Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 1
ThismuchIdeemappropriateandnecessarytosay,inorderthatthosewhoreadthesepages,maycomprehendthepoignancyofthosesufferingsIhavebeendoomedtobear.
Immediatelyuponourmarriagewecommencedhouse-keeping,intheoldyellowbuildingthenstandingatthesouthernextremityofFortEdwardvillage,andwhichhassincebeentransformedintoamodernmansion,andlatelyoccupiedbyCaptainLathrop. ItisknownastheFortHouse. Inthisbuildingthecourtsweresometimeheldaftertheorganizationofthecounty. ItwasalsooccupiedbyBurgoynein1777,beingsituatedneartheoldFortontheleftbankoftheHudson.
DuringthewinterIwasemployedwithothersrepairingtheChamplainCanal,onthatsectionoverwhichWilliamVanNortwickwassuperintendent. DavidMcEachronhadtheimmediatechargeofthemeninwhosecompanyIlabored. Bythetimethecanalopenedinthespring,Iwasenabled,fromthesavingsofmywages,topurchaseapairofhorses,andotherthingsnecessarilyrequiredinthebusinessofnavigation.
Havinghiredseveralefficienthandstoassistme,IenteredintocontractsforthetransportationoflargeraftsoftimberfromLakeChamplaintoTroy. DyerBeckwithandaMr.Bartemy,ofWhitehall,accompaniedmeonseveraltrips. DuringtheseasonIbecameperfectlyfamiliarwiththeartandmysteriesofrafting—aknowledgewhichafterwardsenabledmetorenderprofitableservicetoaworthymaster,andtoastonishthesimple-wittedlumbermenonthebanksoftheBayouBœuf.
InoneofmyvoyagesdownLakeChamplain,IwasinducedtomakeavisittoCanada.
