Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself by Henry Bibb

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They said I should not be sold nor punished with the lash for what I
had done, but I should be carried back to Bedford, to live with my
wife. Yet when the boat got to where we should have landed, she wafted
by without making any stop. I felt awful in view of never seeing my
family again; they asked what was the matter? what made me look so
cast down? I informed them that I knew I was to be sold in the
Louisville slave market, or in New Orleans, and I never expected to
see my family again. But they tried to pacify me by promising not to
sell me to a slave trader who would take me off to New Orleans;
cautioning me at the same time not to let it be known that I had been
a runaway. This would very much lessen the value of me in market. They
would not punish me by putting irons on my limbs, but would give me a
good name, and sell me to some gentleman in Louisville for a house
servant. They thought I would soon make money enough to buy myself,
and would not part with me if they could get along without. But I had
cost them so much in advertising and looking for me, that they were
involved by it. In the first place they paid eight hundred and fifty
dollars for me; and when I first run away, they paid one hundred for
advertising and looking after me; and now they had to pay about forty
dollars, expenses travelling to and from Cincinnati, in addition to
the three hundred dollars reward; and they were not able to pay the
reward without selling me.

I knew then the only alternative left for me to extricate myself was
to use deception, which is the most effectual defence a slave can use.
I pretended to be satisfied for the purpose of getting an opportunity
of giving them the slip.

But oh, the distress of mind, the lamentable thought that I should
never again see the face nor hear the gentle voice of my nearest and
dearest friends in this life. I could imagine what must be my fate
from my peculiar situation. To be sold to the highest bidder, and then
wear the chains of slavery down to the grave. The day star of liberty
which had once cheered and gladdened my heart in freedom's land, had
then hidden itself from my vision, and the dark and dismal frown of
slavery had obscured the sunshine of freedom from me, as they supposed
for all time to come.

But the understanding between us was, I was not to be tied, chained,
nor flogged; for if they should take me into the city handcuffed and
guarded by five men the question might be asked what crime I had
committed? And if it should be known that I had been a runaway to
Canada, it would lessen the value of me at least one hundred dollars.

CHAPTER VI.

_Arrival at Louisville, Ky.--Efforts to sell me.--Fortunate escape
from the man-stealers in the public street.--I return to Bedford,
Ky.--The rescue of my family again attempted.--I started alone
expecting them to follow.--After waiting some months I resolve to go
back again to Kentucky._

When the boat arrived at Louisville, the day being too far spent for
them to dispose of me, they had to put up at a Hotel. When we left the
boat, they were afraid of my bolting from them in the street, and to
prevent this they took hold of my arms, one on each side of me,
gallanting me up to the hotel with as much propriety as if I had been
a white lady. This was to deceive the people, and prevent my getting
away from them.

They called for a bed-room to which I was conducted and locked within.
That night three of them lodged in the same room to guard me. They
locked the door and put the key under the head of their bed. I could
see no possible way for my escape without jumping out of a high three
story house window.

It was almost impossible for me to sleep that night in my peculiar
situation. I passed the night in prayer to our Heavenly Father, asking
that He would open to me even the smallest chance for escape.

The next morning after they had taken breakfast, four of them left me
in the care of Dan Lane. He was what might be called one of the watch
dogs of Kentucky. There was nothing too mean for him to do. He never
blushed to rob a slave mother of her children, no matter how young or
small. He was also celebrated for slave selling, kidnapping, and negro
hunting. He was well known in that region by the slaves as well as the
slaveholders, to have all the qualifications necessary for his
business. He was a drunkard, a gambler, a profligate, and a
slaveholder.

While the other four were looking around through the city for a
purchaser, Dan was guarding me with his bowie knife and pistols. After
a while the others came in with two persons to buy me, but on seeing
me they remarked that they thought I would run away, and asked me if I
had ever run away. Dan sprang to his feet and answered the question
for me, by telling one of the most palpable falsehoods that ever came
from the lips of a slaveholder. He declared that I had never run away
in my life!

