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<h2> CHAPTER III </h2>
<p>Colonel Lloyd kept a large and finely cultivated garden, which afforded
almost constant employment for four men, besides the chief gardener, (Mr.
M'Durmond.) This garden was probably the greatest attraction of the place.
During the summer months, people came from far and near—from
Baltimore, Easton, and Annapolis—to see it. It abounded in fruits of
almost every description, from the hardy apple of the north to the
delicate orange of the south. This garden was not the least source of
trouble on the plantation. Its excellent fruit was quite a temptation to
the hungry swarms of boys, as well as the older slaves, belonging to the
colonel, few of whom had the virtue or the vice to resist it. Scarcely a
day passed, during the summer, but that some slave had to take the lash
for stealing fruit. The colonel had to resort to all kinds of stratagems
to keep his slaves out of the garden. The last and most successful one was
that of tarring his fence all around; after which, if a slave was caught
with any tar upon his person, it was deemed sufficient proof that he had
either been into the garden, or had tried to get in. In either case, he
was severely whipped by the chief gardener. This plan worked well; the
slaves became as fearful of tar as of the lash. They seemed to realize the
impossibility of touching TAR without being defiled.</p>
<p>The colonel also kept a splendid riding equipage. His stable and
carriage-house presented the appearance of some of our large city livery
establishments. His horses were of the finest form and noblest blood. His
carriage-house contained three splendid coaches, three or four gigs,
besides dearborns and barouches of the most fashionable style.</p>
<p>This establishment was under the care of two slaves—old Barney and
young Barney—father and son. To attend to this establishment was
their sole work. But it was by no means an easy employment; for in nothing
was Colonel Lloyd more particular than in the management of his horses.
The slightest inattention to these was unpardonable, and was visited upon
those, under whose care they were placed, with the severest punishment; no
excuse could shield them, if the colonel only suspected any want of
attention to his horses—a supposition which he frequently indulged,
and one which, of course, made the office of old and young Barney a very
trying one. They never knew when they were safe from punishment. They were
frequently whipped when least deserving, and escaped whipping when most
deserving it. Every thing depended upon the looks of the horses, and the
state of Colonel Lloyd's own mind when his horses were brought to him for
use. If a horse did not move fast enough, or hold his head high enough, it
was owing to some fault of his keepers. It was painful to stand near the
stable-door, and hear the various complaints against the keepers when a
horse was taken out for use. "This horse has not had proper attention. He
has not been sufficiently rubbed and curried, or he has not been properly
fed; his food was too wet or too dry; he got it too soon or too late; he
was too hot or too cold; he had too much hay, and not enough of grain; or
he had too much grain, and not enough of hay; instead of old Barney's
attending to the horse, he had very improperly left it to his son." To all
these complaints, no matter how unjust, the slave must answer never a
word. Colonel Lloyd could not brook any contradiction from a slave. When
he spoke, a slave must stand, listen, and tremble; and such was literally
the case. I have seen Colonel Lloyd make old Barney, a man between fifty
and sixty years of age, uncover his bald head, kneel down upon the cold,
damp ground, and receive upon his naked and toil-worn shoulders more than
thirty lashes at the time. Colonel Lloyd had three sons—Edward,
Murray, and Daniel,—and three sons-in-law, Mr. Winder, Mr.
Nicholson, and Mr. Lowndes. All of these lived at the Great House Farm,
and enjoyed the luxury of whipping the servants when they pleased, from
old Barney down to William Wilkes, the coach-driver. I have seen Winder
make one of the house-servants stand off from him a suitable distance to
be touched with the end of his whip, and at every stroke raise great
ridges upon his back.</p>
<p>To describe the wealth of Colonel Lloyd would be almost equal to
describing the riches of Job. He kept from ten to fifteen house-servants.
He was said to own a thousand slaves, and I think this estimate quite
within the truth. Colonel Lloyd owned so many that he did not know them
when he saw them; nor did all the slaves of the out-farms know him. It is
reported of him, that, while riding along the road one day, he met a
colored man, and addressed him in the usual manner of speaking to colored
people on the public highways of the south: "Well, boy, whom do you belong
to?" "To Colonel Lloyd," replied the slave. "Well, does the colonel treat
you well?" "No, sir," was the ready reply. "What, does he work you too
hard?" "Yes, sir." "Well, don't he give you enough to eat?" "Yes, sir, he
gives me enough, such as it is."</p>
<p>The colonel, after ascertaining where the slave belonged, rode on; the man
also went on about his business, not dreaming that he had been conversing
with his master. He thought, said, and heard nothing more of the matter,
until two or three weeks afterwards. The poor man was then informed by his
overseer that, for having found fault with his master, he was now to be
sold to a Georgia trader. He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and
thus, without a moment's warning, he was snatched away, and forever
sundered, from his family and friends, by a hand more unrelenting than
death. This is the penalty of telling the truth, of telling the simple
truth, in answer to a series of plain questions.</p>
<p>It is partly in consequence of such facts, that slaves, when inquired of
as to their condition and the character of their masters, almost
universally say they are contented, and that their masters are kind. The
slaveholders have been known to send in spies among their slaves, to
ascertain their views and feelings in regard to their condition. The
frequency of this has had the effect to establish among the slaves the
maxim, that a still tongue makes a wise head. They suppress the truth
rather than take the consequences of telling it, and in so doing prove
themselves a part of the human family. If they have any thing to say of
their masters, it is generally in their masters' favor, especially when
speaking to an untried man. I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if
I had a kind master, and do not remember ever to have given a negative
answer; nor did I, in pursuing this course, consider myself as uttering
what was absolutely false; for I always measured the kindness of my master
by the standard of kindness set up among slaveholders around us. Moreover,
slaves are like other people, and imbibe prejudices quite common to
others. They think their own better than that of others. Many, under the
influence of this prejudice, think their own masters are better than the
masters of other slaves; and this, too, in some cases, when the very
reverse is true. Indeed, it is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out
and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters,
each contending for the superior goodness of his own over that of the
others. At the very same time, they mutually execrate their masters when
viewed separately. It was so on our plantation. When Colonel Lloyd's
slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson, they seldom parted without a
quarrel about their masters; Colonel Lloyd's slaves contending that he was
the richest, and Mr. Jepson's slaves that he was the smartest, and most of
a man. Colonel Lloyd's slaves would boast his ability to buy and sell
Jacob Jepson. Mr. Jepson's slaves would boast his ability to whip Colonel
Lloyd. These quarrels would almost always end in a fight between the
parties, and those that whipped were supposed to have gained the point at
issue. They seemed to think that the greatness of their masters was
transferable to themselves. It was considered as being bad enough to be a
slave; but to be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed!</p>
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