Page:The Under-Ground Railroad.djvu/107

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enjoying a morning's breeze, discovered, unexpectedly, their Negroes, packed away very snugly altogether. They passed many compliments, and made many inquiries relative to their escape, &c., directing their remarks chiefly to Jack, a kind of Prince among them. Next, they enquired of the captain as to his landing point, and the time, anxious to secure their property. The captain said he should becompelled to stop at Malden, alias Amherstburgh, on the Canada side, at the mouth of the Detroit river, still twenty miles from Detroit city, on the State side, their place of destination. Malden was the captain's place to take in wood, to enable him to run his vessel the twenty miles to Detroit.

Knowing, as they did, the moment the steamer landed at Malden the Fugitives were as free as themselves, because it is British soil, they implored the captain not to stop there, for their Negroes would escape. He said he had nothing to do with the Negroes, it was wood he wanted, otherwise the steamer could not run. "For God's sake, Captain, don't stop at Malden. "No use, gentlemen, we must have wood, or we shall be lost." "Captain, land at Detroit before you do at Malden, and we will give you three hundred dollars (or £60)." To this the captain agreed. They immediately paid him the money, and accordingly they landed at Detroit. One of these Slave catchers hastened immediately up to the town