Chapter 8

           WilliamFordunfortunatelybecameembarrassedinhispecuniaryaffairs. Aheavyjudgmentwasrenderedagainsthiminconsequenceofhishavingbecomesecurityforhisbrother,FranklinFord,residingonRedRiver,aboveAlexandria,andwhohadfailedtomeethisliabilities. HewasalsoindebtedtoJohnM.TibeatstoaconsiderableamountinconsiderationofhisservicesinbuildingthemillsonIndianCreek,andalsoaweaving-house,corn-millandothererectionsontheplantationatBayouBœuf,notyetcompleted. Itwasthereforenecessary,inordertomeetthesedemands,todisposeofeighteenslaves,myselfamongthenumber. Seventeenofthem,includingSamandHarry,werepurchasedbyPeterCompton,aplanteralsoresidingonRedRiver. 

           IwassoldtoTibeats,inconsequence,undoubtedly,ofmyslightskillasacarpenter. Thiswasinthewinterof1842. ThedeedofmyselffromFreemantoFord,asIascertainedfromthepublicrecordsinNew-Orleansonmyreturn,wasdatedJune23d,1841. AtthetimeofmysaletoTibeats,thepriceagreedtobegivenformebeingmorethanthedebt,Fordtookachattelmortgageoffourhundreddollars. Iamindebtedformylife,aswillhereafterbeseen,tothatmortgage. 

           Ibadefarewelltomygoodfriendsattheopening,anddepartedwithmynewmasterTibeats. WewentdowntotheplantationonBayouBœuf,distanttwenty-sevenmilesfromthePineWoods,tocompletetheunfinishedcontract. BayouBœufisasluggish,windingstream—oneofthosestagnantbodiesofwatercommoninthatregion,settingbackfromRedRiver.