Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 54
24.03.2006
walking about, contriving to draw near to me every now and then, when he
would fix his eyes on me in a very doubting way. At length we got to the fork of
the Mississippi, below Paducah and Cairo, where the Ohio joins it. Here there
is, in the last-named river, a flat shallow, and here the steamer took ground,
knocking off her two iron-chimneys, and receiving other damage. The confusion
and bustle caused by this accident diverted the Captain's attention from me, for a
time, and were quite a relief to me from his constant watching. After a while we
got free again, and he recommenced walking the deck, as before. He
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also began to put questions to me now and then; asking about my master;
wanting to know his name; where he lived; the names of his neighbours, and
such like, all of which questions I strove to answer as unconcernedly and as
satisfactorily as I could. I noticed him, however, to shake his head as he turned
away, and I concluded he doubted my story, and that having his suspicions of
my being a runaway, he would sell me as soon as we reached our destination.
So I made up my mind to the worst, resolving, not-withstanding, to give him the
slip, if I could.
I have said I thought England was near New Orleans, for I had always heard it
spoken of as being "only just across the water." Whilst on board, I endeavoured
to ascertain how far it was from New Orleans, and whether there would be any
difficulty in my getting from there to England. I felt much relieved when the
men told me I had only to "step across" from New Orleans to England, and quite
hugged myself in the anticipation of so soon being beyond the reach of the
slave-holders. But it was not long before I discovered that, taking advantage of
my ignorance and simplicity, they had poked fun at me, and altogether misled
me.
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In about four or five days, and at about nine in the morning, we reached New
Orleans. Oh, how my poor heart did beat, as the steamer drew near to the wharf
side, and I saw the negroes at work. I then began to suspect all was not right,
and my fears of the Captain increased every minute. There was great confusion
on deck, as soon as the steamer was made fast, so many people coming on
board, and so much running backwards and forwards. Watching for an
opportunity when the Captain's back was turned, and his attention engaged by
parties conversing with him, I slunk to the gangway, and walked off in the