Fortunately for me, Dan, while the others were away, became unwell;
and from taking salts, or from some other cause, was compelled to
leave his room. Off he started to the horse stable which was located
on one of the most public streets of Louisville, and of course I had
to accompany him. He gallanted me into the stable by the arm, and
placed himself back in one of the horses stalls and ordered me to
stand by until he was ready to come out.

At this time a thousand thoughts were flashing through my mind with
regard to the propriety of trying the springs of my heels, which
nature had so well adapted for taking the body out of danger, even in
the most extraordinary emergencies. I thought in the attempt to get
away by running, if I should not succeed, it could make my condition
no worse, for they could but sell me and this they were then trying to
do. These thoughts impelled me to keep edging towards the door, though
very cautiously. Dan kept looking around after me as if he was not
satisfied at my getting so near to the door. But the last I saw of him
in the stable was just as he turned his eyes from me; I nerved myself
with all the moral courage I could command and bolted for the door,
perhaps with the fleetness of a much frightened deer, who never looks
behind in time of peril. Dan was left in the stable to make ready for
the race, or jump out into the street half dressed, and thereby
disgrace himself before the public eye.

It would be impossible for me to set forth the speed with which I run
to avoid my adversary; I succeeded in turning a corner before Dan got
sight of me, and by fast running, turning corners, and jumping high
fences, I was enabled to effect my escape.

In running so swiftly through the public streets, I thought it would
be a safer course to leave the public way, and as quick as thought I
spied a high board fence by the way and attempted to leap over it. The
top board broke and down I came into a hen-coop which stood by the
fence. The dogs barked, and the hens flew and cackled so, that I
feared it would lead to my detection before I could get out of the
yard.

The reader can only imagine how great must have been the excited state
of my mind while exposed to such extraordinary peril and danger on
every side. In danger of being seized by a savage dog, which sprang at
me when I fell into the hen-coop; in danger of being apprehended by
the tenants of the lot; in danger of being shot or wounded by any one
who might have attempted to stop me, a runaway slave; and in danger on
the other hand of being overtaken and getting in conflict with my
adversary. With these fearful apprehensions, caution dictated me not
to proceed far by day-light in this slaveholding city.

At this moment every nerve and muscle of my whole system was in full
stretch; and every facility of the mind brought into action striving
to save myself from being re-captured. I dared not go to the forest,
knowing that I might be tracked by blood-hounds, and overtaken. I was
so fortunate as to find a hiding place in the city which seemed to be
pointed out by the finger of Providence. After running across lots,
turning corners, and shunning my fellow men, as if they were wild
ferocious beasts. I found a hiding place in a pile of boards or
scantling, where I kept concealed during that day.

No tongue nor pen can describe the dreadful apprehensions under which
I labored for the space of ten or twelve hours. My hiding place
happened to be between two workshops, where there were men at work
within six or eight feet of me. I could imagine that I heard them
talking about me, and at other times thought I heard the footsteps of
Daniel Lane in close pursuit. But I retained my position there until 9
or 10 o'clock at night, without being discovered; after which I
attempted to find my way out, which was exceedingly difficult. The
night being very dark, in a strange city, among slaveholders and slave
hunters, to me it was like a person entering a wilderness among wolves
and vipers, blindfolded. I was compelled from necessity to enter this
place for refuge under the most extraordinary state of excitement,
without regard to its geographical position. I found myself surrounded
with a large block of buildings, which comprised a whole square,
built up mostly on three sides, so that I could see no way to pass out
without exposing myself perhaps to the gaze of patrols, or slave
catchers.

In wandering around through the dark, I happened to find a calf in a
back yard, which was bawling after the cow; the cow was also lowing in
another direction, as if they were trying to find each other. A
thought struck me that there must be an outlet somewhere about, where
the cow and calf were trying to meet. I started in the direction where
I heard the lowing of the cow, and I found an arch or tunnel extending
between two large brick buildings, where I could see nothing of the
cow but her eyes, shining like balls of fire through the dark tunnel,
between the walls, through which I passed to where she stood. When I
entered the streets I found them well lighted up. My heart was
gladdened to know there was another chance for my escape. No bird ever
let out of a cage felt more like flying, than I felt like running.

