miles from New
Orleans. She also owned property and about twenty slaves in the city of
New Orleans.

"I lived there and hired my time for awhile. I saw some hard times on
the plantation. Many a time I have seen slaves whipped almost to
death--well, I tell you I have seen them whipped to death. A slave named
Sam was whipped to death tied to the ground. Joe, another slave, was
whipped to death by the overseer: running away was the crime.

"Four times I was shot. Once, before I would be taken, all hands, young
and old on the plantation were on the chase after me. I was strongly
armed with an axe, tomahawk, and butcher knife. I expected to be killed
on the spot, but I got to the woods and stayed two days. At night I went
back to the plantation and got something to eat. While going back to the
woods I was shot in the thigh, legs, back and head, was badly wounded,
my mind was to die rather than be taken. I ran a half mile after I was
shot, but was taken. I have shot in me now. Feel here on my head, feel
my back, feel buck shot in my thigh. I shall carry shot in me to my
grave. I have been shot four different times. I was shot twice by a
fellow servant; it was my master's orders. Another time by the overseer.
Shooting was no uncommon thing in Louisiana. At one time I was allowed
to raise hogs. I had twenty-five taken from me without being allowed the
first copper.

"My mistress promised me at another time forty dollars for gathering
honey, but when I went to her, she said, by and by, but the by and by
never came. In 1853 my freedom was promised; for five years before this
time I had been overseer; during four years of this time a visit was
made to France by my owners, but on their return my freedom was not
given me. My mistress thought I had made enough money to buy myself.
They asked eleven hundred and fifty dollars for me. I told them that I
hadn't the money. Then they said if I would go with them to Virginia
after a number of slaves they wished to purchase, and would be a good
boy, they would give me my freedom on the return of the trip. We started
on the 8th of June, 1857. I made fair promises wishing to travel, and
they placed all confidence in me. I was to carry the slaves back from
Virginia.

"They came as far as Baltimore, and they began to talk of coming farther
North, to Philadelphia. They talked very good to me, and told me that if
they brought me with them to a free State that I must not leave them;
talked a