THE NEGRO CHASE
WE shall now return to Natchez, where we left Currer in the hands
of the Methodist parson. For many years, Natchez has enjoyed a
notoriety for the inhumanity and barbarity of its inhabitants,
and the cruel deeds perpetrated there, which have not been
equalled in any other city in the Southern States. The following
advertisements, which we take from a newspaper published in the
vicinity, will show how they catch their Negroes who believe in
the doctrine that "all men are created free."
"NEGRO DOGS.--The undersigned, having bought the entire pack of
Negro dogs (of the Hay and Allen stock), he now proposes to catch
runaway Negroes. His charges will be three dollars a day for
hunting, and fifteen dollars for catching a runaway. He resides
three and one half miles north of Livingston, near the lower
Jones' Bluff Road.
"Nov. 6, 1845."
"NOTICE.--The subscriber, Lying on Carroway Lake, on Hoe's Bayou,
in Carroll parish, sixteen miles on the road leading from Bayou
Mason to Lake Providence, is ready with a pack of dogs to hunt
runaway Negroes at any time. These dogs are well trained, and are
known throughout the parish. Letters addressed to me at
Providence will secure immediate attention. My terms are five
dollars per day for hunting the trails, whether the Negro is
caught or not. Where a twelve hours' trail is shown, and the
Negro not taken, no charge is made. For taking a Negro,
twenty-five dollars, and no charge made for hunting.
"Nov. 26, 1847."
These dogs will attack a Negro at their master's bidding and
cling to him as the bull-dog will cling to a beast. Many are
the speculations, as to whether the Negro will be secured alive
or dead, when these dogs once get on his track. A slave hunt took
place near Natchez, a few days after Currer's arrival, which was
calculated to give her no favourable opinion of the people. Two
slaves had run off owing to severe punishment. The dogs were put
upon their trail. The slaves went into the swamps, with the hope
that the dogs when put on their scent would be unable to follow
them through the water. The dogs soon took to the swamp, which
lies between the highlands, which was now covered with water,
waist deep: here these faithful animals, swimming nearly all the
time, followed the zigzag course, the tortuous twistings and
windings of these two fugitives, who, it was afterwards
discovered, were lost; sometimes scenting the tree wherein they
had found a temporary refuge from the mud and water; at other
places where the deep mud had pulled off a shoe, and they had not
taken time to put it on again. For two hours and a half, for four
or five miles, did men and dogs wade through this bushy, dismal
swamp, surrounded with grim-visaged alligators, who seemed to look
on with jealous eye at this encroachment of their hereditary
domain; now losing the trail--then slowly and dubiously taking it
off again, until they triumphantly threaded it out, bringing them
back to the river, where it was found that the Negroes had
crossed their own trail, near the place of starting. In the
meantime a heavy shower had taken place, putting out the trail.
The Negroes were now at least four miles ahead.
It is well known to hunters that it requires the keenest scent and
best blood to overcome such obstacles, and yet these persevering
and sagacious animals conquered every difficulty. The
slaves now made a straight course for the Baton Rouge and Bayou
Sara road, about four miles distant.
Feeling hungry now, after their morning walk, and perhaps
thirsty, too, they went about half a mile off the road, and ate a
good, hearty, substantial breakfast. Negroes must eat, as well as
other people, but the dogs will tell on them. Here, for a moment,
the dogs are at fault, but soon unravel the mystery, and bring
them back to the road again; and now what before was wonderful,
becomes almost a miracle. Here, in this common highway--the
thoroughfare for the whole country around through mud and through
mire, meeting waggons and teams, and different solitary
wayfarers, and, what above all is most astonishing, actually
running through a gang of Negroes, their favourite game, who were
working on the road, they pursue the track of the two Negroes;
they even ran for eight miles to the very edge of the plain--the
slaves near them for the last mile. At first they would fain
believe it some hunter chasing deer. Nearer and nearer the
whimpering pack presses on; the delusion begins to dispel; all at
once the truth flashes upon them like a glare of light; their
hair stands on end; 'tis Tabor with his dogs. The scent becomes
warmer and warmer. What was an irregular cry, now deepens into
one ceaseless roar, as the relentless pack rolls on after its
human prey. It puts one in mind of Actaeon and his dogs. They
grow desperate and leave the road, in the vain hope of shaking
them off. Vain hope, indeed! The momentary cessation only adds
new zest to the chase. The cry grows louder and louder; the yelp
grows short and quick, sure indication that the game is at hand.
