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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f12d73 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #69178 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69178) diff --git a/old/69178-0.txt b/old/69178-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ac7dbd1..0000000 --- a/old/69178-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1935 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of An account of the slave trade on the -coast of Africa, by Alexander Falconbridge - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: An account of the slave trade on the coast of Africa - -Author: Alexander Falconbridge - -Release Date: October 18, 2022 [eBook #69178] - -Language: English - -Produced by: The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE SLAVE TRADE -ON THE COAST OF AFRICA *** - - - - - - AN - - ACCOUNT - - OF THE - - SLAVE TRADE - - ON THE - - COAST OF AFRICA. - - - BY - ALEXANDER FALCONBRIDGE, - LATE SURGEON IN THE AFRICAN TRADE. - - - LONDON: - PRINTED BY J. PHILLIPS, GEORGE YARD, LOMBARD-STREET. - MDCCLXXXVIII. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -The following sheets are intended to lay before the public the present -state of a branch of the British commerce, which, ever since its -existence, has been held in detestation by all good men, but at this -time more particularly engages the attention of the nation, and is -become the object of general reprobation. - -Leaving to abler pens to expatiate more at large on the injustice and -inhumanity of the _Slave Trade_, I shall content myself with -giving some account of the hardships which the unhappy objects of it -undergo, and the cruelties they suffer, from the period of their being -reduced to a state of slavery, to their being disposed of in the West -India islands; where, I fear, their grievances find little alleviation. -At the same time, I shall treat of a subject, which appears not to have -been attended to in the manner its importance requires; that is, the -sufferings and loss of the seamen employed in this trade; which, from -the intemperature of the climate, the inconveniencies they labour under -during the voyage, and the severity of most of the commanders, occasion -the destruction of great numbers annually. - -And this I shall endeavour to do by the recital of a number of facts -which have fallen under my own immediate observation, or the knowledge -of which I have obtained from persons on whose veracity I can depend. - -And happy shall I esteem myself, if an experience obtained by a series -of inquiries and observations, made during several voyages to the -coast of Africa, shall enable me to render any service to a cause, -which is become the cause of every person of humanity. - -Before I proceed to the methods of obtaining the slaves, and their -subsequent treatment, the treatment of the sailors, and a concise -account of the places on the coast of Africa where slaves are obtained, -(which I purpose to annex,) it may not be unnecessary to give a short -sketch of the usual proceedings of the ships employed in the slave -trade. - - - - - AN - - ACCOUNT - - OF THE - - SLAVE TRADE, &c. - - - - -Proceedings during the Voyage. - - -On the arrival of the ships at Bonny, and New Calabar, it is customary -for them to unbend the sails, strike the yards and topmasts, and begin -to build what they denominate _a house_. This is effected in the -following manner. The sailors first lash the booms and yards from mast -to mast, in order to form a _ridge-pole_. About ten feet above the -deck, several spars, equal in length to the ridge pole, are next lashed -to the standing rigging, and form a wall-plate. Across the ridge-pole -and wall-plate, several other spars or rafters are afterwards laid -and lashed, at the distance of about six inches from each other. On -these, other rafters or spars are laid length-wise, equal in extent -to the ridge-pole, so as to form a kind of lattice or net-work, with -interfaces of six inches square. The roof is then covered with mats, -made of rushes of very loose texture, fastened together with rope-yarn, -and so placed, as to lap over each other like tiles. The space between -the deck and the wall-plate, is likewise enclosed with a kind of -lattice, or net-work, formed of sticks, lashed across each other, and -leaving vacancies of about four inches square. Near the main-mast, a -partition is constructed of inch deal boards, which reaches athwart the -ship. This division is called a _barricado_. It is about eight -feet in height, and is made to project near two feet over the sides of -the ship. In this barricado there is a door, at which a centinel is -placed during the time the negroes are permitted to come upon deck. It -serves to keep the different sexes apart; and as there are small holes -in it, wherein blunderbusses are fixed, and sometimes a cannon, it -is found very convenient for quelling the insurrections that now and -then happen. Another door is made in the lattice or net-work at the -ladder, by which you enter the ship. This door is guarded by a centinel -during the day, and is locked at night. At the head of the ship there -is a third door, for the use of the sailors, which is secured in the -same manner as that at the gangway. There is also in the roof a large -trap-door, through which the goods intended for barter, the water -casks, &c. are hoisted out or in. - -The design of this house is to secure those on board from the heat of -the sun, which in this latitude is intense, and from the wind and rain, -which at particular seasons, are likewise extremely violent. It answers -these purposes however but very ineffectually. The slight texture of -the mats admits both the wind and the rain, whenever it happens to be -violent, though at the same time, it increases the heat of the ship -to a very pernicious degree, especially between decks. The increased -warmth occasioned by this means, together with the smoke produced -from the green mangrove, (the usual firewood) which, for want of a -current of air to carry it off, collects itself in large quantities, -and infests every part of the ship, render a vessel during its stay -here very unhealthy. The smoke also, by its acrimonious quality, often -produces inflammations in the eyes, which terminates sometimes in the -loss of sight. - -Another purpose for which these temporary houses are erected, is, in -order to prevent the purchased negroes from leaping overboard. This, -the horrors of their situation frequently impel them to attempt; and -they now and then effect it, notwithstanding all the precautions that -are taken, by forcing their way through the lattice work. - -The slave ships generally lie near a mile below the town, in Bonny -River, in seven or eight fathom water. Sometimes fifteen sail, English -and French, but chiefly the former, meet here together. Soon after they -cast anchor, the captains go on shore, to make known their arrival, -and to inquire into the state of the trade. They likewise invite the -kings of Bonny to come on board, to whom, previous to breaking bulk, -they usually make presents (in that country termed _dashes_) -which generally consist of pieces of cloth, cotton, chintz, silk -handkerchiefs, and other India goods, and sometimes of brandy, wine, or -beer. - -When I was at Bonny a few years ago, it was the residence of two kings, -whose names were _Norfolk_ and _Peppel_. The houses of these -princes were not distinguished from the cottages or huts of which the -town consists, in any other manner, than by being of somewhat larger -dimensions, and surrounded with warehouses containing European goods, -designed for the purchase of slaves. These slaves, which the kings -procure in the same manner as the black traders do theirs, are sold by -them to the ships. And for every negroe sold there by the traders, the -kings receive a duty, which amounts to a considerable sum in the course -of a year. This duty is collected by officers, stationed on board the -ships, who are termed _officer boys_; a denomination which it is -thought they received from the English. - -The kings of Bonny are absolute, though elective. They are assisted -in the government by a small number of persons of a certain rank, who -stile themselves _parliament gentlemen_; an office which they -generally hold for life. Every ship, on its arrival, is expected to -send a present to these gentlemen, of a small quantity of bread and -beef, and likewise to treat them as often as they come on board. When -they do this, their approach to the ship is announced by blowing -through a hollow elephant’s tooth, which produces a sound resembling -that of a post-horn. - -After the kings have been on board, and have received the usual -presents, permission is granted by them, for trafficking with any of -the black traders. When the royal guests return from the ships, they -are saluted by the guns. - -From the time of the arrival of the ships to their departure, which -is usually near three months, scarce a day passes without some -negroes being purchased, and carried on board; sometimes in small, -and sometimes in larger numbers. The whole number taken on board, -depends, in a great measure, on circumstances. In a voyage I once made, -our stock of merchandize was exhausted in the purchase of about 380 -negroes, which was expected to have procured 500. The number of English -and French ships then at Bonny, had so far raised the price of negroes, -as to occasion this difference. - -The reverse (and a _happy_ reverse I think I may call it) was -known during the late war. When I was last at Bonny, I frequently -made inquiries on this head, of one of the black traders, whose -intelligence I believe I can depend upon. He informed me that only one -ship had been there for three years during that period; and that was -the _Moseley-Hill_, Captain Ewing, from Liverpool, who made an -extraordinary purchase, as he found negroes remarkably cheap from the -dulness of trade. Upon further inquiring of my black acquaintance, what -was the consequence of this decay of their trade, he shrugged up his -shoulders, and answered, _only making us traders poorer, and obliging -us to work for our maintenance_. One of these black merchants being -informed, that a particular set of people, called Quakers, were for -abolishing the trade, he said, _it was a very bad thing, as they -should then be reduced to the same state they were in during the war, -when, through poverty, they were obliged to dig the ground and plant -yams_. - -I was once upon the coast of Angola also, when there had not been a -slave ship at the river Ambris for five years previous to our arrival, -although a place to which many usually resort every year; and the -failure of the trade for that period, as far as we could learn, had -not any other effect, than to restore peace and confidence among -the natives; which, upon the arrival of any ships, is immediately -destroyed, by the inducement then held forth in the purchase of slaves. -And during the suspension of trade at Bonny, as above-mentioned, none -of the dreadful proceedings, which are so confidently asserted to -be the natural consequence of it, were known. The reduction of the -price of negroes, and the poverty of the black traders, appear to have -been the only _bad_ effects of the discontinuance of trade; the -_good_ ones were, _most probably_, the restoration of peace -and confidence among the natives, and a suspension of kidnapping. - -When the ships have disposed of all their merchandize in the purchase -of negroes, and have laid in their stock of wood, water, and yams, they -prepare for sailing, by getting up the yards and topmasts, reeving the -running rigging, bending the sails, and by taking down the temporary -house. They then drop down the river, to wait for a favourable -opportunity to pass over the bar, which is formed by a number of -sand-banks lying across the mouth of the river, with navigable channels -between them. It is not uncommon for ships to get upon the bar, and -sometimes they are lost. - -The first place the slave ships touch at in their passage to the -West-Indies, is either the Island of St. Thomas, or Princes Island, -where they usually carry their sick on shore, for the benefit of the -air, and likewise replenish their stock of water. The former of these -islands is nearly circular, being one hundred and twenty miles round, -and lies exactly under the equator, about forty-five leagues from -the African continent. It abounds with wood and water, and produces -Indian corn, rice, fruits, sugar, and some cinnamon. The air is rather -prejudicial to an European constitution, nevertheless it is well -peopled by the Portuguese. Princes Island, which is much smaller, -lies in 1 deg. 30 min. north latitude, and likewise produces Indian -corn, and a variety of fruits and roots, besides sugar canes. Black -cattle, hogs, and goats are numerous there; but it is infested with a -mischievous and dangerous species of monkeys. - -During one of the voyages I made, I was landed upon the Island of St. -Thomas, with near one hundred sick negroes, who were placed in an old -house, taken on purpose for their reception. Little benefit however -accrued from their going on shore, as several of them died there, and -the remainder continued nearly in the same situation as when they were -landed, though our continuance was prolonged for about twelve days, and -the island is deemed upon the whole healthy. - -Upon the arrival of the slave ships in the West-Indies, a day is soon -fixed for the sale of their cargoes. And this is done by different -modes, and often by one they term a _scramble_, of which some -account will be given, when the sale of the negroes is treated of. - -The whole of their cargoes being disposed of, the ships are immediately -made ready to proceed to sea. It is very seldom, however, that they are -not detained, for want of a sufficient number of sailors to navigate -the ship, as this trade may justly be denominated the grave of seamen. -Though the crews of the ships upon their leaving England, generally -amount to between forty and fifty men, scarcely three-fourths, and -sometimes not one-third of the complement, ever return to the port from -whence they sailed, through mortality and desertion; the causes of -which I shall speak of under another head. - -The time during which the slave ships are absent from England, varies -according to the destination of the voyage, and the number of ships -they happen to meet on the coast. To Bonny, or Old and New Calabar, a -voyage is usually performed in about ten months. Those to the Windward -and Gold Coasts, are rather more uncertain, but in general from fifteen -to eighteen months. - - - - -The Manner in which the Slaves are procured. - - -After permission has been obtained for _breaking trade_, as it -is termed, the captains go ashore, from time to time, to examine the -negroes that are exposed to sale, and to make their purchases. The -unhappy wretches thus disposed of, are bought by the black traders at -fairs, which are held for that purpose, at the distance of upwards of -two hundred miles from the sea coast; and these fairs are said to be -supplied from an interior part of the country. Many negroes, upon being -questioned relative to the places of their nativity have asserted, that -they have travelled during the revolution of several moons, (their -usual method of calculating time) before they have reached the places -where they were purchased by the black traders. At these fairs, which -are held at uncertain periods, but generally every six weeks, several -thousands are frequently exposed to sale, who had been collected from -all parts of the country for a very considerable distance round. While -I was upon the coast, during one of the voyages I made, the black -traders brought down, in different canoes, from twelve to fifteen -hundred negroes, which had been purchased at one fair. They consisted -chiefly of men and boys, the women seldom exceeding a third of the -whole number. From forty to two hundred negroes are generally purchased -at a time by the black traders, according to the opulence of the buyer; -and consist of those of all ages, from a month, to sixty years and -upwards. Scarce any age or situation is deemed an exception, the price -being proportionable. Women sometimes form a part of them, who happen -to be so far advanced in their pregnancy, as to be delivered during -their journey from the fairs to the coast; and I have frequently seen -instances of deliveries on board ship. The slaves purchased at these -fairs are only for the supply of the markets at Bonny, and Old and New -Calabar. - -There is great reason to believe, that most of the negroes shipped -off from the coast of Africa, are _kidnapped_. But the extreme -care taken by the black traders to prevent the Europeans from gaining -any intelligence of their modes of proceeding; the great distance -inland from whence the negroes are brought; and our ignorance of their -language, (with which, very frequently, the black traders themselves -are equally unacquainted) prevent our obtaining such information on -this head as we could wish. I have, however, by means of occasional -inquiries, made through interpreters, procured some intelligence -relative to the point, and such, as I think, puts the matter beyond a -doubt. - -From these I shall select the following striking instances:--While -I was in employ on board one of the slave ships, a negroe informed -me, that being one evening invited to drink with some of the black -traders, upon his going away, they attempted to seize him. As he was -very active, he evaded their design, and got out of their hands. He was -however prevented from effecting his escape by a large dog, which laid -hold of him, and compelled him to submit. These creatures are kept by -many of the traders for that purpose; and being trained to the inhuman -sport, they appear to be much pleased with it. - -I was likewise told by a negroe woman, that as she was on her return -home, one evening, from some neighbours, to whom she had been making -a visit by invitation, she was kidnapped; and, notwithstanding she -was big with child, sold for a slave. This transaction happened a -considerable way up the country, and she had passed through the hands -of several purchasers before she reached the ship. A man and his -son, according to their own information, were seized by professed -kidnappers, while they were planting yams, and sold for slaves. This -likewise happened in the interior parts of the country, and after -passing through several hands, they were purchased for the ship to -which I belonged. - -It frequently happens, that those who kidnap others, are themselves, -in their turns, seized and sold. A negroe in the West-Indies informed -me, that after having been employed in kidnapping others, he had -experienced this reverse. And he assured me, that it was a common -incident among his countrymen. - -Continual enmity is thus fostered among the negroes of Africa, and all -social intercourse between them destroyed; which most assuredly would -not be the case, had they not these opportunities of finding a ready -sale for each other. - -During my stay on the coast of Africa, I was an eye-witness of the -following transaction:----A black trader invited a negroe, who -resided a little way up the country, to come and see him. After the -entertainment was over, the trader proposed to his guest, to treat him -with a sight of one of the ships lying in the river. The unsuspicious -countryman readily consented, and accompanied the trader in a canoe to -the side of the ship, which he viewed with pleasure and astonishment. -While he was thus employed, some black traders on board, who appeared -to be in the secret, leaped into the canoe, seized the unfortunate man, -and dragging him into the ship, immediately sold him. - -Previous to my being in this employ, I entertained a belief, as many -others have done, that the kings and principal men _breed_ negroes -for sale, as we do cattle. During the different times I was in the -country, I took no little pains to satisfy myself in this particular; -but notwithstanding I made many inquiries, I was not able to obtain -the least intelligence of this being the case, which it is more than -probable I should have done, had such a practice prevailed. All the -information I could procure, confirms me in the belief, that to -_kidnapping_, and to crimes, (and many of these fabricated as a -pretext) the slave trade owes its chief support. - -The following instance tends to prove, that the last mentioned artifice -is often made use of. Several black traders, one of whom was a person -of consequence, and exercised an authority somewhat similar to that of -our magistrates, being in want of some particular kind of merchandize, -and not having a slave to barter for it, they accused a fisherman, -at the river Ambris, with extortion in the sale of his fish; and as -they were interested in the decision, they immediately adjudged the -poor fellow