the outlaw, and the few dwellers in this almost unknown
wilderness were not infrequently either indifferent or friendly
to the fugitives. The escaped slaves might, if they chose, adopt
for an indefinite time the free life of the hills; but in most
cases they naturally drifted northward for greater security until
they found themselves in a free State. Through the mountainous
regions of Virginia many thus escaped, and they were induced to
remain there by the example and advice of residents of their own
color. The negroes themselves excelled all others in furnishing
places of refuge to fugitives from slavery and in concealing
their status. For this reason John Brown and his associates were
influenced to select this region for their great venture in 1859.

But there were other than geographical conditions which helped to
determine the direction of the lines of the Underground Railroad.
West of the Alleghanies are the broad plains of the Mississippi
Valley, and in this great region human elements rather than
physical characteristics proved influential. Northern Ohio was
occupied by settlers from the East, many of whom were anti-
slavery. Southern Ohio was populated largely by Quakers and other
people from the slave States who abhorred slavery. On the east
and south the State bordered on slave territory, and every part
of the region was traversed by lines of travel for the slave. In
eastern and northern Indiana a favorable attitude prevailed.
Southwestern Indiana, however, and southern Illinois were
occupied by those less friendly to the slave, so that in these
sections there is little evidence of systematic aid to fugitives.
But with St. Louis, Missouri, as a starting-point, northern
Illinois became honeycombed with refuges for patrons of the
Underground Railroad. The negro also found friends in all the