James Stout

Yeah, he's a child, so he doesn't really see that as a warning sign until it was too late.

Now, there is some basic knowledge that they are in danger because he writes that during the day when the grown people leave town to work the fields, the kids would assemble to play.

And at least one kid at any given time would have to stand watch, would climb up a tree to watch for kidnappers who, quote, "...sometimes took those opportunities of our parents' absence to attack and carry off as many as they could seize."

So first off, you get a really good glimpse in Equiano's book as to like what the slave trade has done to daily life in like these small villages in this part of Africa where it's like, yeah, the kids just know that you always have to be aware that like kidnappers might come and steal all of you.

That's a real danger.

Yeah, they're not making it up this time.

No, he writes, quote, one day as I was watching at the top of a tree in our yard, I saw one of those people come into the yard of our next neighbor, but one to kidnap, there being so many stout young people in it.

Immediately on this, I gave the alarm of the rogue and he was surrounded by the stoutest of them who entangled him with cords that he could not escape till some of the grown people came and secured him.

So this is, you know, a positive end, and this is his first direct encounter with slavers, but it's not going to be his last.

Not long after this, he and his sister are minding the house while their parents are away.

Two men and a woman jump over the walls, steal them both, cover their mouths, and sprint off with them into the woods.

For the next few days, they're taken through the woods, bound and gagged during the day.

He wrote that the only comfort we had was in being in each other's arms all that night and bathing each other with our tears."

And this single comfort was not to last long.

Quote,

So horrific.

It's pretty bad.

Yeah.

He's taken first to a village several days away while he is purchased by a local chieftain.

And that's the thing.