n and screwpit, to git de cotton fit for de market in
Charleston. Used four mules to gin de cotton and one mule to pack it in
a bale. Had rope ties and all kinds of bagging. Seems to me I 'members
seein' old flour sacks doubled for to put de cotton bales in, in de
screw-press.

"Us raised many cows, hogs, sheep, and goats on de Bell place. Us worked
hard. Us all had one place to eat. Had two women cooks and plenty to
eat, cooked in big pots and ovens. Dere was iron pegs in and up de
kitchen chimneys, chain and hooks to hold pots 'bove de fire. Dat's de
way to boil things, meats and things out de garden.

"Whippin's? Yes sir, I got 'most skinned alive once, when I didn't bring
up de cows one Sunday. Got in a fight wid one of Miss Betsie Aiken's
hands and let de cows git away, was de cause of de whippin'. I was
'shamed to tell him 'bout de fight. Maj. Bell, dis time, whipped me
hisself.

"My white folks was psalm singers. I done drove them to de old brick
church on Little River every Sabbath, as they call Sunday. Dere was Miss
Margaret, his wife, Miss Sallie and Miss Maggie and de two young
marsters, Tom and Hugh. De two boys and me in front and my mistress and
de two girls behind. Maj. Bell, when he went, rode his saddle horse.

"Who-ee! Don't talk to dis nigger 'bout patrollers. They run me many a
time. You had to have a pass wid your name on it, who you b'long to,
where gwine to, and de date you expected back. If they find your pass
was to Mr. James' and they ketch you at Mr. Rabb's, then you got a
floggin', sure and plenty. Maj. Bell was a kind master and would give us
Saturday. Us would go fishin' or rabbit huntin' sometime.

"Us had two doctors, Doctor Furman and Doctor Davis. White folks care
for you when you sick. I didn't have no money in slavery time, didn't
have no use for none. Us had no quarters, houses just here and dere on
de place, 'round de spring where us got water.

"My Marster went to de old war and was a major. He had brass buttons,
butterflies on his shoulders, and all dat, when he come back.

"De Yankees come. Fust thing they look for was money. They put a pistol
right in my forehead and say: 'I got to have your money, where is it?'
Dere was a gal, Caroline, who had some money; they took it away from
her. They took de geese, de chickens and all dat was worth takin' off de
place, stripped it. Took all de meat out de smoke-house, corn out de
crib, cattle out de pasture, burnt de gin-house and c