Дванадцять років рабства

           Itwasoncethicklypopulated,andundercultivation,butforsomecausehadbeenabandoned. Thebusinessofthescatteredinhabitantsthatnowdwelluponitisprincipallyraisingcattle. Immenseherdswerefeedinguponitaswepassed. InthecentreoftheGrandCoteauonefeelsasifhewereontheocean,outofsightofland. Asfarastheeyecansee,inalldirections,itisbutaruinedanddesertedwaste. 

           IwashiredtoJudgeTurner,adistinguishedmanandextensiveplanter,whoselargeestateissituatedonBayouSalle,withinafewmilesofthegulf. BayonSalleisasmallstreamflowingintothebayofAtchafalaya. ForsomedaysIwasemployedatTurner’sinrepairinghissugarhouse,whenacaneknifewasputintomyhand,andwiththirtyorfortyothers,Iwassentintothefield. IfoundnosuchdifficultyinlearningtheartofcuttingcanethatIhadinpickingcotton. Itcametomenaturallyandintuitively,andinashorttimeIwasabletokeepupwiththefastestknife. Beforethecuttingwasover,however,JudgeTurnertransferredmefromthefieldtothesugarhouse,toactthereinthecapacityofdriver. Fromthetimeofthecommencementofsugarmakingtotheclose,thegrindingandboilingdoesnotceasedayornight. Thewhipwasgivenmewithdirectionstouseituponanyonewhowascaughtstandingidle. IfIfailedtoobeythemtotheletter,therewasanotheroneformyownback. Inadditiontothismydutywastocallonandoffthedifferentgangsatthepropertime.