Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 12
Thebeddingwasacoarseblanket,andnotaragorshredbeside. Mossmightbeused,wereitnotthatitdirectlybreedsaswarmoffleas.
Thecabinisconstructedoflogs,withoutfloororwindow. Thelatterisaltogetherunnecessary,thecrevicesbetweenthelogsadmittingsufficientlight. Instormyweathertheraindrivesthroughthem,renderingitcomfortlessandextremelydisagreeable. Therudedoorhangsongreatwoodenhinges. Inoneendisconstructedanawkwardfire-place.
Anhourbeforedaylightthehornisblown. Thentheslavesarouse,preparetheirbreakfast,fillagourdwithwater,inanotherdeposittheirdinnerofcoldbaconandcorncake,andhurrytothefieldagain. Itisanoffenceinvariablyfollowedbyaflogging,tobefoundatthequartersafterdaybreak. Thenthefearsandlaborsofanotherdaybegin;anduntilitsclosethereisnosuchthingasrest. Hefearshewillbecaughtlaggingthroughtheday;hefearstoapproachthegin-housewithhisbasket-loadofcottonatnight;hefears,whenheliesdown,thathewilloversleephimselfinthemorning. Suchisatrue,faithful,unexaggeratedpictureanddescriptionoftheslave’sdailylife,duringthetimeofcotton-picking,ontheshoresofBayouBœuf.
InthemonthofJanuary,generally,thefourthandlastpickingiscompleted. Thencommencestheharvestingofcorn. Thisisconsideredasecondarycrop,andreceivesfarlessattentionthanthecotton. Itisplanted,asalreadymentioned,inFebruary.