I was out every day for several weeks, three or four hours in each day, trying to find a new master, but without success.
Many of the old French inhabitants have taken slaves for their wives, in this city, and their own children for their servants.

Such commonly are called Creoles.

They are better treated than other slaves, and I resembled this class in appearance so much that the French did not want me.

Many of them set their mulatto children free, and make slaveholders of them.
At length one day I heard that there was a gentleman in the city from the State of Tennessee, to buy slaves.

He had brought down two rafts of lumber for market, and I thought if I could get him to buy me with my family, and take us to Tennessee, from there, I would stand a better opportunity to run away again and get to Canada, than I would from the extreme South.
So I brushed up myself and walked down to the river's bank, where the man was pointed out to me standing on board of his raft, I approached him, and after passing the usual compliments I said: "Sir, I understand that you wish to purchase a lot of servants and I have called to know if it is so." He smiled and appeared to be much pleased at my visit on such laudable business, supposing me to be a slave trader.