what do the white men do to Equiano when he refuses to eat ?

The white men would flog slaves who refused to eat. They wanted them to look healthy and perform chores,

“...on my refusal to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands, laid me across, I think the windlass, and tied my feet while the other flogged me severely.”

"two of the white men offered me eatables; and on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands, and laid me across I think the windlass and tied my feet, while the other flogged me severely...."