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
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 soon anchored amongst them off Bridge 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 among us, and
nothing but bitter cries to be heard all the night from these
apprehensions, insomuch 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 pent up together like so many sheep in a fold, without
regard to sex or age. As every object was new to me every thing 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, though 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 at once into the yard where the
slaves are confined, and make choice of that parcel they like best.
The noise and clamour 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,
are 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. O, ye nominal Christians!
might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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