The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano- Written By Himself- Chapter 2

Summary

In Chapter 2 of 'The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano,' Equiano recounts his kidnapping from his African village, the heart-wrenching separation from his sister, and the harrowing journey that led to his enslavement. The chapter vividly describes the horrors of the Middle Passage, the inhumane conditions aboard the slave ship, and the despair that gripped him as he was transported to the West Indies. It also touches on the resilience of the human spirit, as Equiano and his fellow captives endure the cruelties of their captors and the unknown fate that awaits them.

Takeaways

• 😢 The narrator, Olaudah Equiano, recounts his traumatic experience of being kidnapped from his family and sold into slavery.
• 👪 Equiano's family was large, with many siblings, and he was particularly close to his only sister, who was also kidnapped.
• 🌳 He describes the rich and vibrant landscape of his homeland, with its abundant resources and diverse cultures.
• 🔍 During his captivity, Equiano witnessed and experienced the cruelties of the slave trade, including the inhumane conditions on slave ships.
• 🚢 The sight of the sea and a slave ship was Equiano's first encounter with the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.
• 🌍 He endured multiple sales and transfers, each time being further removed from his homeland and culture.
• 😖 The emotional turmoil of being separated from his sister and the fear of never seeing her again deeply affected Equiano.
• 🏘️ Upon arrival in Barbados, Equiano was shocked by the unfamiliar architecture and the sight of people riding horses.
• 📦 The slaves were treated as commodities, being inspected, separated, and sold in a chaotic and distressing manner.
• ⛓ The harsh treatment and the dehumanizing conditions on the ship led to many slaves' deaths, highlighting the brutality of the Middle Passage.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Chapter 2 of 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano'?

The main theme of Chapter 2 is the kidnapping and enslavement of the author, Olaudah Equiano, and his subsequent experiences, including his separation from his sister and the horrors he faces aboard a slave ship.

How does Equiano describe his early life before being kidnapped?

Equiano describes his early life as being filled with love and care from his family, particularly his mother, and being trained in the art of war from a young age.

What was the method used by the kidnappers to abduct Equiano and his sister?

The kidnappers got over the walls of their home, seized Equiano and his sister, stopped their mouths to prevent crying out, and ran off with them into the nearest wood.

How did Equiano and his sister react to their initial abduction?

Equiano and his sister were initially unable to cry out or resist due to their mouths being stopped. They were overpowered by fatigue and grief, finding some relief only in sleep.

What was the emotional impact on Equiano when he was separated from his sister?

The separation from his sister caused Equiano great distress and sorrow, leaving him in a state of distraction and leading him to cry and grieve continually.

How did Equiano's treatment change when he was sold to a chieftain?

Equiano's treatment improved significantly when he was sold to a chieftain who had two wives and children. They used him well, comforted him, and his main employment was working the bellows for the chieftain who was a smith.

What was Equiano's initial reaction to seeing the sea and a slave ship?

Equiano was initially filled with astonishment upon seeing the sea and a slave ship, which soon converted into terror when he was taken aboard.

How did Equiano perceive the Europeans on the slave ship?

Equiano perceived the Europeans on the slave ship as bad spirits or savage people due to their different complexions, long hair, and the language they spoke.

What was Equiano's experience during the middle passage on the slave ship?

Equiano's experience during the middle passage was filled with horrors. He was chained, faced an unbearable stench, and was severely flogged when he refused to eat. He also witnessed the cruelty and death of others on board.

How did Equiano feel when he arrived at Barbados and was sold?

Equiano felt a mix of fear and relief upon arrival at Barbados. He was initially afraid that he and the other slaves would be eaten by the Europeans, but was somewhat relieved to learn they were to be sold to work instead.

What did Equiano observe about the treatment of slaves during the sale process in Barbados?

Equiano observed that the sale process was chaotic and distressing for the slaves. Families and friends were separated, and the slaves were treated with little regard for their humanity, being 'pinned up together like so many sheep in a fold'.

Outlines

00:00

👶 Birth and Early Life of Olaudah Equiano

The first paragraph introduces Olaudah Equiano's autobiography, detailing his birth and early life in Africa. Equiano recounts his happy childhood, his father's status, and the importance of his mother in his upbringing. He describes the tradition of training children in the art of war and the cultural practices of his people. The paragraph takes a dramatic turn when Equiano and his sister are kidnapped, marking the beginning of his tragic separation from his family and the start of his journey into slavery.

05:02

🌳 Kidnapping and the Quest for Freedom

In the second paragraph, Equiano narrates his experience after being kidnapped, including his failed attempts to escape and the harsh realities of being held captive. He describes the kindness of one of his masters and the brief moments of hope when he contemplates escape. However, his plans are thwarted by an incident involving the accidental death of a chicken, leading to his punishment and subsequent sale. The paragraph highlights the cruelty and injustices Equiano faces, as well as his enduring spirit and desire for freedom.

