The time arrived and Pete bade farewell to Slavery, resolved to follow the North Star, with his pistol in hand ready for action.  After traveling about two hundred miles from home he unexpectedly had an opportunity of using his pistol.  To his astonishment he suddenly came face to face with a former master, whom he had not seen for a long time.  Pete desired no friendly intercourse with him whatever; but he perceived that his old master recognized him and was bent upon stopping him.  Pete held on to his pistol, but moved as fast as his wearied limbs would allow him, in an opposite direction.  As he was running, Pete cautiously, cast his eye over his shoulder, to see what had become of his old master, when to his amazement, he found that a regular chase was being made after him.  Need of redoubling his pace was quite obvious.  In this hour of peril, Pete’s legs saved him.

After this signal leg-victory, Pete had more confidence in his “understandings,” than he had in his old pistol, although he held on to it until he reached Philadelphia, where he left it in the possession of the Secretary of the Committee.  Considering it worth saving simply as a relic of the Underground Rail Road, it was carefully laid aside.  Pete was now christened Samuel Sparrows.  Mr. Sparrows had the rust of Slavery washed off as clean as possible and the Committee furnishing him with clean clothes, a ticket, and letters of introduction, started him on Canada-ward, looking quite respectable.  And doubtless he felt even more so than he looked; free air had a powerful effect on such passengers as Samuel Sparrows.

The unpleasantness which grew out of the mischief done by the ox on George Matthews’ farm took place the first of October, 1855.  Pete may be described as a man of unmixed blood, well-made, and intelligent.

* * * * *

“MOSES” ARRIVES WITH SIX PASSENGERS.

“NOT ALLOWED TO SEEK A MASTER;”—­“VERY DEVILISH;”—­FATHER “LEAVES TWO
LITTLE SONS;”—­“USED HARD;”—­“FEARED FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF YOUNG
HEIRS,” ETC.  JOHN CHASE, ALIAS DANIEL FLOYD; BENJAMIN ROSS, ALIAS JAMES
STEWART; HENRY ROSS, ALIAS LEVIN STEWART; PETER JACKSON, ALIAS STAUNCH
TILGHMAN; JANE KANE, ALIAS CATHARINE KANE, AND ROBERT ROSS.

The coming of these passengers was heralded by Thomas Garrett as follows: 

THOMAS GARRETT’S LETTER.

    WILMINGTON, 12 mo. 29th, 1854.

ESTEEMED FRIEND, J. MILLER MCKIM:—­We made arrangements last night, and sent away Harriet Tubman, with six men and one woman to Allen Agnew’s, to be forwarded across the country to the city.  Harriet, and one of the men had worn their shoes off their feet, and I gave them two dollars to help fit them out, and directed a carriage to be hired at my expense, to take them out, but do not yet know the expense.  I now have two more from the lowest county in Maryland, on the Peninsula, upwards of one hundred miles.  I will try to get one of our trusty colored men to take them to-morrow morning to the Anti-slavery office.  You can then pass them on.

    THOMAS GARRETT.