Which Way Freedom (11 page)

Daniel touched the rug again. “The cove a good place to hide it too. No one go there. We hide it in the grass.”

“Then,” Obi mused, “when we finish, we take it to that inlet that lead to the river.”

“How you sailin' 'cross that river with them gun pointing at you?” Mariah asked. “They only allow the boats carryin the rice sheaves and the Confederate ships on the river.”

“We leave at night,” Obi told her. He was watching Easter make her basket.

Easter looked up from her work. “I hear the Colonel tell he aide that they expect a fight. Say the Yankee go try an' take the island. Then they take over this side an' head for Charleston.”

“This boat thing a stupid idea.” Mariah sucked her teeth. “So when the Yankee an' the slavers fight, the three of you gonna be in the middle of the river?”

Obi stood up. “I been hearin' about Yankee attack since I been here,” he said. “Gabriel, how long it take to make the boat?”

“About a month.”

“I ain't goin',” Mariah said. “I like it here away from Master and Mistress on the island. Mistress be in my face all the time givin' me work.” She picked up a handful of grass. “I do my task, then the soldier leave me alone. It a foolish idea. You go die on that river.”

“But Mariah,” Obi said, resting his hand on her bon
shoulder, “the island so near. How long it take to get 'cross the river?”

“It not near enough. Them big gun at the river boom you right out 'fore you leave the shore good.”

Daniel and Obi looked at each other. “I goin',” Daniel said, his round face unsmiling and determined.

“An' I goin' too,” Obi said firmly.

Easter deftly coiled a palm frond around the blades of grass and said nothing.

Yet, in spite of her protests, Mariah helped them, teaching Obi and Daniel how to coil the leaves around the grasses. She worked with them each evening. Every chance Easter got, she collected the grasses and palm fronds.

When October drew to a close, Obi and Daniel could work almost as swiftly and skillfully as Mariah and Easter. They'd sneak to the cove in the evenings and work on the boat by the light of a lantern. Gabriel kept watch to warn them if anyone came upon them unexpectedly.

By November, the mornings and evenings had a touch of winter chill, but the afternoons were still warm with a kind of golden, orange glow. There was little farming left to be done, and a few of the slaves had already been sent to build fortifications, dig trenches, and clear campground elsewhere.

Toward the end of November, they'd almost finished the boat. One night, Obi, Mariah, Easter, and Daniel worked together. Only a small section was left to complete.

“I glad Jameson ain't worry me with no huntin' tonight,” Daniel said.

Easter nodded. “The Colonel ask me where I be till twelve. I tell him we have prayer meetin'.”

“Nobody find us,” Obi said. “We finish soon.”

Daniel nudged Mariah, who worked next to him. “There be room for you, Mariah.”

“I stayin' here. Be here too when the soldier bring y'all back.”

“Someone bring a message to the Colonel today. Say there be a Yankee attack here soon,” Easter said.

Daniel smiled. “That's when we get free of this camp. When them white men fight each other.”

Suddenly Gabriel rushed over to them. “Someone's comin'!” he whispered.

They quickly hid the boat among the tall blades of grass. Mariah started singing a song that sounded to Obi like the dirge she sang for Buka. The rest of them clapped in time and closed their eyes as if deep in prayer.

“What y'all doin'?” It was Jameson, weaving slightly.

“Nothin', suh,” Daniel said. “Just a prayer meetin'.”

Jameson stared at each one. “Now, that's the dumbest thing I ever heard. Why y'all out here prayin' and singin'?

“Sometime the spirit make us shout. Don't want to disturb nobody, suh,” Gabriel said, making himself sound meek.

“Since when was you so religious, Daniel? I was lookin' for you to do some huntin',” he said.

“I pray every day the Lord send,” Daniel said loudly trying to distract him.

Obi's hands were sweating and he felt as if he had a tight band around his forehead.

Jameson faced Daniel and Obi. “Tomorrow y'all bein' sent to another camp.”

Obi's head reeled. They'd have to finish the boat and leave that night.

Daniel showed no emotion. “Where we goin', suh?” he asked calmly.

