Двенадцать лет рабства

           Wewerenowinthemidstoftreesofenormousgrowth,whosewide-spreadingbranchesalmostshutoutthelightofthesun,whilethespacebetweenthetrunkswasanimperviousmassofcane,withhereandthereanoccasionalpalmetto. 

           Thebayandthesycamore,theoakandthecypress,reachagrowthunparalleled,inthosefertilelowlandsborderingtheRedRiver. Fromeverytree,moreover,hanglong,largemassesofmoss,presentingtotheeyeunaccustomedtothem,astrikingandsingularappearance. Thismoss,inlargequantities,issentnorth,andthereusedformanufacturingpurposes. 

           Wecutdownoaks,splitthemintorails,andwiththeseerectedtemporarycabins. Wecoveredtheroofswiththebroadpalmettoleaf,anexcellentsubstituteforshingles,aslongastheylast. 

           ThegreatestannoyanceImetwithhereweresmallflies,gnatsandmosquitoes. Theyswarmedtheair. Theypenetratedtheporchesoftheear,thenose,theeyes,themouth. Theysuckedthemselvesbeneaththeskin. Itwasimpossibletobrushorbeatthemoff. Itseemed,indeed,asiftheywoulddevourus—carryusawaypiecemeal,intheirsmalltormentingmouths. 

           Alonelierspot,oronemoredisagreeable,thanthecentreofthe"BigCaneBrake,"itwouldbedifficulttoconceive;yettomeitwasaparadise,incomparisonwithanyotherplaceinthecompanyofMasterTibeats. Ilaboredhard,andoft-timeswaswearyandfatigued,yetIcouldliedownatnightinpeace,andariseinthemorningwithoutfear.