guilty, and condemned him to be sold. He was accordingly -purchased by the ship to which I belonged, and brought on board. - -As an additional proof that kidnapping is not only the general, but -almost the sole mode, by which slaves are procured, the black traders, -in purchasing them, chuse those which are the roughest and most hardy; -alleging, that the smooth negroes have been _gentlemen_. By this -observation we may conclude they mean that nothing but fraud or force -could have reduced these smooth-skinned gentlemen to a state of slavery. - -It may not be here unworthy of remark, in order to prove that the -wars among the Africans do not furnish the number of slaves they are -supposed to do, that I never saw any negroes with recent wounds; -which must have been the consequence, at least with some of them, -had they been taken in battle. And it being the particular province -of the surgeon to examine the slaves when they are purchased, such -a circumstance could not have escaped my observation. As a farther -corroboration, it might be remarked, that on the Gold and Windward -Coasts, where fairs are not held, the number of slaves procured at a -time are usually very small. - -The preparations made at Bonny by the black traders, upon setting out -for the fairs which are held up the country, are very considerable. -From twenty to thirty canoes, capable of containing thirty or forty -negroes each, are assembled for this purpose; and such goods put on -board them as they expect will be wanted for the purchase of the number -of slaves they intend to buy. When their loading is completed, they -commence their voyage, with colours flying and musick playing; and in -about ten or eleven days, they generally return to Bonny with full -cargoes. As soon as the canoes arrive at the trader’s landing-place, -the purchased negroes are cleaned, and oiled with palm oil; and on the -following day they are exposed for sale to the captains. - -The black traders do not always purchase their slaves at the same rate. -The speed with which the information of the arrival of ships upon the -coast is conveyed to the fairs, considering it is the interest of the -traders to keep them ignorant, is really surprising. In a very short -time after any ships arrive upon the coast, especially if several make -their appearance together, those who dispose of the negroes at the -fairs are frequently known to increase the price of them. - -These fairs are not the only means, though they are the chief, by which -the black traders on the coast are supplied with negroes. Small parties -of them, from five to ten, are frequently brought to the houses of -the traders, by those who make a practice of kidnapping; and who are -constantly employed in procuring a supply, while purchasers are to be -found. - -When the negroes, whom the black traders have to dispose of, are shewn -to the European purchasers, they first examine them relative to their -age. They then minutely inspect their persons, and inquire into the -state of their health; if they are afflicted with any infirmity, or -are deformed, or have bad eyes or teeth; if they are lame, or weak in -the joints, or distorted in the back, or of a slender make, or are -narrow in the chest; in short, if they have been, or are afflicted -in any manner, so as to render them incapable of much labour; if any -of the foregoing defects are discovered in them, they are rejected. -But if approved of, they are generally taken on board the ship the -same evening. The purchaser has liberty to return on the following -morning, but not afterwards, such as upon re-examination are found -exceptionable. - -The traders frequently beat those negroes which are objected to by the -captains, and use them with great severity. It matters not whether they -are refused on account of age, illness, deformity, or for any other -reason. At New Calabar, in particular, the traders have frequently been -known to put them to death. Instances have happened at that place, -that the traders, when any of their negroes have been objected to, -have dropped their canoes under the stern of the vessel, and instantly -beheaded them, in sight of the captain. - -Upon the Windward Coast, another mode of procuring slaves is pursued; -which is, by what they term _boating_; a mode that is very -pernicious and destructive to the crews of the ships. The sailors, who -are employed upon this trade, go in boats up the rivers, seeking for -negroes, among the villages situated on the banks of them. But this -method is very slow, and not always effectual. For, after being absent -from the ship during a fortnight or three weeks, they sometimes return -with only from eight to twelve negroes. Numbers of these are procured -in consequence of alleged crimes, which, as before observed, whenever -any ships are upon the coast, are more productive than at any other -period. Kidnapping, however, prevails here. - -I have good reason to believe, that of one hundred and twenty negroes, -which were purchased for the ship to which I then belonged, then lying -at the river Ambris, by far the greater part, if not the whole, were -kidnapped. This, with various other instances, confirms me in the -belief that kidnapping is the fund which supplies the thousands of -negroes annually sold off these extensive Windward, and other Coasts, -where boating prevails. - - - - - Treatment of the Slaves. - - -As soon as the wretched Africans, purchased at the fairs, fall into -the hands of the black traders, they experience an earnest of those -dreadful sufferings which they are doomed in future to undergo. And -there is not the least room to doubt, but that even before they can -reach the fairs, great numbers perish from cruel usage, want of food, -travelling through inhospitable deserts, &c. They are brought from the -places where they are purchased to Bonny, &c. in canoes; at the bottom -of which they lie, having their hands tied with a kind of willow twigs, -and a strict watch is kept over them. Their usage in other respects, -during the time of the passage, which generally lasts several days, is -equally cruel. Their allowance of food is so scanty, that it is barely -sufficient to support nature. They are, besides, much exposed to the -violent rains which frequently fall here, being covered only with mats -that afford but a slight defence; and as there is usually water at the -bottom of the canoes, from their leaking, they are scarcely ever dry. - -Nor do these unhappy beings, after they become the property of the -Europeans (from whom, as a more civilized people, more humanity might -naturally be expected) find their situation in the least amended. Their -treatment is no less rigorous. The men negroes, on being brought aboard -the ship, are immediately fastened together, two and two, by hand-cuffs -on their wrists, and by irons rivetted on their legs. They are then -sent down between the decks, and placed in an apartment partitioned -off for that purpose. The women likewise are placed in a separate -apartment between decks, but without being ironed. And an adjoining -room, on the same deck, is besides appointed for the boys. Thus are -they all placed in different apartments. - -But at the same time, they are frequently stowed so close, as to -admit of no other posture than lying on their sides. Neither will -the height between decks, unless directly under the grating, permit -them the indulgence of an erect posture; especially where there are -platforms, which is generally the case. These platforms are a kind of -shelf, about eight or nine feet in breadth, extending from the side -of the ship towards the centre. They are placed nearly midway between -the decks, at the distance of two or three feet from each deck. Upon -these the negroes are stowed in the same manner as they are on the deck -underneath. - -In each of the apartments are placed three or four large buckets, of a -conical form, being near two feet in diameter at the bottom, and only -one foot at the top, and in depth about twenty-eight inches; to which, -when necessary, the negroes have recourse. It often happens, that those -who are placed at a distance from the buckets, in endeavouring to get -to them, tumble over their companions, in consequence of their being -shackled. These accidents, although unavoidable, are productive of -continual quarrels, in which some of them are always bruised. In this -distressed situation, unable to proceed, and prevented from getting -to the tubs, they desist from the attempt; and, as the necessities -of nature are not to be repelled, ease themselves as they lie. This -becomes a fresh source of broils and disturbances, and tends to render -the condition of the poor captive wretches still more uncomfortable. -The nuisance arising from these circumstances, is not unfrequently -increased by the tubs being much too small for the purpose intended, -and their being usually emptied but once every day. The rule for doing -this, however, varies in different ships, according to the attention -paid to the health and convenience of the slaves by the captain. - -About eight o’clock in the morning the negroes are generally brought -upon deck. Their irons being examined, a long chain, which is locked -to a ring-bolt, fixed in the deck, is run through the rings of the -shackles of the men, and then locked to another ring-bolt, fixed -also in the deck. By this means fifty or sixty, and sometimes more, -are fastened to one chain, in order to prevent them from rising, -or endeavouring to escape. If the weather proves favourable, they -are permitted to remain in that situation till four or five in the -afternoon, when they are disengaged from the chain, and sent down. - -The diet of the negroes, while on board, consists chiefly of -horse-beans, boiled to the consistence of a pulp; of boiled yams and -rice, and sometimes of a small quantity of beef or pork. The latter -are frequently taken from the provisions laid in for the sailors. They -sometimes make use of a sauce, composed of palm-oil, mixed with flour, -water, and pepper, which the sailors call _slabber-sauce_. Yams -are the favourite food of the Eboe, or Bight negroes, and rice or corn, -of those from the Gold and Windward Coasts; each preferring the produce -of their native soil. - -In their own country, the negroes in general live on animal food and -fish, with roots, yams, and Indian corn. The horse-beans and rice, -with which they are fed aboard ship, are chiefly taken from Europe. -The latter, indeed, is sometimes purchased on the coast, being far -superior to