“I don't know, and it ain't none of your business no way.” He pulled on his beard. “Tried to get the Colonel to let you stay. You a good hunter. Gone miss you, boy.”

He stumbled away from them, and when he was gone Obi pulled the boat out of the grass. “Mariah, you an' Gabriel go back to the cabin, an' Easter, you go on to the Colonel, 'fore he come lookin' for you.”

“I stay a little longer,” she offered.

“No, don't want nobody else comin' here. The Colonel might look for you, and if he come here, he ain't gonna be drunk like Jameson. He snoop around and find the boat.”

“We come an' get you when we ready to leave,” Daniel told her.

Obi and Daniel worked together until light appeared on the horizon and the gulls began their cries to the dawn. The boat was complete.

Standing up, Obi rubbed his tired fingers. He was exhausted. “I go get Easter now.”

Daniel's face was weary and drawn. “Be careful. I wish we had finish this thing before it get light. Everybody gettin' up now.”

“I go 'round to the back of the house. Easter be in the kitchen.”

Obi walked quickly away from the cove. As he neared the cooking shed, Gabriel headed toward him.

“I just comin' for you!” he said excitedly. “You can't leave now. They's a Yankee gunboat in the river! The soldiers here is fixin' to fire them big guns.”

Obi towered over the old man. “This the only chance we have,” he said desperately.

“It foolhardy to get in that river now. You be blown out the water!”

“I have to, Gabriel. I goin' to get Easter.”

Gabriel embraced him and shook his head sadly. “God go with you.”

Obi left him and ran to the colonel's house. It had started to drizzle. The soldiers were manning the artillery at the shore. Others took positions behind the breastworks and in the trenches. No one noticed Obi dashing to the back of the house. When he reached the door that led to the kitchen, Easter came out. “Come to the woodshed,” she whispered. Her eyes were frightened as they ran to the nearby shed.

“We leavin' now,” Obi said nervously, holding her arms as they entered the shed. She felt small and delicate under her rough man's shirt.

Easter buried her face in his chest. He held her close to him and rested his face in her hair. “What's wrong, Easter?”

“I ain't goin', Obi,” she said in a muffled voice.

“Why?' he asked hoarsely. “You still angry?”

“No, but I feel near to Jason if I stay here.”

“We look for Jason together. I promise, Easter. I won't rest till I find he.” He rubbed her face with one hand and held her around the waist with the other. “Suppose Wilson still lookin' for us an' find he way down here? I want us to be together.”

“I do too, but I 'fraid if I go to the island, I never see Jason.” She wiped her eyes. “He waitin' for us, Obi.”

“Easter, we find him together. Please come with me,” he pleaded.

“I stay this side of the river, Obi. Maybe a chance come for me to get to Jason.”

“But then we be apart,” he said sadly, still holding her to him.

“We
are
apart long as Jason not with us.”

She had to tiptoe in order to rest her face on his shoulder.

“I love you, Obi. But I love Jason too. He need me. You know I here, or on the Phillips plantation, or with Master and Mistress—if they ain't gone west.”

“If you don't come, then the
three
of us apart. I hear the Yankee don't turn slave away no more. Maybe we get to the Yankee an' be free.”

“I never free without Jason. I never free till we three be like a family again. You understand me, Obi?”

His large, deep-set eyes stared at her intently. “No. I don't understand.”

“But I understand why you have to leave. Maybe you find your ma. And these soldier—they work you to death, then they give you back to Master or sell you to someone else.”

He bent down and they kissed. “I comin' back for you—and Jason—.”

When he left the shed, he heard the rumble of distant thunder. He looked behind him and saw the gunboat floating in the river. Suddenly, he heard a soldier yell “Fire!” and saw black smoke spew out of the raised barrels of the artillery at the riverbank. The gunboat returned the fire. The roar of the guns mingled with the rumbling thunder, and he couldn't tell one from the other as he ran to the inlet.

Daniel looked confused. “Where Easter?” he asked when he saw Obi.

“Not comin'.”

They put the boat in the inlet. “Can you swim?” Daniel asked, handing Obi a paddle.

