He confessed to the kind
Captain that he had run away from home and how anxious he was about his
mother. That day the Captain wrote a glowing letter to Mrs. Boyton and
posted it at Paducah, Kentucky. From that time, he took great pleasure
in teaching Paul how to steer, and many other arts in river craft.
Paul keenly enjoyed this first voyage down the Mississippi. The strange
scenes on the river were of deep interest; but he never tired of
watching the slaves, either at work in the fields, or at play on the
banks of an evening.
At last the "Red Lion" and her tow were safely moored at New Orleans.
The Captain found a letter waiting from Mrs. Boyton requesting that Paul
be sent back by the first mail packet. While waiting her departure, the
Captain took Paul out to see the great city. Among many places of
interest they visited that day, the slave mart at the foot of the fine
statue erected in honor of Henry Clay, lived long in Paul's memory.
Numbers of slaves were to be sold. The Captain and Paul pushed their way
well to the front, so that they stood near the auctioneer. With
feelings hard to describe, Paul saw slaves disposed of, singly and in
parties. Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters were bid for and sold,
and the critical purchasers examined them as if they were prize cattle.
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