Olivia Himawan

Professor Felix
History 7A
2 July 2016
Olaudah Equiano
1.

As he arrived on the coast, he was surprised seeing a slave ship waiting for its
cargo to come. It was his first time seeing that object and he was astonished by it.
Seeing unfamiliar things and be amazed by it are a common thing for everybody.

2.

As soon as the crew of the ship saw him, he had the feeling that he would be
killed because he has the thought that he was from a world that full of evils or bad
spirits.

3.

He discovered that the people on the ships have different complexions and
appearances from us. They even have their own language. I believe that every people
that live in different country have their own cultures and backgrounds.

4.

He fainted when he was looking around the ship, because he saw a lot of black
people were chained together and they seemed depressed and sad. I think he was in
fear, thats why he fainted.

5.

As soon as he was conscious, he saw some black people starring at him trying to
cheer him up, but it did not work. He was still frightened by them. If I was in his

position, I would be very panic and afraid too. Being surrounded by strangers are
very unpleasing.
6.

One of the blacks gave them a small portion of spirituous liquor. He said that the
taste of the liquor was very different with any liquors and gave him a strange feeling.

7.

Two of the white men fed him by holding his hand and put him laid down to eat
because he refused to eat. He never experienced such a treatment like that.

8.

The white men showed cruelty not only to the blacks, but to the whites also. He
then saw a white men died because he was strike repeatedly by a large rope. Seeing
that frightened him very much. He was so afraid if they would do the same to him. It
was so brutal and I could not imagine myself being there with all the whites.

9.

He was then wondering where did the women of the slaves go. The women were
left behind, thats why he could not see any women.

10.

He was very astounded and amazed when he saw the white men used some magic
spell to stop the vessel. He really thought that there was spirits lived there. Is it true
that the white men use magic? In my opinion, it is very odd because I do not really
believe at those kinds of stuffs (magic).

11.

There was other ship that came aboard to join him (the slave). The people from
both ships seemed very happy to see others. It was the US people. He said that he and
the ship were supposed to go to their country.

12.

He and some of his countrymen were amazed to see a large amount of fishes were
being caught. Instead of giving the leftovers of the fishes to them (slaves), the
leftovers were thrown back away to the sea. I do not understand why did they waste
foods? It is better to give it to the slaves, so that it wont be wasted.

13.

Because he and his countrymen were dying in hunger, they sometimes tried to
sneak out and took the fishes. Unfortunately, they never succeeded. The men on the
vessel then tortured them cruelly.

14.

Two of the countrymen tried to escape by jumping to the sea, but the ships crew
always found out about their escape. One of them was drowned and the other one was
being tortured until death. I could not imagine how awful and sad the life ot the
slaves back then!

15.

When the slaves made it to the island of Barbadoes, they saw a lot of different
ships. Then, they were being examined in separate parcels. I am wondering what
were they looking or searching from the slaves.

16.

After being checked, the slaves were put down under the deck again. They
thought that they were being eaten, but they were wrong. They were told to work.

17.

After they (the slaves) landed, the Africans of all languages came to them. They
were brought immediately to the merchants yard and pent up without paying
attention about sex or age.

18.

The slaves were sold after their usual manner. When there was a sound of a bet of
a drum, it showed a signal for the buyers to rush at once to the yard to make their own
choice of the parcel they like the most.

19.

There were several brothers who were sold in different lots crying and shouting to
God. They cursed the Africans, as they will feel the same way as the slaves being
tortured and treated harshly.

20.

Life of the slaves back then was very unpleasing. The parents would lose their
children, brothers would lose sisters, or husbands would lose wives. The men on the
vessel were very cruel towards the slaves, who were innocent.

The most take away from the Olaudah Equiano is that the life of the slaves back then
was very horrible. I could not imagine myself being in their position. The white men
treated them very badly and tortured them harshly. They really did inhuman actions
toward the slaves, such as forced them to eat the food, hit repeatedly the slaves with a
large rope, and put them under the deck where they could not get fresh air. Also, it is very
sad knowing that the slaves were dying in hunger, especially when the men on the vessel
threw away all the leftovers fishes, instead of giving it to them. Overall, I would not
forget how the white men treated the slave so cruelly.