he had suffered excessively for five weeks
while traveling. It was an easy matter for a traveler to get lost, not
knowing the roads, nor was it safe to apply to a stranger for
information or direction--therefore, in many instances, the journey
would either have to be given up, or be prosecuted, suffering almost to
the death.

In the trying circumstances in which William found himself, dark as
everything looked, he could not consent to return to his master, as he
felt persuaded, that if he did, there would be no rest on earth for him.
He well remembered, that, because he had resisted being flogged (being
high spirited), his master had declined to sell him for the express
purpose of making an example of him--as a warning to the other slaves on
the place. William was as much opposed to being thus made use of as he
was to being flogged. His reflections and his stout heart enabled him to
endure five weeks of severe suffering while fleeing from oppression. Of
course, when he did succeed, the triumph was unspeakably joyous.
Doubtless, he had thought a great deal during this time, and being an
intelligent fugitive, he interested the Committee greatly.

The man that he escaped from was called William Elliott, a farmer,
living in Prince George's county, Md. William Elliott claimed the right
to flog and used it too. William, however, gave him the character of
being among the moderate slave-holders of that part of the country. This
was certainly a charitable view. William was of a chestnut color, well
made, and would have commanded, under the "hammer," a high price, if his
apparent intelligence had not damaged him. He left his father,
grand-mother, four sisters and two brothers, all living where he fled
from.

Charles Henry Brown. This "chattel" was owned by Dr. Richard Dorsey, of
Cambridge, Maryland. Up to twenty-seven years of age, he had experienced
and observed how slaves were treated in his neighborhood, and he made up
his mind that he was not in favor of the Institution in any form
whatever. Indeed he felt, that for a man to put his hand in his
neighbor's pocket and rob him, was nothing compared to the taking of a
man's hard earnings from year to year. Really Charles reasoned the case
so well, in his uncultured country phrases, that the Committee was
rather surprised, and admired his spirit in escaping. He was a man of
not quite medium size, with marked features of mind and character.

Oliver Purnell and Isaac Fi