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diff --git a/37296.txt b/37296.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..309d556 --- /dev/null +++ b/37296.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3912 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Samboe; or, The African Boy, by Mary Ann Hedge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Samboe; or, The African Boy + +Author: Mary Ann Hedge + +Release Date: September 2, 2011 [EBook #37296] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAMBOE; OR, THE AFRICAN BOY *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project +Gutenberg (This book was produced from scanned images of +public domain material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + + + + SAMBOE; + OR, + THE AFRICAN BOY. + + + BY THE AUTHOR OF + "Twilight Hours Improved," &c. &c. + + + + And man, where Freedom's beams and fountains rise, + Springs from the dust, and blossoms to the skies. + Dead to the joys of light and life, the slave + Clings to the clod; his root is in the grave. + Bondage is winter, darkness, death, despair; + Freedom the sun, the sea, the mountain, and the air! + + Montgomery. + + + + London: + PRINTED FOR HARVEY AND DARTON, + GRACECHURCH-STREET. + + 1823. + + + + + + + + TO + WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, Esq. + M. P. + + THIS SMALL VOLUME, + DIFFIDENTLY AIMING TO SERVE THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY + IS, + BY HIS KIND PERMISSION + TO GIVE IT THE SANCTION OF HIS NAME, + HUMBLY DEDICATED; + WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF UNFEIGNED VENERATION + AND RESPECT FOR HIS + EXALTED PATRIOTIC AND PRIVATE VIRTUES, + + And grateful acknowledgment + OF HIS CONDESCENSION, IN HONOURING WITH HIS + ATTENTION THE HUMBLE EFFORTS OF + + THE AUTHOR. + + + + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + +It has been justly remarked, "that all who read may become +enlightened;" for readers, insensibly imbibing the sentiments of +others, and having their own latent sensibilities called forth, +contract, progressively, virtuous inclinations and habits; and thereby +become fitted to unite with their fellow-beings, in the removal or +amelioration of any of the evils of life. With a full conviction +of this, I have attempted, and now offer to my young readers, the +present little work. To the rising generation, I am told, the great +question of the slave-trade is little known; the abolition of it, by +our legislature, having taken place either before many of them existed, +or at too early a period of their lives to excite any interest. Present +circumstances, however, in reference to the subject, ensure for it +an intense interest, in every heart feeling the blessing of freedom +and all the sweet charities of home; blessings which it is our care +to dispose the youthful heart duly to appreciate, and hence to feel +for those, deprived, by violence and crime, of these high privileges +of man. + +It is true, England has achieved the triumph of humanity, in effacing +from her Christian character so dark a stain as a traffic in human +beings; a commerce, "the history of which is written throughout in +characters of blood." Yet there are but too strong evidences that +it is yet pursued to great and fearful extent by other nations, +notwithstanding the solemn obligations they have entered into to +suppress it; obligations "imposed on every Christian state, no less by +the religion it professes, than by a regard to its national honour;" +and notwithstanding it has been branded with infamy, at a solemn +congress of the great Christian powers, as a crime of the deepest +dye. Of this there has long been most abundant melancholy proof; yet, +under its present contraband character, it has been attended by, if +possible, unprecedented enormities and misery, as well as involving +the base and cruel agents of it in the further crime of deliberate +perjury, in order to conceal their nefarious employment. + +Surely, then, no age can scarcely be too immature, in which to sow the +seeds of abhorrence in the young breast, against this blood-stained, +demoralizing commerce! Surely, no means, however trivial, should +be neglected, to arouse the spirit of youth against it! It would be +tedious, and, indeed, inconsistent with the brevity of this little +work, to name the number of the great and the good who have protested +against, and sacrificed their time and their treasure to abolish +it. Suffice it to say, that an apparently trifling incident first +aroused the virtuous energies of the ardent, persevering Clarkson, in +the great cause;--that a view of the produce of Africa, and proofs of +the ingenuity of Africans, kindled the fire of enthusiasm in the noble +and comprehensive mind of a Pitt. Nor did the flame quiver or become +dim while he was the pilot of the state, though he was not decreed to +see the success of perseverance in the cause of justice and humanity. + +Let me, therefore, be acquitted of presumption, when I express a hope, +that, trifling as is the present work, yet, as the leading events +it records are not the creations of fancy, but realities that have +passed; that they have not been collected for effect, or uselessly +to awaken the feelings; but having been actually presented in the +pursuit of a disgraceful and cruel commerce, are now offered to the +view of my young readers, in order to confirm the great truths, that +cruelty and oppression encouraged, soon brutalize the nature of man; +divesting him of every distinguishing trait which unites him with +superior intelligences, and sinking him in the scale of being far +below the ravening wolf and insatiate tiger; and that the slave-trade, +more especially, never fails effectually to destroy all the sympathies +of humanity, and so far to barbarize those who are concerned in it, +as assuredly to cause civilized man to resume the ferocity of the +savage whom he presumes to despise. + + + The Author. + + + + + + + + "Offspring of love divine, Humanity! + + ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- + + Come thou, and weep with me substantial ills, + And execrate the wrongs that Afric's sons, + Torn from their native shore, and doom'd to bear + The yoke of servitude in foreign climes, + Sustain. Nor vainly let our sorrows flow, + Nor let the strong emotion rise in vain. + But may the kind contagion widely spread, + Till, in its flame, the unrelenting heart + Of avarice melt in softest sympathy, + And one bright ray of universal love, + Of grateful incense, rises up to heaven!" + + + Roscoe's Wrongs of Africa. + + + "E'en from my pen some heartfelt truths may fall; + For outrag'd nature claims the care of all." + + + + + + + +SAMBOE; OR, THE AFRICAN BOY. + + +CHAPTER I. + + "Slaves of gold! whose sordid dealings + Tarnish all your boasted powers, + Prove that ye have human feelings, + Ere ye proudly question ours." + + +"Encourage the chiefs to go to war, that they may obtain slaves; for +as on many accounts we require a large number, we desire you to exert +yourself, and not stand out for a price." Such was the direction, +and such the order, of the slave-merchants at Cape Coast Castle, +to one of their factors in the interior, for the collection and +purchase of slaves; who, dreadful as was his occupation, yet at all +times faithfully endeavoured to obey the orders of his employers. + +This person had, by studying the character, peculiarities, prejudices, +and language of the natives, obtained a great influence over the chiefs +of a country, peculiarly blessed by Providence, with all that can +enchant the eye, or gratify the wants of man. It is a well-known, but +melancholy truth, that, by the introduction of spirituous liquors, and +other desirable articles to an uncivilized people, the Europeans have +greatly augmented and cherished the dreadful traffic in human beings: +the African kings and chiefs being induced, by these temptations, +to barter their subjects and captives, for commodities they estimate +so highly; frequently even fomenting quarrels, and making war with +each other, at the instigation of the slave-factors, for the sole +purpose of obtaining captives, in order to exchange them for European +articles, with which the factors, who visit their country for the +dreadful purpose, are well furnished; to tempt the appetites, and +provoke the wild passions, of the wretched beings they intend to make +the instruments of their inhuman thirst of gain. (Note A.) + + + "The natural bond + Of brotherhood is sever'd as the flax + That falls asunder at the touch of fire-- + And having pow'r + T' enforce the wrong, for such a worthy cause, + Dooms and devotes him as his lawful prey." + + +Mr. Irving, the factor whom we have named as having received the +peremptory and unlimited order from the merchants of Cape Coast +Castle, had won their confidence, by the remarkable success which had +attended his negociations with the king and principal grandees of +Whidah, in which delightful part of Africa he had resided for some +years. Nothing, perhaps, more strongly proves the indurating power +of the love of gain upon the heart, and the baneful influence of the +habitual view of oppression on the better feelings of the soul, than +the change which generally takes place in the characters of the young +men whose official duty places them in situations like that filled by +Mr. Irving. It has, indeed, been most justly and impressively observed, +that it is impossible for any one to be accustomed to carry away +miserable beings, by force, from their country and endearing ties, +to keep them in chains, to see their tears, to hear their mournful +lamentations, to behold the dead and the dying mingled together, to +keep up a system of severity towards them in their deep affliction, +to be constant witnesses of the misery of exile, bondage, cruelty, +and oppression, which, together, form the malignant character of this +nefarious traffic, without losing all those better feelings it should +be the study of man to cherish; or without contracting those habits +of moroseness and ferocity which brutalize the nature. + +Irving, like many other youths, had been induced by an ardent +curiosity, and an enterprising spirit, to engage as a writer to +the Royal African Company [1], at a time when the traffic in slaves +was legally pursued, as one source of riches to a great commercial +nation. Yet it may with candour be presumed, that he, and many a +youth entering upon the same path, with the same laudable impulses, +had they anticipated the peril to which they exposed their humane +principles, by engaging themselves in a trade so repugnant to nature, +religion, and justice, would rather have undergone personal hazard and +difficulty in their native land, so that they might have fostered that +divine principle, which is the noble and distinguishing characteristic +of man--of free-born man. + +That Irving possessed a native humanity and right feeling, would +appear from his letters to his friends in England, written on his +arrival in Africa; and as he describes the country as it first met +his admiring and youthful eye, it may be not unamusing to my young +readers, to extract a few passages from his letters to his sister, +before we pursue the detail of subsequent events, in which he was +an actor. "Well, my dear Sophy," he observes, "are you reconciled +to your brother becoming a dealer in slaves? I assure you I have had +some compunctious visitings of conscience upon the subject during the +voyage; the calmness and monotony of which, gave me ample opportunity +of reflecting upon the kind-hearted arguments of my good little sister, +against a commerce, which, I believe she says true when she asserts, +'is founded in injustice and crime, and a compound of all that is +wicked and cruel.' But, Sophy, what will you call your wild brother, +when I tell you, that the first glance I had of this enchanting +country, put you, your arguments, the unhappy and abused natives, +from my mind, in an instant; and I could only bless my stars that I +was to become an inhabitant of a region which seemed to offer so many +delights--so many interesting studies for my pencil. I can anticipate +all you would say upon this subject, as to the cruelty of tearing +the miserable natives from scenes which 'breathe of Paradise,' so +as to have raised the enthusiasm of even the thoughtless heart of +Charles Irving. But I have no time for argument, Sophy, scarcely +that for brief description. Imagine then, my dear sister, the most +boundless luxuriancy of landscape, continually clothed with all the +beauties and riches of spring, summer, and harvest; lofty mountains +covered with wood, chiefly fruit-trees; fine streams, romantic +and fertile valleys. Such is the general appearance: the scenery +in detail surpasses description. This charming country seems to be +remarkably populous. The kingdom of Whidah, in which is situated the +factory to which I am at present appointed, is (as you will find on +consulting your map) on the western side of Africa, commonly called +the slave-coast. This kingdom we should rather call a county, as +it extends only about ten miles along the coast, and about seven +miles inland. Yet, although of so small an extent, it is divided +into twenty-six divisions, or provinces. The villages are numerous, +and thickly inhabited. The houses or huts of the natives are small; +conical at the top, and thatched either with long grass, or the +palmetto leaves. The interior is very clean; but from the fish and +other articles of food kept in them, you may readily imagine the +effluvia is not very pleasant to European nicety. + +The furniture of these dwellings is not very costly, seldom amounting +to more than a chest to contain their light and simple articles of +clothing; a mat to repose upon, raised a little from the floor; a jar +to contain water, and calabashes of various sizes; two or three wooden +mortars to pound corn and rice, and a basket or sieve to prepare it +when done. The villages formed of these huts are generally built in +a circle, surrounded by a clay wall, scattered over the country in +the midst of beautiful groves clear of brushwood, and have a most +picturesque and beautiful effect to a stranger's eye. The fields are +always verdant, and nature puts forth her beauties with inexhaustible +profusion; perpetual spring and autumn succeeding each other. The +Company's factory here, is most pleasantly situated in the midst of +gardens, which amply supply it, and the fort, (called Fort William,) +consisting of four batteries, mounting seventeen guns. In these gardens +is an abundant supply of beans, potatoes, every other edible root +known in Europe, and a great variety of delicious fruits peculiar to +the climate. Amongst the most beautiful and useful vegetable riches of +Africa, may be reckoned the plantain and banana trees. The latter bears +a fruit six or seven inches in length, covered with a yellow skin, +very tender when ripe. The pulp of it is as soft as a marmalade, and +of a most pleasant taste. It grows on a stalk about six yards high, +the leaves being nearly two yards long, and a foot wide. One stalk +only bears a single cluster of the fruit, which sometimes consists +of forty or fifty bananas; and when the cluster is gathered, the +stalk is cut off, or it would bear no more fruit. The plantain is not +unlike the banana, but somewhat longer, although the flavour greatly +resembles it. The leaves, and every part of the tree, are converted +into a variety of useful articles. There are also guavas, a fruit very +like our peach, except that the external coat is rougher; and it has +small kernels like the apple, instead of a stone. Cocoas, oranges, +lemons, citrons, and limes, abound, and, as you may readily suppose, +are in great request amongst us, as well as beautiful additions to +the luxuriant vegetable riches of the country." + +In a subsequent letter he again writes: "I was much pleased this +morning to see the natives extracting what we call the wine from the +palm tree, which is beautifully straight and lofty, growing sometimes +to a prodigious height. + +"They make an incision in the trunk, near the summit of the tree, to +which they apply, in succession, gourd bottles, conducting the liquor +into them by means of a pipe formed of the leaves. This wine is very +pleasant when fresh drawn, but is apt to disagree with Europeans in +that state. After fermentation, however, it becomes like Rhenish wine, +and is extremely good, without being prejudicial. You would be alarmed, +Sophy, to see how rapidly and nimbly the natives mount these lofty +trees, which are sometimes sixty, seventy, and even a hundred feet in +height, and the bark smooth. The only aid they have is a piece of the +bark of a tree, which they form into a hoop by holding the two ends, +having enclosed themselves and the trunk of the tree. They then place +their feet against the tree, and their backs against the hoop, and +mount as quick as thought. It sometimes occurs that they miss their +footing, the consequence of course is, that they are precipitated +with tremendous force to the ground, and dashed to pieces. + +"There is another tree called the ciboa, very much like the palm, +and applied to the same purposes: the wine of this is not quite so +sweet as that of the palm. + +In another letter he further observes: "I think you will be pleased to +hear in what manner I pass my time here, my dear Sophy, while you are +perhaps talking of me in the dear domestic circle; I will therefore +give you the journal of a day, which, with little variation, is the +general mode of my living. + +"I rise by day-break, in order to enjoy the refreshing coolness of +the morning, and generally ride or walk into the country, through +the delightful woods and savannahs. + +"On my return, I breakfast on never-tiring tea, or, for want of it, a +sort of tea growing in the woods, called simbong. Upon any deficiency +of sugar, I use honey, as it is at all times easily procured; except, +perhaps, when the natives are making their honey wine, of which they +are immoderately fond. Sometimes I take milk, with cakes of rice or +flour; or Guinea-corn, baked in a very useful article in my kitchen; +viz. a large iron pot. The milk will not boil without turning to +whey, which I ascribe to the nature of the grass upon which the cows +feed. My dinner is frequently beef, either fresh or salted, in which +latter state it will keep six or seven days. This I either boil and eat +with coosh-coosh, (Note B.) a favourite dish with the natives, or with +pumpkins and coliloo, like spinach, both of which are plentiful. Fowls +are so cheap and common, that they may always be purchased for a few +charges of gunpowder; and when I wish for either fish or game, I send +a fisher or hunter, allowed by the factory, to supply me; and they +never fail to bring me ample store of the finest sorts of the former; +and of the latter, deer, ducks, partridges, wild geese, and what are +here called crown birds, all which abound in their different seasons. + +"The afternoon is the usual time of trade; but sometimes it is +protracted during the whole of several days, and being my proper +business, I make a point of never neglecting it (Note C.) If concluded +early, I sometimes take a trip to some of the neighbouring villages, +and return home to supper, amusing myself, as I am now doing, with +writing or reading, and occasionally visiting two or three friends. In +these visits, the refreshment is generally palm and honey wine, or a +fruit called cola, which very agreeably relishes water. I frequently, +also, form one of a party in shooting doves and partridges. I have +indeed no want of society, generally having even more company than I +desire. These visitors are traders, and messengers from the great men +in this and the adjacent kingdom, who frequently send me presents of +pieces of cloths, cows, spices, and even a slave. These presents I +would gladly decline, as I well know they are given with a view of +obtaining more valuable returns, or to bribe me to some measure in +which my interest or aid is required; but I am obliged to accept what +they offer, because the interest of the Company renders it necessary +to conciliate the natives, who may forward the trade. But to return +to my accommodation: perhaps you think I repose on the 'verdant mead, +under the spreading palm.' No such thing, my dear Sophy: my bed-room +is large and airy, and during the rainy season glows with the cheering +blaze of a fire. My bedstead is raised by forkillas; at the head and +feet are cross poles, upon which is placed a platform of split cane. My +bed itself is composed of silk-cotton, a sort of vegetable down, +extremely soft, and very plentiful here; and to complete my bedstead, +I have erected light posts at the corners, to support a pavilion +of thin cloth, as a defence against the musquitoes. Independently +of the linen I brought from England, I have some presented to me, +by a negro king and his sister: (what think you of that, Sophy?) it +consists of fine cotton cloths, six yards long and three wide: these +I use for sheets. Thus, you find, I have all my comforts around me, +even on the burning shores of Africa, to which you were so unwilling +I should direct my way. + +"I cannot close my letter without telling you of the pleasure I enjoyed +in my excursion this morning, with a friend who is my colleague in +office, and with whom I am indeed so intimate, that we have acquired +the designation of 'the inseparables.' We set out just as the day +was dawning, and had penetrated nearly five miles into the country, +ere the sun bore any oppressive power; and taking our fowling pieces +with us, we shot a few birds for sport, as we proceeded through a +country rich beyond your imagination to conceive. We rested ourselves +at the foot of a rock, and ate a hearty breakfast of fruit, washing +it down with palm wine, with which we were provided, and milk from +the cocoa-nuts we gathered. We then continued to explore scenes which +seemed to realize the picture imagination forms of Paradise. Coming +to a beautiful expanse of water, we again seated ourselves, to enjoy +a second meal, as well as the beauty and the heavenly repose, adorning +and pervading these vast solitudes. + +"The tinkling of several little rills, and the sound of several larger +cascades that fell from the rocks, only broke the stillness of the +spot, in every other respect profound; and altogether diffused a +tranquillity over the soul, the influence of which I still feel, but +am unable to define. The orange and lime trees adorning the spot, +bending under the weight of their delicious fruit, and diffusing +around their fragrant odour; a number of other beautiful shrubs and +trees intermingling their various tints of foliage, and tempting +the hand to gather their rich fruit; combined with the cataracts, +the surrounding hills, covered with the noblest trees and liveliest +verdure, and in their various angles and projections, exhibiting +the bold and free strokes of nature; altogether composed what might, +without exaggeration, be called a terrestrial Paradise, the effect of +which cannot be imagined, unless it were seen. You may be sure that it +was not without regret we quitted this delightful spot, which raised +our curiosity and desire, to the highest degree, further to explore the +country. Nor (shall I confess it, Sophy?) could we forbear remarking, +that if the attention of our country was directed to the civilization, +and the improving the natural resources of such a country, instead +of robbing and devastating it, it would be far more honourable to us +as Britains, and as men, enjoying all the privileges of that envied +title. But I think I hear you say: 'You tell me much of yourself, +and of the face of the country you have chosen for a residence, but +you tell me little of the inhabitants of this favoured region.' This +I must reserve for another packet, my dear sister, as also an account +of my visit to Sabi [2]. In the mean time I will assure you, that I +have no regrets in having quitted for a while my country, except my +separation from you and my family, every member of which must ever +be dear, to their affectionate + + + "Charles Irving." + + + + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + "What's all that Afric's golden rivers roll, + Her odorous woods, and shining ivory stores? + Ill-fated race! the softening arts of peace, + And all-protecting freedom, which alone + Sustains the name and dignity of man: + These are not theirs!" + + +Presuming that our young readers are not uninterested in the +accounts of Charles Irving, we shall make a few more extracts +from his correspondence. "You