They　very　soon　mustered　up　some　old　spelling…books；
  and　nothing　would　do　but　that　I　must　keep　a　Sab…
  bath　school。　　I　agreed　to　do　so；　and　accordingly
  devoted　my　Sundays　to　teaching　these　my　loved　fel…
  low…slaves　how　to　read。　　Neither　of　them　knew　his
  letters　when　I　went　there。　　Some　of　the　slaves　of　the
  neighboring　farms　found　what　was　going　on；　and
  also　availed　themselves　of　this　little　opportunity　to
  learn　to　read。　　It　was　understood；　among　all　who
  came；　that　there　must　be　as　little　display　about　it
  as　possible。　　It　was　necessary　to　keep　our　religious
  masters　at　St。　Michael's　unacquainted　with　the　fact；
  that；　instead　of　spending　the　Sabbath　in　wrestling；
  boxing；　and　drinking　whisky；　we　were　trying　to　learn
  how　to　read　the　will　of　God；　for　they　had　much
  *This　is　the　same　man　who　gave　me　the　roots　to　prevent
  my　being　whipped　by　Mr。　Covey。　　He　was　〃a　clever　soul。〃
  We　used　frequently　to　talk　about　the　fight　with　Covey；　and
  as　often　as　we　did　so；　he　would　claim　my　success　as　the
  result　of　the　roots　which　he　gave　me。　　This　superstition
  is　very　common　among　the　more　ignorant　slaves。　　A　slave
  seldom　dies　but　that　his　death　is　attributed　to　trickery。
  rather　see　us　engaged　in　those　degrading　sports；　than
  to　see　us　behaving　like　intellectual；　moral；　and　ac…
  countable　beings。　　My　blood　boils　as　I　think　of　the
  bloody　manner　in　which　Messrs。　Wright　Fairbanks
  and　Garrison　West；　both　class…leaders；　in　connection
  with　many　others；　rushed　in　upon　us　with　sticks
  and　stones；　and　broke　up　our　virtuous　little　Sab…
  bath　school；　at　St。　Michael'sall　calling　themselves
  Christians！　humble　followers　of　the　Lord　Jesus
  Christ！　　But　I　am　again　digressing。
  I　held　my　Sabbath　school　at　the　house　of　a　free
  colored　man；　whose　name　I　deem　it　imprudent　to
  mention；　for　should　it　be　known；　it　might　embar…
  rass　him　greatly；　though　the　crime　of　holding　the
  school　was　committed　ten　years　ago。　　I　had　at　one
  time　over　forty　scholars；　and　those　of　the　right　sort；
  ardently　desiring　to　learn。　　They　were　of　all　ages；
  though　mostly　men　and　women。　　I　look　back　to　those
  Sundays　with　an　amount　of　pleasure　not　to　be　ex…
  pressed。　　They　were　great　days　to　my　soul。　　The　work
  of　instructing　my　dear　fellow…slaves　was　the　sweetest
  engagement　with　which　I　was　ever　blessed。　　We　loved
  each　other；　and　to　leave　them　at　the　close　of　the
  Sabbath　was　a　severe　cross　indeed。　　When　I　think
  that　these　precious　souls　are　to…day　shut　up　in　the
  prison…house　of　slavery；　my　feelings　overcome　me；
  and　I　am　almost　ready　to　ask；　〃Does　a　righteous
  God　govern　the　universe？　and　for　what　does　he　hold
  the　thunders　in　his　right　hand；　if　not　to　smite　the
  oppressor；　and　deliver　the　spoiled　out　of　the　hand
  of　the　spoiler？〃　　These　dear　souls　came　not　to　Sab…
  bath　school　because　it　was　popular　to　do　so；　nor　did
  I　teach　them　because　it　was　reputable　to　be　thus
  engaged。　　Every　moment　they　spent　in　that　school；
  they　were　liable　to　be　taken　up；　and　given　thirty…
  nine　lashes。　　They　came　because　they　wished　to
  learn。　　Their　minds　had　been　starved　by　their　cruel
  masters。　　They　had　been　shut　up　in　mental　darkness。
  I　taught　them；　because　it　was　the　delight　of　my
  soul　to　be　doing　something　that　looked　like　better…
  ing　the　condition　of　my　race。　　I　kept　up　my　school
  nearly　the　whole　year　I　lived　with　Mr。　Freeland；
  and；　beside　my　Sabbath　school；　I　devoted　three　eve…
  nings　in　the　week；　during　the　winter；　to　teaching　the
  slaves　at　home。　　And　I　have　the　happiness　to　know；
  that　several　of　those　who　came　to　Sabbath　school
  learned　how　to　read；　and　that　one；　at　least；　is　now
  free　through　my　agency。
  The　year　passed　off　smoothly。　　It　seemed　only
  about　half　as　long　as　the　year　which　preceded　it。
  I　went　through　it　without　receiving　a　single　blow。
  I　will　give　Mr。　Freeland　the　credit　of　being　the
  best　master　I　ever　had；　~till　I　became　my　own　mas…
  ter。~　　For　the　ease　with　which　I　passed　the　year；　I
  was；　however；　somewhat　indebted　to　the　society　of
  my　fellow…slaves。　　They　were　noble　souls；　they　not
  only　possessed　loving　hearts；　but　brave　ones。　　We
  were　linked　and　interlinked　with　each　other。　　I　loved
  them　with　a　love　stronger　than　any　thing　I　have
  experienced　since。　　It　is　sometimes　said　that　we
  slaves　do　not　love　and　confide　in　each　other。　　In
  answer　to　this　assertion；　I　can　say；　I　never　loved
  any　or　confided　in　any　people　more　than　my　fellow…
  slaves；　and　especially　those　with　whom　I　lived　at
