Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself | Page 7

and early, by day and by night. I have often laid my wearied limbs
down at night to rest upon a dirt floor, or a bench, without any covering
at all, because I had no where else to rest my wearied body, after
having worked hard all the day. I have also been compelled in early life,
to go at the bidding of a tyrant, through all kinds of weather, hot or cold,
wet or dry, and without shoes frequently, until the month of December,
with my bare feet on the cold frosty ground, cracked open and bleeding
as I walked. Reader, believe me when I say, that no tongue, nor pen
ever has or can express the horrors of American Slavery. Consequently
I despair in finding language to express adequately the deep feeling of
my soul, as I contemplate the past history of my life. But although I
have suffered much from the lash, and for want of food and raiment; I
confess that it was no disadvantage to be passed through the hands of
so many families, as the only source of information that I had to
enlighten my mind, consisted in what I could see and hear from others.
Slaves were not allowed books, pen, ink, nor paper, to improve their
minds. But it seems to me now, that I was particularly observing, and
apt to retain what came under my observation. But more especially, all

that I heard about liberty and freedom to the slaves, I never forgot.
Among other good trades I learned the art of running away to
perfection. I made a regular business of it, and never gave it up, until I
had broken the bands of slavery, and landed myself safely in Canada,
where I was regarded as a man, and not as a thing.
The first time in my life that I ran away, was for ill treatment, in 1835. I
was living with a Mr. Vires, in the village of Newcastle. His wife was a
very cross woman. She was every day flogging me, boxing, pulling my
ears, and scolding, so that I dreaded to enter the room where she was.
This first started me to running away from them. I was often gone
several days before I was caught. They would abuse me for going off,
but it did no good. The next time they flogged me, I was off again; but
after awhile they got sick of their bargain, and returned me back into
the hands of my owners. By this time Mr. White had married his
second wife. She was what I call a tyrant. I lived with her several
months, but she kept me almost half of my time in the woods, running
from under the bloody lash. While I was at home she kept me all the
time rubbing furniture, washing, scrubbing the floors; and when I was
not doing this, she would often seat herself in a large rocking chair,
with two pillows about her, and would make me rock her, and keep off
the flies. She was too lazy to scratch her own head, and would often
make me scratch and comb it for her. She would at other times lie on
her bed, in warm weather, and make me fan her while she slept, scratch
and rub her feet; but after awhile she got sick of me, and preferred a
maiden servant to do such business. I was then hired out again; but by
this time I had become much better skilled in running away, and would
make calculation to avoid detection, by taking with me a bridle. If any
body should see me in the woods, as they have, and asked "what are
you doing here sir! you are a runaway!"--I said, "no, sir, I am looking
for our old mare;" at other times, "looking for our cows." For such
excuses I was let pass. In fact, the only weapon of self defence that I
could use successfully, was that of deception. It is useless for a poor
helpless slave, to resist a white man in a slaveholding State. Public
opinion and the law is against him; and resistance in many cases is
death to the slave, while the law declares, that he shall submit or die.

The circumstances in which I was then placed, gave me a longing
desire to be free. It kindled a fire of liberty within my breast which has
never yet been quenched. This seemed to be a part of my nature; it was
first revealed to me by the inevitable laws of nature's God. I could see
that the All-wise Creator, had made man a free, moral, intelligent and
accountable being; capable of knowing good and evil. And I believed
then, as I believe now, that every