Reading Notes W7: Dessalines & Equiano, Part A

Dessalines

"Liberty or Death"

• Dessalines was the governor-general to the inhabitants of Hayti - 37
• "Perish all tyrants over innocence--all oppressors of mankind" - 37
• American People were being killed simply due to the greed of white French men - 37
• "Yes, I have saved my country. I have avenged America." - 37
• Dessalines has seen both slaves and freed colored people cherish and assist one another - 37
• Harmony among yourselves is the pledge of happiness, salvation, success, and the secret to being invincible - 38
• In order to strengthen those ties, one must remember the atrocities and massacres committed against them - 38
• "Let that nation come who may be mad and daring enough to attack me." Dessalines seems to be fearless - 38
• "Have I forgot that I command a people of no common cast, brought up in adversity, whose audacious daring frowns at obstacles, and increases by dangers?" - 38
• "War to death to tyrants" "Liberty! Independence!" This is his motto and rallying cry - 39
• "Never again shall a colonist or a European set his foot upon this territory with the title of master or proprietary" is his oath - 39
• It is derogatory to Dessalines' character and dignity to punish the innocent for the crimes of the guilty - 39

Equiano

"The Interesting Narrative of the Life"

• Olaudah Equiano = Gustavus Vassa - 76
• "I believe it is difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape the imputation of vanity; nor is this the only disadvantage under which they labor: it is also their misfortune, that what is uncommon is rarely, if ever, believed, and what is obvious we are apt to turn from with disgust, and to charge the writer with impertinence." *I immediately wondered what this says about himself then since he's documenting his own story but says it's difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape vanity - 77
• "I believe there are few events in my life, which have not happened to many" He then lists some of those events. "But when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favorite of heaven and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence in my life." - 77
• He feels as though God is on his side and taking mercy on him every step of the way
• "I am not so foolishly vain to expect from it (publication) either immortality or literary reputation." "I do not aspire to praise" I believe him that he isn't a vain person, he just wants to share his story. - 77
• Trade for slaves is carried out on Guinea, in Africa - 77
• He was born in Essaka in 1745 - 77
• His father was "one of those elders or chiefs." "Embrenche" as indicated by a mark conferred by cutting the skin across at the top of the forehead and drawing it down to the eyebrows and rubbing it until it shrinks up into a thick weal across the lower part of the forehead - 78
• Adultery was sometimes punished with slavery or death - 78
• If a woman is put to death because of adultery, she might be spared on account of the child - 78
• "We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets" - 78
• "Before we taste food we always wash our hands" - 79
• "When people go out to till their land, they not only go in a body, but generally take their arms with them for fear of a surprise" - 81
• They guard the "avenues to their dwellings" by driving sharp and poisonous sticks into the ground, so that the stick would pierce the foot and allow the poison to enter the body. - 82
• When a trader wants slaves, they apply to a chief for them and tempts them with their wares for the slaves. - 82
• If the chief accepts the offer with little reluctance there is always the chance that a battle takes place. If he wins, he sells them; if he loses, he is put to death since it might be dangerous to let him survive. - 82
• They have firearms, bows and arrows, swords and javelins, and shields. - 82
• Equiano was once a witness of a fight, when it began he climbed a tree to watch. - 82
• Spoils of battle are divided according to the merit of the warriors - 82
• The natives believe there is one Creator of all things - 82
• Equiano was fond of his mother and sometimes joined her when she went to her mother's tomb. She would spend the night crying and lamenting. He was terrified on these occasions and took note of the loneliness of the place and the darkness of night - 83
• They practiced circumcision - 83
• He was named Olaudah, which signified vicissitude or fortune, and having a loud voice and well spoken. - 83
• They had priests or magicians, or wise men - 84
• The magicians were also doctors or physicians - 84
• They practiced bleeding by cupping, which meant to use glass cups to create a heated air vacuum for drawing blood, and were successful in healing wounds and expelling poisons - 84
• They had a method of discovering theft, jealousy, and poisoning - 84
• Natives are cautious about poisoning. When buying food, the merchant will kiss all around the food to prove it isn't poisoned. - 84
• Some of their snakes were poisonous. There was a time where a snake passed through Equiano's feet and he stepped on it. Many people saw it happen. He was not bit by the snake and people saw it as a remarkable omen in his favor - 85
