Me as a slave...

This date... this date which married my life for ever.
One day of June 1850 on the coast of Sierra Leone, , a horrible, an inhuman thing arrived to me. My name is Cinque and I am going to tell you my story.
It was in June 1850 - one day like another - and suddenly some peoples abducted me. I didn’t have time to blow that I was already bound with a rope. I began to worry. I saw some others persons (pour éviter une répétition) around me,  having undergone the same fate as me. Some cried, others remained strong. The whites who had captured us, Our kidnappers -a crew of white men - took us on a ship called « The Amistad », we were crammed into the hold (il est nécessaire d'indiquer où sont entassés les prisonniers). When we they announced to me I will be sold at Auction, This instant, I burst  into tears. I said to myself that I would never see my family and my friends again. I was never so anxious in my whole life. I refused my fate, I didn’t want to be used as a labour force and I was determined to see again my family.
This is why I combined courage and force to escape. My act was raised, I would have been able to die at any time. Thanks to president Lincoln, we all found our independance. Even if this experience was awful, I was able to discover inside me a new man. A man persevering, who has never given up and who it’s beaten and  fighting for him and  his family.

My Story of Slavery.

One day in the June of 1850 off the coast of Sierra Leone, I met a horrible, inhuman wretch of man. That dreadful day will forever be scorched into my memory. 

My name is Cinque and this is my story.

Becoming imprisoned wasn't how I imagined my day ending, yet, there I sat, bound and gagged. My village had been a paradise, days were filled with rapturous laughter as the sun licked our olive skin. Now all I saw was suffering. All I heard was screams. 

Who were these pasty skinned intruders, dripping in gold and silver the likes of which our kind had never seen? They were the white men, our new boss. 

"Send them to auction!", the white man decreed. In that moment, as I baked in a country that seldom saw the rain, I felt the chill of a tear trickle down my face.

I thought I would never see my friends or family again and was certain of a life of monotonous servitude, but I refused. I didn’t want to be used as slave labour and I was determined to see my family once more.

I teased my hands out of the ropes and waited for a moment of opportunity. It came as the white man concentrated his attention on Ajaratu, a beautiful, light skinned girl who lived 4 houses away from mine. It appeared as though she was wanted for more than her cleaning skills.

Luckily for me I escaped and was able to write the words you are now reading. Many of my friends unfortunately were not so lucky, and perished due to lack of basic provisions. 

It took time and with thanks to President Lincoln, we were given back our freedom. 

Though my experiences were harrowing, I never gave up and have found a zeal for life I didn't know I had. I'm a better husband, father and brother and vow to live my life, not with regret, but with love and compassion.

Written by Cinque Bangura cera 1850.


I've tried, where possible to write this as a sort of diary entry/letter, using first person narration. I'm probably a mile off getting close to how someone of that time would have sounded, but I tried my best.

I have used a few literary devices though and will list them here for you to explore in your own time:

1. Alliteration 
2. Emotive language
3. Metaphor.
4. Contrast.
5. Personification.

Me as a slave...

This date, this date which marred my life forever...
One day in June 1850 off the coast of Sierra Leone, , a horrible, inhuman thing came upon me. My name is Cinque and I am going to tell you my story.
It was in June 1850, a day ordinary like any other, when suddenly they captured me. I didn’t have time to know that I was already bound with a rope. I began to worry. I saw around me people undergoing the same fate as myself. Some cried, others remained strong. The whites who had captured us, took us to a boat called « The Amiskad », where we were crammed in. When they announced that I would be sold at auction, I burst immediately into tears. I thought to myself that I would never see my family and friends again. I was never so afraid in all my life. I refused my fate, I didn’t want to be used as a cart horse and was determined to see my family again.
This is why I combined courage and force to escape. If my act was not raised, I could die at any time. Thanks to president Lincoln, we all found our independence. Even if this experience was awful, I was able to discover in me a new man. A man persevering, who has never given up and who travails for himself and his family.

Very well written!

This date, this date wich married my life for ever. One day of June 1850 of the coast of Sierra Leone, , a horrible, an inhuman thing arrived at me. My name is Cinque and I am going to tell you my story. It was in June 1850, a day ordinary as the others, suddenly peole captured me. I didn’t have time to blow that I was already bound with a rope. I began to worry. I saw around me, people having undergone the same fate as me. Some cried, others remained strong. The whites who had captured us, took to uss on a beat called « The Amiskad », we were crammed. When we announced me I will be sold at Auction, I burst immediately into tears. I said to myself that I would never see my family and my friends again. I was never so anxious of all my life. I refused my fate, I didn’t want to be used as a labour force and I was determined to see again my family. This is why I combined courage and force to escape. My act was raised, I would have been able to die at any time. Thanks to president Lincoln, we all found our independance. Even if this experience was awful, I was able to discover in me a new man. A man persevering, who has never given up and who it’s beaten for him and for his family.cool