escape from the ship, without being discovered by any
one; to accomplish which I determined to issue from
the hold as soon as night came on, if possible. Waiting until sometime after daylight had disappeared,
I ventured to creep to the hatchway, and raise my
head above deck. Seeing no one on board, I crawled
out of the hold, and stepped on board a ship that lay
alongside of that in which I had come a passenger.
Here a man seized me, and called me a thief, saying I had come to rob his ship; and it was with much
difficulty that I prevailed upon him to let me go. He
at length permitted me to go on the wharf; and I
once more felt myself a freeman.
I did not know what city I was in; but as the sailors had all told me, at Savannah, that their ship was bound to Philadelphia, I had no doubt of being in that city. In going along the street, a black man met me, and I asked him if I was in Philadelphia. This question caused the stranger to laugh loudly: and he passed on without giving me any answer. Soon afterwards I met an old gentleman, with drab clothes on, as I could see by the light of the lamps. To him I propounded the same question, that had been addressed a few moments before to the black man. This time, however, I received a civil answer: being told that I was in Philadelphia.
This gentleman seemed concerned for me, either because of my wretched and ragged appearance, or because I was a stranger, and did not know where I was. Whether for the one cause or the other, I know not; but he told me to follow him, and led me
