HISTORY OF THE ESCAPE OF HOPKINS FROM THE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
In the year 1829, Hopkins was a slave in the above-named State. His master was what slaves call a bad man. It was the custom of the overseer to blow the horn which was used to summon the people of the farm to their work, and those who did not appear at the time appointed, were flogged by "bucking." This was done by tying their hands and feet, and bringing the arms over the knees, and shoving a strong stick between the arms and the knees, thus rendering the slave entirely helpless, leaving him only to roll from side to side.
One morning, Hopkins found himself rather late, and he knew according to custom he would have to be "bucked." Instead of going to the field, where the hands were at work, he went into the forest, until he could make some inquiry as to the state of things in reference to himself. He learned from some of the slaves that the overseer had asked for him, and had said he should be well "paddled," [ A paddle is an instrument made of wood, and full of holes, which with every blow raises blisters], having reference to the mode of "bucking" which I have described. Hopkins thought it would be best for him to leave the State, if possible. This could not be accomplished without great trouble and privation. His aim was to get into the State of Virginia, which was but a short distance. He crossed the Blueridge Mountains in Western Virginia, living upon apples, chesnuts, and Indian corn. He came to a place called Harper's Ferry, and crossed the river at that point; he thus reached the State of Maryland. There were many wild Indians then living in that portion of the State. Hopkins fell in with a tribe that seemed to regard him as a brother, and treated him as such.
The only thing which Hopkins could not get along with among the Indians was, that they would serve up dog for dinner. The first intimation given Hopkins that his tribe ate dog, was on one wintry day when he had been out hunting, and had returned to the wigwam. There was cooked a large quantity of peas, and, apparently, a joint of mutton. He was called, as was the custom, to sit down and eat his dinner. He helped himself very largely to peas, not caring much for the supposed lamb, when one of the Indians expressed surprise that Hopkins should be so fond of peas and so little pleased with dog. However, this love of dog did not break off Hopkins' love for the Indians. They were so kind to him that he continued with them for three years. At last a disturbance broke out among them, and they were driven by the white people further back into the mountains. This disturbance continued, until Hopkins was forced to leave the tribe lest he should be taken prisoner, and reduced to slavery.
The only hope for Hopkins at this time was to go into Pennsylvania, a free State, and work his way through to Canada; and he started for the Quaker State. On arriving there, he fell in with a farmer, and being without money to travel with, he asked the farmer to give him some work to do. The farmer immediately agreed to give him work for one month, with the understanding that he should receive the sum of eight dollars promptly at the end of the month. On a Saturday morning, at the end of the month, Hopkins, now wishing to leave for Canada, asked the farmer for his wages. The farmer said he would have to go to town before he settled with him. About noon, he went to town, as he said, to get his money changed, that he might pay Hopkins, according to agreement. But Hopkins began to suspect that there was something wrong about the matter, so he watched the farmer as he left the farm, and as the farmer got out of sight, Hopkins left the house, and went out beyond the barn, where he could see any who might come to the house. He buried himself as deep as he well could in a small rick of straw near the barn. He could manage to see all around him. Looking towards the gate out of which the farmer had gone, he saw eight men in company with this farmer coming towards the house. As they drew near the house, they began to station themselves around, as if fearful some one in the house would escape them. Of course, they expected to find Hopkins in the house; but, behold! he had fled. They inquired of the woman of the house where Hopkins had gone, but she told them she did not know. So they came out of the house, and stood and talked awhile. Said the farmer, "We will go and search the barn." This being agreed to, they went to the barn, and ransacked it from bottom to top, Hopkins all the while hearing what was going on. They came out of the barn, and began to search the straw stacks. They searched all the larger ricks, but did not seem inclined to touch the one where Hopkins lay. They stood and talked again. At last, one of them said, "Did you look in that small rick there?" "Oh, no!" said another; "it's no use to look there." Another chimed in, "Yes, you'd better look, for a nigger can get into a very small place now." Hopkins's heart began to ache; and, as if obeying the counsel given, one of the company ran and jumped on the rick in which Hopkins was hid. He stepped upon Hopkins's body, and Hopkins arose. His sudden rising caused the man to fall, and then the chase began. They cried, "Catch him!" "Catch him!" and they would often be so near as to reach out for him, and just scrape his back with their fingers. But Hopkins succeeded in getting to the forest, after running about half a mile. He then soon got out of sight of his pursuers. After resting awhile in the woods, he came back to the edge, and saw his pursuers going back towards the house. They soon all left the house, and went out of the gate towards the town.
Hopkins then went back to the house, and said to the farmer's wife, "Your husband has acted very meanly with me. When I came here first, he promised to pay me at the expiration of the month; instead of doing as he had promised, he has betrayed me. You have a ham in this house, and I want it; and all the bread you have is mine, and you are not to say a word against my having it. I also want that bag" (pointing towards it). Hopkins took the ham and all the bread, and putting it into the bag, went back again to the forest. He then made his way into the State of Ohio, and from thence to Canada West, where he now lives in the enjoyment of freedom.
I am well acquainted with Hopkins; he is a farmer, but not one with such principles as the one who betrayed him.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ deliver the American slave-catchers from the worst of crimes, slave-catching and man-stealing. There is no heaven for such men, without deep repentance upon their part. We can freely join with Hopkins in the song, merely changing a word to suit his case:--
"Pennsylvania's not the place for me,
For I had much surprise,
So many of her sons to see
In garments of disguise.
