“Africa is my Country—In the Country of the Eboe and on the banks of the great_____ river, my people lived. The manner of my life before I was taken and sold to the white people I can scarcely remember beyond that I was still unclothed, sometime employed in attending our people, while engaged in Fishing, at other times guarding the fowls and chickens from Hawks or more frequently at play with other children. In one of those evening plays, while at a distance from our houses a party of the enemy came around ['us’ is crossed out] and drove us, into an enclosed place, and immediately secured us—our hands were tied—in vain our cries and screams were raised, but raised unheard, if heard, unattended, and by force we were hurried along and rested not until the sun arose and marked our [dis….?] and distance from our homes. The day we lay concealed, and in the night our journey was performed. Day and night succeeded each other, in hunger, weariness, and grief at the end of the 15th night our traveling was at an end and the dawn of the day shewed us the Great sea, and the ship, [on/to] which we were soon embarked and atonce [another word beginning with a c is crossed out] left our Country, and our freedom, and consigned to foreigners and Slavery. The enemies of our country seized and sold us to the White people, for the love of drink, and from the quarrels of their chiefs—The white people received and stripped us of all our beads, and shells and while the naked children were permitted to walk about the ship, the men and women were chained and kept in dark[ness?] below [replaced dark places]. Our food was sparing, and ever bad. Our punishment was frequent and sever and death became so frequent an occurrence, that at last it [???] on, without fear on the dying, or grief on those left behind, as we believed that those who died, were restored to their people and Country. A long voyage at length brought the ship to Jamaica [another name seems to be crossed out, maybe Barbados?]. My Eboe name was Akeiso. The [something] of which soon put an end to all [all is added] recollections of my people—another name—a strange language, and [another, is crossed out] a new master confused my mind, and while ignorance of each, made my labour more troublesome, yet the dread of punishment compelled me to work, [narrative ends abruptly here with the comma following work].”
gummygunk
blakekathryn
