I　say；　this　picture　sometimes　appalled　us；　and　made
  us
  〃rather　bear　those　ills　we　had；
  Than　fly　to　others；　that　we　knew　not　of。〃
  In　coming　to　a　fixed　determination　to　run　away；
  we　did　more　than　Patrick　Henry；　when　he　resolved
  upon　liberty　or　death。　　With　us　it　was　a　doubtful
  liberty　at　most；　and　almost　certain　death　if　we　failed。
  For　my　part；　I　should　prefer　death　to　hopeless　bond…
  age。
  Sandy；　one　of　our　number；　gave　up　the　notion；
  but　still　encouraged　us。　　Our　company　then　consisted
  of　Henry　Harris；　John　Harris；　Henry　Bailey；　Charles
  Roberts；　and　myself。　　Henry　Bailey　was　my　uncle；
  and　belonged　to　my　master。　　Charles　married　my
  aunt：　he　belonged　to　my　master's　father…in…law；　Mr。
  William　Hamilton。
  The　plan　we　finally　concluded　upon　was；　to　get
  a　large　canoe　belonging　to　Mr。　Hamilton；　and　upon
  the　Saturday　night　previous　to　Easter　holidays；
  paddle　directly　up　the　Chesapeake　Bay。　　On　our　ar…
  rival　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　a　distance　of　seventy
  or　eighty　miles　from　where　we　lived；　it　was　our
  purpose　to　turn　our　canoe　adrift；　and　follow　the
  guidance　of　the　north　star　till　we　got　beyond　the
  limits　of　Maryland。　　Our　reason　for　taking　the　water
  route　was；　that　we　were　less　liable　to　be　suspected　as
  runaways；　we　hoped　to　be　regarded　as　fishermen；
  whereas；　if　we　should　take　the　land　route；　we　should
  be　subjected　to　interruptions　of　almost　every　kind。
  Any　one　having　a　white　face；　and　being　so　disposed；
  could　stop　us；　and　subject　us　to　examination。
  The　week　before　our　intended　start；　I　wrote　sev…
  eral　protections；　one　for　each　of　us。　　As　well　as　I
  can　remember；　they　were　in　the　following　words；　to
  wit：
  〃This　is　to　certify　that　I；　the　undersigned；　have
  given　the　bearer；　my　servant；　full　liberty　to　go　to
  Baltimore；　and　spend　the　Easter　holidays。　　Written
  with　mine　own　hand；　&c。；　1835。
  〃WILLIAM　HAMILTON；
  〃Near　St。　Michael's；　in　Talbot　county；　Maryland。〃
  We　were　not　going　to　Baltimore；　but；　in　going　up
  the　bay；　we　went　toward　Baltimore；　and　these　pro…
  tections　were　only　intended　to　protect　us　while　on
  the　bay。
  As　the　time　drew　near　for　our　departure；　our
  anxiety　became　more　and　more　intense。　　It　was　truly
  a　matter　of　life　and　death　with　us。　　The　strength　of
  our　determination　was　about　to　be　fully　tested。　　At
  this　time；　I　was　very　active　in　explaining　every　dif…
  ficulty；　removing　every　doubt；　dispelling　every　fear；
  and　inspiring　all　with　the　firmness　indispensable　to
  success　in　our　undertaking；　assuring　them　that　half
  was　gained　the　instant　we　made　the　move；　we　had
  talked　long　enough；　we　were　now　ready　to　move；
  if　not　now；　we　never　should　be；　and　if　we　did　not
  intend　to　move　now；　we　had　as　well　fold　our　arms；
  sit　down；　and　acknowledge　ourselves　fit　only　to　be
  slaves。　　This；　none　of　us　were　prepared　to　acknowl…
  edge。　　Every　man　stood　firm；　and　at　our　last　meeting；
  we　pledged　ourselves　afresh；　in　the　most　solemn
  manner；　that；　at　the　time　appointed；　we　would　cer…
