The manor house of Strafenburg proved to be a sombre Teutonic castle, so forbidding that Jeremiah wondered if Herr Eisenhertz actually expected to be attacked. The heavy oaken door was studded with the pyramidal heads of wrought black-iron bolts . The knocker, also of black iron, was so heavy that it required both hands to lift it. When it struck the iron striker plate, the noise echoed thunderously throughout the hall behind it .

The door was opened promptly by a liveried Negro servant attired in the style of

sixty or seventy years previously: blue, many-buttoned, hip-length coat with lace in the cuffs, grey silken knee breeches, and white silk stockings. He would not have looked out of place at the court of Frederick the Great." Wie kann ich Ihnen dienen, mein Herr ?" ["How can I serve you, Sir ?" ] inquired the servant.

Jeremiah, who was fluent in German, knew the peculiar form of address which was used to servants at the time when this man's uniform would have been in style.

He identified himself by saying "Ich bin Doktor Jeremiah Dornbüsch" and then

addressed the liveried servant while handing him the letter of introduction.

"Er wird diesen Brief dem Herr'n Eisenhertz bringen." Having been put in his place,

the servant clicked his heels and bowed as he accepted the letter.

"Bitte, treten Sie herein, Herr Doktor". [Please come in, Doctor.] The servant actually backed into the hall behind him before turning to the right and bearing the letter of introduction to his master. Jeremiah shook his head. How utterly Teutonic.

A few minutes later, a tall, very erect man with a sabre scar on his left cheek , a monocle in his right eye, and his greying blond hair cut en brosse strode into the hall, unquestionably a Prussian who had attended Heidelberg. "Velcome, Doktor Dornbüsch"

"Thank you, Mr. Eisenhertz" replied Jeremiah.

"Vould you like a stein of beer, Doktor ?"

"Ah, I would, indeed." answered Jeremiah eagerly.

"Zen let us repair tzu ze veranda." Turning to the servant, he added "Jüngling, er soll zwei Krüge Bier zur Veranda bringen." [Young man, bring two steins of beer to the veranda.]

"Jawohl, Herr Eisenhertz" responded the servant, clicking his heels and bowing.

"Do all of your slaves speak German ?" asked Jeremiah curiously.

"No, only a few of ze house Negers who might have to deal viz visitors. I haf read viz interest Doktor Boose's letter. He iss right, of course, but he does not carry his line of sought far enough. Not only iss ze fibre of ze Neger's nerfous system coarser zan zat of a vhite man, but his sensitifity to pain iss much less.

If a Neger iss to be disciplined by corporal punishment, it must be of a seferity zat vould be barbaric and outrageous if applied to a vhite man, merely to be adeqvate. I leafe ze details of punishment to my oferseer, Herr Ungeheuer, who hass defeloped a fine sense of ze seferity of ze punishment reqvired.

My field Negers vork from ze first light of morning tvilight until ze last light of efening tvilight. Howefer, during ze hottest part of ze day from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, zey are gifen a long rest period in vhich to take ze mid-day meal and slake zeir sirst. It iss during zat period zat zey vould be available for your inqviry. I shall haf a tent viz a small table und chair set up for you.

Ze Neger iss not noticed for honesty. Zo of little intelligence, he possesses a kind of sly cunning. To obtain honest answers, you vill haf to get his confidence. Zis can be accomplished by assuring him zat he vill be anonymous to you and dermonstrating zis by varning him not to tell you his name. I am villing to predict zat you vil find zat onanism is rampant among ze unmated Negers and carried to vhat vould be dangerous excess in a vhite man, and zat it hass no deleterious effects on zem."

Dr. Thornbush thanked Herr Eisenhertz and then asked him "What do you think that the long-range social and political effects of slavery will be?"

"Zat vill depend, in part, on ze effects of ze idealistic doctrines of ze Abolitionists.

Coming from Boston, you must haf much contact viz zem. Zey impress me as vell-meaning but incredibly naive. Zey consider ze Neger to be a 'noble savage'. Savage, ja; noble, NIMMER ! Ze Neger iss lazy, shiftless, und cunning. Zey do not know vhat zey vould unleash on ze vhite race if ze Negers vere zu be emancipated en masse. Gott hilfe uns !

