the common lot of poor slave girls.

Robert was thirty-five years of age, of a chestnut color, and well made.
His report was similar to that of many others. He had been provided with
plenty of hard drudgery--hewing of wood and drawing of water, and had
hardly been treated as well as a gentleman would treat a dumb brute. His
feelings, therefore, on leaving his old master and home, were those of
an individual who had been unjustly in prison for a dozen years and had
at last regained his liberty.

The civilization, religion, and customs under which Robert and his
companions had been raised, were, he thought, "very wicked." Although
these travelers were all of the field-hand order, they were,
nevertheless, very promising, and they anticipated better days in
Canada. Good advice was proffered them on the subject of temperance,
industry, education, etc. Clothing, food and money were also given them
to meet their wants, and they were sent on their way rejoicing.

ESCAPED FROM "A WORTHLESS SOT."

JOHN ATKINSON.

John was a prisoner of hope under James Ray, of Portsmouth, Va., whom he
declared to be "a worthless sot." This character was fully set forth,
but the description is too disgusting for record. John was a dark
mulatto, thirty-one years of age, well-formed and intelligent. For some
years before escaping he had been in the habit of hiring his time for
$120 per annum. Daily toiling to support his drunken and brutal master,
was a hardship that John felt keenly, but was compelled to submit to up
to the day of his escape.

A part of John's life he had suffered many abuses from his oppressor,
and only a short while before freeing himself, the auction-block was
held up before his troubled mind. This caused him to take the first
daring step towards Canada,--to leave his wife, Mary, without bidding
her good-bye, or saying a word to her as to his intention of fleeing.

John came as a private passenger on one of the Richmond steamers, and
was indebted to the steward of the boat for his accommodations. Having
been received by the Committee, he was cared for and sent on his journey
Canada-ward. There he was happy, found employment and wanted for nothing
but his wife and clothing left in Virginia. On these two points he wrote
several times with considerable feeling.

Some slaves who hired their time in addition to the payment of their
monthly hire, purchased nice clothes for themselves, which they usually
valued hi