It is a perfect rush upon the part of the hunters, while the
Negroes call upon their weary and jaded limbs to do their best,
but they falter and stagger beneath them. The breath of the
hounds is almost upon their very heels, and yet they have a vain
hope of escaping these sagacious animals. They can run no longer;
the dogs are upon them; they hastily attempt to climb a tree, and
as the last one is nearly out of reach, the catch-dog seizes him
by the leg, and brings him to the ground; he sings out lustily
and the dogs are called off. After this man was secured, the one
in the tree was ordered to come down; this, however, he refused
to do, but a gun being pointed at him, soon caused him to change
his mind. On reaching the ground, the fugitive made one more
bound, and the chase again commenced. But it was of no use to run
and he soon yielded. While being tied, he committed an
unpardonable offence: he resisted, and for that he must be made
an example on their arrival home. A mob was collected together,
and a Lynch court was held, to determine what was best to be done
with the Negro who had had the impudence to raise his hand
against a white man. The Lynch court decided that the Negro
should be burnt at the stake. A Natchez newspaper, the Free
Trader, giving an account of it says,
"The body was taken and chained to a tree immediately on the banks
of the Mississippi, on what is called Union Point. Faggots were
then collected and piled around him, to which he appeared quite
indifferent. When the work was completed, he was asked what he had
to say. He then warned all to take example by him, and asked the
prayers of all around; he then called for a drink of water, which
was handed to him; he drank it, and said, 'Now set fire--I am
ready to go in peace!' The torches were lighted, and placed in
the pile, which soon ignited. He watched unmoved the curling flame
that grew, until it began to entwine itself around and feed upon
his body; then he sent forth cries of agony painful to the ear,
begging some one to blow his brains out; at the same time surging
with almost superhuman strength, until the staple with which the
chain was fastened to the tree (not being well secured) drew out,
and he leaped from the burning pile. At that moment the sharp
ringing of several rifles was heard: the body of the Negro fell a
corpse on the ground. He was picked up by some two or three, and
again thrown into the fire, and consumed, not a vestige remaining
to show that such a being ever existed."
Nearly 4,000 slaves were collected from the plantations in the
neighbourhood to witness this scene. Numerous speeches were made
by the magistrates and ministers of religion to the large
concourse of slaves, warning them, and telling them that the same
fate awaited them, if they should prove rebellious to their
owners. There are hundreds of Negroes who run away and live in
the woods. Some take refuge in the swamps, because they are less
frequented by human beings. A Natchez newspaper gave the
following account of the hiding-place of a slave who had been
captured:--
"A runaway's den was discovered on Sunday, near the Washington
Spring, in a little patch of woods, where it had been for several
months so artfully concealed under ground, that it was detected
only by accident, though in sight of two or three houses, and near
the road and fields where there has been constant daily passing.
The entrance was concealed by a pile of pine straw, representing
a hog-bed, which being removed, discovered a trap-door and steps
that led to a room about six feet square, comfortably ceiled with
plank, containing a small fire-place, the flue of which was
ingeniously conducted above ground and concealed by the straw.
The inmates took the alarm, and made their escape; but Mr. Adams
and his excellent dogs being put upon the trail, soon run down
and secured one of them, which proved to be a Negro-fellow who
had been out about a year. He stated that the other occupant was
a woman, who had been a runaway a still longer time. In the den
was found a quantity of meal, bacon, corn, potatoes, &c. and
various cooking utensils and wearing apparel."--Vicksburg
Sentinel, Dec. 6th, 1838.
Currer was one of those who witnessed the execution of the slave
at the stake, and it gave her no very exalted opinion of the
people of the cotton growing district.