The Experience of a Slave in South Carolina by John Andrew Jackson

Author:John Andrew Jackson [Jackson, John Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781537813769
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Charles River Editors
Published: 2018-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER VI.

AMERICAN BUTTERFLY AND SLAVERY.

A bad man called Old Ben Calo, who was nearly seven feet high, used to go about ditching for different slaveholders, far too lazy to work on his own plantation in the Pine Woods. On one occasion, he wanted me to steal from my master a bushel of corn for him, which I refused to do. This annoyed him very much, and, in the course of time, he came to my white people and told them that he saw me the night before on a horse, and that he believed me to be trading with Tom Hancock. This he did to gain their favour. They then asked him how he knew it was me. "I know it was him," he replied. "It might have been a white man," said they. "No; I am sure it was Jackson, for I waited some time for him to return on this side of the branch. After I had started to go home, I heard the noise of horses' feet coming behind. As he approached, I gave him the road, and ordered him to stop; he disregarded this and galloped by. I then pulled the trigger of my gun three times to shoot him, but it would not fire, because he bewitched it." Foolish man—if what he said was true—God alone preserved my life that night. Ben Calo is not the only man who acts, so deceitfully; there are scores whom I might mention. One more instance I will mention here of a man named Squire Sanders; he lived in South Carolina, Sumpter District; he had been in the habit for a long time of trading secretly with slaves, which trading he, of course, found very profitable; and he encouraged them to steal cotton, corn, etc. He was at last suspected of having received stolen property. Thereupon, James Laws and another slaveholder, at once hit on the following plan to find him out: they placed a basket of cotton on the head of one of their own slaves, named Job. Previous to this, however, a negro from the same plantation, named Alex, ran ahead on purpose to inform Squire Sanders that his master was coming that night to test his honesty, and begged him not to purchase anything, of any slave that might come to him. "Well, my boy," said the [Page 34] Squire joyfully, "if I find this to be true, I will make you a present of five dollars." Between ten and eleven o'clock, Job arrived, followed at a distance by his master on horseback. The dogs began to bark, and Squire Sanders came out to enquire what was the matter. "Who's that?" he asked. "James Law's Job," was the answer. "What do you want?" "I have some cotton for you." "Have you got an order from your master to bring me cotton this time of night?" "No, sir," said Job. "How dare you bring me cotton here without an order? go along back, and to-morrow I will see your master about this.

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