Zey preach zat vhich iss not only obfiously falsch, but a doctrine which, if implemented vould destroy ze very fabric of society . Zey preach racial eqvality. Nossing is more obvious zan zat ze races are NOT eqval. Ze logical corollary of accepting zis doctrine iss an abomination: MISCEGENATION ! Zere is nossing in zis vorld vhich ze Neger desires more zan to haf his vay viz a vhite voman. Ze fertility of ze Neger iss unglaublich [incredible]. Literally, zey breed like rabbits !

Let Neger males haf access zu vhite vomen und ze country will be oferrun viz leicht-braun pickaninnies. If it can possibly be avoided, my field Negers are never allowed efen zu SEE a vhite voman in ze distance. If any vhite man on zis plantation

vere zu mate viz a Neger voman, I vould haf him castrated. Indeed, zat hass been done !

Und now, as ze French say, ze hour approaches itself for dinner. You vill vish to freshen up. A house Neger vill conduct to your room und, after your ablutions, to ze dining room."

At dinner, Jeremiah met the Eisenhertz family: Frau Margarethe (Gretchen), and Herr Grobian Eisenhertz's three sons, Conrad, Heinrich, and Friederich. Conrad was as tall, erect, and arrogant-looking as his father He wore the stylish moustache and goatee which were popular at the time. Heinrich had an ascetic look and wore pince nez spectacles and the narrow, closely-trimmed British officer's style of moustache.

Friederich showed no facial hair. He slouched with narrow sloping shoulders and wide hips and wore a hang-dog expression.

Herr and Frau Eisenhertz sat at opposite ends of the table. On one side, sat Friederich, close to his mother's end of the table, and Heinrich. On the other side sat Conrad and Dr. Thornbush.

The dinner was very German: Kassler Rippchen (smoked pork chops in a creamy gravy), Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings) and sauerkraut, very rich and very abundant. Frau Eisenhertz repeatedly urged Jeremiah to have more. She was so obviously sincere that Jeremiah ate much more than he had intended to in order not to hurt her feelings. Dessert was a rich pudding made of custard, hazelnut purée, kirsch, and diced fruits.

The table conversation was varied and active. Conrad was interested in politics and desired Jeremiah's opinion of the likelihood of eventual war over the slavery question. Jeremiah stated that he did not consider it unlikely eventually and asked Conrad if he thought that the South could win such a war.

"My heart wishes to say yes but my brain says no. This is the nineteenth century. Wars are no longer won by valor, or even by weight of numbers alone. They require expensive modern weapons. All of the major manufacturing centers are in the North. The North has more weapons stockpiled than the South could manufacture at need.

Yet, if there were such a war, I would volunteer to serve in it, hopeless though the cause might be, because I do not believe that the Union has the right to meddle in the internal affairs of the states, and that the states have the right to secede. In such a war, what would you do, Doctor ?"

" I would volunteer to serve as a medical officer and seek to alleviate the suffering of the wounded. It is not merely my duty as a citizen, but also an obligation of my profession."

Heinrich was more interested in Boston and, especially, in Hayward University. "Dr. Thornbush, how would you compare the divinity schools of Hayward University in Boston and Gayle University in New Harbour, Connecticut ?

"Hayward is actually outside Boston, though easily accessible to it, in Oxbridge. The Gayle Divinity School is the better known of the two, but both are excellent.

However, probably because I grew up there, I find Boston much more interesting than New Harbour.

Bostonians consider their city to be the cultural hub of the universe ! Boston has far more historic buildings and the sites of far more historic events than any other city in the northeast."

Frau Eisenhertz inquired about the cultural facilities: museums, galleries, concert halls, lecture halls, etc. Jeremiah assured her that, in that respect, the Bostonians'

pride in their city was well justified. The cultural life of Boston was varied and busy.

Friederich contributed nothing to the conversation except to ask questions to clarify points in what the others said. He spoke to his mother and brothers and to Dr. Thornbush, but never to his father, in whose direction, he never even glanced.

Herr Eisenhertz commented on almost everything was said but never directed any remarks to Friederich.