10:03

🚣 Travels and Reunion with His Sister

The third paragraph continues Equiano's journey through Africa, detailing his travels with different captors and his encounters with various cultures and languages. A significant event is the unexpected reunion with his sister, which brings a momentary respite from their suffering. However, this joy is short-lived as they are once again separated, plunging Equiano into deeper despair. The paragraph captures the emotional turmoil and the harsh conditions that Equiano endures as he is moved further away from his homeland.

15:05

🌊 First Encounter with the Sea and Slave Ship

In the fourth paragraph, Equiano describes his arrival at the seacoast and his first sighting of the ocean and a slave ship. His initial awe quickly turns to terror as he is forced aboard the ship, where he witnesses the inhumane treatment of fellow captives. The paragraph vividly portrays the horrors of the Middle Passage, including the cramped and unsanitary conditions below deck, the brutality of the crew, and the despair felt by Equiano and the other enslaved Africans.

20:06

🚢 The Middle Passage and its Horrors

The fifth paragraph delves deeper into the horrors of the Middle Passage. Equiano recounts the physical and psychological torments, including the lack of fresh air, the stench, and the brutal punishment inflicted upon those who attempted to escape or resist. He also describes the crew's use of navigational tools, which he perceives as magic, adding to the sense of being in a foreign and terrifying world. The paragraph conveys the desperation and hopelessness felt by the captives as they are transported across the ocean to an uncertain fate.

25:08

🏝 Arrival in Barbados and the Slave Trade

The final paragraph of the provided text describes Equiano's arrival in Barbados and the process of being sold into slavery. He details the fear and confusion among the newly arrived Africans as they are examined and sorted like commodities. The paragraph also includes a critique of the slave traders, questioning the morality of separating families and friends, and highlighting the inhumanity of the slave trade. Equiano's narrative ends with a poignant reflection on the cruelty of slavery and the suffering it inflicts on its victims.

Keywords

💡Kidnapping

Kidnapping in the script refers to the forced abduction of individuals, particularly the author and his sister, from their home. This act sets the tragic tone of the narrative, illustrating the brutal reality of slave traders preying on vulnerable communities. The script describes how the author and his sister were seized while their family was away, highlighting the vulnerability of children during such times.

💡Separation

Separation is a recurring theme in the script, symbolizing the devastating impact of the slave trade on families. The author and his sister are torn apart, a poignant moment that underscores the inhumanity of slavery. Their separation represents the broader disruption of familial bonds due to the slave trade, where individuals were ripped from their homes and communities.

💡Slave Ship

The term 'slave ship' is central to the narrative, representing the horrifying transportation of enslaved people across the Atlantic. The script vividly describes the author's first encounter with such a ship, which instills a deep sense of dread and hopelessness. The slave ship becomes a symbol of the inescapable fate that awaited many captured individuals, embodying the cruelty and dehumanization inherent in the slave trade.

💡West Indies

The West Indies is mentioned as the destination where the author is taken, signifying the geographical extent of the slave trade's reach. It highlights the forced migration of Africans to the Caribbean, where they were sold and dispersed among plantations. The script's mention of the West Indies emphasizes the global scale of slavery and its far-reaching impact on the lives of those captured.

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural differences are highlighted in the script as the author encounters various tribes and nations with distinct customs and languages during his journey. These differences are a testament to the diversity of African cultures and the richness of the continent's heritage. The script contrasts these cultural nuances with the homogenizing and dehumanizing effects of the slave trade.

💡Resistance

Resistance is depicted in the script through the actions of the author and other enslaved individuals who refuse to accept their fate. The author's attempts to escape and his observations of others trying to jump overboard exemplify the spirit of defiance against enslavement. This resistance underscores the enslaved people's agency and their ongoing struggle for freedom.

💡Dehumanization

Dehumanization is a key concept in the script, evident in the way enslaved people are treated as mere commodities. The author's description of being handled and inspected like cattle, as well as the inhumane conditions on the slave ship, illustrates the dehumanizing process that slaves underwent. This concept is central to understanding the debasement and objectification inherent in the slave trade.

💡African Traditions

African traditions are mentioned in the script as a contrast to the horrors of slavery. The author's reminiscence of his early life, his training in the art of war, and the cultural practices of his people provide a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage that was disrupted by the slave trade. These traditions serve to humanize the author and emphasize the loss of identity and culture suffered by the enslaved.

💡Coercion

Coercion is a theme that runs throughout the script, as the author and other enslaved individuals are forced into submission through physical violence and intimidation. The script describes instances of flogging and the use of chains, illustrating the brutal methods employed to control and subjugate the enslaved. Coercion is a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play in the slave trade.

