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John Benwell - An Englishman's Travels in America
with a small drum, followed by the mob, with yells and execrations drove the culprit before them at a
run. The poor wretch ran like a deer from his pursuers, who followed at his heels, shouting frantically,
until he reached the brink of the river, where a boat was waiting to take him off. He dashed into it, and
was at once rowed into the middle of the stream, out of reach of his tormentors, who, I quite believe,
would have administered more severe lynch-law if they could have got hold of him, for their passions
were wrought up to the highest pitch of excitement. One feature in the scene I could not help remarking -
the negroes all appeared in high glee, and many of them actually danced with joy. I did not wonder at
this, for the negroes always seemed to exult if a white man was in disgrace; which, after all, is no more
than might be expected from a class of men tyrannized over as the coloured people are there, and is one
of the results of the oppressive system that exacts everything that human labour can furnish, without
remuneration, and without (in by far the greater number of instances) any approach to sympathy or
grateful feeling. This alone, without taking into consideration the outrages inflicted on the race by their
cruel oppressors, supplies a sufficient cause for such a tendency, if every other were wanting.
Passing through the principal street the day before I left St Louis, an assembly of men, chiefly overseers
and negro dealers, who stood at the entrance of a large store, attracted my attention. Large placards, with
a description of various lots of negroes to be submitted to public competition, soon told me I should now
be able to gratify my curiosity by witnessing a Missouri slave-vendue. A man with a bell, which he rang
most energetically at the door, shortly after summoned the company, the auction being about to
commence. On a table inside, a negress, of a little over middle age, was standing, vacantly gazing with
grief-worn countenance on the crowd that now thronged to the table. On the floor stood two children, of
about the ages of ten and thirteen respectively. The auctioneer, with the customary volubility of such men
in America, began by stating, that the lots now to be offered were the remnants of a preceding sale,
which he gratuitously observed had been a most satisfactory one, and after dilating with some energy on
the good qualities of the woman before us, whose face brightened up a little on hearing such a flattering
account of her good qualities, he earnestly requested a bidding. The poor creature was evidently in
ill-health. After the most revolting questions had been put to her, and her person examined by the
competitors with disgraceful familiarity, she was pronounced all but worthless, "used up," as one of the
company observed, and was, after much demur on the part of the auctioneer, knocked down for two
hundred dollars; this sum being, as he remarked, but the moiety of what she ought to have realized. She
was then roughly told to get off the table, and take her stand near it, at a place pointed out by her
purchaser, who was a rollicking-looking, big-whiskered fellow, with an immense Leghorn hat, the brim
of which was lined with black, and having a broad black ribbon round the crown. As the poor woman got
down, she cast a furtive glance at her children, who, although the auctioneer certainly tried to prevent it,
were sold to two individuals, neither of whom was the purchaser of the parent. The poor woman looked
about in great despair while the bidding was going on. It was in vain I sought one sympathizing look in
that company; but how could it be expected, when it consisted of men long inured to such heartless
scenes - men whose hearts were case-hardened by the impious traffic they were now engaged in. I was,
however, pleased to hear afterwards that the purchasers all resided in St. Louis, and that the woman
would often see her children - poor amends it is true for a cruel separation, but more satisfactory than
such cases generally are.
CHAPTER IV.
"Where Will-o'-the-wisps and glow-worms shine,
In bulrush and in brake;
Where waving mosses shroud the pine,
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