justice toward a person of color, was
denounced as abolitionism; and the name of abolitionist, subjected its
bearer to frightful liabilities. "D--n _abolitionists,"_ and _"Kill the
niggers,"_ were the watch-words of the foul-mouthed ruffians of those
days. Nothing was done, and probably there would not have been any thing
done, had I been killed in the affray. The laws and the morals of
the Christian city of Baltimore, afforded no protection to the sable
denizens of that city.

Master Hugh, on finding he could get no redress for the cruel wrong,
withdrew me from the employment of Mr. Gardiner, and took me into his
own family, Mrs. Auld kindly taking care of me, and dressing my wounds,
until they were healed, and I was ready to go again to work.

While I was on the Eastern Shore, Master Hugh had met with reverses,
which overthrew his business; and he had given up ship building in his
own yard, on the City Block, and was now acting as foreman of Mr. Walter
Price. The best he could now do for me,{246} was to take me into Mr.
Price's yard, and afford me the facilities there, for completing the
trade which I had began to learn at Gardiner's. Here I rapidly became
expert in the use of my calking tools; and, in the course of a single
year, I was able to command the highest wages paid to journeymen calkers
in Baltimore.

The reader will observe that I was now of some pecuniary value to my
master. During the busy season, I was bringing six and seven dollars per
week. I have, sometimes, brought him as much as nine dollars a week, for
the wages were a dollar and a half per day.

After learning to calk, I sought my own employment, made my own
contracts, and collected my own earnings; giving Master Hugh no trouble
in any part of the transactions to which I was a party.

Here, then, were better days for the Eastern Shore _slave_. I was
now free from the vexatious assalts(sic) of the apprentices at Mr.
Gardiner's; and free from the perils of plantation life, and once more
in a favorable condition to increase my little stock of education, which
had been at a dead stand since my removal from Baltimore. I had, on the
Eastern Shore, been only a teacher, when in company with other slaves,
but now there were colored persons who could instruct me. Many of
the young calkers could read, write and cipher. Some of them had high
notions about mental improvement; and the free ones, on Fell's Point,
organized what they called the _"East Baltim