tell me," he observes in reply to +the expressed wishes of his sister, "you tell me, my dear Sophy, +to give you some information respecting the inhabitants of Whidah. I +am myself unable to speak very decisively, but I am assured by those +who have visited other parts of Africa, that those of Whidah exceed +the other negroes in civilization, and they certainly appear to me, +both industrious and ingenious. The women, I can assure you, are very +important personages, truly help-meets to their lords. They brew the +beer, dress the food, sell all sorts of articles, (except slaves!) at +the markets; they are also, I am sorry to add, employed in tilling +the land with the slaves. But, Sophy, this may be accounted for: +the light of Christianity has not yet beamed upon this land. Its +humanizing spirit we have, you know, often remarked, as peculiarly +favourable to the weaker sex; and were Africa free, and blessed +with the genial ray of true religion, doubtless her women would +acquire that consideration which is their due, and be regarded as +what they ought to be, as the companions and solace, not the slaves +of man. In reference to their ingenuity, I have many specimens. They +spin cotton yarn, weave fine cotton cloth, make calabashes, wooden +vessels, plates, dishes, &c. I have now lying before me, a present +from a great man, a pipe for smoking, which is remarkably neat. It +is formed of clay of a reddish hue, the stem a reed about six feet +in length. It is beautifully and finely polished, perfectly smooth, +white, and even elegant. The bowl and stem are fastened together with +a piece of delicate red leather. It has also a fine leather tassel, +attached to about the middle of the stem; and so neat is the work, +that although the end of the reed goes into the bowl of the pipe, it +appears as if formed of one piece. They clean the reed, when filled +up with the smoke, by drawing long straws through it, and the bowls, +by scraping them with a small sharp instrument. + +"Last week we had quite a gala day, one of the country chiefs paying +a visit to the governor at the fort. He was saluted with five guns +on his landing: I was much pleased that my duty obliged me to go to +the fort at the time. + +"The ostensible motive of his visit, was respect to the governor; but +the real one, to solicit powder and ball, in order to defend himself +against the attacks of a neighbouring chief. He assumes the title of +emperor, and is a fine model of negro beauty, young, extremely black, +tall, and free in his carriage, with teeth which rivalled pearls in +beauty. His dress consisted of short yellow cotton trowsers, reaching +only to the knees; and a sort of mantle of the same material, flowing +full like a surplice. His feet and legs were naked; but he wore a +very large cap, with a white goat's tail fastened in it: I suppose, +the insignia of his dignity. + +"All the officers of the fort were in full uniform, waiting to receive +this chieftain; and, I assure you, it was a very gratifying sight to +observe the expecting numbers ready to welcome him. + +"He and his retinue came in a large and splendid canoe, containing +about sixteen persons, all armed with guns and sabres, with a number of +drums, upon which they beat with one stick. Two or three women were of +the party, and danced to the sound of the drums. They remained at the +fort all night, highly pleased with the visit, and the success of it; +not only receiving what they solicited, but an ample present of rum, +beads, bugles, and looking-glasses, from the governor, by which he +quite won the hearts of the emperor and his suite. + +"The natives are, indeed, generally good-natured and obliging, +particularly to Europeans; and if the latter are liberal in presents, +they seldom find the obligation forgotten. If a favour is asked of +them, they will use their utmost efforts to comply, even to their own +prejudice. Gentle measures are, indeed, the only means to succeed with +them: they then seem to have pleasure in compliance; but if treated +with violence, they are obstinate and refractory, and they will take as +much pains to injure, as, in the other case, to serve. This, you will +say, sufficiently proves their native generosity of disposition. Can +such a people require any thing but freedom, and a pure faith, to +render them equal to the European, who despises them, and denies +that they possess a capability of enjoying freedom? I grant this, +my dear advocate; and, did time allow me, could relate many instances +to prove that your opinion is just. + +"In my last, I mentioned the employment of the women partly consisted +in weaving fine cotton cloths. We frequently barter these with our +commodities. The pieces are generally twenty-seven yards long, +but never more than nine inches wide. They cut them what length +they require, and sew them together very neatly, to serve the use +of broader cloths. The cotton is cleared from the seed by hand, +and is spun with a spindle and distaff: it is afterwards woven in +a loom of very simple and coarse workmanship. These cloths are made +up into pairs, one about three yards long, and one and a half broad; +with this the shoulders and body are covered. The other is almost of +the same breadth, and but two yards long: this is gathered neatly in +folds round the waist, and falls loosely over the limbs. Such a pair of +cloths is the dress of men and women, with a slight variation in the +mode of adjustment. I have seen a pair of such cloths, so beautifully +fine in texture, and so brightly dyed, as to be very valuable. Their +usual colours are either blue or yellow, some very lively: I do not +remember, however, ever to have seen any red. (Note D.) + +"I shall conclude this letter by an account of my visit to Sabi, as I +promised you. With European ideas of the state of society and commerce +in Africa, I confess, the surprise I experienced was very great, on +my entrance into the market of this capital of Whidah, which is kept +twice in a week. Great regulation is observed in the keeping of these +markets, a distinct and proper place being assigned for every different +commodity; and the confluence of people, although great, are preserved +from disorder and confusion, by a judge or magistrate, appointed by +the king; and who, with four assistants, well armed, inspects the +markets, hears all complaints, and, in a summary way, decides all +differences among the buyers and sellers, having power to seize, and +sell as slaves, all who violate the peace. Besides this magistrate, +there is another, whose peculiar office it is to inspect the money, +which is called toqua, consisting of strings of shells, to the number +of forty; and if one of these strings happens to be deficient in a +single shell, the whole are forfeited to the king. Round the markets +are erected booths, which are occupied by cooks or suttlers, who sell +provisions ready dressed, as beef, pork, goats'-flesh; and others, +in which may be obtained rice, millet, marre, and bread; and others +where they sell spirituous liquors, palm and ciboa wine, and pito, +which is a sort of beer. The chief commodities on sale, are slaves, +cattle, and fowls of every kind, monkeys and other animals; various +sorts of European cloth, linen, and woollen; printed calicoes, silk, +grocery, and china; gold in dust and bars, iron in bars or wrought. + +"The country manufactures are Whidah cloths, mats, baskets, jars, +calabashes of various sorts, wooden bowls and cups, red and blue +pepper, salt, palm-oil, &c. All these commodities, except slaves, are +sold by the women, who are excellent accountants, and set off their +goods most judiciously. The men are also good accountants, reckoning +every thing by the head; and are as exact as the Europeans are with +pen and ink, although the sums are often so many and so considerable, +as to render it very intricate. + +"The slaves are paid for in gold-dust, but other payments are made +in strings of cowries, which, as I have said, contain forty in a +string. Five of the strings make what the natives call a fore; and +fifty fores make an alkove, which generally weighs about sixty pounds. + +The various commodities of these markets, and the order and regularity +with which they are disposed, would be a peculiarly pleasing sight to a +stranger, were not human beings included in the articles of commerce; +but, to behold a number of men, women, and children, linked together, +and ranged like beasts to view, is a sight truly shocking to behold; +and I will acknowledge, Sophy, I felt a sickness come over my heart, +and a glow of shame suffuse my forehead, as I contemplated upwards of +sixty individuals, whom a few short hours, perhaps, might separate, for +ever, from their kindred and their country. There is, however, little +chance that it will now ever be otherwise; for the worst passions +of men are engaged, and the despotism of the African kings gives +them ample opportunity to gratify their cupidity and intemperance, +by the barter of their unhappy subjects [3]. The revenues of the king +of Whidah are very considerable; for he not only has large landed +possessions, but he receives a duty on all commodities sold in the +markets, or imported into the country. His lands furnish him with +provisions for his numerous household, as well as for exportation; +great quantities being annually sold to the neighbouring nations, +less bountifully supplied by nature. The revenues arising from the +slave-trade are very considerable, and induce him to favour it, +by the strongest principle in the soul of man, selfishness; for he +receives three rix dollars for every slave sold in his dominions. Every +European vessel also pays him a pecuniary duty, exclusive of presents, +which they make to conciliate his favour, and to secure his protection +in trading. + +Some years, slaves to the number of two thousand are brought from +the interior, by the native merchants, most of whom, they say, are +prisoners of war. These merchants purchase them from the different +princes, who have made captives of them. Their mode of travelling is +by tying them by the neck with leather thongs, at about a yard distant +from each other, thirty and forty in a string; having generally a +large truss or bundle of corn, or an elephant's tooth, upon the head +of each or many of them. In their way from the mountains, far in the +interior, they have to travel through vast woods, where, for several +days, perhaps, no water is to be procured. To obviate this distressing +scarcity, they carry water in skins. There are a great number of these +merchants, who, furnishing themselves with European goods from the +slave-factors, penetrate the inland countries, and with them purchase, +in their route, gold, slaves, and elephants' teeth. (Note E.) + +"They use asses as well as slaves to convey their goods, but no camels +nor horses. Besides the slaves brought down to the factories by these +merchants, many others are bought in the vicinity. These are either +taken in war, as the former, or are men condemned for crimes; and, +not unfrequently, they are stolen. These the Company never purchase, +if able to ascertain the fact. It is worthy of remark, that, since the +great demand for slaves, most punishments are changed into slavery; +and there being an accruing advantage on such condemnations, they +exaggerate faults scarcely more than venial, into crimes, in order +to obtain the benefit of selling the criminal. Not only murder and +the grosser crimes are punished in this manner, but every trifling +misdemeanour renders the culprit obnoxious to the same dreadful +penalty. It was not many days since that I had a man brought to me +to be sold, for having stolen a tobacco pipe; and I had infinite +trouble to persuade the aggrieved party to accept of a compensation, +and to leave the man free. + +"From what I have seen of the people, they are well disposed and +cheerful, excessively fond of dancing, keeping it up to the sound +of a drum or a balafeu, for many hours, without any appearance +of weariness. Their dances are sometimes pleasing and regular, +but at others wild, and apparently confused. The instrument they +call a balafeu is very pleasing, sounding something like an organ, +when not too near. It is composed of about twenty pipes of very hard +wood, finely polished: these pipes gradually diminish, both in size +and length, and are tied together with thongs made of very fine +thin leather. These thongs are twisted round small round wands, +which are placed between each of the pipes, in order to leave a +short space. Underneath the pipes are fastened twelve or fourteen +calabashes, of different sizes, which have the same effect of sound +as organ-pipes. This they play upon with two sticks, covered with a +thin skin, taken from the trunk of the ciboa, or with fine leather, +in order to soften the sound. (Note F.) Both sexes delight to dance to +this instrument, and their pleasure seems to rise almost to ecstasy, if +a white man will unite in the dance; which, you will readily suppose, +I am never unwilling to do. The only indication of suspicion they show, +is when asked to take any beverage with a white man, always requiring +the liquor to be first tasted by the inviter. + +"Many of the natives have invited me to their habitations and dancing +parties, and brought their wives and daughters to salute me. They, +with great artlessness, generally sit down by me, and are never weary +in admiring the different articles of my dress; making their comments +one to another, with the most lively admiration and astonishment. Some, +who had never seen a white man, ran away from me, apparently terrified +at my monstrous appearance. + +"In their persons they are of a good height, well shaped, and +extremely black; and, as an instance of the female subjection, I +am told, that, when a man has been absent from home, even but for a +short time, his wife salutes him upon her knees at his return, and, +in the same attitude, offers him water and refreshments. Both sexes +are exceedingly cleanly in their persons, washing themselves in pure +water twice in the day, and using aromatic unguents. Their dress +consists of the country cotton cloths I have named; the superior +classes add a short garment, made of taffety, or other silk, and +scarfs of the same material passed over the shoulder. They generally +go with the head and feet uncovered, but occasionally wear sandals, +and caps or bonnets. The superior females wear calico paans, or a +sort of petticoat, which are very fine, and beautifully variegated +with different colours: these are confined round the waist, and the +upper part of the body is covered with a cloth, serving also as a veil. + +"They wear necklaces of coral, &c. agreeably disposed; and their arms, +wrists, fingers, and legs, are encompassed and ornamented with rings +of amber, silver, and even gold, to a considerable value. The inferior +ranks wear copper or iron. The men suffer the hair to remain in its +natural form, except buckling it in two or three places, in order +to affix a coral ornament to it; but the women arrange theirs more +artificially, with long and small buckles, or ornaments, the hair +divided on the crown of the head, and the ornaments placed with great +uniformity. They have a bad practice of using an oil, which injures +the glossy blackness of the hair, in time changing it to a colour +approaching green or yellow, which they much admire; but it is very +unpleasing to the eye of a stranger. + +"I have mentioned that the natives of Whidah are idolaters. The +object of their worship, you will be surprised to find, is a serpent; +an animal to which men, in general, have an antipathy This Whidah god +is called the fetiche: it is a harmless, as well as beautiful animal, +having an antipathy to venomous serpents, attacking them whenever +it meets with them. The serpent has a large, round, beautiful head; +a short, pointed tongue, resembling a dart; and a short but sharp +tail; the whole adorned by the most beautiful colours, upon a light +grey ground. In general its pace is slow and solemn, except when it +seizes on its prey, in which case it is quick and rapid. They are +perfectly tame and familiar, permitting themselves to be caressed +and handled, which is frequently done by the natives and Europeans, +without apprehension of danger. This deity has a temple to his honour, +with priests, sacrifices, &c." + +With this account we will close our extracts from Irving's letters; +and as they will give some idea of the people of the country which +forms the principal scene of our narrative, it is hoped the digression +will not be thought irrelevant. In the next chapter we resume the +thread of our story, merely pausing to express our ardent hope, +that good may spring out of evil; that even the slave-trade may be +the medium of promulgating the gospel of peace; and that good may, +in God's own time, overcome evil. + + + + O, 'tis a godlike privilege to save, + And he that scorns it is himself a slave. + Inform his mind, one flash of heav'nly day + Would heal his heart, and melt his chains away: + "Beauty for ashes," is a gift indeed; + And slaves by truth enlarg'd are doubly freed. + + + Cowper. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + + "O Slavery---- + Profuse of woes, and pregnant with distress, + Eternal horrors in thy presence reign; + Pale meagre famine leads thy horrid train; + To each dire load subjection adds more weight, + And pain is doubled in the captive's fate: + O'er nature's smiling face thou spreadst a gloom, + And to the grave dost every pleasure doom." + + +Years had elapsed since Irving had indited the letters from which we +have extracted, and every passing one had seen an increasing tendency +to suffer humanity to yield to interest: what had been the practice +of official duty, became the actuating principle, and gold, the + + + "Insidious bane that makes destruction smooth, + The foe to virtue, liberty, and truth," + + +absorbed the better feelings, which had at first recoiled from +the scenes of cruelty and oppression he had witnessed; and he could +calmly execute the one and the other, and be at no loss to justify (at +least to himself) the acts, and even reason upon the trade of human +beings; if not, indeed, upon its humanity and justice, at least upon +its expedience; forgetful of that great and comprehensive, but most +simple maxim: "Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you." + +The order he had received from his employers, arrived at an opportune +period; for he had, on that very day, been invited to attend the +ceremony of the coronation of the king of Whidah, to take place in +a few days, at Sabi. With the true spirit of gain, he calculated +that this event might, by a little judicious policy, be rendered, +not only subservient to his present pressing demand for slaves, but +also might open greater facilities than he had hitherto possessed, +of obtaining a choice. Interest, therefore, united with curiosity, +in his determination of attending the ceremony; a few preliminaries +of which we will name, ere we accompany him to it. + +On the demise of a king of Whidah, the crown descends to his eldest +son, unless the grandees have any substantial reasons to reject his +claim; in which case the youngest son is appointed, provided he was +born after the accession of the father. It is a singular custom, that, +as soon as the eldest son of a king of Whidah is born, he is removed +from the palace and court, and placed under the care of a person in +private, residing remote from the latter. With this person he remains, +in profound ignorance of his birth, and of the high responsibilities +for which he is designed. His protector is acquainted with the +secret of his royal birth, but would incur the penalty of death +were he to divulge it. By this custom it not unfrequently occurs, +that when a prince is called to the throne, he may, at the moment, +be employed in the most common and menial offices; and it is with +difficulty he can be persuaded to believe those who inform him of +his elevated rank, or in what manner to receive their servile homage; +as it is customary for the subjects to approach the sovereign in the +most humiliating form, advancing towards them in a creeping manner, +to a certain distance, till the monarch, clapping his hands softly, +indicates his permission for them to speak, which they then do, +in a low tone, with their heads nearly to the ground. They retire, +with the same slavish ceremonials, from the royal presence. + +As soon as the old king is dead, his successor is brought to the +palace; but the period of his coronation is uncertain, resting +with the grandees, with whom it becomes a political manoeuvre +to keep the government, as long as possible, in their own hands; +and they accordingly fix the period of the ceremony as best suits +their respective interests. It is generally put off some months, and, +sometimes, even years, but cannot be delayed beyond seven years. During +this interval, the government is rather in the power of the grandees +than the king; for they execute all the public acts and business, +without consulting him. In every other respect he is treated as +a prince, with only one restriction, viz. that, previously to his +coronation, he cannot quit the palace. + +It may readily be imagined by our young readers, that, from the obscure +state in which the young monarch is brought up, he has little notion +of those qualities which are necessary to govern a people. On the +contrary, the sudden transition from this obscurity, to the paths +of ease and pleasure, and every facility of self-gratification, +unfortunately gives a peculiar relish for those pursuits and +pleasures, with which, had he become guardedly and progressively +familiar, in all probability he would have been satiated. But this +not being the case, the king of Whidah lives almost in a state of +indolence; seldom going abroad, and only occasionally attending his +grandees when they are assembled in the hall of audience, for the +administration of justice: all the rest of his time is spent in the +recesses of his seraglio, attended by his numerous wives, who are +divided into three classes. When the period of the coronation has +been fixed by the grandees, they give intimation of it to the king, +who assembles them in the palace; and the council having deliberated +on the measures to be used in executing the ceremony, notice of it +is given to the public by a discharge of cannon, and the glad news +is soon circulated throughout the kingdom. + +The following morning, the grand sacrificer goes to the king, +demanding, in the name of the great serpent, (their deity!) the +offerings due on such a solemn and joyful occasion. These offerings +consist of an ox, a horse, a sheep, and a fowl, which are sacrificed +in the palace, and afterwards taken to the market-place. In the centre +of this, the grand sacrificer erects a pole, nine or ten feet high, +with a piece of linen attached to it like a flag, and around it +are placed the victims, with small loaves of millet, rubbed over +with palm-oil. After a few trifling ceremonies the company retire, +leaving the victims exposed to the birds of prey; no person being +permitted to touch them, upon pain of death. Arrived at the palace, +about twenty of the king's wives walk in procession to the place +of sacrifice, the eldest, or chief, (Note G.) bearing a figure +formed of earth, representing a child in a sitting posture: this +she places at a short distance from the victims. These women are +attended by a party of fusileers, and the king's flutes and drums, +the people prostrating themselves as they pass, and expressing their +joy by the loudest acclamations. When these ceremonies are over, +the grandees repair to the palace, dressed in their richest apparel, +and attended by their numerous slaves, of whom they are very proud, +adorning them with a profusion of trinkets, and ornaments of silver +and gold. The king is not visible on this occasion; but they enter, +and prostrate themselves before the throne, and again retire. This +part of the ceremony continues fifteen days, during which the women +make the palace re-echo with their acclamations; and the public joy +is testified by the firing of cannon, and the almost continual display +of rockets, from all parts of the capital. + +It was during the interval of these rejoicings, that Irving, with +his attendants, arrived at Sabi, and was appointed to take up his +quarters with a grandee high in favour with the new king. He had +taken care to provide himself with an ample assortment of trinkets, +spirits, cutlery, and other European produce he knew to be tempting +to his inviter and his royal