Bent on having satisfaction, as he said, just as soon as I got a little the better of my bruises, Master Hugh took me to Esquire Watson's office, on Bond street, Fell's Point, with a view to procuring the arrest of those who had assaulted me.

He related the outrage to the magistrate, as I had related it to him, and seemed to expect that a warrant would, at once, be issued for the arrest of the lawless ruffians.
Mr.Watson heard it all, and instead of drawing up his warrant, he inquired .-- "Mr.Auld, who saw this assault of which you speak ?" "It was done, sir, in the presence of a ship yard full of hands." "Sir," said Watson, "I am sorry, but I cannot move in this matter except upon the oath of white witnesses."{245} "But here's the boy; look at his head and face," said the excited Master Hugh; _"they_ show _what_ has been done." But Watson insisted that he was not authorized to do anything, unless _white_ witnesses of the transaction would come forward, and testify to what had taken place.

He could issue no warrant on my word, against white persons; and, if I had been killed in the presence of a _thousand blacks_, their testimony, combined would have been insufficient to arrest a single murderer.

Master Hugh, for once, was compelled to say, that this state of things was _too bad;_ and he left the office of the magistrate, disgusted.
Of course, it was impossible to get any white man to testify against my assailants.

The carpenters saw what was done; but the actors were but the agents of their malice, and only what the carpenters sanctioned.
They had cried, with one accord, _"Kill the nigger!" "Kill the nigger!"_ Even those who may have pitied me, if any such were among them, lacked the moral courage to come and volunteer their evidence.