I once more touched the
free land, the burden of my mind was removed; if two ton weight had
been taken off me, the relief would not have seemed so great.

From Maurice's Creek I travelled to Philadelphia, and at that place
had a letter written to my wife, at Boston, thanking God that I was on
free land again. On arriving at Boston, I borrowed $150 of a friend,
and, going to New York, I obtained the help of Mr. John Williams to
send the $450 to Norfolk; thus, at length, I bought my son's freedom.
I met him at New York, and brought him on to Boston.

Six other of my children, three boys and three girls, were sold to New
Orleans. Two of these daughters have bought their own freedom. The
eldest of them, Catherine, was sold three times after she was taken
away from Virginia; the first time was by auction. Her last master but
one was a Frenchman; she worked in his sugar-cane and cotton fields.
Another Frenchman inquired for a girl, on whom he could depend, to
wait on his wife, who was in a consumption. Her master offered him my
daughter; they went into the field to see her, and the bargain was
struck. Her new master gave her up to his sick wife, on whom she
waited till her death. As she had waited exceedingly well on his wife,
her master offered her a chance of buying her freedom. She objected to
his terms as too high; for he required her to pay him $4 a week out of
her earnings, and $1,200 for her freedom. He said he could get more
for her, and told her she might get plenty of washing, at a dollar a
dozen: at last she agreed. She lived near the river side, and
obtained plenty of work. So anxious was she to obtain her freedom,
that she worked nearly all her time, days and nights, and Sundays. She
found, however, she gained nothing by working on Sundays, and
therefore left it off. She paid her master punctually her weekly hire,
and also something towards her freedom, for which he gave her
receipts. A good stewardess was wanted for a steamboat on the
Mississippi; she was hired for the place at $30 a month, which is the
usual salary; she also had liberty to sell apples and oranges on
board; and, commonly, the passengers give from twenty-five cents to a
dollar to a stewardess who attends them well. Her entire incoming,
wages and all, amounted to about sixty dollars a month. She remained
at this employment till she had paid the entire sum of $ 1,200 for her
freedom.

As soon as she obtained her free papers, she left the steambo