Дванадцять років рабства

           Ilaidmanyplans,whichatthetimeIconsideredexcellentones,butoneaftertheothertheywereallabandoned. Nomanwhohasneverbeenplacedinsuchasituation,cancomprehendthethousandobstaclesthrowninthewayoftheflyingslave. Everywhiteman’shandisraisedagainsthim—thepatrollersarewatchingforhim—thehoundsarereadytofollowonhistrack,andthenatureofthecountryissuchasrendersitimpossibletopassthroughitwithanysafety. Ithought,however,thatthetimemightcome,perhaps,whenIshouldberunningthroughtheswampsagain. Iconcluded,inthatcase,tobepreparedforEpps’dogs,shouldtheypursueme. Hepossessedseveral,oneofwhichwasanotoriousslave-hunter,andthemostfierceandsavageofhisbreed. Whileouthuntingthecoonortheopossum,Ineverallowedanopportunitytoescape,whenalone,ofwhippingthemseverely. InthismannerIsucceededatlengthinsubduingthemcompletely. Theyfearedme,obeyingmyvoiceatoncewhenothershadnocontroloverthemwhatever. Hadtheyfollowedandovertakenme,Idoubtnottheywouldhaveshrankfromattackingme. 

           Notwithstandingthecertaintyofbeingcaptured,thewoodsandswampsare,nevertheless,continuallyfilledwithrunaways. Manyofthem,whensick,orsowornoutastobeunabletoperformtheirtasks,escapeintotheswamps,willingtosufferthepunishmentinflictedforsuchoffences,inordertoobtainadayortwoofrest.