schooner
turned up, from Wilmington, Delaware. Learning that his voyage extended
to Philadelphia, they sought to find out whether this captain was true
to Freedom. To ascertain this fact required no little address. It had to
be done in such a way, that even the captain would not really understand
what they were up to, should he be found untrue. In this instance,
however, he was the right man in the right place, and very well
understood his business.

Abram and Richard made arrangements with him to bring them away; they
learned when the vessel would start, and that she was loaded with tar,
rosin, and spirits of turpentine, amongst which the captain was to
secrete them. But here came the difficulty. In order that slaves might
not be secreted in vessels, the slave-holders of North Carolina had
procured the enactment of a law requiring all vessels coming North to be
smoked.

To escape this dilemma, the inventive genius of Abram and Richard soon
devised a safe-guard against the smoke. This safe-guard consisted in
silk oil cloth shrouds, made large, with drawing strings, which, when
pulled over their heads, might be drawn very tightly around their
waists, whilst the process of smoking might be in operation. A bladder
of water and towels were provided, the latter to be wet and held to
their nostrils, should there be need. In this manner they had determined
to struggle against death for liberty. The hour approached for being at
the wharf. At the appointed time they were on hand ready to go on the
boat; the captain secreted them, according to agreement. They were ready
to run the risk of being smoked to death; but as good luck would have
it, the law was not carried into effect in this instance, so that the
"smell of smoke was not upon them." The effect of the turpentine,
however, of the nature of which they were totally ignorant, was worse,
if possible, than the smoke would have been. The blood was literally
drawn from them at every pore in frightful quantities. But as heroes of
the bravest type they resolved to continue steadfast as long as a pulse
continued to beat, and thus they finally conquered.

The invigorating northern air and the kind treatment of the Vigilance
Committee acted like a charm upon them, and they improved very rapidly
from their exhaustive and heavy loss of blood. Desiring to retain some
memorial of them, a member of the Committee begged one of their silk
shrouds, and likewise procured an artist to take