What those uses were, a moment's observation showed me.

In the middle of the floor, which was mostly rotted away, a space about
fifteen feet square was covered with thick pine planking, strongly
nailed to the beams. In the centre of this planking an oaken block was
firmly bolted, and to it was fastened a strong iron staple that held a
log-chain, to which was attached a pair of shackles. Above this, was a
queer frame-work of oak, somewhat resembling the contrivance for drying
fruit I have seen in Yankee farm-houses. Attached to the rafters by
stout pieces of timber, were two hickory poles, placed horizontally, and
about four feet apart, the lower one rather more than eight feet from
the floor. This was the whipping-rack, and hanging to it were several
stout whips with short hickory handles, and long triple lashes. I took
one down for closer inspection, and found burned into the wood, in large
letters, the words 'Moral Suasion.' I questioned the appropriateness of
the label, but the Colonel insisted with great gravity that the whip is
the only 'moral suasion' a darky is capable of understanding.

When punishment is inflicted on one of the Colonel's negroes, his feet
are confined in the shackles, his arms tied above his head, and drawn by
a stout cord up to one of the horizontal poles; then, his back bared to
the waist, and standing on tip-toe, with every muscle stretched to its
utmost tension, he takes 'de lashes.'

A more severe but more unusual punishment is the 'thumb-screw.' In this
a noose is passed around the negro's thumb and fore-finger, while the
cord is thrown over the upper cross-pole, and the culprit is drawn up
till his toes barely touch the ground. In this position the whole
weight of the body rests on the thumb and fore-finger. The torture is
excruciating, and strong, able-bodied men can endure it but a few
moments. The Colonel naively told me that he had discontinued its
practice, as several of his _women_ had nearly lost the use of their
hands, and been incapacited for field labor, by its too frequent
repetition. 'My ---- drivers,'[L] he added, 'have no discretion, and no
humanity; if they have a pique against a nigger, they show him no
mercy.'

The old shanty I have described was now the place of the Overseer's
confinement. Open as it was at top, bottom, and sides, it seemed an
unsafe prison-house; but Jim had rendered its present occupant secure by
placing 'de padlocks on him.'

'Where did you ca