💡Survival

Survival is a central theme in the script, as the author and other enslaved people struggle to endure the harsh conditions of the slave ship. The will to survive is evident in their resistance, their attempts to adapt, and their search for hope in the face of despair. Survival represents the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring desire for freedom despite the oppressive conditions of slavery.

💡Inhumanity

Inhumanity is a pervasive concept in the script, reflecting the cruel and brutal treatment of the enslaved by their captors. The author's experiences of being torn from his family, witnessing the suffering of others, and the overall disregard for human life underscore the inhumane nature of the slave trade. This concept is crucial for understanding the profound moral and ethical violations inherent in the institution of slavery.

Highlights

Introduction of Olaudah Equiano's early life and his kidnapping with his sister.

Equiano's separation from his sister and the emotional impact of their forced parting.

Equiano's experiences of being sold and the kindness of his first master's family.

Description of Equiano's work as a bellows worker and his observations on goldworking.

Equiano's attempts to escape and his longing for freedom and home.

The tragic incident with the chicken that led to Equiano's flight and subsequent capture.

Equiano's reflections on the kindness and cruelty he experienced from different masters.

Reunion and subsequent separation from his sister, deepening Equiano's despair.

Equiano's observations on the cultural and linguistic diversity he encounters during his travels.

First encounter with the sea and a slave ship, marking a turning point in Equiano's journey.

The horrors of the slave ship and Equiano's initial impressions of the crew.

Equiano's experiences of the Middle Passage, including the conditions and treatment on board.

The arrival in Barbados and the sale of the slaves, highlighting the brutality of the slave trade.

Equiano's reflections on the inhumanity of separating families and the emotional toll of slavery.

Conclusion of Chapter 2 with a critique of the slave trade and its impact on African families.

Transcripts

chapter 2 of the interesting narrative

of olaouda aguiano this is a librivox

recording all librivox recordings are in

the public domain for more information

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librivox.org

chapter 2 of the interesting narrative

of the life of olaoudo ecuano by olauda

ecuano chapter 2.