  Mr。　Freeland's。　　I　believe　we　would　have　died　for
  each　other。　　We　never　undertook　to　do　any　thing；
  of　any　importance；　without　a　mutual　consultation。
  We　never　moved　separately。　　We　were　one；　and　as
  much　so　by　our　tempers　and　dispositions；　as　by　the
  mutual　hardships　to　which　we　were　necessarily　sub…
  jected　by　our　condition　as　slaves。
  At　the　close　of　the　year　1834；　Mr。　Freeland　again
  hired　me　of　my　master；　for　the　year　1835。　　But；　by
  this　time；　I　began　to　want　to　live　~upon　free　land~
  as　well　as　~with　freeland；~　and　I　was　no　longer　con…
  tent；　therefore；　to　live　with　him　or　any　other　slave…
  holder。　　I　began；　with　the　commencement　of　the
  year；　to　prepare　myself　for　a　final　struggle；　which
  should　decide　my　fate　one　way　or　the　other。　　My
  tendency　was　upward。　　I　was　fast　approaching　man…
  hood；　and　year　after　year　had　passed；　and　I　was
  still　a　slave。　　These　thoughts　roused　meI　must　do
  something。　　I　therefore　resolved　that　1835　should
  not　pass　without　witnessing　an　attempt；　on　my　part；
  to　secure　my　liberty。　　But　I　was　not　willing　to　cherish
  this　determination　alone。　　My　fellow…slaves　were　dear
  to　me。　　I　was　anxious　to　have　them　participate　with
  me　in　this；　my　life…giving　determination。　　I　therefore；
  though　with　great　prudence；　commenced　early　to
  ascertain　their　views　and　feelings　in　regard　to　their
  condition；　and　to　imbue　their　minds　with　thoughts
  of　freedom。　　I　bent　myself　to　devising　ways　and
  means　for　our　escape；　and　meanwhile　strove；　on　all
  fitting　occasions；　to　impress　them　with　the　gross
  fraud　and　inhumanity　of　slavery。　　I　went　first　to
  Henry；　next　to　John；　then　to　the　others。　　I　found；
  in　them　all；　warm　hearts　and　noble　spirits。　　They
  were　ready　to　hear；　and　ready　to　act　when　a　feasible
  plan　should　be　proposed。　　This　was　what　I　wanted。
  I　talked　to　them　of　our　want　of　manhood；　if　we
  submitted　to　our　enslavement　without　at　least　one
  noble　effort　to　be　free。　　We　met　often；　and　consulted
  frequently；　and　told　our　hopes　and　fears；　recounted
  the　difficulties；　real　and　imagined；　which　we　should
  be　called　on　to　meet。　　At　times　we　were　almost　dis…
  posed　to　give　up；　and　try　to　content　ourselves　with
  our　wretched　lot；　at　others；　we　were　firm　and　un…
  bending　in　our　determination　to　go。　　Whenever　we
  suggested　any　plan；　there　was　shrinkingthe　odds
  were　fearful。　　Our　path　was　beset　with　the　greatest
  obstacles；　and　if　we　succeeded　in　gaining　the　end
  of　it；　our　right　to　be　free　was　yet　questionablewe
  were　yet　liable　to　be　returned　to　bondage。　　We　could
  see　no　spot；　this　side　of　the　ocean；　where　we　could
  be　free。　　We　knew　nothing　about　Canada。　　Our
  knowledge　of　the　north　did　not　extend　farther　than
  New　York；　and　to　go　there；　and　be　forever　harassed
  with　the　frightful　liability　of　being　returned　to
  slaverywith　the　certainty　of　being　treated　tenfold
  worse　than　beforethe　thought　was　truly　a　horrible
  one；　and　one　which　it　was　not　easy　to　overcome。
  The　case　sometimes　stood　thus：　At　every　gate
  through　which　we　were　to　pass；　we　saw　a　watchman
  at　every　ferry　a　guardon　every　bridge　a　sentinel
  and　in　every　wood　a　patrol。　　We　were　hemmed　in
  upon　every　side。　　Here　were　the　difficulties；　real　or
  imaginedthe　good　to　be　sought；　and　the　evil　to　be
  shunned。　　On　the　one　hand；　there　stood　slavery；　a
  stern　reality；　glaring　frightfully　upon　us；its　robes
  already　crimsoned　with　the　blood　of　millions；　and
  even　now　feasting　itself　greedily　upon　our　own　flesh。
  On　the　other　hand；　away　back　in　the　dim　distance；
  under　the　flickering　light　of　the　north　star；　behind
  some　craggy　hill　or　snow…covered　mountain；　stood
  a　doubtful　freedomhalf　frozenbeckoning　us　to
  come　and　share　its　hospitality。　　This　in　itself　was
  sometimes　enough　to　stagger　us；　but　when　we　per…
  mitted　ourselves　to　survey　the　road；　we　were　fre…
  quently　appalled。　　Upon　either　side　we　saw　grim
  death；　assuming　the　most　horrid　shapes。　　Now　it　was
  starvation；　causing　us　to　eat　our　own　flesh；now　we
  were　contending　with　the　waves；　and　were　drowned；
  now　we　were　overtaken；　and　torn　to　pieces　by　the
  fangs　of　the　terrible　bloodhound。　　We　were　stung
  by　scorpions；　chased　by　wild　beasts；　bitten　by　snakes；
  and　finally；　after　having　nearly　reached　the　desired
  spot；after　swimming　rivers；　encountering　wild
  beasts；　sleeping　in　the　woods；　suffering　hunger　and
  nakedness；we　were　overtaken　by　our　pursuers；　and；
  in　our　resistance；　we　were　shot　dead　upon　the　spot！
  I　say；　this　picture　sometimes　appalled　us；　and　made
  us