‘Ran away, a negro boy named James. Said boy was ironed when he
left me.’
‘Committed to jail, a man who calls his name John. He has a clog
of iron on his right foot which will weigh four or five pounds.’
‘Detained at the police jail, the negro wench, Myra. Has several
marks of LASHING, and has irons on her feet.’
‘Ran away, a negro woman and two children. A few days before she
went off, I burnt her with a hot iron, on the left side of her
face. I tried to make the letter M.’
‘Ran away, a negro man named Henry; his left eye out, some scars
from a dirk on and under his left arm, and much scarred with the
whip.’
‘One hundred dollars reward, for a negro fellow, Pompey, 40 years
old. He is branded on the left jaw.’
‘Committed to jail, a negro man. Has no toes on the left foot.’
‘Ran away, a negro woman named Rachel. Has lost all her toes
except the large one.’
‘Ran away, Sam. He was shot a short time since through the hand,
and has several shots in his left arm and side.’
‘Ran away, my negro man Dennis. Said negro has been shot in the
left arm between the shoulder and elbow, which has paralysed the
left hand.’
‘Ran away, my negro man named Simon. He has been shot badly, in
his back and right arm.’
‘Ran away, a negro named Arthur. Has a considerable scar across
his breast and each arm, made by a knife; loves to talk much of the
goodness of God.’
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Dickens, Charles – American Notes for General Circulation
‘Twenty-five dollars reward for my man Isaac. He has a scar on his
forehead, caused by a blow; and one on his back, made by a shot
from a pistol.’
‘Ran away, a negro girl called Mary. Has a small scar over her
eye, a good many teeth missing, the letter A is branded on her
cheek and forehead.’
‘Ran away, negro Ben. Has a scar on his right hand; his thumb and
forefinger being injured by being shot last fall. A part of the
bone came out. He has also one or two large scars on his back and
hips.’
‘Detained at the jail, a mulatto, named Tom. Has a scar on the
right cheek, and appears to have been burned with powder on the
face.’
‘Ran away, a negro man named Ned. Three of his fingers are drawn
into the palm of his hand by a cut. Has a scar on the back of his
neck, nearly half round, done by a knife.’
‘Was committed to jail, a negro man. Says his name is Josiah. His
back very much scarred by the whip; and branded on the thigh and
hips in three or four places, thus (J M). The rim of his right ear
has been bit or cut off.’
‘Fifty dollars reward, for my fellow Edward. He has a scar on the
corner of his mouth, two cuts on and under his arm, and the letter
E on his arm.’
‘Ran away, negro boy Ellie. Has a scar on one of his arms from the
bite of a dog.’
‘Ran away, from the plantation of James Surgette, the following
negroes: Randal, has one ear cropped; Bob, has lost one eye;
Kentucky Tom, has one jaw broken.’
‘Ran away, Anthony. One of his ears cut off, and his left hand cut
with an axe.’
‘Fifty dollars reward for the negro Jim Blake. Has a piece cut out
of each ear, and the middle finger of the left hand cut off to the
second joint.’
‘Ran away, a negro woman named Maria. Has a scar on one side of
her cheek, by a cut. Some scars on her back.’
‘Ran away, the Mulatto wench Mary. Has a cut on the left arm, a
scar on the left shoulder, and two upper teeth missing.’
I should say, perhaps, in explanation of this latter piece of
description, that among the other blessings which public opinion
secures to the negroes, is the common practice of violently
punching out their teeth. To make them wear iron collars by day