Двенадцать лет рабства

           Thechances,forandagainstus,inanencounterwiththecrew,wascanvassed. Whocouldbereliedupon,andwhocouldnot,thepropertimeandmanneroftheattack,werealltalkedoverandoveragain. FromthemomenttheplotsuggesteditselfIbegantohope. Irevolveditconstantlyinmymind. Asdifficultyafterdifficultyarose,somereadyconceitwasathand,demonstratinghowitcouldbeovercome. Whileothersslept,ArthurandIwerematuringourplans. Atlength,withmuchcaution,Robertwasgraduallymadeacquaintedwithourintentions. Heapprovedofthematonce,andenteredintotheconspiracywithazealousspirit. Therewasnotanotherslavewedaredtotrust. Broughtupinfearandignoranceastheyare,itcanscarcelybeconceivedhowservilelytheywillcringebeforeawhiteman’slook. Itwasnotsafetodepositsoboldasecretwithanyofthem,andfinallywethreeresolvedtotakeuponourselvesalonethefearfulresponsibilityoftheattempt. 

           Atnight,ashasbeensaid,weweredrivenintothehold,andthehatchbarreddown. Howtoreachthedeckwasthefirstdifficultythatpresenteditself. Onthebowofthebrig,however,Ihadobservedthesmallboatlyingbottomupwards. Itoccurredtomethatbysecretingourselvesunderneathit,wewouldnotbemissedfromthecrowd,astheywerehurrieddownintotheholdatnight. Iwasselectedtomaketheexperiment,inordertosatisfyourselvesofitsfeasibility. Thenextevening,accordingly,aftersupper,watchingmyopportunity,Ihastilyconcealedmyselfbeneathit.