he beat him for several minutes with a green switch more than six feet long; while he was writhing with anguish, endeavoring in vain to break the cords with which he was bound, and incessantly crying out, “Lord, master! do pardon me this time! do, master, have mercy!” These expressions have recurred to me a thousand times since; and although they came from one that is not considered among the sons of men, yet I think they are well worthy of remembrance, as they might lead a wise man to consider whether such shall receive mercy from the righteous Judge, as never showed mercy to their fellow men.

“At length I arrived at the dwelling of a planter of my acquaintance, with whom I passed the night.  At about eight o’clock in the evening I heard the barking of several dogs, mingled with the most agonizing cries that I ever heard from any human being.  Soon after the gentleman came in, and began to apologize, by saying that two of his runaway slaves had just been brought home; and as he had previously tried every species of punishment upon them without effect, he knew not what else to add, except to set his blood hounds upon them.  ‘And,’ continued he, ’one of them has been so badly bitten that he has been trying to die.  I am only sorry that he did not; for then I should not have been further troubled with him.  If he lives I intend to send him to Natchez or to New Orleans, to work with the ball and chain.’

“From this last remark I understood that private individuals have the right of thus subjecting their unmanageable slaves.  I have since seen numbers of these ‘ball and chain’ men, both in Natchez and New Orleans, but I do not know whether there were any among them except the state convicts.

“As the summer was drawing towards a close, and the yellow fever beginning to prevail in town, I went to reside some months in the country.  This was the cotton picking season, during which, the planters say, there is a greater necessity for flogging than at any other time.  And I can assure you, that as I have sat in my window night after night, while the cotton was being weighed, I have heard the crack of the whip, without much intermission, for a whole hour, from no less than three plantations, some of which were a full mile distant.

“I found that the slaves were kept in the field from daylight until dark; and then, if they had not gathered what the master or overseer thought sufficient, they were subjected to the lash.

“Many by such treatment are induced to run away and take up their lodging in the woods.  I do not say that all who run away are thus closely pressed, but I do know that many are; and I have known no less than a dozen desert at a time from the same plantation, in consequence of the overseer’s forcing them to work to the extent of their power, and then whipping them for not having done more.

“But suppose that they run away—­what is to become of them in the forest?  If they cannot steal they must perish of hunger—­if the nights are cold, their feet will be frozen; for if they make a fire they may be discovered, and be shot at.  If they attempt to leave the country, their chance of success is about nothing.  They must return, be whipped—­if old offenders, wear the collar, perhaps be branded, and fare worse than before.