paid on account of his employer. In this respect I was far in advance of
him, of which my master was aware, and which was one of the causes of
Hines' excessive hatred of me, and of his great desire to "put me down
and make me know my place," as he termed it. He was very irreligious,
and entirely wanting in every attribute of a Christian. He was also what
in the South is termed a "bully"--that is, he was free to use his
pistols on the slightest occasion, when among his equals, but when in
the presence of his superiors he was a cringing sycophant and coward. He
was a real coward, at best, in all places. He did not want me on the
plantation; and he was determined that he would so harrass me that I
would become as reckless and devilish as himself, and thereby compel my
master to send me to a slave-market to be sold.

Hines concocted various tales and reported them to Mr. Thompson,
relating to my alleged insubordination, laziness, refusal to work, etc.,
but all to no effect. Finally he told my master that I was so
disobedient that the rest of the slaves were affected by my conduct, and
that I would ruin all the slaves on the plantation unless severe means
were used to conquer me.

My master informed Hines, after hearing his story, that Jack, a
fellow-servant of mine in my younger days, had killed Prince, another
fellow-servant, on Wilson's plantation, several years before; that I
might be imbued with the same spirit; and that if he undertook to
chastise me he might meet with the same fate of Prince.

This murder occurred after I had been sold by Wilson to Thompson, but
being permitted to return to Wilson's plantation once a year to visit
and preach to my old flock, I learned the facts regarding the matter.