master, with whom he proposed to trade, +immediately after the ceremony was concluded. + +Soon after his arrival, the grandee with whom he resided was summoned, +(as was customary,) as the one deputed to go to the neighbouring +kingdom of Ardrah, with a magnificent retinue, in order to request +one of the nobles of that kingdom (in whose family the right had +existed time immemorial) to proceed to Sabi, to crown the king; and +Irving, desirous of seeing the whole of the ceremonial, obtained ready +permission to accompany the embassy. The greatest respect is paid, +by all ranks, to this officiating nobleman; and all the expences of +his journey are defrayed by the grandees of Whidah. + +When arrived at the last village next the capital, this nobleman and +his retinue suspended their progress, remaining there stationary +three or four days; during which time he received visits from the +principal people of the kingdom, with whom it is customary to make +him valuable presents, and contribute to his amusement by a variety +of entertainments; the king supplying him with a great quantity of +provision, carried twice a day in great pomp, by his wives, preceded +by a guard of fusileers and a band of music. + +Among these ladies, Irving saw many whom, as a slave-merchant, he +would have been happy to have obtained at a high price. Four days +being elapsed, the grandees, with their usual train, and a great +concourse of people, repaired to the village, to conduct the Ardrah +nobleman, in great state, to Sabi; where he was received by a salute +of the king's guns, and the loud and continued acclamations of the +multitude. He was then conducted to the apartments prepared for him +near the palace, where he was splendidly entertained by the grandees, +and received visits from the principal officers of the court. He +continued here five days, but, at the close of the third, he entered +the palace with the chief of his train, without taking off any part +of his dress or ornaments. He remained standing, also, when he spoke +to the king, while all others prostrated themselves, as usual. + +On the evening of the fifth day, nine guns were fired, at the palace, +to announce to the people that the king would be crowned on the +following day, and that he would show himself in public, seated on +his throne, in the court of the palace, the gates of which would be +left open for the admission of all ranks of people. It was with the +utmost astonishment that Irving beheld the immense population assembled +in the streets of Sabi, on this occasion; every avenue towards the +palace being completely crowded by the natives, to obtain a sight of +their new monarch. + +On the evening of the following day, the king came forth from his +seraglio, attended by forty of his favourite wives, dressed in the +most sumptuous manner; being rather loaded than ornamented, with +gold necklaces, laces, pendants, bracelets, foot-chains of gold +and silver, and the richest gems. The king, who was a good-looking, +but, apparently, very indolent young man, was magnificently dressed, +wearing a gilt helmet, decorated with red and white feathers. He was +attended by his guards, and proceeded from his seraglio to the throne, +which was placed in an angle of the court, to the east of the palace, +and styled the court of the coronation. + +The throne itself was something like a large armed chair, finely +gilt, and elevated a little above the ground; the negroes choosing +very low seats, not more than ten inches high, and six in diameter, +and not unfrequently in the shape of an hour-glass. The most valuable +and curious part of the throne we are now describing, was the seat, +consisting of an entire lump of gold; not cast or formed by art, +but a product of nature alone, weighing thirty pounds. It had been +bored and fitted as a seat to the royal throne: upon this was a velvet +cushion, richly laced and fringed with gold, and a foot-cushion to +correspond. On the left were ranged the forty wives of the monarch, +and on the right the principal grandees; and in a line with them, the +Europeans from the English factories; therefore, Irving had a complete +view of every part of the ceremonial. One of the grandees held in his +hand an umbrella: this, however, was more for ornament than use, as +the ceremony took place at night. It was formed of the richest cloth +of gold, the lining embroidered with the same precious material, and +the fringes and tassels the same. On the top of it was the figure of +a cock, as large as the life. The pole of this pavilion, or umbrella, +was six feet long, richly embossed and gilded. Another grandee kneeled +before the king, constantly fanning him during the ceremony. Opposite +to the monarch stood two of his dwarfs, who represented to him the +good qualities of his predecessor; extolling his justice, liberality, +and clemency, and exhorting the king not only to imitate, but to excel +him; concluding their harangue with wishes for the king's happiness, +and that his reign might be long and prosperous. + +These ceremonies concluded, the grandee of Ardrah was summoned to +attend. When arrived at the outer gate of the palace, the cannon +were discharged, and the band began to play. He entered the court, +surrounded with his attendants, and was guarded by them to a certain +distance. He then advanced, singly, to the throne, saluting the king +by courteously bowing the head, but not prostrating himself. He then +addressed a short speech to the king, relative to the ceremony he +was called to perform; and removing the helmet from his head, turned +to the people, holding it in his hands. A signal was then made, and +the music instantly ceased. A profound and most impressive silence +ensued. The grandee of Ardrah, then, with a loud and distinct voice, +repeated, three times, these words to the assembled multitude: "Here +is your king: be loyal to him, and your prayers shall be heard by the +king of Ardrah, my master." After this he replaced the helmet on the +head of the king, made a low reverence, and retired. The cannon and +small-arms were instantly fired, the music again struck up, and the +acclamations were renewed. The grandee of Ardrah, in the meantime, +was reconducted, in great state, to his apartments; after which, +the new-crowned king, attended by his wives, his guards, and the +Europeans, returned to the seraglio, where the latter made their +compliments to the king as he entered the gate; and, on the following +day, the monarch sent, as usual, a rich present to the Ardrah grandee, +previously to his return home, which he must immediately do, the law +not permitting him to remain three days longer in the kingdom. + +The rejoicings which followed the coronation lasted fifteen days, +and the whole was closed with a grand procession to the temple +of the great serpent. The grandee with whom Irving resided during +the period of these ceremonies, was one of the principal officers +of the palace, and possessed a disposition peculiarly open to the +enticement of spirituous liquors, as well as dreadfully acted upon +by the pernicious stimulus they gave to his passions. He also had +such a propensity for their use, that Irving easily found, that, by +supplying him well, he might render him subservient to his purposes; +and, in fact, he very soon disclosed to the wily merchant, that he +had in his possession a number of valuable slaves, intended for the +service, or to purchase the favour of the young king. The appearance +of this negro courtier was pleasing and imposing. He was, in person, +tall and well shaped; his dress was that usual in the country, but +the material fine, and the colour perfectly white: his cap was also +white and small. He wore large gold earrings, which, together with +the pure white of his light dress, contrasted well with the jet black +of his polished skin. In disposition he was so cruel and vindictive, +that when he received an affront, even in the most trifling instance, +he scrupled not to sacrifice the aggressor by shooting him. + +He possessed several wives, of whom he was very jealous, and whom he +treated as slaves. He had also several brothers, to whom he seldom +spoke, or even permitted them to enter his presence; but when he +did grant them admission, they were obliged to take off their caps, +prostrate themselves at his feet, and throw dust on their heads. + +It may readily be imagined, that a disposition so cruel and arbitrary, +would be stimulated almost to fury and madness by the powerful +influence of ardent spirits; and the fact was, that his thirst for +brandy was so insatiable, that, to procure it, he scrupled not to +execute any act of oppression, cruelty, or treachery. He had even +been known, in order to procure slaves, with which to purchase brandy, +secretly to set fire to a village, and then send the ministers of his +cruelty to seize the distracted people as they rushed from destruction, +to bind and to send them to the European factories, or to the joncoes, +(or black slave-merchants,) and sell them for brandy and rum; which +he would continue to drink till expended, without any cessation but +that forced upon him by stupefaction or sleep. + +It would not be consistent with the plan of our tale, to make any +remarks upon the probabilities of what this man might have been, +had not the slave-trade existed; or what direction his cunning and +arbitrary disposition might have taken; but we may venture to say, +that he could not have had so extensive opportunities of oppression, +nor could his cruelties have created such incalculable misery. "For +it has been proved, on the most convincing evidence, that the demand +for slaves has had the most fatal effect in exciting and developing +every vice and every bad passion among these people; of perverting +their rude institutions, and poisoning their domestic relations. It +has been proved by evidence unquestionable, that, as we have +asserted, the tyrant chiefs of Africa were daily induced to condemn, +indiscriminately, whole families, for trivial or imaginary crimes, +with the sole object of obtaining possession of the individuals +composing those families, and exchanging them for bad powder and +bad muskets; to station their soldiers in ambush, on the roads, with +orders to rush on the unarmed traveller, and load him with chains; +to attack, at night, villages sunk in repose, dragging into slavery +men, women, and children, of an age suited to their purpose, and +mercilessly butchering the aged and the infant. It has been proved, +upon authority equally good, that famine, devastation, and continual +warfare, undertaken for the sole purpose of taking prisoners, were the +inevitable consequences of the slave ships' presence on the coast; +and that the Europeans not only were witnesses of this desolation, +but furnished the arms, nourished the hatred, fomented the discord, +and were the communicaters of the moral blast, which shed its +pestilential influence over the population of a country, which, +under the benign protection of a fair and legitimate commerce, +is assuredly capable of being civilized, enlightened, and happy; +and which, in return for the inestimable gifts of instruction and +religion, would cheerfully and gratefully pour its riches into the +bosoms of its benefactors. But, can the arts which embellish life, +can the virtues which expand the heart, can the principles that elevate +the soul, can these find rest, or even enter a region devoted to blood, +oppression, and desolation? Alas! while the slave-trade exists, we are +compelled to unite in the fear expressed by an enlightened patriot, +that 'there is no prospect of civilization or happiness for Africa.'" + + + + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + "Yet was I born as you are, no man's slave, + An heir to all that liberal nature gave; + My mind can reason, and my limbs can move + The same as yours; like yours my heart can love: + Alike my body food and sleep sustain, + And e'en, like yours, feels pleasure, want, and pain: + One sun rolls o'er us, common skies surround, + One globe contains us, and one grave must bound." + + +Intent upon the orders of his employers, and of the advantages he +should obtain by the commission, Irving studied so much to ingratiate +himself with his host, that he very soon readily obtained his promise +of conducting him to his slave-rooms, the first opportunity he could +spare from his close attendance upon his royal master, to whom his +bold and haughty spirit made him eminently useful. + +While Irving displayed the tempting assortment of spirits, trinkets, +dresses, and fire-arms, to the eager African, he artfully affected +indifference as to the purchase of slaves; being well acquainted with +the mode of making a good bargain, even when his fellow men were the +articles for which to negociate: so entirely does this infamous trade +debase and corrupt every generous emotion of the heart, and blunt every +honourable feeling. With the internal assurance, therefore, that the +view he had granted of his commodities, would induce the chief, as soon +as possible, to gratify his desire of possessing them, Irving waited +patiently the summons to attend him to the children of misery he had +by fraud and violence collected; and was fully prepared to accompany +him, upon his invitation a few days subsequent to the conclusion of +the coronation ceremonies. Irving was, however, astonished, when the +negro pointed out to him several spacious enclosures, the wretched +inhabitants of which were to purchase his selfish gratification, +and satisfy his cupidity; for Irving was not then aware that this +grandee was, in fact, the creature of his sovereign, acting as an +agent and slave-factor, upon the blood-stained gains of which he not +only lived in great splendour, but possessed from his riches great +power. His house was fitted up with European elegance, and was, +in exterior style, something resembling the buildings of the Moors; +consisting of courts, surrounded by apartments, beyond the precincts +of which were the receptacles of the slaves. + +The transition from the elegance and luxuries of this African mansion, +to the slave-buildings, was striking; and to a heart yet unperverted +and unvitiated by the habitual view of uncontrouled power and +oppression over the defenceless, would have been most mournful. + +But such was not the impression made upon either of the present +visitants; the one intent upon immediate self-gratification, +the other upon obtaining the means to ensure it in future. Nothing +could more strongly prove the tendency of this traffic to prostrate +every noble faculty of the soul, every tender impulse of the heart, +to destroy every sympathy of our nature, than the fact, that Irving, +the once generous, kind-hearted youth, beheld, with the cold regard +of a mere trader intent upon making an advantageous bargain, above +a hundred and twenty wretched beings in one house, all chained two +and two, by their hands and feet, and sitting in three rows on the +floor! They were of various ages of youth, and different in features; +many of them having come, as the grandee observed, "a journey of many +moons," that is, many hundred miles inland. + +While examining these miserable captives with all the technical +minuteness of jockeys, or cattle-dealers, (during which the +wretched exiles evinced the strongest and most varying emotions of +reluctance, grief, and indignation,) the people of the chief brought +in thirty-five more individuals, whom they had taken in a small town +or village of the interior, and which they had attacked by order +of their employer, leaving the aged and young infants butchered in +their simple huts. Among this last group were several women, who +exhibited the most heart-rending evidences of distraction and grief, +in the loss of their infants, and the prospect of the unknown evils +that awaited them in bondage. + +Amongst this number, however, great as it was, there were no +slaves which suited the purposes of Irving; and he proceeded with +his conductor to several other enclosures, from which he selected +a few of inferior value. The negro then told him, he would show +him what he termed "prime and superb negroes." In passing over to +one of these enclosures, which were at some distance, Irving was +arrested by a faint and low moan, as of distress, followed by an +air of most exquisite plaintive melody, with which was intermingled, +at intervals, the sound of an infantine voice, so lively as to speak +the unconsciousness, of the innocent from whose lips it proceeded, +of the mournful lot to which it was destined. + +"What sound is that?" he enquired of his host, as he stopped to listen +from whence it proceeded; for even upon his deadened soul the song had +vibrated. (Note H.) "I dare say it is the Senegal slave I had selected +for my royal master," replied the negro; "but she bewailed being parted +from her boy so much, that, to save her life, I was obliged to suffer +her to see him once or twice a day, during the ceremonies. I shall, +however, soon make her submit, now I can attend to her: I shall sell +her for a great price, if I can separate the child from her, without +hazarding her life." + +"Perhaps she will suit me," said Irving; "the boy would be no objection +to the purchase, if he is strong and healthy. Let me see them." The +negro hesitated; but at length observed, "They are worth a great +deal," as if he doubted that Irving would be disposed to give the +price. "You remember that beautiful sabre, and the brandy-chest full of +prime liquor, and those muskets you admired, and"----observed Irving +carelessly, but was interrupted in his enumeration by the African: +"Yes, yes, I remember: what! will you give them for her and the +boy?" "I cannot promise that, you know, unless I see her: you may +be telling me a false tale. It at least can do no harm to see this +slave you keep so close." + +"True, true, I scorn to deceive so good a friend," rejoined the negro, +half afraid that Irving would recede from his implied bargain: +"You shall certainly see this refractory woman; that is, she is +only obstinate when I remove the boy. I wish they had killed the +young urchin at once, when they carried her off. She is very gentle +when he is with her: she only chooses to sing those mournful songs +about Tumiah: I suppose he was her husband. However, at all events, +the boy cannot go to the palace with her." + +During this conversation, they had reached the hut in which the poor +slave was confined alone, in the hope of making her yield to the will +of the African, by consenting to be conveyed to the palace without +her child. Irving followed the negro into the hut. The moment the +latter got within it, the miserable inmate uttered a piercing shriek, +and clasped her child with convulsive strength to her bosom, imploring +the tyrant not to tear him from her widowed arms. There was one chord +in the soul of Irving, which, amid the circumstances of his life, +and despite of time, yet responded. It was the memory of his mother's +caresses, when in his childhood she became a widow. + +The scene he now witnessed, struck powerfully on this chord of +feeling. The distraction of the captive, her extreme youth, her beauty, +the neglect of grief so apparent in her simple dress, her unornamented +hair, her trembling limbs, her heaving bosom, her eloquent eye, her +fevered lip, her attitude, and the energy with which she held her now +alarmed child; altogether, combined a picture, which coming suddenly +upon his previously somewhat softened feelings, had a powerful effect +upon him, and, for a time, made him forget he was a slave-dealer, +and caused the nobler feeling of the man to prevail. He determined, if +possible, to save the wretched woman from the fate that awaited her; +forgetting that, perhaps, one equally horrible might be her lot, did +she become his property. When, therefore, he heard the African tyrant +threaten her with a flogging if she persisted in singing such mournful +songs, he almost involuntarily said: "If you are willing to barter her +and the child, for what I named, and a selection of those trinkets you +admired, to which I will add four gallons of rum, we are agreed upon +the bargain." The negro again regarded Irving with a half suspicious, +half incredulous glance, but remained silent. "I am serious," said +Irving; "are we agreed?" "Let me see," muttered the negro to himself; +"that fong, (sword,) mounted in silver gilt, and embossed handle; the +chest with fine brandy; ten fine kiddos; (guns;) trinkets to please +woollima moosa, (handsome wife,) and four gallons of rum: delicious +rum make me merry, happy. Make the rum eight gallons," he added aloud +to Irving, "and she," pointing to the being he was thus selling, "she +is yours."--"And the boy, remember?" replied Irving. "O yes, the boy, +the boy, to be sure," reiterated the African, hardly knowing how to +repress his joy. Though almost absorbed in profound grief, the wretched +captive yet understood she was about to be transferred, and that +her child was to be included in the transfer. In an agony of mingled +emotion, after having timidly regarded Irving's countenance, while he +intently watched hers, she threw herself at his feet, imploring his +mercy, and by a thousand expressive gestures, imparted the feelings +which agitated her soul. In this lowly attitude she fainted; and when +a little recovered, she exclaimed in mournful accents: "O Tumiah, +where art thou? Thou canst no more hear thy Imihie: she goes to the +land of strangers, and will see thee no more, till death conveys her +beyond the blue mountains. And Samboe, my boy," she added, as she +called the playful and unconscious child from some flowers he was +gathering from the ground, "thou wilt see thy father no more. Thou +art a slave, my child: hard will be thy lot in the land of strangers, +among the manstealers, when Imihie, thy mother, no longer shall +feel pain, nor endure bondage. But I will watch over thee, my boy, +I will be thy spirit: I will conduct thee over the blue mountains, +the manstealer shall not follow us there." + +The negro's anger began to rise, during this soliloquy of his hapless +captive; and calling vehemently for attendants, he directed she should +be conducted, with her child, to a place appointed, with care to be +taken that she should not do herself any injury, until Irving had +concluded his engagement, and could have her removed to Whidah. + +Irving declined viewing any more of the slaves on that day, and +having determined to remain but a few days longer with the chief, he +lost no time in making good his purchase of the female slave and her +child. One impediment to his returning to Whidah, however, there was, +which he might have anticipated; but in his eagerness to purchase the +wretched Imihie, he had not considered that while the rum and brandy +remained, the grandee and his companions were totally incapable of +business; but, in the intervals of stupefaction, were guilty of the +most wanton excesses. Nor was his African majesty himself, exempt +from effects of the potent contents of the liquor-chests consigned +to his favourite, who artfully concealed from him the circumstance +of Imihie; informing the king only, that he had obtained the liquor +from an English merchant, for some dry goods, ivory, and gum. The +monarch enquired if this merchant traded also in slaves. "Doubtless +he does," replied the wily courtier: "he comes from the land of the +manstealers, and will not, therefore, refuse the commodity in the way +of trade. Would my royal master wish to see this Englishman?" "It +is my desire," answered the king; "let him have notice of our +pleasure." The grandee prostrated himself, and retired to caution +Irving to conceal the transaction of the female slave from the king, +or he would doubtless force her from him. The morrow was appointed +for the interview with the monarch, who, the courtier said, had some +slaves to offer for brandy and trinkets for his wives. + + + "Where wast thou, then, sweet Charity, where then, + Thou tutelary friend of helpless men? + Perish the wretch, that slighted and withstood + The tender argument of kindred blood. + But tho' some nobler minds a law respect, + That none shall with impunity neglect, + In baser souls unnumber'd evils meet, + To thwart its influence, and its end defeat." + + +Shall a Briton, shall a man "honoured with a Christian name" encourage +slavery, because the semi-barbarous, unenlightened, lawless African +hath done it? "To what end (it is impressively asked) do we profess +a religion whose dictates we so flagrantly violate? Wherefore have +we that pattern of goodness and humanity, if we refuse to follow +it? How long shall we continue