Дванадцять років рабства

           WhileIbelongedtoFord,Iwasunwittinglythemeansofdisclosingthehiding-placeofsixoreight,whohadtakenuptheirresidenceinthe"GreatPineWoods." AdamTaydemfrequentlysentmefromthemillsovertotheopeningafterprovisions. Thewholedistancewasthenathickpineforest. Aboutteno’clockofabeautifulmoonlightnight,whilewalkingalongtheTexasroad,returningtothemills,carryingadressedpiginabagswungovermyshoulder,Iheardfootstepsbehindme,andturninground,beheldtwoblackmeninthedressofslavesapproachingatarapidpace. Whenwithinashortdistance,oneofthemraisedaclub,asifintendingtostrikeme;theothersnatchedatthebag. Imanagedtododgethemboth,andseizingapineknot,hurleditwithsuchforceagainsttheheadofoneofthemthathewasprostratedapparentlysenselesstotheground. Justthentwomoremadetheirappearancefromonesideoftheroad. Beforetheycouldgrappleme,however,Isucceededinpassingthem,andtakingtomyheels,fled,muchaffrighted,towardsthemills. WhenAdamwasinformedoftheadventure,hehastenedstraightwaytotheIndianvillage,andarousingCascallaandseveralofhistribe,startedinpursuitofthehighwaymen. Iaccompaniedthemtothesceneofattack,whenwediscoveredapuddleofbloodintheroad,wherethemanwhomIhadsmittenwiththepineknothadfallen. Aftersearchingcarefullythroughthewoodsalongtime,oneofCascalla’smendiscoveredasmokecurlingupthroughthebranchesofseveralprostratepines,whosetopshadfallentogether.