Although Robert’s master had a wife and five children, the love which Robert bore them was too weak to hold him; and well adapted as the system of Slavery might be to render him happy in the service of young and old masters, it was insufficient for him.  Robert found no rest under Mr. Wright; no privileges, scantily clad, poor food, and a heavy yoke, was the policy of this “superior.”  Robert testified, that for the last five years, matters had been growing worse and worse; that times had never been so bad before.  Of nights, under the new regime, the slaves were locked up and not allowed to go anywhere; flogging, selling, etc., were of every-day occurrence throughout the neighborhood.  Finally, Robert became sick of such treatment, and he found that the spirit of Canada and freedom was uppermost in his heart.  Slavery grew blacker and blacker, until he resolved to “pull up stakes” upon a venture.  The motion was right, and succeeded.

Two other passengers were at the station at the same time, but they had to be forwarded without being otherwise noticed on the book.

* * * * *

ARRIVAL FROM TAPPS’ NECK, MD., 1859.

LEWIS WILSON, JOHN WATERS, ALFRED EDWARDS AND WILLIAM QUINN.

Lewis’ grey hairs signified that he had been for many years plodding under the yoke.  He was about fifty years of age, well set, not tall, but he had about him the marks of a substantial laborer.  He had been brought up on a farm under H. Lynch, whom Lewis described as “a mean man when drunk, and very severe on his slaves.”  The number that he ruled over as his property, was about twenty.  Said Lewis, about two years ago, he shot a free man, and the man died about two hours afterwards; for this offence he was not even imprisoned.  Lynch also tried to cut the throat of John Waters, and succeeded in making a frightful gash on his left shoulder (mark shown), which mark he will carry with him to the grave; for this he was not even sued.  Lewis left five children in bondage, Horace, John, Georgiana, Louisa and Louis, Jr., owned by Bazil and John Benson.

John was forty years of age, dark, medium size, and another of Lynch’s “articles.”  He left his wife Anna, but no children; it was hard to leave her, but he felt that it would be still harder to live and die under the usage that he had experienced on Lynch’s farm.

Alfred was twenty-two years of age; he was of a full dark color, and quite smart.  He fled from John Bryant, a farmer.  Whether he deserved it or not, Alfred gave him a bad character, at least, with regard to the treatment of his slaves.  He left his father and mother, six brothers and sisters.  Traveling under doubts and fears with the thought of leaving a large family of his nearest and dearest friends, was far from being a pleasant undertaking with Alfred, yet he bore up under the trial and arrived in peace.