a practice which policy rejects, +justice condemns, and piety revolts at?" + + + + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + * * * the band of commerce is design'd + T' associate all the branches of mankind. + And if a boundless plenty be the robe, + Trade is the golden girdle of the globe: + This genial intercourse, and mutual aid, + Cheers, what were else, an universal shade. + Calls nature from her ivy-mantled den, + And softens human rock-work into men. + + Cowper. + + +Most truly and impressively do these lines of our Christian poet +describe the effects of legitimate and honourable commerce; the mutual +exchange of the various gifts of an all-bounteous Providence, showered +on the globe we inhabit, for the general use, benefit, and pleasure; +and of those embellishments of art, which civilization has brought +forth and nourished. + +But no such effect can ever flow from the piratical commerce of men, +that deformed and cruel offspring of Mammon, which riots in the blood, +and glories in the miseries of man. + +It may be urged, we are not the original agents in this trade: it +is pursued with eagerness by the Africans themselves. But are those +who live in that transcendent light which was granted to dispel the +mists of error--to meliorate propensity to evil--to harmonize the +rational soul--still to delight in works so dark, still to trample +under foot every principle of humanity; still to spurn from them +the obligations of justice, still to set at naught the precepts of +religion; and to make themselves accomplices with pagan oppressors, +in tyrannizing over those hapless beings, whom a mysterious Providence +has subjected to their power? Is the Christian trader content to put +himself upon a level with the unenlightened despot, and coolly to put +his blood-stained profits in the balance, against the laws of religion +and his country; laughing at the remonstrances of philanthropists, +as the dreams of enthusiasm, or as puerile objections unworthy of +attention? No; it surely will not be thus. England has entered the +path of mercy [4], let her pursue it with energy and constancy: +and if other nations refuse to follow her heaven-enlightened way, +to them belongs the shame and the guilt of trampling down the laws +which bind man to his God and his fellow-man; and, for the violation +of which, every individual must be accountable, at that tremendous +audit, before which the oppressed and the oppressor shall alike appear! + +But to return to our narrative from these reflections, which the +seriousness of the subject forced from us, and which must apologize +for them with our young readers. + +The time being fixed for Irving to have an audience with the king, he +was conducted to the palace, which was a spacious edifice, consisting +of many large courts, entirely surrounded with porticoes, above which +were apartments with small windows. These apartments, as well as every +part of the palace, exhibited great magnificence in the furniture and +decorations. Some of the floors were covered with exquisitely fine +matting, and others with superb Turkey carpets; and the furniture +consisted of chairs, sofas or divans, skreens, chests, cabinets and +porcelain imported from China. The windows were not glazed, but were +shaded with frames of fine white linen, and taffety curtains. The +gardens of this superb palace were very extensive, laid out in long +vistas of lofty and beautiful trees; affording a deliciously cool +and shaded retreat, for the women immured in the splendid prison. It +was evident to Irving, as he passed some of these apartments to the +hall of audience, that his African majesty intended to receive him +in great state; but whether out of respect to him, as a European and +a slave and spirit merchant, or to display his own magnificence, he +could not determine: nor was it of much consequence, although he well +knew that the Europeans in general are well received, and are allowed +to dispense with the humiliating ceremonies they scrupulously exact +from their own subjects; and, unlike them, are granted an audience +whenever they desire it. When Irving, therefore, entered the hall +where the king was seated to receive him, his majesty immediately +rose, and advanced some steps to him; took him by the hand, pressed +it in his own, and three times successively touched his fore finger, +which was the greatest token of amity and affection. After this, +he desired him to sit down by his side, upon fine mats spread on the +floor; which Irving having complied with, he displayed his presents +to his majesty, who was astonished to find he could, with ease, +converse with him without the aid of an interpreter. + +Irving could not but feel gratified at the extreme although childish +pleasure the young monarch evinced, in receiving the presents; which +consisted of an elegant case of English spirits, some beautiful guns, +a superb sword, and a great variety of trinkets for the ladies of the +seraglio. The king offered to sell him some of his discarded wives; +but Irving respectfully declined the offer of the ladies, as not very +well calculated for the labours of the colonies. + +In the audience chamber were two benches, one of which was broader than +the other, covered with an embroidered cloth, and by it was an oval +stool; upon this the monarch seated himself, after having received and +examined the presents. The other bench was covered with mats, on which +Irving was directed to sit, as the usual seat of the Europeans during +conferences. Irving was uncovered; not, however, by order, but from +a voluntary desire of showing proper respect; for he had not forgot +the early lesson, "honour the king," though as a slave-dealer, it may +be, alas! inferred, that he had little recollection of the context, +"fear God." He made himself so agreeable, however, to the king, that +he was invited to dine with him, and the meal was served with great +elegance. While they were feasting, the grandees prostrated themselves +before their sovereign; and what provisions were left were given to +them, which they appeared readily and cheerfully to accept. Irving +had, during this long interview, an ample opportunity of observing +the person, the dress, and the manners of the new king of Whidah; +and, in some degree, to form a judgment of his character. His dress +was superb, composed of silk and gold, with strings of beautiful +coral round his neck, arms, and wrists. In person he was tall, well +shaped, with remarkably smooth and polished skin. His manners were +free, urbane, and familiar; but there was discovered a disposition +to covetousness, and the usual propensity to inebriety. Nor was it +difficult to discover that he was indolent and pusillanimous, the usual +companions of luxury and dissipation. In fact, the faults of the king +seemed those of his education; and his virtues, those of his nature, +which required only civilization, good examples, and a pure faith, +to nourish into fruitfulness. + +The audience chamber in which Irving was received, was hung with +tapestry. At the upper part of the room was a throne, formed of ivory; +it was ascended by three steps, and shaded by a canopy of the richest +silk. This is used on great state occasions. + +The king readily granted permission to Irving, to view the palace, +excepting, of course, the apartments of the women. Conducted by +his friend the grandee, and some other officers of the palace, he +found it more extensive than he had supposed, having entered by a +private passage. It consisted of several large squares, surrounded +with galleries, each of which had a portico or gate, guarded by +soldiers. The first gallery on entering the palace is very long, +supported on each side by lofty pillars. At the termination of this +gallery was a wall with three gates, the centre one ornamented with +a turret seventy feet in height; terminated with a figure of a large +snake, cast in copper, and very ingeniously carved. These gates opened +into an immense area, enclosed also with a wall; then another gallery +like the former, into another spacious court; and so on to a fourth, +beyond which were the apartments of the king. In this spacious palace +the king is sometimes immured for years, until he is crowned; and +here, also, many wealthy courtiers spend the whole of their time, +leaving trade and agriculture to be executed by their wives and +slaves. (Note K.) These go to the circumjacent villages, either to +trade in merchandise, or serve for daily wages; but they are obliged +to bring the greatest part of what they obtain to their masters, +otherwise they make no scruple to sell them for slaves. + +Irving and his new royal acquaintance had passed their time so +convivially, that the negociation for slaves was deferred till the +morrow, when he again attended his majesty to a depot, containing +about two hundred; and as they were going to this place, they met +nearly as many proceeding to the coast, the king's agents having +sold them on the preceding day. Amongst this wretched group, Irving +remarked some remarkably handsome men; and found, on enquiry, they +were from Molembo, from whence the finest negroes are obtained. + +The number he was invited to examine, consisted of men, +women, and children; and, to any but a slave-dealer, the sight +was heart-rending. Fathers overwhelmed in silent sorrow; mothers +expressing their anguish in affecting lamentations, audible sighs, +or deep groans, expecting every moment to be separated from their +tender offspring, whom they clasped to their bosoms, or endeavoured +to hide under the folds of their pacans; youthful females shrinking +from the brutal gaze of the trader, and dreading nameless indignities; +the fiery eye of many a youth, indignant at the bonds which confined +him from levelling to the ground the wretches who bought and sold him +as a beast of the field, and tore him from the object of his love, +whom he was powerless to save from death and bondage. But such a +scene was of too frequent occurrence, the cry of the innocent was too +familiar, to make any impression upon those who were bargaining. Irving +purchased many of them; and having seen them marked as his property, +(Note L.) left his people to conduct them to Whidah; whither, after +having taken a cordial leave of the king, and so far conciliated him +and the grandee as to ensure future advantages, he himself, with his +attendants and the female slave, returned that evening. + + + + Canst thou, and honoured with a Christian name, + Buy what is woman-born and feel no shame? + Trade in the blood of innocence, and plead + Expedience as a warrant for the deed? + Perish the thought! + + + + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + "And if perchance a momentary sigh, + For such a lot reflection may supply, + He follows not the feeling to its source." + + Barton (adapted.) + + "If ever thou hast felt another's pain, + If ever when he sigh'd hast sigh'd again; + If ever on thine eyelid stood the tear, + That pity hath engender'd--drop one here: + This man was happy." + + +It will naturally be supposed, from the eagerness of Irving to make +good the purchase of Imihie and her poor boy, that his heart was +deeply interested by their situation, and that he had it certainly in +his power to ameliorate it. But, alas! if, for a moment, the chord +of compassion was touched, the feeling was transient, the impulse +too weak to prompt to action; and, so far from being strengthened +by the night's reflections, they, on the contrary, did but lead to +lament his own folly, in making himself liable to the loss he would +probably sustain by the high price he had given; as it was a condition +of his engagement with the Company, that he was to be individually +accountable for all losses incurred by the purchase of unprofitable +slaves. These anticipations of pecuniary injury, were confirmed by +the appearance of his poor captive on her arrival at the depot at +Whidah. A fixed melancholy seemed to have absorbed every faculty, +rendering her insensible even to the playful caresses of her boy, +in whose sparkling eye, health "seemed a cherub yet divinely bright;" +so happily unconscious was he of the bitterness of his lot, and the +sufferings of his mother. Finding, from his people, that she resolutely +rejected sustenance, Irving himself endeavoured to persuade her, but +without success; but when self-interest, aided by the dictates of +conscience and compassion, induced him to resort to the usual mode +of forcing it, (nor will we question it was a painful task to him,) +his heart must have been of adamant, not to have felt the powerful +appeal of wretchedness and despair, when, while in the execution +of this cruel duty, the poor captive looked up in his face, and, +with a mournful smile, said: "Presently I shall be no more." (Note +M.) Irving, indeed, from her appearance, began to think so; and as +he could not now remedy her situation, nor restore her to what she +had lost, he considered his best plan was to consign her, as soon +as possible, to the ship waiting to receive the collected slaves, +congratulating himself on his humanity, in having prevented the mother +and child from being separated, even if he should thereby sustain +some loss. He determined, also, to do all he could to ensure her +some attention during the passage; and, with this view, determined to +go immediately on board, to see the accommodation, and to give some +particular instructions to the captain; leaving orders that Imihie +should be conducted to the ship as soon as the day began to close. + +The ship destined to convey these miserable beings to the West Indies, +had already on board between four and five hundred negroes. The +captain boasted much of the superior accommodation of his vessel for +the trade; and, to confirm his assertion, entreated Irving to visit the +slave-rooms. Willing to conciliate any who might promote his interest, +Irving consented. The superior accommodation he found, was, that +every slave, whatever his size, had five feet six inches in length, +and sixteen inches in breadth, to lie upon! The floor was crowded with +bodies, stowed or packed according to this allowance. But between +the floor and deck, or ceiling, were platforms or broad shelves, +in the mid-way, which were also covered with bodies. (Note N.) The +men were shackled two and two, each by one leg, to a small iron +bar; these, the captain with much self-complacence said, were every +day brought upon deck for the air; but lest they should attempt to +recover their freedom, they were made fast by ring-bolts to the deck, +or by two common chains, which were extended on each side the main +deck; but the women and children, he added, were suffered to remain +loose. Few slaves fared so well as his, he continued, for he allowed +each a pint of water a day, and yams and horse-beans twice a day; +and afterwards, for exercise and health, they jumped in their irons, +which, if they refused to do, he was obliged, certainly, to flog them, +as it was his duty to preserve them in health, if possible. Irving, +however, learnt, in the course of this man's conversation, that it +was usual for these miserable beings to remain fifteen or sixteen +hours below deck, out of the twenty-four; and that, in wet weather, +they could not be brought up for two or three successive days: their +situation was, he acknowledged, very distressing, but he could not +remedy it. They would cling to the gratings for a little air; draw +their breath with anxious and laborious efforts; fight with each +other for a taste of water; and many died of suffocation. (Note O.) + +Amongst the number thus confined in the hold of this ship, Irving +remarked many whose nobleness of aspect indicated that there was a +"spirit within," which rose even above such calamity--a consciousness +of moral dignity, that spurned at the cruelties of the oppressor; +but there was one in particular, before the flame of whose eye even +Irving shrunk abashed. He was evidently a person of consequence; high, +it would seem, in military rank, inferred from certain personal +indications, with the meaning of which Irving was acquainted; +and also from some articles of dress, stated to have been taken +from him when captured; and every look (action was denied him) +indicated that he possessed a mind not insensible to the eminence of +his station. Irving enquired from whence he was taken, and from whom +purchased? He was told, from Molembo, it was thought; and that he had +been only a few days purchased from the king of Whidah, with a number +of his countrymen, taken by treachery, and in defiance of a treaty +subsisting at the time. This was all he could learn; and having given +his instructions respecting Imihie, Irving returned to Whidah before +her arrival at the ship, being desirous to avoid another interview, +the sight of her producing a painful emotion he could neither define +nor account for. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + "Soft airs, and gentle heavings of the wave, + Impel the fleet whose errand is to save! + But ah! what wish can prosper, or what pray'r, + For merchants rich in cargoes of despair. + The sable warrior, frantic with regret + Of her he loves, and never can forget, + Loses, in tears, the far-receding shore, + But not the thought that they must meet no more." + + Cowper. + + +Night shed her silent influence over the mighty deep; the firmament +was bright with myriads of glittering worlds; the moon, in full and +mild lustre, rode majestically, like a sphere of silver light, on the +summit of fleecy clouds, and was reflected, in many a fantastic form, +by the tossing waves, the gentle ripplings of which were mingled +with the distant sound of "All is well," borne on the gale from the +fort, the regular tread of the watch on deck, and the boatswain's +shrill whistle. The rush of the shark, "cutting the briny deep," +as it instinctively followed the floating receptacle of misery, was +the only sound that interrupted, painfully, the heavenly calmness +of the scene and hour; a calmness, alas! little according with the +soul-sickening agitations of the wretched beings, now silently borne +from all held dear and precious, and on their way to all the horrors +of a life in chains. Cargoes of despair they may truly be called! + +Imagination, in its loftiest flight, must come short in attempting to +embody in words, the smallest part of the aggregate of misery which +exists on board a slave-ship; it will, therefore, not be attempted: +one only being of the wretched number must appear a moment on our +theatre of woe; he who had so forcibly arrested the attention of +Irving, when visiting the slave-rooms. + +Confined promiscuously with such a multitude of his wretched +countrymen, the agony of his feelings is not to be described. With the +form and visage of a man, he felt, indignantly felt, that his destiny +was that of the beast of the field, and his soul seemed bursting from +the frame that confined it. Wearied nature at length found a short +cessation from the unutterable pangs of woe, in sleep--in consoling +visions! He dreamt he was in his own beloved country, in the enjoyment +of honour and command, caressed by his family, served by his wonted +attendants, and surrounded with the comforts of his former life: +his spicy groves exhaling sweets, his palm-tree's refreshing shade, +his rivers teeming riches, his domestic endearments, his war-like +preparations, and his hard-earned triumphs, came in succession on +his fancy. But the sweet delusions were too soon dispelled: he awoke, +with a hurried start, to the sad, sad reality, that he was a slave in +the midst of slaves. The rapid retrospect of former happiness with +existing misery, rushed on his soul; and the dreadful reverse drew +from his manly breast the most affecting lamentations. Every dear +object of his regard flitted before his mental view; but, alas! there +was no reality but misery--interminable bondage: there was no fond eye +to behold, no persuasive tongue to soothe, no attentive ear to listen +to his woe. Mingled with the meanest of his subjects, whom he had no +power to relieve; subjected to the cruelty and insolence of wretches +a thousand degrees lower in the scale of humanity and intellectual +endowment, yet arrogating their superiority as Christians, and the +proud distinctions of national advantages, his soul refused comfort, +and he determined upon death. Little did he think this foe to nature +was so near; little did he imagine the horrid form in which he would +present himself; and that there might be circumstances which, at the +moment of expiring nature, would make him cling to, and even give +value to a life of perpetual bondage! + +The vessel made considerable way during the night, and the morning +rose, with glorious splendour and beneficent freshness, upon the +world of waters; on the majestic bosom of which, floated such an +accumulation of moral turpitude and excelling misery! The hour +arrived when the slaves were to be brought on deck for air and +exercise. The sable warrior anticipated it with a gloomy joy, as +the most favourable opportunity of effecting his designed purpose of +self-destruction; and when he found he was to be fastened to the deck, +he violently resisted. This, however, did but provoke his oppressors +to increased indignities. In the midst of this struggle, he became +calm as a lamb, resistless as an infant. The sound of a female voice, +singing a mournful African air, seemed to have bound him by a potent +spell. (Note P.) His eyes appeared as if bursting from their orbits, +his whole frame trembled; while the big tear rolled silently down +his sable countenance, which assumed a mingled expression of doubt, +hope, and agony. He at first directed his piercing eyes to the air, +as if he thought the song proceeded from some hovering, viewless +spirit. He again renewed his efforts to get free, and fixed his gaze +intently on the remotest part of the ship, from whence the sound +seemed to proceed, but nothing met his view: the song, however, still +continued, only interrupted, at intervals, by deep sobs of anguish, +and the scarcely-heard voice of infantine distress. + +Rendered desperate by the confinement under such powerful emotions, +he called loudly on the spirits of his fathers, to avenge him on the +Christian tyrants; and while enduring, in consequence, the cruel +scourging and insulting mockery of the barbarian crew, a piercing +scream was heard, and the poor Imihie was seen rushing from an +obscure place, (in which the captain had indulged her to remain,) +with the infant Samboe clinging to her bosom. In a moment the names +of Tumiah! Imihie! were interchanged; and the exhausted Imihie, +letting her child fall from her relaxing arms, threw herself upon +the panting bosom of her enchained and manacled husband. + +We invade not the feelings of that moment: language has nothing to +do with them. The Being who formed the heart of man, can alone judge +of its emotions. + +The maternal affection was not, however, long absorbed in the conjugal; +and the half frantic Imihie recollected, that Samboe was not enfolded +with her in the arms of Tumiah. She loosened herself with difficulty +from his embrace, to restore her child to his wonted protection within +her own; but, at the moment she arose for the purpose, a tumultuous cry +resounded through the ship, of "fire! fire! Loosen the slaves! loosen +the slaves!" The fire, however, spread with such violence, bursting +from the spirit-room, that the sailors, apprehending that it was +impossible to extinguish it before it would reach a large quantity of +gunpowder on board, concluded it necessary to precipitate themselves +into the sea, as offering the only chance of saving their lives. + +However, they did first endeavour to loose the chains by which the +slaves were fastened to the deck; but in the confusion the key +could not be found, and they had but just time to loosen one of +the fastenings, by wrenching the staple, before the vehemence of +the fire so increased, that they simultaneously jumped overboard; +when immediately, the fire having gained the powder, the vessel blew +up, with every slave that was confined by the unloosened chain, and +such others as had not possessed the power to follow the example of +the sailors. + +We hardly know whether to style it fortunate, that any circumstance +should save these victims of avarice from a watery grave, after +escaping that which, to the sense, seems more terrible. Providence, +however, ordained that there should be some vessels in sight; which, +putting out their boats, took up about two hundred and fifty of the +poor souls that remained alive; but the most of them being those who +had been