the author's birth and parentage his

being kidnapped with his sister their

separation surprise at meeting again are

finally separated account of the

different places and incidents the

author met with till his arrival on the

coast the effect the site of a slave

ship had on him he sails for the west

indies horrors of a slave ship arrives

at barbados where the cargo is sold and

dispersed

i hope the reader will not think i have

trespassed on his patience and

introducing myself to him with some

account of the manners and customs of my

country they had been implanted in me

with great care and made an impression

on my mind which time could not erase

and which all the adversity and variety

of fortune i have since experienced

served only to rivet and record for

whether the love of one's country be

real or imaginary or a lesson of reason

or an instinct of nature i still look

back with pleasure on the first scenes

of my life though that pleasure has been

for the most part mingled with sorrow

i've already acquainted the reader with

the time and place of my birth my father

besides many slaves had a numerous

family of which seven lived to grow up

including myself and a sister who was

the only daughter

as i was the youngest of the sons i

became of course the great favorite with

my mother and was always with her and

she used to take particular pains to

form my mind

i was trained up for my earliest years

in the art of war my daily exercise was

shooting and throwing javelins and my

mother adorned me with emblems after the

manner of our greatest warriors in this

way i grew up till i was turned the age

of 11 when an inn was put to my

happiness in the following manner

generally when the grown people in the

neighborhood were gone far in the fields

to labor the children assembled together

in some of the neighbor's premises to

play and commonly some of us used to get

up a tree to look out for any assailant

or kidnapper that might come upon us for

they sometimes took these opportunities

of our parents as absence to attack and

carry off as many as they could seize

one day as i was watching at the top of

the tree in our yard i saw one of those

people come into the yard of our next

neighbor but one to kidnap there being

many stout young people in it

immediately on this i gave the alarm of

the rogue and he was surrounded by the

stoutest of them who entangled him with

cords so that he could not escape till

some of the grown people came and

secured him

but alas along it was my fate to be thus

attacked and to be carried off when none

of the grown people were nigh

one day when all our people were gone

out to their works as usual and only i

and my dear sister were left to mine the

house two men and a woman got over our

walls and in a moment ceased us both and

without giving us time to cry out or

make resistance they stopped our mouths

and ran off with us into the nearest

wood

here they tied our hands and continued

to carry us as far as they could till

night came on when we reached a small

house where the robbers halted for

refreshment and spent the night

we were then unbound but weren't unable

to take any food and being quite

overpowered by fatigue and grief our

only relief was some sleep which allayed

our misfortune for a short time

the next morning we left the house and

continued traveling all the day for a

long time we kept the woods but at last

we came into a road which i believed i

knew

i had now some hopes of being delivered

for we had advanced but a little way

before i discovered some people at a

distance on which i began to cry out for

their assistance but my cries had no

other effect than to make them tie me

faster and stop my mouth and then they

put me into a large sack

they also stopped my sister's mouth and

tied her hands and in this manner we

proceeded till we were out of sight of

these people

when we went to rest the following night

they offered us some victuals but we

refused it and the only comfort we had

was in being in one another's arms all

that night and bathing each other with

our tears but alas we were soon deprived

of even the small comfort of weeping

together the next day proved greater

sorrow than i had yet experienced for my

sister and i were then separated while

we lay clasped in each other's arms it

was in vain that we besought them not to

part us she was torn from me and

immediately carried away while i was

left in a state of distraction not to be

described i cried and grieved

continually and for several days i did

not eat anything but what they forced

into my mouth

at length after many days traveling duri

during which i had often changed masters

i got into the hands of a chieftain in a

very pleasant country

this man had two wives and some children

and they all used me extremely well and

did all they could to comfort me

particularly the first wife who was

something like my mother

although i was a great many days journey

for my father's house yet these people

spoke exactly the same language with us

this first master of mine as i may call

him was a smith and my principal

employment was working his bellows which

were the same kind as i had seen in my

vicinity they were in some respects not

unlike the stoves here in gentlemen's

kitchens and we were covered over with

leather and in the middle of that

leather a stick was fixed and a person

stood up and worked it in the same

manner as is done to pump water out of a

cask with a hand pump

i believe it was gold he worked for it

was of a lovely bright yellow color and

was worn by the women on their wrists

and ankles

i was there i suppose about a month and

they at last used to trust me some

little distance from the house this

liberty i used in embracing every

opportunity to inquire the way to my own

home and i also sometimes for the same

purpose went with the maidens in the

cool of the evenings to bring pictures

of water from the springs for the use of

the house

i'd also remarked where the sun rose in

the morning and set in the evenings as i

had traveled along and i observed that

my father's house was towards the rising

of the sun

i therefore determined to seize the

first opportunity of making my escape

and to shape my course for that quarter

for i was quite oppressed and weighed

down by grief after my mother and

friends and my love of liberty ever

great was strengthened by the mortifying

circumstance of not daring to eat with

the freeborn children

although i was mostly their companion

while i was projecting my escape one day

an unlucky event happened which quite

disconcerted my plan and put an end to

my hopes

i used to be sometimes employed in

assisting an elderly woman slave to cook

and take care of the poultry and one

morning while i was feeding some

chickens i happened to toss a small

pebble at one of them which hit it on

the middle and directly killed it the

