Двенадцать лет рабства

           Thecakeisdistributedbythedrivers,andmustbeeatenwiththeleastpossibledelay. 

           Whentheslaveceasestoperspire,asheoftendoeswhentaxedbeyondhisstrength,hefallstothegroundandbecomesentirelyhelpless. Itisthenthedutyofthedrivertodraghimintotheshadeofthestandingcottonorcane,orofaneighboringtree,wherehedashesbucketsofwateruponhim,andusesothermeansofbringingoutperspirationagain,whenheisorderedtohisplace,andcompelledtocontinuehislabor. 

           AtHuffPower,whenIfirstcametoEpps’,Tom,oneofRoberts’negroes,wasdriver. Hewasaburlyfellow,andsevereintheextreme. AfterEpps’removaltoBayouBœuf,thatdistinguishedhonorwasconferreduponmyself. UptothetimeofmydepartureIhadtowearawhipaboutmyneckinthefield. IfEppswaspresent,Idarednotshowanylenity,nothavingtheChristianfortitudeofacertainwell-knownUncleTomsufficientlytobravehiswrath,byrefusingtoperformtheoffice. Inthatway,only,Iescapedtheimmediatemartyrdomhesuffered,and,withal,savedmycompanionsmuchsuffering,asitprovedintheend. Epps,Isoonfound,whetheractuallyinthefieldornot,hadhiseyesprettygenerallyuponus. Fromthepiazza,frombehindsomeadjacenttree,orotherconcealedpointofobservation,hewasperpetuallyonthewatch.