Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself

hildren-Mode of extorting extra labor-Neglect of the

ard the Deacon tell one of the slave girls, that he had bought her for a wife for his boy Stephen, which office he compelled her fully to perform against her will. This he enforced by a thre

just as her master had ordered. He had a white overseer, and a colored man for a driver, whose business it

compel me to do it. He then informed me that I was to be his overseer, and that he had bought me for that purpose. He was paying a man eight hundred dollars a year to oversee, and he believed I was competent to do the same business, and if I woul

lease him and her mistress, if he would have mercy on her. But this plea was all vain. He commenced on her again; and this flogging was carried on in the most inhuman manne

t brine, before she was untied, which was so revolting to

e he saw that I was not savage enough. The above were about the firs

ght of revelation, was more than I could endure. I really felt as if I had got into one of the darkest corners of the earth. I thought I was almost out of humanity's reach, and should never again have the pleasu

hands, as the greater part of my time was spent w

th, before daylight in the morning. Each person had to have his torch lit, and come with it in his hand to the gin house, before the overseer an

o eat but once during the day. Another object was, to do up their flogging which had been omitted over night. I have often heard the sound of the slave driver's la

have heard him say that he was no better pleased than when he could hear the overseer's loud complaining

eir helpless little children, which they had to carry with them to the cotton fields, where they had to set on the damp ground alone from morning till night, exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, liable to be bitt

in the fields, where they can go to them at noon, when they are allowed to stop work for one half hour. This is the reason why so very few slave children are raised on these cotton plantations, the mothers have no time to take care of them-and they are

izes. For example; the overseer will offer something worth one or two dollars to any slave who will pick out the most cotton in one day, dividing the hands off in thr

he overseer can tell just how much every hand can pick. He then gives the present to those th

thing to eat before they could lie down to rest. Their corn they had to grind on a hand mill for bread stuff, or pound it in a mortar; and by the time they would get their supp

f their sickness, but never had studied the medical profession. He always pronounced a slave who said he

oon after it, the dose was repeated. If that should not accomplish the object for which it was given, or have the desired effect, a pot or kettle was then put over the fir

t if the slave should not be very ill, he would rather work as

the last trying hour, when he is called to grapple with the grim monster death. He has no Bible, no family altar, no minister to address to him the consolations of t

day would be her last. While she was sick, we lost our second child, and I was comp