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TO THE EDITOR OF THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.

SIR, On the other fide of the Atlantic Ocean I have often lucubrated for your Magazine; and from the folemn forests of Coofohatchie, I have communicated to you my effufions in profe and fong. Allow me now, Sir, to introduce to the acquaintance of your readers a poor old Negro Slave, who, in the Woods of Virginia, delighted to fit before the door of my log-houfe, and relate to me, with the freedom and candour of fimplicity, the ftory of his life. Accept my falutations.

I

St. James's, Dec. 9, 1803.

STORY OF DICK, THE NEGRO.
[From DAVIS'S "TRAVELS IN AMERICA."]

WAS born at a plantation on the Rappahannoc River. It was the pulling of corn time, when 'Squire Mufgrove was Governor of Virginia. 1 have no mixed blood in my veins; I am no half-and-half breed; no chefnutforrel of a mulatto; but my father and mother both came over from Guinea.

When I was old enough to work, I was put to look after the horses; and, when a boy, I would not have turned my back against the best negur at catch ing or backing the moft vicious beaft that ever grazed in a pasture.

'Squire Sutherland had a fon who rode every fall to look at a plantation on James River, which was under the care of an overfeer. Young master could not go without fomebody on another horfe to carry his faddle-bags, and I was made his groom.

This young chap, Sir, (here Dick winked his left eye,) was a trimmer. The first thing he did on getting out of bed was to call for a Julep; and I honestly date my own love of whiskey from mixing and tafting my young mafter's juleps. But this was not all. He was always upon the fcent after game, and mighty ficious when he got among the aegur wenches. He used to fay that a likely negur wench was fit to be a Queen; and I forget how many Queens he had among the girls on the two plantations.

My young mafter was a mighty one for mufic, and he made me learn to play the Bangert. I could foon tune it fweetly, and of a moon-light night he would fet me to play, and the wenches to dance. My young mafter himself could shake a desperate foot at the fid

JOHN DAVIS.

dle; there was nobody that could face him at a Congo minuet; but Pat Hickory could tire him at a Virginia jig.

The young 'Squire did not live long. He was for a fhort life and a merry one. He was killed by a drunken negur man, who found him over ficious with his wife. The negur man was hanged alive upon a gibbet. It was the middle of fummer; the fun was full upon him; the negur lolled out his tongue, his eyes feemed starting from their fockets, and for three long days his only cry was Water! Water! Water!

The old Gentleman took on to grieve mightily at the death of his fon; he wished that he had fent him to Britain for his education; but afterwit is of no ufe; and he followed his fon to that place where master and man, planter and slave, must all at last lie down together.

The plantation and negurs now fell to the lot of a fecond fon, who had gone to Edinburgh to learn the trade of a Doctor. He was not like 'Squire Tommy; he feemed to be carved out of different wood. The first thing he did on his return from Britain, was to free all the old negur people on the plantation, and fettle each on a patch of land. He tended the fick himself, gave them medicine, healed their wounds, and encouraged every man, woman, and child to go to a meeting-house, that every Sunday was opened between our plantation and Fredericksburgh. Every thing took a change. The young wenches, who, in Mafter Tommy's time, used to put on their drops and their bracelets, and ogle their eyes, now looked down like modeft young

• A dram of fpirituous liquor that has mint fteeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.

+ A kind of rude guitar.

women,

women, and carried their gewgaws in their pockets till they got clear out of the woods. He encouraged matrimony on the plantation, by fettling each couple in a log-houfe, on a wholefome patch of land; hired a schoolmafter to teach the children; and to every one that could fay his letters, gave a Teftament with cuts. This made me bold to marry, and I looked out harp for a wife. I had before quenched my thirst at any dirty puddle; but a stream that I was to drink at contant, I thought fhould be pure, and I made my court to a wholesome girl, who had never bored her ears, and went conftantly to meeting.

She was daughter to old Solomon the Carter, and by moon-light I ufed to play my banger under her window, and fing a Guinea love-song that my mother had taught me. But I found there was another befides myfelf whofe mouth watered after the fruit. Cuffey, one of the crop hands, came one night upon the fame errand. I am but a little man, and Cuffey was above my pitch; for he was fix foot two inches high, with a chew of tobacco clapped above that. But I was not to be feared be. cause he was a big man, and I was a little one; I carried a good heart, and a good heart is every thing in love.

Cuffey, fays I, what part of the play is you acting? Does you come after Sall? May be, fays he, I does, Then, fays I, here's have at you boy; and I reckoned to fix him by getting the finger of one hand into his ear, and the knuckles of the other into his eye. But the whore-fon was too itrong for me; and after knocking me down upon the grafs, he began to flomp upon me, and ax me if I had yet got enough. But Dick was not to be fcared; and getting his great toe into my mouth, I bit it off, and swallowed it. Cuffey now let go his hold; and it was my turn to ax Cuffey if he had got enough. Cuffey told me he had, and I walked away to the Quarter †.

