Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 9
24.03.2006
of work to do, though being small, I could only help my mother a very little,
except in the tobacco-fields, where I was of most use, picking off tobaccoworms
from the leaves. This was, also, the principal occupation of the children,
from the time they could get about to do any thing at all, until they grew old and
strong enough to go to harder work.
I said our master was very cruel. I will give one instance of the fact. I and my
little brother Curtis were sent up one day to the house. Passing through the
grounds, where there was a large number of water-melons, they tempted us, we
being very thirsty. So we took one and ate it. The value of it was not half a
farthing. We did not know we were seen. James Davis, however, was not far
from us, and soon overtook us. He swore at us for thieving his property, and as I
was the biggest, and had taken the fruit, he at once set to
Page 13
flogging me with the cow-hide, and continued doing so until he was tired out,
and I could scarcely move. I did not get over that beating for a very long while.
I remained at James Davis's for nearly eighteen months. Once during that
period, I remember he took me into the town to a tavern kept by one Captain
Jemmy Duprey. There was a negro speculator there, on the look-out for
bargains, but he would not have me. I did not know where I was going, when
my master took me with him, but when I got back I told my mother, who cried
over me, and said she was very glad I had not been sold away from her.
But the time arrived when we were to be finally separated. Owing to a
considerable rise in the price of cotton, there came a great demand for slaves in
Georgia. One day a negro speculator named Starling Finney arrived at James
Davis's place. He left his drove on the highway, in charge of one of his
companions, and made his way up to our plantation, prospecting for negroes. It
happened that James Davis had none that suited Finney, but being in want of
money, as he was building a new house, and Finney being anxious for a deal,
my master called me up and
Page 14
offered to sell me. I was then about or nearly ten years of age, and after some
chaffering about terms, Finney agreed to purchase me by the pound.
How I watched them whilst they were driving this bargain! and how I