The　colonel　also　kept　a　splendid　riding　equipage。
  His　stable　and　carriage…house　presented　the　appear…
  ance　of　some　of　our　large　city　livery　establishments。
  His　horses　were　of　the　finest　form　and　noblest　blood。
  His　carriage…house　contained　three　splendid　coaches；
  three　or　four　gigs；　besides　dearborns　and　barouches
  of　the　most　fashionable　style。
  This　establishment　was　under　the　care　of　two
  slavesold　Barney　and　young　Barneyfather　and　son。
  To　attend　to　this　establishment　was　their　sole　work。
  But　it　was　by　no　means　an　easy　employment；　for　in
  nothing　was　Colonel　Lloyd　more　particular　than　in
  the　management　of　his　horses。　　The　slightest　inat…
  tention　to　these　was　unpardonable；　and　was　visited
  upon　those；　under　whose　care　they　were　placed；　with
  the　severest　punishment；　no　excuse　could　shield
  them；　if　the　colonel　only　suspected　any　want　of
  attention　to　his　horsesa　supposition　which　he　fre…
  quently　indulged；　and　one　which；　of　course；　made
  the　office　of　old　and　young　Barney　a　very　trying　one。
  They　never　knew　when　they　were　safe　from　punish…
  ment。　　They　were　frequently　whipped　when　least
  deserving；　and　escaped　whipping　when　most　deserv…
  ing　it。　　Every　thing　depended　upon　the　looks　of　the
  horses；　and　the　state　of　Colonel　Lloyd's　own　mind
  when　his　horses　were　brought　to　him　for　use。　　If　a
  horse　did　not　move　fast　enough；　or　hold　his　head
  high　enough；　it　was　owing　to　some　fault　of　his　keep…
  ers。　　It　was　painful　to　stand　near　the　stable…door；
  and　hear　the　various　complaints　against　the　keepers
  when　a　horse　was　taken　out　for　use。　　〃This　horse　has
  not　had　proper　attention。　　He　has　not　been　suffi…
  ciently　rubbed　and　curried；　or　he　has　not　been　prop…
  erly　fed；　his　food　was　too　wet　or　too　dry；　he　got　it
  too　soon　or　too　late；　he　was　too　hot　or　too　cold；　he
  had　too　much　hay；　and　not　enough　of　grain；　or　he
  had　too　much　grain；　and　not　enough　of　hay；　instead
  of　old　Barney's　attending　to　the　horse；　he　had　very
  improperly　left　it　to　his　son。〃　　To　all　these　com…
  plaints；　no　matter　how　unjust；　the　slave　must　an…
  swer　never　a　word。　　Colonel　Lloyd　could　not　brook
  any　contradiction　from　a　slave。　　When　he　spoke；　a
  slave　must　stand；　listen；　and　tremble；　and　such　was
  literally　the　case。　　I　have　seen　Colonel　Lloyd　make
  old　Barney；　a　man　between　fifty　and　sixty　years　of
  age；　uncover　his　bald　head；　kneel　down　upon　the
  cold；　damp　ground；　and　receive　upon　his　naked　and
  toil…worn　shoulders　more　than　thirty　lashes　at　the
  time。　　Colonel　Lloyd　had　three　sonsEdward；　Mur…
  ray；　and　Daniel；and　three　sons…in…law；　Mr。　Winder；
  Mr。　Nicholson；　and　Mr。　Lowndes。　　All　of　these　lived
  at　the　Great　House　Farm；　and　enjoyed　the　luxury　of
  whipping　the　servants　when　they　pleased；　from　old
  Barney　down　to　William　Wilkes；　the　coach…driver。
  I　have　seen　Winder　make　one　of　the　house…servants
  stand　off　from　him　a　suitable　distance　to　be　touched
  with　the　end　of　his　whip；　and　at　every　stroke　raise
  great　ridges　upon　his　back。
  To　describe　the　wealth　of　Colonel　Lloyd　would
  be　almost　equal　to　describing　the　riches　of　Job。　　He
  kept　from　ten　to　fifteen　house…servants。　　He　was　said
  to　own　a　thousand　slaves；　and　I　think　this　estimate
  quite　within　the　truth。　　Colonel　Lloyd　owned　so
  many　that　he　did　not　know　them　when　he　saw　them；
  nor　did　all　the　slaves　of　the　out…farms　know　him。　　It
  is　reported　of　him；　that；　while　riding　along　the　road
  one　day；　he　met　a　colored　man；　and　addressed　him
  in　the　usual　manner　of　speaking　to　colored　people
  on　the　public　highways　of　the　south：　〃Well；　boy；
  whom　do　you　belong　to？〃　　〃To　Colonel　Lloyd；〃　re…
  plied　the　slave。　　〃Well；　does　the　colonel　treat　you
  well？〃　　〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　ready　reply。　　〃What；　does
  he　work　you　too　hard？〃　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　　〃Well；　don't　he
  give　you　enough　to　eat？〃　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　gives　me
  enough；　such　as　it　is。〃
  The　colonel；　after　ascertaining　where　the　slave
  belonged；　rode　on；　the　man　also　went　on　about　his
  business；　not　dreaming　that　he　had　been　conversing
  with　his　master。　　He　thought；　said；　and　heard　noth…
  ing　more　of　the　matter；　until　two　or　three　weeks
  afterwards。　　The　poor　man　was　then　informed　by　his
  overseer　that；　for　having　found　fault　with　his　master；
  he　was　now　to　be　sold　to　a　Georgia　trader。　　He　was
  immediately　chained　and　handcuffed；　and　thus；
  without　a　moment's　warning；　he　was　snatched　away；
  and　forever　sundered；　from　his　family　and　friends；
  by　a　hand　more　unrelenting　than　death。　　This　is　the
