stice. In many instances the rapt
attention paid by friends, when listening to the sad recitals of such
passengers, would unavoidably consume so much time that but little
opportunity was afforded to make any record of them. Particularly was
this the case with regard to the above-mentioned individuals. The story
of each was so long and sad, that a member of the Committee in
attempting to write it out, found that the two narratives would take
volumes. That all traces, of these heroes might not be lost, a mere
fragment is all that was preserved.

The original names of these adventurers, were Joseph Grant and John
Speaks. Between two and three years before escaping, they were sold from
Maryland to John B. Campbell a negro trader, living in Baltimore, and
thence to Campbell's brother, another trader in New Orleans, and
subsequently to Daniel McBeans and Mr. Henry, of Harrison county,
Mississippi.

Though both had to pass through nearly the same trial, and belonged to
the same masters, this recital must be confined chiefly to the incidents
in the career of Joseph. He was about twenty-seven years of age, well
made, quite black, intelligent and self-possessed in his manner.

He was owned in Maryland by Mrs. Mary Gibson, who resided at St.
Michael's on the Eastern Shore. She was a _nice woman_ he said, but her
property was under mortgage and had to be sold, and he was in danger of
sharing the same fate.

Joseph was a married man, and spoke tenderly of his wife. She "promised"
him when he was sold that she would "never marry," and earnestly
entreated him, if he "ever met with the luck, to come and see her." She
was unaware perhaps at that time of the great distance that was to
divide them; his feelings on being thus sundered need not be stated.
However, he had scarcely been in Mississippi three weeks, ere his desire
to return to his wife, and the place of his nativity constrained him to
attempt to return; accordingly he set off, crossing a lake eighty miles
wide in a small boat, he reached Kent Island. There he was captured by
the watchman on the Island, who with _pistols, dirk and cutlass_ in
hand, threatened if he resisted that death would be his instant doom. Of
course he was returned to his master.

He remained there a few months, but could content himself no longer to
endure the ills of his condition. So he again started for home, walked
to Mobile, and thence he succeeded in stowing himself away in a
steamboat and was