The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.
man, who, with his wife, was addicted to intemperance and carousing.  Ann found that she had simply got “out of the fire into the frying-pan.”  She was really at a loss to tell when her lot was the harder, whether under the “rum drinker,” or the old time Methodist.  In this state of mind she decided to leave all and go to Canada, the refuge for the fleeing bondman.  Lavina, Ann’s companion, was the wife of James Woolfley.  She and her husband set out together, with six others, and were of the party of eight who were betrayed into Dover jail, as has already been described in these pages.  After fighting their way out of the jail, they separated (for prudential reasons).  The husband of Lavina, immediately after the conflict at the jail, passed on to Canada, leaving his wife under the protection of friends.  Since that time several months had elapsed, but of each other nothing had been known, before she received information on her arrival at Philadelphia.  The Committee was glad to inform her, that her husband had safely passed on to Canada, and that she would be aided on also, where they could enjoy freedom in a free country.

* * * * *

CAPTAIN F. AND THE MAYOR OF NORFOLK.

TWENTY-ONE PASSENGERS SECRETED IN A BOAT.  NOVEMBER, 1855.

CAPTAIN F. was certainly no ordinary man.  Although he had been living a sea-faring life for many years, and the marks of this calling were plainly enough visible in his manners and speech, he was, nevertheless, unlike the great mass of this class of men, not addicted to intemperance and profanity.  On the contrary, he was a man of thought, and possessed, in a large measure, those humane traits of character which lead men to sympathize with suffering humanity wherever met with.

It must be admitted, however, that the first impressions gathered from a hasty survey of his rough and rugged appearance, his large head, large mouth, large eyes, and heavy eye-brows, with a natural gift at keeping concealed the inner-workings of his mind and feelings, were not calculated to inspire the belief, that he was fitted to be entrusted with the lives of unprotected females, and helpless children; that he could take pleasure in risking his own life to rescue them from the hell of Slavery; that he could deliberately enter the enemy’s domain, and with the faith of a martyr, face the dread slave-holder, with his Bowie-knives and revolvers—­Slave-hunters, and blood-hounds, lynchings, and penitentiaries, for humanity’s sake.  But his deeds proved him to be a true friend of the Slave; whilst his skill, bravery, and success stamped him as one of the most daring and heroic Captains ever connected with the Underground Rail Road cause.

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The Underground Railroad from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.