My malter the next day heard of my battle with Cuffey. He said, that I ought to live among painters and wolves, and fold me to a Georgia man for two hundred dollars. My new master was the devil. He made me travel with him hand-cuffed to Savannah, where

This is what is called Gouging. Food resembling hatty-pudding.

he difpofed of me to a tavern-keeper for three hundred dollars.

I was the only man-fervant in the tavern, and I did the work of half-adozen. I went to bed at midnight, and was up an hour before fun. I looked after the horses, waited at table, and worked like a new negur. But Í got plenty of fpirits, and that I believe helped me.

The war now broke out, and in one fingle year I changed matters a dozen times. But I knowed I had to work, and one mafter to me was just as good as another. When the war ended, I was flave to 'Squire Fielding, at Annapolis, in Maryland. I was grown quite Iteady, and I married a house-fer vant, who brought me a child every year. Í have altogether had three wives, and am the father of twelve children, begot in lawful wedlock: but this you

fhall hear.

My wife dying of a flux, I was left to the management of my children; but my mafter foon faved me that trouble, for directly they were ftrong enough to handle a hoe, he fold the boys to Mr. Randolph, of Fairfax, and the girls to 'Squire Barclay, of Port Tobacco. It was a hard trial to part with my little ones, for I loved them like a father; but there was no help for it, and it was the cafe of thousands befides myfelf.

When a man has been used to a wife, he finds it mighty lonesome to be with out one; fo I married a young girl who lived houfe-fervant to a tavern-keeper at Elk Ridge Landing. It is a good twenty-five miles from Annapolis to the Landing-place; but a negur never tire when he go to fee his fweetheart, and after work on Saturday night I would start for Elk Ridge, and get to my wife before the fupper was put away. Dinah was a dead hand at making of mufh ; but the could not love it better than I. Dinah, fays I to her one night, if you was a Queen, what would you have for fupper? Why, milk and muth, Dick, fays the. Con. cern it, Dinah, fays I, why if you was to eat all the good things, what would there be left for me?

I was not perfectly fatisfied with my new wife; I had fome fufpection that the gave her company, when I was away, to a young mulatto fellow; but as her children were right black, I was

The place of abode for the negroes.
D 2

not

not much troubled. I never could bear the fight of a mulatto; they are made up of craft. They are full of impudence, and will tell a black man that the devil is a negur; but I believe one colour is as much akin to him as another.

I did not keep to my fecond wife long; he was a giddy young goofe, fond of drefs. She wore a ruffled fmock; and on a Sunday put on fuch fharp-toed shoes, that the points of them would have knocked out a mofquito's eye. If her children had not been right black and right ugly like myfelf, I fhould have fufpected her vartue long before I had a real caufe.

I had made Dinah a prefent of a little lap-foift; a right handfome dog as you would fee; and one Saturday, at negur day-time, a mile before I got to Elk Ridge, the little foift came running up to me. Hie! thought I, Dinah muft be out gadding, and looking forward I faw a man and a woman run across the main road into the woods. I made after them, but I was getting in years, and a walk of twenty miles had made my legs a little stiff. So, after curfing till my blood boiled like a pitch-pot, I walked on to the tavern.

I found Dinah in the kitchen; but the mulatto fellow was not there. She ran to me, and fell on my neck. I hove her off. Begone, girl, fays I; no tricks upon travellers; Dick in his old age is not to be made a fool of. Did not I fee you with Paris, Mr. Jack fon's mulatto? Lack-a-daifey, Dick, fays he, I have not ftirred out of the houfe. I fwear point blank I have not. I would kis the Bible, and take my bleffed oath of it!-Nor the foilt either? fays I Get you gone, you huffey, I will feek a new wife. And fo faying I went up ftairs, made her gowns, and her coats, and her fmocks into a bundle, took the drops out of her ears, and the fhoes off her feet, and walked out of the kitchen.

I trudged home the fame night. It troubled me to be tricked by a young girl, but it was fome fatisfaction to know that I had stripped her of all her cloathing. Fine feathers makes fine birds; and I laughed to think how The would lock next Sunday; for I had left her nothing but a home-fpun fuit that she had put on when the got back.

A cant term among the negroes for † Alexandria.

