Martin Luther King, “I Have a Dream” speech conclusion

“On the fourth of February, which was soon after we had got into our new course, I dreamt the ship was wrecked amidst the surfs and rocks, and that I was the means of saving everyone on board; and the night following I dreamed the very same dream. These, dreams, however, made no impression on my mind; and the next evening [when I had gotten tired at working at the water-pump], I began to express my impatience and uttered an oath, “Damn the vessel’s bottom out.” But my conscience instantly smote me for the expression. When I left the deck I went to bed and had scarcely fallen asleep when I dreamed the same dream again about the ship as I had dreamed the two preceding nights…I then went upon the deck.”

“I asked [some other blacks] if we were not to be eaten by those white men with horrible looks, red faces, and long hair. They told me I was not, and one of the crew brought me a small portion of spirituous liquor in a wine glass; but being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand [and Equiano had only spoken earlier of the common Ibo fear of being poisoned] but being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to me, and I took a little down my palate, which, instead of reviving me, as they thought it would, threw me into the greatest consternation at the strange feeling that it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before. Soon after this, the blacks who brought me aboard went off, and left me abandoned to despair.”