old slave having soon after missed the

chicken inquired after it and on my

relating the accident for i told her the

truth because my mother would never

suffer me to tell a lie she flew into a

violent passion threatened that i should

suffer for it and my master being out

she immediately went and told her

mistress what i had done

this alarmed me very much and i expected

an instant flogging which to me was

uncommonly dreadful for i had seldom

been beat at home i therefore resolved

to fly and accordingly i ran into a

thicket that was hard by and hid myself

in the bushes soon afterwards my

mistress and the slave returned and not

seeing me they searched all the house

but not finding me and i'm not making

answer when they called to me they

thought i had run away and the whole

neighborhood was raised in the pursuit

of me

in that part of the country as in ours

the houses and villages were skirted

with woods or shrubberies and the bushes

were so thick that a man could readily

conceal himself in them so as to loot

the strictest search the neighbors

continued the whole day looking for me

and several times many of them came

within a few yards of the place where i

lay hid i then gave myself up for lost

entirely and expected every moment when

i heard a wrestling among the trees to

be found out and punished by my master

but they never discovered me that they

were often so near that i even heard

their conjectures as they were looking

about for me and i now learned from them

that any attempt to return home would be

hopeless most of them suppose i fled

towards home but the distance was so

great and the way so intricate that they

thought i could never reach it and that

i should be lost in the woods when i

heard this i was seized with a violent

panic and abandoned myself to despair

night two began to approach and

aggravated all my fears i had before

entertained hopes of getting home and i

had determined when it should be dark to

make the attempt but i was now convinced

it was fruitless and i began to consider

that if possibly i could escape all

other animals i could not those of the

human kind and that not knowing the way

i must perish in the woods thus was i

like the hunted deer

every leaf and every whispering breath

conveyed a foe in every foe of death

i heard frequent wrestlings among the

leaves and being pretty sure they were

snakes i expected every instant to be

stung by them this increased my anguish

and the horror of my situation became

now quite insupportable i at length

quitted the thicket very faint and

hungry for i'd not eaten or drank

anything all day and crept to my

master's kitchen from whence i set out

at first and which was an open shed and

laid myself down in the ashes with an

ancient wish for death to relieve me

from all my pains i was scarcely awake

in the morning when the old woman slave

who was the first step came to light the

fire and saw me in the fireplace

she was very much surprised to see me

and could scarcely believe her own eyes

she now promised to intercede for me and

went for her master who soon after came

and having slightly reprimanded me

ordered me to be taken care of and not

to be ill-treated

soon after this my master's only

daughter and child by his first wife

sickened and died which affected him so

much that for some time he was almost

frantic and really would have killed

himself had he not been watched and

prevented however in a small time

afterwards he recovered and i was again

sold i was now carried to the left of

the sun's rising through many different

countries and a number of large woods

the people i was sold to used to carry

me very often when i was tired either on

their shoulders or on their backs i saw

many convenient well-built sheds along

the roads at proper distances to

accommodate the merchants and travelers

who lay in those buildings along with

their wives who often accompany them and

they always go well armed

from the time i left my own nation i

always found somebody that understood me

until i came to the seacoast languages

of different nations did not totally

differ nor were they so copious as those

of the europeans particularly the

english they were therefore easily

learned and while i was journeying thus

through africa i acquired two or three

different tongues

in this manner i had been traveling for

a considerable time when one evening to

my great surprise whom should i see

brought to the house where i was but my

dear sister

as soon as she saw me she gave a loud

shriek and ran into my arms i was quite

overpowered neither of us could speak

but for a considerable time clung to

each other and mutual embraces unable to

do anything but weep

our meeting affected all who saw us and

indeed i must acknowledge in honor of

those stable destroyers of human rights

that i never met with any ill treatment

or saw any offer to their slaves except

tying them when necessary to keep them

from running away

when these people knew we were brother

and sister they indulged us together and

the man to whom i suppose we belonged

lay with us he in the middle while she

and i held one another by the hands

across his breast all night and thus for

a while we forgot our misfortunes and

the joy of being together

but even this small carver was soon to

have an end for scarcely had the fatal

morning appeared when she was again torn

from me forever

i was now more miserable if possible

than before the small relief which her

presence gave me from pain was gone and

the wretchedness of my situation was

redoubled by my anxiety after her fate

and my apprehensions lest her suffering

should be greater than mine when i could

not be with her to alleviate them yes

thou dear partner of all my childish

sports thou sharer of my joys and

sorrows happy should i have ever

esteemed myself to encounter every

misery for you and to procure your

freedom by the sacrifice of my own

though you were early forced for my arms

your image has always been riveted in my

heart from which neither time nor

fortune have been able to remove it so

that while the thoughts of your

sufferings have dampened my prosperity

they have mingled with adversity and

increased its bitterness

to that heaven which protects the weak

from the strong i commit the care of

your innocence and virtues if they have

not already received their full award

and if your youth and delicacy have not

long since fallen victims to the

violence of the african trader the

pestilential stench of a guinea ship the

seasoning in the european colonies are

the lash and lust of a brutal and

unrelenting overseer

i did not long remain after my sister i

was again sold and carried through a

number of places till after traveling a

considerable time i came to a town

called tinma in the most beautiful

country i have yet seen in africa it was

extremely rich and there were many

rivellets which flowed through it and