any other. - -The Gold Coast negroes scarcely ever refuse any food that is offered -them, and they generally eat larger quantities of whatever is placed -before them, than any other species of negroes, whom they likewise -excel in strength of body and mind. Most of the slaves have such an -aversion to the horse-beans, that unless they are narrowly watched, -when fed upon deck, they will throw them overboard, or in each other’s -faces when they quarrel. - -They are commonly fed twice a day, about eight o’clock in the morning -and four in the afternoon. In most ships they are only fed with their -_own food_ once a day. Their food is served up to them in tubs, -about the size of a small water bucket. They are placed round these -tubs in companies of ten to each tub, out of which they feed themselves -with wooden spoons. These they soon lose, and when they are not -allowed others, they feed themselves with their hands. In favourable -weather they are fed upon deck, but in bad weather their food is given -them below. Numberless quarrels take place among them during their -meals; more especially when they are put upon short allowance, which -frequently happens, if the passage from the coast of Guinea to the -West-India islands, proves of unusual length. In that case, the weak -are obliged to be content with a very scanty portion. Their allowance -of water is about half a pint each at every meal. It is handed round in -a bucket, and given to each negroe in a pannekin; a small utensil with -a strait handle, somewhat similar to a sauce-boat. However, when the -ships approach the islands with a favourable breeze, they are no longer -restricted. - -Upon the negroes refusing to take sustenance, I have seen coals of -fire, glowing hot, put on a shovel, and placed so near their lips, as -to scorch and burn them. And this has been accompanied with threats, -of forcing them to swallow the coals, if they any longer persisted in -refusing to eat. These means have generally had the desired effect. I -have also been credibly informed, that a certain captain in the slave -trade, poured melted lead on such of the negroes as obstinately refused -their food. - -Exercise being deemed necessary for the preservation of their health, -they are sometimes obliged to dance, when the weather will permit their -coming on deck. If they go about it reluctantly, or do not move with -agility, they are flogged; a person standing by them all the time with -a cat-o’-nine-tails in his hand for that purpose. Their musick, upon -these occasions, consists of a drum, sometimes with only one head; and -when that is worn out, they do not scruple to make use of the bottom -of one of the tubs before described. The poor wretches are frequently -compelled to sing also; but when they do so, their songs are generally, -as may naturally be expected, melancholy lamentations of their exile -from their native country. - -The women are furnished with beads for the purpose of affording them -some diversion. But this end is generally defeated by the squabbles -which are occasioned, in consequence of their stealing them from each -other. - -On board some ships, the common sailors are allowed to have intercourse -with such of the black women whose consent they can procure. And some -of them have been known to take the inconstancy of their paramours so -much to heart, as to leap overboard and drown themselves. The officers -are permitted to indulge their passions among them at pleasure, and -sometimes are guilty of such brutal excesses, as disgrace human nature. - -The hardships and inconveniencies suffered by the negroes during the -passage, are scarcely to be enumerated or conceived. They are far -more violently affected by the sea-sickness, than the Europeans. It -frequently terminates in death, especially among the women. But the -exclusion of the fresh air is among the most intolerable. For the -purpose of admitting this needful refreshment, most of the ships in -the slave-trade are provided, between the decks, with five or six -air-ports on each side of the ship, of about six inches in length, and -four in breadth; in addition to which, some few ships, but not one in -twenty, have what they denominate _wind-sails_. But whenever the -sea is rough, and the rain heavy, it becomes necessary to shut these, -and every other conveyance by which the air is admitted. The fresh air -being thus excluded, the negroes rooms very soon grow intolerably hot. -The confined air, rendered noxious by the effluvia exhaled from their -bodies, and by being repeatedly breathed, soon produces fevers and -fluxes, which generally carries off great numbers of them. - -During the voyages I made, I was frequently a witness to the fatal -effects of this exclusion of the fresh air. I will give one instance, -as it serves to convey some idea, though a very faint one, of the -sufferings of those unhappy beings whom we wantonly drag from their -native country, and doom to perpetual labour and captivity. Some wet -and blowing weather having occasioned the port-holes to be shut, -and the grating to be covered, fluxes and fevers among the negroes -ensued. While they were in this situation, my profession requiring it, -I frequently went down among them, till at length their apartments -became so extremely hot, as to be only sufferable for a very short -time. But the excessive heat was not the only thing that rendered their -situation intolerable. The deck, that is, the floor of their rooms, was -so covered with the blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in -consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughter-house. It is not -in the power of the human imagination, to picture to itself a situation -more dreadful or disgusting. Numbers of the slaves having fainted, they -were carried upon deck, where several of them died, and the rest were, -with great difficulty, restored. It had nearly proved fatal to me also. -The climate was too warm to admit the wearing of any clothing but a -shirt, and that I had pulled off before I went down; notwithstanding -which, by only continuing among them for about a quarter of an hour, I -was so overcome with the heat, stench, and foul air, that I had nearly -fainted; and it was not without assistance, that I could get upon deck. -The consequence was, that I soon after fell sick of the same disorder, -from which I did not recover for several months. - -A circumstance of this kind, sometimes repeatedly happens in the course -of a voyage; and often to a greater degree than what has just been -described; particularly when the slaves are much crowded, which was not -the case at that time, the ship having more than a hundred short of the -number she was to have taken in. - -This devastation, great as it was, some few years ago was greatly -exceeded on board a Leverpool ship. I shall particularize the -circumstances of it, as a more glaring instance of an insatiable -thirst for gain, or of less attention to the lives and happiness even -of that despised and oppressed race of mortals, the sable inhabitants -of Africa, perhaps was never exceeded; though indeed several similar -instances have been known. - -This ship, though a much smaller ship than that in which the event I -have just mentioned happened, took on board at Bonny, at least six -hundred negroes; but according to the information of the black traders, -from whom I received the intelligence immediately after the ship -sailed, they amounted to near _seven hundred_. By purchasing so -great a number, the slaves were so crowded, that they were even obliged -to lie one upon another. This occasioned such a mortality among them, -that, without meeting with unusual bad weather, or having a longer -voyage than common, nearly one half of them died before the ship -arrived in the West-Indies. - -That the publick may be able to form some idea of the almost incredible -small space into which so large a number of negroes were crammed, the -following particulars of this ship are given. According to Leverpool -custom she measured 235 tons. Her width across the beam, 25 feet. -Length between the decks, 92 feet, which was divided into four rooms, -thus: - - Store room, in which there were not any } - negroes placed } 15 feet - ------- - Negroes rooms--mens room-- about 45 feet - womens ditto about 10 feet - boys ditto about 22 feet - ------- - Total room for negroes 77 feet - ------- - - Exclusive of the platform before described, from - 8 to 9 feet in breadth, and equal in length to - that of the rooms. - -It may be worthy of remark, that the ships in this trade, are usually -fitted out to receive only one third women negroes, or perhaps a -smaller number, which the dimensions of the room allotted for them, -above given, plainly shew, but in a greater disproportion. - -One would naturally suppose, that an attention to their own interest, -would prompt the owners of the Guinea ships not to suffer the captains -to take on board a greater number of negroes than the ship would -allow room sufficient for them to lie with ease to themselves, or, at -least, without rubbing against each other. However that may be, a more -striking instance than the above, of avarice, completely and deservedly -disappointed, was surely never displayed; for there is little room to -doubt, but that in consequence of the expected premium usually allowed -to the captains, of 6_l._ per cent. sterling on the produce of the -negroes, this vessel was so thronged as to occasion such a heavy loss. - -The place allotted for the sick negroes is under the half deck, where -they lie on the bare planks. By this means, those who are emaciated, -frequently have their skin, and even their flesh, entirely rubbed off, -by the motion of the ship, from the prominent parts of the shoulders, -elbows, and hips, so as to render the bones in those parts quite bare. -And some of them, by constantly lying in the blood and mucus, that -had flowed from those afflicted with the flux, and which, as before -observed, is generally so violent as to prevent their being kept clean, -have their flesh much sooner rubbed off, than those who have only to -contend with the mere friction of the ship. The excruciating pain -which the poor sufferers feel from being obliged to continue in such a -dreadful situation, frequently for several weeks, in case they happen -to live so long, is not to be conceived or described. Few, indeed, are -ever able to withstand the fatal effects of it. The utmost skill of the -surgeon is here ineffectual. If plaisters be applied, they are very -soon displaced