t 35,
well-made and wide-awake. Fortunately, in emancipating himself, he also,
through great perseverance, secured the freedom of his wife and six
children; one child he was compelled to leave behind. Daniel belonged to
Robert Calender, a farmer, and, "except when in a passion," said to be
"pretty clever." However, considering as a father, that it was his "duty
to do all he could" for his children, and that all work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy, Daniel felt bound to seek refuge in Canada. His
wife and children were owned by "Samuel Count, an old, bald-headed, bad
man," who "had of late years been selling and buying slaves as a
business," though he stood high and was a "big bug in Cambridge." The
children were truly likely-looking.

Nat is no ordinary man. Like a certain other Nat known to history, his
honest and independent bearing in every respect was that of a natural
hero. He was full black, and about six feet high; of powerful physical
proportions, and of more than ordinary intellectual capacities. With the
strongest desire to make the Port of Canada safely, he had resolved to
be "carried back," if attacked by the slave hunters, "only as a dead
man." He was held to service by John Muir, a wealthy farmer, and the
owner of 40 or 50 slaves. "Muir would drink and was generally devilish."
Two of Nat's sisters and one of his brothers had been "sold away to
Georgia by him." Therefore, admonished by threats and fears of having to
pass through the same fiery furnace, Nat was led to consider the
U.G.R.R. scheme. It was through the marriage of Nat's mistress to his
present owner that he came into Muir's hands. "Up to the time of her
death," he had been encouraged to "hope" that he would be "free;"
indeed, he was assured by her "dying testimony that the slaves were not
to be sold." But regardless of the promises and will of his departed
wife, Muir soon extinguished all hopes of freedom from that quarter. But
not believing that God had put one man here to "be the servant of
another--to work," and get none of the benefit of his labor, Nat armed
himself with a good pistol and a big knife, and taking his wife with
him, bade adieu forever to bondage. Observing that Lizzie (Nat's wife)
looked pretty decided and resolute, a member of the committee remarked,
"Would your wife fight for freedom?" "I have heard her say she would
wade through blood and tears for her freedom," said Nat, in the most
serious mood.

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