White Slave (Notable American Authors)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ...121 One of our confederates, in particular, was so alarmed at the fate of poor Billy, that he seemed to have lost all self-control, and we were in constant fear lest he should betray us. VVhen the first paroxysm of his terror was at his height, the evening after he had witnessed the execution, I believe he would gladly have confessed the whole, if he could have found a white man sober enough to listen to him. After a while, he grew more calm; but in the course of the day he had dropped some hints, which were carefully treasured up by one of the drivers. He reported them, as I discovered, to the overseer; but Mr. Martin had not yet recovered from the effects of the frolic, and he was too drunk and stupid to understand a word that the driver said to him. We had begun to get the better of our fears, when a new incident happened, which determined us to seek our safety in flight. Some persons, in passing along the river bank, had discovered our canoe, which, in the hurry of our retreat, we had taken too little care to conceal. It contained not only our bags full of rice,----for we had not yet recovered courage enough to go after them,--but our shoes also, all exactly of the same size, and corresponding with the measure which had been produced upon the trial. Here was ample proof that quite a number had been engaged in the scheme of depredation, and as one of the company had been traced to Loosahachee, it would be reasonable to look for the others upon the same plantation. Luckily, I obtained an early intimation of this discovery, by means of one of the overseer’s house-servants, with whom I had the policy to keep up a pretty intimate connection. A man had arrived at the overseer’s house, his horse dripping with foam, and with an...