by the friction of the ship; and when bandages are used, -the negroes very soon take them off, and appropriate them to other -purposes. - -The surgeon, upon going between decks, in the morning, to examine the -situation of the slaves, frequently finds several dead; and among -the men, sometimes a dead and living negroe fastened by their irons -together. When this is the case, they are brought upon the deck, and -being laid on the grating, the living negroe is disengaged, and the -dead one thrown overboard. - -It may not be improper here to remark, that the surgeons employed in -the Guinea trade, are generally driven to engage in so disagreeable -an employ by the confined state of their finances. An exertion of the -greatest skill and attention could afford the diseased negroes little -relief, so long as the causes of their diseases, namely, the breathing -of a putrid atmosphere, and wallowing in their own excrements, remain. -When once the fever and dysentery get to any height at sea, a cure is -scarcely ever effected. - -Almost the only means by which the surgeon can render himself useful -to the slaves, is, by seeing that their food is properly cooked, and -distributed among them. It is true, when they arrive near the markets -for which they are destined, care is taken to polish them for sale, by -an application of the lunar caustic to such as are afflicted with the -yaws. This, however, affords but a temporary relief, as the disease -most assuredly breaks out, whenever the patient is put upon a vegetable -diet. - -It has been asserted, in favour of the captains in this trade, that -the sick slaves are usually fed from their tables. The great number -generally ill at a time, proves the falsity of such an assertion. Were -even a captain _disposed_ to do this, how could he feed half the -slaves in the ship from his own table? for it is well known, that -_more than half_ are often sick at a time. Two or three perhaps -may be fed. - -The loss of slaves, through mortality, arising from the causes just -mentioned, are frequently very considerable. In the voyage lately -referred to (not the Leverpool ship before-mentioned) one hundred -and five, out of three hundred and eighty, died in the passage. A -proportion seemingly very great, but by no means uncommon. One half, -sometimes two thirds, and even beyond that, have been known to perish. -Before we left Bonny River, no less than fifteen died of fevers and -dysenteries, occasioned by their confinement. On the Windward Coast, -where slaves are procured more slowly, very few die, in proportion to -the numbers which die at Bonny, and at Old and New Calabar, where they -are obtained much faster; the latter being of a more delicate make and -habit. - -The havock made among the seamen engaged in this destructive -commerce, will be noticed in another part; and will be found to make -no inconsiderable addition to the unnecessary waste of life just -represented. - -As very few of the negroes can so far brook the loss of their liberty, -and the hardships they endure, as to bear them with any degree of -patience, they are ever upon the watch to take advantage of the -least negligence in their oppressors. Insurrections are frequently -the consequence; which are seldom suppressed without much bloodshed. -Sometimes these are successful, and the whole ship’s company is cut -off. They are likewise always ready to seize every opportunity for -committing some act of desperation to free themselves from their -miserable state; and notwithstanding the restraints under which they -are laid, they often succeed. - -While a ship, to which I belonged, lay in Bonny River, one evening, a -short time before our departure, a lot of negroes, consisting of about -ten, was brought on board; when one of them, in a favourable moment, -forced his way through the net-work on the larboard side of the vessel, -jumped overboard, and was supposed to have been devoured by the sharks. - -During the time we were there, fifteen negroes belonging to a vessel -from Leverpool, found means to throw themselves into the river; very -few were saved; and the residue fell a sacrifice to the sharks. A -similar instance took place in a French ship while we lay there. - -Circumstances of this kind are very frequent. On the coast of Angola, -at the River Ambris, the following incident happened:----During the -time of our residing on shore, we erected a tent to shelter ourselves -from the weather. After having been there several weeks, and being -unable to purchase the number of slaves we wanted, through the -opposition of another English slave vessel, we determined to leave -the place. The night before our departure, the tent was struck; which -was no sooner perceived by some of the negroe women on board, than -it was considered as a prelude to our sailing; and about eighteen of -them, when they were sent between decks, threw themselves into the sea -through one of the gun ports; the ship carrying guns between decks. -They were all of them, however, excepting one, soon picked up; and that -which was missing, was, not long after, taken about a mile from the -shore. - -I once knew a negroe woman, too sensible of her woes, who pined for a -considerable time, and was taken ill of a fever and dysentery; when -declaring it to be her determination to die, she refused all food and -medical aid, and, in about a fortnight after, expired. On being thrown -overboard, her body was instantly torn to pieces by the sharks. - -The following circumstance also came within my knowledge. A young -female negroe, falling into a desponding way, it was judged necessary, -in order to attempt her recovery, to send her on shore, to the hut -of one of the black traders. Elevated with the prospect of regaining -her liberty by this unexpected step, she soon recovered her usual -chearfulness; but hearing, by accident, that it was intended to take -her on board the ship again, the poor young creature hung herself. - -It frequently happens that the negroes, on being purchased by the -Europeans, become raving mad; and many of them die in that state; -particularly the women. While I was one day ashore at Bonny, I saw a -middle aged stout woman, who had been brought down from a fair the -preceding day, chained to the post of a black trader’s door, in a state -of furious insanity. On board a ship in Bonny River, I saw a young -negroe woman chained to the deck, who had lost her senses, soon after -she was purchased and taken on board. In a former voyage, on board a -ship to which I belonged, we were obliged to confine a female negroe, -of about twenty-three years of age, on her becoming a lunatic. She was -afterwards sold during one of her lucid intervals. - -One morning, upon examining the place allotted for the sick negroes, -I perceived that one of them, who was so emaciated as scarcely to be -able to walk, was missing, and was convinced that he must have gone -overboard in the night, probably to put a more expeditious period to -his sufferings. And, to conclude on this subject, I could not help -being sensibly affected, on a former voyage, at observing with what -apparent eagerness a black woman seized some dirt from off an African -yam, and put it into her mouth; seeming to rejoice at the opportunity -of possessing some of her native earth. - -From these instances I think it may be clearly deduced, that the -unhappy Africans are not bereft of the finer feelings, but have a -strong attachment to their native country, together with a just sense -of the value of liberty. And the situation of the miserable beings -above described, more forcibly urge the necessity of abolishing a trade -which is the source of such evils, than the most eloquent harangue, or -persuasive arguments could do. - - - - - Sale of the Slaves. - - -When the ships arrive in the West-Indies, (the chief mart for this -inhuman merchandize), the slaves are disposed of, as I have before -observed, by different methods. Sometimes the mode of disposal, is -that of selling them by what is termed a _scramble_; and a day -is soon fixed for that purpose. But previous thereto, the sick, or -refuse slaves, of which there are frequently many, are usually conveyed -on shore, and sold at a tavern by vendue, or public auction. These, -in general, are purchased by the Jews and surgeons, but chiefly the -former, upon speculation, at so low a price as five or six dollars a -head. I was informed by a mulatto woman, that she purchased a sick -slave at Grenada, upon speculation, for the small sum of one dollar, -as the poor wretch was apparently dying of the flux. It seldom happens -that any, who are carried ashore in the emaciated state to which they -are generally reduced by that disorder, long survive their landing. I -once saw sixteen conveyed on shore, and sold in the foregoing manner, -the whole of whom died before I left the island, which was within a -short time after. Sometimes the captains march their slaves through the -town at which they intend to dispose of them; and then place them in -rows where they are examined and purchased. - -The mode of selling them by scramble having fallen under my observation -the oftenest, I shall be more particular in describing it. Being some -years ago, at one of the islands in the West-Indies, I was witness -to a sale by scramble, where about 250 negroes were sold. Upon this -occasion all the negroes scrambled for bear an equal price; which is -agreed upon between the captains and the purchasers before the sale -begins. - -On a day appointed, the negroes were landed, and placed altogether -in a large yard, belonging to the merchants to whom the ship was -consigned. As soon as the hour agreed on arrived, the doors of the -yard were suddenly thrown open, and in rushed a considerable number -of purchasers, with all the ferocity of brutes. Some instantly -seized such of the negroes as they could conveniently lay hold of -with their hands. Others, being prepared with several handkerchiefs -tied together, encircled with these as many as they were able. While -others, by means of a rope, effected the same purpose. It is scarcely -possible to describe the confusion of which this mode of selling is -productive. It likewise causes much animosity among the purchasers, -who, not unfrequently upon these occasions, fall out and quarrel with -each other. The poor astonished negroes were so much terrified by these -proceedings, that several of them, through fear, climbed over the walls -of the court yard, and ran wild about the town; but were soon hunted -down and retaken. - -While