Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 45
day, in fear and trembling thinking of the law which punishes, with the loss of
his right arm, any slave who shall inflict in jury on or raise his arm against his
master. By the time night had fallen I became so miserable that I resolved to
drown myself, and proceeded to the river for that purpose. When I got there
however, and saw the water looked so cold and so deep, my resolution was
shaken. I candidly confess I did not like the prospect, even though death seemed
preferable to the life I was leading, with its hourly miseries, and almost daily
punishment. But I reflected that so long as I had life, there was hope; so I turned
my back upon the river and made my way to our old apple-orchard where I laid
down, and dozed till morning.
I wandered about here three days, eating berries--for there was no fruit--until, at
the end
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of that time, I was well nigh famished. I then concluded to return to my master,
and to meet the consequences of his displeasure. I went round to where the
coloured people were at work, who advised me to make for the house by the
way of the spring, and I should see what was going on, and what was in store
for me. Accordingly I bent my steps in that direction, until I came to a little
knoll or rising ground, from which I could overlook the plantation and
buildings. I saw two posts set upright in the ground, and a cross-beam reaching
from one to the other, to which a block and a rope were attached. I concluded
Stevens was going to hang me, so I set off running. I had, however, been
perceived, and I soon found that I was being hunted down with dogs. I looked
behind, and saw my master and a good many strange people, some on horses
and some on foot, who were exciting the hounds to follow me. These were
gaining fast upon me, but I observed that they minded the strange people, or any
one who urged them on, so I determined I would give them the slip if I could.
As they came up, I began to halloo and shout to them as lustily as any body, all
the while running as fast as I could.
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"Catch him, fellow," said I, urging the dogs on' "catch him; hey, fellow, hey,
fellow; catch him."
The poor animals wagged their tails, and, excited by me, ran right ahead, quite
fooled, and jumping and looking about, as though they sought to find out what
24.03.2006