Дванадцять років рабства

           PhebewasaslaveofBuford,Tassle’sneighbor,andhavingmarriedWiley,heboughtthelatter,atherinstigation. Bufordwasakindmaster,sheriffofthecounty,andinthosedaysamanofwealth. 

           BobandHenryarePhebe’schildren,byaformerhusband,theirfatherhavingbeenabandonedtogiveplacetoWiley. ThatseductiveyouthhadinsinuatedhimselfintoPhebe’saffections,andthereforethefaithlessspousehadgentlykickedherfirsthusbandoutofhercabindoor. EdwardhadbeenborntothemonBayouHuffPower. 

           Patseyistwenty-three—alsofromBuford’splantation. Sheisinnowiseconnectedwiththeothers,butgloriesinthefactthatsheistheoffspringofa"Guineanigger,"broughtovertoCubainaslaveship,andinthecourseoftradetransferredtoBuford,whowashermother’sowner. 

           This,asIlearnedfromthem,isagenealogicalaccountofmymaster’sslaves. Foryearstheyhadbeentogether. Oftentheyrecalledthememoriesofotherdays,andsighedtoretracetheirstepstotheoldhomeinCarolina. TroublescameupontheirmasterBuford,whichbroughtfargreatertroublesuponthem. Hebecameinvolvedindebt,andunabletobearupagainsthisfailingfortunes,wascompelledtosellthese,andothersofhisslaves. InachaingangtheyhadbeendrivenfrombeyondtheMississippitotheplantationofArchyB.Williams. EdwinEpps,who,foralongwhilehadbeenhisdriverandoverseer,wasaboutestablishinghimselfinbusinessonhisownaccount,atthetimeoftheirarrival,andacceptedtheminpaymentofhiswages.