From: jthomp@mainz-emh2.army.mil (JEFFREY THOMPSON)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american
Subject: A tribute to our forefather [the last segment]
Date: 15 Oct 1992 04:20:01 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu


Every circumstance I met with served only to render my state more painful,
and heightened my apprehensions, and my opinion of the cruelty of the whites.
One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had 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 toeat, 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. 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 discov-
ered,and the attempt procured them some very sever floggings.

One day, when we had a smooth sea moderate wind, two of my wearied 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 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
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 after-
wards flogged him unmercifully for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery.

In this manner we continued 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 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 had often with astonishment
seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it
meant. They at last took notice of 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 heightened my wonder; and I was now more persuaded that ever that
I was in a another world, and that everything about me was magic.

At last we came in sight of the island of Barbadoes, 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 nearer we plainly saw the 
harbour, and other ships of different kinds and sizes; and we were soon anchored
amongst them off George-Town.

Many merchants and planters now came on board, 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 under the deck again, there was much dread
and trembling. THE END.

(From 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or
Gustavus Vassa the African. Written by Himself, 1791). 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american,talk.politics.misc,triangle.ppolitics