http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN-5EP-WTUI

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.”