Дванадцять років рабства

           Eachcompanyhasacertaindistancetorideupanddownthebayou. Theyarecompensatedbytheplanters,whocontributeinproportiontothenumberofslavestheyown. Theclatteroftheirhorses’hoofsdashingbycanbeheardatallhoursofthenight,andfrequentlytheymaybeseendrivingaslavebeforethem,orleadinghimbyaropefastenedaroundhisneck,tohisowner’splantation. 

           Wileyfledbeforeoneofthesecompanies,thinkinghecouldreachhiscabinbeforetheycouldovertakehim; butoneoftheirdogs,agreatravenoushound,gripedhimbytheleg,andheldhimfast. Thepatrollerswhippedhimseverely,andbroughthim,aprisoner,toEpps. Fromhimhereceivedanotherflagellationstillmoresevere,sothatthecutsofthelashandthebitesofthedogrenderedhimsore,stiffandmiserable,insomuchhewasscarcelyabletomove. Itwasimpossibleinsuchastatetokeepuphisrow,andconsequentlytherewasnotanhourinthedaybutWileyfeltthestingofhismaster’srawhideonhisrawandbleedingback. Hissufferingsbecameintolerable,andfinallyheresolvedtorunaway. WithoutdisclosinghisintentionstorunawayeventohiswifePhebe,heproceededtomakearrangementsforcarryinghisplanintoexecution. Havingcookedhiswholeweek’sallowance,hecautiouslyleftthecabinonaSundaynight,aftertheinmatesofthequarterswereasleep. Whenthehornsoundedinthemorning,Wileydidnotmakehisappearance. Searchwasmadeforhiminthecabins,inthecorn-crib,inthecotton-house,andineverynookandcornerofthepremises.