When wTe arrived at Richmond, which was early in the morning, the cars stopped in front of a large hotel, and remained nearly half an hour. Immediately on their stopping, he procured a half gallon measure of whiskey, and served to each one a half gill. They were chained and handcuffed, except the children and one good looking mulatto woman, who was permitted to stand on the platform with a little boy. When I looked into the baggage car, and saw these poor creatures, I felt a sensation which I cannot describe, and observed that he spoke rather kindly to the woman, who looked very sad and downcast. Said I to him: " What do you ask for that woman?
" " Well, now, look here; I will sell you that ere woman for seven hundred dollars; she }ll bring me double that sum in Mobile; she 's rather sulky now, because they took her little gal away and sold her to an Alabama feller, and she has'nt got over it yet." " What do you ask for that boy? " " Vll take two hundred dollars for the little cuss. I don }t like children; the little devils get away, and then we Jcan't whip 'em as %ve do a big feller." Not feeling much like purchasing, I declined the offer; and as it was about time to start, I took my seat in the car again, beside my former acquaintance; and when the driver came in, sat beside him, and endeavored to get into conversation about his nefarious business.
I commenced by asking AUTO BIO GRAPH Y. 413 if lie ever separated families, or bought children that were taken from their parents. All at once he gave me a disdainful look, and asked me if I was not a '; Northern man? " "Yes, I am from Boston." He then uttered a horrid oath, and replied, "Well, I thought so," and turned immediately from me. I crossed over to my old friend again, as the slave merchant had now cut my acquaintance, and given me the cold shoulder. Often, when on hoard a man-of-war, I have seen a poor fellow seized up to the gangway, and receive three or fonr dozen, and perhaps only for getting intoxicated; and how I have pitied him; but could have danced for joy to have seen this scamp tucked up, and a hundred lashes neatly put into him.
But never mind; let him go. He had some difficulty in Wilmington, in getting his cattle through the Custom House, which I hoped would have detained him there, so that we might have been clear of his company; but they were all ma relied on board the steamer, with the chains of liberty clanking as they go. While on board the boat their irons were removed, and they had one side of the forward deck allotted them. And now, let any one possessing the thousandth part of a soul, just take a seat on the opposite side of the deck and begin first with his eyes, and look upon twenty-eight poor, unfortunate adult wretches, chained and doomed to slavery, cruelty, and outrage, during their natural lives, and for no other crime than being born black.
And see that sorrowful wellformed, bright mulatto woman, her child torn from her and carried, she knows not where, and in all probability herself reserved for the most diabolical and basest of purposes. And can it be possible that we are in the United States? oh, no, it cannot be so; we are descending tlte Nile, ivith Nubian slaves for the Cairo market What! such a sight as this in the only land of liberty on earth; a land whose insignia is equality surmounted with the liberty cap, and whose Latin motto is: " U joluribus unum" what an antithesis! On our arrival at Charleston, they were all bound with irons, and marched off somewhere, probably to the jail-yard, for safe keeping.
I had an acquaintance here on whom I called, and through liis politeness was conducted round the city, and introduced to a number of gentlemen who were affable and courteous, and with whom I was much pleased. As my errand to the South was to purchase timber, I commenced looking round among the immense rafts in the river here, and probably should have obtained what I wanted without proceeding further, had it not been for a development of that characteristic which we find every-where, and too often with the shrewd Yankee, which is: u leaving the substance to grasp at a shadotv." I had concluded to take the timber if I could find a vessel bound East that would carry it for anything like a reasonable price.