Her name has gone out through the world,
Free labour, soil, and men;
But slaves had better far be hurled
Into the lion's den.
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
I am not safe in thee;
I'll travel on to Canada,
Where coloured men are free."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.
One morning, Hopkins found himself rather late, and he knew according to custom he would have to be "bucked." Instead of going to the field, where the hands were at work, he went into the forest, until he could make some inquiry as to the state of things in reference to himself. He learned from some of the slaves that the overseer had asked for him, and had said he should be well "paddled," [ A paddle is an instrument made of wood, and full of holes, which with every blow raises blisters], having reference to the mode of "bucking" which I have described. Hopkins thought it would be best for him to leave the State, if possible. This could not be accomplished without great trouble and privation. His aim was to get into the State of Virginia, which was but a short distance. He crossed the Blueridge Mountains in Western Virginia, living upon apples, chesnuts, and Indian corn. He came to a place called Harper's Ferry, and crossed the river at that point; he thus reached the State of Maryland. There were many wild Indians then living in that portion of the State. Hopkins fell in with a tribe that seemed to regard him as a brother, and treated him as such.
The only thing which Hopkins could not get along with among the Indians was, that they would serve up dog for dinner. The first intimation given Hopkins that his tribe ate dog, was on one wintry day when he had been out hunting, and had returned to the wigwam. There was cooked a large quantity of peas, and, apparently, a joint of mutton. He was called, as was the custom, to sit down and eat his dinner. He helped himself very largely to peas, not caring much for the supposed lamb, when one of the Indians expressed surprise that Hopkins should be so fond of peas and so little pleased with dog. However, this love of dog did not break off Hopkins' love for the Indians. They were so kind to him that he continued with them for three years. At last a disturbance broke out among them, and they were driven by the white people further back into the mountains. This disturbance continued, until Hopkins was forced to leave the tribe lest he should be taken prisoner, and reduced to slavery.
The only hope for Hopkins at this time was to go into Pennsylvania, a free State, and work his way through to Canada; and he started for the Quaker State. On arriving there, he fell in with a farmer, and being without money to travel with, he asked the farmer to give him some work to do. The farmer immediately agreed to give him work for one month, with the understanding that he should receive the sum of eight dollars promptly at the end of the month. On a Saturday morning, at the end of the month, Hopkins, now wishing to leave for Canada, asked the farmer for his wages. The farmer said he would have to go to town before he settled with him. About noon, he went to town, as he said, to get his money changed, that he might pay Hopkins, according to agreement. But Hopkins began to suspect that there was something wrong about the matter, so he watched the farmer as he left the farm, and as the farmer got out of sight, Hopkins left the house, and went out beyond the barn, where he could see any who might come to the house. He buried himself as deep as he well could in a small rick of straw near the barn. He could manage to see all around him. Looking towards the gate out of which the farmer had gone, he saw eight men in company with this farmer coming towards the house. As they drew near the house, they began to station themselves around, as if fearful some one in the house would escape them. Of course, they expected to find Hopkins in the house; but, behold! he had fled. They inquired of the woman of the house where Hopkins had gone, but she told them she did not know. So they came out of the house, and stood and talked awhile. Said the farmer, "We will go and search the barn." This being agreed to, they went to the barn, and ransacked it from bottom to top, Hopkins all the while hearing what was going on. They came out of the barn, and began to search the straw stacks. They searched all the larger ricks, but did not seem inclined to touch the one where Hopkins lay. They stood and talked again. At last, one of them said, "Did you look in that small rick there?" "Oh, no!" said another; "it's no use to look there." Another chimed in, "Yes, you'd better look, for a nigger can get into a very small place now." Hopkins's heart began to ache; and, as if obeying the counsel given, one of the company ran and jumped on the rick in which Hopkins was hid. He stepped upon Hopkins's body, and Hopkins arose. His sudden rising caused the man to fall, and then the chase began. They cried, "Catch him!" "Catch him!" and they would often be so near as to reach out for him, and just scrape his back with their fingers. But Hopkins succeeded in getting to the forest, after running about half a mile. He then soon got out of sight of his pursuers. After resting awhile in the woods, he came back to the edge, and saw his pursuers going back towards the house. They soon all left the house, and went out of the gate towards the town.
Hopkins then went back to the house, and said to the farmer's wife, "Your husband has acted very meanly with me. When I came here first, he promised to pay me at the expiration of the month; instead of doing as he had promised, he has betrayed me. You have a ham in this house, and I want it; and all the bread you have is mine, and you are not to say a word against my having it. I also want that bag" (pointing towards it). Hopkins took the ham and all the bread, and putting it into the bag, went back again to the forest. He then made his way into the State of Ohio, and from thence to Canada West, where he now lives in the enjoyment of freedom.
I am well acquainted with Hopkins; he is a farmer, but not one with such principles as the one who betrayed him.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ deliver the American slave-catchers from the worst of crimes, slave-catching and man-stealing. There is no heaven for such men, without deep repentance upon their part. We can freely join with Hopkins in the song, merely changing a word to suit his case:--
"Pennsylvania's not the place for me,
For I had much surprise,
So many of her sons to see
In garments of disguise.
Her name has gone out through the world,
Free labour, soil, and men;
But slaves had better far be hurled
Into the lion's den.
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
I am not safe in thee;
I'll travel on to Canada,
Where coloured men are free."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.