Page:The Under-Ground Railroad.djvu/34

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those demons in human shape. On the other hand should the Slave be so fortunate as to be in our possession, at the time, we are compelled to keep very quiet, until the hunter loses all hopes of finding him, therefore gives up the search as a bad job, or moves on to another Abolition Community, which gives us an opportunity of removing the Fugitive further from danger, or sending him towards the North Star, the latter we prefer, as it is the safest plan for both parties. We also have patriotic men, white and coloured, voluntarily going into the Slave States and bringing away their fellow men; some of these venturous men having themselves been Slaves, they are truly desirous their brethren should taste the sweets of freedom. They bring them into the Free States and deliver them to the Conductors of our Rail-way, whose duty it is to forward them to Canada. My house was for several years one of the Stations to which numbers were brought by these good men. No class of men are better prepared for this perilous and dangerous occupation than the fugitives themselves. First,—they are used to night walking from their childhood. Second, they are better acquainted with their own neighbourhood, to which they generally resort, to secure the freedom of their friends and acquaintances. Third,—they sympathise with their brethren to a greater extent than others possibly can from their identity with them; they