Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 11
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.