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in all his ways； for I believe him to have been a much
worse man after his conversion than before。 Prior
to his conversion； he relied upon his own depravity
to shield and sustain him in his savage barbarity；
but after his conversion； he found religious sanction
and support for his slaveholding cruelty。 He made
the greatest pretensions to piety。 His house was the
house of prayer。 He prayed morning； noon； and
night。 He very soon distinguished himself among
his brethren； and was soon made a class…leader and
exhorter。 His activity in revivals was great； and he
proved himself an instrument in the hands of the
church in converting many souls。 His house was the
preachers' home。 They used to take great pleasure
in coming there to put up； for while he starved us； he
stuffed them。 We have had three or four preachers
there at a time。 The names of those who used to
come most frequently while I lived there； were Mr。
Storks； Mr。 Ewery； Mr。 Humphry； and Mr。 Hickey。
I have also seen Mr。 George Cookman at our house。
We slaves loved Mr。 Cookman。 We believed him to
be a good man。 We thought him instrumental in get…
ting Mr。 Samuel Harrison； a very rich slaveholder； to
emancipate his slaves； and by some means got the
impression that he was laboring to effect the emanci…
pation of all the slaves。 When he was at our house；
we were sure to be called in to prayers。 When the
others were there； we were sometimes called in and
sometimes not。 Mr。 Cookman took more notice of
us than either of the other ministers。 He could not
come among us without betraying his sympathy for
us； and； stupid as we were； we had the sagacity to
see it。
While I lived with my master in St。 Michael's；
there was a white young man； a Mr。 Wilson； who
proposed to keep a Sabbath school for the instruction
of such slaves as might be disposed to learn to read
the New Testament。 We met but three times； when
Mr。 West and Mr。 Fairbanks； both class…leaders；
with many others； came upon us with sticks and
other missiles； drove us off； and forbade us to meet
again。 Thus ended our little Sabbath school in the
pious town of St。 Michael's。
I have said my master found religious sanction
for his cruelty。 As an example； I will state one of
many facts going to prove the charge。 I have seen
him tie up a lame young woman； and whip her with
a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders； causing
the warm red blood to drip； and； in justification
of the bloody deed； he would quote this passage of
Scripture〃He that knoweth his master's will； and
doeth it not； shall be beaten with many stripes。〃
Master would keep this lacerated young woman
tied up in this horrid situation four or five hours at
a time。 I have known him to tie her up early in the
morning； and whip her before breakfast； leave her；
go to his store； return at dinner； and whip her again；
cutting her in the places already made raw with his
cruel lash。 The secret of master's cruelty toward
〃Henny〃 is found in the fact of her being almost
helpless。 When quite a child； she fell into the fire；
and burned herself horribly。 Her hands were so
burnt that she never got the use of them。 She could
do very little but bear heavy burdens。 She was to
master a bill of expense； and as he was a mean man；
she was a constant offence to him。 He seemed
desirous of getting the poor girl out of existence。
He gave her away once to his sister； but； being a
poor gift； she was not disposed to keep her。 Finally；
my benevolent master； to use his own words； 〃set
her adrift to take care of herself。〃 Here was a re…
cently…converted man； holding on upon the mother；
and at the same time turning out her helpless child；
to starve and die！ Master Thomas was one of the
many pious slaveholders who hold slaves for the
very charitable purpose of taking care of them。
My master and myself had quite a number of
differences。 He found me unsuitable to his purpose。
My city life； he said； had had a very pernicious effect
upon me。 It had almost ruined me for every good
purpose； and fitted me for every thing which was
bad。 One of my greatest faults was that of letting
his horse run away； and go down to his father…in…
law's farm； which was about five miles from St。
Michael's。 I would then have to go after it。 My
reason for this kind of carelessness； or carefulness；
was； that I could always get something to eat when
I went there。 Master William Hamilton； my master's
father…in…law； always gave his slaves enough to eat。
I never left there hungry； no matter how great the
need of my speedy return。 Master Thomas at length
said he would stand it no longer。 I had lived with
him nine months； during which time he had given
me a number of severe whippings； all to no good
purpose。 He resolved to put me out； as he said； to
be broken； and； for this purpose； he let me for one
year to a man named Edward Covey。 Mr。 Covey
was a poor man； a farm…renter。 He rented the place
upon which he lived； as also the hands with which
he tilled it。 Mr。 Covey had acquired a very high
reputation for breaking young slaves； and this repu…
tation was of immense value to him。 It enabled him
to get his farm tilled with much less expense to
himself than he could have had it done without
such a reputation。 Some slaveholders thought it not
much loss to allow Mr。 Covey to have their slaves
one year； for the sake of the training to which they
were subjected； without any other compensation。
He could hire young help with great ease； in con…
sequence of this reputation。 Added to the natural
good qualities of Mr。 Covey； he was a professor of
religiona pious soula member and a class…leader in
the Methodist church。 All of this added weight to
his reputation as a 〃nigger…breaker。〃 I was aware of
all the facts； having been made acquainted with
them by a young man who had lived there。 I never…
theless made the change gladly； for I was sure of
getting enough to eat； which is not the smallest
consideration to a hungry man。
CHAPTER X
I had left Master Thomas's house； and went to live
with Mr。 Covey； on the 1st of January； 1833。 I was
now； for the first time in my life； a field hand。 In
my new employment； I found myself even more
awkward than a country boy appeared to be in a
large city。 I had been at my new home but one
week before Mr。 Covey gave me a very severe whip…
ping； cutting my back； causing the blood to run；
and raising ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger。
The details of this affair are as follows： Mr。 Covey
sent me； very early in the morning of one of our
coldest days in the month of January； to the woods；
to get a load of wood。 He gave me a team of un…
broken oxen。 He told me which was the in…hand ox；
and which the off…hand one。 He then tied the end
of a large rope around the horns of the in…hand ox；
and gave me the other end of it； and told me； if
the oxen started to run； that I must hold on upon
the rope。 I had never driven oxen before； and of
course I was very awkward。 I； however； succeeded in
getting to the edge of the woods with little diffi…
culty； but I had got a very few rods into the woods；
when the oxen took fright； and started full tilt； carry…
ing the cart against trees； and over stumps； in the
most frightful manner。 I expected every moment
that my brains would be dashed out against the
trees。 After running thus for a considerable dis…
tance； they finally upset the cart； dashing it with
great force against a tree； and threw themselves into
a dense thicket。 How I escaped death； I do not
know。 There I was； entirely alone； in a thick wood；
in a place new to me。 My cart was upset and shat…
tered； my oxen were entangled among the young
trees； and there was none to help me。 After a long
spell of effort； I succeeded in getting my cart righted；
my oxen disentangled； and again yoked to the cart。
I now proceeded with my team to the place where
I had； the day before； been chopping wood； and
loaded my cart pretty heavily； thinking in this way
to tame my oxen。 I then proceeded on my way
home。 I had now consumed one half of the day。 I
got out of the woods safely； and now felt out of
danger。 I stopped my oxen to open the woods gate；
and just as I did so； before I could get hold of my
ox…rope； the oxen again started； rushed through the
gate； catching it between the wheel and the body of
the cart； tearing it to pieces； and coming within a
few inches of crushing me against the gate…post。 Thus
twice； in one short day； I escaped death by the
merest chance。 On my return； I told Mr。 Covey
what had happened； and how it happened。 He or…
dered me to return to the woods again immediately。
I did so； and he followed on after me。 Just as I got
into the woods； he came up and told me to stop my
cart； and