditors. There'sanother humbug — the credit system — humbug, sir ;no credit — no debt. Credit leads a man into tempta-tion. Cash down is the only thing that will deliverhim from evil. But this question of Slavery • whatright have you to your niggers when you come downto the point ? "" What right ! " said Epps, laughing ; " why, Ibought 'em, and paid for 'em."Of course you did ; the law says you have the rightto hold a nigger, but begging the law's pardon, itlies. Yes, Epps, when the law says that it's a liar,and the truth is not in it. Is every thing right be-cause the law allows it ? Suppose they'd pass a lawtaking away your liberty and making you a slave ?"" Oh, that ain't a supposable case," said Epps, stilllaughing ; " hope you don't compare me to a nigger,Bass."" "Well," Bass answered gravely, " no, not exactly.But I have seen niggers before now as good as I am,and I have no acquaintance with any white man inthese parts that I consider a whit better than myself.Now, in the sight of God, what is the difference,Epps,. between a white man and a black one ?"" All the difference in the world," replied Epps.