  penalty　of　telling　the　truth；　of　telling　the　simple
  truth；　in　answer　to　a　series　of　plain　questions。
  It　is　partly　in　consequence　of　such　facts；　that
  slaves；　when　inquired　of　as　to　their　condition　and
  the　character　of　their　masters；　almost　universally　say
  they　are　contented；　and　that　their　masters　are　kind。
  The　slaveholders　have　been　known　to　send　in　spies
  among　their　slaves；　to　ascertain　their　views　and　feel…
  ings　in　regard　to　their　condition。　　The　frequency　of
  this　has　had　the　effect　to　establish　among　the　slaves
  the　maxim；　that　a　still　tongue　makes　a　wise　head。
  They　suppress　the　truth　rather　than　take　the　con…
  sequences　of　telling　it；　and　in　so　doing　prove　them…
  selves　a　part　of　the　human　family。　　If　they　have　any
  thing　to　say　of　their　masters；　it　is　generally　in　their
  masters'　favor；　especially　when　speaking　to　an　un…
  tried　man。　　I　have　been　frequently　asked；　when　a
  slave；　if　I　had　a　kind　master；　and　do　not　remember
  ever　to　have　given　a　negative　answer；　nor　did　I；　in
  pursuing　this　course；　consider　myself　as　uttering　what
  was　absolutely　false；　for　I　always　measured　the　kind…
  ness　of　my　master　by　the　standard　of　kindness　set
  up　among　slaveholders　around　us。　　Moreover；　slaves
  are　like　other　people；　and　imbibe　prejudices　quite
  common　to　others。　　They　think　their　own　better　than
  that　of　others。　　Many；　under　the　influence　of　this
  prejudice；　think　their　own　masters　are　better　than
  the　masters　of　other　slaves；　and　this；　too；　in　some
  cases；　when　the　very　reverse　is　true。　　Indeed；　it　is
  not　uncommon　for　slaves　even　to　fall　out　and　quar…
  rel　among　themselves　about　the　relative　goodness　of
  their　masters；　each　contending　for　the　superior　good…
  ness　of　his　own　over　that　of　the　others。　　At　the　very
  same　time；　they　mutually　execrate　their　masters
  when　viewed　separately。　　It　was　so　on　our　plantation。
  When　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　met　the　slaves　of　Jacob
  Jepson；　they　seldom　parted　without　a　quarrel　about
  their　masters；　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　contending　that
  he　was　the　richest；　and　Mr。　Jepson's　slaves　that　he
  was　the　smartest；　and　most　of　a　man。　　Colonel　Lloyd's
  slaves　would　boast　his　ability　to　buy　and　sell　Jacob
  Jepson。　　Mr。　Jepson's　slaves　would　boast　his　ability
  to　whip　Colonel　Lloyd。　　These　quarrels　would　almost
  always　end　in　a　fight　between　the　parties；　and　those
  that　whipped　were　supposed　to　have　gained　the
  point　at　issue。　　They　seemed　to　think　that　the　great…
  ness　of　their　masters　was　transferable　to　themselves。
  It　was　considered　as　being　bad　enough　to　be　a
  slave；　but　to　be　a　poor　man's　slave　was　deemed　a
  disgrace　indeed！
  CHAPTER　IV
  Mr。　Hopkins　remained　but　a　short　time　in　the
  office　of　overseer。　　Why　his　career　was　so　short；　I
  do　not　know；　but　suppose　he　lacked　the　necessary
  severity　to　suit　Colonel　Lloyd。　　Mr。　Hopkins　was　suc…
  ceeded　by　Mr。　Austin　Gore；　a　man　possessing；　in
  an　eminent　degree；　all　those　traits　of　character　in…
  dispensable　to　what　is　called　a　first…rate　overseer。　　Mr。
  Gore　had　served　Colonel　Lloyd；　in　the　capacity　of
  overseer；　upon　one　of　the　out…farms；　and　had　shown
  himself　worthy　of　the　high　station　of　overseer　upon
  the　home　or　Great　House　Farm。
  Mr。　Gore　was　proud；　ambitious；　and　persevering。
  He　was　artful；　cruel；　and　obdurate。　　He　was　just　the
  man　for　such　a　place；　and　it　was　just　the　place　for
  such　a　man。　　It　afforded　scope　for　the　full　exercise
  of　all　his　powers；　and　he　seemed　to　be　perfectly
  at　home　in　it。　　He　was　one　of　those　who　could　torture
  the　slightest　look；　word；　or　gesture；　on　the　part　of
  the　slave；　into　impudence；　and　would　treat　it　ac…
  cordingly。　　There　must　be　no　answering　back　to　him；
  no　explanation　was　allowed　a　slave；　showing　himself
  to　have　been　wrongfully　accused。　　Mr。　Gore　acted
  fully　up　to　the　maxim　laid　down　by　slaveholders；
  〃It　is　better　that　a　dozen　slaves　should　suffer　under　the
  lash；　than　that　the　overseer　should　be　convicted；　in
  the　presence　of　the　slaves；　of　having　been　at　fault。〃
  No　matter　how　innocent　a　slave　might　beit　availed
  him　nothing；　when　accused　by　Mr。　Gore　of　any
  misdemeanor。　　To　be　accused　was　to　be　convicted；
  and　to　be　convicted　was　to　be　punished；　the　one
  always　following　the　other　with　immutable　certainty。
  To　escape　punishment　was　to　escape　accusation；　and
  few　slaves　had　the　fortune　to　do　either；　under　the
  overseership　of　Mr。　Gore。　　He　was　just　proud　enough
  to　demand　the　most　debasing　homage　of　the　slave；
  and　quite　servile