supplied a large pond in the center of

the town where the people washed here i

first saw and tasted coconuts which i

thought superior to any nuts i had ever

tasted before and the trees which were

loaded were also interspersed amongst

the houses which had commodious shades

adjoining and were in the same manner as

ours the insides being neatly plastered

and whitewashed

here i also saw and tasted for the first

time sugarcane their money consisted of

little white shells the size of the

fingernail i was sold here for 172 of

them by a merchant who lived and brought

me there i had been about two or three

days at his house when a wealthy widow a

neighbor of his came there one evening

and brought with her and only son a

young gentleman about my own size and

age

here they saw me and haven't taken a

fancy to me i was bought of the merchant

went home with them her house and

promises were situated close to one of

those rivalets i have mentioned and were

the finest i ever saw in africa they

were very extensive and she had a number

of slaves to attend her the next day i

was washed and perfumed and when meal

time came i was led into the presence of

my mistress and ate and drank before her

with her son

this filled me with astonishment and i

could scarce help expressing my surprise

surprise that the young gentleman should

suffer me who was bound to eat with him

who was free and not only so but that he

would not at any time either eat or

drink till i had taken first because i

was the eldest which was agreeable to

our custom

indeed everything here and all their

treatment of me made me forget that i

was a slave

the language of these people resembled

resembled ours so nearly that we

understood each other perfectly

they had also the very same customs as

we there were likewise slaves daily to

attend us while my young master and i

with other boys sported with our darts

and bows and arrows as i have been used

to do at home

in this resemblance to my former happy

state i passed about two months

and i now began to think i was to be

adopted into the family and was

beginning to be reconciled to my

situation and to forget by degrees my

misfortunes when all at once the

delusion vanished for without the least

previous knowledge one morning early

while my dear master and companion was

still asleep i was awakened out of my

reverie to fresh sorrow and hurried away

even amongst the uncircumcised

thus at the very moment i dreamed of the

greatest happiness i found myself most

miserable and it seemed as if fortune

wished to give me this taste of joy only

to render the reverse more poignant

the change i now experienced was as

painful as it was sudden and unexpected

it was a change indeed from a state of

bliss to a scene which is inexpressible

by me as it discovered to me an element

i had never before beheld until then had

no idea of and wherein such instances of

hardship and cruelty continually

occurred as i can never reflect on but

with horror

all the nations and people i had

hitherto passed through resembled our

own in their manners customs and

language but i came at length to a

country the inhabitants of which

differed from us in all those

particulars i was very much struck with

this difference especially when i came

among the people who did not circumcise

and ate without washing their hands they

cooked also in iron pots and had

european cutlasses and crossbows which

were unknown to me and fought with their

fists amongst themselves their women

were not so modest as ours for they ate

and drank and slept with their men but

above all i was amazed to see no

sacrifices or offerings among them

in some of those places the people

ornamented themselves with scars and

likewise filed their teeth very sharp

they wanted sometimes to ornament me in

the same manner but i would not suffer

them hoping that i might sometimes be

among the people who did not thus

disfigure themselves as i thought they

did

at last i came to the banks of a large

river which was covered with canoes in

which the people appeared to live with

their household utensils and provisions

of all kinds

i was beyond measure astonished at this

as i had never before seen any water

larger than a pond or a rivalet and my

surprise was mingled with no small fear

when i was put into one of these canoes

and we began to paddle and move along

the river

we continued going on this thus till

night and when we came to land and made

fires on the banks each family by

themselves some dragged their canoes on

shore others stayed and cooked in theirs

and laid in them all night

those on the land had mats on of which

they had made tents some in the shape of

little houses in these we slept and

after the morning meal we embarked again

and proceeded as before

i was often very much astonished to see

some of the women as well as the men

jump into the water dive to the bottom

come up again and swim about

thus i continued to travel sometimes by

land sometimes by water through

different countries and various nations

till at the end of six or seven months

after i had been kidnapped i arrived at

the seacoast it would be tedious and

uninteresting to relate all the

incidents which befell me during this

journey and which i have not yet

forgotten of the various hands i passed

through and the manners and customs of

all the different people among whom i

lived i shall therefore only observe

that in all the places where i was the

soil was exceedingly rich the pompkins

iaidis plantains yams etc etc were in

great abundance and of incredible size

there were also vast quantities of

different gums they're not used for any

purpose and everywhere a great deal of

tobacco

the cotton even grew wild and there was

plenty of redwood i saw no mechanics

whatever and all the way except such as

i have mentioned the chief employment in

all these countries was agriculture and

both the males and females as with us

were brought up to it and trained in the

arts of war the first object which

saluted my eyes when i arrived on the

coast was the sea and a slave ship which

was then riding at anchor and waiting

for its cargo these filled me with

astonishment which was soon converted

into terror when i was carried on board

i was immediately handled and tossed up

to see if i were sound by some of the

crew and i was now persuaded that i had

gotten into a world of bad spirits and

that they were going to kill me their

complexions too differing so much from

ours their long hair and the language

they spoke which was very different from

any i've ever heard united confirming me

this belief

indeed such were the horrors of my views

and fears at the moment that if ten

thousand worlds had been my own i would

have freely parted with them all to

exchange my condition with that of the

meanest slave in my own country

when i looked around the ship too and

saw a large furnace or copper boiling