Before I left the city, I chanced to find by the way, an old man of
color. Supposing him to be a friend, I ventured to make known my
situation, and asked him if he would get me a bite to eat. The old man
most cheerfully complied with my request. I was then about forty miles
from the residence of Wm. Gatewood, where my wife, whom I sought to
rescue from slavery, was living. This was also in the direction it was
necessary for me to travel in order to get back to the free North.
Knowing that the slave catchers would most likely be watching the
public highway for me, to avoid them I made my way over the rocky
hills, woods and plantations, back to Bedford.

I travelled all that night, guided on my way by the shining stars of
heaven alone. The next morning just before the break of day, I came
right to a large plantation, about which I secreted myself, until the
darkness of the next night began to disappear. The morning larks
commenced to chirp and sing merrily--pretty soon I heard the whip
crack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field. About
breakfast time, I heard the sound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in
the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer. He
started to the house before the slaves, which gave me an opportunity
to get the attention of one of the slaves, whom I met at the fence,
before he started to his breakfast, and made known to him my wants and
distresses. I also requested him to bring me a piece of bread if he
could when he came back to the field.

The hospitable slave complied with my request. He came back to the
field before his fellow laborers, and brought me something to eat, and
as an equivolent for his kindness, I instructed him with regard to
liberty, Canada, the way of escape, and the facilities by the way. He
pledged his word that himself and others would be in Canada, in less
than six months from that day. This closed our interview, and we
separated. I concealed myself in the forest until about sunset, before
I pursued my journey; and the second night from Louisville, I arrived
again in the neighborhood of Bedford, where my little family were held
in bondage, whom I so earnestly strove to rescue.

I concealed myself by the aid of a friend in that neighborhood,
intending again to make my escape with my family.

This confidential friend then carried a message to Malinda, requesting
her to meet me on one side of the village.

We met under the most fearful apprehensions, for my pursuers had
returned from Louisville, with the lamentable story that I was gone,
and yet they were compelled to pay three hundred dollars to the
Cincinnati slave catchers for re-capturing me there.

Daniel Lane's account of my escape from him, looked so unreasonable to
slaveholders, that many of them charged him with selling me and
keeping the money; while others believed that I had got away from him,
and was then in the neighborhood, trying to take off my wife and
child, which was true. Lane declared that in less than five minutes
after I run out of the stable in Louisville, he had over twenty men
running and looking in every direction after me; but all without
success. They could hear nothing of me. They had turned over several
tons of hay in a large loft, in search, and I was not to be found
there. Dan imputed my escape to my godliness! He said that I must have
gone up in a chariot of fire, for I went off by flying; and that he
should never again have any thing to do with a praying negro.

Great excitement prevailed in Bedford, and many were out watching for
me at the time Malinda was relating to me these facts. The excitement
was then so great among the slaveholders--who were anxious to have me
re-captured as a means of discouraging other slaves from running
away--that time and money were no object while there was the least
prospect of their success. I therefore declined making an effort just
at that time to escape with my little family. Malinda managed to get
me into the house of a friend that night, in the village, where I kept
concealed several days seeking an opportunity to escape with Malinda
and Frances to Canada.

But for some time Malinda was watched so very closely by white and by
colored persons, both day and night, that it was not possible for us
to escape together. They well knew that my little family was the only
object of attraction that ever had or ever would induce me to come
back and risk my liberty over the threshold of slavery--therefore this
point was well guarded by the watch dogs of slavery, and I was
compelled again to forsake my wife for a season, or surrender, which
was suicidal to the cause of freedom, in my judgment.

The next day after my arrival in Bedford, Daniel Lane came to the very
house wherein I was concealed and talked in my hearing to the family
about my escape from him out of the stable in Louisville. He was near
enough for me to have laid my hands on his head while in that
house--and the intimidation which this produced on me was more than I
could bear. I was also aware of the great temptation of the reward
offered to white or colored persons for my apprehension; I was exposed
to other calamities which rendered it altogether unsafe for me to stay
longer under that roof.

