Extract of a letter from a gentleman at Fiſhkill, dated March 3, 1789.
"Were I to relate the many extraordinary accounts of the unfortunate girl at New-Hackenſack, your belief might, perhaps, be ſtaggered. I ſhall therefore only inform you of what I was an eyewitneſs to. Laſt Sunday afternoon myſelf and wife went to Dr. Thorn's, and after ſitting ſometime, we heard a knocking under the feet of a young woman that lives in the family; I aſked the Doctor what occaſioned the noiſe—he could not tell, but replied, that he, together with ſeveral others had examined the houſe, but were unable to diſcover the cauſe. I then took a candle, and went with the girl into the cellar—there the knocking alſo continued; but as we were aſcending the ſtairs to return, I heard a prodigious rapping on each ſide, which alarmed me very much. I ſtood ſtill ſome time looking around with amazement, when I beheld ſome lumber, which lay at the head of the ſtairs, ſhake conſiderably. About eight or ten days after, we viſited the girl again—the knocking ſtill continued, though much louder. Our curioſity induced us to pay the third viſit, when the phenomena were ſtill more alarming. I then ſaw the chairs move; a large dining table was thrown againſt me, and a ſmall ſtand on which ſtood a candle, was toſſed up, and thrown in my wife's lap; after which we left the houſe, much ſurpriſed at what we had ſeen."
Advertisements for runaway slaves are very numerous, as well as offers for the sale of single slaves. In some instances negro children are "to be given away." The following notices are taken from the "Boston Gazette" and the "Boston Post-Boy." The descriptions of dress, personal appearance, etc., are very curious.
Ran away from Thomas Poynton of Salem, a Negro Fellow, about 25 Years of Age, a ſhort thick-ſet Fellow, not very black, ſomething pitted with the Small-Pox, ſpeaks bad Engliſh: Had on when he went away, a dark colour'd Cloth Coat, lined with red Shalloon, with Mettal Buttons, a blue Sailor's Jacket, and a flowered German Serge Jacket, black knit Breeches, a Pair grey Stockings newly stock'd, an old Beaver Hatt, and an old Drab Great Coat: Any Perſon that ſhall take up ſaid Negro, and convey him to Salem, or ſecure him in any Gaol ſhall be well rewarded, and all neceſſary Charges paid.
N.B. All Maſters of Veſſels and others are cautioned againſt harbouring, concealing or carrying off the ſaid Negro, as they would avoid the Rigour of the Law.
THOMAS POYNTON.
Gazette, Feb. 4, 1766.
To be given away,