preferred to hire to.  This always caused Cyrus to dislike him.  Latterly he had been talking of moving into the State of Virginia.  Cyrus disliked this talk exceedingly, but he “said nothing to the white people” touching the matter.  However, he was not long in deciding that such a move would be of no advantage to him; indeed, he had an idea if all was true that he had heard about that place, he would be still more miserable there, than he had ever been under his present owner.  At once, he decided that he would move towards Canada, and that he would be fixed in his new home before his master got off to Virginia, unless he moved sooner than Cyrus expected him to do.  Those nearest of kin, to whom he felt most tenderly allied, and from whom he felt that it would be hard to part, were his father and mother.  He, however, decided that he should have to leave them.  Freedom, he felt, was even worth the giving up of parents.

Believing that company was desirable, he took occasion to submit his plan to certain friends, who were at once pleased with the idea of a trip on the Underground Rail Road, to Canada, etc; and all agreed to join him.  At first, they traveled on foot; of their subsequent travel, mention has already been made in friend Garrett’s epistle.

Joshua is about twenty-seven years of age, quite stout, brown color, and would pass for an intelligent farm hand.  He was satisfied never to wear the yoke again that some one else might reap the benefit of his toil.  His master, Isaac Harris, he denounced as a “drunkard.”  His chief excuse for escaping, was because Harris had “sold” his “only brother.”  He was obliged to leave his father and mother in the hands of his master.

Charles is twenty-two years of age, also stout, and well-made, and apparently possessed all the qualifications for doing a good day’s work on a farm.  He was held to service by Mrs. Mary Hurley.  Charles gave no glowing account of happiness and comfort under the rule of the female sex, indeed, he was positive in saying that he had “been used rough.”  During the present year, he was sold for $1200.

Ephraim is twenty-two years of age, stout and athletic, one who appears in every way fitted for manual labor or anything else that he might be privileged to learn.  John Campbell Henry, was the name of the man whom he had been taught to address as master, and for whose benefit he had been compelled to labor up to the day he “took out.”  In considering what he had been in Maryland and how he had been treated all his life, he alleged that John Campbell Henry was a “bad man.”  Not only had Ephraim been treated badly by his master but he had been hired out to a man no better than his master, if as good.  Ephraim left his mother and six brothers and sisters.

Francis is twenty-one, an able-bodied “article,” of dark color, and was owned by James A. Waddell.  All that he could say of his owner, was, that he was a “hard master,” from whom he was very glad to escape.