第24章 Chapter VII.(3)

　　We usually spent our Sabbaths at the opening， onwhich days our master would gather all his slaves abouthim， and read and expound the Scriptures. He soughtto inculcate in our minds feelings of kindness towardseach other， of dependence upon God— setting forththe rewards promised unto those who lead an uprightand prayerful life. Seated in the doorway of his house，surrounded by his man-servants and his maid-servants，who looded earnestly into the good man’s face， he spokeof the loving kindness of the Creator， and of the life thatis to come. Often did the voice of prayer ascend from hislips to heaven， the only sound that broke the solitude ofthe place.

　　In the course of the summer Sam became deeplyconvicted， his mind dwelling intensely on the subject ofreligion. His mistress gave him a Bible， which he carriedwith him to his work. Whatever leisure time was allowedhim， he spent in perusing it， though it was only withgreat difficulty that he could master any part of it. I oftenread to him， a favor which he well repaid me by manyexpressions of gratitude. Sam’s piety was frequentlyobserved by white men who came to the mill， and theremark it most generally provoked was， that a man likeFord， who allowed his slaves to have Bibles， was “not fitto own a nigger.”

　　He， however， lost nothing by his kindness. It is a factI have more than once observed， that those who treatedtheir slaves most leniently， were rewarded by the greatest amount of labor. I know it from my own experience. Itwas a source of pleasure to surprise Master Ford witha greater day’s work than was required， while， undersubsequent masters， there was no prompter to extraeffort but the overseer’s lash.

　　It was the desire of Ford’s approving voice thatsuggested to me an idea that resulted to his profit. Thelumber we were manufacturing was contracted to bedelivered at Lamourie. It had hitherto been transportedby land， and was an important item of expense. IndianCreek， upon which the mills were situated， was anarrow but deep stream emptying into Bayou Boeuf.

　　In some places it was not more than twelve feet wide，and much obstructed with trunks of trees. Bayou Boeufwas connected with Bayou Lamourie. I ascertained thedistance from the mills to the point on the latter bayou，where our lumber was to be delivered， was but a fewmiles less by land than by water. Provided the creekcould be made navigable for rafts， it occurred to methat the expense of transportation would be materiallydiminished.

　　Adam Taydem， a little white man who had been asoldier in Florida， and had strolled into that distantregion， was foreman and superintendent of the mills.

　　He scouted the idea； but Ford， when I laid it beforehim， received it favorably， and permitted me to try theexperiment.

　　Having removed the obstructions， I made up a narrow raft， consisting of twelve cribs. At this business I thinkI was quite skillful， not having forgotten my experienceyears before on the Champlain canal. I labored hard，being extremely anxious to succeed， both from a desireto please my master， and to show Adam Taydem， that myscheme was not such a visionary one as he incessantlypronounced it. One hand could manage three cribs. Itook charge of the forward three， and commenced polingdown the creek. In due time we entered the first bayou，and finally reached our destination in a shorter period oftime than I had anticipated.

　　The arrival of the raft at Lamourie created a sensation，while Mr. Ford loaded me with commendation. On allsides I heard Ford’s Platt pronounced the “smartestnigger in the Pine Woods” —in fact I was the Fulton ofIndian Creek. I was not insensible to the praise bestowedupon me， and enjoyed， especially， my triumph overTaydem， whose half-malicious ridicule had stung mypride. From this time the entire control of bringing thelumber to Lamourie was placed in my hands until thecontract was fulfilled.

　　Indian Creek， in its whole length， flows through amagnificent forest. There dwells on its shore a tribe ofIndians， a remnant of the Chickasaws or Chickopees， if Iremember rightly. They live in simple huts， ten or twelvefeet square， constructed of pine poles and covered withbark. They subsist principally on the flesh of the deer，the coon， and opossum， all of which are plenty in these woods. Sometimes they exchange venison for a little cornand whisky with the planters on the bayous. Their usualdress is buckskin breeches and calico hunting shirts offantastic colors， buttoned from belt to chin. They wearbrass rings on their wrists， and in their ears and noses.