on a former voyage from Africa to Kingston in Jamaica, I saw a -sale there by scramble, on board a snow. The negroes were collected -together upon the main and quarter decks, and the ship was darkened -by sails suspended over them, in order to prevent the purchasers from -being able to see, so as to pick or chuse. The signal being given, -the buyers rushed in, as usual, to seize their prey; when the negroes -appeared to be extremely terrified, and near thirty of them jumped -into the sea. But they were all soon retaken, chiefly by boats from -other ships. - -On board a ship, lying at Port Maria, in Jamaica, I saw another -scramble; in which, as usual, the poor negroes were greatly terrified. -The women, in particular, clang to each other in agonies scarcely to -be conceived, shrieking through excess of terror, at the savage manner -in which their brutal purchasers rushed upon, and seized them. Though -humanity, one should imagine, would dictate the captains to apprize the -poor negroes of the mode by which they were to be sold, and by that -means to guard them, in some degree, against the surprize and terror -which must attend it, I never knew that any notice of the scramble was -given to them. Nor have I any reason to think that it is done; or that -this mode of sale is less frequent at this time, than formerly. - -Various are the deceptions made use of in the disposal of the sick -slaves; and many of these, such as must excite in every humane mind, -the liveliest sensations of horror. I have been well informed, that -a Liverpool captain boasted of his having cheated some Jews by the -following stratagem: A lot of slaves, afflicted with the flux, being -about to be landed for sale, he directed the surgeon to stop the anus -of each of them with oakum. Thus prepared, they were landed, and taken -to the accustomed place of sale; where, being unable to stand but -for a very short time, they are usually permitted to sit. The Jews, -when they examine them, oblige them to stand up, in order to see if -there be any discharge; and when they do not perceive this appearance, -they consider it as a symptom of recovery. In the present instance, -such an appearance being prevented, the bargain was struck, and they -were accordingly sold. But it was not long before a discovery ensued. -The excruciating pain which the prevention of a discharge of such -an acrimonious nature occasioned, not being to be borne by the poor -wretches, the temporary obstruction was removed, and the deluded -purchasers were speedily convinced of the imposition. - -So grievously are the negroes sometimes afflicted with this troublesome -and painful disorder, that I have seen large numbers of them, after -being landed, obliged by the virulence of the complaint, to stop almost -every minute, as they passed on. - - - - - Treatment of the Sailors. - - -The evils attendant on this inhuman traffick, are not confined -to the purchased negroes. The sufferings of the seamen employed -in the slave-trade, from the unwholesomeness of the climate, the -inconveniences of the voyage, the brutal severity of the commanders, -and other causes, fall very little short, nor prove in proportion to -the numbers, less destructive to the sailors than negroes. - -The sailors on board the Guinea ships, are not allowed always an equal -quantity of beef and pork with those belonging to other merchant ships. -In these articles they are frequently much stinted, particularly when -the negroes are on board; part of the stock laid in for the sailors, -being, as before observed, appropriated to their use. - -With regard to their drink, they are generally denied grog, and are -seldom allowed any thing but water to quench their thirst. This urges -them, when opportunity offers, at Bonny and other places on the coast, -to barter their clothes with the natives, for English brandy, which -the Africans obtain, among other articles, in exchange for slaves; and -they frequently leave themselves nearly naked, in order to indulge an -excess in spiritous liquors. In this state, they are often found lying -on the deck, and in different parts of the ship, exposed to the heavy -dews which in those climates fall during the night; notwithstanding the -deck is usually washed every evening. This frequently causes pains in -the head and limbs, accompanied with a fever, which generally, in the -course of a few days, occasions their death. - -The temporary house constructed on the deck, affords but an indifferent -shelter from the weather; yet the sailors are obliged to lodge under -it, as all the parts between decks are occupied by, or kept for, the -negroes. The cabin is frequently full, and when this is the case, -or the captain finds the heat and the stench intolerable, he quits -his cot, which is usually hung over the slaves, and sleeps in the -round-house, if there be one, as there is in many ships. - -The foul air that arises from the negroes when they are much crowded, -is very noxious to the crew; and this is not a little increased by -the additional heat which the covering over the ship occasions. The -mangrove smoke is likewise, as before observed, productive of disorders -among them. - -Nor are they better accommodated after they leave the Coast of Africa. -During the whole of the passage to the West-Indies, which in general -lasts seven weeks, or two months, they are obliged, for want of room -between decks, to keep upon deck. This exposure to the weather, is also -found very prejudicial to the health of the sailors, and frequently -occasions fevers, which generally prove fatal. The only resemblance -of a shelter, is a tarpawling thrown over the booms, which even -before they leave the coast, is generally so full of holes, as to -afford scarce any defence against the wind or the rain, of which a -considerable quantity usually falls during this passage. - -Many other causes contribute to affect the health of the sailors. The -water at Bonny, which they are obliged to drink, is very unwholesome; -and, together with their scanty and bad diet, and the cruel usage they -receive from the officers, tends to impoverish the blood, and render -them extremely susceptible of putrid fevers and dysenteries. - -The seamen, whose health happen to be impaired, are discharged, on -the arrival of the ships in the West-Indies, and as soon as they get -ashore, they have recourse to spiritous liquors, to which they are the -more prone, on account of having been denied grog, or even any liquor -but water, during their being aboard; the consequence of which is, a -certain and speedy destruction. Numbers likewise die in the West-India -islands, of the scurvy, brought on in consequence of poverty of diet, -and exposure to all weathers. - -I am now come to a part of the sufferings of the sailors who are -employed in the slave-trade, of which, for the honour of human nature, -I would willingly decline giving an account; that is, the treatment -they receive from their officers, which makes no inconsiderable -addition to the hardships and ailments just mentioned, and contributes -not a little to rob the nation annually, of a considerable number of -this valuable body of men. However, as truth demands, and the occasion -requires it, I will relate some of the circumstances of this kind, -which fell under my own immediate observation, during the several -voyages I made in that line. - -In one of these, I was witness to the following instance of cruel -usage. Most of the sailors were treated with brutal severity; but one -in particular, a man advanced in years, experienced it in an uncommon -degree. Having made some complaint relative to his allowance of water, -and this being construed into an insult, one of the officers seized -him, and with the blows he bestowed upon him, beat out several of -his teeth. Not content with this, while the poor old man was yet -bleeding, one of the iron pump-bolts was fixed in his mouth, and kept -there by a piece of rope-yarn tied round his head. Being unable to -spit out the blood which flowed from the wound, the man was almost -choaked, and obliged to swallow it. He was then tied to the rail of -the quarter-deck, having declared, upon being gagged, that he would -jump overboard and drown himself. About two hours after he was taken -from the quarter-deck rail, and fastened to the grating companion of -the steerage, under the half deck, where he remained all night with a -centinel placed over him. - -A young man on board one of the ships, was frequently beaten in a -very severe manner, for very trifling faults. This was done sometimes -with what is termed _a cat_, (an instrument of correction, which -consists of a handle or stem, made of a rope three inches and a half in -circumference, and about eighteen inches in length, at one of which are -fastened nine branches, or tails, composed of log line, with three or -more knots upon each branch), and sometimes he was beat with a bamboo. -Being one day cruelly beaten with the latter, the poor lad, unable to -endure the severe usage, leaped out of one of the gun ports on the -larboard side of the cabin, into the river. He, however, providentially -escaped being devoured by the sharks, and was taken up by a canoe -belonging to one of the black traders then lying along-side the vessel. -As soon as he was brought on board, he was dragged to the quarter-deck, -and his head forced into a tub of water, which had been left there for -the negroe women to wash their hands in. In this situation he was kept -till he was nearly suffocated; the person who held him, exclaiming, -with the malignity of a demon, “If you want drowning, I will drown you -myself.” Upon my inquiring of the young man, if he knew the danger to -which he exposed himself by jumping overboard, he replied, “that he -expected to be devoured by the sharks, but he preferred even that, to -being treated daily with so much cruelty.” - -Another seaman having been in some degree negligent, had a long chain -fixed round his neck, at the end of which was fastened a log of wood. -In this situation he performed his duty, (from which he was not in the -least spared) for several weeks, till at length he was nearly exhausted -by fatigue; and after his release from the log, he was frequently -beaten for trivial faults. Once, in particular, when an accident -happened, through the carelessness of another seaman, he was tied up, -although the fault was not in the least imputable to him, along with -the other person, and they were both flogged till their backs were raw. -Chian pepper was then mixed in a bucket, with