# ■ 2 Down the coast of Africa

For two long years I lived the life of a slave. I worked in escape，but it was never possible. I thought about it day and night. My master liked to go fishing in a little boat，and he al-ways took me with him. A man called Moely，and a young boy also went with us.

One day my master said to us，'Some of my friends want to go fishing tomorrow. Get the boat ready. '

So we put a lot of food and drink on the boat，and the next morning，we waited for my master and his friends. But when my master arrived，he was alone.

My friends don't want to go fishing today，'he said to me. 'But you go with Moely and the boy，and catch some fish for our supper tonight. '

Yes，master，'I answered quietly，but inside I was excited. 'Perhaps now I can escape，'I said to myself.

My master went back to his friends and we took the boat out to sea. For a time we fished quietly，and then I moved carefully behind Moely and knocked him into the water. 'Swim！'I cried. 'Swim to the shore！'

My master liked to shoot seabirds and so there were guns on the boat. Quickly，I took one of these guns. Moely was swim－ming after the boat and I shouted to him：

Go back to the shore！You can swim there—it's not too far. I won't hurt you，but if you come near the boat，I'll shoot you through the head！'So Moely turned，and swam back to the shore as quickly as he could.

Then I said to the boy，'Xury，if you help me，I'll be a good friend to you. If you don't help me，I'll push you into the sea too. '

But Xury was happy to help me. 'I'll go all over the world with you，'he cried.

I wanted to sail to the Canary Islands，but I was afraid to go too far from the shore. It was only a small boat. And so we sailed on south for some days. We had very little water，and it was dangerous country here，with many wild animals. We were afraid，but we often had to go on shore to get more water. Once I used a gun to shoot a wild animal. I don't know what animal it was，but it made a good meal.

For about ten or twelve days we sailed on south，down the coast of Africa. Then one day we saw some people on the shore—strange，wild people，who did not look friendly. By now we had very little food，and We really needed help. we were afraid，but we had to go on shore.

At first，they were afraid of us，too. Perhaps white people never visited this coast. We did not speak their language，of course，so we used our hands and faces to show that we were hungry. They came with food for us，but then they moved away quickly. We carried the food to our boat，and they watched us. I tried to thank them，but I had nothing to give them.

Just then two big wild cats came down to the shore from the mountains. I think they were leopards. The people were afraid of these wild cats，and the women cried out. Quickly，I took a gun，and shot one of the animals. The second wild cat ran back up into the mountains.

Guns were new to these African people，and they were afraid of the loud noise and the smoke. But they were happy about the dead wild cat. I gave them the meat of the dead animal，and they gave us more food and water.

We now had a lot of food and water，and we sailed on. Eleven days later we came near the Cape Verde Islands. We could see them，but we couldn't get near because there was no wind. We waited.

Suddenly Xury called to me，'Look，a ship！'

He was right！We called and shouted and sailed our little boat as fast as we could. But the ship did not see us. Then I re-membered the guns which made a lot of smoke. A few minutes later the ship saw us and turned.

When we were on the ship，the Portuguese captain listened to my story. He was going to Brazil and agreed to help me，but he wanted nothing for his help. 'No，'he said，when I tried to pay him. 'Perhaps，one day，someone will help me when I need it. '

But he gave me money for my boat，and for Xury，too. At first，I did not want to sell Xury as a slave，after all our danger-ous adventures together. But Xury was happy to go to the cap-tain，and the captain was a good man. 'In ten years'time，'he said，'Xury can go free. '

When we arrived in Brazil three weeks later，I said goodbye to the captain and Xury，left the ship，and went to begin a new life.