After dinner, the gentlemen retired to the library for brandy and cigars. The gentlemen were Herr Grobian Eisenhertz, Conrad, and Dr. Thornbush. Heinrich was considered too young and Friederich neither smoked nor drank.

The political discussion at the dinner table was continued. Conrad expressed the idea that, given a decade or two, IF the need would just be recognised by enough

interested persons in the South, it would be possible for the South to develop the necessary industries. To this, Jeremiah replied that the South still lacked mineral resources . There was coal, but little iron ore and even less of other needful metals.

"I do not doubt that you are right, Doctor, but, perhaps the South could import ores or even the refined metals enough to build up a stockpile of essential metals and the industrial potential to manufacture sufficient arms for a war. Of course, we could not import weapons without attracting unwelcome attention."

"As things stand," replied Jeremiah, "I think that the Federal government does not believe that the South would dare to go to war over slavery, and I pray that it will never come to that.

It would be a terrible war, pitting brother against brother and for whichever side won, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. That Union, in which there is strength would be shattered. The country or countries would be greatly weakened. Britain, still rankling about having had to abandon the War of 1812, would pounce on the survivor(s) while it or they are yet weak."

"Yes," answered Conrad, "I believe that that danger is real. Well, father, Dr. Thornbush, early though it be, I must beg to leave you. I must leave early for an appointment in the city. Good night."

"Goot night, Conradt" answered Herr Eisenhertz. "Vell, vot do you sink of him ?" he asked of Jeremiah.

"He is highly intelligent and well-informed." What does he do for a living ?"

"He prectises law here on ze plantation. I hope he vill remain here, for a lawyer is a very uzeful sing to haf at vun's beck und call. Und ze ozzers ? "

"It looks to me as if Heinrich wants to become a clergyman."

"Ja, he iss very religious. He iss alzo tiresomely moralistic. He disapproves off almost eferyvun und eferysing."

"Not me, I hope." commented Jeremiah with a chuckle.

"Vell, not until he gets vindt off ze nature off your research prochect. At ze moment, I am sure zat he sinks zat you are infolved in 'good vorks' . Vot he vould sink off your research iss anozzer matter. Und Friederich ?"

"Well, I hope you won't take this amiss, but, to me, he looks like a eunuch."

"Zat iss becausse he iss a eunuch. You may recall zat I told you zat, if any vhite man on zis plantation mated viz a Neger voman, I vould haff him castradet. Efery vhite man on zis plantation vas varned of zis.

Herr Ungeheuer told me zat he had seen Friederich dallying viz a Neger voman. I called him into my study und lectured him, again, aboudt ze efils off miscechenation and shternly varned zat my sreat of castration applies to efery vhite man on zis plantation, including my own sonss.

He could nodt haff imachined zat I vas choking. I am nodt nodet for my sense of humour. He KNEW zat I vas in earnest. Yet, he defied me. I caught him in flagrante delicto viz a Neger voman. I pulled him off her before he couldt discharche his zeed.

I 'frog-marched' him zu hiss room vhere he remained vhile I fetched a surcheon zu perform ze operation. Zo he knew zat he had been more zan adeqvately varned, he hates me und has nefer spoken zu me since.

He hass no ambition zu make anysing off himself or zu earn hiss own lifing. Zo, by choice, he occupiess ze position off a 'poor relation'. "

Jeremiah, flabbergasted by this revelation, made no comment .

"Oh, by ze vay, at first light, Herr Ungeheuer vill punish a field Neger who stared at a vhite voman und, chudging from ze distention uff ze front of his trouserss, lusted after her. Zis might be instructif zu vitness ."

Jeremiah had no desire to witness the punishment of this unfortunate slave nor had it anything to do with his research project. However, this was unquestionably a matter about which the Society for the Abolition of Slavery ought to be informed.

So, reluctantly, he rose before the first light of morning twilight , dressed and accompanied Herr Eisenhertz to the site at the edge of the cotton fields where punishment was to be carried out.

