The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By HimselfEquiano, Olaudah
History
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
Having taken at this place some fine wines, fruits, and money, we
proceeded to Cadiz, where we took about two tons more of money, &c.
and then sailed for England in the month of June. When we were about
the north latitude 42, we had contrary wind for several days, and the
ship did not make in that time above six or seven miles straight
course. This made the captain exceeding fretful and peevish: and I was
very sorry to hear God's most holy name often blasphemed by him. One
day, as he was in that impious mood, a young gentleman on board, who
was a passenger, reproached him, and said he acted wrong; for we ought
to be thankful to God for all things, as we were not in want of any
thing on board; and though the wind was contrary for us, yet it was
fair for some others, who, perhaps, stood in more need of it than we.
I immediately seconded this young gentleman with some boldness, and
said we had not the least cause to murmur, for that the Lord was
better to us than we deserved, and that he had done all things well. I
expected that the captain would be very angry with me for speaking,
but he replied not a word. However, before that time on the following
day, being the 21st of June, much to our great joy and astonishment,
we saw the providential hand of our benign Creator, whose ways with
his blind creatures are past finding out. The preceding night I
dreamed that I saw a boat immediately off the starboard main shrouds;
and exactly at half past one o'clock, the following day at noon, while
I was below, just as we had dined in the cabin, the man at the helm
cried out, A boat! which brought my dream that instant into my mind. I
was the first man that jumped on the deck; and, looking from the
shrouds onward, according to my dream, I descried a little boat at
some distance; but, as the waves were high, it was as much as we could
do sometimes to discern her; we however stopped the ship's way, and
the boat, which was extremely small, came alongside with eleven
miserable men, whom we took on board immediately. To all human
appearance, these people must have perished in the course of one hour
or less, the boat being small, it barely contained them. When we took
them up they were half drowned, and had no victuals, compass, water,
or any other necessary whatsoever, and had only one bit of an oar to
steer with, and that right before the wind; so that they were obliged
to trust entirely to the mercy of the waves. As soon as we got them
all on board, they bowed themselves on their knees, and, with hands
and voices lifted up to heaven, thanked God for their deliverance; and
I trust that my prayers were not wanting amongst them at the same
time. This mercy of the Lord quite melted me, and I recollected his
words, which I saw thus verified in the 107th Psalm 'O give thanks
unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Hungry
and thirsty, their souls fainted in them. They cried unto Lord in
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