One morning about 2 o'clock, I took leave of my little family and
started for Canada. This was almost like tearing off the limbs from my
body. When we were about to separate, Malinda clasped my hand
exclaiming, "oh my soul! my heart is almost broken at the thought of
this dangerous separation. This may be the last time we shall ever see
each other's faces in this life, which will destroy all my future
prospects of life and happiness forever." At this time the poor
unhappy woman burst into tears and wept loudly; and my eyes were not
dry. We separated with the understanding that she was to wait until
the excitement was all over; after which she was to meet me at a
certain place in the State of Ohio; which would not be longer than two
months from that time.

I succeeded that night in getting a steamboat conveyance back to
Cincinnati, or within ten miles of the city. I was apprehensive that
there were slave-hunters in Cincinnati, watching the arrival of every
boat up the river, expecting to catch me; and the boat landing to take
in wood ten miles below the city, I got off and walked into
Cincinnati, to avoid detection.

On my arrival at the house of a friend, I heard that the two young men
who betrayed me for the three hundred dollars had returned and were
watching for me. One of my friends in whom they had great confidence,
called on the traitors, after he had talked with me, and asked them
what they had done with me. Their reply was that I had given them the
slip, and that they were glad of it, because they believed that I was
a good man, and if they could see me on my way to Canada, they would
give me money to aid me on my escape. My friend assured them that if
they would give any thing to aid me on my way, much or little, if they
would put the same into his hands, he would give it to me that night,
or return it to them the next morning.

They then wanted to know where I was and whether I was in the city;
but he would not tell them, but one of them gave him one dollar for
me, promising that if I was in the city, and he would let him know the
next morning, he would give me ten dollars.

But I never waited for the ten dollars. I received one dollar of the
amount which they got for betraying me, and started that night for the
north. Their excuse for betraying me, was, that catching runaways was
their business, and if they had not done it somebody else would, but
since they had got the reward they were glad that I had made my
escape.

Having travelled the road several times from Cincinnati to Lake Erie,
I travelled through without much fear or difficulty. My friends in
Perrysburgh, who knew that I had gone back into the very jaws of
slavery after my family, were much surprised at my return, for they
had heard that I was re-captured.

After I had waited three months for the arrival of Malinda, and she
came not, it caused me to be one of the most unhappy fugitives that
ever left the South. I had waited eight or nine months without hearing
from my family. I felt it to be my duty, as a husband and father, to
make one more effort. I felt as if I could not give them up to be
sacrificed on the "bloody altar of slavery." I felt as if love, duty,
humanity and justice, required that I should go back, putting my trust
in the God of Liberty for success.

CHAPTER VII.

_My safe return to Kentucky.--The perils I encountered there.--Again
betrayed, and taken by a mob; ironed and imprisoned.--Narrow escape
from death.--Life in a slave prison._

I prepared myself for the journey before named, and started back in
the month of July, 1839.

My intention was, to let no person know my business until I returned
back to the North. I went to Cincinnati, and got a passage down on
board of a boat just as I did the first time, without any misfortune
or delay. I called on my mother, and the raising of a dead body from
the grave could not have been more surprising to any one than my
arrival was to her, on that sad summer's night. She was not able to
suppress her feelings. When I entered the room, there was but one
other person in the house with my mother, and this was a little slave
girl who was asleep when I entered. The impulsive feeling which is
ever ready to act itself out at the return of a long absent friend,
was more than my bereaved mother could suppress. And unfortunately for
me, the loud shouts of joy at that late hour of the night, awakened
the little slave girl, who afterwards betrayed me. She kept perfectly
still, and never let either of us know that she was awake, in order
that she might hear our conversation and report it. Mother informed me
where my family was living, and that she would see them the next day,
and would make arrangements for us to meet the next night at that
house after the people in the village had gone to bed. I then went off
and concealed myself during the next day, and according to promise
came back the next night about eleven o'clock.

