Chapter 5

           Afterwewereallonboard,thebrigOrleansproceededdownJamesRiver. PassingintoChesapeakeBay,wearrivednextdayoppositethecityofNorfolk. Whilelyingatanchor,alighterapproachedusfromthetown,bringingfourmoreslaves. Frederick,aboyofeighteen,hadbeenbornaslave,asalsohadHenry,whowassomeyearsolder. Theyhadbothbeenhouseservantsinthecity. Mariawasarathergenteellookingcoloredgirl,withafaultlessform,butignorantandextremelyvain. TheideaofgoingtoNew-Orleanswaspleasingtoher. Sheentertainedanextravagantlyhighopinionofherownattractions. Assumingahaughtymien,shedeclaredtohercompanions,thatimmediatelyonourarrivalinNew-Orleans,shehadnodoubt,somewealthysinglegentlemanofgoodtastewouldpurchaseheratonce! 

           Butthemostprominentofthefour,wasamannamedArthur. Asthelighterapproached,hestruggledstoutlywithhiskeepers. Itwaswithmainforcethathewasdraggedaboardthebrig. Heprotested,inaloudvoice,againstthetreatmenthewasreceiving,anddemandedtobereleased. Hisfacewasswollen,andcoveredwithwoundsandbruises,and,indeed,onesideofitwasacompleterawsore. Hewasforced,withallhaste,downthehatchwayintothehold. Icaughtanoutlineofhisstoryashewasbornestrugglingalong,ofwhichheafterwardsgavemeamorefullrelation,anditwasasfollows: HehadlongresidedinthecityofNorfolk,andwasafreeman. Hehadafamilylivingthere,andwasamasonbytrade.