The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By HimselfEquiano, Olaudah
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The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself
Equiano, Olaudah
Enslaved persons -- Great Britain -- Biography; Enslaved persons -- United States -- Biography; Equiano, Olaudah, 1745-1797
_The author embarks on board a ship bound for Cadiz--Is near
being shipwrecked--Goes to Malaga--Remarkable fine cathedral
there--The author disputes with a popish priest--Picking up
eleven miserable men at sea in returning to England--Engages
again with Doctor Irving to accompany him to Jamaica and the
Mosquito Shore--Meets with an Indian prince on board--The
author attempts to instruct him in the truths of the
Gospel--Frustrated by the bad example of some in the
ship--They arrive on the Mosquito Shore with some slaves
they purchased at Jamaica, and begin to cultivate a
plantation--Some account of the manners and customs of the
Mosquito Indians--Successful device of the author's to quell
a riot among them--Curious entertainment given by them to
Doctor Irving and the author, who leaves the shore and goes
for Jamaica--Is barbarously treated by a man with whom he
engaged for his passage--Escapes and goes to the Mosquito
admiral, who treats him kindly--He gets another vessel and
goes on board--Instances of bad treatment--Meets Doctor
Irving--Gets to Jamaica--Is cheated by his captain--Leaves
the Doctor and goes for England._
When our ship was got ready for sea again, I was entreated by the
captain to go in her once more; but, as I felt myself now as happy as
I could wish to be in this life, I for some time refused; however, the
advice of my friends at last prevailed; and, in full resignation to
the will of God, I again embarked for Cadiz in March 1775. We had a
very good passage, without any material accident, until we arrived off
the Bay of Cadiz; when one Sunday, just as we were going into the
harbour, the ship struck against a rock and knocked off a garboard
plank, which is the next to the keel. In an instant all hands were in
the greatest confusion, and began with loud cries to call on God to
have mercy on them. Although I could not swim, and saw no way of
escaping death, I felt no dread in my then situation, having no desire
to live. I even rejoiced in spirit, thinking this death would be
sudden glory. But the fulness of time was not yet come. The people
near to me were much astonished in seeing me thus calm and resigned;
but I told them of the peace of God, which through sovereign grace I
enjoyed, and these words were that instant in my mind:
"Christ is my pilot wise, my compass is his word;
My soul each storm defies, while I have such a Lord.
I trust his faithfulness and power,
To save me in the trying hour.
Though rocks and quicksands deep through all my passage lie,
Yet Christ shall safely keep and guide me with his eye.
How can I sink with such a prop,
That bears the world and all things up?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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