Дванадцять років рабства

Chapter 12

           Eachoneisalsopresentedwithalargebasketthatwillholdabouttwobarrels. Thisistoputthecottoninwhenthesackisfilled. Thebasketsarecarriedtothefieldandplacedatthebeginningoftherows. 

           Whenanewhand,oneunaccustomedtothebusiness,issentforthefirsttimeintothefield,heiswhippedupsmartly,andmadeforthatdaytopickasfastashecanpossibly. Atnightitisweighed,sothathiscapabilityincottonpickingisknown. Hemustbringinthesameweighteachnightfollowing. Ifitfallsshort,itisconsideredevidencethathehasbeenlaggard,andagreaterorlessnumberoflashesisthepenalty. 

           Anordinaryday’sworkistwohundredpounds. Aslavewhoisaccustomedtopicking,ispunished,ifheorshebringsinalessquantitythanthat. Thereisagreatdifferenceamongthemasregardsthiskindoflabor. Someofthemseemtohaveanaturalknack,orquickness,whichenablesthemtopickwithgreatcelerity,andwithbothhands,whileothers,withwhateverpracticeorindustry,areutterlyunabletocomeuptotheordinarystandard. Suchhandsaretakenfromthecottonfieldandemployedinotherbusiness. Patsey,ofwhomIshallhavemoretosay,wasknownasthemostremarkablecottonpickeronBayouBœuf. Shepickedwithbothhandsandwithsuchsurprisingrapidity,thatfivehundredpoundsadaywasnotunusualforher. 

           Eachoneistasked,therefore,accordingtohispickingabilities,none,however,tocomeshortoftwohundredweight. 

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