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TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF SLAVERY IN MARYLAND (Final Report) 1999/12/31 MdHR 991422 MdHR 991422, Image No: 397 Print image (94K) |
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TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF SLAVERY IN MARYLAND (Final Report) 1999/12/31 MdHR 991422 MdHR 991422, Image No: 397 Print image (94K) |
| Untitled 11/7/99 9:52 PM from stan to stern, and from keelson to cross-trees, and could talk sailor like an "old salt." I was well on the war/ to Havre de Grace before the conductor came into the negro car to collect tickets and examine the papers of Ms black passengers. This was a critical rncmsnt in the drama M/ whole future depended upon the decision of this conductor. Agitated though I vas while this ceremony was proceeding, still, externally, at least, I was apparently calm and self-possessed. He went on with his duty—examining several colored passengers before reaching me. He was sonewhat harsh in tome and peraiptory in manner until he reached me, when, strange enough, and to ny surprise .and relief, his whole manner changed. Seeing that I did not readily produce rry free papers, as the other colored persons in the car had done, he said to me, in friendly contrast with his bearing tcward the others: "I suppose you have your free papers?" To which I answered: "No sir; I never carry rry free papers to sea with me." "But you have something to show that you are a freeiHn, haven't you?" "Yes, sir," I answered; "I have a paper with the American Eagle on it, and that will carry me around the world." With this I drew from rry deep sailor' s pocket rry seaman' s protection, as before described. The merest glance at the paper satisfied him, and he took ny fare and went on about his business. This mcmsnt of time vas one of the most anxious I ever experienced. Had the conductor looked closely at the paper, he could not have failed to discover that it called for a very different-looking person from rryself, and in that case it would have been his duty to arrest rre on the instant, and send me back to Baltimore from the first station. When he left me with the assurance that I was all right, though iruch relieved, I realized that I was still in great danger: I was still in Maryland, and subject to arrest at any moment. I saw on the train several persons who would have known rre in any other clothes, and I feared the*' might recognize me, even in rry sailor "rig," and report me to the conductor, who wDuld then subject me to a closer examination, which I knew well wDuld be fatal to me. Though I vras not a rrurderer fleeing fron justice, I felt perhaps quite as miserable as such a criminal. The train was moving at a very high rate of speed for that epoch of railroad travel, but to ny anxious mind it was moving far too slowly. Minutes were hours, http://www.msstate.edu/Arcbives/History/USA/Afro-Amer/dugI210.txt Page 3 of 17 |