The Underground Railroad | Page 8

destination, after becoming
acquainted with the family, being familiar with Southern manners, to

have them all prepared at a given hour for the starting of the steamboat
for Cincinnati, and to join him at the wharf, when he would boldly
assume the part of a slaveholder, and the family naturally that of slaves,
and in this way he hoped to reach Cincinnati direct, before their owner
had fairly discovered their escape.
But alas for Southern irregularity, two or three days' delay after being
advertised to start, was no uncommon circumstance with steamers;
hence this plan was abandoned. What this heroic man endured from
severe struggles and unyielding exertions, in traveling thousands of
miles on water and on foot, hungry and fatigued, rowing his living
freight for seven days and seven nights in a skiff, is hardly to be
paralleled in the annals of the Underground Rail Road.
The following interesting letters penned by the hand of Concklin
convey minutely his last struggles and characteristically represent the
singleness of heart which impelled him to sacrifice his life for the
slave--
EASTPORT, MISS., FEB. 3, 1851.
To Wm. Still:--Our friends in Cincinnati have failed finding anybody to
assist me on my return. Searching the country opposite Paducah, I find
that the whole country fifty miles round is inhabited only by Christian
wolves. It is customary, when a strange negro is seen, for any white
man to seize the negro and convey such negro through and out of the
State of Illinois to Paducah, Ky., and lodge such stranger in Paducah
jail, and there claim such reward as may be offered by the master.
There is no regularity by the steamboats on the Tennessee River. I was
four days getting to Florence from Paducah. Sometimes they are four
days starting, from the time appointed, which alone puts to rest the plan
for returning by steamboat. The distance from the mouth of the river to
Florence, is from between three hundred and five to three hundred and
forty-five miles by the river; by land, two hundred and fifty, or more.
I arrived at the shoe shop on the plantation, one o'clock, Tuesday, 28th.
William and two boys were making shoes. I immediately gave the first
signal, anxiously waiting thirty minutes for an opportunity to give the
second and main signal, during which time I was very sociable. It was
rainy and muddy--my pants were rolled up to the knees. I was in the
character of a man seeking employment in this country. End of thirty
minutes gave the second signal.

William appeared unmoved; soon sent out the boys; instantly sociable;
Peter and Levin at the Island; one of the young masters with them; not
safe to undertake to see them till Saturday night, when they would be at
home; appointed a place to see Vina, in an open field, that night; they
to bring me something to eat; our interview only four minutes; I left;
appeared by night; dark and cloudy; at ten o'clock appeared William;
exchanged signals; led me a few rods to where stood Vina; gave her the
signal sent by Peter; our interview ten minutes; she did not call me
"master," nor did she say "sir," by which I knew she had confidence in
me.
Our situation being dangerous, we decided that I meet Peter and Levin
on the bank of the river early dawn of day, Sunday, to establish the
laws. During our interview, William prostrated on his knees, and face
to the ground; arms sprawling; head cocked back, watching for wolves,
by which position a man can see better in the dark. No house to go to
safely, traveled round till morning, eating hoe cake which William had
given me for supper; next day going around to get employment. I
thought of William, who is a Christian preacher, and of the Christian
preachers in Pennsylvania. One watching for wolves by night, to rescue
Vina and her three children from Christian licentiousness; the other
standing erect in open day, seeking the praise of men.
During the four days waiting for the important Sunday morning, I
thoroughly surveyed the rocks and shoals of the river from Florence
seven miles up, where will be my place of departure. General notice
was taken of me as being a stranger, lurking around. Fortunately there
are several small grist mills within ten miles around. No taverns here,
as in the North; any planter's house entertains travelers occasionally.
One night I stayed at a medical gentleman's, who is not a large planter;
another night at an ex-magistrate's house in South Florence--a
Virginian by birth--one of the late census takers; told me that many
more persons cannot read and write than is reported; one fact, amongst
many others, that many persons who do not know the letters of the