CHAP. XXV.] NEGRO SHOT BY OVERSEER. 93 



said, had not reached a desperate point, and might 

 have been better managed, had he not been a pas 

 sionate man. I was going to express my indigna 

 tion at the idea of such an agent continuing to be 

 entrusted with power, when I saw him approaching 

 us. His countenance was by no means prepossessing, 

 and I involuntarily withdrew. To my surprise, my 

 companion, whose general opinions had pleased me 

 much, greeted and shook hands with his acquaint 

 ance with apparent cordiality. 



This adventure, and my meeting with the slave- 

 stealer on board the &quot; General Clinch,&quot; before re 

 lated * , were the two cases which most shocked 

 my feelings in the course of my present tour in 

 Georgia and Alabama. To inquire into the condition 

 of the negroes, and the evils arising out of the relation 

 of master and slave, was not the object of my visit ; 

 but when I afterwards related to an Abolitionist in 

 Massachusetts, how little actual suffering had ob 

 truded itself on my notice, he told me that great 

 pains must have been taken by the planters to con 

 ceal from me the true state of things, while they had 

 taken care to propitiate me by hospitable attentions. 

 I was glad, however, to find my experience borne 

 out by that of a Scotch weaver, William Thomson, 

 of Stonehaven, who travelled in the year 1841-42 

 for his health in the Southern States. He supported 

 himself as he went along by manual labour, and lived 

 on intimate terms with persons of a different class of 

 society from those with whom I had most intercourse. 



* Ante, vol. i. p. 309. 



