A majority of the Indians were uneducated, and still followed up their old heathen traditional notions.  They made it a rule to have an Indian dance or frolic, about once a fortnight; and they would come together far and near to attend these dances.  They would most generally commence about the middle of the afternoon; and would give notice by the blowing of horns.  One would commence blowing and another would answer, and so it would go all round the neighborhood.  When a number had got together, they would strike a circle about twenty rods in circumference, and kindle up fires about twenty feet apart, all around, in this circle.  In the centre they would have a large fire to dance around, and at each one of the small fires there would be a squaw to keep up the fire, which looked delightful off at a distance.

But the most degrading practice of all, was the use of intoxicating drinks, which were used to a great excess by all that attended these stump dances.  At almost all of these fires there was some one with rum to sell.  There would be some dancing, some singing, some gambling, some fighting, and some yelling; and this was kept up often for two days and nights together.

Their dress for the dance was most generally a great bunch of bird feathers, coon tails, or something of the kind stuck in their heads, and a great many shells tied about their legs to rattle while dancing.  Their manner of dancing is taking hold of each others hands and forming a ring around the large fire in the centre, and go stomping around it until they would get drunk or their heads would get to swimming, and then they would go off and drink, and another set come on.  Such were some of the practises indulged in by these Indian slaveholders.

My last owner was in a declining state of health when he bought me; and not long after he bought me he went off forty or fifty miles from home to be doctored by an Indian doctor, accompanied by his wife.  I was taken along also to drive the carriage and to wait upon him during his sickness.  But he was then so feeble, that his life was of but short duration after the doctor commenced on him.

While he lived, I waited on him according to the best of my ability.  I watched over him night and day until he died, and even prepared his body for the tomb, before I left him.  He died about midnight and I understood from his friends that he was not to be buried until the second day after his death.  I pretended to be taking on at a great rate about his death, but I was more excited about running away, than I was about that, and before daylight the next morning I proved it, for I was on my way to Canada.

I never expected a better opportunity would present itself for my escape.  I slipped out of the room as if I had gone off to weep for the deceased, knowing that they would not feel alarmed about me until after my master was buried and they had returned back to his residence.  And even then, they would think that I was somewhere on my way home; and it would be at least four or five days before they would make any stir in looking after me.  By that time, if I had no bad luck, I should be out of much danger.