fastened together with shackles, had, from the violence of +the shock, and the confinement of the irons, experienced dreadful +fractures of the limbs; which, inflamed by the struggles they had +instinctively made, the heat, and the agitated state of the blood, +quickly mortified, and ere they were scarcely sensible of their +increase of calamity, released them, for ever, from all fear of it +more. Among the number who thus yielded up his manly spirit, was +Tumiah, rejoicing in the belief that his Imihie and Samboe were also +removed to a land of spirits--a land where no man-stealer can enter, +no treachery gain access, no violence invade. He might have adopted +the words of the poet: + + + "Now, Christian, glut thy ravish'd eyes; + I reach the joyful hour: + Let, let the scorching flames arise, + And these poor limbs devour. + + "O Death, how welcome to th' opprest! + Thy kind embrace I crave; + Thou bringst to Misery's bosom rest, + And freedom to the slave!" + + +The fond belief, however, of the expiring Tumiah, that his wife and +child had escaped the horrors of bondage, was fallacious. Previously +to the calamity, the feelings of the wretched Imihie had been wrought +up nearly to their utmost height; the sight of the quick-advancing +flames, therefore, was sufficient to augment them to frenzy, and with a +strength which frenzy only could impart, to a frame exhausted by want +of nourishment and continual grief, she snatched the infant Samboe +from the deck, upon which he had fallen, and where, unheeded by one +pitying eye, he remained, without uttering any cry or attempting to +move; for, overcome by terror of the noise and brutality of the crew, +the sight of the immense ocean, and the want of that nourishment which +he in vain sought from the exhausted bosom of his wretched mother, +the suffering child seemed unable to move, or even to utter any sound. + +Imihie pressed him closely to her breast, turned a momentary and +frenzied glance upon her enchained husband, and uttering a faint cry of +terror, cast herself and precious burden into the foaming deep. But it +was not decreed to become her tomb. Almost by miracle, she was thrown +near a boat which had put off from a Spanish slave-vessel, and was +picked up by the crew, with Samboe still closely entwined within her +arms; without, however, exhibiting the smallest appearance of remaining +life. But the vital spark was not yet extinct. She was immediately +put on board the ship, and means of resuscitation used with both her +and her child, as well as several other equally miserable victims of +avarice. Heaven decreed these efforts to be effectual: and thus was +the widowed mother transferred, by the sudden calamity, from one set +of mercenaries to another, yet still doomed to slavery! The vessel +had taken in her cargo at Rio Pongos, and was bound for the Havannah; +but her stowage was too small to allow her, with impunity, to keep the +increase occasioned by the casualty of the fire. She therefore put +into a port, and disposed of them to a ship bound for Jamaica. This +occasioned considerable delay; in consequence of which, when the +transferred slaves were at length on their passage, they were subjected +to all the evils of improper seasons; water failed, provisions became +spoiled and scanty, and many of the slaves the victims of disease, +ere they entered the magnificent harbour of Port Royal. + +Arrived at Kingston, they were put in store, until notice should +be given of sale, which was immediately done by advertisement: "On +Tuesday next will be put up for sale, in their store, fifty superb +negroes of the coast; to the purchasers of which will be afforded +all the facilities wished." + + + * * * "What man reading this, + And having human feelings, does not blush + And hang his head, to think himself a man?" + + + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + "Authority usurp'd from God, not given. + He gave us over beast, fish, fowl, + Dominion absolute. That right we hold + By his donation: but men over men + He made not lord; such title to himself + Reserving, human left from human free." + + Milton. + + +Had Irving now seen the once attractive Imihie, and her playful boy, +as he even beheld them in the slave-room of the African courtier, +he would scarcely have given credit to any assurance that she +was the same individual. She then, recently a captive, peculiarly +displayed in her person the characteristic feminine traits of her +country--perfect symmetry of proportion, and beautiful, in as far as +it did not consist in colour. Modest, affable, and faithful, these +sweet feminine qualities emanated from her softened eyes, and an air +of winning innocence in every look and gesture; while every word was +pronounced with an inflection of voice so sweet, so soft, so tender, +that cold indeed must have been the heart that could withstand its +eloquent appeal, or listen, unmoved, to its modulations. Such was the +young Imihie. Now, alas! how changed! Emaciated for want of food, +sinking with illness, shrinking from exposure; almost frenzied +with the recollection of the past, the misery of the present, +and the dread of the future; bearing, with difficulty, her infant, +she was conducted, with her companions in misery, to the vendue, in +the bare hope that she might be purchased for the sake of the boy; +who, though suffering from the effects of the voyage and want of +his natural nutriment, still evidently displayed great intelligence, +and much natural vigour. The first day of exhibition passed, and no +purchaser was found for the sulky negress, (for such is the feeling +term applied to the desponding.) + +On occasions like this, it is a common thing to speculate upon the +purchase of what are termed the refuse negroes, or those left from the +first day's sale. Some are frequently in so weak and miserable a state, +as even to be sold as low as for a dollar; some are taken to the mart +almost in the agonies of death; and some are even known to draw their +last sigh in the piazzas of the vendue master. It was on the second +day's sale that Imihie was purchased by a planter for a very low sum, +and carried into the country, with some others, whom he intended +to retail. The situation of these wretched captives was but little +ameliorated, by becoming the property of this man, who was of that +class of managers, who think that the safety of the family to which +they are subservient, and the interest of the proprietor, renders +severity indispensable, and oppression the only mode of subduing +the refractory spirit of the African, whom they regard with the most +sovereign contempt. With souls lost to all sense of compassion, they +believe there can be but one mode of enforcing obedience, that of fear; +and in the exercise of their delegated authority, they put in action, +to the utmost, this ignoble stimulus, by every means which a spirit +of cruelty and ignorance can suggest. + +Short, indeed, would have been the existence of the miserable Imihie, +had she continued the property of this semi-barbarian. Confined in a +narrow and unwholesome hut, without a single comfort; a hurdle for +a bed, which rather served to torture than to ease her pained and +wearied limbs, with scarcely sufficient of a coarse linen to secure +her frame from the scorching heats of the day, and the dangerous dews +of night; in the midst of the richest bounties of nature, and the +abundant luxuries of art, fed on salt beef and salt cod, and roots, +with the injurious flour of the cassava, imperfectly prepared, +and these in quantity scarcely sufficient to support existence; +deprived of every enjoyment; condemned to perpetual labour, under the +rod of an unfeeling master, there could be no chance of amendment of +health, or of reconcilement to her destiny. But Providence ordained +she should yet feel the happiness of sympathy. Her tyrant master, +finding that her labour was very inadequate to the expences of +retaining her, would have separated her from her child, and sold +her for the smallest possible sum; but a neighbouring proprietor of +a small plantation offered a satisfactory price for them together, +and they were removed to a comparatively comfortable situation, in +the hope that, with rest and better food, she might be enabled to +become a house-slave to the wife of the purchaser. + +It has been remarked, by observing travellers, that the women of the +West Indies possess great natural kind feelings; but that the habitual +view of oppression, and the free exercise of power over the slaves, +renders them very insensible to the sufferings of the negro women, +and totally regardless of promoting their happiness, or of studying +to ameliorate their hard lot; and that the instances are by no means +uncommon, in which they treat and have them punished with the utmost +severity: that they can raise, to no gentle tone, their soft voices, +and exert, with no little energy, their spiritless frames, when +provoked by the awkwardness, or jealous of the influence of their +sable captives. Ah! much to be lamented is that state of oppression +on the one part, and debasement on the other, which can convert the +expression of that distinguishing feature of beauty, of female beauty +more especially, from that which indicates right feeling, to that which +betrays a superiority the God of nature designed not. A woman's eye +should melt with tenderness, sparkle with innocent animation, weep +with those that weep, and beam with the rays of joy at the happiness +of another. + +Such was the expression which shed its consolation on the desolated +Imihie, upon the visit of her new mistress to her lowly hut. This +amiable woman was young, but her mind had been early matured in the +school of adversity: a hapless fate had fixed her residence in a +remote part of Jamaica, but she had also learnt, from precepts which +will never lead astray, "in whatsoever situation she was, therewith +to be content." From the same Master who had inspired this lesson of +the apostle, she had also learnt the only cure for the rebellion of +the mind; that force defeated its object; that it was the interest of +those who possessed power over their fellow-beings, that they should +be attached to life, for nothing could be expected from them, the +moment that they no longer feared death. Guiding her conduct by this +principle of enlightened reason, derived from a far higher source, +the most genuine sentiments of humanity were in constant exercise, by +a corresponding course of action. She could not, indeed, as an obscure +and solitary individual, break or remove the yoke which oppressed +her fellow-creatures; but she could render it easier to be borne, and +could, sometimes, even for a time, dissipate the cruel sense of it, +by promoting and favouring the natural tastes of her poor slaves. Their +lodging, clothing, and food, were all attended to by persons she could +depend upon, and regularly inspected by herself. Far from regarding +the occupation degrading, she persevered in it as a commanding +duty; and she reaped her high reward, by the grateful affection of +her poor servants. By various simple methods, she roused from the +apathy of despair, and awakened the sensibilities. Little festivals +conducted with judgment, innocent recreations, and simple rewards, +preserved her slaves from the continual melancholy, which had too +just a foundation. She sympathized with mothers, and delighted to +share with them the caresses of the children. + +Her husband, although possessing not her intelligence and elevation +of mind, nor actuated by the principle that directed the energies of +his amiable wife, yet was induced, by her unostentatious usefulness, +and evident success in her plans, to accede to most of the humane +innovations she proposed to him; convinced, by her arguments, that it +would be his interest to be humane. Hence, their plantation exhibited a +picture of comfort seldom seen, and their slaves had every appearance +of health. They were allowed wholesome provision in ample quantity, +with as much fruit as they wished; they had the liberty of keeping +poultry, and to cultivate a piece of ground with esculent roots; +their huts were comfortable, and when sick they experienced the +kindest attention; and they were frequently suffered to associate +with each other in little parties, for recreation and amusement. + +Such were the proprietors of the poor Imihie and her hapless boy, who +soon began to find the benefit of kind treatment; and it is probable, +had Providence ordained that it should have been enjoyed, immediately +after landing on a foreign shore, that the miseries of the voyage, +and even the horrors of bondage, might have been overcome by youth, +and that wonderful buoyancy of the human mind, that seems to force +itself above the swelling waves of misfortune. But the arrow had sunk +too deep: its barb had been too powerfully poisoned, for human effort +to withdraw, or to antidote it. Imihie was evidently the victim of that +disease which hurries to an untimely grave, so many individuals of +her hapless country; and which, throughout the world, may be termed, +although not yet classed, a broken heart. The first symptom of this +disorder among negroes, became evident; namely, the black and glossy +skin assumed an olive hue, the tongue became white, and the poor +sufferer became overpowered by such a desire to sleep, that it was +found impossible to resist it, a deadly faintness preventing the +smallest exercise. In fact, a languor and general relaxation of the +whole wonderful machinery of the human frame, seems to threaten death +day by day, yet the sufferer still survives. So great is the state of +despondency accompanying this distressing malady, that those afflicted +will suffer themselves to be beaten, rather than attempt to move or +walk. Happy was it for Imihie that she had not a task-master's whip to +dread; and that the loathing which she had for mild and wholesome food, +was not attributed to obstinacy, but to what it really was, a symptom +of the disease which was insiduously undermining the vital principles +of life. It made rapid advances upon her delicate and youthful frame: +her respiration became laborious and painful, the extremities became +swollen, and suffocation seemed frequently to impede the action of +the heart. In this state she languished and suffered several months; +but Imihie had her consolations, under an infliction, the natural +consequence of melancholy upon the organs of the human frame. + +We have said, that the humanity and enlightened reason of the +excellent Mrs. Delany, were derived from a high source; even from that +source which exalts feeling to a principle: the one is frequently as +transient as the excitement, the other is founded upon a firm basis; +offering a permanent and pure incentive to action, by adding a value +to existence, as connecting it with a future. Such is one of the many +blessed fruits of a Christian faith. Mrs. Delany felt its commanding +power: she was a Christian in deed. Hers was not a speculative creed, +but a practical code: it was her daily, hourly study to act upon. + +It is true, Jamaica, at the period of our narrative, enjoyed not +the high privileges it now possesses of Christian instruction, and +of Christian example; but Mrs. Delaney was one amongst the few, who, +feeling and enjoying the light and the consolation of religion, were +anxious to impart a portion of what cheered their own hearts--of that +which directed their steps, to those who yet "sat in darkness and +the shadow of death." Deeply interested in her hapless slave, from +the moment she saw her, Mrs. Delaney had soothed, by truly maternal +attention, her bodily sufferings, and her mental anguish. She inwardly +deplored her total ignorance of that grand source of consolation, the +knowledge of which was so open to those who despised it. She gently +prepared the feelings and the understanding for the reception of that +light, which she fervently prayed might be imparted to her benighted +mind. She gradually led her docile steps, her mental view, to Him who +invites the heavy laden to resort to him for rest; to seek Him who is +the strength and the fortress of those that trust in him; to adore, +with unfeigned humility, that transcendent mercy, which became poor +that we might be rich. What heart is there, bereft of all earthly +good, all earthly hope, but must expand with joy, to receive into +its most inmost recesses the precious promises of Christianity?--of +that mild and beneficent religion, which so tenderly sympathizes with +every emotion of the weak, the frail, the lacerated bosom? Was it +then surprising, that the poor Imihie, with feelings too powerful for +utterance, hung upon the mild accents of Mrs. Delaney, as she described +to her the sufferings of the Redeemer--the abyss of wretchedness from +which he rescued mankind--the dreadful penalty from which he saved a +rebellious world? Was it surprising, that, with an eager gratitude, +which gave a heavenly expression to her languid eyes, and displayed +itself in every varying feature, she listened to the glorious truths +of revelation, unfolded in terms suited to her expanding capacity; +and that, with all the simplicity of unsophisticated nature, receiving +the noblest impressions of Deity, she bade Mrs. Delaney thank her great +good God for his marvellous kindness to wretched captives, and for the +unsearchable riches of his grace. Never was she wearied in hearing +her kind instructress recount the sufferings of the incarnate God: +tears, the offspring of genuine feeling, chased each other down her +altered countenance, as Mrs. Delaney directed her imagination to the +garden of Gethsemane, to the judgment-hall, where He, whose throne is +heaven, and his footstool earth, was exposed to insult, contumely, +and scorn; scourged, buffeted, spit upon; betrayed by one friend, +denied by another, and abandoned by all; subjected to a painful, a +cruel, and an ignominious death, in the presence of insulting foes: +the very spirit clouded by the momentary abandonment of heavenly aid, +forcing from the lips of the sufferer the agonizing exclamation: +"My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" and all this for the +love he bore for those who became his murderers. + +Thus would Mrs. Delaney, in language suited to the capacity of her +pupil, recount the affecting history of our Redeemer, and gradually +open her mind (aided by the Spirit of grace constantly implored +to direct her) to the grand truths of the gospel. The soul of the +dying Imihie imbibed the soothing balm, felt the powerful energy, +and gladly received the consolation the religion of Jesus alone has +power to give. Her tears, it is true, still flowed for Africa, and for +Tumiah; but they were no longer bitter tears. The heavenly ray which +had been communicated to her soul, had not only enlightened it, but +stilled its perturbations; and captivity was deprived of its horrors, +in the enjoyment of those lively instructions in the way of holiness +and peace, so impressively imparted by her truly Christian mistress. + +Often when administering some relief to her bodily suffering, +Mrs. Delaney would ask her how she felt herself. She would say, with +a serene smile, "weak, weak; but joy, joy here," laying her hand on +her bosom, then pressing that of her compassionate benefactress. No +murmur, no complaint, proceeded from her lips; but her mind appeared +ever tranquil, and her soul happy. Sometimes, indeed, while caressing +Samboe, the tear would swell in her eyes; but she had learned the +comprehensive prayer, "Lord, let thy will be done!" and a frequent, +affecting repetition of it, while she pressed her boy to her bosom, +spoke volumes to the sympathizing Mrs. Delaney. + +During this daily increase of spiritual strength, her frame gradually +sunk under the pressure of her disease, which resisted every +tried means of relief, and finally came to its usual termination; +viz. suffocation. Thus closed the mortal career of the youthful +Imihie, one of the many thousands of victims to a commerce, which, +it is feared, the mercenary will always cling to; in which desperate +men will ever be found to hazard; and, even in Africa, tyrants ever +be ready to supply the horrid market; (Note Q.) while few, it is to +be feared, will, like the poor Imihie, after a series of misery, find +a Mrs. Delaney to soothe their sorrows, and point to realms where all +tears shall be wiped away, and sorrow and sighing shall flee for ever. + + + To Heaven the Christian negress sent her sighs, + In morning vows, and evening sacrifice; + She pray'd for blessings to descend on those + Who dealt to her the cup of many woes; + Thought of her home in Africa forlorn, + Yet, while she wept, rejoic'd that she was born: + Ennobling virtue fix'd her hopes above, + Enlarg'd her heart, and sanctified her love. + With lowly steps the path of peace she trod, + A happy pilgrim, for she walk'd with God. + + Montgomery, (adapted.) + + + + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + The spreading palm-tree o'er her grave shall wave, + Emblem of bliss eternal! + + "See on the grave in which she sleeps, + The soften'd savage sits and weeps; + And the sweet voice of gratitude + Oft names her in the desert rude." + + The Missionary. + + +The infant Samboe, thus bereaved of his suffering mother, was yet too +young to feel the full magnitude of his loss; yet his little heart +experienced emotions he had no power to utter, when he was told she +would never more awake to his call, nor could he feel happy, when, +with expressions of joy, he saw the negroes of the plantation remove +his "silent mother" to the burial ground, with every demonstration +of joy. (Note R.) + +An ever kind Providence has, however, made the griefs of children to +be transient; and Samboe, the favourite of Mrs. Delaney, from his +sweetness of disposition, great activity, and early intelligence, +would probably have presented a pleasing exception to the unhappy +lot of his enslaved countrymen--might justly have enjoyed the title +of the happy negro--had his benefactress been spared to bless the +sable dependants on her kindness. But life, at all times and in all +situations transient and uncertain, may be said to be peculiarly so +in the West Indies; the progress of disease being so rapid, and the +excitements to it so many. That dreadful visitation, the yellow fever, +broke out in the district of the Delaney plantation: numberless were +the victims to the "pestilence that walketh in noon-day;" and among +them were Mr. Delaney and his amiable wife. + +Those who were capable of appreciating their worth, who had felt +their benevolence, had enjoyed the privileges they allowed, and knew +how rarely they were found in the plantations, mourned them with +unfeigned sorrow, their loss closing up the avenues of consolation and +of hope; and those too young to feel how much they were deprived of, +were quickly made sensible of a change from a system of Christian +love and benevolence, to that built upon the mere hope of worldly +gain. As it is not the custom in the English colonies, as in the +French, for the negroes to be attached to the plantation, those +of the Delaney estate were, upon the sale of it, dispersed amongst +different purchasers; and the infant Samboe became the property of +a cruel mercenary, who employed the poor child to wait upon him, +when indulging in all the luxurious ease of an occidental despot. By +those who have seen the various caprices of a temper altogether +uncontrouled, the whims of a mind destitute of cultivation and +obstinate in ignorance, the cruelty of a disposition formed by the +possession of a precarious power over helpless individuals; by those, +and those only, will the various species of suffering to which the +innocent child was subjected be understood; and the terrors which were +produced by the horrid imprecations, the unmanly abuse, and vulgar +epithets of this brutal master, upon the gentle and timid character +of the poor little Samboe. It was then he began to feel the loss, +and to pine for the tenderness of his mother and his benefactress; +and there is little doubt but he would have soon followed them to +the tomb, had not an incident occurred, that emancipated him from the +tyrannical controul by which he so acutely suffered. One day, while +attending his master at breakfast, just as he handed the coffee his +foot slipped, and it was thrown over a beautiful cimar, which the +luxurious planter highly valued, as the gift of a lady to whom he +was partial. He rose in haste and in anger, and aiming a blow at the +now kneeling boy, missed the blow, and fell himself to the ground, +striking his head by the fall against