UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, EXCERPT...

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (A RECORD OF FACTS, AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE, LETTERS &C,...) by William Still (Benediction Classics, Oxford U. Press: 1878, 2008), p.67-68 “Robert was a very intelligent young man, and from long daily experience with the customs and usages of the slave prison, he was as familiar with the business as a Pennsylvania farmer with his barn-yard stock. His account of things was too harrowing for detail here, except in the briefest manner, and only in respect to a few particulars. In order to prepare slaves for the market, it was usual to have them greased and rubbed to look bright and shining... While not yet twenty-three years of age, Robert expressed himself as becoming so daily sick of the brutality and suffering he could not help witnessing, that he felt he could not possibly stand it any longer, let the cost be what it might. In this state of mind, he met with Captain B. Only one obstacle stood in his way—material aid. It occurred to Robert that he had frequent access to the money drawer, and often it contained the proceeds of fresh sales of flesh and blood; and he reasoned that if some of that would help him and his brother to freedom, there could be no harm in helping him the first opportunity. “The captain was all ready, and provided he could get three passengers at $100 each he would set sail without much other freight. Of course he was too shrewd to get out papers for Philadelphia. That would betray him at once. Washington or Baltimore, or even Wilmington Delaware were names which stood fair in Virginia. Consequently, being able to pack the fugitives away in a very private hole in his boat, and being only bound for a Southern port, the captain was willing to risk his share of the danger. “Very well,” said Robert, “today I will please my master so well, that I will catch him in an unguarded moment, and will ask him for a pass to go to a ball tonight (slave-holders love to see their slaves fiddling and dancing), and as I shall be leaving in a hurry, I will take a grab from the day's sale, and when Slater hears of me again, I will be in Canada.” So after having attended to all of his disagreeable duties, he made his “grab,” and got a hand full. He did not know, however, how it would hold out. That evening, instead of participating with the gay dancers, he was just one degree lower down than the regular bottom of Captain B's deck, with several hundred dollars in his pocket, after paying the worthy captain one hundred each for himself and his brother, besides given the captain an additional present of nearly one hundred. Wind and tide were now what they prayed for to speed on to the U.G.R.R. Schooner, until they reached the depot in Philadelphia. “The Richmond Dispatch, an enterprising paper in the interest of slaveholders, which came daily to the Committee, was received in advance of the passengers, when lo! And behold, in turning to the interesting column containing the elegant illustrations of “runaway negroes,” it was seen that the unfortunate Slater had “lost $1500 in North Carolina money, and also his dark orange-colored, intelligent, good-looking turnkey, Bob.” Served him right, it is no stealing for one piece of property to go off with another piece,” reasoned a member of the Committee.