They all wanted my wife, while but very few wanted me.

He asked for me and my family twenty-five hundred dollars, but was not able to get us off at that price.
He tried to speculate on my Christian character.

He tried to make it appear that I was so pious and honest that I would not runaway for ill treatment; which was a gross mistake, for I never had religion enough to keep me from running away from slavery in my life.
But we were taken from Vicksburgh, to the city of New Orleans, were we were to be sold at any rate.

We were taken to a trader's yard or a slave prison on the corner of St.Joseph street.

This was a common resort for slave traders, and planters who wanted to buy slaves; and all classes of slaves were kept there for sale, to be sold in private or public--young or old, males or females, children or parents, husbands or wives.
Every day at 10 o'clock they were exposed for sale.