Двенадцать лет рабства

           Theploughpassesasnearaspossibletothecottononbothsides,throwingthefurrowfromit. Slavesfollowwiththeirhoes,cuttingupthegrassandcotton,leavinghillstwofeetandahalfapart. Thisiscalledscrapingcotton. Intwoweeksmorecommencesthesecondhoeing. Thistimethefurrowisthrowntowardsthecotton. Onlyonestalk,thelargest,isnowleftstandingineachhill. Inanotherfortnightitishoedthethirdtime,throwingthefurrowtowardsthecottoninthesamemannerasbefore,andkillingallthegrassbetweentherows. AboutthefirstofJuly,whenitisafoothighorthereabouts,itishoedthefourthandlasttime. Nowthewholespacebetweentherowsisploughed,leavingadeepwaterfurrowinthecenter. Duringallthesehoeingstheoverseerordriverfollowstheslavesonhorsebackwithawhip,suchashasbeendescribed. Thefastesthoertakestheleadrow. Heisusuallyaboutarodinadvanceofhiscompanions. Ifoneofthempasseshim,heiswhipped. Ifonefallsbehindorisamomentidle,heiswhipped. Infact,thelashisflyingfrommorninguntilnight,thewholedaylong. ThehoeingseasonthuscontinuesfromApriluntilJuly,afieldhavingnosoonerbeenfinishedonce,thanitiscommencedagain. 

           InthelatterpartofAugustbeginsthecottonpickingseason. Atthistimeeachslaveispresentedwithasack. Astrapisfastenedtoit,whichgoesovertheneck,holdingthemouthofthesackbreasthigh,whilethebottomreachesnearlytotheground.