• Equiano hopes that us readers are not feeling trespassed on our patience because he spent so many pages introducing us to his culture and the customs of his country. Admittedly, I was struggling to pay attention because he was dragging on and on. But he says all of this knowledge was implanted in him with great care, so it must have been important for him to share it - 86
• There was a time where he was up in a tree to keep an eye out for kidnappers. He saw a rogue and called it out. People immediately swarmed him and entangled him with cords to prevent his escape - 87
• There was another time where he wasn't as fortunate. Two men and a women got into his home when only him and his sister were home. They had their mouths covered and were taken away. Their kidnappers didn't feed them overnight. The kidnappers typically kept to the woods when travelling with Equiano and his sister. Eventually they traveled on a road that Equiano thought he knew so he began to call for help. They tied him up and covered his mouth, putting him into a large sack. They tied and quieted his sister too. This continued until they were out of sight from people. - 87
• Eventually him and his sister were separated. He grieved and would not eat unless they literally forced food into his mouth. - 87
• While traveling, he often was switched between masters. He eventually ended up into the hands of a chieftain in a pleasant country. They used him well and comforted him. - 87
• He accidentally killed a chicken when throwing a pebble. He gave an honest answer as to what happened and expected a flogging. He ran because he didn't want to be beaten. He hid and heard everyone searching for him. He didn't even want to try and run away back home because everyone already suspected he'd attempt it. They didn't find him. "I must perish in the woods" - 88-89
• An old woman slave found him then spoke to his master. The master slightly reprimanded him but demanded that he be cared for and not ill-treated. Soon after this, his master's only daughter got sick and died. The master would have killed himself if he were not watched and prevented. - 89
• He acquired two or three different tongues while traveling through Africa - 89
• His sister was brought to his house and they wept and held each other the second they saw each other. People indulged that they stay together. They were happy for a while, but then they were separated again. - 89-90
• He didn't remain long after his sister and was eventually sold too - 90
• He ended up in Tinmah, which was in what he felt was the most beautiful country in Africa - 90
• A widow and her son (Equiano's size and age) came by and liked Equiano. They bought him. He was allowed to eat and drink with them. The son was free, yet only ate after Equiano had eaten due to their customs. They treated him well and made him forget he was even a slave - 91
• His delusion spontaneously vanished one night and he felt worse than he's ever felt before. - 91
• He ran away and eventually came across a slave ship. He was astonished at first, then terrified once he was grabbed and thought they were going to kill him -91-92
• "I now saw myself deprived of all chance of returning to my native country" - 92
• He wanted to jump off the ship, but the netting would catch him. He's seen other slaves severely cut for attempting to do so. - 93
• He saw a white man flogged to death with a large rope, then thrown off the side of the ship - 93
• Their ship came into contact with another and they were moved onto the new ship. It was cramped and breathing was hard and everything smelled bad. Many died. - 94
• He eventually sort of hoped that he would die since it meant his misery would be put to an end - 94
• They were conducted to a merchant's yard and pent up without regard to their age or sex - 95
• "I now totally lost the small remains of comfort I had enjoyed in conversing with my countrymen; the women too" - 96
• He saw a black slave woman with an iron muzzle on her face and it frightened him - 96
• While fanning the gentleman he belonged to in his sleep, he looked around the room and saw a picture. He had never seen a photo before and he thought it was magic that the whites used to keep their men when they died. He felt anxious - 97
• He was called Jacob here. - 97
• On board the African Snow he was called Michael - 97
• A gentleman named Michael Henry Pascal liked Equiano and bought him. On board the Industrious Bee, Equiano was now Gustavas Vassa. - 97
• Equiano told his new owner he wanted to be called Jacob, and he wouldn't respond to Gustavas. He was beaten until he submitted to answer to his new name - 97
• He was amazed when he first saw snow and thought someone threw salt all over the ship. He wanted to know who made snow and what it's purpose was. He was told that God made it. - 98
• He made an American friend named Dick. - 98
• He saw his master and Dick reading all the time and wanted to do as they did. He picked up a book and spoke to it, then raised it to his ears hoping it would answer him. He was concerned when it said nothing. - 98

Dessalines, Jean-Jacques. "Liberty or Death." The Norton Anthology World Literature, edited by Martin Puchner, Third Edition, vol. E, W. W. Norton 2012, pp. 36-39

Equiano, Olaudah. "The Interesting Narrative of the Life." The Norton Anthology World Literature, edited by Martin Puchner, Third Edition, vol. E, W. W. Norton 2012, pp. 73-98