ion. Years ago the slaves were in the habit
of raising broom-corn, and making brooms to supply the market in the
towns; but now of later years great quantities of these and other
articles, such as scrubbing-brushes, wooden trays, mats, baskets, and
straw hats which the slaves made, are furnished by the shakers and other
small manufacturers, from the free states of the north.

Neither my master or any other master, within my acquaintance, made any
provisions for the religious instruction of his slaves. They were not
worked on the Sabbath. One of the "boys" was required to stay at home and
"feed," that is, take care of the stock, every Sabbath; the rest went to
see their friends. Those men whose families were on other plantations
usually spent the Sabbath with them; some would lie about at home and rest
themselves.

When it was pleasant weather my master would ride "into town" to church,
but I never knew him to say a word to one of us about going to church, or
about our obligations to God, or a future state. But there were a number
of pious slaves in our neighbourhood, and several of these my master
owned; one of these was an exhorter. He was not connected with a religious
body, but used to speak every Sabbath in some part of the neighbourhood.
When slaves died, their remains were usually consigned to the grave
without any ceremony; but this old gentleman, wherever he heard of a slave
having been buried in that way, would send notice from plantation to
plantation, calling the slaves together at the grave on the Sabbath, where
he'd sing, pray, and exhort. I have known him to go ten or fifteen miles
voluntarily to attend these services. He could not read, and I never heard
him refer to any Scripture, and state and discourse upon any fundamental
doctrine of the gospel; but he knew a number of "spiritual songs by
heart," of these he would give two lines at a time very exact, set and
lead the tune himself; he would pray with great fervour, and his
exhortations were amongst the most impressive I have heard.

The Methodists at one time attempted to evangelize the slaves in our
neighbourhod, but the effort was sternly resisted by the masters. They
held a Camp Meeting in the neighbourhood, where many of the slaves
attended. But one of their preachers for addressing words of comfort to
the slaves, was arrested and tried for his life.

My master was very active in this disgraceful affair, but the excellent
man, Rev. Mr. G., was a