the edge of a sofa. Seeing him +suddenly fall, some attendants in waiting rushed to his assistance, +but in vain: the blow had been fatal, he had fallen to rise no more +on earth! Happy was it for Samboe that there were witnesses, white +witnesses of the scene, who could exonerate him from all intentional +connexion with, or wilful provocation to the catastrophe. The alarm, +however, of the unoffending child was distressing: the countenance +of the planter at all times bore evidence of his ill-regulated mind +and indurated heart, and the awful hand of death fixed them in an +expression the most horrid. With little idea of such sudden death, +the poor child thought he was but in a violent passion, and, in the +most piteous accents, clasping his hands together, besought "massa to +forgive poor Samboe, who would not break cup any more, would not spoil +dress any more." But his supplication was alike unheeded by master +and attendants, except by one, who kicking him as he passed, said: +"Get out of the way, ye little whining dog, or I'll make ye." Samboe +crept from the apartment, and crouching under some furniture, felt +all the bitterness of a life of slavery, of which nature, in its first +fresh feelings, can be capable. Happily again for the infant captive, +the wife of the planter could not bear to retain in her service the +innocent cause of her husband's death; at least, secretly rejoicing +at her own emancipation from his arbitrary disposition, she affected +so to say: consequently, she expressed her wish of selling him to +the manager of a neighbouring plantation, but as her recent loss +rendered it impossible for her to have a personal interview, she +thus communicated her wish by note to this person: "Unable to bear +the sight of the young author of the death of the best and tenderest +of husbands, Mrs. Williamson requests the favour of Mr. Martin to +take charge of, and dispose of him, in any way he may judge most +conducive to her interest, and to employ the proceeds in the purchase +of a more effective, that is, laborious slave. Mrs. W. relies on the +known kindness of Mr. M. to render this service to the disconsolate +widow of his late friend." My young readers will doubtless be shocked, +that Mrs. Williamson should thus profess grief for the loss of a man +she married for his wealth, without either esteeming or loving him; +but it is no fancied picture, and is presented to show, that, unless +the heart is continually watched, and the mind sedulously cultivated, +in situations favourable to indolence and self-indulgence, the moral +feelings quickly become blunted, and the individual can easily, +and without any self-reproach, assume any sentiments and any line +of conduct which best suits the whim or caprice of the moment; +and she hated the little Samboe, because she once overheard him, +in a moment of unusual gaiety, telling a circle of slaves what +merry dances they had at Delaney, when dear Missy Delaney danced +with poor Samboe. Upon such trifles will envy condescend to feed its +insatiate appetite. Good, however, to Samboe, was educed from all this +evil. Mr. Martin was the respectable and humane manager of the Moreton +estate; (see "Twilight Hours Improved," page 85;) subjected to his +superintendence during the minority of Mr. Frederick Moreton, by the +will of his deceased father; and whose humane treatment of his negroes +had excited the displeasure of the young man's guardian, Mr. Penryn, +who firmly believed the African race created only to become the slaves +of Europeans. Mr. Martin lost no time in complying with the request +of his fair neighbour. He well remembered frequently having seen the +little Samboe in attendance upon his imperious master, and never failed +to admire his extreme docility, mildness, and intelligence; and he +looked upon the circumstance of Mrs. Williamson's desire to sell him, +as very fortunate, as he had, only a few days previous, received the +commission to send to England a negro boy for his young master. + +The purchase was soon made, and Samboe was once more under the roof of +an indulgent master. Every attention was given, in order to establish +his health, and improve his personal appearance, that he might credit +the choice of his purchaser, and please the young eye of his future +master. He only remained at Jamaica to effect these purposes, when he +was consigned to the care of the captain of an English West Indiaman, +with instructions to have him safely conveyed to Mr. Penryn's, +Portman Square. + +Samboe evinced the greatest reluctance to go on board; he clung +to Mr. Martin, who himself conducted him, and trembled violently, +declaring he could not go into great ship, or on great wide sea. No one +could account for this extraordinary reluctance and evident terror; for +they knew not that the young heart of the little negro was throbbing +with recollections for which he had no name, and which he had no +power to express. It is true, they were vague, like the confused +remembrance of a troubled dream, but they were powerful; and it was +with the utmost difficulty Mr. Martin soothed him, by gentleness, +promises, and assurances; and, after all, was obliged to leave him, +when he had cried himself to sleep upon a coil of rope on the deck, +no one being able to prevail upon him to go below, and Mr. Martin +positively forbidding coercion. + +The grief and terror of the poor boy were renewed, when he discovered +he had been left by Mr Martin; but a series of kind treatment, and +many little indulgences granted him, after a while reconciled him +to his new situation; while his simplicity and quickness greatly +endeared him to the sailors, with whom he became quite a pet. The +voyage passed in this manner without any particular occurrence; and +Samboe was introduced, one evening, to the dining room of Mr. Penryn, +filled with elegant company. + +Had he been one of the wonders of the world, he probably would not have +excited more attention, or elicited more remarks. The ladies admired +his eyes and his teeth; the gentlemen enquired if he was a Molembo, +or from the Kroo country, and began an animated debate on slavery, +and the slave-trade. Each lady gave her opinion of the most becoming +dress to contrast with the jet black of his skin. One asked him if was +not glad to come to England; another enquired if he was sorry to leave +Africa; a third enquired if they flogged him at the plantation; while +a fourth, by way of compliment to the lady of the house, observed, +he was a happy black boy, to have such a charming mistress. To all +these remarks the poor child could give no reply; nor, it would seem, +was it expected; and, much to his joy, he was dismissed to the care +of the groom, until his apartment and employment about the person of +his young master could be arranged. + +The groom, however, was highly indignant that a vile neger boy +should be committed to his care: "Did they fancy he would let a +black get between his sheets? No, indeed; there was the hay-loft, +the stable-boy should pull him a truss of straw in the corner there: +surely that would be a better bed than most negers got. Sleep with +me, indeed; no, I'd lose my place first, and tis'n't a bad one, +neither. Had they told me to take Caesar the house-dog, or Neptune +the Newfoundlander, I should not have so much have minded; but a +neger boy! surely my master was half-seas over to think of it." This, +and much more of the same refined objection, passed in the kitchen +of ---- Penryn, esq. and, according to the groom's kind arrangement, +Samboe was indulged with some clean straw in the stable-loft. + +The children of oppression and calamity quickly sympathize; a kindred +feeling draws them together: thus it was with Samboe the African, +and Frank the English stable boy. An orphan from his cradle, +and a parish apprentice, Frank had been early subjected to every +oppression--exposed to every temptation; but a certain buoyancy of +spirit, and a persevering ardour of mind, enabled him to rise above +the one; and the latter was rendered less dangerous, by his constant, +unremitted love of employment. He was busily engaged mending his +shoes, when his master, the groom, introduced the young negro to his +acquaintance. "There, Frank," he said, "there is a companion for you, +my lad; take care he don't touch the horses, and mind he don't run +away. Lock him up when you come in for your supper: you may offer him +some, but I don't know what negers eat, I'm sure. Master should have +told us that, I think, for I don't expect they live as we do. Eh! my +lad, do ye mind me?" he added, with a raised voice, as he saw Frank +take the hand of the timid Samboe, and ask him if he was tired. "Oh +yes, sir!" he replied, touching his fur cap, "I will be sure to take +care of him." + +Glad to get quit of the restraint which the charge imposed upon him, +the groom was in high good humour with Frank, and promised, if he would +attend to his orders, he would give him a shilling. Astonished at his +unwonted generosity, Frank repeated his assurances; and having made +his new companion understand that he desired to make him comfortable, +with the happy facility of children to be so when left to themselves, +they quickly became acquainted. Frank found that negers could eat +good bread and fresh meat; that they had no objection to tarts; and +that even a custard, given by the cook as a treat to merry Frank, +was equally relished by the neger boy. After this luxurious repast, +during which, if it was not the "feast of reason and the flow of soul," +there was, most unquestionably, innate benevolence on one side, and +genuine gratitude on the other, the new-made friends sought repose on +the same clean truss of straw, and together enjoyed the refreshment +of "nature's sweet restorer." Not long, however, after they had thus +lain down, Frank was roused from his yet imperfect slumber, by a +slight rustling and a low voice, very near him. He spoke gently to +his new bed-fellow, but received no reply. Frank had that tincture of +superstition which usually attaches to the ignorant and uncultivated; +and the unusual sound, his new situation, and the profound darkness, +aided the impression; while a thought of the little negro became +associated with the recollection of several marvellous ghost-stories he +had heard. He ventured, however, (not without considerable reluctance,) +to feel if his sable companion was by his side, and discovered, to +his amazement, that he was not there. The murmur still continued, +and Frank, trembling all over him, made a desperate effort, and +called lustily, "Samboe, Samboe!" "Samboe here," replied the boy, +in a soft and gentle tone; "Samboe here, but wicked boy." + +Frank's courage returned at the sound of Samboe's voice clearly +pronouncing these words, although he was at a loss to account +for his self-accusation. "Why, what have you done to be wicked; +where are you?" he enquired. Samboe's imperfect knowledge of the +English language, permitted him not to understand the full import +of these questions; and it was not until Frank, with renewed courage +at finding his companion was really a mortal, contrived to make him +understand his repeated enquiry, why he had risen, and why he called +himself wicked? "Because Samboe forgot lesson dear Missy Delaney teach +him. Pray to great God before sleep; pray to great God when eyes open; +pray to good God give food; pray to good God give friends." + +Frank now understood, that Samboe, in the novelty of his situation, +and probably from the effects of a little porter he had taken, +had forgotten to offer his simple tribute of thanks and respect to +the omnipotent Creator, which the good Mrs. Delaney had taught him +habitually to do; although he was too young when she died, to admit +any further religious instruction, or to understand more than that +a great God, beyond the blue sky, observed all his actions. + +Samboe had never, until this night, neglected this lesson; but, with +uplifted hands and bended knee, was accustomed to acknowledge the +protection and the support of the Being he had been taught to regard, +as ever beholding, and with unwearied care protecting, all men. Sleep, +however, had not closed his eyes, ere the omission was recollected, +and he had crept out of the straw, to offer his simple orison, the low +murmur of which had so much alarmed his new friend. Having concluded, +he returned to his straw couch, and slept the sleep of innocence, +untill awaked by Frank rising to his morning duty in the stables. + +Frank possessed an intelligence of mind, as well as activity of spirit, +which required but opportunities to develope themselves. The incident +of Samboe's forgotten prayer, impressed his youthful mind. How was +it he had never been taught to pray? He had never seen it practised +among those he had been with. He thought people went to church to +pray; yet surely if a black boy thought it right to pray, a white +boy ought. Perhaps it was a custom among them? Yet, such was the +innate impression he had, that it was right and proper, that he +felt a species of shame to answer Samboe in the negative, when he +artlessly enquired if he did not pray to great God, to take care of +him; he, too, who knew so many things: for, to Samboe, Frank seemed +a miracle of cleverness, when he described his various employments, +and displayed, to his astonished visitor, the results of his ingenuity, +which he did with no little self-complacency. + +Samboe seemed now the happiest of human beings. He suffered nothing +to pass unnoticed; asking the reason, the use, the name of every +thing he heard, or saw, or touched. This he contrived to do, either +by broken words, gestures, or signs. The new-made friends thus passed +several hours of the morning, before the groom made his appearance; +for, although his apartments were above the stables, he did not often +occupy them, finding numerous engagements more pleasant than attending +to his duty. + +The only unpleasant circumstance of this morning of delight to +Samboe, was its chilliness. It was one of those which frequently +occur in May, as if to reprove the hastiness of the family of Flora, +in putting forth their fair forms; and its asperity was severely felt +by the little African. Frank determined to make him as comfortable +as he could; and having received no orders to the contrary, lighted +a fire in the groom's room, and invited Samboe to its genial warmth, +while he quickly prepared a comfortable mess of milk-pottage. + +They were thus enjoying themselves, when the master of the house +appeared, half awake, and storming at Frank for a lazy dog, for not +having swept the stable-door. But he supposed he and the beggarly +neger had been idling away their time together. Frank, who was used +to his arbitrary temper, said little; but, making signs for Samboe to +return to the loft, he quickly prepared every thing for his master's +toilet, and proceeded to rectify the omission of not having swept the +door-way. While thus engaged, a servant from the house arrived with +an order to the groom to take the negro-boy to a clothes-shop, and +have him neatly clothed, until a a proper dress could be fixed upon; +as he was to have an interview with his mistress and young master, +who neither of them could bear the smell of tar, exhaling from the +filthy things he wore. + +This message, delivered in due form to the groom while he was shaving +himself, nearly endangered his cutting his throat, by the resentful +agitation it caused, that he should be appointed to wait upon a +neger. It was a degradation which he could not, nor would not submit +to. Following, therefore, the example of his superiors, he delegated +the office to his subordinate; and calling loudly for Frank, as soon +as the messenger had left him, he desired him to take the black he +seemed so fond of, to Mr. Draper's, and get him rigged. "And mind +ye, Frank, boy, call at the 'potecaries or 'fumers, and bid 'em +pour some musk or lavender, or something sweet over the lad, for +missis is very particular; and as to Master Fred, I shall have him +trying how my legs will bear the exercise of his new hunting-whip, +if I do not please him about this black, who, I dare say, will not be +long before he feels it. But I suppose he has been used to flogging, +so it will be nothing to him." + +Frank, highly pleased with this important commission, called the +shivering boy from the hay-chamber, and in no long time he was +completely equipped, in a suit according to the taste of Frank and +the vender: certainly as stiff and ill made as it well could be; +while the effusion of lavender-water was completely accomplished, +even till the poor boy's eyes became filled with tears, from the +potency of the perfume, and every person he passed on his return, +half stopped, at meeting with the unusual odour. + +Samboe, however, had yet some hours to become reconciled to his new +habiliment; and his friend Frank had so many modes and sources of +employment and amusement, that those hours passed insensibly away. At +length, about four o'clock, the groom again appeared to conduct him +to the house; and when arrived, a footman desired him to follow him to +the apartment of his lady, previously to her taking her morning airing. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + "I would not have a slave to till my ground, + To carry me, to fan me while I sleep, + And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth + That sinews bought and sold have ever earn'd." + + Cowper. + + +From the reciprocation of the heart's best affections, which had +marked the short period of Samboe's acquaintance with Frank, we may +now follow the young stranger to the inanity of an Anglo West Indian +boudoir; in which were Mrs. Penryn, reclined on a chaise longue, a +young lady spangling some delicate muslin, and Mr. Frederick Moreton +standing at a distant part of the room. The footman having opened the +door, pointed to Samboe to enter, and immediately closed it upon him, +leaving the timid boy to the scrutinizing looks of Mrs. Penryn, the +oblique attention of the young lady, and the supercilious glance of the +boy, who was engaged in the humane employment of holding a live mouse +by the tail, as high as his arm could reach; while a kitten, eagerly +attending to its writhings, kept springing, instinctively, to catch +it, and as often, from the violence of the exertion, fell back on the +floor. Had it not been for the chill which pervaded his frame, in his +way to this apartment, Samboe might have thought himself in the West +Indies, both as to the temperature, and the luxurious ease displayed +in the arrangement of it. An elegant Persian carpet, entirely covered +it; sofas, ottomans, and couches, invited to indolence and repose; +ornaments of the richest and most expensive materials, vases, cabinets, +&c. adorned it; and a number of tropical birds, of beauteous plumage, +displayed their captive state in superb cages of various elegant forms; +while shells of great magnitude and exquisite beauty were displayed +in different parts of this superb room, with considerable judgment +and taste; and a rich glow seemed communicated to every object, from +the light passing the draperies of beautiful rose-coloured taffety +curtains. Plants of the loveliest bloom and most exquisite odour, +completed the fascinations of this luxurious apartment, tastefully +arranged in beautiful baskets and vases, reflected by the superb +mirrors, of which there were several on each side of the room. + +Mrs. Penryn, half raising her pale and spiritless form from the +sofa on which she was reclining, was the first to break the silence +which followed Samboe's introduction. "Come, Fred, do give Frolic the +mouse, and look at this boy. He will serve to amuse you, I hope; for +I think the dogs, the cats, the mice, and the flies, have had enough +of you. Come, did you ever behold such an uncouth creature as George +has made him: why the boy looks as if he were in a wooden case. He +must not appear about you, till he has something fit to put on." + +This feeling harangue did not divert the young gentleman from his +amusement for some minutes, till at length, more it would seem from +his own fatigue, than from any motive of compassion for the poor +animals, he gave the cat its natural prey; and it retired swearing, +as its murmur of triumph is styled, to enjoy the feast, under a sofa +at the further part of the room. "Now, Lavinia," said Mrs. Penryn, +addressing the young lady, "give us your opinion, my dear; your taste +is so good: what dress shall we have for Fred's page? He will like +whatever you decide upon, I dare say." + +"Dear me, do you think so?" replied Miss Lavinia, in the most affected +tone: "Mr. Frederick seldom asks my opinion, I think." + +"He is but a boy, and you will excuse him, I'm sure; but really this +dress must be left to you." + +"Certainly," replied Lavinia, "he must have something different from +that he now wears, which is only fit for the stable." + +"And a very good place too, I think," remarked the polite young +gentleman, as he threw himself at his length on a sofa, rousing by +the action a little white terrier, which had been reposing quietly +upon it. The dog uttered a cry, and jumped on the floor. + +"Poor Erminet cannot be quiet even here," said Mrs. Penryn, angrily: +"I wish, Fred, you would look before you lie down: I dare say you +have lamed my pretty Erminet." + +"I dare say I have done no such thing," retorted the respectful nephew: +"But I have no desire to stay, I assure you. I am sure, though Lavinia +talks of the stable, I had rather be there, than shut up in this hot +room. So make haste and determine about the boy's dress, for I cannot +stay shilly-shally here all day." + +"I wonder when you will learn to be civil," said Mrs. Penryn: "I think, +if you had had a few lessons of politeness interspersed with Greek +and Latin, it would have made you more agreeable." "That is all you +women know of the matter. But let me have no preaching. Have you done +with me?" + +"Why, Fred, how provoking you are: did you not bid me send for the +boy? And now he is come, you want to go without settling any thing +about him. Remember, he is your property, and you must do what you +please about him. I shall trouble myself no more about him." + +"Very well, then leave it alone," said the young barbarian; and +striding past the trembling Samboe, he quitted the room, shutting +the door with violence after him. + +"What a pity it is," said Mrs. Penryn, after a short pause, "that +Frederick is so hasty: such a good-hearted lad as he is. I wish, +Lavinia, you would undertake to soften down his manners: he is really +worth your trouble, my dear girl." + +The young lady simpered, half blushed, expressed her doubt of having +any influence over Mr. Frederick, who was, indeed, a fine manly +boy. There was nothing she could refuse to dear Mrs. Penryn and her +guardian, and she would certainly endeavour to please Frederick, +that she might refine his manners a little." + +"Well, begin then, my dear girl, and fix upon a tasty dress for the +boy. I know Fred will be pleased when it is done. I intend Samboe to +be his constant attendant: he is to sleep in the little anti-room, +to be ever at hand to attend Frederick's pleasure; and, in short, +he is to do what he pleases respecting him. Mr. Penryn says he will +have hundreds under his power when he goes to Jamaica." + +This reference to the taste of Lavinia, was the dictate of policy; +for she was recently become a ward of Mr. Penryn, was an orphan +of immense property, and only a few years older than Frederick. The +prudent Mr. and Mrs. Penryn were very desirous to favour an attachment +between them; and Mrs. Penryn was directed, by her husband, to seek +every opportunity of doing so. + +The young lady was of that negative character, so often met +with amongst those who, in large boarding-schools, lose every +discriminating trait in the general application of certain rules and +certain pursuits. Dress, admiration, and gaiety, alone had power to +animate her pretty features; from which, however, no intellectual ray +ever beamed. She was highly flattered by the desire of Mrs. Penryn to +exercise her taste in the choice of a dress for Samboe. That choice +could not be difficult, for one who had so frequently seen the variety +of costume exhibited on the stage; and as vanity, ostentation, and +singularity, not congruity, were to dictate the choice, it was soon +fixed, as the young lady thought, of that elegant form and expensive +material, which could not fail to please the young planter; and it +must be owned, that when, a few days subsequent, Samboe made his +appearance in the elegant costume of Persia, that