Двенадцать лет рабства

           Augustusranaway. ReachingacanerickonHawkins’plantation,hesecretedhimselfinthetopofit. AllCarey’sdogswereputuponhistrack—somefifteenofthem—andsoonscentedhisfootstepstothehidingplace. Theysurroundedtherick,bayingandscratching,butcouldnotreachhim. Presently,guidedbytheclamorofthehounds,thepursuersrodeup,whentheoverseer,mountingontotherick,drewhimforth. Asherolleddowntothegroundthewholepackplungeduponhim,andbeforetheycouldbebeatenoff,hadgnawedandmutilatedhisbodyinthemostshockingmanner,theirteethhavingpenetratedtotheboneinanhundredplaces. Hewastakenup,tieduponamule,andcarriedhome. ButthiswasAugustus’lasttrouble. Helingereduntilthenextday,whendeathsoughttheunhappyboy,andkindlyrelievedhimfromhisagony. 

           Itwasnotunusualforslavewomenaswellasslavementoendeavortoescape. Nelly,Eldret’sgirl,withwhomIlumberedforatimeinthe"BigCaneBrake,"layconcealedinEpps’corncribthreedays. Atnight,whenhisfamilywereasleep,shewouldstealintothequartersforfood,andreturntothecribagain. Weconcludeditwouldnolongerbesafeforustoallowhertoremain,andaccordinglysheretracedherstepstoherowncabin. 

           Butthemostremarkableinstanceofasuccessfulevasionofdogsandhunterswasthefollowing: AmongCarey’sgirlswasonebythenameofCeleste. Shewasnineteenortwenty,andfarwhiterthanherowner,oranyofhisoffspring.