and a multitude of black people of every

description chained together every one

of their countenances expressing

dejection and sorrow i no longer doubted

of my fate and quite overpowered with

horror and anguish i fell motionless on

the deck and fainted

when i recovered a little i found some

black people about me who i believed

were some of those who brought me on

board and have been receiving their pay

they talked to me in order to cheer me

but all in vain

i asked them if we were not to be eaten

by those white men with horrible looks

red faces and loose hair they told me i

was not and one of the crew brought me a

small portion of spiritus liquor and a

wine glass but being afraid of him i

would not take it out of his hand

one of the blacks therefore took it from

him and gave it to me and i took a

little down my palate which instead of

reviving me as they thought it would

threw me into the greatest consternation

at the strange feeling it produced

having never tasted any such liquor

before

soon after that the blacks who brought

me on board went off and left me

abandoned to despair i now saw myself

deprived of all chance of returning to

my native country or even the least

glimpse of hope of gaining the shore

which i now considered as friendly and i

even wish for my former slavery and

preference to my present situation which

was filled with horrors of every kind

still heightened by my ignorance of what

i was to undergo

i was not long suffered to indulge my

grief i was soon put down under the

decks and there i received such a

salutation in my nostrils as i had never

experienced in my life so that with the

loathsomeness of the stench and crying

together i became so sick and low that i

was not able to eat nor had i the least

desire to taste anything i now wish for

the last friend death to relieve me but

soon to my grief two of the white men

offered me edibles and on my refusing to

eat one of them held me fast by the

hands and laid me across i think the

windlass and tied my feet while the

other flogged me severely i had never

experienced anything of this kind before

and although not being used to the water

i naturally feared that element the

first time i saw it yet nevertheless

could i have got over the nettings i

would have jumped over the side but i

could not and besides the crew used to

watch us very closely who were not

chained down to the decks unless we

should leap into the water

and i have seen some of those poor

african prisoners most severely cut for

attempting to do so and hourly whipped

for not eating this indeed was often the

case with myself

in a little time after amongst the poor

chained men i found some of my own

nation which in a small degree gave ease

to my mind i inquired of these what was

to be done with us they gave me to

understand we were to be carried to

these white people's country to work for

them i then was a little relieved and

thought if it were no worse than working

my situation was not so desperate but

still i feared i should be put to death

the white people looked and acted as i

thought and so savage a manner for i'd

never seen among any people such

instances of brutal cruelty and this not

only shown towards us blacks but also to

some of the whites themselves

one white man in particular i saw when

we were permitted to be on deck flogged

so unmercifully with a large rope near

the foremast that he died in consequence

of it and they tossed him over the side

as they would have done a brute

this made me fear these people the more

and i expected nothing less than to be

treated in the same manner i could not

help expressing my fears and

apprehensions to some of my countrymen i

asked them if these people had no

country but lived in this hollow place

the ship they told me they did not but

came from a distant one

then said i how come how come sit in all

our country we never heard of them they

told me because they lived so very far

off i then asked where were there women

had they any like themselves i was told

they had and why said i do we not see

them they answered because they were

left behind

i asked how does the vessel go

they told me they could not tell but

that there were claws put upon the mask

by the help of the ropes i saw and then

the vessel went on and the white men had

some spell or magic they put in the

water when they liked in order to stop

the vessel i was exceedingly amazed at

this count and really thought they were

spirits i therefore wished much to be

from amongst them for i expected they

would sacrifice me but my wishes were

vain for we were so quartered that was

impossible for any of us to make our

escape

while we stayed on the coast i was

mostly on deck and one day to my great

astonishment i saw one of these vessels

coming in with the sails up

as soon as the whites saw it they gave a

great shout at which we were amazed and

the more so as the vessel appeared

larger by approaching nearer

at last she came to an anchor in my

sight and when the anchor was let go i

and my countrymen who saw it were lost

in astonishment to observe the vessel

stop and were not convinced it was done

by magic

soon after this the other ship got our

boats out and they came on board of us

and the people of both ships seemed very

glad to see each other

several of the strangers also shook

hands with us black people and made

motions with their hands signifying i

suppose we were to go to their country

but we did not understand them

at last when the ship we were in had

gotten all her cargo they made ready

with many fearful noises and we were all

put under deck so that we could not see

how they managed the vessel but this

disappointment was the least of my

sorrow

the stench of the hold while we were on

the coast was so intolerably lose them

that it was dangerous to remain there

for any time and some of us have been

permitted to stay on the deck for the

fresh air but now that the whole ship's

cargo were confined together it became

absolutely pestilential

the closeness of the place and the heat

of the climate adds to the number in the

ship which was so crowded that each had

scarcely room to turn himself almost

suffocated us this produced copious

perspiration so that the air student

became unfit for respiration from a

variety of lifts and smells and brought

on a sickness among the slaves of which

many died thus falling victims to the

improvident avarice as i may call it of

their purchasers the wretched situation

was again aggravated by the galling of

the chains now becoming insupportable

and the filth of the necessary tubs into

which the children often fell and were

almost suffocated the shrieks of the

women in the grounds of the dying

rendered the hole a scene of horror

almost inconceivable

happily perhaps for myself i was soon

reduced so low here that it was thought

necessary to keep me almost always on

