Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 68
24.03.2006
quite a fine point, the whip being altogether about six feet long, and as limber
and lithsomeas a snake. The thong does not bruise, but cuts; and those who are
expert in the use of it, can do so with such dexterity, as to only just raise the skin
and draw blood, or cut clean through to the bone. I have seen a board, a quarter
of an inch thick, cut through with it, at one blow. I have also seen a man fasten a
bullet to the end of the thong, and after giving the whip a whirl round his head,
send the thong whizzing forward, and drive the bullet into a door. This fearful
instrument is called a "bull-whip," because it is the master of all whips. It is also
employed to "whip down" savage bulls, or unruly cattle. I have seen many a
horse cut with it right through the hollow of the flank, and the animal brought
quivering to the ground. The way of using it is to whirl it round the head until
the thong acquires a certain forward power, and then to let the end of the thong
fall across the
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back, or on the part intended to be cut, the arm being drawn back with a kind of
sweep. But although it is so formidable an instrument, it is seldom employed on
slaves in such a manner as to disable them, for the "licks" are always regulated
to an extreme nicety, so as only to cut the flesh and draw blood. But this is quite
bad enough, and my readers will readily comprehend that with the fear of this
punishment ever before us at Jepsey James', it was no wonder we did our utmost
to make up our daily weight of cotton in the hamper.
After our day's picking was done, we got for supper the same quantity of
"mush" as we had for breakfast in the morning, and this was the only kind of
food we had during the whole time I was with Jepsey James, except what we
could steal.
We went on picking cotton for two weeks, by the end of which time the season
was at an end. We then were set to packing, and I was put in the jin-house.
I suppose I had the misfortune to get a run of bad masters. Jepsey was as bad as
any of my former ones, and things were done at his place which makes my
blood curdle to speak of. For
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instance, he would flog women when they were in a certain delicate condition,
previously causing a hole to be dug in the ground for them to lie in more
conveniently, so as not to injure the burden they were carrying. I have myself