The Indians
who caught a runaway slave received a "match coat." The master gave the
slave usually ten to ninety-nine lashes for running off. What slaves
feared most was what they called the "nine ninety-nine" or 99 lashes
with a rawhide whip, and sometimes they were unmercifully flogged until
unconcious. Some cruel masters believed Negroes had no souls. The slaves
at Bowie, however, declared "Parson" Williams, were pretty well treated
and usually respected the overseers. He said that the slaves at Bowie
mostly lived in cabins made of slabs running up and down and crudely
furnished. Working time was from sunrise until sunset. The slaves had no
money to spend and few masters allowed them to indulge in a religious
meeting or even learn about the Bible.
Slaves received medical attention from a physician if they were
seriously ill. When a death occured, a rough box would be made of heavy
slabs and the dead Negro buried the same day on the plantation burying
lot with a brief ceremony, if any. The grieving darkeys, relatives,
after he was "eased" in the ground, would sing a few spirituals and
return to their cabins.
Familiar old spirituals were composed by "Parson" Williams, including
_Roll De Stones Away_, _You'll Rise in De Skies_, and _Ezekiel, He'se
Comin Home_.
Following is one of Williams' spirituals:
When dat are ole chariot comes,
I'm gwine to lebe you:
I'm bound for de promised land
I'm gwine to lebe you.
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