■ 2 南下非洲海岸

兩年多的時間裡，我過著奴隸的生活，我在屋子裡、花園裡幹活，每天都計劃著逃跑，但一直沒能成功。我日夜思考著逃跑的事。我的主人喜歡乘小船去釣魚，而且總是帶上我。一個名叫莫雷的男人及一個小男孩也總跟隨著我們。

一天主人對我們說：“我有些朋友明天想去釣魚，把船給準備好。”

於是，我們搬了很多食物和飲料到船上，在第二天早上，我們等候著主人和他的朋友，但主人來時卻是他獨自一人。

“我的朋友今天不想去釣魚了，”他對我說，“但你和莫雷及這孩子去為我們今天的晚餐捕些魚來。”

“是，主人。”我平靜地回答，但我內心很激動。心想，“也許這回我可以逃脫了。”

主人回到他的朋友們那兒去了，我們坐船出了海。靜靜地釣了一陣魚，然後我小心翼翼地移到莫雷的身後把他推到了海里。“游回去，”我大聲喊著“朝岸上游！”

我的主人喜歡打海鳥，所以有幾隻槍在船上。我迅速地抓過一支槍，莫雷正跟在船後面遊，我朝他叫道：

“回到岸上去！你可以游到那兒，這兒離海岸不太遠。我不會傷害你，但如果你一靠近這隻船，我就會打穿你的瞼袋！”於是，莫雷轉過身盡他最快的速度游回岸上去了。

然後，我對這小孩說：“蘇里，如果你幫我，我會是你的好朋友，如果你不幫我，我同樣會把你丟到海里去。”

但蘇里很樂意幫助我。“我願意跟著你走遍世界，”他大聲說。

我想駛向加納利島，但是不敢遠離海岸，這只是一隻小船。因此我們向南航行了幾天，我們只有很少的水，這兒是危險的國度，有許多野生動物。我們害怕，但是我們常常不得不上岸去取水，有一次我用槍射死了一隻野獸，我不知道這是什麼動物，但它成了一頓美餐。

沿著非洲海岸我們朝南航行了大約10天至12天，隨後一天我們看到岸上有些人——古怪的野人，他們看起來並不友善，那時我們的食物很少了，我們實在需要幫助，我們害怕，但我們不得不上岸。

開始，他們也害怕我們。或許白人從沒有訪問過這海岸。當然，我們不會說他們的語言，我們只好用手勢和臉部表情來表明我們很餓。他們把食物搬給我們，隨即迅速地離開。我們把食物搬上船，他們瞧著我們。我試圖感謝他們，卻沒有什麼東西可以送給他們。

正在這時候，兩隻大野貓從山上竄到海邊來。我想它們是豹子。那些人們害怕這些野貓，那些婦女們尖叫起來。很快地，我拿起一枝槍，擊中了其中一隻野獸。另外一隻跑回了山裡。

槍對這些非洲居民來說很新奇，他們害怕這轟響的聲音與煙霧。但他們對死的野貓很感興趣。我送給他們這隻死獸的肉，他們給了我們更多的食物和水。

現在我們有了很多的食物和水，我們繼續航行。11天后我們接近佛得角群島。我們可以看見它們，但由於沒有風我們不能靠近。我們等候著。

突然，蘇里對我叫著，“看哪，一隻船！”

他是對的！我們叫喊著並且儘可能快地划著小船。但是那隻船並沒看到我們。這時我想起槍可以產生很多煙霧。幾分鐘後那隻船看到了我們並且轉了過來。

等我們上了他們的船，葡萄牙船長傾聽了我的故事。他正要去巴西並且答應幫助我，但他對我的幫助不要任何償報。當我試圖付錢給他時，他說：“不，也許，有一天，當我需要幫助時，有人也會幫助我。”

但是他卻付錢買下我的船，也買下了蘇里。起初，我不願意把蘇里賣作奴隸，畢竟一起經歷了我們所有危險的冒險過程。但蘇里很樂意跟隨船長，這位船長是一個好人。“十年後，”他說，“蘇里將會獲得自由”。

三星期後我們抵達巴西，我告別了船長和蘇里，離開了船。繼續開始了一個新的生活。