Usually pure HELL. Many slave masters were very cruel. Whipping them, beating them, boiling them, even cutting off there limbs if they tried to run away, complained, disobeyed, or failed to do what was asked of there masters. Former slaves like Sojourner Truth had to go threw such treatment. Her master and his wife not only severly punished her for the slightest mistake, but her master even raped her! :( She was only 9 years old!