ered with
gloom, sunk down to the utmost despair. I thought the possibility of
freedom was gone. I was kept in this way about one week, at the end of
which, Captain Auld, my master, to my surprise and utter astonishment,
came up, and took me out, with the intention of sending me, with a
gentleman of his acquaintance, into Alabama. But, from some cause or
other, he did not send me to Alabama, but concluded to send me back to
Baltimore, to live again with his brother Hugh, and to learn a trade.

Thus, after an absence of three years and one month, I was once more
permitted to return to my old home at Baltimore. My master sent me
away, because there existed against me a very great prejudice in the
community, and he feared I might be killed.

In a few weeks after I went to Baltimore, Master Hugh hired me to Mr.
William Gardner, an extensive ship-builder, on Fell's Point. I was put
there to learn how to calk. It, however, proved a very unfavorable place
for the accomplishment of this object. Mr. Gardner was engaged that
spring in building two large man-of-war brigs, professedly for the
Mexican government. The vessels were to be launched in the July of that
year, and in failure thereof, Mr. Gardner was to lose a considerable
sum; so that when I entered, all was hurry. There was no time to learn
any thing. Every man had to do that which he knew how to do. In entering
the shipyard, my orders from Mr. Gardner were, to do whatever the
carpenters commanded me to do. This was placing me at the beck and call
of about seventy-five men. I was to regard all these as masters. Their
word was to be my law. My situation was a most trying one. At times I
needed a dozen pair of hands. I was called a dozen ways in the space of
a single minute. Three or four voices would strike my ear at the same
moment. It was--"Fred., come help me to cant this timber here."--"Fred.,
come carry this timber yonder."--"Fred., bring that roller
here."--"Fred., go get a fresh can of water."--"Fred., come help saw
off the end of this timber."--"Fred., go quick, and get the
crowbar."--"Fred., hold on the end of this fall."--"Fred., go to the
blacksmith's shop, and get a new punch."--"Hurra, Fred! run and bring
me a cold chisel."--"I say, Fred., bear a hand, and get up a fire as
quick as lightning under that steam-box."--"Halloo, nigger! come,
turn this grindstone."--"Come, come! move, move! and BOWSE this timber
forward."--"I say, darky, blast your eyes, why don't