One of the most encouraging signs connected with the travel _viâ_ the
Underground Rail Road was, that passengers traveling thereon were, as a
general thing, young and of determined minds. Darius, the subject of
this sketch, was only about twenty-one when he arrived. It could be seen
in his looks that he could not be kept in the prison-house unless
constantly behind bars. His large head and its formation indicated a
large brain. He stated that "Thomas H. Hamlin, a hard case, living near
Dunwoody," had professed to own him. Darius alleged that this same
Hamlin, who had thus stripped him of every cent of his earnings was
doing the same thing by sixty others, whom he held in his grasp.
With regard to "feeding and clothing" Darius set Hamlin down as "very
hoggish;" he also stated that he would sell slaves whenever he could. He
(Darius), had been hired out in Petersburg from the age of ten; for the
last three years previous to his escape he had been bringing one hundred
and fifty dollars a year into the coffers of his owners. Darius had not
been ignorant of the cruelties of the slave system up to the time of his
escape, for the fetters had been galling his young limbs for several
years; especially had the stringent slave laws given him the horrors.
Loathing the system of slavery with his whole heart, he determined to
peril his all in escaping therefrom; seeking diligently, he had found
means by which he could carry his designs into execution.
In the way of general treatment, however, Darius said that bodily he had
escaped "abuses tolerably well." He left in slavery his father and
mother, four brothers and one sister. He arrived by one of the Richmond
boats.
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