“Why?” Obi asked, trying to steady himself in the boat.

“In case this thing don't stay on top the water.”

“Can't swim,” Obi yelled over the sound of exploding shells.

“I can't neither. Only know how to float.”

Fortunately, the raft stayed afloat and the current helped them downriver. They stayed as close to the shore as possible. “We movin' farther from the island,” Obi said nervously, taking a quick look behind him. The camp was covered with smoke.

“We can't get near the island, anyway—we get blown to pieces. Main thing is we get clear of the camp,” Daniel shouted.

Obi looked to his right. Soldiers from the camp were coming to the river's edge. Daniel swore when he saw them.

“Got to go farther in the river. They comin' to hide in these reeds,” he said.

They paddled as hard as they could farther out into the river.

“It's our only chance. Soldier's muskets can't reach us in the middle of the river,” Daniel said, barely catching his breath. “Let's head for the gunboat.”

It was beginning to rain harder. Obi knew heading for the gunboat was a crazy idea, but that seemed to be the only choice they had. His arm ached as they struggled against the current in the teeming rain. Looking at the silvery thread of water was one thing—actually being on the river was another. Obi could sense the power of the river now.

The firing stopped and the silence seemed strange. Suddenly the river became their enemy as rain fell heavily and claps of thunder rang out. The river churned under the light boat as they paddled toward the gunboat, now retreating.

Obi and Daniel were no match for the river's strength. A gust of wind caught the boat and flipped it over on top of them. Daniel reached for Obi, but Obi was carried away from his grasp.

When Obi went under, Daniel battled the river and finally grabbed Obi's head. Then he kicked, holding Obi up with one arm and waving madly with the other.

[General] Ben Butler acted, welcoming slaves into his
line, putting them to work and grandly dubbing them
“contraband of war.”

Lerone Bennett Jr., author From
Before the Mayflower

The first thing Obi noticed was the sour smell of his own damp clothes. The ground under him was wet, and for a moment he thought he was back in the swamp with Buka and Easter.

“We on the island, Obi,” Daniel said when Obi opened his eyes. “The gunboat pick us up an' bring us here.”

“We at the plantation?” Obi asked weakly, looking at the rows of shingled slave cabins.

“No, not at Green Hills. The gunboat drop us off at the Reynolds plantation near Green Hills.” Other black people sat or lay on the ground, even though there was a slight drizzle. Some walked aimlessly up and down the narrow path between the rows of cabins.

Daniel stood up. “These people escape from the mainland too,” he said. “I was waitin' for you to wake so we can go to Green Hills. That's where Buka was takin' you.”

Every bone in Obi's body ached as Daniel helped him to his feet. They left the rows of cabins, Obi feeling weak and
dazed. “Yankee soldier here?” Obi asked as Daniel led him past a grove of palmetto trees toward the woods.

“Yes. When the boat dock, two soldiers take all of us off an' bring us to the slave quarter.” He stopped walking and shook his head.

“Let me tell you, it a good thing I eat as much food as I can find or kill, to give me strength. I carry you all the way here from the boat.” Though his eyes looked tired Daniel managed to smile a little. “You the heaviest skinny man I ever carry.”

“I thought I dead when the boat turn over. You save my life.”

The light rain barely seeped through the dense growth of vines and trees twisted together. Roots, almost the size of tree trunks, protruded and coiled out of the damp ground.

“Didn't want to lose you an' the boat too. Couldn't catch the boat, so I grab you,” he joked.

As the woods thinned, they came to fields covered with stubble from the rice harvest and thick clods of dirt. A scattering of men trudged behind oxen, plowing the rich dark earth. One of the men waved to them as they approached.

“That you, Daniel? How you get back?”

“Almost swim.” Daniel smiled slightly, patting the man on his shoulders. “Plowin' up under the stubble, eh, Joshua?” Obi could tell that Daniel was forcing himself to be jovial.

“Daniel, Yankee come an' take over the whole island,” Joshua said excitedly. “The overseers gone, Master an' Mistress gone, all the white people gone 'cept for some who hidin' in the woods from the Yankee. Yankee soldier only white people 'round here now.”