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- Стр. 16/98
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Mr.
Theophilus
Freeman
,
by
the
way
,
was
not
a
whit
behind
his
partner
,
Burch
,
in
the
matter
of
blasphemy
.
On
the
vessel
I
had
gone
by
the
name
of
"
Steward
,
"
and
this
was
the
first
time
I
had
ever
been
designated
as
Platt
--
the
name
forwarded
by
Burch
to
his
consignee
.
From
the
vessel
I
observed
the
chain-gang
at
work
on
the
levee
.
We
passed
near
them
as
we
were
driven
to
Freeman
's
slave
pen
.
This
pen
is
very
similar
to
Goodin
's
in
Richmond
,
except
the
yard
was
enclosed
by
plank
,
standing
upright
,
with
ends
sharpened
,
instead
of
brick
walls
.
Including
us
,
there
were
now
at
least
fifty
in
this
pen
.
Depositing
our
blankets
in
one
of
the
small
buildings
in
the
yard
,
and
having
been
called
up
and
fed
,
we
were
allowed
to
saunter
about
the
enclosure
until
night
,
when
we
wrapped
our
blankets
round
us
and
laid
down
under
the
shed
,
or
in
the
loft
,
or
in
the
open
yard
,
just
as
each
one
preferred
.
It
was
but
a
short
time
I
closed
my
eyes
that
night
.
Thought
was
busy
in
my
brain
.
Could
it
be
possible
that
I
was
thousands
of
miles
from
home
--
that
I
had
been
driven
through
the
streets
like
a
dumb
beast
--
that
I
had
been
chained
and
beaten
without
mercy
--
that
I
was
even
then
herded
with
a
drove
of
slaves
,
a
slave
myself
?
Were
the
events
of
the
last
few
weeks
realities
indeed
?
--
or
was
I
passing
only
through
the
dismal
phases
of
a
long
,
protracted
dream
?
It
was
no
illusion
.
My
cup
of
sorrow
was
full
to
overflowing
.
Then
I
lifted
up
my
hands
to
God
,
and
in
the
still
watches
of
the
night
,
surrounded
by
the
sleeping
forms
of
my
companions
,
begged
for
mercy
on
the
poor
,
forsaken
captive
.
To
the
Almighty
Father
of
us
all
--
the
freeman
and
the
slave
--
I
poured
forth
the
supplications
of
a
broken
spirit
,
imploring
strength
from
on
high
to
bear
up
against
the
burden
of
my
troubles
,
until
the
morning
light
aroused
the
slumberers
,
ushering
in
another
day
of
bondage
.
The
very
amiable
,
pious-hearted
Mr.
Theophilus
Freeman
,
partner
or
consignee
of
James
H.
Burch
,
and
keeper
of
the
slave
pen
in
New-Orleans
,
was
out
among
his
animals
early
in
the
morning
.
With
an
occasional
kick
of
the
older
men
and
women
,
and
many
a
sharp
crack
of
the
whip
about
the
ears
of
the
younger
slaves
,
it
was
not
long
before
they
were
all
astir
,
and
wide
awake
.
Mr.
Theophilus
Freeman
bustled
about
in
a
very
industrious
manner
,
getting
his
property
ready
for
the
sales-room
,
intending
,
no
doubt
,
to
do
that
day
a
rousing
business
.
In
the
first
place
we
were
required
to
wash
thoroughly
,
and
those
with
beards
,
to
shave
.
We
were
then
furnished
with
a
new
suit
each
,
cheap
,
but
clean
.
The
men
had
hat
,
coat
,
shirt
,
pants
and
shoes
;
the
women
frocks
of
calico
,
and
handkerchiefs
to
bind
about
their
heads
.
We
were
now
conducted
into
a
large
room
in
the
front
part
of
the
building
to
which
the
yard
was
attached
,
in
order
to
be
properly
trained
,
before
the
admission
of
customers
.
The
men
were
arranged
on
one
side
of
the
room
,
the
women
on
the
other
.
The
tallest
was
placed
at
the
head
of
the
row
,
then
the
next
tallest
,
and
so
on
in
the
order
of
their
respective
heights
.
Emily
was
at
the
foot
of
the
line
of
women
.
Freeman
charged
us
to
remember
our
places
;
exhorted
us
to
appear
smart
and
lively
,
--
sometimes
threatening
,
and
again
,
holding
out
various
inducements
.
