Final answer:
No specific punishment for quarreling with a cabin mate is given in 'Twelve Years a Slave', but slaves experienced various forms of cruel punishments for infractions, including whippings, forced hard labor, and the use of punishment gear.
Step-by-step explanation:
From the historical account of Twelve Years a Slave, the punishment for a slave for quarrelling with a cabin mate isn't explicitly described within the provided excerpts. However, according to the general practices of the time, punishments for disobedience or other perceived infractions included a variety of brutal methods. Whippings were common and often left the victims incapacitated or even dead. Punishment gear like neck braces, balls and chains, leg irons, and paddles with holes to produce blood blisters were used as well. These are examples of the physical violence used against slaves. Moreover, psychological coercion, such as the threat of sale, intensified the fear and submission. In extreme cases, the cruel practice of forced hard labor, which could break the spirit and body, was employed, as it was continuous and without regard for weather conditions or the well-being of the individuals.