Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 53
24.03.2006
I knew he did not believe me, and that he saw I was telling him a lie; but I felt
afraid to tell him the truth right out.
"You're a runaway," he answered, almost directly. "Where have you come
from?"
I did not hesitate now to confess the fact; and as I thought he looked friendly, I
told him my story from beginning to end, in as few words as
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I could, he listening attentively all the while. When I had finished, he said:
"You must n't stop here: it would be dangerous for both of us. You can sleep
here to-night, however, and I will try to get you away in the morning. But if you
were seen, and it were found out I was helping you off, it would break me up."
Concluding I was hungry, he gave me some fried fish and some hoe-cake for
supper. I need not say I ate heartily. We chatted for an hour or so, and I learnt
his name, and that he was a free man from Illinois. I must not repeat his name,
but if ever this book reaches him, he will remember me, and I wish him to know
that I have always thought of him with gratitude for his kindness to me that
night, and for his fidelity to me in my sore trouble.
He put me to sleep on his sofa, but I could not close my eyes for fear, as well as
for a kind of shivering, brought on by my long exposure to cold and wet. If I
slept at all, it was only by snatches, so that I felt quite relieved when morning
came. My benefactor then informed me he had been making inquiries, and there
was a steamer ready to start for New Orleans, on board of which I must go. She
was called the Neptune.
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I did not desire any thing better than to be off, fancying still that if I got safely
to New Orleans I should find no difficulty in reaching England. Accordingly I
jumped up, and after a hurried breakfast, made the best of my way to the quay,
where I soon saw the steamer.
I went straight on board, and saw the Captain, to whom I repeated the story of
my master's having gone on to New Orleans; that I had missed him, and wanted
to join him as soon as possible. He did not say much then, being very busy, and
I went and stood aside, trying to avoid notice. After we started, he began