the latter and over the arms.  In either of these ways the slave was entirely at the mercy of his tormentors, and the whipping could proceed at their pleasure.  After these whippings the slave was often left helpless and bleeding upon the ground, until the master, or overseer, saw fit to let him up.  The most common method of punishment was to have the servants form a ring, called the “bull ring,” into which the one to be punished was led naked.  The slaves were then each given a switch, rawhide, strap or whip, and each one was compelled to cut at the poor victim as he ran around the ring.  The ring was composed of men, women and children; and, as they numbered from forty to fifty, each circuit of the ring would result in that number of lashes, and by the time the victim had made two or three rounds his condition can be readily imagined.  The overseer was always one of the ring, vigorously using the whip, and seeing that all the slaves did the same.  Some of the victims fainted before they had passed once around the ring.  Women slaves were punished in the same manner as the men.  The salt water bath was given after each punishment.  Runaway slaves were usually caught by means of hounds, trained for the purpose by men who made it a business and a source of revenue, notwithstanding its brutal features and degrading influence.

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Fourth of July barbecue.

Barbecue originally meant to dress and roast a hog whole, but has come to mean the cooking of a food animal in this manner for the feeding of a great company.  A feast of this kind was always given to us, by Boss, on the 4th of July.  The anticipation of it acted as a stimulant through the entire year.  Each one looked forward to this great day of recreation with pleasure.  Even the older slaves would join in the discussion of the coming event.  It mattered not what trouble or hardship the year had brought, this feast and its attendant pleasure would dissipate all gloom.  Some, probably, would be punished on the morning of the 4th, but this did not matter; the men thought of the good things in store for them, and that made them forget that they had been punished.  All the week previous to the great day, the slaves were in high spirits, the young girls and boys, each evening, congregating, in front of the cabins, to talk of the feast, while others would sing and dance.  The older slaves were not less happy, but would only say; “Ah!  God has blessed us in permitting us to see another feast day.”  The day before the 4th was a busy one.  The slaves worked with all their might.  The children who were large enough were engaged in bringing wood and bark to the spot where the barbecue was to take place.  They worked eagerly, all day long; and, by the time the sun was setting, a huge pile of fuel was beside the trench, ready for use in the morning.  At an early hour of the great day, the servants were up, and the men whom Boss had appointed to look after the killing