a new era in the history of my life. I had decided upon leaving the
peculiar institution that day.

During the last night that I served in slavery, I did not close my eyes
a single moment. When not thinking of the future, my mind dwelt on the
past. The love of a dear mother, a dear sister, and three dear brothers,
yet living, caused me to shed many tears. If I could only have been
assured of their being dead, I should have felt satisfied; but I
imagined I saw my dear mother in the cotton-field, followed by a
merciless taskmaster, and no one to speak a consoling word to her! I
beheld my dear sister in the hands of a slave-driver, and compelled to
submit to his cruelty! None but one placed in such a situation can for a
moment imagine the intense agony to which these reflections subjected
me.

CHAPTER XIII.

At the time for action arrived. The boat landed at a point which
appeared to me the place of all others to start from. I found that it
would be impossible to carry anything with me, but what was upon my
person. I had some provisions, and a single suit of clothes, about half
worn. When the boat was discharging her cargo, and the passengers
engaged carrying their baggage on and off shore, I improved the
opportunity to convey myself with my little effects on land. Taking up a
trunk, I went up the wharf, and was soon out of the crowd. I made
directly for the woods, where I remained until night knowing well that I
could not travel, even in the State of Ohio, during the day, without
danger of being arrested.

I had long since made up my mind that I would not trust myself in the
hands of any man, white or colored. The slave is brought up to look upon
every white man as an enemy to him and his race; and twenty-one years in
slavery had taught me that there were traitors, even among colored
people. After dark, I emerged from the woods into a narrow path, which
led me into the main travelled road. But I knew not which way to go. I
did not know North from South, East from West. I looked in vain for the
North Star; a heavy cloud hid it from my view. I walked up and down the
road until near midnight, when the clouds disappeared, and I welcomed
the sight of my friend,--truly the slave's friend,--the North Star!

As soon as I saw it, I knew my course, and before daylight I travelled
twenty or twenty-five miles. It being in the winter, I suffered
intensely from the cold; being without an overcoat, and my other clothes
rat