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
himself and others for some time with my fears, which appeared
ludicrous enough in my crying and trembling, he dismissed me. The
barrel of pitch was now lighted and put over the side into the water:
by this time it was just dark, and the fish went after it; and, to my
great joy, I saw them no more.
However, all my alarms began to subside when we got sight of land; and
at last the ship arrived at Falmouth, after a passage of thirteen
weeks. Every heart on board seemed gladdened on our reaching the
shore, and none more than mine. The captain immediately went on shore,
and sent on board some fresh provisions, which we wanted very much:
we made good use of them, and our famine was soon turned into
feasting, almost without ending. It was about the beginning of the
spring 1757 when I arrived in England, and I was near twelve years of
age at that time. I was very much struck with the buildings and the
pavement of the streets in Falmouth; and, indeed, any object I saw
filled me with new surprise. One morning, when I got upon deck, I saw
it covered all over with the snow that fell over-night: as I had never
seen any thing of the kind before, I thought it was salt; so I
immediately ran down to the mate and desired him, as well as I could,
to come and see how somebody in the night had thrown salt all over the
deck. He, knowing what it was, desired me to bring some of it down to
him: accordingly I took up a handful of it, which I found very cold
indeed; and when I brought it to him he desired me to taste it. I did
so, and I was surprised beyond measure. I then asked him what it was;
he told me it was snow: but I could not in anywise understand him. He
asked me if we had no such thing in my country; and I told him, No. I
then asked him the use of it, and who made it; he told me a great man
in the heavens, called God: but here again I was to all intents and
purposes at a loss to understand him; and the more so, when a little
after I saw the air filled with it, in a heavy shower, which fell down
on the same day. After this I went to church; and having never been at
such a place before, I was again amazed at seeing and hearing the
service. I asked all I could about it; and they gave me to understand
it was worshipping God, who made us and all things. I was still at a
great loss, and soon got into an endless field of inquiries, as well
as I was able to speak and ask about things. However, my little friend
Dick used to be my best interpreter; for I could make free with him,
and he always instructed me with pleasure: and from what I could
understand by him of this God, and in seeing these white people did
not sell one another, as we did, I was much pleased; and in this I
thought they were much happier than we Africans. I was astonished at
the wisdom of the white people in all things I saw; but was amazed at
their not sacrificing, or making any offerings, and eating with
unwashed hands, and touching the dead. I likewise could not help
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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