I am no believer in soothsaying; yet I am sometimes at a loss to know how Uncle Frank could tell so accurately what would occur in the future.  Among the many things he told was one which was enough to pay me for all the trouble of hunting him up.  It was that I should be free!  He further said, that in trying to get my liberty, I would meet with many severe trials.  I thought to myself, any fool could tell me that!

The first place in which we landed in a free State was Cairo, a small village at the mouth of the Ohio river.  We remained here but a few hours, when we proceeded to Louisville.  After unloading some of the cargo, the boat started on her upward trip.  The next day was the first of January.  I had looked forward to New Year’s day as the commencement of a new era in the history of my life.  I had decided upon leaving the peculiar institution that day.

During the last night that I served in slavery, I did not close my eyes a single moment.  When not thinking of the future, my mind dwelt on the past.  The love of a dear mother, a dear sister, and three dear brothers, yet living, caused me to shed many tears.  If I could only have been assured of their being dead, I should have felt satisfied; but I imagined I saw my dear mother in the cotton-field, followed by a merciless taskmaster, and no one to speak a consoling word to her!  I beheld my dear sister in the hands of a slave-driver, and compelled to submit to his cruelty!  None but one placed in such a situation can for a moment imagine the intense agony to which these reflections subjected me.

CHAPTER XIII.

At the time for action arrived.  The boat landed at a point which appeared to me the place of all others to start from.  I found that it would be impossible to carry anything with me, but what was upon my person.  I had some provisions, and a single suit of clothes, about half worn.  When the boat was discharging her cargo, and the passengers engaged carrying their baggage on and off shore, I improved the opportunity to convey myself with my little effects on land.  Taking up a trunk, I went up the wharf, and was soon out of the crowd.  I made directly for the woods, where I remained until night knowing well that I could not travel, even in the State of Ohio, during the day, without danger of being arrested.

I had long since made up my mind that I would not trust myself in the hands of any man, white or colored.  The slave is brought up to look upon every white man as an enemy to him and his race; and twenty-one years in slavery had taught me that there were traitors, even among colored people.  After dark, I emerged from the woods into a narrow path, which led me into the main travelled road.  But I knew not which way to go.  I did not know North from South, East from West.  I looked in vain for the North Star; a heavy cloud hid it from my view.  I walked up and down the road until near midnight, when the clouds disappeared, and I welcomed the sight of my friend,—­truly the slave’s friend,—­the North Star!