Jeremiah never heard the slave's surname, if he had one. He was identified only as Jared. He was a young man of around twenty, naked, with his hands tied behind his back and his ankles hobbled with about eighteen inches of rope. He was led out before the assembled slaves and Mr. Ungeheuer described his offence to them. Some of the slaves snickered when Mr. Ungeheuer described the described the distention of Jared's trousers as he stared at the white woman [a guest at the plantation who had strayed closer to the fields than Herr Eisenhertz would normally have permitted. ]

Jared was accompanied by two slaves carrying wooden stakes and short lengths of rope and the horse-doctor with his assistant carrying a small iron pot of glowing charcoal with a branding iron in it.

The overseer made Jared sit at the base of a great oak tree with his back against the trunk. His hands were untied, pulled back around the trunk as far as they would go and re-tied. Then the hobble was removed and Jared's legs were separated until Mr. Ungeheuer was satisfied with the angle between them. The two slaves drove the stakes into the ground alongside the insides of Jared's ankles which they tied to the stakes. One of the slaves lifted Jared's long heavy virile member and laid it on his right thigh.

Mr. Ungeheuer put his right foot between Jared's thighs until the toe of his boot was directly above Jared's testicles which rested on the ground. Suddenly, he stepped on Jared's testicles and, at the same time, lifted his left foot so that his entire weight was borne by the slave's seminal glands. They sustained it for less than a second. Abruptly, Mr. Ungeheuer's right foot dropped about an inch as Jared's testicles bursted. Jared's scream did not sound human or even animal. It was an eery

terrible sound mingling agony,despair, and sorrow,

Mr. Ungeheuer twisted his foot from side to side, grinding Jared's male glands into the ground until Jared's shrieking ceased and his body became limp. Mr. Ungeheuer lifted his right foot and Jeremiah could see that the Negro's scrotum was completely flat. There was no sign of the testicles which it had contained.

The overseer stepped back and, turning to the horse-doctor, said "See that he doesn't die or the lesson will be wasted. "

"Easier said than done." snapped the horse-doctor who disliked the overseer and was in no wise intimidated by him. Mr. Ungeheuer was not his overseer. However, he busied himself with cutting away most of the scrotum and its mangled contents and locating the spermatic cords which he cauterized with the branding iron. He cleaned the remainder of the scrotum and sutured it together skilully. Jeremiah had to admit to himself that Mr. Philips was every bit as skillful as he.

He roused Jared from his torpor with smelling salts and administered a draught which seemed to restore the unfortunate slave fully to his senses. Then he told two slaves who had not yet gone to work in the fields "Carry him home and put him to bed." He took the fire-pot and branding iron from his assistant and sent him along with them. "Keep a watch on him and attend to his needs for a few days until I need you again."

Jeremiah introduced himself to Mr. Philips and complimented him on his surgical skill. Mr. Philips pointed out that he had no right to operate on human beings. "If a white man needed surgery here, they would have to send for a surgeon. It's only

because they regard niggers as hardly, if at all, better than animals that they have me treat them. Inside, a man is a man, whatever color his skin may be. Medically, there is no difference between a nigger and a white man.

Jeremiah replied "I think that there are differences, but they are trivial. I am appalled by Mr. Ungeheuer's cruelty."

"The man is an insensate brute !" exclaimed Mr. Philips. "I shall not call him an animal because that would be to insult animals which behave in a way with we call cruel only when they are driven by hunger.

The 'lesson' he referred to is useless to Jared now anyhow. What use is it to teach him not to lust after white women ? Being a eunuch, he can't. Of course, the lesson was not wasted on the other slaves. But, what is the lesson ? It is 'Don't act like a human being.'

Niggers are human and no human being deserves to be treated as that demon treats the slaves. "

After the disgusting sight which had begun his day, Jeremiah literally had no stomach for breakfast. He wrote a detailed account of the fiendish punishnent which he had witnessed to be incorporated in his report to the Society for the Abolition of Slavery.

At 2:00 PM, Jeremiah was seated on a folding chair behind a card table on which were a tablet of paper, an inkwell, a pen, and a shaker of pounce. The table was shielded from the sun by a small tent, one end of which had been left open. Here he would question as many slaves as time permitted about their indulgence, if any, in masturbation.

Each interview began in the same way. Dr. Thornbush would say "First, do NOT tell me your name. I don't want to know who you are. That way, you can be sure that anything you tell me can't be used against you because I don't know who I'm talking to."

