The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-11-15
BY JOHN ROLES.

lhlnk now many backs have smarted
For the sweets your cane affords.
NO. HI.-LIFE on THE PLANTATION.
1t was the cotton gathering season
and [ often went cut on the plantation
at night to witness the weighing and
running up of the days work The
following is description of the frs,
scene of the kind | witnessed.
When the overseer reached the place
for weighing, he called out to the black
driver-who was following his gang,
whip in haud-"Bring in the cotton. "
Instantly | saw the slaves hurrying up
their baskets and emptying their sacks
into them. Two or three wagons were
on the turn row ready to receive the
cotton when weighed The black driver
adjusted the scales, and then called out,
"All ready, sir" Several slaves imme-
diately jumped into the large wagon bed,
made for carting cotton. to empty the
baskets and tramp down the cotton. One
slave with a lantern seated himself on
the side of the wagon to examine the
baskets as they were emptied, to see that
there we're no pumkins, clods, or other
substances sccreted in them to increase
their weight. Another, who had been
taught the numbers on the balance, pre-
pared to weigh and another, who had
learned their numbers on the baskets,
stood ready to announce the number of
each basket as it was put on the scales.
One set of hands stood ready to drag up
the baskets aud lift them on the scales,
and another to lift them off when weigh
ed, and dump them into the large we.on
bed. The overseer-with large folding
slate in his hand, which contained the
name and number of each working slave,
with a record of the amount of cotton
gathered by each one for two or three
previous days-is seated on basket,
where he can see the figures on the bal
ance, and detect any attempt to deceive
him 10 the weight All things thus ar
ranged, he calls out, "Weigh, in little
less than no timc!' The slave who an
nounces the number of the basket on the
scales, cries out Fifty, SIR" and the
one who takes account eff the weight, re-
spends, Zone hundred and seventy five,
sir" The overseer compares the mum.
Der with the record of previous days, and
orders the black driver, who stood ready
with whip in hand, to give No. 50 fifty
! lashes, I'D well put on "She ought
to have had over two hundred pounds
such day as this-a moist day-no
wind, and better cotton to gather in than
yesterday" He declares, in tones which
send terror through all their hearts. and
with oa;hs aud epi.hets too vile to print.
that he will A"g every niger that has
not more cotton to-day than he had yes
terday, No. 50 beys for mercy-"dis
one time 'nassa !'-her head and back
hurt her SO bad she could hardly stand
up.
"Go to the black driver. you ipferna
b-h, and he II cure your aches and pains
The cotton is wasting in the field-the
weather is good for gathering it-cottor
must come, shall come, or MIR. Nj yger',
hide must pay the penalty"
Another, who was sent to the blacl
driver, plead that the skin was worn Of
his "fum and finger" The oversee
cursed his thumb aud fingers. The blacl
driver ordered them, one after another
in their turn, to "shell off and com,
d>wn," i. G., to strip and lay down, t.
rece',e the execution of the overseer'
senten~ When any one instinctivel.
put up M hand to protect his flesh froa
the blood eATacting lash, the driver call
> ed on other s,,yes to stretch him out an
. hold his handsAd feet.
AS the female Ayes came down, the
gathered their clothN up to their waist
aud lay Rat on their H,ees # auy on
refused, or,lid not keep>sr clothes on
= of the way q the lash, two>~ three We
men we're ora.red to put her X the vic
when one lns.antly planted hcs.as o
It the ground, secured the victim :. %
between her KEGS, and drew her cloth,
". over it, so as t. oonine her arms an
of lay bare her baci, for the drivers lasl
tn. while two others tretched out her fe,
ny and held them.
have seen fro one 10 tb;rtv slav.
aogged after this n,ncr, at one cot.o
weighing. As fast the wagons we,
70. % loaded, they we're dr,n off to the Co
'''' ton Gin, and when tt. last wagon v,
loaded, the slaves all '-ried to the Gi
house.
Here, their first busins ~,s to oat1
er up in large baskets the ION that hs
now been summed that day an rrv i ,
sis, ,ss., two flights Of stairs, into the ond sto
shs Of the gin.house. This dott the va
ING ons were drawn up and thei a..n
spread upon the scaffolds shst - +
- c4f yO lu
type oeen Gles'e0' - - ''a'' KL
nds, ne1v o.y yh -, 81, y
light Ins'. -. =. A s.n .h.v nv 81 nee, =