Besides, I don’t see no kind of ‘casion for me to be hunter and catcher for other folks, neither.

“What I’ve done’s of no ‘count.”

I like grit, wherever I see it.

Andy looked up innocently at Sam, surprised at hearing this new geographical fact, but instantly confirmed what he said, by a vehement reiteration.

And now I jist ask you, Mas’r, have I ever broke word to you, or gone contrary to you, ‘specially since I was a Christian?

but the Lord’s grace is stronger; besides, you oughter think what an awful state a poor crittur’s soul ‘s in that’ll do them ar things

We wouldn’t to anybody but the soul-drivers

As she was also so white as not to be known as of colored lineage, without a critical survey, and her child was white also, it was much easier for her to pass on unsuspected.

if you had seen the man, and heard that the papers were signed and delivered, and you had only from twelve o’clock till morning to make good your escape,—how fast could you walk?

Her husband’s suffering and dangers, and the danger of her child, all blended in her mind, with a confused and stunning sense of the risk she was running, in leaving the only home she had ever known, and cutting loose from the protection of a friend whom she loved and revered.

but you were married to me, by the minister, as much as if you’d been a white man!

and that I’ve got proud notions from you

I an’t a Christian like you, Eliza; my heart’s full of bitterness; I can’t trust in God.

Do it? not I!—but he did.

“I always thought that I must obey my master and mistress, or I couldn’t be a Christian.”

young Mas’r Tom

he sees I’ve got the devil in me, and he means to bring it out; and one of these days it will come out in a way that he won’t like, or I’m mistaken!

He tries to do it; he says he’ll bring me down and humble me, and he puts me to just the hardest, meanest and dirtiest work, on purpose!

I’m a man as much as he is. I’m a better man than he is

My master! and who made him my master?

but, after all, he is your master, you know.

to direct her naturally passionate feelings within the bounds of reason and religion.

handsome favorite with one of her own class

ebullition

“see if he’d step about so smart.”

a bright and talented young mulatto man

united with beauty of the most dazzling kind

as a petted and indulged favorite.

you are getting altogether too proud of that little fellow

and don’t go listening at doors any more.

poor creature

Whoever visits some estates there, and witnesses the good-humored indulgence of some masters and mistresses, and the affectionate loyalty of some slaves, might be tempted to dream the oft-fabled poetic legend of a patriarchal institution, and all that; but over and above the scene there broods a portentous shadow—the shadow of law.

‘Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?’

I’d like to have been able to kick the fellow down the steps,

‘tan’t no kindness to be givin’ on him notions and expectations, and bringin’ on him up too well

Niggers, you know, that’s fetched up properly, ha’n’t no kind of ‘spectations of no kind; so all these things comes easier.

“And do you find your ways of managing do the business better than Tom’s?”

Tom

but I never could beat this into people’s heads.

There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of humanity, that Mr. Shelby could not help laughing in company. Perhaps you laugh too, dear reader; but you know humanity comes out in a variety of strange forms now-a-days, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people will say and do.

and humanity, sir, I may say, is the great pillar of my management.

jest because it’s the truth.

Clear waste, sir, of a thousand dollars,

that this kind o’ trade is hardening to the feelings; but I never found it so.

These critters ain’t like white folks

It is mighty onpleasant getting on with women, sometimes, I al’ays hates these yer screechin,’ screamin’ times. They are mighty onpleasant; but, as I manages business, I generally avoids ‘em, sir.

Just show ‘em how many watches, feathers, and trinkets, one’s weight in gold would buy, and that alters the case, I reckon.

the quick eye of the trader, well used to run up at a glance the points of a fine female article.

one of those wild, grotesque songs common among the negroes,

Jim Crow

quadroon

as much conscience as any man in business can afford to keep,

Yes, I consider religion a valeyable thing in a nigger, when it’s the genuine article, and no mistake

but I do

Some folks don’t believe there is pious niggers

He got religion at a camp-meeting

You mean honest, as niggers go

he was in the habit of flourishing and jingling with evident satisfaction.

gentlemen.

well-furnished dining parlor

It is then hard work to persuade myself, that ever I should be satisfied with bread again.

