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