  tainly　start　in　pursuit　of　freedom。　　This　was　in　the
  middle　of　the　week；　at　the　end　of　which　we　were
  to　be　off。　　We　went；　as　usual；　to　our　several　fields
  of　labor；　but　with　bosoms　highly　agitated　with
  thoughts　of　our　truly　hazardous　undertaking。　　We
  tried　to　conceal　our　feelings　as　much　as　possible；
  and　I　think　we　succeeded　very　well。
  After　a　painful　waiting；　the　Saturday　morning；
  whose　night　was　to　witness　our　departure；　came。　　I
  hailed　it　with　joy；　bring　what　of　sadness　it　might。
  Friday　night　was　a　sleepless　one　for　me。　　I　probably
  felt　more　anxious　than　the　rest；　because　I　was；　by
  common　consent；　at　the　head　of　the　whole　affair。
  The　responsibility　of　success　or　failure　lay　heavily
  upon　me。　　The　glory　of　the　one；　and　the　confusion
  of　the　other；　were　alike　mine。　　The　first　two　hours
  of　that　morning　were　such　as　I　never　experienced
  before；　and　hope　never　to　again。　　Early　in　the
  morning；　we　went；　as　usual；　to　the　field。　　We　were
  spreading　manure；　and　all　at　once；　while　thus　en…
  gaged；　I　was　overwhelmed　with　an　indescribable　feel…
  ing；　in　the　fulness　of　which　I　turned　to　Sandy；　who
  was　near　by；　and　said；　〃We　are　betrayed！〃　　〃Well；〃
  said　he；　〃that　thought　has　this　moment　struck　me。〃
  We　said　no　more。　　I　was　never　more　certain　of　any
  thing。
  The　horn　was　blown　as　usual；　and　we　went　up
  from　the　field　to　the　house　for　breakfast。　　I　went　for
  the　form；　more　than　for　want　of　any　thing　to　eat
  that　morning。　　Just　as　I　got　to　the　house；　in　looking
  out　at　the　lane　gate；　I　saw　four　white　men；　with
  two　colored　men。　　The　white　men　were　on　horseback；
  and　the　colored　ones　were　walking　behind；　as　if　tied。
  I　watched　them　a　few　moments　till　they　got　up　to
  our　lane　gate。　　Here　they　halted；　and　tied　the　colored
  men　to　the　gate…post。　　I　was　not　yet　certain　as　to
  what　the　matter　was。　　In　a　few　moments；　in　rode
  Mr。　Hamilton；　with　a　speed　betokening　great　excite…
  ment。　　He　came　to　the　door；　and　inquired　if　Master
  William　was　in。　　He　was　told　he　was　at　the　barn。　　Mr。
  Hamilton；　without　dismounting；　rode　up　to　the　barn
  with　extraordinary　speed。　　In　a　few　moments；　he　and
  Mr。　Freeland　returned　to　the　house。　　By　this　time；
  the　three　constables　rode　up；　and　in　great　haste　dis…
  mounted；　tied　their　horses；　and　met　Master　William
  and　Mr。　Hamilton　returning　from　the　barn；　and
  after　talking　awhile；　they　all　walked　up　to　the
  kitchen　door。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　kitchen　but
  myself　and　John。　　Henry　and　Sandy　were　up　at　the
  barn。　　Mr。　Freeland　put　his　head　in　at　the　door；　and
  called　me　by　name；　saying；　there　were　some　gentle…
  men　at　the　door　who　wished　to　see　me。　　I　stepped
  to　the　door；　and　inquired　what　they　wanted。　　They
  at　once　seized　me；　and；　without　giving　me　any　satis…
  faction；　tied　melashing　my　hands　closely　together。
  I　insisted　upon　knowing　what　the　matter　was。　　They
  at　length　said；　that　they　had　learned　I　had　been　in　a
  〃scrape；〃　and　that　I　was　to　be　examined　before　my
