You are loosed from your moorings and are free I am fast in my chains and M a slave You move merrily before the gentle gale and I sadly before the bloody whip You are freedoms swift winged angels that fly around the world I am confined in the bands of iron O that I were free O that if I were on one of your gallant decks under your protecting wing Alas Betwixt me and you the turbid waters roll. Go on go on. O that I could also go Could I but swim If I could fly O why was I born a man of whom to make a brute The glad ship is gone she hides in the dim distance. I am left in the hottest hell of unending slavery. O God save me God deliver me Let me be free Is there any God Why am I a slave I will run away. I will not stand. Get caught or clear Ill try it. I had as well die with ague as the fever. I have only one life to lose. I had as well be killed running as die standing. Only think of it 100 miles straight north and I am free Try it Yes God is helping me I will. It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave. I will take to the water. This is very bay shall yet bear me into freedom. The steamboats steered in the Northeast course from Northpoint. I will do the same and when I get to the head of the bay I will turn my canoe adrift and walked straight through Delaware into Pennsylvania. When I get there I shall not be required to have a pass I can travel without being disturbed. Let but the first opportunity offer and come what will I am off. Meanwhile I will try to bear up under the yoke. I am not the only slave in the world. Why should I be free I can bear as much as any of them. Besides I am but a boy and all boys are bound to some one. It may be that my misery and slavery will only increase the happiness when I get free there is a better day coming. 62 63