I now faid to my felf, that it was right foolish for an old man to expect contancy from a young girl, and I withed that my firit wife had not got her mouth full of yellow clay. Half-a-mile from Annapolis, by the road-fide, is a grave-yard. It was here my poor wife was buried. I had often heard tell of ghofts, and wanted to fee if there was any truth in it. I ftole foftly to the hedge that skirted the road. Hoga, fays I, does you reft quiet? Hoga, does you reft quiet? Say, Hoga! and quiet old Dick! I had hardly faid the words, when the leaves began to ftir. I trembled as though I had an ague. Hoga, fays I, don't care me. But in a less than a minute I faw a black head look over the hedge, with a pair of goggle eyes that flamed worse than the branches of a pine tree on fire. Faith, fays I, that can't be Hoga's head, for Hoga had little pee pee eyes. I took to my heels, and run for it. The ghoft followed quick. As luck would have it, there was a gate across the road. I jumped the gate, and crawled into a hedge. The ghoft did not follow: the gate had stopped him: but I heard him bellow mightily; and when I peeped over the hedge, I faw it was Squire Hamilton's black bull.

My master at Annapolis being made a bankrupt, there was an execution lodged again ft his negurs. I was fent to Alexander †, and knocked down at vendue to old 'Squire Kegworth. I was put to work at the hoe; I was up an hour before fun, and worked naked till after dark. I had no food but Homony; and for fifteen months did not put a morfel of any meat in my mouth, but the flesh of a poffum or a racoon that I killed in the woods. This was rather hard for an old man; but I knowed there was no help for it.

'Squire Kegworth was a wicked one; he beat Matter Tommy. He would talk of fetting us free. You are not, he would fay, flaves for life, but only for ninety-nine years. The 'Squire was never married; but an old negurwoman kept houfe, who governed both him and the plantation.

Hard work would not have hurt me, but I could never get any liquor, This was defperate; and my only comfort was the tump of an old pipe that belonged to my firft wife. This was a

night; they being then at leifure.

poor

women, and carried their gewgaws in their pockets till they got clear out of the woods. He encouraged matrimony on the plantation, by fettling each couple in a log-house, on a wholefome patch of land; hired a fchoolmaster to teach the children; and to every one that could fay his letters, gave a Teftament with cuts. This made me bold to marry, and I looked out harp for a wife. I had before quenched my thirft at any dirty puddle; but a stream that I was to drink at contant, I thought should be pure, and I made my court to a wholesome girl, who had never bored her ears, and went conftantly to meeting.

She was daughter to old Solomon the Carter, and by moon-light I used to play my banger under her window, and fing a Guinea love-fong that my mother had taught me. But I found there was another befides myfelf whole mouth watered after the fruit. Cuffey, one of the crop hands, came one night upon the fame errand. I am but a little man, and Cuffey was above my pitch; for he was fix foot two inches high, with a chew of tobacco clapped above that. But I was not to be scared be. caufe he was a big man, and I was a little one; I carried a good heart, and a good heart is every thing in love.

Cuffey, fays I, what part of the play is you acting? Does you come after Sall May be, fays he, I does, Then, fays I, here's have at you boy; and I reckoned to fix him by getting the finger of one hand into his ear, and the knuckles of the other into his eye. But the whore-fon was too trong for me; and after knocking me down upon the grafs, he began to flomp upon me, and ax me if I had yet got enough. But Dick was not to be fcared; and getting his great toe into my mouth, I bit it off, and swallowed it. Cuffey now let go his hold; and it was my turn to ax Cuffey if he had got enough. Cuffey told me he had, and I walked away to the Quarter +.

My malter the next day heard of my battle with Cuffey. He faid, that I ought to live among painters and wolves, and fold me to a Georgia man for two hundred dollars. My new mafter was the devil. He made me travel with him hand-cuffed to Savannah, where

This is what is called Gouging. Food refembling hafty-pudding.

he difpofed of me to a tavern-keeper

for three hundred dollars.

I was the only man-servant in the tavern, and I did the work of half-adozen. I went to bed at midnight, and was up an hour before fun. I looked after the horses, waited at table, and worked like a new negur. But I got plenty of fpirits, and that I believe helped me.

The war now broke out, and in one fingle year I changed matters a dozen times. But I knowed I had to work, and one matter to me was just as good as another. When the war ended, I was flave to 'Squire Fielding, at Annapolis, in Maryland. I was grown quite iteady, and I married a houfe-fer vant, who brought me a child every year. I have altogether had three wives, and am the father of twelve children, begot in lawful wedlock: but this you

thall hear.

My wife dying of a flux, I was left to the management of my children; but my mafter foon faved me that trouble, for directly they were ftrong enough to handle a hoe, he fold the boys to Mr. Randolph, of Fairfax, and the girls to 'Squire Barclay, of Port Tobacco. It was a hard trial to part with my little ones, for I loved them like a father; but there was no help for it, and it was the cafe of thoufands befides myfelf.