  master；　and　if　their　information　proved　false；　I
  should　not　be　hurt。
  In　a　few　moments；　they　succeeded　in　tying　John。
  They　then　turned　to　Henry；　who　had　by　this　time
  returned；　and　commanded　him　to　cross　his　hands。
  〃I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　firm　tone；　indicating　his
  readiness　to　meet　the　consequences　of　his　refusal。
  〃Won't　you？〃　said　Tom　Graham；　the　constable。　　〃No；
  I　won't！〃　said　Henry；　in　a　still　stronger　tone。　　With
  this；　two　of　the　constables　pulled　out　their　shining
  pistols；　and　swore；　by　their　Creator；　that　they　would
  make　him　cross　his　hands　or　kill　him。　　Each　cocked
  his　pistol；　and；　with　fingers　on　the　trigger；　walked
  up　to　Henry；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　if　he　did　not
  cross　his　hands；　they　would　blow　his　damned　heart
  out。　　〃Shoot　me；　shoot　me！〃　said　Henry；　〃you　can't
  kill　me　but　once。　　Shoot；　shoot；and　be　damned！　　~I
  won't　be　tied！~〃　　This　he　said　in　a　tone　of　loud　defi…
  ance；　and　at　the　same　time；　with　a　motion　as　quick
  as　lightning；　he　with　one　single　stroke　dashed　the
  pistols　from　the　hand　of　each　constable。　　As　he　did
  this；　all　hands　fell　upon　him；　and；　after　beating
  him　some　time；　they　finally　overpowered　him；　and
  got　him　tied。
  During　the　scuffle；　I　managed；　I　know　not　how；
  to　get　my　pass　out；　and；　without　being　discovered；
  put　it　into　the　fire。　　We　were　all　now　tied；　and　just
  as　we　were　to　leave　for　Easton　jail；　Betsy　Freeland；
  mother　of　William　Freeland；　came　to　the　door　with
  her　hands　full　of　biscuits；　and　divided　them　between
  Henry　and　John。　　She　then　delivered　herself　of　a
  speech；　to　the　following　effect：addressing　herself
  to　me；　she　said；　〃~You　devil！　　You　yellow　devil！~　it　was
  you　that　put　it　into　the　heads　of　Henry　and　John
  to　run　away。　　But　for　you；　you　long…legged　mulatto
  devil！　Henry　nor　John　would　never　have　thought
  of　such　a　thing。〃　　I　made　no　reply；　and　was　imme…
  diately　hurried　off　towards　St。　Michael's。　　Just　a　mo…
  ment　previous　to　the　scuffle　with　Henry；　Mr。　Hamil…
  ton　suggested　the　propriety　of　making　a　search　for
  the　protections　which　he　had　understood　Frederick
  had　written　for　himself　and　the　rest。　　But；　just　at
  the　moment　he　was　about　carrying　his　proposal　into
  effect；　his　aid　was　needed　in　helping　to　tie　Henry；
  and　the　excitement　attending　the　scuffle　caused
  them　either　to　forget；　or　to　deem　it　unsafe；　under
  the　circumstances；　to　search。　　So　we　were　not　yet
  convicted　of　the　intention　to　run　away。
  When　we　got　about　half　way　to　St。　Michael's；
  while　the　constables　having　us　in　charge　were　look…
  ing　ahead；　Henry　inquired　of　me　what　he　should
  do　with　his　pass。　　I　told　him　to　eat　it　with　his　biscuit；
  and　own　nothing；　and　we　passed　the　word　around；
  〃~Own　nothing；~〃　and　〃~Own　nothing！~〃　said　we　all。
  Our　confidence　in　each　other　was　unshaken。　　We
  were　resolved　to　succeed　or　fail　together；　after　the
  calamity　had　befallen　us　as　much　as　before。　　We
  were　now　pre