Equiano & the Middle Passage - @MrBettsClass

Let Olaudah Equiano explain the Middle Passage to you in his own words.
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"En la Brisa" Music by Dan-O at DanoSongs.com
My father, besides many slaves, had a numerous family. As I was the youngest of the sons, I became, of course, the greatest favourite with my mother, and was always with her. One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I and my dear sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over our walls, and in a moment seized us both. After many days travelling, during which I had often changed masters, I got into the hands of a chieftain, in a very pleasant country. However, in a small time afterwards, and I was again sold
From the time I left my own nation I always found somebody that understood me till I came to the sea coast. The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror. I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill me. Their complexions too differing so much from ours
I was not long suffered to indulge my grief; I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick. I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me. I asked if these people had no country, but lived in this hollow place (the ship): they told me they did not, but came from a distant one. 'Then,' said I, 'how comes it in all our country we never heard of them?' They told me because they lived so very far off.
The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome,… but now that the whole ship's cargo were confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea: immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same if they had not been prevented by the ship's crew.
At last we came in sight of the island of Barbadoes. We were conducted immediately to the merchant's yard, where we were all pent up together like so many sheep in a fold, without regard to sex or age. We were not many days in the merchant's custody before we were sold after their usual manner. There were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving on this occasion to see and hear their cries at parting. O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you?