When a man has been used to a wife, he finds it mighty lonefome to be with out one; fo I married a young girl who lived houfe-fervant to a tavern-keeper at Elk Ridge Landing. It is a good twenty-five miles from Annapolis to the Landing-place; but a negur never tire when he go to fee his sweetheart, and after work on Saturday night I would start for Elk Ridge, and get to my wife before the fupper was put away. Dinah was a dead hand at making of muth, but the could not love it better than I. Dinah, fays I to her one night, if you was a Queen, what would you have for fupper? Why, milk and muth, Dick, fays the. Con. cern it, Dinah, fays I, why if you was to eat all the good things, what would there be left for me?

I was not perfectly fatisfied with my new wife; I had foine suspection that the gave her company, when I was away, to a young mulatto fellow; but as her children were right black, I was

The place of abode for the negroes.
D 2

not

not much troubled. I never could bear the fight of a mulatto; they are made up of craft. They are full of impudence, and will tell a black man that the devil is a negur; but I believe one colour is as much akin to him as another.

I did not keep to my fecond wife long; he was a giddy young goofe, fond of drefs. She wore a ruffled fmock; and on a Sunday put on fuch fharp-toed shoes, that the points of them would have knocked out a mofquito's eye. If her children had not been right black and right ugly like myfelf, I fhould have fufpected her vartue long before I had a real caufe.

I had made Dinah a prefent of a little lap-foift; a right handfome dog as you would fee; and one Saturday, at negur day-time, a mile before I got to Elk Ridge, the little foift came running up to me. Hie! thought I, Dinah muft be out gadding, and looking forward I faw a man and a woman run across the main road into the woods. I made after them, but I was getting in years, and a walk of twenty miles had made my legs a little ftiff. So, after curfing till my blood boiled like a pitch-pot, I walked on to the tavern.

She

I found Dinah in the kitchen; but the mulatto fellow was not there. ran to me, and fell on my neck. I hove her off. Begone, girl, fays I; no tricks upon travellers; Dick in his old age is not to be made a fool of. Did not I fee you with Paris, Mr Jackfon's mulatto? Lack-a-daifey, Dick, fays he, I have not stirred out of the houfe. I fwear point blank I have not. I would kils the Bible, and take my bleffed oath of it!-Nor the foilt either? fays I Get you gone, you huffey, I will feek a new wife. And fo faying I went up ftairs, made her gowns, and her coats, and her fmocks into a bundle, took the drops out of her ears, and the thoes off her feet, and walked out of the kitchen.

1 trudged home the fame night. It troubled me to be tricked by a young girl, but it was fome fatisfaction to know that I had ftripped her of all her cloathing. Fine feathers makes fine birds; and I laughed to think how the would lock next Sunday; for I had left her nothing but a home-fpun fuit that she had put on when the got back.

A cant term among the negroes for † Alexandria.

I now faid to my felf, that it was right foolish for an old man to expect con fancy from a young girl, and I withed that my firit wife had not got her mouth full of yellow clay. Half-a-mile from Annapolis, by the road-fide, is a grave-yard. It was here my poor wife was buried. I had often heard tell of ghofts, and wanted to fee if there was any truth in it. I ftole foftly to the hedge that skirted the road. Hoga, fays I, does you reft quiet? Hoga, does you reft quiet? Say, Hoga! and quiet old Dick! I had hardly said the words, when the leaves began to ftir. I trembled as though I had an ague. Hoga, fays I, don't scare me. But in a lefs than a minute I faw a black head look over the hedge, with a pair of goggle eyes that flamed worse than the branches of a pine tree on fire. Faith, fays I, that can't be Hoga's head, for Hoga had little pee pee eyes. I took to my heels, and run for it. The ghoft followed quick. As luck would have it, there was a gate across the road. I jumped the gate, and crawled into a hedge. The ghoft did not follow: the gate bad stopped him: but I heard him bellow mightily; and when I peeped over the hedge, I faw it was 'Squire Hamilton's black bull.

My matter at Annapolis being made a bankrupt, there was an execution lodged againft his negurs. I was fent to Alexander †, and knocked down at vendue to old 'Squire Kegworth. I was put to work at the hoe; I was up an hour before fun, and worked naked till after dark. I had no food but Homony; and for fifteen months did not put a morfel of any meat in my mouth, but the flesh of a poffum or a racoon that I killed in the woods. This was rather hard for an old man ; but I knowed there was no help for it.

'Squire Kegworth was a wicked one; he beat Malter Tommy. He would talk of fetting us free. You are not, he would fay, flaves for life, but only for ninety-nine years. The 'Squire was never married; but an old negurwoman kept houfe, who governed both him and the plantation.

Hard work would not have hurt me, but I could never get any liquor, This was desperate; and my only comfort was the tump of an old pipe that belonged to my first wife. This was a

night; they being then at leisure.

poor

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