satisfied him. In
other respects Charles spoke of his master rather favorably in
comparison with slaveholders generally.

A thirty years' apprenticeship as a slave had not, however, won him over
to the love of the system; he had long since been convinced that it was
nonsense to suppose that such a thing as happiness could be found even
under the best of masters. He claimed to have a wife and four little
children living in Alexandria Va.; the name of the wife was Lucinda. In
the estimation of slave-holders, the fact of Charles having a family
might have offered no cause for unhappiness, but Charles felt
differently in relation to the matter. Again, for reasons best known to
the owner, he talked of selling Charles. On this point Charles also felt
quite nervous, so he began to think that he had better make an attempt
to get beyond the reach of buyers and sellers. He knew that many others
similarly situated had got out of bondage simply by hard struggling, and
he felt that he could do likewise. When he had thus determined the
object was half accomplished. True, every step that he should take was
liable to bring trouble upon himself, yet with the hope of freedom
buoying him up he resolved to run the risk. Charles was about thirty
years of age, likely-looking, well made, intelligent, and a mulatto.

George was twenty-three years of age, quite dark, medium size, and bore
the marks of a man of considerable pluck. He was the slave of Mrs. Jane
Coultson. No special complaint of her is recorded on the book. She might
have been a very good mistress, but George was not a very happy and
contented piece of property, as was proved by his course in escaping.
The cold North had many more charms for him than the sunny South.

John has been already described in the person of his brother George. He
was not, however, the property of Mrs. Coultson, but was owned by Miss
Cox, near Little Georgetown, Berkeley Co., Va. These three individuals
were held as slaves by that class of slave-holders, known in the South
as the most kind-hearted and indulgent, yet they seemed just as much
delighted with the prospects of freedom as any other passengers.

The next day following the arrival of the party just noticed James Henry
Watson reached the Committee. He was in good condition, the spring
weather having been favorable, and the journey made without any serious
difficulty.

He was from Snowhill, Worcester county, Md., and had escaped from