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
Every day now brought me nearer my freedom, and I was impatient till
we proceeded again to sea, that I might have an opportunity of getting
a sum large enough to purchase it. I was not long ungratified; for, in
the beginning of the year 1766, my master bought another sloop, named
the Nancy, the largest I had ever seen. She was partly laden, and was
to proceed to Philadelphia; our Captain had his choice of three, and I
was well pleased he chose this, which was the largest; for, from his
having a large vessel, I had more room, and could carry a larger
quantity of goods with me. Accordingly, when we had delivered our old
vessel, the Prudence, and completed the lading of the Nancy, having
made near three hundred per cent, by four barrels of pork I brought
from Charlestown, I laid in as large a cargo as I could, trusting to
God's providence to prosper my undertaking. With these views I sailed
for Philadelphia. On our passage, when we drew near the land, I was
for the first time surprised at the sight of some whales, having never
seen any such large sea monsters before; and as we sailed by the land
one morning I saw a puppy whale close by the vessel; it was about the
length of a wherry boat, and it followed us all the day till we got
within the Capes. We arrived safe and in good time at Philadelphia,
and I sold my goods there chiefly to the quakers. They always appeared
to be a very honest discreet sort of people, and never attempted to
impose on me; I therefore liked them, and ever after chose to deal
with them in preference to any others. One Sunday morning while I was
here, as I was going to church, I chanced to pass a meeting-house. The
doors being open, and the house full of people, it excited my
curiosity to go in. When I entered the house, to my great surprise, I
saw a very tall woman standing in the midst of them, speaking in an
audible voice something which I could not understand. Having never
seen anything of this kind before, I stood and stared about me for
some time, wondering at this odd scene. As soon as it was over I took
an opportunity to make inquiry about the place and people, when I was
informed they were called Quakers. I particularly asked what that
woman I saw in the midst of them had said, but none of them were
pleased to satisfy me; so I quitted them, and soon after, as I was
returning, I came to a church crowded with people; the church-yard was
full likewise, and a number of people were even mounted on ladders,
looking in at the windows. I thought this a strange sight, as I had
never seen churches, either in England or the West Indies, crowded in
this manner before. I therefore made bold to ask some people the
meaning of all this, and they told me the Rev. Mr. George Whitfield
was preaching. I had often heard of this gentleman, and had wished to
see and hear him; but I had never before had an opportunity. I now
therefore resolved to gratify myself with the sight, and I pressed in
amidst the multitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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