Stillhedidnotthinkitpolitictointerferebeyondsayingwithaslightyawn:
’SofarasIamconcerned，takehim，comrade，andfreeofcost。
OnlyIwarnyou，watchhimwelloryouwillfindastilettoinyourback。’
Theofficerlaughedandsaid:’Ourfriendwillscarcelygetachanceatme，forIdonotgoahundredpacesunderground，wherehewillfindhisquarters。
Andnow，Englishman，thereisroomforyoubelowIthink；’andhecalledtoasailorbiddinghimbringtheironsofthemanwhohaddied。
Thiswasdone，andafterIhadbeensearchedandasmallsumingoldthatIhaduponmypersontakenfromme——itwasallthatremainedtomeofmypossessions——fetterswereplaceduponmyanklesandroundmyneck，andIwasdraggedintothehold。
BeforeIreacheditIknewfromvarioussignswhatwasthecargoofthisship。
ShewasladenwithslavescapturedinFernandina，astheSpaniardsnametheislandofCuba，thatweretobesoldinHispaniola。
AmongtheseslavesIwasnownumbered。
HowtotellthehorrorsofthatholdIknownot。
Theplacewaslow，notmorethansevenfeetinheight，andtheslaveslayironedinthebilgewateronthebottomofthevessel。
Theywerecrowdedasthickastheycouldlie，beingchainedtoringsfixedinthesidesoftheship。
Altogethertheremayhavebeentwohundredofthem，men，womenandchildren，orrathertherehadbeentwohundredwhentheshipsailedaweekbefore。
Nowsometwentyweredead，whichwasasmallnumber，sincetheSpaniardsreckontolosefromathirdtohalfoftheircargointhisdevilishtraffic。
WhenI
enteredtheplaceadeadlysicknessseizedme，weakasIwas，broughtonbythehorriblesoundsandsmells，andthesightsthatI
sawintheflareofthelanternswhichmyconductorscarried，fortheholdwasshutofffromlightandair。
ButtheydraggedmealongandpresentlyIfoundmyselfchainedinthemidstofalineofblackmenandwomen，manyfeetrestinginthebilgewater。
TheretheSpaniardsleftmewithajeer，sayingthatthiswastoogoodabedforanEnglishmantolieon。
ForawhileIendured，thensleeporinsensibilitycametomysuccour，andIsankintooblivion，andsoImusthaveremainedforadayandanight。
WhenIawokeitwastofindtheSpaniardtowhomIhadbeensoldorgiven，standingnearmewithalanternanddirectingtheremovalofthefettersfromawomanwhowaschainednexttome。
Shewasdead，andinthelightofthelanternIcouldseethatshehadbeencarriedoffbysomehorriblediseasethatwasnewtome，butwhichIafterwardslearnedtoknowbythenameoftheBlackVomit。
Norwasshetheonlyone，forIcountedtwentydeadwhoweredraggedoutinsuccession，andIcouldseethatmanymoreweresick。
AlsoIsawthattheSpaniardswerenotalittlefrightened，fortheycouldmakenothingofthissickness，andstrovetolessenitbycleansingtheholdandlettingairintoitbytheremovalofsomeplanksinthedeckabove。
HadtheynotdonethisIbelievethateverysoulofusmusthaveperished，andIsetdownmyownescapefromthesicknesstothefactthatthelargestopeninginthedeckwasmadedirectlyabovemyhead，sothatbystandingup，whichmychainsallowedmetodo，Icouldbreatheairthatwasalmostpure。
Havingdistributedwaterandmealcakes，theSpaniardswentaway。
Idrankgreedilyofthewater，butthecakesIcouldnoteat，fortheyweremouldy。
ThesightsandsoundsaroundmeweresoawfulthatIwillnottrytowriteofthem。
Andallthewhileweswelteredintheterribleheat，forthesunpiercedthroughthedeckplankingofthevessel，andIcouldfeelbyherlackofmotionthatwewerebecalmedanddrifting。