That which was dead lay heavier upon my spirit, than those which were alive and amongst the heathen:

tender-hearted and compassionate Christians.

to think all is their own

They mourned (with their black faces) for their own losses, yet triumphed and rejoiced in their inhumane, and many times devilish cruelty to the English.

I was with the enemy eleven weeks and five days, and not one week passed without the fury of the enemy, and some desolation by fire and sword upon one place or other.

and then boil them, and drink up the liquor, and then beat the great ends of them in a mortar, and so eat them.

one man, woman, or child, die with hunger.

It was thought, if their corn were cut down, they would starve and die with hunger

Thus did they scoff at us, as if the English would be a quarter of a year getting ready.

I cannot but remember how the Indians derided the slowness, and dullness of the English army, in its setting out.

lambs

afflicted time.

Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste.

stripped naked, and lying dead upon the ground,

barbarous creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.

I asked him about the welfare of my husband

but I found no comfort here neither,

my master himself was gone,

I thought of the English army, and hoped for their coming, and being taken by them, but that failed.

A squaw moved it down again, at which I looked up, and she threw a handful of ashes in mine eyes.

horrible addictedness to lying, and that there is not one of them that makes the least conscience of speaking of truth.

He answered me that such a time his master roasted him, and that himself did eat a piece of him, as big as his two fingers, and that he was very good meat.

and through the good providence of God,

and his squaw gave me some ground nuts; she gave me also something to lay under my head, and a good fire we had

rude fellow

“Be still, and know that I am God”

I complained it was too heavy

she snatched it hastily out of my hand, and threw it out of doors

whether he would sell me to my husband.

There was a squaw who spake to me to make a shirt for her sannup, for which she gave me a piece of bear. Another asked me to knit a pair of stockings, for which she gave me a quart of peas.

Afterwards he asked me to make a cap for his boy, for which he invited me to dinner.

“No,” said he, “none will hurt you.”

in their sight;

And His goodness in bringing to my hand so many comfortable and suitable scriptures in my distress.

His wonderful power in carrying us along, preserving us in the wilderness, while under the enemy’s hand, and returning of us in safety again.

We had husband and father, and children, and sisters, and friends, and relations, and house, and home, and many comforts of this life

morrow

and yet they got over this river aforesaid;

papooses

. I was at this time knitting a pair of white cotton stockings for my mistress;

and I could starve and die before I could eat such things, yet they were sweet and savory to my taste.

I hardly ate any thing; the second week I found my stomach grow very faint for want of something; and yet it was very hard to get down their filthy trash;

By the advantage of some brush which they had laid upon the raft to sit upon, I did not wet my foot (which many of themselves at the other end were mid-leg deep)

They quickly fell to cutting dry trees, to make rafts to carry them over the river

great Indian upon a bier

some carried their old decrepit mothers, some carried one, and some another

Jehu

if I would have a Bible

sister Sarah

I went to see my daughter Mary, who was at this same Indian town

where I saw the ground was newly digged, and there they told me they had buried it.

I went to take up my dead child in my arms to carry it with me, but they bid me let it alone

(by my master in this writing, must be understood Quinnapin, who was a Sagamore, and married King Philip’s wife’s sister; not that he first took me, but I was sold to him by another Narragansett Indian, who took me when first I came out of the garrison)

I could not bear to be in the room where any dead person was

It

Feb. 18, 1675

carry it out to another wigwam

having nothing to revive the body

“My wounds stink and are corrupt, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long.”

they carried him

had been now a considerable time with the Indians

Captain Beers

He wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other.

how many Sabbaths I had lost and misspent, and how evilly I had walked in God’s sight;

(now merciless enemies)

Quabaug

what with my own wound, and my child’s being so exceeding sick, and in a lamentable condition with her wound

Christian

and I fell down with it. Then they set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap

One of the Indians carried my poor wounded babe upon a horse

desolate wilderness

Little do many think what is the savageness and brutishness of this barbarous enemy

one poor wounded babe

my husband gone (at least separated from me, he being in the Bay; and to add to my grief, the Indians told me they would kill him as he came homeward)

black creatures

dolefulest

with our bodies wounded and bleeding