salt water, and with this -the harrowed parts of the back of the unoffending seaman were washed, -as an addition to his torture. - -The same seaman having at another time accidentally broken a plate, -a fish-gig was thrown at him with great violence. The fish-gig is an -instrument used for striking fish, and consists of several strong -barbed points fixed on a pole, about six feet long, loaded at the end -with lead. The man escaped the threatening danger, by stooping his -head, and the missile weapon struck in the barricado. Knives and forks -were at other times thrown at him; and a large Newfoundland dog was -frequently set at him, which, thus encouraged, would not only tear his -cloths, but wound him. At length, after several severe floggings, and -other ill treatment, the poor fellow appeared to be totally insensible -to beating, and careless of the event. - -I must here add, that whenever any of the crew were beaten, the -Newfoundland dog, just mentioned, from the encouragement he met with, -would generally leap upon them, tear their cloths, and bite them. -He was particularly inveterate against one of the seamen, who, from -being often knocked down, and severely beaten, appeared quite stupid, -and incapable of doing his duty. In this state, he was taken on board -another ship, and returned to England. - -In one of my voyages, a seaman came on board the ship I belonged -to, while on the coast, as a passenger to the West-Indies. He was -just recovered from a fever, and notwithstanding this, he was very -unmercifully beaten during the passage, which, together with the feeble -state he was in at the time, rendered him nearly incapable of walking, -and it was but by stealth, that any medical assistance could be given -to him. - -A young man was likewise beaten and kicked almost daily, for trifling, -and even imaginary faults. The poor youth happening to have a very bad -toe, through a hurt, he was placed as a centry over the sick slaves, -a station which required much walking. This, in addition to the pain -it occasioned, increased a fever he already had. Soon after he was -compelled, although so ill, to sit on the gratings, and being there -overcome with illness and fatigue, he chanced to fall asleep; which -being observed from the quarter-deck, he was soon awakened, and with -many oaths, upbraided for neglect of duty. He was then kicked from the -gratings, and so cruelly beaten, that it was with great difficulty he -crawled to one of the officers who was more humane, and complaining -of the cruel treatment he had just received, petitioned for a little -barley-water (which was kept for the sick slaves) to quench the -intolerable thirst he experienced. - -Another seaman was knocked down several times a day, for faults of -no deep dye. It being observed at one time, that the hen coops had -not been removed by the sailors who were then washing the deck, nor -washed under, which it was his duty to see done, one of the officers -immediately knocked him down, then seized and dragged him to the -stern of the vessel, where he threw him violently against the deck. -By this treatment, various parts of his body was much bruised, his -face swelled, and he had a bad eye for a fortnight. He was afterwards -severely beaten for a very trifling fault, and kicked till he fell -down. When he got on shore in the West-Indies, he carried his shirt, -stained with the blood which had flowed from his wounds, to one of the -magistrates of the island, and applied to him for redress; but the ship -being consigned to one of them, all the redress he could procure, was -his discharge. - -Many other instances of similar severity might be produced; but the -foregoing will suffice, to give some idea of the treatment seamen are -liable to, and generally experience, in this employ; the consequence of -which usually is desertion or death. - -Of the former I will give one instance. While a ship I belonged to -lay at Bonny, early one morning near a dozen of the crew deserted in -one of the long boats. They were driven to this desperate measure, as -one of them afterwards informed me, by the cruel treatment they had -experienced on board. Two of them, in particular, had been severely -beaten and flogged the preceding day. One of these having neglected to -see that the arms of the ship were kept fit for use, was tied up to the -mizen shrouds, and after being stripped, very severely flogged on the -back; his trowsers were then pulled down, and the floging was repeated. -The other seaman, who was esteemed a careful, cleanly, sober fellow, -had been punished little less severely, though it did not appear that -he had been guilty at that time of any fault. - -It is customary for most of the captains of the slave ships to go on -shore every evening to do business with the black traders. Upon these -occasions many of them get intoxicated, and when they return on board, -give proofs of their inebriation, by beating and ill using some or -other of the crew. This was the present case; the seaman here spoken -of, was beaten, without any reason being assigned, with a knotted -bamboo, for a considerable time; by which he was very much bruised, and -being before in an ill state of health, suffered considerably. - -Irritated by the ill usage which all of them, in their turn, had -experienced, they resolved to attempt an escape, and effected it early -in the morning. The person on the watch discovered, that the net-work -on the main deck had been cut, and that one of the long-boats was gone; -and, upon farther examination it was found, that near a dozen of the -seamen were missing. A few hours after, the captain went in the cutter -in pursuit of the deserters, but without success. - -On my return to England, I received from one of them, the following -account of their adventures during this undertaking. - -When they left the vessel, they proposed going to Old Calabar, -being determined to perish, rather than return to the ship. All the -provisions they took with them was, a bag containing about half a -hundred weight of bread, half a small cheese, and a cask of water of -about 38 gallons. They made a sail of a hammock, and erected one of -the boat’s oars for a mast. Thus slenderly provided, they dropped -down the river of Bonny, and kept along the coast; but mistaking one -river for another, they were seized by the natives, who stripped them, -and marched them across the country, for a considerable distance, to -the place to which they themselves intended going. During the march, -several were taken ill, and some of them died. Those who survived, were -sold to an English ship which lay there. Every one of these deserters, -except three, died on the coast, or during their passage to the -West-Indies; and one of the remaining three died soon after his arrival -there. So that only two out of the whole number, lived to arrive in -England, and those in a very infirm state of health. - -While I am upon the subject of the desertions among the sailors, I -must add, that the captains in this trade generally take out with -them tobacco and slops, which they sell at an exorbitant price to the -sailors. And in case of their desertion or decease, they have it in -their power to charge to the seamens accounts, whatever quantity they -please, without contradiction. This proves an additional reason for -cruel usage. In case of desertion, the sailors forfeit their wages, by -which the expences of the voyage are lessened, and consequently the -merchants reap benefit from it. - -The relation just given of the barbarities exercised by the officers -in the slave trade, upon the seamen under their command, may appear to -those who are unacquainted with the method in which this iniquitous -branch of commerce is conducted, to be exaggerated. But I can assure -them, that every instance is confined within the strictest bounds of -truth. Many others may likewise be brought to prove, that those I -have recited are by no means singular. Indeed, the reverse of this -conduct would be esteemed a singularity. For the common practice of the -officers in the Guinea trade, I am sorry to say it, will, with a very -few exceptions, justify the assertion, that to harden the feelings, and -to inspire a _delight in giving torture_ to a fellow creature, is -the natural tendency of this unwarrantable traffick. It is but justice -however, that I except from this general censure, one captain with whom -I sailed. Upon all occasions I found him to be a humane and considerate -man, and ever ready to alleviate the evils attendant on the trade, as -far as they were to be lessened. - -The annual diminution of British seamen by all the foregoing causes, is -what next claims attention, and upon due investigation will be found, -I fear, to be much more considerable than it is generally supposed to -be. As this is a question of great national importance, and cannot fail -to evince the necessity of an abolition of the slave trade; in order -to convey to the public some idea of the destructive tendency of it, I -will give an account of the statement of the loss of a ship, to which -I belonged, during one of her voyages. And though this statement may -not be considered as an average of the loss upon each voyage, which I -have before estimated, as I would not wish to exceed the mark, at one -fourth, and oftentimes one third. I have known instances where it has -been greatly exceeded, as I shall presently shew. - -The crew of the ship I speak of, upon its departure from England, -consisted of forty-six persons, exclusive of the captain, chief -mate, and myself. Out of this number, we lost on the coast eleven by -desertion (of whom only two, and those in a very infirm state, ever -arrived in England) and five by death. Three perished in the middle -passage, of whom one was a passenger. In the West-Indies, two died, -one of which was a passenger from Bonny. Five were discharged at -their own request, having been cruelly treated, and five deserted, -exclusive of two who shipped themselves at Bonny; of these ten, several -were in a diseased state; and probably, like most of the seamen who -are discharged or desert from the Guinea ships in the islands, never -returned to their native country. One died in our passage from the -West-Indies to England; and one, having been rendered incapable of -duty, was sent on board another ship while we lay at Bonny. - -Thus, out of the forty-six persons before-mentioned, only fifteen -returned home in the ship. And several, out of this small number, -so enervated in their constitution, as to be