In the autumn of the same year I saw a drove of upwards of a hundred, between 40 and 50 of them were fastened to one chain, the links being made of iron rods, as thick in diameter as a man’s little finger.  This drove was bound westward to the Ohio river, to be shipped to the south.  I have seen many droves, and more or less in each, almost without exception, were chained.  I never saw but one drove, that went on their way making merry.  In that one they were blowing horns, singing, &c., and appeared as if they had been drinking whisky.

“They generally appear extremely dejected.  I have seen in the course of five years, on the road near where I reside, 12 or 15 droves at least, passing to the south.  They would average 40 in each drove.  Near the first of January, 1834, I started about sunrise to go to Lewisburg.  It was a bitter cold morning.  I met a drove of negroes, 30 or 40 in number, remarkably ragged and destitute of clothing.  One little boy particularly excited my sympathy.  He was some distance behind the others, not being able to keep up with the rest.  Although he was shivering with cold and crying, the driver was pushing him up in a trot to overtake the main gang.  All of them looked as if they were half-frozen.  There was one remarkable instance of tyranny, exhibited by a boy, not more than eight years old, that came under my observation, in a family by the name of D——­n, six miles from Lewisburg.  This youngster would swear at the slaves, and exert all the strength he possessed, to flog or beat them, with whatever instrument or weapon he could lay hands on, provided they did not obey him instanter.  He was encouraged in this by his father, the master of the slaves.  The slaves often fled from this young tyrant in terror.”

Mr. Hall adds:—­

“The following extract is from a letter, to a student in Marietta College, by his friend in Alabama.  With the writer, Mr. Isaac Knapp, I am perfectly acquainted.  He was a student in the above College, for the space of one year, before going to Alabama, was formerly a resident of Dummerston, Vt.  He is a professor of religion, and as worthy of belief as any member of the community.  Mr. K. has returned from the South, and is now a member of the same college.

“In Jan. (1838) a negro of a widow Phillips, ranaway, was taken up, and confined in Pulaski jail.  One Gibbs, overseer for Mrs. P., mounted on horseback, took him from confinement, compelled him to run back to Elkton, a distance of fifteen miles, whipping him all the way.  When he reached home, the negro exhausted and worn out, exclaimed, ’you have broke my heart,’ i.e. you have killed me.  For this, Gibbs flew into a violent passion, tied the negro to a stake, and, in the language of a witness, ‘cut his back to mince-meat.’  But the fiend was not satisfied with this.  He burnt his legs to a blister, with hot embers, and then chained him naked, in the open air, weary