ben's gone away.
But now he's left the land of death,
He's gone;
And entered heaven's happiness;
Poor Reuben's gone away.

His friends he bid a long adieu,
He's gone;
When heaven opened to his view,
Poor Reuben's gone away;
His pain and sorrow of heart are passed,
He's gone;
He arrived in heaven just safe at last;
Poor Reuben's gone away.

Poor Sally, his wife, lays by his side,
He's gone;
For whom poor Reuben so nobly died;
Poor Reuben's gone away;
A mournful look on her he cast,
He's gone,
Five minutes before he breathed his last,
Poor Reuben's gone away.

In Jordan the angel heard him cry,
He's gone;
Elijah's chariot was passing by,
Poor Reuben's gone away;
His body lays in the earth quite cold,
He's gone,
But now he walks in the streets of gold,
Poor Reuben's gone away.

After working in Tennessee three years and seven months, my master hired
me to Mr. Steele. This gentleman was going to New Orleans, and I was to
act as his servant, but I contrived to get away from him, and went to the
house of a free black, named Gibson, and after working four days on the
levy (or wharf) I succeeded in secreting myself in a ship, well supplied
by Mr. Gibson and friends with provisions, and in the middle hold under
the cotton I remained until the ship arrived at New York; my being there
was only known to two persons on board, the steward and the cook, both
colored persons. When the vessel was docked in the pier thirty-eight,
North river, I managed to make my way through the booby hatch on to the
deck, and was not seen by the watchman on board who supposed I was a
stranger, or what they call a "River Thief." I made a jump to escape over
the bow and fell into the river; but before he could raise an alarm, I had
reached the next dock, got out and made my way off as fast as possible. I
wandered about the streets until morning, not knowing where to go, during
which time my clothes had dried on my body. About ten o'clock in the
forenoon I met with a colored man named Grundy, who took me to his house,
and gave me something to eat, and enquired where I came from and where I
belonged; I hesitated about telling my true situation, but after
considerable conversation with him, I ventured to confide in him, and when
I had given him, all