Final answer:
We can infer Olaudah Equiano suffered under the dreadful conditions on a slave ship, such as extreme heat and stench, as well as psychological trauma from witnessing the suffering around him.
Step-by-step explanation:
At the end of page 55 in Olaudah Equiano's narrative, he does not explicitly state what occurred to him. However, given the context of his experiences and the overall depiction of the horrific conditions aboard the slave ships, we can infer that he might have been subjected to the intolerable conditions he described, such as the stench of the hold, oppressive heat of the climate, and possibly witnessing the suffering of his fellow captives.
These conditions were conducive to causing illness, death, and immense psychological trauma to those like Equiano who were forced to endure them. References to groans and shrieks suggest that he, too, might have either fallen ill or been in a state of complete despair. It is a testament to the inhumanity suffered by the enslaved individuals during the middle passage of the slave trade.