CHAPTER II.
AT THE GREAT HOUSE.
When eight years of age, I was taken to the "great house," or the family mansion of my master, to serve as an errand boy, where I had to stand in the presence of my master's family all the day, and a part of the night, ready to do any thing which they commanded me to perform.
My master's family consisted of himself and wife, and seven children.

His overseer, whose name was Barsly Taylor, had also a wife and five children.
These constituted the white population on the plantation.Capt.Helm was the owner of about one hundred slaves, which made the residents on the plantation number about one hundred and sixteen persons in all.

One hundred and seven of them, were required to labor for the benefit of the remaining nine, who possessed that vast domain; and one hundred of the number doomed to unrequited toil, under the lash of a cruel task-master during life, with no hope of release this side of the grave, and as far as the cruel oppressor is concerned, shut out from hope beyond it.
And here let me ask, why is this practice of working slaves half clad, poorly fed, with nothing or nearly so, to stimulate them to exertion, but fear of the lash?
Do the best interests of our common country require it?
I think not.

Did the true interest of Capt.

Helm demand it?
Whatever may have been his opinion, I cannot think it did.