And at that time, in that lonely island, the white man and woman had no fear of the black man; nor did Lilly see while she was there any ill will of the black man to the whites. They still regarded with liking and respect the white families to which they had belonged, as the following incident will exemplify. One woman had worked four years after her freedom for her master, and he had never paid her any wage. Lilly asked “Why do you not sue him, Mary? The law would give you your wage, for he is able to pay it.”
“O Miss Lill,” was the answer, with a positive shake of the head, “we couldn’t hab a suit in the fambly.”
So much trust was there then in the old servants, that Lilly accompanied by Mrs. Peck, often went to Charleston in the 362 long boat, rowed by four black men. Their leader was a gigantic negro called Binyard, and to his impromptu songs and recitatives the oars kept time all the sixteen miles. Thus when Binyard saw a steamer approaching, his stentorian voice hailed it thus:
“Git out ob de way, you steamboat!
Binyard’s on de ribber!
Binyard’s on de ribber, steamboat,
Git out ob Binyard’s way!”
Then when the steamer swept across their bow and left them rocking in its wash he continued,
“Go on dis time, little steamer,
I let you pass dis time,