There is much superstition among the slaves.  Many of them believe in what they call “conjuration,” tricking, and witchcraft; and some of them pretend to understand the art, and say that by it they can prevent their masters from exercising their will over their slaves.  Such are often applied to by others, to give them power to prevent their masters from flogging them.  The remedy is most generally some kind of bitter root; they are directed to chew it and spit towards their masters when they are angry with their slaves.  At other times they prepare certain kinds of powders, to sprinkle about their masters dwellings.  This is all done for the purpose of defending themselves in some peaceable manner, although I am satisfied that there is no virtue at all in it.  I have tried it to perfection when I was a slave at the South.  I was then a young man, full of life and vigor, and was very fond of visiting our neighbors slaves, but had no time to visit only Sundays, when I could get a permit to go, or after night, when I could slip off without being seen.  If it was found out, the next morning I was called up to give an account of myself for going off without permission; and would very often get a flogging for it.

I got myself into a scrape at a certain time, by going off in this way, and I expected to be severely punished for it.  I had a strong notion of running off, to escape being flogged, but was advised by a friend to go to one of those conjurers, who could prevent me from being flogged.  I went and informed him of the difficulty.  He said if I would pay him a small sum, he would prevent my being flogged.  After I had paid him, he mixed up some alum, salt and other stuff into a powder, and said I must sprinkle it about my master, if he should offer to strike me; this would prevent him.  He also gave me some kind of bitter root to chew, and spit towards him, which would certainly prevent my being flogged.  According to order I used his remedy, and for some cause I was let pass without being flogged that time.

I had then great faith in conjuration and witchcraft.  I was led to believe that I could do almost as I pleased, without being flogged.  So on the next Sabbath my conjuration was fully tested by my going off, and staying away until Monday morning, without permission.  When I returned home, my master declared that he would punish me for going off; but I did not believe that he could do it while I had this root and dust; and as he approached me, I commenced talking saucy to him.  But he soon convinced me that there was no virtue in them.  He became so enraged at me for saucing him, that he grasped a handful of switches and punished me severely, in spite of all my roots and powders.