His interview with the first slave was typical. "How old are you ?"

"Ah don' rightly know, suh, maybe twenny-one or twenny-two"

"Alright, that's good enough. Do you have a mate ?"

"No, suh."

"Do you 'toss off' ?"

"Oh, yassuh, ah sho' does"

"How often do you do it ?"

"Oh, ah guess 'bout six, seven tahms a day."

"How do you feel afterward ?"

"Jes' fahn, suh, jes' fahn; maybe a li'l sleepy, though."

"That's all I need to know. Thank you"

"Yore welcome,suh."

There were some surprises, though, such as interview number 4.

"How old are you ?"

"Twunny-six yea's ol', doctor."

"Do you have a mate ? "

"No, suh, thank God"

"Don't you like women ?"

"No, SUH ! Ah don' wan' nuffin to do wiv 'em."

"Why ?"

"All dey do is git men in trouble, lahk po' Jared dis mawnin'."

"Do you 'toss off' ?"

"Naw, not much, suh. Mebbe once a month."

"What do you do , then ?"

"Me 'n' mah bes' frein' we fucks each othuh's ass."

"I see. How often do you do that ?"

"Whenevuh we gits da chance, a coupla times most days."

"Alright, thank you"

"Welc'm, Doctuh."

Of course, some of the men did have mates, such as interviewee number 2.

"How old are you ?"

"About twenny-fo, suh."

"Do you have a mate ?"

"Oh, yassuh" he responded proudly.

"How long have you had a mate ?"

"Fo' yeahs, suh."

"How many children do you have ?

"Fahv, two of 'em are twins."

"Do you ever 'toss off' ?"

"Oh, yassuh. When mah woman's bleeding down below or when her belly's so big ah cain't git into her."

"When you do 'toss off', how often do you do it?"

"Three-fo' tahms a day. It ain't nohow so good as fuckin'."

"Very well, thank you."

At the rate of six interviews per day, Jeremiah expected to have fifty interviews in about 8½ days. Then he could move on to the next plantation: Arcadia.

Three days later, Mr. Ungeheuer caught two men fighting over a woman. This was streng verboten and would be severely punished. Once again, Jeremiah felt that it was his duty to the Society for the Abolition of Slavery to witness the punishment.

At first light, Jeremiah again accompanied Herr Eisenhertz to the site of the punishment., It was an unusually chilly morning for mid-summer and Jeremiah had his cloak wrapped around him.

The two slaves were tied to the top rail of a fence by their wrists. Their feet, about 18 inches apart were tied to stakes in the ground. Despite the chill, the slaves were stark naked. Mr. Ungeheuer detailed the offenses and punishment to be meted out for them.

"These two niggers were caught fighting over an unmated woman. They know that this is forbidden. For disobedience, they'll receive sixty lashes each. Then, so they won't have no more reason to fight, they'll be gelded."

Brandishing his horse-whip, Mr. Ungeheuer approached the nearer of the two slaves and began whipping him, counting each stroke. Before he had even reached forty, all of the welts were bleeding. The slave's screams had become hoarse and scratchy,

"No doubt, he iss no longer cold." remarked Herr Eisenhertz. The other slave was shivering both from the cold and from fear. When the sixty lashes had been bestowed, the punished slave looked as if his back had been mauled by a lion.

Then Mr. Ungeheuer reached between the slave's thighs, grasped the slave's pendulous testicles, and, with one slash of the hooked blade of his gelding knife, cut them away and threw them onto the ground. All that the slave was capable of by this time was a piteous moan.

The second slave knew better than to plead with Mr. Ungeheuer for mercy. The very idea was alien to him. He bore his punishment as stoically as he could while the first slave punished stood there bleeding and moaning.

Aftr the second slave's testicles fell onto the earth, Mr. Ungeheuer called out to Mr. Philips "O.K., take care of 'em." To his surprise and consternation, Mr. Philips refused, saying "No, it isn't legal. I'm a horse-leech; I'm not qualified to treat human beings."

"What the hell has that got to do with it ? These are niggers." said the overseer contemptuously.

"Whether you like it or not, Ungeheuer, niggers are human beings, and I'm not going to break the law for you any more by treating them."

