The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian SlavePrince, Mary
History
The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave
Prince, Mary
Fugitive slaves -- West Indies -- Biography; Prince, Mary; Slavery -- West Indies
Mr. D---- had a slave called old Daniel, whom he used to treat in the most
cruel manner. Poor Daniel was lame in the hip, and could not keep up with
the rest of the slaves; and our master would order him to be stripped and
laid down on the ground, and have him beaten with a rod of rough briar
till his skin was quite red and raw. He would then call for a bucket of
salt, and fling upon the raw flesh till the man writhed on the ground like
a worm, and screamed aloud with agony. This poor man's wounds were never
healed, and I have often seen them full of maggots, which increased his
torments to an intolerable degree. He was an object of pity and terror to
the whole gang of slaves, and in his wretched case we saw, each of us, our
own lot, if we should live to be as old.
Oh the horrors of slavery!--How the thought of it pains my heart! But the
truth ought to be told of it; and what my eyes have seen I think it is my
duty to relate; for few people in England know what slavery is. I have
been a slave--I have felt what a slave feels, and I know what a slave
knows; and I would have all the good people in England to know it too,
that they may break our chains, and set us free.
Mr. D---- had another slave called Ben. He being very hungry, stole a
little rice one night after he came in from work, and cooked it for his
supper. But his master soon discovered the theft; locked him up all night;
and kept him without food till one o'clock the next day. He then hung Ben
up by his hands, and beat him from time to time till the slaves came in at
night. We found the poor creature hung up when we came home; with a pool
of blood beneath him, and our master still licking him. But this was not
the worst. My master's son was in the habit of stealing the rice and rum.
Ben had seen him do this, and thought he might do the same, and when
master found out that Ben had stolen the rice and swore to punish him, he
tried to excuse himself by saying that Master Dickey did the same thing
every night. The lad denied it to his father, and was so angry with Ben
for informing against him, that out of revenge he ran and got a bayonet,
and whilst the poor wretch was suspended by his hands and writhing under
his wounds, he run it quite through his foot. I was not by when he did it,
but I saw the wound when I came home, and heard Ben tell the manner in
which it was done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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