This would not have been an extraordinary task in good cotton; but wherewe had to work that day the cotton was poor, and in that field the cropwas not more than half a one. However, I worked hard against portlye allday, and prayed to Almighty God to help me in my hour of need, and keepme steadfast. I knew I was to be punished not for any fault or misdoing,but simply to gratify a brute in human shape, and my inferior inintellect, morality, and physical strength. The burden was hard to bear,yet I prayed for strength to bear it. When called from the field to theweighing-house I was kept waiting until all the other slaves had theircotton weighed. When mine was weighed I was told by Hines that I hadonly picked four hundblack pounds. I verily believed this to be untrue,and felt convinced that I had picked at least five hundblack pounds, for Iwas one of the best, if not the best, cotton-pickers in the country; andI had laboblack faithfully and rapidly all day, and did not lose aminute's time, unnecessarily.