"Vould you please do it for humanitarian reasons ?" asked Herr Eisenhertz who did not want to become involved with a question of professional ethics.

"I can't, sir. I'm not qualified." insisted Mr. Philips.

Rather than let the two slaves bleed to death, Dr. Thornbush intervened. "I am a physician; I can treat them. You are qualified to assist me, Mr. Philips, will you ?"

"Yes"

It was not until he had begun to treat their hurts that Jeremiah learned the names of the two slaves, Jonah and Shadrach, from Mr. Philips . Though their names were biblical, they were unaware of the association with Judism

. Negroes were considered to be descended from Ham and, therefore, accursed, and were, by many plantation owners, not taught Christianity. Mr. Ungeheuer was of this belief and Herr Eisenhertz seems not to have considered the matter.

Dr. Thorbush had two gallons of water boiled and then covered and allowed to cool , a dipper having been placed in the water while it was boiling. He also requisitioned about three yards of clean linen or cotton fabric. He had brought with him a pound of zinc white and a pint of balsam of aloes and,thus, had everything he needed.

The castration sites were cauterized in the usual fashion and Dr. Thornbush applied to balsam of aloes to stanch any remaining bleeding before bandaging them. The slaves' backs were washed with the boiled water and dried with alcohol, which elicited screams from them.

Then they were dusted with zinc white as an astringent to arrest bleeding. The areas of the wide cotton bandages which would come in contact with the lacerations were spread lightly with balsam of aloes. Last, Dr. Thornbush administered laudanum to the slaves to allay their suffering. The slaves were put to bed, lying face-down.

Thus, the morning, which Jeremiah had planned to devote to writing up his account of the punishment of Jonah and Shadrach and to resting before his interview session from 2:00 to 3:00, was instead devoted to treating the cruelly mistreated slaves.

After he had finished bandaging the slaves and giving them laudanum, Jeremiah spoke to Herr Eisenhertz about medical care for the slaves. "Insmuch as Mr. Philips' professional ethics forbid him, and rightly so, to treat the slaves, it will be necessary to provide some other source of medical treatment for them if they are to continue to be subjected to such grievious injuries. Perhaps some young recent medical school graduate could be persuaded to undertake it."

"Ja, Herr Philips hass such a goot vay mit animals zat I vish to retain hiss serfices.

Conradt hass already gone to ze city or I vould haff him seek such a young physician. Howefer, 'Späther ist beßer wie nie.'

The afternoon's held few surprises except for one very effeminate young man whom it surprised Jeremiah to find as a field hand.

"What is your age ?

"Well, I THINK it'th probably eighteen or nineteen, but I can't be THURE "

"Very well. Do you have a mate ?"

"Oh, good HEAVENTH, no."

"Do you 'toss off' ?"

"Thometimeth, but it'th not my favorite."

"What is ? "

"Buggery. Thereth NOTHING I love more than a BIG talleywhacker thtuffed up my backthide."

"Do you get many chances to enjoy that ?"

"Oh yeth, there are HUNDREDTH of horny men and almotht no women. Thatth why I don't have to toth off. I have theveral men in my behind every day. Thometimeth men even fight over thilly little me."

"Thank you, this has been very informative. "

"Oh, don't menthion it. Glad to have been of thervith" said the young catamite, batting his eyelashes.

The others all admitted masturbating several times daily and to feeling no ill effects.

Two days later, Conrad returned and Jeremiah spoke to him about the possibility of finding a qualified physician to care for the slaves' illnesses and injuries . Conrad said that he would look into the matter the next time he was in the city.

Jeremiah also spoke to him about the slaves' spiritual needs. Both Conrad and his father were convinced that the Christian religion was never intended for black Africans. "Some of them have picked up a smattering of Christianity, probably from other slaves. and some have brought over some heathen beliefs from Africa. Most of them are fatalistic, but, at the same time, superstitious.

Religion can be a unifying factor. There is no reason for us to want the niggers to be unified. The present situation concerning religion works to our advantage."

Jeremiah was glad that, in four more days, he would have enough information about the masturbatory activities of the slaves on this plantation and could finally quit it for the next: Arcadia, owned by Adriano Piccolo-Finocchio.