he exhibited a very +fair specimen of juvenile negro beauty. The blue and silver vest and +caftan, the full girdle, the capacious trowsers, and the perfectly +white turban, with its golden cord and sparkling gems, contrasted well +with his sable skin and slender form; giving a lightness to his air, +which even the pressure of slavery was not able materially to injure. + +Lavinia's taste was loudly applauded; and even Frederick condescended +to say the boy looked something like what he ought to do. But +poor Samboe, like many a white boy and girl, felt the misery of +fine clothes, being continually reminded that he must not do this, +he must not lie there, lest he should soil his dress. + +His young master would never suffer him out of his sight: not that +he cared a button for him or his clothes, but because he could not +allow of any cessation in tormenting a poor being over whom he had +full controul; and he was continually racking his invention, to +devise some new species of torment and teasing. With a mean species +of jealousy, as soon as he found Frank the stable-boy was the only +kind being who regarded the poor black boy as a fellow-creature, he +interdicted Samboe from ever going into the stable, or from speaking +to his good-tempered friend. + +This was a cruel stroke to poor Samboe, thus to deprive him of the +only portion of comfort in his bitter draught of slavery. His mind +was in danger of becoming callous from oppression, and in proportion +to the degradation he was subjected to. He had no motive for action, +but the dread of punishment. Without voluntary agency, a mere passive +instrument in the hands of others, his mind would assuredly have become +irrecoverably contracted, and the powers of soul even destroyed, +had not the very tyranny and caprice which were producing these +lamentable results, transferred the suffering boy to the benevolent +care of Captain Tremayne, and his young nephew, Charles Roslyn. (See +"Twilight Hours improved.") + +Become the property of the latter by the hasty gift of Frederick, +how different was the lot of Samboe, from a state of cruel coercion, +of degrading slavery, which was daily debasing every manly sentiment! + + + "When, to deep sadness sullenly resign'd, + He feels his body's bondage in his mind, + Put off his generous nature, and to suit + His manners with his fate, put on the brute." + + +Such, indeed, is slavery most justly termed, "the grave of +virtue." Under its cold and ungenial influence, every generous, every +warm emotion must languish and die. Through the gloom which envelopes +the soul subjected to its dark power, no ray of intellect, no beam +of joy, no sun of cheerfulness can pierce. And yet man, inconsistent +man, while condemning his fellow-being to this soul-paralyzing state, +expects from the poor victims qualities and virtues only to be planted +in the soil, only to be nourished by the sun, of liberty--of Christian +liberty, of Christian charity: + + + "For slaves by truth enlarg'd are doubly freed." + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + "Thy lips have shed instruction as the dew, + Taught me what path to shun, and what pursue. + Farewell my former joys! I sigh no more + For Africa's once-lov'd, benighted shore: + Serving a benefactor, I am free, + At my best home, if not exil'd from thee." + + +Samboe, placed with the respectable Mr. Llwellin, made rapid progress +in reading and writing, and in the elements of general knowledge. His +quickness gained the entire attention of his preceptor; while these was +a charm and freshness in all he said, which could only be derived from +quick perceptions and a warm heart--a buoyancy of fancy and a fervid +feeling, which won the affections of all those who had to instruct +him. With the deepest attention he would listen to Mr. Llwellin, +as in a simple and impressive manner he explained to him the general +principles of religion, the nature and duty of worshipping God, the +creation of man, his fall from virtue and happiness, and the promised +restoration through the merits of the Redeemer. It is a mistake that +these subjects are beyond the comprehension, and excite no interest in +the hearts of children. Practical devotion and the Christian duties, +have a forcible influence on the ductile minds and unsophisticated +hearts of the young. Hence the transition of instruction is easy, and +perfectly understood by them, from the duty and privilege of prayer +and praise, to the truth that we are unable to do either, or even to +think what is right, without superior guidance and continual aid. The +conviction of this at once gives an object and a fervency to prayer; +and he who prays fervently and believing, however young he may be, +will not be unheeded when thus imploring the divine aid. + +It was the invariable custom of Mr. Llwellin to assemble his family +in the evening. He then read a portion of the Holy Scriptures, and +explained them with admirable simplicity and pathos to his little +auditory. It was now that the prayers Samboe had said, as it were +mechanically, were now repeated with an earnestness which fully +indicated that they were not merely the offering of the lips; and +so much did he profit by the pious instructions, example, and care +of Mr. Llwellin, that he was admitted into the Christian church by +baptism; but, at the request of his young protector, retaining his +former name as his usual appellation although he received, at the font, +that of Henry. + +So anxious was this interesting youth to attain all useful knowledge, +that he was always the first at his scholastic duties; and when +dismissed from them, after a little recreation, enjoyed with all +the zest of health and youth, he would occupy his time in religious +reading and study, drawing, and little mechanical works; equally +proving his strength of intellect and his active ingenuity. Though +his temper was frequently severely tried by the taunts and ridicule of +the boys, he never betrayed anger or resentment: he disarmed them by +his humility, patience, and meekness; so that scoffers he converted +into friends. He was lively in his disposition, but taciturn from +thought, except when with his teachers; when he seemed to expand +every faculty of his mind to receive their instructions, while any +accession of knowledge caused his naturally brilliant eyes to beam +with added intelligence and delight. + +With all these qualities of mind and heart, it is not surprising +that Samboe was a universal favourite; and unfeigned, indeed, was +his joy, when he was permitted to write to his dear massa Charles, +whom he never named without his eyes filling with tears of grateful +affection. "Oh!" he would say, "my dear massa, I shall never forget +his goodness." Years passed on in this progressive improvement, during +which a regular correspondence was kept up between Charles Roslyn and +his protege, when an incident occurred which opened a field for the +exercise of those attainments it had been the laudable and unremitted +study of Samboe to acquire. + +Colonel Roslyn was entertaining a party of gentlemen, among whom +were admiral Herbert and his nephew Fitzhugh. Charles Roslyn was the +favourite midshipman of the admiral, and the conversation turned upon +the topic of the day; namely, the slave-trade, and the probabilities +of its abolition, as well as the capacity of the negroes to profit +by their freedom. Many were the arguments adduced for and against; +and Colonel Roslyn was naturally led to relate the circumstances of +Samboe's becoming Charles's protege, and the high reward they had +experienced in the sweet disposition, high intellectual capacity, +moral worth, and genuine religious principles of the young negro. "I +have the sincerest pleasure," observed Colonel Roslyn, "in stating +this individual instance of the moral and intellectual worth of an +African, of which, doubtless, there are many similar instances, +where instruction and kindness have elicited and fostered the +qualities of the mind and heart. But we all remember the period, my +friends, when the African's claim to the character and privileges +of man was even disputed--when they were considered as somewhat +of a superior species of ourang outang [5]. This false and inhuman +estimate, succeeding years have disproved. It has been in numberless +instances shown that they are not only men, but capable of becoming +intelligent and virtuous men; and not only virtuous men, but pious, +unaffected, sincere Christians. I am not, however," continued the +colonel, "an advocate for giving personal liberty to numbers of men, +unless, at the same time, I impart the principles of religion and +the arts of civil life. It is only by giving freedom to the soul, +and by encouraging the virtuous energies of man, that we can make +him capable of properly appreciating the blessing of liberty, and +preserve him from becoming a pest to society, instead of a useful +member of it. Without these correcting and restraining principles, +liberty would soon degenerate into licentiousness, and the possession +of power be exercised in deeds of violence." + +"I entirely agree with you, colonel," observed the admiral; +"and therefore be so good as to pledge me in a glass of that +excellent claret, when I offer my sentiment: 'Let the empire of +Britain be the empire of mercy; and let no shore re-echo with the +thunder of her power, but which shall also smile under the blessing +of her beneficence.'" This sentiment of the admiral's was warmly +received. During this conversation, a young man at the lower end of the +table appeared deeply interested in it. His animated and penetrating +countenance drew the attention of Colonel Roslyn, and he expressed +his pleasure, in observing to the admiral, that an interest for the +enslaved Africans seemed to animate his young relative; for it was +Fitzhugh, whose whole soul seemed engaged in the subject. + +"Yes, indeed," observed the admiral, "Fitzhugh is a very enthusiast +in the cause, and I love him the better for it: it is honourable to +his feelings, and to those generous sentiments which ought to pervade +the heart, and direct the conduct of a British officer. Have you not +heard that he has obtained a very responsible and active appointment +in the new settlement of Sierra Leone, and that, in a short time, +he will sail for Africa? I doubt not his conscientious attention to +the duties devolving upon him, nor do I think the directors could +have made a more judicious choice; for, young as he is, his firmness +of principle, his rectitude in action, his genuine feeling, and his +cultivated mind, render him peculiarly eligible to attend to the +duties, and to surmount the difficulties of an infant colony. He will +form one of the council, which will be sent from England, for the +government of the colony. This council is particularly instructed +to secure to all negroes and people of colour, equal rights, and +equal treatment, in every respect, as the whites. They are to be +tried by jury, as the whites, and every facility given to them to +exercise their peculiar talents; employments being allotted them +according to their progressive capacity of discharging them. They +are especially, to be instructed in the principles of religion and +morals. Public worship and the reverent observation of the sabbath, +the general instruction of the adults and the judicious education of +the children, are the means to be used to draw this now wretched race +of men from the night of ignorance to the glorious light of divine +and temporal knowledge. In fact, the grand object of the Sierra +Leone Company is to substitute, for that disgraceful traffic which +has too long subsisted, a fair and legitimate commerce with Africa, +and all the blessings which may be expected from it." + +"I thank you, admiral, for this account," replied Colonel Roslyn, "and +pray, with all my heart, that the benevolent exertions of the Company +may be crowned with final success; and I believe I may assure you, that +such is also the prayer of every individual of the present company." + +"Fitzhugh," said the admiral, "I have been telling Colonel Roslyn that +you are an enthusiast for the abolition of the slave-trade--that it +is your dream by night, and your stimulus by day." + +"If, my dear Sir, an ardent desire to use my individual influence and +exertions to remove from my country such a stain upon its humanity; +if as ardently to desire an amelioration of the wretched state of the +African; if to cherish and to bring into action all those charities +which distinguish reasoning man from instinctive brutes: if to be +all this constitutes an enthusiast, then do I, indeed, plead guilty +to the charge of enthusiasm. Nor am I likely to become less so: on +the contrary, the intelligence I have just received from my young +friends here, (directing his eyes to Alfred, and Charles Roslyn, who +sat near him,) has confirmed me in the assurance, that we have every +thing to hope from the judicious and liberal plan, of the Company to +which I have now the honour to be attached; and which has so highly +flattered me, by appointing me, in conjunction with others, to carry +into effect their beneficent purposes. But you know, my dear Sir, my +deep abhorrence of slavery is derived from the practical display of its +cruelties; as well as from a deep reflection on its moral turpitude, +its impolicy, and its inconsistency with the boasted honour and +religious code of my country. Let those who question the feasibility +of the plan of civilization and emancipation, visit, as I have done, +the colonies, (more especially the Spanish colonies and the Portuguese +dominions in South America,) where the inhuman traffic of slaves is +carried to the greatest possible extent, forming the immediate and +private revenue of the crown; let them be but faintly impressed with +the horrors that constantly there occur, and I scruple not to say, +if they fail to enter their protest against a system so barbarous, +they deserve not the name of men, and make their religion but an +impious mockery. + +"A myriad of instances might be adduced, to bear me out in my +assertions. The labour, of whatever nature it may be, or however +laborious, is performed by slaves, and seldom more than six negroes +appointed to remove the heaviest burdens. I have, for instance, +seen at Rio de Janeiro, four only, groaning under a pipe of wine, +which they have had to remove through the city. Many of these poor +creatures are bred to trades, and are sent out daily or weekly, with +peremptory orders to bring home a certain sum, at the expiration of the +agreed time. What they can earn over, they have to themselves; but they +are always so highly rated, that it is with the greatest difficulty +they can raise the sum nominated; and, in case of defalcation, it is +attributed to indolence or laziness, which subjects the unhappy victim +to punishment. An awful instance of the despair produced by cruelty +and oppression, occurred during my residence at Rio. A barbarous and +remorseless wretch had a few slaves, whom he used to send out upon +the plan I have named, subjected to the penalty of a severe flogging, +if they did not, within a prescribed time, earn the sum required and +their food. One of these men was a hair-dresser: he used to attend me +very regularly, and always was quiet, industrious, and even active, +to promote his master's interest. + +"After a little time, however, I observed him to be gloomy and +melancholy. I asked him the reason for the change, and was informed +that he had been unsuccessful, and could not render to his master the +sum required; and that he had little hopes of being able to raise it, +consequently was liable to punishment, I gave him something towards +it, but, being obliged to be absent a few weeks, knew not the result +until I returned; when I was informed, that, as the time approached +when he was to render his account, he became greatly distressed, +and despaired of accomplishing his engagement. He went, however, +in great distress, and tendered what he had gained; assuring his +master he had used every exertion to obtain the specific sum, and +imploring from him a remission of punishment, or a suspension, at +least, for a few days. This was at length granted him, but with horrid +threats of many additional stripes in case of failure. The time fast +approached when he must return, and he was still deficient. He reached +the door of his master's house, when, in despair of being forgiven, +and dreading the ordeal he had to undergo, he took from his pocket a +razor, and, with a desperate violence, nearly severed his head from his +body. This horrid deed had no other effect upon his inhuman master, +than to increase his severity towards his other slaves, on whom he +imposed heavier burdens, to recompence him for the loss sustained by +the death of the miserable suicide [6]. + +"It is a usual practice," continued Fitzhugh, "when slaves become +desperately ill, for their masters to disown them, and turn them +into the streets, to evade the expences of their funeral; and, +thus abandoned and exposed, their miserable existence is soon +terminated. I have to apologize for trespassing upon your attention +so long, gentlemen," observed this intelligent young man; "but I have +only recounted one of a thousand instances which have come under my +own observation, of the barbarous abuses of power exercised over the +miserable captives." + +The party expressed their obligation to Fitzhugh, for the relation he +had given them, and their united hope, that every effort made use of, +to ameliorate the situation of the already enslaved, and to check +the inhuman traffic for the future, might be crowned with success; +all agreeing, that every exertion that England makes to stop the +bleeding wounds of Africa, will cause her to rise in her national +character more resplendent, and must meet the approbation of every +good, and what may be justly called great men, at home and abroad, +and, above all, the approbation that of God who holds in his hands +the destiny of nations [7]. + +"Have I not heard you, Fitzhugh," enquired the admiral, "express a wish +that you could meet in England with two or three intelligent negroes, +who would be willing to enter into engagements with the Company, +as instructors to the children, and whose habits of civilization +might give them an influence over their countrymen without exciting +any jealousies?" + +"You have, dear Sir," replied Fitzhugh; "and from what I have learned +of the mental and moral qualities of my young friend's protege, I am +anxious for their permission to visit Aberystwith, in order to enquire +if he has any objection to accompany me to Africa. A few such young +men as he is described to be, would do more to effect our plans, than +any other mode I can think of; and as he has not yet made any choice +of a profession, I should feel myself most grateful to Colonel Roslyn +and his friends, if they will second and sanction my application to +the youth, who owes so much to their benevolent kindness." + +Colonel Roslyn said, "Call upon us tomorrow morning, my dear Sir, and +myself and sons will be happy to co-operate, as far as in our power, +in your philanthropic exertions." + +This being cheerfully accepted, the conversation took a general turn, +until the party broke up. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + * * * "My heart surpris'd, o'erflows + With filial fondness for the land you bless." + + "Theirs the triumph be, + Instead of treasure, robb'd by ruffian war, + Round social earth to circle fair exchange, + And bind the nations in a golden chain. + To these I honour'd stoop." + + +Fitzhugh was punctual to his appointment at Colonel Roslyn's; and after +an interesting conversation, and the perusal of a number of Samboe's +letters to his protector Charles Roslyn, it was agreed that Fitzhugh +and Alfred Roslyn should proceed to Wales, in order to ascertain the +sentiments of Samboe upon his projected removal, respecting which, his +own unbiassed choice was to be consulted. The intended visit of the +young men was to be announced by letter to Captain Tremayne; and, as +Fitzhugh possessed all the ardour, promptitude, and zeal of a Clarkson, +in the cause of humanity, the letter was immediately written, and an +early day fixed for the journey. In the correspondence of Charles +and his protege, the interesting debates in the English senate, +respecting the slave-trade, frequently formed a part; and Samboe had +even so far expressed his sentiments upon the subject, that, when the +colony of Sierra Leone was first formed, he regretted that his youth, +and the mediocrity of his attainments, would oblige him to forego all +hope of being useful to his poor benighted countrymen; and he had +very sensibly felt disappointment at the ill success of the first +establishment: an ill success which sufficiently proved the truth +of the observation, that, "if the restraints of slavery be removed, +without corresponding culture of the mind and heart, the mere enjoyment +of temporal benefits will not make the man either grateful or happy." + +Charles Roslyn greatly regretted that the hourly-expected departure of +his ship, precluded him from the pleasure of accompanying his brother +and Fitzhugh to Aberystwith. Having taken leave of him, and bearing +his good wishes and tender remembrances to his kind relatives and his +affectionate Samboe, the travellers commenced their journey, early in +a lovely June morning, when every scene they passed, manifested the +riches and the bounty, the wisdom and beneficence of the Creator. The +meeting was what might be expected from refined feeling, generous +ardour, and virtuous exertion, on the one side; and grateful respect, +modest worth, and conscious ability, chastened by the most engaging +humility, on the other. Tears of unfeigned joy and gratitude started +into the eyes of Samboe, as he heard Mr. Llwellin assure Fitzhugh, +he had no hesitation in saying, that if Samboe acceded to his proposal +of accompanying him to Africa, he would be found a valuable coadjutor +in the projected work of mercy: "For he is," continued the good old +man, "not only fully capable of imparting the elements of general +knowledge, but has a happy and peculiar manner of instructing others +in those divine truths by which he regulates every action of his own +life. Nor do I think you would easily find a more fit instrument among +us, for promoting the great ends of civilization, and the moral and +religious instruction of his countrymen. I make no scruple in paying +this just tribute to the character and abilities of my dear pupil, +in his presence, because he well knows they are so much my genuine +sentiments, that I have advised his directing his attention to the +instruction of others; and Providence seems manifestly to favour +the suggestion, by the present offer enabling him to put it in +practice. May his now benighted and ill-fated countrymen become more +and more sensible of the extensive blessings preparing for them; +and may my dear and docile pupil, Samboe, be one of the favoured +instruments of Heaven, (assisted by the Spirit of grace,) to diffuse +the light, to communicate the blessings of religion, and to lead the +now idolatrous African to rejoice in the high privilege of communion +by prayer and praise with the great Creator and compassionate Saviour; +all distinctions of colour and country being lost, in that generous +sympathy which should flow from the relation which all bear to that +Saviour who died for the redemption of all men [8]." + +There was such a heartfelt earnestness, such an affecting energy, +such genuine piety, in the voice and manner of the good Llwellin, +while he uttered his philanthropic wishes, that it made a forcible +impression upon his young auditors. Tears of respect, gratitude, +affection, and hope, filled the eyes of Samboe. The intenseness +and contrariety of his feelings became painful; and, unable longer +to restrain their expression, he threw himself at the feet of his +venerable instructor, and sobbed aloud, uttering broken sentences of +obligation; and when a little composed, earnestly praying that God, +the Almighty God, would enable him to assist in the realization of +all the generous plans of his future employers; and so to act in +every situation of life, as to do honour to the precepts of his dear +instructor, and to gladden his aged heart, with the knowledge that +those precepts had not been given in vain. + +Encouraged to self-confidence by the unequivocal approbation of +his revered friend, Samboe hesitated not in his determination of +accompanying Fitzhugh in his important mission; and a few days +subsequent to the interview we have