deck and from my extreme youth i was not

put in fetters in this situation i

expected every hour to share the fate of

my companions some of whom were almost

daily brought up upon deck at the point

of death which i began to hope with soon

putting into my miseries

often did i think many of the

inhabitants of the deep much more happy

than myself i envied them the freedom

they enjoyed and has often wished i

could change my condition for theirs

every circumstance i met with served

only to render my state more painful and

heighten my apprehensions and my opinion

of the cruelty of the whites

one day they had taken a number of

fishes and when they killed and

satisfied themselves with as many as

they thought fit to our astonishment who

were on the deck rather than give any of

them to us to eat as we expected they

tossed the remaining fish into the sea

again although we begged and prayed for

some as well as we could but in vain

and some of my countrymen being pressed

by hunger took an opportunity when they

thought no one saw them of trying to get

a little privately but they were

discovered and the attempt procured them

some very severe floggings

one day when we had a smooth see a

moderate wind two of my weird countrymen

who were chained together i was near

them at the time preferring death to

such a life of misery somehow made

through the nettings and jumped into the

sea

immediately another quite dejected

fellow who on account of his illness was

suffered to be out of irons also

followed their example and i believe

many more would very soon have done the

same if they had not been prevented by

the ship's crew who were instantly

alarmed

those of us that were the most active

were in a moment put down under the deck

and there was such a noise and confusion

amongst the people of the ship as i had

never heard before to stop her and get

the boat out to go after the slaves

however two of the wretches were drowned

but they got the other and afterwards

flogged him on mercifully for thus

attempting to prefer death to slavery

in this manner we continue to undergo

more hardships than i can now relate

hardships which are inseparable from

this accursed trade many a time we were

near suffocation from the want of fresh

air which we were often without for

whole days together

this and the stench of the necessary

tubs carried off many

during our passage i first saw flying

fishes which surprised me very much they

used frequently to fly across the ship

and many of them fell on the deck i also

now first saw the use of the quadrant

i'd often with astonishment seen the

mariners make observations with it and i

could not think what it meant the

elastic noticed in my surprise and one

of them willing to increase it as well

as to gratify my curiosity made me one

day look through it the clouds appeared

to me to be land which disappeared as

they passed along this height in my

wonder and i was now more persuaded than

ever that i was in another world and

that everything about me was magic

at last we came inside of the island of

barbados at which the whites on board

gave a great shout and made many signs

of joy to us we did not know what to

think of this but as the vessel drew

near we plainly saw the harbor and other

ships of different kinds and sizes and

we soon anchored amongst them off

bridgetown

many merchants of planners now came on

board through though it was in the

evening they put us in separate parcels

and examined us attentively they also

made us jump and pointed to the land

signifying we were to go there

we thought by this we should be eaten by

these ugly men as they appeared to us

and when soon after we were all put down

on the deck again there was much dread

and trembling among us and nothing but

bitter cries to be heard all the night

from these apprehensions in so much that

at last the white people got some old

slaves from the land to pacify us

they told us we were not to be eaten but

to work and were soon to go on land

where we should see many of our country

people this report eased us much and

sure enough soon after we were landed

there came to us africans of all

languages we were conducted immediately

to the merchant's yard where we were all

pinned up together like so many sheep in

a fold without regard to sex or age

as every object was new to me everything

i saw filled me with surprise what

struck me first was that the houses were

built with stories and in every other

respect different from those in africa

but i was still more astonished on

seeing people on horseback i did not

know what this could mean and indeed i

thought these people were full of

nothing but magical arts

while i was in this astonishment one of

my fellow prisoners spoke to a

countryman of his about the horses who

said they were the same kind they had in

their country

i understood them that they were from a

distant part of africa and i thought it

odd i had not seen any horses there but

afterwards when i came to converse with

different africans i found they had many

horses amongst them and much larger than

those i then saw

we were not many days in the merchant's

custody before we were sold after their

usual manner which is this

on a signal given as the beat of a drum

the buyers rush it once into the yard

where the slaves are confined and make

choice of that parcel they like best

the noise and clamor with which this is

attended and the eagerness visible in

the countenances of the buyers serve not

a little to increase the apprehensions

of the terrified africans who may well

be supposed to consider them as the

ministers of that destruction to which

they think themselves devoted

in this manner without scruple our

relations and friends separated most of

them never to see each other again

i remember in the vessel in which i was

brought over in the men's apartment

there were several brothers who in the

sale were sold in different lots and it

was very moving on this occasion to see

and hear their cries at parting

oh ye nominal christians might not an

african ask you learned you this from

your god who says unto you do unto all

men as you and men should do unto you

is it not enough that we are torn from

our country and friends to toil for your

luxury and lust of gain must every

tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to

your avarice

are the dearest friends and malaysians

now rendered more dear by their

separation from their kindred still to

be parted from each other and thus

prevented from cheering the gloom of

slavery with the small comfort of being

together and mingling their sufferings

and sorrows

why are parents to lose their children

brothers their sisters or husbands their

wives

surely this is a new refinement in

cruelty which while it has no advantage

to atone for it thus aggravates distress

and adds fresh horrors even to the

wretchedness of slavery

end of chapter two