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
"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 bondage.
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 arrival 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.
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