Американские боги

           Amanandawomantriedtokillthemselvesbyleapingovertheside.Thewomansucceeded.Themanwasrescuedandhewastiedtothemastandlashedforthebetterpartofaday,untilhisbackranwithblood,andhewasleftthereasthedaybecamenight.Hewasgivennofoodtoeat,andnothingtodrinkbuthisownpiss.Bythethirddayhewasraving,andhisheadhadswollenandgrownsoft,likeanoldmelon.Whenhestoppedravingtheythrewhimovertheside.Also,forfivedaysfollowingtheescapeattemptthecaptiveswerereturnedtotheirmanaclesandchains.

           Itwasalongjourneyandabadoneforthecaptives,anditwasnotpleasantforthecrew,althoughtheyhadlearnedtohardentheirheartstothebusiness,andpretendedtothemselvesthattheywerenomorethanfarmers,takingtheirlivestocktothemarket.

           Theymadeharboronapleasant,balmydayinBridgetown,Barbados,andthecaptiveswerecarriedfromtheshiptotheshoreinlowboatssentoutfromthedock,andtakentothemarketsquare,wheretheywere,bydintofacertainamountofshouting,andblowsfromcudgels,arrangedintolines.Awhistleblew,andthemarketsquarefilledwithmen,poking,prodding,red-facedmen,shouting,inspecting,calling,appraising,grumbling.

           WututuandAgasuwereseparatedthen.Ithappenedsofast—abigmanforcedopenAgasu’smouth,lookedathisteeth,felthisarmmuscles,nodded,andtwoothermenhauledAgasuaway.Hedidnotfightthem.HelookedatWututuandcalled"Bebrave,"toher.