There were all manner of courtesies by the military and naval authorities, salutes from the fort, drives about the spacious and airy barracks, calls from Consuls and others, shells from Mr. Howe (the Collector of the Port), beautiful pressed seaweeds, Florida crabtree canes, dinners, fruits, etc. The visit was a delightful one, but it wouldn’t bear repetition. It’s a very pleasant thing to stand on the southernmost point of land on the continent over which the flag of the Union floats, but once is enough. And so good-bye to “Plantz, of Florida,” Judge Boynton and all the rest. May my feet never again be turned to their homes, but may their’s be often turned to mine! And every one of them get honors and profits from Florida.
CHAPTER XIX.
A Remarkable Negro Story—One of the Strange Possibilities of Slavery.
The story of “Uncle Sandie,” given in the preceding Chapter, seemed to me one of the most remarkable exhibitions ever made public of the results which inhere, as possibilities, in the system of slavery. On a subsequent visit to Key West, Sandie was persuaded to repeat his account of his self-mutilation at length, and the following phonographic report of it was taken down from his lips. I have endeavored to preserve throughout his exact language.
It is only needful to add that Sandie is at once one of the wealthiest and one of the most respected citizens of Key West. He has contributed largely to the erection of a handsome church for the negro congregation, of which he is the leading spirit; and in the management of his private affairs, even the Rebel residents admit that he displays singular prudence and skill. Since the war, his remarkable history has attracted many visitors—among whom were some of our most distinguished naval officers—and brought him many attentions that might readily have turned the head of a less judicious person; but Sandie pursues his quiet way, modest as ever, and still industrious and money-making.
When the following report of his story was made, he appeared in the village in a faultless suit of broadcloth, with a well-brushed silk hat. But for his color, he might have been thought a superbly-developed prizefighter, transformed in some way into a quiet preacher. The production of the note-book startled him a little, but rubbing his head a moment, as if to recall the dates, and standing, hat in hand, under the cocoas, he began.
“I left Maryland on de 2d day of October, ’39. My wife went wid me. She was free, and we came to Florida. I got to work at Port Leon, on de railroad. Dere I worked nine yeahs to buy myself. I got six hundred dollahs, and de yeah’s findin’. Lily, my wife, got fifteen dollahs a month. My massa charged me thirty-three hundred and fifty dollahs for myself, which Lily had to see paid.
“She made herself a slave to go wid me. After we had paid de money, and got our papers—dat tuck us nine yeahs—and we had sumfin over, de town cotch fire and burnt my papers, and pretty smart money. All de money was burnt, ’cept a little silver and gold. Afterward, when dey found de papers was burnt, den they come upon us to sell us to New Orleans. Dey come one night after I’d been out fishin’.
“I was settin’ stripped off, washin’ my feet. Fifteen men rapped at de do. I said, ‘Cum in,’ and tole ’em to take a seat. Dey tole me a hog had been stole dat mornin’, and dat I had bought one, and dey wanted me to go up to de Squire’s, and tell him where I bought it. I sed I had thirty-nine head Buckshire hogs, and didn’t want no more hogs, so, of cose, I hadn’t got no more. Den dey axed me if I was against goin’ to see de Squar, and let him know I didn’t buy any. I tole him yes, I wasn’t against dat, and started in my shirt sleeves, and bare head, to go and see him.
“Wen we got to de street whar it turned off to de Squire’s, de fellows took me toward de jail. I tole ’em dat wasn’t the way to de Squire’s, and dey said de Squire would be at de Cou’t House, dat was near de jail.