aa0 TWENTY-FOURTH EVENING.

with the waves dashing over us, expecting every
moment to perish. My uncle, and several of the crew,
died of fatigue and want, and by morning only four
of us were left alive. My companions were so dis-
heartened, that they thought of nothing but submitting
to their fate. For my part, I considered life still
worth struggling for ; and the weather haying become
calmer, I persuaded them to join me in making a sort
of raft, by the help of which, with much toil and
danger, we reached the land. Here we were seized by
the barbarous inhabitants, and carried up the country,
or slaves to the emperor. We were employed about
some public buildings, made to work very hard, with
the whip at our backs, and allowed nothing but water,
and a kind of pulse. I have heard persons talk as
though there was little in being a slave but the name ;
but they who have been slaves themselves, | am sure
will never make light of slavery in others. A ransom
was set on our heads, but so high, that 16 seemed
impossible for poor, friendless creatures like us, ever
to pay it. The thought of perpetual servitude, toge-
ther with the hard treatment we met with, quite over-
came my poor companions. They drooped and died,
one after another. I still thought 1 not mmpossible
to mend my condition, and, perhaps, to recover my
freedom. We worked about twelve hours in the day,
and had one holiday in the week. JI employed my
leisure time in learning to make mats and flag-baskets
in which I soon became so expert, as to have a good
many for sale, and thereby got a little money to
purchase better food, and several small conveniences.
We were afterwards set to work in the emperor’s
gardens; and here I showed so much good-will and
attention, that I got into favour with the overseer.
He had a large garden of his own; and he made in-
terest for me to be suffered to work for him alone, on
the condition of paying a man to do my duty. I soon
beeame so useful to him, that he treated me more like
a mired servant than a slave, and gave me regular