However, to just do it. You to definitely nights I was going back out-of a stroll and you can occurred in order to be passageway around the weighing forgotten close to the brand new hour whenever functions ceased during the day and also the females was in fact getting the bins of thread to get considered. We averted to view the view, and you may, as there are a good hedge between the lost plus the highway where I found myself reputation, not one person saw me, no matter if I can work through the leafy screen. I knew the guidelines of one’s plantation, and you will, when i tested the ladies, I hoped-for their particular sakes that they all had picked its right weight regarding thread.
All of them had been good, healthy-looking ladies as well as were sporting thread outfits off varied tone, its minds, generally, becoming covered with brightly-coloured handkerchiefs, however some of the younger and you may light-skinned lady wore linen sunlight-bonnets or greater-brimmed straw limits
They certainly were of all ages, of to get up to forty years. Particular had been partnered, but the majority had been single. These were of several colour; the majority were black, however, there had been of numerous mulattoes and also have numerous quadroons. Everyone had toward sneakers and pantyhose.
We challenge say it was not the 1st time that they had seen including a plans
It came along the path, holding their baskets on the thoughts, chatting and you will chuckling as if that they had perhaps not a treatment when you look at the the country. But I pointed out that several were appearing alternatively grave, and that i said to me that they probably was actually idling and you will were not quite certain that that they had chose the full weight.
This new overseer, with a notebook inside the give and you may went to because of the four community give, endured prior to the forgotten, near an enormous set of scales. The ladies emerged, 1 by 1, for each and every passing the lady container to-be considered from the guys. When your weight was correct, the newest overseer ticked off of the female’s term inside the book and you can she ran out to her cabin, able to would just what she preferred right up until next morning. But if a good woman’s basket proved to be from quick weight, the new overseer lay an effective elizabeth and you may informed her to keep.
New consider are complete easily. Therefore, in a short time, all lady had gone except half a dozen terrible something whose baskets had been discovered to be white. It realized what they were going to get, and additionally they stood in a row, all of them searching doleful, while you are three ones including were whimpering. If i had owned people authority towards the plantation, I would have protected the ladies throughout the lash. But I experienced no power. Easily had displayed me for the overseer in those days and asked your so that the latest offenders from with no regulated punishment, however enjoys chuckled at the myself.
The new overseer don’t make one comment to the delinquents, nor did it you uniformdating will need to reason on their own-it realized you to definitely zero excuse could have spared him or her. Looking at the woman whose label was towards the list, the new overseer said sharply: «Lie down.»
The lady, as opposed to concern, stretched herself through to a floor. After that two of the guys knelt facing her and kept the woman hands stretched-out at the full length because most other one or two boys, also kneeling, stored the woman foot from the ankles.
She was a big, most stout, coal-black lady, forty years of age. She is actually hitched and had two strapping de- group. The 2 female, who were one another more than two decades of age and a little black, had earned its right weight along with walked away good little length on forgotten. But when it spotted you to definitely their mom was actually left straight back, it stopped, and you will, status side by side, checked on in silence when you’re she was being whipped.
