Part 17 (1/2)

He did what he called job work, which consisted of undertaking jobs, and hiring reat to be perforht black men, beside me, all hired to help him to remove the cotton in wheel-barrows, and lay it near the end of the wharf, when it was taken up by sailors and carried on board the shi+p that was receiving it

We continued working hard all day; and ast the crew of the shi+p was a black man, hom I resolved to becoht after we had quit our work, I went to the end of the wharf against which the shi+p layfor the black sailor to ratified He came upon the deck, and sat down near thewith great apparent pleasure After a few minutes, I spoke to him, for he had not yet seen me as it appeared, and when he heard my voice, he rose up and came to the side of the shi+p near where I stood We entered into conversation together, in the course of which he informed me that his home was in New-York; that he had a wife and several children there, but that he followed the sea for a livelihood, and knew no other mode of life He also asked ia had always been the place of my residence

I dee the object I had in view, in seeking the acquaintance of this man, and told him at once that by law and justice I was a free ht to Georgia, and sold there as a slave That I was now a fugitive fro back to my wife and children

The s, and at the close of my narrative, told me he could not receive iven positive orders to hiroes of Savannah co to the shi+p He further told me that he was on watch, and should continue on deck two hours That he was forced to take a turn of watching the shi+p every night, for two hours; but that his turn would not coed him to enable me to secrete myself on board the shi+p, previous to the tiht be conveyed to Philadelphia, whither the shi+p was bound with her load of cotton He at first received reat coldness, and said he would not do any thing contrary to the orders of the captain; but before we parted, he said he should be glad to assist me if he could, but that the execution of the plan proposed by ers, if not ruin

Intoo hazardous for me to undertake, and I informed him that if he would let s of cotton, no one should ever know that he had any knowledge of the fact; and that all the danger, and all the disasters that ht attend the affair, should fall exclusively on o away, and that he would think of the matter until the next day

It was obvious that his heart was softened in s of compassion almost impelled himent, and his sense of duty to his employers As the houses of the city were now closed, and I was a stranger in the place, I went to a wagon that stood in front of the warehouse, and had been unladen of the cotton that had been brought in it, and creeping into it, made s aht to feed his oxen

When the ain to the shi+p, and when the people came on deck, asked them for the captain, whom I should not have known by his dress, which was very nearly si asked if he did not wish to hire a hand, to help to load his shi+p, he told st the men, if I chose, and he would pay me what I orth

My object was to procure ees; and in the course of this day I found means to enter the hold of the shi+p several times, and examine it minutely The black sailor promised that he would not betrayon board the shi+p he would not disclose it

At the end of three days, the shi+p had taken in her loading, and the captain said in my presence that he intended to sail the day after No tiht I had earned, he gave me three dollars, which was certainly very liberal pay, considering that during the whole time that I had worked for him my fare had been the same as that of the sailors, who had as much as they could consume of excellent food

The sailors were now busy in tri that this work required them to spend much time in the hold of the shi+p, I went to the captain and told hies and treated me well, I would ith his people the residue of this day, for allon of ive et into the hold of the shi+p with those ere adjusting the cargo The first ti there, took care to re placed at one side of the hold, for the purpose of packing the bags close to the shi+p's tied as to leave a space between two of the bags, large enough for a man to creep in and conceal hi in the centre of the hold, that was left to let s that were put in In this ss of cotton, I detere to Philadelphia, if by any ht

When the evening cas, one that held half a gallon, and the other, a large stone jug, holding e jug ater; purchased twenty pounds of pilot bread at a bakery, which I tied in a large handkerchief; and taking s in my hand, went on board the shi+p to receive my molasses of the captain, for the labor of the day The captain was not on board, and a boy gaveto see the captain, I sat down between ts of cotton bales that were stowed on deck The night was very dark, and, watching a favorable opportunity, when theboth s of cotton that rose in the hold, alst the cargo, and lost no tist the bales of cotton, beside the lair provided for e, the captain came on board, and the boy reported to him that he had paid me off, and dismissed me In a short time, all was quiet on board the shi+p, except the occasional tread of the ht; the anxiety that oppressedany repose

Before day the captain was on deck, and gave orders to the sea, and to be ready to descend the river with the ebb tide, which was expected to flow at sunrise I felt the ht the tiainst her sides

In the place where I lay, when the hatches were closed, total darkness prevailed; and I had no idea of the lapse of ti at one period crept out into the open space, between the rows of cotton bags, which I have before described, I heard aon the hatch, call out and say, ”That is Cape Hatteras” I had already come out of my covert several tihtly, as to exclude all light It appeared totime; but as darkness was unbroken with me, I could not make any computation of periods

Soon after this, the hatch was opened, and the light was let into the hold Athe state of the cargo; who returned in a short ti of moment occurred froainst some solid body In a short time I heard much noise, and a multitude of sounds of various kinds All this satisfied er heard the sound of the waves, nor perceived the least ain opened, and the light was let in upon me