indness of my master by the standard of kindness set up
by slaveholders around us. However, slaves are like other people, and
imbibe similar prejudices. They are apt to think _their condition_
better than that of others. Many, under the influence of this prejudice,
think their own masters are better than the masters of other slaves; and
this, too, in some cases, when the very reverse is true. Indeed, it is
not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves
about the relative kindness of their masters, contending for the
superior goodness of his own over that of others. At the very same time,
they mutually execrate their masters, when viewed separately. It was so
on our plantation. When Col. Lloyd's slaves met those of Jacob Jepson,
they{92} seldom parted without a quarrel about their masters; Col.
Lloyd's slaves contending that he was the richest, and Mr. Jepson's
slaves that he was the smartest, man of the two. Col. Lloyd's slaves
would boost his ability to buy and sell Jacob Jepson; Mr. Jepson's
slaves would boast his ability to whip Col. Lloyd. These quarrels would
almost always end in a fight between the parties; those that beat were
supposed to have gained the point at issue. They seemed to think that
the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves. To be a
SLAVE, was thought to be bad enough; but to be a _poor man's_ slave, was
deemed a disgrace, indeed.

CHAPTER VIII. _A Chapter of Horrors_

AUSTIN GORE--A SKETCH OF HIS CHARACTER--OVERSEERS AS A CLASS--THEIR
PECULIAR CHARACTERISTICS--THE MARKED INDIVIDUALITY OF AUSTIN
GORE--HIS SENSE OF DUTY--HOW HE WHIPPED--MURDER OF POOR DENBY--HOW IT
OCCURRED--SENSATION--HOW GORE MADE PEACE WITH COL. LLOYD--THE MURDER
UNPUNISHED--ANOTHER DREADFUL MURDER NARRATED--NO LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION
OF SLAVES CAN BE ENFORCED IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.

As I have already intimated elsewhere, the slaves on Col. Lloyd's
plantation, whose hard lot, under Mr. Sevier, the reader has already
noticed and deplored, were not permitted to enjoy the comparatively
moderate rule of Mr. Hopkins. The latter was succeeded by a very
different man. The name of the new overseer was Austin Gore. Upon this
individual I would fix particular attention; for under his rule there
was more suffering from violence and bloodshed than had--according to
the older slaves ever been experienced before on this plantation. I
confess, I hardly know how to bring this man fitly before t