and by
circumstances.

As for Master Hugh's part, as I have said, he was furious about it;
and he gave expression to his fury in the usual forms of speech in that
locality. He poured curses on the heads of the whole ship yard
company, and swore that he would have satisfaction for the outrage.
His indignation was really strong and healthy; but, unfortunately, it
resulted from the thought that his rights of property, in my person, had
not been respected, more than from any sense of the outrage committed on
me _as a man_. I inferred as much as this, from the fact that he could,
himself, beat and mangle when it suited him to do so. Bent on having
satisfaction, as he said, just as soon as I got a little the better
of my bruises, Master Hugh took me to Esquire Watson's office, on Bond
street, Fell's Point, with a view to procuring the arrest of those who
had assaulted me. He related the outrage to the magistrate, as I had
related it to him, and seemed to expect that a warrant would, at once,
be issued for the arrest of the lawless ruffians.

Mr. Watson heard it all, and instead of drawing up his warrant, he
inquired.--

"Mr. Auld, who saw this assault of which you speak?"

"It was done, sir, in the presence of a ship yard full of hands."

"Sir," said Watson, "I am sorry, but I cannot move in this matter except
upon the oath of white witnesses."{245}

"But here's the boy; look at his head and face," said the excited Master
Hugh; _"they_ show _what_ has been done."

But Watson insisted that he was not authorized to do anything, unless
_white_ witnesses of the transaction would come forward, and testify
to what had taken place. He could issue no warrant on my word, against
white persons; and, if I had been killed in the presence of a _thousand
blacks_, their testimony, combined would have been insufficient to
arrest a single murderer. Master Hugh, for once, was compelled to say,
that this state of things was _too bad;_ and he left the office of the
magistrate, disgusted.

Of course, it was impossible to get any white man to testify against my
assailants. The carpenters saw what was done; but the actors were but
the agents of their malice, and only what the carpenters sanctioned.
They had cried, with one accord, _"Kill the nigger!" "Kill the nigger!"_
Even those who may have pitied me, if any such were among them, lacked
the moral courage to come and volunteer their evidence. The slightest
manifestation of sympathy or