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LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS 251

I could not hope to make a jury of Virginia believe I did not go the whole
length which he went, or that I was not one of his supporters, and I knew that
all Virginia, were I once in her clutches, would say "Let him be hanged."
Before I had left Canada for England Jeremiah Anderson, one of Brown's
men, who was present and took part in the raid, but escaped by the mountains,
joined me, and he told me that he and Shields Green were sent out on
special duty as soon as the capture of the arsenal, etc., was effected. Their
business was to bring in the slaves from the surrounding country, and hence
they were on the outside when Brown was surrounded, I said to him, "Why
then did not Shields come with you?" "Well," he said, "I told him to come;
that we could do nothing more, but he simply said he must go down to de
ole man." Anderson further told me that Captain Brown was careful to keep
his plans from his men, and that there was much opposition among them
when they found what were the precise movements determined upon; but
they were an oath-bound company and like good soldiers were agreed to
follow their captain wherever he might lead.

On the 12th of November, 1859, I took passage from Quebec on board
the steamer "Nova Scotian," Captain Borland, of the Allan line. My going to
England was not at first suggested by my connection with John Brown, but
the fact that I was now in danger of arrest on the ground of complicity with
him, made what I had intended a pleasure a necessity, for though in Canada,
and under British law, it was not impossible that I might be kidnapped and
taken to Virginia. England had given me shelter and protection when the
slave-hounds were on my track fourteen years before, and her gates were
still open to me now that I was pursued in the name of Virginia justice. I
could but feel that I was going into exile, perhaps for life. Slavery seemed to
be at the very top of its power; the national government with all its powers
and appliances was in its hands, and it bade fair to wield them for many years
to come. Nobody could then see that in the short space of four years this
power would be broken and the slave system destroyed. So I started on my
voyage with feelings far from cheerful. No one who has not himself been
compelled to leave his home and country and go into permanent banishment,
can well imagine the state of mind and heart which such a condition brings,
The voyage out was by the north passage, and at this season, as usual, it was
cold, dark, and stormy. Before quitting the coast of Labrador, we had four
degrees below zero. Although I had crossed the Atlantic twice before, I had
not experienced such unfriendly weather as during the most of this voyage.
Our great ship was dashed about upon the surface of the sea, as though she
had been the smallest "dugout." It seemed to tax all the seamanship of our