Istoodup，andbyrestingmyheelsuponariboftheshipandmybackagainstherside，IfoundmyselfinapositionwhenceIcouldseethefeetofthepassers-byonthedeckabove。
PresentlyIsawthatoneoftheseworeapriest’srobe，andguessingthathemustbemycompanionwithwhomIhadescaped，I
strovetoattracthisnotice，andatlengthsucceeded。
Sosoonasheknewwhoitwasbeneathhim，thepriestlaydownonthedeckasthoughtoresthimself，andwespoketogether。
Hetoldme，asI
hadguessed，thatwewerebecalmedandthatagreatsicknesshadtakenholdoftheship，alreadylayinglowathirdofthecrew，addingthatitwasajudgmentfromheavenbecauseoftheircrueltyandwickedness。
TothisIansweredthatthejudgmentwasworkingonthecaptivesaswellasonthecaptors，andaskedhimwherewasSarceda，astheynameddeGarcia。
ThenIlearnedthathehadbeentakensickthatmorning，andIrejoicedatthenews，forifIhadhatedhimbefore，itmaybejudgedhowdeeplyIhatedhimnow。
Presentlythepriestleftmeandreturnedwithwatermixedwiththejuiceoflimes，thattastedtomelikenectarfromthegods，andsomegoodmeatandfruit。
Thesehegavemethroughtheholeintheplanks，andImadeshifttoseizetheminmymanacledhandsanddevouredthem。
Afterthishewentaway，tomygreatchagrin；why，Ididnotdiscovertillthefollowingmorning。
Thatdaypassedandthelongnightpassed，andwhenatlengththeSpaniardsvisitedtheholdoncemore，therewerefortybodiestobedraggedoutofit，andmanyothersweresick。
AftertheyhadgoneIstoodup，watchingformyfriendthepriest，buthedidnotcomethen，noreveragain。
ForanhourormoreIstoodthuscraningmyneckupwardstoseekforthepriest。
AtlengthwhenIwasabouttosinkbackintothehold，forIcouldstandnolongerinthatcrampedposture，Isawawoman’sdresspassbytheholeinthedeck，andknewitforonethatwaswornbyaladywhohadescapedwithmeintheboat。
’Senora，’Iwhispered，’fortheloveofGodlistentome。
ItisI，d’Aila，whoamchaineddownhereamongtheslaves。’
Shestarted，thenasthepriesthaddone，shesatherselfdownuponthedeck，andItoldherofmydreadfulplight，notknowingthatshewasacquaintedwithit，andofthehorrorsbelow。
’Alas！senor，’sheanswered，’theycanbelittleworsethanthoseabove。
Adreadfulsicknessisragingamongthecrew，sixarealreadydeadandmanymoreareravingintheirlastmadness。
I
wouldthattheseahadswalloweduswiththerest，forwehavebeenrescuedfromitonlytofallintohell。
Alreadymymotherisdeadandmylittlebrotherisdying。’
’Whereisthepriest？’Iasked。
’Hediedthismorningandhasjustbeencastintothesea。
Beforehediedhespokeofyou，andprayedmetohelpyouifIcould。
ButhiswordswerewildandIthoughtthathemightbedistraught。
AndindeedhowcanIhelpyou？’
’Perhapsyoucanfindmefoodanddrink，’Ianswered’andforourfriend，Godresthissoul。
WhatoftheCaptainSarceda？
Isbealsodead？’
’No，senor，healoneisrecoveringofallwhomthescourgehassmitten。
AndnowImustgotomybrother，butfirstIwillseekfoodforyou。’
Shewentandpresentlyreturnedwithmeatandaflaskofwinewhichshehadhiddenbeneathherdress，andIateandblessedher。
Fortwodaysshefedmethus，bringingmefoodatnight。
Onthesecondnightshetoldmethatherbrotherwasdeadandofallthecrewonlyfifteenmenandoneofficerremaineduntouchedbythesickness，andthatsheherselfgrewill。
Alsoshesaidthatthewaterwasalmostfinished，andtherewaslittlefoodleftfortheslaves。
Afterthisshecamenomore，andIsupposethatshediedalso。
ItwaswithintwentyhoursofherlastvisitthatIleftthisaccursedship。
