minated; but observing that the gun, which he aimed at my breast, was
a wretched rusty piece, from which fire could not readily be produced, I
felt little fear, and therefore did not judge it necessary to proceed at once
to extremities. I laid my gun at my side, tapped my dog quietly, and
asked the man what he wanted.
My forbearance, and the stranger's long habit of submission, produced
the most powerful effect on his mind. " Master," said he, " l a m a runaway.
I might perhaps shoot you down; but God forbids it, for I feel
just now, as if I saw him ready to pass his judgment against me for such
a foul deed, and I ask mercy at your hands. For God's sake, do not kill
me, master !" And why, answered I, have you left your quarters, where
certainly you must have fared better than in these unwholesome swamps ?
" Master, my story is a short, but a sorrowful one. My camp is close by,
and as I know you cannot reach home this night, if you will follow me
there, depend upon my honour you shall be safe until the morning, when
I will carry your birds, if you choose, to the great road.'"
The large intelligent eyes of the Negro, the complacency of .his manner,
and the tones of his voice, I thought, invited me to venture; and as
I felt that I was at least his equal, while, moreover, I had my dog to second
me, I answered that I would follow) him. He observed the emphasis
laid on the words, the meaning of which he seemed to understand so thoroughly,
that, turning to me, he said, " There, master, take my butcher's
knife, while I throw away the flint and priming from my gun!" Reader, I
felt confounded: this was too much for me; I refused the knife, and told
him to keep his piece ready, in case we might accidentally meet a cougar
or a bear.
Generosity exists everywhere. The greatest monarch acknowledges its
impulse, and all around him, from his lowliest menial to the proud nobles
that encircle his throne, at times experience that overpowering sentiment.
I offered to shake hands with the runaway. " Master," said he, " I beg
you thanks," and with this he gave me a squeeze, that alike impressed me
with the goodness of his heart, and his great physical strength. .From
that moment we proceeded through the woods together. My dog smelt
at him several times, but as he heard me speak in my usual tone of voice,
he soon left us, and rambled around as long as my whistle was unused.
As we proceeded, I observed that he was guiding me towards the setting
of the sun, and quite contrary to my homeward course. I remarked this
to him, when he with the greatest simplicity replied, " merely for our security."
After trudging along for some distance, and crossing several bayous,
at all of which he threw his gun and knife to the opposite bank, and
stood still until I had got over, we came to the borders of an immense
cane brake, from which I had, on former occasions, driven and killed
several deer. We entered, as I had frequently done before, now erect,
then on " all fours." He regidarly led the way, divided here and there
the tangled stalks, and, whenever we reached a fallen tree, assisted me in
getting over it with all possible care. I saw that he was a perfect Indian
in the knowledge of the woods, for he kept a direct course as precisely as
any "Red-skin" I ever travelled with. All of a sudden he emitted a
loud shriek, not unlike that of an owl, which so surprised me, that I once
more instantly levelled my gun. " No harm, master, I only give notice
to my wife and children that I am coming." A tremulous answer of the
same nature gently echoed through the tree-tops. The runaway's lips
separated with an expression of gentleness and delight, when his beautiful
set of ivory teeth seemed to smile through the dusk of evening that
was thickening around us. " Master," said he, " my wife, though black,
is as beautiful to me as the President's wife is to him ; she is my queen,
and I look on our young ones as so many princes:—but you shall see
them all, for here they are, thank God!"
There, in the heart of the cane-brake, I found a regular camp. A
small fire was lighted, and on its embers lay gridling some large slices of
venison. A lad nine or ten years old was blowing the ashes from some
fine sweet potatoes. Various articles of household furniture were carefully
disposed around, and a large pallet of bear and deer skins seemed
to be the resting-place of the whole family. The wife raised not her eyes
towards mine, and the little ones, three in number, retired into a corner,
like so many discomfited racoons; but the Runaway, bold and apparently
happy, spoke to them in such cheering words, that at once one and all
seemed to regard me as one sent by Providence to relieve them from all
their troubles. My clothes were hung up by them to dry, and the Negro
asked if he might clean and grease my gun, which I permitted him to do,
while the wife threw a large piece of deer's flesh to my dog, which the
children were already caressing.
Only think of my situation, reader ! Here I was, ten miles at least