UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

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it
162 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
and then had ittaken from him.
beingnow
deposited
ilton,had been a slave in or near New Orleans
The overseer who flogged her said,in their
forsixteen years,
and had j ust purchasedhearing,
that he would never floganother
his own freedom for one thousand dollars ; girl in that way
was too much for any
havingonce before earned that sum for himself,
one to bear. They suggest that perhaps
Richard
reallyfree, as the money was
in Baltimore for his ransom, found
him out the next day after their arrival at
New
Orleans, and brought him
to see his brothers and sisters. The meeting
whippedto death in the prisonwhile they
were there,thoughtheywere not in the
so sleepyas not to be able to hold up their
eyelids ; but,iftheywere caugh thus by the
overseer, theywere cruellybeaten. Mary
and Emily used to watch the little ones, and
let them sleep until they heard the overseers
coming, and then spring and rouse
them in a "moment.
One young woman, who had been sold by
the traders for the worst of purposes, was
returned, not
beingfortunate(J)enoughto
suit her purchaser ; and,as is their custom
in such cases,
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was most cruelly flogged, so
much so that some of her fleshmortified, and
her life was despaired of. When Mary and
Emily firstarrived at New Orleans they saw
the reason why lie promisedthis was because
he was obligedto be her nurse, and
of course saw her sufferings. was from
Alexandria, but they have forgottenher
to the prisoname.
One young man and woman of their company
in the prison, who were engagedto lie
women cleaningthe streets,chained together,
some with a heavy iron ball attached
to the chain ; a form of punishmentfrequently
was overpoweringly affecting.
He had never beforeseen hissisterEmily, married,and were sold to different owners,
as he had been sold away from his parents felt so distressedat their separation that
before her birth.
they could not or did not labor well ; and
The girls'lodging-room was occupiedat the young
man was soon sent back,with
nightby about twenty or thirtywomen, who the complaint that he would not answer the
all slepton the bare floor, with onlya blanket
purpose. Of course, the money
was to be
each. After a few days,word was received
refunded, and he flogged. He was condemned
(whichwas reallyincorrecf), that
to be flogged each nightfor a week ;
half the money had been raised for the and,after about two hundred lashes by the
redemptionof Mary and Emily. After overseer, each one of the male slavesin the
this they were allowed, upon their brothers'
prisonwas required to come and layon five
earnest request, to go to their free lasheswith all hisstrength, upon penalty of
brother's house and spend their nights, beingfloggedhiinself. The young woman,
and return in the mornings, as they had too,was soon sent there, with a note from her
suffered greatly from the mosquitos and new mistress, requesting that she mightbe
other insects, and theirfeet were swollenand whippeda certain number of lashes,and
sore.
enclosing the money to pay for it;which
While at this prison, some horrible cases request was readilycomplied with.
of crueltycame 'to their knowledge, and While in New Orleans theysaw gangs of
some of them under their own observation.
Two persons, one woman and one boy,were
resorted to for household servants
same pen, or owned by the same trader, as who had displeased their mistresses.
themselves.
Hamilton Edmondson, the brother who
None of the slaves were allowed to sleephad purchasedhis own freedom,made great
in the day-time, and sometimes littlechildren effortsto get good homes for his brothers
sittingor
standing idleall day would become and sisters in New Orleans șo that they
need not be far separated from
One day, Mr. Wilson,the overseer, took
each other.
Samuel away with him in a carriage, and
returned without him. The brothers and
sisters soon found that he was sold,and
gone theyknew not whither ; but theywere
not allowed to weep, or even look sad, upon
pain of severe punishment. The next day,
however țo their greatjoy,he came to the
prisonhimself, and told them he had a good
home in the city with an Englishman,who
had paida thousand dollars for him.
After remaining about three weeks
in this
prison, the Edmondsons were told that,in
consequence of the prevalence of the yellow
and conversed with her. She was then justfever in the cityțogetherwith the fact of
beginningto sit up ; was quitesmall, and their not beingacclimated, it was deemed
very fine-looking, with beautiful straight dangerousfor them to remain there longer;
hair,which was
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formerlylong,but had been and,besidesthis,purchasers were loth to
cut offshort by her brutal tormentors.
these circumstances.
givegoodprices under