Foradaynonehadcometofeedortendtheslaves，andindeedmanyneedednotending，fortheyweredead。
Somestilllivedhowever，thoughsofarasIcouldseethemostofthemweresmittenwiththeplague。
Imyselfhadescapedthesickness，perhapsbecauseofthestrengthandnaturalhealthinessofmybody，whichhasalwayssavedmefromfeversanddiseases，fortifiedasitwasbythegoodfoodthatIhadobtained。
ButnowIknewthatI
couldnotlivelong，indeedchainedinthisdreadfulcharnel-houseIprayedfordeathtoreleasemefromthehorrorsofsuchexistence。
Thedaypassedasbeforeinswelteringheat，unbrokenbyanyairormotion，andnightcameatlast，madehideousbythebarbarousravingsofthedying。
ButeventhereandthenIsleptanddreamedthatIwaswalkingwithmyloveinthevaleofWaveney。
TowardsthemorningIwasawakenedbyasoundofclankingiron，andopeningmyeyes，Isawthatmenwereatwork，bythelightoflanterns，knockingthefettersfromthedeadandthelivingtogether。
Asthefetterswereloosedaropewasputroundthebodyoftheslave，anddeadorquick，hewashauledthroughthehatchway。
Presentlyaheavysplashinthewaterwithouttoldtherestofthetale。
NowIunderstoodthatalltheslaveswerebeingthrownoverboardbecauseofthewantofwater，andinthehopethatitmightavailtosavefromthepestilencethoseoftheSpaniardswhostillremainedalive。
Iwatchedthemattheirworkforawhiletilltherewerebuttwoslavesbetweenmeandtheworkers，ofwhomonewaslivingandtheotherdead。
ThenIbethoughtmethatthiswouldbemyfatealso，tobecastquickintothesea，andtookcounselwithmyselfastowhetherIshoulddeclarethatIwaswholefromtheplagueandpraythemtospareme，orwhetherIshouldsuffermyselftobedrowned。
Thedesireforlifewasstrong，butperhapsitmayservetoshowhowgreatwerethetormentsfromwhichIwassuffering，andhowbrokenwasmyspiritbymisfortunesandthehorrorsaroundme，whenIsaythatIdeterminedtomakenofurtherefforttolive，butrathertoacceptdeathasamercifulrelease。
And，indeed，Iknewthattherewaslittlelikelihoodofsuchattemptsbeingofavail，forIsawthattheSpanishsailorsweremadwithfearandhadbutonedesire，toberidoftheslaveswhoconsumedthewater，andastheybelieved，hadbredthepestilence。
SoIsaidsuchprayersascameintomyhead，andalthoughwithagreatshiveringoffear，forthepoorfleshshrinksfromitsendandtheunknownbeyondit，howeverhighmaybethespirit，Ipreparedmyselftodie。
Now，havingdraggedawaymyneighbourinmisery，thelivingsavage，thementurnedtome。
Theywerenakedtothemiddle，andworkedfuriouslytobedonewiththeirhatefultask，sweatingwiththeheat，andkeepingthemselvesfromfaintingbydraughtsofspirit。
’Thisoneisalivealsoanddoesnotseemsosick，’saidamanashestruckthefettersfromme。
’Aliveordead，awaywiththedog！’answeredanotherhoarsely，andIsawthatitwasthesameofficertowhomIhadbeengivenasaslave。
’ItisthatEnglishman，andheitiswhobroughtusillluck。
CasttheJonahoverboardandlethimtryhisevileyeuponthesharks。’
’Sobeit，’answeredtheotherman，andfinishedstrikingoffmyfetters。
’Thosewhohavecometoacupofwatereachaday，donotpresstheirgueststoshareit。
Theyshowthemthedoor。
Sayyourprayers，Englishman，andmaytheydoyoumoregoodthantheyhavedoneformostonthisaccursedship。
Here，thisisthestufftomakedrowningeasy，andthereismoreofitonboardthanofwater，’andhehandedmetheflaskofspirit。
Itookitanddrankdeep，anditcomfortedmealittle。
ThentheyputtheroperoundmeandatasignalthoseonthedeckabovebegantohaultillI