related, was fixed for the +departure from a spot, endeared to the affectionate heart of the +African by many a tender tie, many an affecting remembrance. Parting +moments are painful to experience, and are so fraught with emotion, +that they admit not of correct description; it must, therefore, +suffice to say, that after a general adieu, and loaded with many a +token of affection and good will, cheered by many a blessing, and +fortified with many a prayer from those who loved him, Samboe quitted +Aberystwith with Fitzhugh and Alfred Roslyn. The intelligence, as +well as simplicity of his remarks, upon the different objects which +engaged his attention during the journey, rendered it peculiarly +interesting to his companions. He was equally delighted with the +various objects of curiosity and interest which London presented, +and particularly with any thing which enlarged his views of any +branch of knowledge he had acquired, or which promised to assist him +in his future exertions to benefit his country. Fitzhugh found in +him, a companion who entered with ardour and untired zeal into every +plan his fertile benevolence devised, and determined to retain him +under his own immediate care and inspection. Every day increased his +confidence in the abilities and integrity of his companion; and every +succeeding day more strongly proved that they were built upon a basis, +which ensured their permanence and stability; even that of a rational, +a deep, a vital piety. + +The period of sailing approached; and happy in the exercise of the best +feelings of humanity, and the highest energies of mind, Samboe believed +nothing could add to his felicity, when an incident occurred which +called forth all his gratitude to the Being who showered his blessings +upon him. He accompanied Fitzhugh to the house of a gentleman who was +ardent in the cause of the Africans, and who freely lent the resources +of an ample fortune to further every beneficent plan, although habitual +ill health precluded him from all active exertions. On the arrival +of the friends, this gentleman was just mounting his horse for a +morning airing. Seeing, however, Fitzhugh and his companion advance, +he ordered the groom to lead his horse back to the stable, until his +visitors left him, and he then entreated Fitzhugh to enter. While +this was passing, a mutual look of surprise and recognition passed +between Samboe and the groom, but nothing further: the man leading +the horse away, and Samboe following Fitzhugh into the house. + +After some conversation relative to the approaching voyage, +Mr. Courtney said: "Well, Fitzhugh, you have inspired many an honest +heart with the same glowing philanthropy which animates your own; and, +amongst the number, my excellent boy, Frank Wilson. He is determined, +if you will permit him, to accompany you to Africa." "Permit him, +my good Sir? I shall be happy to have in my service, a young man who +does honour to his rank of life, and whose severely tried principles +have resisted many attacks: his ingenuity too, and industrious habits, +will make him essentially useful. But how can you part from him, +or how will Frank bear to be separated from his revered benefactor?" + +"Oh, I believe we have not thought of ourselves," replied Mr. Courtney, +good humouredly: "all is settled between us, provided you did not +object. Will you permit me to ring for him?" "Most willingly," +said Fitzhugh. + +During this short conversation, the emotion of the grateful Samboe +was powerful. The features of the young man holding Mr. Courtney's +horse, were familiar to him: he had marked the glance of recognition, +and the name confirmed the vague hope he had formed, that, in this +young man, of whose character he had just heard so high an eulogium, +he had seen the first kind friend he had known in England: he who had +lightened his troubles, and cheered his oppressed spirit; and this +friend, this generous hearted youth, was going to Africa, and was to +be in the service of his valuable friend, Fitzhugh; and they were +all animated with the same spirit. How delightful the thought! how +transcendently kind the Almighty Disposer! + +While these thoughts were rapidly passing the mind of Samboe, Frank +Wilson appeared; and it would be hard to decide which of the party +was most gratified by the disclosure of the two friends, who in each +other's arms were not ashamed to weep. + +Frank immediately entered upon his new duties; and every thing having +been benevolently and equitably settled by the directors to ensure +the comfort and advantage of the colony, the ships sailed for their +destination. It is not necessary to detail the circumstances of the +voyage, or to attempt to describe the emotions of the young African, +when he landed on his native shores. + +Every individual possessing a manly mind and virtuous soul, is +patriotic: he rejoices in the weal, he mourns in the miseries of +his country. Samboe possessed a manly mind and a virtuous soul. He +was a patriot, and shrunk not from its high responsibilities. We +detail not his individual exertions; it will be sufficient to say, +that he took an ample share with his companions in the good work; +that every thing had been so judiciously arranged; that the conduct +of the servants of the Company was marked with such propriety, being +sober, moral, and exemplary, in the discharge of their respective +duties; that the efforts and zeal of the clergymen were attended +with the happiest effects; that, before the expiration of two years +from the settlement of the colony, order and industry exhibited +their benign fruits in a growing prosperity. The fame of the colony +not only spread along the whole western coast, but penetrated into +the remotest interior: embassies were sent by far distant monarchs; +and the native chiefs, with a pleasing and entire confidence, sent +their children to the colony, to be instructed in reading, writing, +and accounts, and to be initiated in the Christian religion. In fact, +there was every reasonable ground for hope, that the joyful period +was advancing, when, by the blessing of Heaven upon the endeavours +used, the continent of Africa would be rescued from the darkness +that obscured her, and would exhibit the soul-cheering scene of +light and knowledge, of civilization and order, of peaceful industry +and domestic comfort. But these anticipations were destroyed by the +treachery and faithlessness of a government, which professed to hold +the rights of man as sacred. We shall give a cursory narrative of +this event, as extracted from a letter of Fitzhugh to his friends in +England. (Note S.) + +"I have distressing news to communicate, but we do not despond. The +French have appeared with an armed force before our neat and rising +town, upon which they have pointed their guns. It was not until +they had done this that we perceived they were enemies; for they +had English-built vessels, rigged in the English mode, displayed +the English flag, and had all the sailors, which appeared on deck, +dressed like English sailors. Thus treacherously did they approach +our peaceful colony. Conscious we had no strength to resist, the +governor directed a flag of truce to be hoisted. Yet, after this +order was executed, the French continued to fire on the town, doing +much damage, and killing several persons. + +"Terrified at the suddenness of the attack, and conscious they +possessed no power of resistance, the alarmed inhabitants fled to +the woods, with such of their property as the confusion and limited +time would allow. When the enemy landed, therefore, they found the +town almost destitute of inhabitants, but rich in stores and clothing. + +"Plunder was the order of the day; and what they did not want, they +destroyed, burnt, or threw into the river. They also killed all the +cattle and animals, not sparing even the dogs or cats. + +"During a week this work of devastation continued; and when they found +nothing more to plunder, they set fire to the public buildings, and all +the houses belonging to the Europeans; entirely ruining the beautiful +and prospering colony, and leaving the colonists in the most deplorable +state of destitution; without provisions, medicines, clothing, houses, +or furniture. Sickness soon followed these privations, and many have +died for want of proper food, and exposure in the woods. + +"When you read the above hurried account of our misfortune, you will +scarcely believe that these wanton cruelties have been perpetrated +by individuals of a nation, whose Convention boasted of spreading +'light and liberty through the world.' Alas! that light is the blaze +of anarchy, that liberty the most daring and gross licentiousness! + +"Sierra Leone colony was established for the godlike purpose of +abolishing the slave-trade; to enlighten the Africans; to render them +virtuous, rational, free, and happy; and yet these powerful advocates +and patrons of the rights of man, could wantonly destroy, in its +healthful infancy, a settlement in which those rights were peculiarly +studied and held sacred. 'By their fruits ye shall know them.' + +"But it will yet, like the phoenix, arise from its ashes. It was +formed to promote the cause of justice, mercy, and religion; a +cause which possesses, in itself, the principle of re-animation--an +ever-renewing means of rallying its resources, overborne, for a time, +by a base treachery and unmanly violence. + +"My faithful Samboe, and no less faithful Frank, have been like +ministering angels to the distressed, in this season of calamity. 'My +poor country,' said Samboe, 'and my generous friends, what a sad +reverse is here! But though grieved,' he added, 'I am not in despair; +for has not the Almighty said, (He in whom is no variableness nor +shadow of turning,) 'I will never leave nor forsake those who trust in +me. Commit thy way unto the Lord, and he shall bring it to pass.' I +cannot conclude my letter better, than by assuring my dear ----, +that such is the trust and confidence we all repose in the Being, +who out of evil still educes good." + +Now, to resume and conclude our narrative, we have but to say +we may speak of these difficulties in the past tense; they no +longer, praised be the great Disposer of Events, they no longer are +experienced at Sierra Leone; but have vanished, gradually, before the +enlightened policy of the superintendants, and the mild influence of +Christian doctrine. The enjoyments of the present life, the bright +hopes of a future state, are now communicated to thousands of our +fellow-creatures, formerly in a state of mental and moral darkness, +and obnoxious to the most frightful miseries, victims of the basest +passions, subjects of the most alarming fears. + +Justice, mercy, and courageous perseverance, are now reaping their +high temporal reward; and the blessing of the Almighty upon patient +continuance in well-doing, enables England to boast that she has +overcome the most inveterate prejudices, the most firmly-established +interests, built upon the basest passions; and this by the simple +power of experiment, and the eloquence of truth. + +Sierra Leone, where this experiment has been made, now presents itself +as a medium of civilization for Africa. "And in this point of view, +(it has been most justly observed,) is worth all the treasure that +has been expended upon it; for the slave-trade, which was the great +obstacle to this civilization, being now happily abolished by the +universal voice of England, there is now a populous metropolis, from +which may issue the seeds of reformation to this injured continent, +and which, when sown, may now, watered by the genial dews of heaven, +be expected to grow into fruit, without check or blight. New schools +may be transplanted from thence into the interior; teachers and +travellers be sent from thence in various directions; the natives +resort in safety to it from distant parts, mark the improvements, +witness the comforts, taste the enjoyments, and feel the protection +of it. Hence will mistrust give way to confidence, emulation will be +raised, imitation be encouraged, a desire of instruction be excited, +and the predatory ignorant savage be gradually moulded into the useful +citizen and the rational man. + +Let then each English heart rejoice, that the moral stain, so long +apparent on our statutes, so long exhibited in our national character, +is now erased from the one, and expunged from the other; that the +impious doctrine so long contended for, that the law of force was +justifiable under certain circumstances, is now banished from the +deliberations of our senate; and man, whatever his country, whatever +his colour, is restored to his moral rights. Let us rejoice that we +have not only been the advocates of the oppressed--have triumphed +by perseverance and constancy over the oppressor; but that England +has become the favoured and glorious instrument of a God of mercy, +to make his light to shine upon those who sat in darkness and the +shadow of death. May every nation, feeling the blessing of that light, +which is upheld by that mercy, follow the example of our favoured +isle! May the rich stream of mercy flow, and diffuse throughout +far-distant lands its fertilizing influences! May the spirit of a +Wilberforce and a Clarkson, inspire the breasts of the powerful; and +may the gratitude and the intelligence of Samboe, glow in the heart, +and animate the conduct of every African! + + + + + + + +NOTES, FROM AUTHENTICATED AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. + + +NOTE A. + +The arrival of a slave-ship in any of the rivers, is the signal of +civil war and disorder; the hamlets are burned, and the miserable +survivors are carried off, and sold to the slave-factors. + +In the countries contiguous to Senegal, when slave-ships arrive, +armed parties are sent out to scour the country, and bring in captives +to the factors. The wretched beings are to be found in the morning, +bound back to back in the huts; whence they are conveyed, tied hand +and foot, to the slave-ships. These ships set sail in the night, +that the wretched captives may not know the moment when they quit +for ever their native shore, and all the tender ties that endear it. + + + +NOTE B. + +Coosh-coosh is corn beaten in a wooden mortar, and sifted to a coarse +flour; it is then put in an earthen pot pierced like a colander, +which is luted to the top of an earthen pot, in which is boiling +water, and sometimes broth, exactly as our steamers are. The rising +steam cures and hardens the flour; and when it is done sufficiently, +the broth and cooked flour are mixed, and considered a delicious dish. + +Coliloo resembles, and is eaten like spinach. + + + +NOTE C. + +Slave-factories are established in almost every native village. The +kings of Dahomy and Whidah are the most noted for the infamous trade +in slaves. It is usual when the slave-ships lie in the rivers, for a +number of canoes to go up the inland: these go in a fleet, with thirty +or forty armed natives in each. Every canoe is also furnished with a +four or six pounder fastened to her bow. Thus equipped they depart, +and are usually absent from eight to fourteen days. It is said they +go to fairs held on the banks of the rivers, and at which there is a +regular show of slaves. On their return, they generally bring down from +eight hundred to a thousand of these captives, for the ships. They lie +at the bottom of the canoes, their arms and legs having been bound with +ropes of the country. It has been disclosed, by undoubted evidence, +that the crews of these canoes go up the rivers till they arrive to +a certain distance of a village; they then conceal themselves under +the bushes which hang over the water, until the shades of night, +when they enter the village and seize the wretched inhabitants, men, +women, and children, who have no time to escape. + +Nearly three hundred years have the European nations traded with +Africa in human flesh, and encouraged in the negro countries, wars, +rapine, desolation, and murder. The annual exportation of slaves +from this quarter of the globe, has exceeded one hundred thousand; +numbers of whom are driven down like sheep, perhaps a thousand miles +from the coast, and are generally inhabitants of villages that have +been surrounded in the night by armed force, and carried off bound +in chains, and sold into perpetual bondage. + +A slave-merchant thus wrote to his factor: "You will observe to make a +present of five gallons of rum to the Suma, with the usual compliments +on the Company's behalf; and to assure him, and other useful persons +near you, of the Company's intentions to give very great encouragement +to trade in those parts, more especially for slaves, dry goods, +elephants' teeth, wax, cotton, &c. and the Company desire me to inform +you, that they have settled your commission at five shillings a head, +for every merchantable slave, and so in proportion for other articles, +in the hope it will encourage you to dispose of their goods to the +best advantage." + + + +NOTE D. + +The following list of African articles, as exhibited to Mr. Pitt and +the House of Lords, by Mr. Clarkson, will illustrate the ingenuity of +the Africans, and the possibility of making its natural productions +a branch of lucrative and legitimate commerce. These articles were +contained in a box, formed of four divisions; the first of which was +filled with specimens of woods, polished; amongst them, mahogany of +five different sorts, tulip and satin-wood, cam and bar-wood, fustic, +black and yellow ebony, palm-tree, mangrove, calabash, and date; and +also seven species retaining their native names, viz. tumiah, sarnaim, +and jimlalie, each of a beautiful yellow; acajou, a deep crimson; +bask and quelle for cabinet work; and bentin, the wood of which is +used for the native canoes. Various other woods, one of which was a +fine purple; and from two others a strong yellow and deep orange, and +also a flesh-colour, could be extracted. The second division included +ivory; and four species of pepper, the long, the black, the Cayenne, +and the Malaguetta: three species of gum, Senegal, copal, and ruber +astringes; cinnamon, rice, tobacco, indigo, white and Nankin cotton, +Guinea-corn, and millet; three species of beans, of which two were for +food, and the other yielding an orange dye: two species of tamarinds, +one for food, the other to give whiteness to the teeth: pulse, seeds, +and fruits of various sorts; some of the latter of which, Dr. Sparrman +had pronounced, from a trial made during his residence in Africa, +to be peculiarly valuable as drugs. + +The third division contained an African loom, with a spindle and +spun cotton round it; cloths of cotton of various kinds, made by +the natives, some white, others dyed, and others, in which they +had interwoven European silk; cloths and bags of grass, fancifully +coloured; ornaments of the same material; ropes made from a species +of aloes, and others, remarkably strong, from grass and straw; fine +string made of the fibres of the roots of trees: soap of two kinds, +one of which was formed from an earthy substance: pipe bowls made of +a clay of a brown red, one beautifully ornamented with black devices, +burnt in and highly glazed; another from Galam, made of an earth which +was richly impregnated with little particles of gold. Trinkets made +by the natives from their own gold; knives and daggers formed from +bar iron; and various other articles, such as bags, dagger-sheaths, +quivers, gris gris, all of leather, of native manufacture, dyed of +various colours, and ingeniously sewed together. The fourth division +contained the instruments of confinement used on board a slave-ship, +to which were added those of punishment used in the colonies; such +as iron collars, manacles, scourges, &c. + + + +(NOTE E.) + +Raynal gives the following description of the mode frequently used +in conducting the slaves from the interior: "Slave-merchants collect +themselves into companies, and forming a species of caravans, in the +space of two or three hundred leagues, they conduct several files +of thirty or forty slaves, all laden with water, corn, &c. which are +necessary to their subsistence in those barren deserts through which +they pass. + +"The manner of securing them without much incommoding their march, +is ingeniously contrived. A fork of wood, of from eight or nine feet +long, is put round the neck of each slave. A pin of iron, rivetted, +secures the fork on the back part, in such a manner that the head +cannot disengage itself. The handle of the fork, the wood of which is +very heavy, falls before, and so embarrasses the person who is tied +to it, that, although he hath his arms and legs at liberty, he can +neither walk nor lift up the fork. When they get ready for the march, +they range the slaves in a line, and support and tie the extremity +of each fork on the shoulder of the foremost slave, and proceed in +this manner from one to another, till they come to the first, the +extremity of whose fork is carried by the guide. Few restraints are +imposed, that are not felt by those who impose them; accordingly, in +order that these traders may enjoy the refreshment of sleep without +uneasiness, they tie the arms of every slave to the tail of the fork +which he carries. In this condition he can neither run away, nor +make any attempt to recover his liberty. These precautions have been +found indispensable; because, if the slave can but break his chains, +he becomes free. The public faith which secures to the proprietor the +possession of his slave, and which at all times delivers him up into +his hands, is silent with regard to the slave and a trader. + +"Reader," continues the animated historian, "while thou art perusing +this horrid account, is not thy soul filled with the same indignation +as I experience in writing it? Dost thou not, in imagination, rush +with fury upon those infamous conductors? Dost thou not break those +forks with which these unfortunates are confined? and dost thou not +long to restore them to liberty? + + + +(NOTE F.) + +This instrument is also in general use in Congo, and is there called +the marimba. + + + +(NOTE Q.) + +The profits of this nefarious trade are so large, that mercenary men +will incur any risk. At present, says the Report, 1822, speaking of +the French favouring the trade, the rate of insurance does not exceed +fifteen or twenty per cent, while the gains of the trade are proved to +amount to from two hundred to four hundred per cent. It appears, from +papers found on board Le Succes, that two hundred and forty slaves, +which she landed on the island of Bourbon, cost nine thousand nine +hundred and forty-three dollars; and that the proceeds of the sale +of these slaves amounted to twenty-nine thousand five hundred and +sixty-four dollars. And there is also an account of an outfit of +fifty-three thousand francs producing a net profit of one hundred +and sixty-six thousand francs. + +These facts need no comment. But let not England be discouraged: she +has stood alone in many a fearful struggle, when apparently sinking +under the pressure of a hostile world. She has led the way in the +work of mercy; let her pursue her path with unfaltering firmness, +and fearlessly oppose those who dare to violate the solemn engagements +they have formed with her. + + + +(NOTE R.) + +Nothing can more forcibly prove the misery of the slaves, than the +fact that funerals, which in Africa are attended by lamentations and +sorrow, are in the West Indies celebrated with expressions of joy. + + + +(NOTE S.) + +This relation is derived from a letter of Mr. Arfelius who was an +eye-witness, and a great sufferer from this treacherous attack upon +the colony. See "Rees's Encyclopedia," article, Sierra Leone. + + + + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + +[1] A society of merchants, established by king Charles II. for trading +to Africa; which trade was laid open to all his majesty's subjects, +and those of succeeding monarchs, until the abolition took place, 1807. + +[2] Capital of Whidah, situated about four miles from the factory +at Whidah. + +[3] It is necessary to apprize our readers, that the remarks and +descriptions contained in this volume, apply to Africa as it was some +years since. + +[4] The slave-trade was abolished in 1807. + +[5] See Mr. Wilberforce's speech, at a meeting of the Church Missionary +Society, 1822. + +[6] See Shillibur's Voyage. + +[7] See Cohen's Letter to Governor Macarthy, African Report, 1822. + +[8] See Discourse of the Bishop of London, before the Society for +the Propagation of the Gospel, October 1817. + + + + + + THE END. + + + + Harvey, Darton, and Co. 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