's favor." Upon the
whole, however, it was manifest that the McLane slaves had not been
among the number who had seen severe hardships. They came from his
plantation in Cecil county, Maryland, where they had been reared.

In order to defend themselves on the Underground Rail Road, they were
strongly armed. Sam had a large horse pistol and a butcher knife; Jack
had a revolver; Abe had a double-barrelled pistol and a large knife; Jim
had a single-barrelled pistol and counted on "blowing a man down if any
one touched" him. Bill also had a single-barrelled pistol, and when he
started resolved to "come through or die."

Although this party was of the class said to be well fed, well clothed,
and not over-worked, yet to those who heard them declare their utter
detestation of slavery and their determination to use their instruments
of death, even to the taking of life, rather than again be subjected to
the yoke, it was evident that even the mildest form of slavery was
abhorrent. They left neither old nor young masters, whom they desired to
serve any longer or look up to for care and support.

Jack, who was not of the McLane party, but who came with them, had been
kept in ignorance with regard to his age. He was apparently middle-aged,
medium size, dark color, and of average intelligence. He accused William
Knight, a farmer, of having enslaved him contrary to his will or wishes,
and averred that he fled from him because he used him badly and kept
mean overseers. Jack said that his master owned six farms and kept three
overseers to manage them. The slaves numbered twenty-one head. The names
of the overseers were given in the following order: "Alfred King, Jimmy
Allen, and Thomas Brockston." In speaking of their habits, Jack said,
that they were "very smart when the master was about, but as soon as he
was gone they would instantly drop back." "They were all mean, but the
old boss was meaner than them all," and "the overseers were 'fraider' of
him than what I was," said Jack.

His master (Mr. Knight), had a wife and seven children, and was a member
of the Episcopal Church, in "good and regular standing." He was rich,
and, with his family, moved in good society. "His wife was too stingy to
live, and if she was to die, she would die holding on to something,"
said Jack. Jack had once had a wife and three children, but as they
belonged to a slave-holder ("Jim Price") Jack's rights were wholly
ignored, and he lost them.