The Underground Railroad / A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, &c., Narrating the Hardships, Hair-Breadth Escapes and Death Struggles of the Slaves in Their Efforts for Freedom, As Related by Themselves and Others, or Witnessed by the Author.

Opening of the book

Thou shall not deliver unto his master the servant that
has escaped from his master unto thee.—Deut. xxiii. 16.
SOLD ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION.
PHILADELPHIA:
PORTER & COATES,
822, CHESTNUT STREET.
1872.
PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION.
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Like millions of my race, my mother and father were born
slaves, but were not contented to live and die so. My
father purchased himself in early manhood by hard toil.
Mother saw no way for herself and children to escape the
horrors of bondage but by flight. Bravely, with her four
little ones, with firm faith in God and an ardent desire
to be free, she forsook the prison-house, and succeeded,
through the aid of my father, to reach a free State. Here
life had to be begun anew. The old familiar slave names
had to be changed, and others, for prudential reasons, had
to be found. This was not hard work. However, hardly
months had passed ere the keen scent of the slave-hunters
had trailed them to where they had fancied themselves
secure. In those days all power was in the hands of the
oppressor, and the capture of a slave mother and her
children was attended with no great difficulty other than
the crushing of freedom in the breast of the victims.
Without judge or jury, all were hurried back to wear the
yoke again. But back this mother was resolved never to

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