73 NEGRO SHOT BY OVERSEER. [CHAP. XXV. 



cile ; and I saw the captain and clerk interfere to prevent him 

 from taking more spirits. We heard many lamentations at the 

 prevalence of this vice in Alabama, and were told of a skillful 

 physician who had lost all his practice by giving way to intem 

 perance. While one of the passengers was conversing with me 

 on this subject, he called my attention to an overseer just coming 

 on board, who, not long ago, had shot a negro, a ringleader in a 

 conspiracy. The affair, he said, had not reached a desperate 

 point, and might have been better managed, had he not been a 

 passionate man. I was going to express my indignation at the 

 idea of such an agent continuing to be intrusted with power, 

 when I saw him approaching us. His countenance was by no 

 means prepossessing, arid I involuntarily withdrew. To my sur 

 prise, my companion, whose general opinions had pleased me 

 much, greeted and shook hands with his acquaintance with appa 

 rent cordiality. 



This adventure, and my meeting with the slave-stealer on 

 board the &quot; General Clinch,&quot; before related,* 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 afterward 

 related to an abolitionist in Massachusetts, how little actual suf 

 fering had obtruded itself on my notice, he told me that great 

 pains must have been taken by the planters to conceal 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 Thom 

 son, of Stonehaven, who traveled in the years 1841 2 for his 

 health in the southern states. He supported himself as he went 

 along by manual labor, and lived on intimate terms with persons 

 of a different class of society from those with whom I had most 

 intercourse. On his return home he published a small book, in 

 which he says, &quot; It will appear, to those who knew my opinions 

 on slavery before I visited America, that, like most others who 

 can judge dispassionately, I have changed my opinion consider- 

 * Ante, vol. i. p. 232. 



