Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 70
because it happened on a certain Saturday night, when I had made preparations
to run off on the Sunday, and I was compelled instead, to set to splitting timber
to make the fence good. By "preparations," I mean that I had been looking out
for chances, and made up a plan in my mind for taking a fresh start.
Jepsey James had all along inspired me with dread, and my old determination to
get away from slavery had been quickened by sundry conversations I overhead
on several occasions, all having reference to me.
One day master came in with a "nigger hunter" and his six dogs. He wished to
frighten me: at least I concluded so. I had been sullen for some days, and he had
observed it. On this occasion, he addressed one of the hands named Amos:
"Amos," he said, "when are any of you niggers going to run off again?"
"We does n't want to run away, Sir," Amos answered.
"Oh yes you do," said master. "You'd better run off, some of you. We've got
some of the right kind of dogs now to fetch you back, quicker a heap than you
can run a-head. You'd
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better start, some of you. In less than two days we'll bring you back."
He looked at me very hard and suspiciously whilst he spoke: so, said I to
myself:
"Old fellow, you're speaking at me, I know. But I'll give you and your dogs a
chance to track me yet, any how."
On another occasion I overheard him speaking to his son John, with whom, by
the way, I was a bit of a favourite. He said I looked hard, as though I should
give him some trouble to break me in. He added that I must be flogged, to see
how I should stand it, and that it would have to be done before the summer
came on, or the bushes sprouted into leaf, as, if I were flogged then, and should
run off, it would be more difficult to find me out.
These conversations did not hold out a very encouraging prospect for me, and I
therefore determined to be off as soon as I could. I arranged my plan in my
head, which was to keep up the Mississippi, and make for the North as rapidly
as possible. I only now waited for the favourable moment to start.
24.03.2006