by attributing it to the general excitement and perturbation consequent
upon our contemplated plan of escape. I could not, however, shake off
its effect at once. I felt that it boded me no good. Sandy was unusually
emphatic and oracular, and his manner had much to do with the impression
made upon me.

The plan of escape which I recommended, and to which my comrades
assented, was to take a large canoe, owned by Mr. Hamilton, and, on
the Saturday night previous to the Easter holidays, launch out into the
Chesapeake bay, and paddle for its head--a distance of seventy miles
with all our might. Our course, on reaching this point, was, to turn the
canoe adrift, and bend our steps toward the north star, till we reached
a free state.

There were several objections to this plan. One was, the danger from
gales on the bay. In rough weather, the waters of the Chesapeake are
much agitated, and there is danger, in a canoe, of being swamped by the
waves. Another objection was, that the canoe would soon be missed; the
absent persons would, at once, be suspected of having taken it; and
we should be pursued by some of the fast sailing bay craft out of St.
Michael's. Then, again, if we reached the head of the bay, and turned
the canoe adrift, she might prove a guide to our track, and bring the
land hunters after us.

These and other objections were set aside, by the stronger ones which
could be urged against every other plan that could then be{221 PASSES
WRITTEN} suggested. On the water, we had a chance of being regarded as
fishermen, in the service of a master. On the other hand, by taking
the land route, through the counties adjoining Delaware, we should be
subjected to all manner of interruptions, and many very disagreeable
questions, which might give us serious trouble. Any white man is
authorized to stop a man of color, on any road, and examine him, and
arrest him, if he so desires.

By this arrangement, many abuses (considered such even by slaveholders)
occur. Cases have been known, where freemen have been called upon to
show their free papers, by a pack of ruffians--and, on the presentation
of the papers, the ruffians have torn them up, and seized their victim,
and sold him to a life of endless bondage.

The week before our intended start, I wrote a pass for each of our
party, giving them permission to visit Baltimore, during the Easter
holidays. The pass ran after this manner:

This is to certify, that I, the unders