Дванадцять років рабства

           Iperceiveditwouldbeimpossibletoproceedmuchfarther,andknewnot,moreover,whathandsImightfallinto,shouldIsucceedinreachingahumanhabitation. Notprovidedwithapass,anywhitemanwouldbeatlibertytoarrestme,andplacemeinprisonuntilsuchtimeasmymastershould"proveproperty,paycharges,andtakemeaway." Iwasanestray,andifsounfortunateastomeetalaw-abidingcitizenofLouisiana,hewoulddeemithisdutytohisneighbor,perhaps,toputmeforthwithinthepound. Really,itwasdifficulttodeterminewhichIhadmostreasontofear—dogs,alligatorsormen! 

           Aftermidnight,however,Icametoahalt. Imaginationcannotpicturethedrearinessofthescene. Theswampwasresonantwiththequackingofinnumerableducks! Sincethefoundationoftheearth,inallprobability,ahumanfootstephadneverbeforesofarpenetratedtherecessesoftheswamp. Itwasnotsilentnow—silenttoadegreethatrendereditoppressive,—asitwaswhenthesunwasshiningintheheavens. Mymidnightintrusionhadawakenedthefeatheredtribes,whichseemedtothrongthemorassinhundredsofthousands,andtheirgarrulousthroatspouredforthsuchmultitudinoussounds—therewassuchaflutteringofwings—suchsullenplungesinthewaterallaroundme—thatIwasaffrightedandappalled. Allthefowlsoftheair,andallthecreepingthingsoftheearthappearedtohaveassembledtogetherinthatparticularplace,forthepurposeoffillingitwithclamorandconfusion.