Двенадцать лет рабства

           Thebeddingwasacoarseblanket,andnotaragorshredbeside. Mossmightbeused,wereitnotthatitdirectlybreedsaswarmoffleas. 

           Thecabinisconstructedoflogs,withoutfloororwindow. Thelatterisaltogetherunnecessary,thecrevicesbetweenthelogsadmittingsufficientlight. Instormyweathertheraindrivesthroughthem,renderingitcomfortlessandextremelydisagreeable. Therudedoorhangsongreatwoodenhinges. Inoneendisconstructedanawkwardfire-place. 

           Anhourbeforedaylightthehornisblown. Thentheslavesarouse,preparetheirbreakfast,fillagourdwithwater,inanotherdeposittheirdinnerofcoldbaconandcorncake,andhurrytothefieldagain. Itisanoffenceinvariablyfollowedbyaflogging,tobefoundatthequartersafterdaybreak. Thenthefearsandlaborsofanotherdaybegin;anduntilitsclosethereisnosuchthingasrest. Hefearshewillbecaughtlaggingthroughtheday;hefearstoapproachthegin-housewithhisbasket-loadofcottonatnight;hefears,whenheliesdown,thathewilloversleephimselfinthemorning. Suchisatrue,faithful,unexaggeratedpictureanddescriptionoftheslave’sdailylife,duringthetimeofcotton-picking,ontheshoresofBayouBœuf. 

           InthemonthofJanuary,generally,thefourthandlastpickingiscompleted. Thencommencestheharvestingofcorn. Thisisconsideredasecondarycrop,andreceivesfarlessattentionthanthecotton. Itisplanted,asalreadymentioned,inFebruary.