When I got near the house, moving very cautiously, filled with fearful
apprehensions, I saw several men walking around the house as if they
were looking for some person. I went back and waited about one hour,
before I returned, and the number of men had increased. They were
still to be seen lurking about this house, with dogs following them.
This strange movement frightened me off again, and I never returned
until after midnight, at which time I slipped up to the window, and
rapped for my mother, who sprang to it and informed me that I was
betrayed by the girl who overheard our conversation the night before.
She thought that if I could keep out of the way for a few days, the
white people would think that this girl was mistaken, or had lied. She
had told her old mistress that I was there that night, and had made a
plot with my mother to get my wife and child there the next night, and
that I was going to take them off to Canada.

I went off to a friend of mine, who rendered me all the aid that one
slave could render another, under the circumstances. Thank God he is
now free from slavery, and is doing well. He was a messenger for me to
my wife and mother, until at the suggestion of my mother, I changed an
old friend for a new one, who betrayed me for the sum of five dollars.

We had set the time when we were to start for Canada, which was to be
on the next Saturday night. My mother had an old friend whom she
thought was true, and she got him to conceal me in a barn, not over
two miles from the village. This man brought provisions to me, sent by
my mother, and would tell me the news which was in circulation about
me, among the citizens. But the poor fellow was not able to withstand
the temptation of money.

My owners had about given me up, and thought the report of the slave
girl was false; but they had offered a little reward among the slaves
for my apprehension. The night before I was betrayed, I met with my
mother and wife, and we had set up nearly all night plotting to start
on the next Saturday night. I hid myself away in the flax in the barn,
and being much rest broken I slept until the next morning about 9
o'clock. Then I was awakened by a mob of blood thirsty slaveholders,
who had come armed with all the implements of death, with a
determination to reduce me again to a life of slavery, or murder me on
the spot.

When I looked up and saw that I was surrounded, they were exclaiming
at the top of their voices, "shoot him down! shoot him down!" "If he
offers to run, or to resist, kill him!"

I saw it was no use then for me to make any resistance, as I should be
murdered. I felt confident that I had been betrayed by a slave, and
all my flattering prospects of rescuing my family were gone for ever,
and the grim monster slavery with all its horrors was staring me in
the face.

I surrendered myself to this hostile mob at once. The first thing
done, after they had laid violent hands on me, was to bind my hands
behind me with a cord, and rob me of all I possessed.

In searching my pockets, they found my certificate from the Methodist
E. Church, which had been given me by my classleader, testifying to my
worthiness as a member of that church. And what made the matter look
more disgraceful to me, many of this mob were members of the M.E.
Church, and they were the persons who took away my church ticket, and
then robbed me also of fourteen dollars in cash, a silver watch for
which I paid ten dollars, a pocket knife for which I paid seventy-five
cents, and a Bible for which I paid sixty-two and one half cents. All
this they tyrannically robbed me of, and yet my owner, Wm. Gatewood,
was a regular member of the same church to which I belonged.

He then had me taken to a blacksmith's shop, and most wickedly had my
limbs bound with heavy irons, and then had my body locked within the
cold dungeon walls of the Bedford jail, to be sold to a Southern slave
trader.

My heart was filled with grief--my eyes were filled with tears. I
could see no way of escape. I could hear no voice of consolation.
Slaveholders were coming to the dungeon window in great numbers to ask
me questions. Some were rejoicing--some swearing, and others saying
that I ought to be hung; while others were in favor of sending both me
and my wife to New Orleans. They supposed that I had informed her all
about the facilities for slaves to escape to Canada, and that she
would tell other slaves after I was gone; hence we must all be sent
off to where we could neither escape ourselves, nor instruct others
the way.

In the afternoon of the same day Malinda was permitted to visit the
prison wherein I was locked, but was not permitted to enter the door.
When she looked through the dungeon grates and saw my sad situation,
which was caused by my repeated adventures to rescue her and my little
daughter from the grasp of slavery, it was more than she could bear
without bursting in tears. She plead for admission into the cold
dungeon where I was confined, but without success. With manacled
limbs; with wounded spirit; with sympathising tears and with bleeding
heart, I intreated Malinda to weep not for me, for it only added to my
grief, which was greater than I could bear.

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