t, and
ob dese pretty nigh a hundred die in dose tree days.

"After dat tings not so bad. De weather was fine and no more English
cruisers seen, so dey let half ob us up on deck at once for tree or four
hours ebery day. Dey give us more food, too, and fatten us up. We talk
dis ober among ourselves, and s'pose dat dey going to eat us when we
get to land again. Some propose not to eat food, but when dey try dat
on they get de whip, and conclude dat if dey must be eaten dey might as
well be eaten fat as lean.

"At last we come in sight of land. Den we all sent below and stay dere
till night. Den we brought on deck, and find de vessel lying in a little
creek. Den we all land in boats, and march up country all night. In de
morning we halt. Tree or four white men come on horses and look at us.
Dey separate us into parties, and each march away into country again.
Den we separate again, till at last me and twenty oders arribe at a
plantation up in de hills. Here we range along in line before a white
man. He speak in berry fierce tones, and a nigger by his side tell us
dat dis man our master, dat he say if we work well he gib us plenty of
food and treat us well, but dat if we not work wid all our might he whip
us to death. After dis it was ebident that de best ting to do was to
work hard.

"I was young and berry strong, sar, and soon got de name of a willing
hard working nigger. De massa he keep his word. Dose who work well not
bad treated, plenty ob food and a piece of ground to plant vegetables
and to raise fowls for ourselves. So we passed two or tree year, plenty
ob hard work, but not berry much to grumble at. Den me and a gal of my
own village, who had been bought in de same batch wid me, we go to massa
and say we want to marry. Massa say, berry well. I fine strong nigger
and work well, so he gib de gal four yards ob bright cotton for wedding
dress, and a bottle ob rum to me, and we married.

"Two or tree years pass, and my wife hab two piccanninies. Den de massa
go home to Spain, and leab overseer in plantation. Berry bad man dat.
Before, if nigger work well he not beaten. Now he beaten wheder he work
or not. For two or tree months we 'tand it, but tings get worse and
worse. De oberseer he always drunk and go on like wild beast. One day he
passed by my wife hoeing de sugarcane and he gib her cut wid whip, jus'
out of 'musement. She turn round and ask, 'What dat for?' He get mad,
cut her wid whip, knock her down wid de