dey tilled de land, or kept
stores like oders, and none of dose around dem suspected in de slightest
degree deir mission in de south. To deir houses at night fugitive slabes
would come, guided by dose from de next post. De fugitives would be
concealed for twenty-four hours or more, and den passed on at night
again to de next station. Dose formed the larger portion ob de body.

"Dere were oders who lived a life in de swamps, scattered trough the
country. Deir place of residence would be known to de slabes ob de
neighborhood, but de masters had no suspicion dat de emissaries ob de
association were so near. To dese any negro, driben to desperation
by harsh treatment, would resort, and from dem instructions would be
received as to de route to be taken, and de places where aid could be
obtained. Dose people held deir life in deir hands. Had any suspicion
fallen upon dem ob belonging to de 'stitution dey would be lynched for
sartin. De lady set before me all de dangers ob de venture. She said it
war a case whar dere were no money to be earned, and only de chances
of martyrdom. My mind quite made up. Me ready to undertake any work dey
like to give me. My life ob no value to no one. De next day me saw some
ob de oder people connected wid de affair, and tree days afterwards I
started for de south."

CHAPTER XIV: A CHRISTIAN TOWN

"My share ob de business was to make my way down south and settle in de
swamps ob Carolina. I war to be taken down by trading schooner, to be
landed on de coast, and to make my way to a place in de center ob a big
swamp whar an ole nigger, named Joe, had been carrying on de work for
four years. He had sent to say dat he war bery ill wid de swamp fever
and like to die, dat he should not leabe de work as long as he libed,
but hoped dat dey would send anoder man out to take on his work after
his death.

"Well, sar, I was landed, and I made my way to de place. It war no easy
matter. De niggers all say dey know no such person, but I found de next
post, and dere de man guided me to de path which led into de swamp. Dey
told me dey thought de ole man dead, for dat no one had come along to
dem from him for nigh two month. Well, sar, as I 'spected I found him
dead, and I buried him, and took up my place in de hut. Soon it became
known through de plantations round dat de hut was occupied again, and
dey began to come to me to ask for assistance. My 'structions war dat
only to enable a husband to join his