Year: 1859

cealed among the lumber on the wharves
for two weeks, and secreted himself in the
schooner the night before we sailed. He
is going to New York to find his father,
who escaped two years since. And" con-
tinued he, "he is starved to skeleton,
hardly worth taking back" Many jokes
were passed as to the manner Of his being
renovated when he should fall into the
hands of his master. Some thought that
the vessel must put Immediately back.
Others were of the opinion, as we were
within eight hours sail of New York, the
trip would be made, and the boy carried
back on her return.


The unfortunate child had been brought
on deck, and we all left the cabin to look
at him. ] followed behind, almost unwil-
ling to see him, and stood some time by
the companion-way, in order to gain
strength for the interview, l then pro-
ceeded forward. AS soon as he discovered
me, bright CLEAN passed over his counte-
nance, and he instantly held out to me the
same famished hand. My feelings were
no longer to be controlled. There stood
child before me not more than eleven or
twelve years of age, of yellow complexion
and sad countenance, nearly naked, his
back scared with scars, and his flesh vast
ed to the bone. burst into tears-into
lamentation; and the jeers of others were
for moment turned into sympathy.


1t, however, began to be suspected that
l had brought the boy away, and in that
case the vessel must put back, in order to
give me up also. But l related the cir
cumstances as they occurred, and all ap-
peared satisfied with the truth of my state
ment.


l requested that l might be allowed to
feed the boy, which request was granted; !;
and carried him some dinner on plate,
which he ate voraciously, and as l stood
beside him he looked into my face at every
mouthful. There was something confd-
ing in his look. When he had finished
the meal, as took the plate, he rubbed
his fingers softly on my hand, and leaned
his head towards me like weary child.
Oh that could have offered him place
of rest-that l could have comforted and
protected him-a helpless child, a feeble,
emaciated, helpless, suffering innocent lad,
reserved for bondage and the torture.


Towards evening he was taken below,
and was no more allowed to see him, but
l learned that he was put in the steerage,
strongly bound, and that the proper au-
| thorities" of New York would be consulted
as to the disposal of him. We came to an
Choir during the night, at some distance be-
low the city. The captain informed us in
| the morning that the vessel had been for
hidden to enter the port with fugitive
slave on board; that she must discharge
her cargo where she lay, and return with
all possible despatch to Norfolk. A boat
was provided to carry us up, and | re-
marked to the captain that there was "a
great ado about helpless child" He re-
piled, "The laws must be obeyed."


As I approached the city, l could not
help exclaiming, Is this the region, this
the soil of boasted freedom ?" Here, where
the child is treated like felon, manacled,
anchored from the shore to be sent back to
slavery and the lash, deprived of the fos-
tering care which even the brute is allowed
to exercise towards its young Here the
slender boy seeks the protection of faith
er-name dear to helplessness Does
humanity aid him in the sesrch2 No; hu-
manity is circumscribed in her operations
by laao, which consigns one portion of free
doms sons and daughters to the service,
the control, and the brutality of the other.
Humanity looks on them, and weeps
Further she cannot do. "The laws must
be obeyed."


And now, since years have passed,
where is that boy2 Does he still live in
hopeless bondage? Are other scars added
to those imprinted on his infant skin ?
When saw him, he appeared innocent as
child of freedom; he felt and suffered as
child of freedom would feel and suffer;
his sorrows were touching as the sorrows
of white child would have been. Alas |
poor youth, from me thy fate is hidden. If
living, thou art still young, but were thy
days turned into pages, what volume to
meet the human eye