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It
was
rarely
that
a
day
passed
by
without
one
or
more
whippings
.
This
occurred
at
the
time
the
cotton
was
weighed
.
The
delinquent
,
whose
weight
had
fallen
short
,
was
taken
out
,
stripped
,
made
to
lie
upon
the
ground
,
face
downwards
,
when
he
received
a
punishment
proportioned
to
his
offence
.
It
is
the
literal
,
unvarnished
truth
,
that
the
crack
of
the
lash
,
and
the
shrieking
of
the
slaves
,
can
be
heard
from
dark
till
bed
time
,
on
Epps
'
plantation
,
any
day
almost
during
the
entire
period
of
the
cotton-picking
season
.
The
number
of
lashes
is
graduated
according
to
the
nature
of
the
case
.
Twenty-five
are
deemed
a
mere
brush
,
inflicted
,
for
instance
,
when
a
dry
leaf
or
piece
of
boll
is
found
in
the
cotton
,
or
when
a
branch
is
broken
in
the
field
;
fifty
is
the
ordinary
penalty
following
all
delinquencies
of
the
next
higher
grade
;
one
hundred
is
called
severe
:
it
is
the
punishment
inflicted
for
the
serious
offence
of
standing
idle
in
the
field
;
from
one
hundred
and
fifty
to
two
hundred
is
bestowed
upon
him
who
quarrels
with
his
cabin-mates
,
and
five
hundred
,
well
laid
on
,
besides
the
mangling
of
the
dogs
,
perhaps
,
is
certain
to
consign
the
poor
,
unpitied
runaway
to
weeks
of
pain
and
agony
.
During
the
two
years
Epps
remained
on
the
plantation
at
Bayou
Huff
Power
,
he
was
in
the
habit
,
as
often
as
once
in
a
fortnight
at
least
,
of
coming
home
intoxicated
from
Holmesville
.
The
shooting-matches
almost
invariably
concluded
with
a
debauch
.
At
such
times
he
was
boisterous
and
half-crazy
.
Often
he
would
break
the
dishes
,
chairs
,
and
whatever
furniture
he
could
lay
his
hands
on
.
When
satisfied
with
his
amusement
in
the
house
,
he
would
seize
the
whip
and
walk
forth
into
the
yard
.
Then
it
behooved
the
slaves
to
be
watchful
and
exceeding
wary
.
The
first
one
who
came
within
reach
felt
the
smart
of
his
lash
.
Sometimes
for
hours
he
would
keep
them
running
in
all
directions
,
dodging
around
the
corners
of
the
cabins
.
Occasionally
he
would
come
upon
one
unawares
,
and
if
he
succeeded
in
inflicting
a
fair
,
round
blow
,
it
was
a
feat
that
much
delighted
him
.
The
younger
children
,
and
the
aged
,
who
had
become
inactive
,
suffered
then
.
In
the
midst
of
the
confusion
he
would
slily
take
his
stand
behind
a
cabin
,
waiting
with
raised
whip
,
to
dash
it
into
the
first
black
face
that
peeped
cautiously
around
the
corner
.
At
other
times
he
would
come
home
in
a
less
brutal
humor
.
Then
there
must
be
a
merry-making
.
Then
all
must
move
to
the
measure
of
a
tune
.
Then
Master
Epps
must
needs
regale
his
melodious
ears
with
the
music
of
a
fiddle
.
Then
did
he
become
buoyant
,
elastic
,
gaily
"
tripping
the
light
fantastic
toe
"
around
the
piazza
and
all
through
the
house
.
Tibeats
,
at
the
time
of
my
sale
,
had
informed
him
I
could
play
on
the
violin
.
He
had
received
his
information
from
Ford
.
Through
the
importunities
of
Mistress
Epps
,
her
husband
had
been
induced
to
purchase
me
one
during
a
visit
to
New-Orleans
.
Frequently
I
was
called
into
the
house
to
play
before
the
family
,
mistress
being
passionately
fond
of
music
.
All
of
us
would
be
assembled
in
the
large
room
of
the
great
house
,
whenever
Epps
came
home
in
one
of
his
dancing
moods
.
No
matter
how
worn
out
and
tired
we
were
,
there
must
be
a
general
dance
.
When
properly
stationed
on
the
floor
,
I
would
strike
up
a
tune
.
"
Dance
,
you
d
--
d
niggers
,
dance
,
"
Epps
would
shout
.
Then
there
must
be
no
halting
or
delay
,
no
slow
or
languid
movements
;
all
must
be
brisk
,
and
lively
,
and
alert
.
"
Up
and
down
,
heel
and
toe
,
and
away
we
go
,
"
was
the
order
of
the
hour
.
Epps
'
portly
form
mingled
with
those
of
his
dusky
slaves
,
moving
rapidly
through
all
the
mazes
of
the
dance
.
