Aspects of Slavery and Freedom Seeking in North Carolina
Dialogue between a traveler and frequent runaway
“ No, massa !” said the sable student, “ dey don't ’lows it : but they can't help themselves. I'll do as I please !"
“ Oh ! you're a freeman ?”
“ No, massa, I's a slave ; but I won't stand any bad treatment. I's run away six times already, and I'd run away agin, if they tried to drive me," he exclaimed with emphasis.
“ Six times ! " I repeated. “ Why, you must have been very unfortunate to have been recaptured so often. How far north did you ever get ? ”
“ Oh, massa, I never tried to get North . I never ran more than thirty miles, and then I worked, and staid dare. ”
“ What did your master do to you when he caught you ?”
“ I ketched it, ” said the fugitive, “ dey lashed me ; but I doesn't care - I won't be druv."
He looked as if he meant what he said, too. I advised him, as I have advised at least a dozen darkeys already, to run away to the North at the very earliest opportunity.