CHAPTER XXII.

Arrival in New-Orleans--Glimpse of Freeman--Genois, the Recorder--His Description of Solomon--Reach Charleston Interrupted by Custom House Officers--Pass through Richmond--Arrival in Washington--Burch Arrested--Shekels and Thorn--Their Testimony--Burch Acquitted--Arrest of Solomon--Burch withdraws the Complaint--The Higher Tribunal--Departure from Washington--Arrival at Sandy Hill--Old Friends and Familiar Scenes--Proceed to Glens Falls--Meeting with Anne, Margaret, and Elizabeth--Solomon Northup Staunton--Incidents--Conclusion, 310 APPENDIX, 323 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PORTRAIT OF SOLOMON IN HIS PLANTATION SUIT, SCENE IN THE SLAVE PEN AT WASHINGTON, SEPARATION OF ELIZA AND HER LAST CHILD, CHAPIN RESCUES SOLOMON FROM HANGING, THE STAKING OUT AND FLOGGING OF THE GIRL PATSEY, SCENE IN THE COTTON FIELD, AND SOLOMON'S DELIVERY, ARRIVAL HOME, AND FIRST MEETING WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, EDITOR'S PREFACE. When the editor commenced the preparation of the following narrative, he did not suppose it would reach the size of this volume. In order, however, to present all the facts which have been communicated to him, it has seemed necessary to extend it to its present length. Many of the statements contained in the following pages are corroborated by abundant evidence--others rest entirely upon Solomon's assertion. That he has adhered strictly to the truth, the editor, at least, who has had an opportunity of detecting any contradiction or discrepancy in his statements, is well satisfied. He has invariably repeated the same story without deviating in the slightest particular, and has also carefully perused the manuscript, dictating an alteration wherever the most trivial inaccuracy has appeared. It was Solomon's fortune, during his captivity, to be owned by several masters. The treatment he received while at the "Pine Woods" shows that among slaveholders there are men of humanity as well as of cruelty. Some of them are spoken of with emotions of gratitude--others in a spirit of bitterness. It is believed that the following account of his experience on Bayou Boeuf presents a correct picture of Slavery, in all its lights and shadows, as it now exists in that locality. Unbiased, as he conceives, by any prepossessions or prejudices, the only object of the editor has been to give a faithful history of Solomon Northup's life, as he received it from his lips. In the accomplishment of that object, he trusts he has succeeded, notwithstanding the numerous faults of style and of expression it may be found to contain. DAVID WILSON. WHITEHALL, N. Y., May, 1853. NARRATIVE OF SOLOMON NORTHUP.