During
the
day
he
exercised
us
in
the
art
of
"
looking
smart
,
"
and
of
moving
to
our
places
with
exact
precision
.
After
being
fed
,
in
the
afternoon
,
we
were
again
paraded
and
made
to
dance
.
Bob
,
a
colored
boy
,
who
had
some
time
belonged
to
Freeman
,
played
on
the
violin
.
Standing
near
him
,
I
made
bold
to
inquire
if
he
could
play
the
"
Virginia
Reel
.
"
He
answered
he
could
not
,
and
asked
me
if
I
could
play
.
Replying
in
the
affirmative
,
he
handed
me
the
violin
.
I
struck
up
a
tune
,
and
finished
it
.
Freeman
ordered
me
to
continue
playing
,
and
seemed
well
pleased
,
telling
Bob
that
I
far
excelled
him
--
a
remark
that
seemed
to
grieve
my
musical
companion
very
much
.
Next
day
many
customers
called
to
examine
Freeman
's
"
new
lot
.
"
The
latter
gentleman
was
very
loquacious
,
dwelling
at
much
length
upon
our
several
good
points
and
qualities
.
He
would
make
us
hold
up
our
heads
,
walk
briskly
back
and
forth
,
while
customers
would
feel
of
our
hands
and
arms
and
bodies
,
turn
us
about
,
ask
us
what
we
could
do
,
make
us
open
our
mouths
and
show
our
teeth
,
precisely
as
a
jockey
examines
a
horse
which
he
is
about
to
barter
for
or
purchase
.
Sometimes
a
man
or
woman
was
taken
back
to
the
small
house
in
the
yard
,
stripped
,
and
inspected
more
minutely
.
Scars
upon
a
slave
's
back
were
considered
evidence
of
a
rebellious
or
unruly
spirit
,
and
hurt
his
sale
.
One
old
gentleman
,
who
said
he
wanted
a
coachman
,
appeared
to
take
a
fancy
to
me
.
From
his
conversation
with
Burch
,
I
learned
he
was
a
resident
in
the
city
.
I
very
much
desired
that
he
would
buy
me
,
because
I
conceived
it
would
not
be
difficult
to
make
my
escape
from
New-Orleans
on
some
northern
vessel
.
Freeman
asked
him
fifteen
hundred
dollars
for
me
.
The
old
gentleman
insisted
it
was
too
much
,
as
times
were
very
hard
.
Freeman
,
however
,
declared
that
I
was
sound
and
healthy
,
of
a
good
constitution
,
and
intelligent
.
He
made
it
a
point
to
enlarge
upon
my
musical
attainments
.
The
old
gentleman
argued
quite
adroitly
that
there
was
nothing
extraordinary
about
the
nigger
,
and
finally
,
to
my
regret
,
went
out
,
saying
he
would
call
again
.
During
the
day
,
however
,
a
number
of
sales
were
made
.
David
and
Caroline
were
purchased
together
by
a
Natchez
planter
.
They
left
us
,
grinning
broadly
,
and
in
the
most
happy
state
of
mind
,
caused
by
the
fact
of
their
not
being
separated
.
Lethe
was
sold
to
a
planter
of
Baton
Rouge
,
her
eyes
flashing
with
anger
as
she
was
led
away
.
The
same
man
also
purchased
Randall
.
The
little
fellow
was
made
to
jump
,
and
run
across
the
floor
,
and
perform
many
other
feats
,
exhibiting
his
activity
and
condition
.
All
the
time
the
trade
was
going
on
,
Eliza
was
crying
aloud
,
and
wringing
her
hands
.
She
besought
the
man
not
to
buy
him
,
unless
he
also
bought
herself
and
Emily
.
She
promised
,
in
that
case
,
to
be
the
most
faithful
slave
that
ever
lived
.
The
man
answered
that
he
could
not
afford
it
,
and
then
Eliza
burst
into
a
paroxysm
of
grief
,
weeping
plaintively
.
Freeman
turned
round
to
her
,
savagely
,
with
his
whip
in
his
uplifted
hand
,
ordering
her
to
stop
her
noise
,
or
he
would
flog
her
.
He
would
not
have
such
work
--
such
snivelling
;
and
unless
she
ceased
that
minute
,
he
would
take
her
to
the
yard
and
give
her
a
hundred
lashes
.
