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Show - ·~-. 150 THE li!ONTIILY OFFERING. was this: his wife died, at which providence he was so enraged, that he swore he would not preach for the Lord another day. This man continued on the plantation about three years; at the close of which, on settlement of ac· counts, Mr. Swan owed him about $400, for which he turned him out a negro woman, and about twenty acres of land. He built a log hut, and took the woman to live with him; ~incc which, I have been at his hut, and seen four or five mulatto children. He has been appointed a justice of the peace, and his place as overseer was after-wards occupied by a Mr. Gallow&y. ' It is customary in that part of the country, to let the hogs run in the woods, On one occasion a slave caught a pig about two months old, which he carried to his quar· ters. The overseer, getting information of the fact, went to the field where he was at work, and ordered him to come to him. The slave at once suspected it was somethiug about the pig, and fearing punishment, dropped his hoe and ran for the woods. He had got but a few rods, when the overseer raised his gun,loadeu with duck shot,and brought him down. It is a common practice for overseers to go into the field armed with a gun or pistols, and sometime• both. He was taken up by the slaves and caried to the plantation hospital, and the physician sent for. A physician was employed by the year to take care of the sick or wounded slaves. In about six weeks the slave got better, and was able to come out of the hospital. He came to the mill where I was at work, and asked me to exam• ine his body, which I did; and counted twenty-six duck shot still remaining in his flesh, though the doctor had re· moved a number while he was laid up. There was a slave on Mr. Swan's plantation, by the name of Harry, who, during the absence of his master, run away and secreted himself in the woods. This the slaves sometimes do, when the master is absent for several weeks, to escape the cruel treatment of the overseer. It is com• man for them to make preparations, by secreting a mortar, a hatchet, some cooking utensils, and whatever things. they can get that will enable them to live whil~ they are m the NARRATIVE OF NEHEMIAH CAULKINS. 151 woods or swamps. Harry staid about three months, and lived by rubbing the rice grounds, and by such other means as came in his way. The slaves generally kno1v where the runaway is secreted, and visit him at night and on Sundays. On the return of his master, some of the slaves were sent for Harry. When he came home he wa~ seized and confined in stocks. The stocks were built in the barn, and consisted of two heavy pieces of timber, ten or more feet in length, and about seven inches wide; the lower one, on the floor, has a number of holes or places cut in it, for the andes ; the upper piece, being of the same dimensions, is fastened at one end by a hinge, and is brought down after the uncles are placed in the holes, and secured by a clasp and padlock at the other end. In this manner the person is left to sit on the floor. Harry was kept in the stocks day a11d night for a week, and flogged every morning. After this, he was takeil out one morning, a log chain fastened around his neck, the two ends dragging on the ground, and he sent to the field, to do his task with the other slaves. At night he was again put in the stocks, in the mornin!\1 he was sent to the field in. the same manner, and thus dragged out another week. The overseer was a very miserly fellow, and restricted his wife in what are considered the comforts of life-such as tea, sugar, &c. To make up for this, she set her wits to work, and, by the help of a slave, named Joe, used to take from the plantation whatever she could conveniently, and watch her opportunity during her husband's absence, and sent Joe to sell them and buy for her such things as she directed. Once when her husband was away, ~he told Joe to kill and dress one of the pigs, sell it, and get her some tea, sugar, &c. Joe did as he was bid, and she gave him the offal for his services. ·when Galloway returned, not suspecting his wife, he asked her if she l<ncw what had become of his pig. She told him she suspected one of the slaves, naming him, had stolen it, for she had heard a pig squeal the evening before. The overseer calleu the slave up, and char<Yed him with the theft. He deniod it, and said he knew0 nothing about it. The overseer still |