of little service in -future; they were, on the contrary, reduced to the mournful necessity -of becoming burthensome to themselves and to others. Of the ten that -deserted, or were discharged in the West-Indies, little account can -be taken; it being extremely improbable that one half, perhaps not a -third, ever returned to this country. - -From hence it appears, that there was a loss in this voyage of -thirty-one sailors and upwards, exclusive of the two sailors who were -passengers, and not included in the ship’s crew. I say _a loss of -thirty-one_, for though the whole of this number did not die, yet if -it be considered, that several of those who returned to England in the -ship, or who might have returned by other ships, are likely to become a -burthen, instead of being useful to the community, it will be readily -acknowledged, I doubt not, that the foregoing statement does not exceed -reality. - -How worthy of serious consideration is the diminution here represented, -of a body of people so valuable in a commercial state! But how much -more alarming will this be, when it appears, as is really the case, -that the loss of seamen in the voyage I am speaking of, is not equal -to what is experienced even by some other ships trading to Bonny -and Calabar; and much less than by those employed in boating on the -Windward Coast; where frequently there happens such a mortality among -the crew, as not to leave a sufficient number of hands to navigate the -ships to the West-Indies. In the year 1786, I saw a ship, belonging to -Miles Barber, and Co. at Cape Monserado, on the Windward Coast, which -had lost all the crew except three, from _boating_; a practice -that proves extremely destructive to sailors, by exposing them to the -parching sun and heavy dews of Africa, for weeks together, while they -are seeking for negroes up the rivers, as before described. - -It might naturally be asked, as such are the dangers to which the -sailors employed in the slave trade are exposed from the intemperature -of the climate, the inconveniencies of the voyage, and the treatment of -the officers, how the captains are able to procure a sufficient number -to man their ships. I answer, that it is done by a series of finesse -and imposition, aided not only by allurements, but by threats. - -There are certain public-houses, in which, for interested purposes, the -sailors are trusted, and encouraged to run in debt. To the landlords -of these houses the captains apply. And a certain number being fixed -on, the landlord immediately insists upon their entering on board such -a ship, threatening, in case of refusal, to arrest and throw them into -prison. At the same time the captain holds out the allurements of a -month’s pay in advance above the ships in any other trade, and the -promise of satisfying their inexorable landlords. Thus terrified on the -one hand by the apprehensions of a prison, and allured on the other -by the promised advance, they enter. And by this means a very great -proportion of the sailors in the slave trade are procured; only a very -small number of landmen are employed. During the several voyages I have -been in the trade, I have not known the number to exceed one for each -voyage. The few ships that go out in time of war, generally take with -them, as other merchant ships do, a greater proportion of landmen. And -with regard to apprentices, we had not any on board the ships I sailed -in, neither to my knowledge have I ever seen any. So far is this trade -from proving a nursery for seamen. - -By their articles, on entering on board some Guinea ships, the sailors -are restrained, under forfeiture of their wages, from applying, in case -of ill usage, to any one for redress, except to such persons as shall -be nominated by the owners or the captain; and by others, to commence -an action against the captain for bad treatment, incurs a penalty of -fifty pounds. These restrictions seem to be a tacit acknowledgment -on the part of the owners and captains, that ill treatment is to be -expected. - -Having stated the foregoing facts relative to the nature of this -destructive and inhuman traffick, I shall leave those, whose more -immediate business it is, to deduce the necessary conclusions; and -shall proceed to give a few cursory observations on those parts of the -coast of Africa already referred to; confining myself to such as tend -to an elucidation of the slave trade, without entering minutely into -the state of the country. - - - - - A short Description of such Parts of the Coast of Guinea, as are - before referred to. - - -BONNY, or BANNY, is a large town situate in the Bight of Benin, on -the coast of Guinea, lying about twelve miles from the sea, on the -east side of a river of the same name, opposite to a town called -Peter-forte-side. It consists of a considerable number of very poor -huts, built of upright poles, plaistered with a kind of red earth, and -covered with mats. They are very low, being only one story. The floor -is made of sand, which being constructed on swampy ground, does not -long retain its firmness, but requires frequent repair. - -The inhabitants secure themselves, in some degree, against the noxious -vapours, which arise from the swamps and woods that surround the -town, by constantly keeping large wood fires in their huts. They are -extremely dirty and indolent; which, together with what they call the -_smokes_, (a noxious vapour, arising from the swamps about the -latter end of autumn) produces an epidemical fever, that carries off -great numbers. - -The natives of Bonny believe in one Supreme Being; but they reverence -greatly a harmless animal of the lizard kind, called a Guana, the body -of which is about the size of a man’s leg, and tapering towards its -tail, nearly to a point. Great numbers of them run about the town, -being encouraged and cherished by the inhabitants. - -The river of Bonny abounds with sharks of a very large size, which -are often seen in almost incredible numbers about the slave ships, -devouring with great dispatch the dead bodies of the negroes as they -are thrown overboard. The bodies of the sailors who die there, are -buried on a sandy point, called Bonny Point, which lies about a quarter -of a mile from the town. It is covered at high water; and, as the -bodies are buried but a small depth below the surface of the sand, the -stench arising from them is sometimes very noxious. - -The trade of this town consists of slaves, and a small quantity of -ivory and palm-oil, the latter of which the inhabitants use as we do -butter; but its chief dependence is on the slave trade, in which it -exceeds any other place on the coast of Africa. The only water here -is rain-water, which stagnating in a dirty pool, is very unwholesome. -With this, as there is no better to be procured, the ships are obliged -to supply themselves, though, when drank by the sailors, it frequently -occasions violent pains in the bowels, accompanied with a diarrhæa. - -THE WINDWARD COAST of Africa has a very beautiful appearance -from the sea, being covered with trees, which are green all the year. -It produces rice, cotton, and indigo of the first quality, and likewise -a variety of roots, such as yams, casava, sweet potatoes, &c. &c. The -soil is very rich, and the rice which it produces, is superior to that -of Carolina; the cotton also is very fine. It has a number of fine -rivers, that are navigable for small sloops, a considerable way up the -country. - -The natives are a strong hardy race, especially about Setrecrou, where -they are always employed in hunting and fishing. They are extremely -athletic and muscular, and are very expert in the water, and can swim -for many miles. They can likewise dive to almost any depth. I have -often thrown pieces of iron and tobacco pipes overboard, which they -have never failed bringing up in their hand. - -Their canoes are very small, not weighing above twenty-eight pounds -each, and seldom carrying above two or three people. It is surprizing -to see with what rapidity they paddle themselves through the water, and -to what a distance they venture in them from the shore. I have seen -them eight or nine miles distant from it. In stormy weather the sea -frequently fills them, which the persons in them seem to disregard. -When this happens, they leap into the sea, and taking hold of the ends -of the canoe, turn her over several times, till they have emptied her -of the chief part of the water; they then get in again, with great -agility, and throw out the remainder with a small scoop, made for that -purpose. - -They sell some ivory and Malegetta pepper. - -They are very cleanly in their houses, as likewise in cooking their -victuals. The ivory on this coast is very fine, especially at Cape -Lahoe. There are on this coast small cattle. - -THE GOLD COAST has not so pleasing an appearance from the -sea, as the Windward coast; but the natives are full as hardy, if not -more so. The reason given for this is, that as their country is not so -fertile as the Windward Coast, they are obliged to labour more in the -cultivation of rice and corn, which is their chief food. They have -here, as on the Windward Coast, hogs, goats, fowls, and abundance of -fine fish, &c. They are very fond of brandy, and always get intoxicated -when it is in their power to do so. They are likewise very bold and -resolute, and insurrections happen more frequently among them, when on -ship-board, than amongst the negroes of any other part of the coast. - -The trade here is carried on by means of gold-dust, for which the -Europeans give them goods, such as pieces of India chintz, bafts, -romals, guns, powder, tobacco, brandy, pewter, iron, lead, copper, -knives, &c. &c. After the gold dust is purchased, it is again disposed -of to the natives for negroes. Their mode of reckoning in this -traffick, is by ounces; thus they say they will have so many ounces for -a slave; and according to the number of ships on the coast, the price -of these differs. - -The English have several forts on the Gold Coast, the principle of -which are, Cape Corse, and Anamaboe. The trade carried on at these -forts, is bartering for negroes, which the governors sell again to the -European ships, for the articles before-mentioned. - -The natives, as just observed, are a bold, resolute people. During -the last voyage I was upon the coast, I saw a number of negroes in -Cape Corse Castle, some of whom were part of the cargo of a ship from -London, on whose crew they had risen, and, after killing the captain -and most of the sailors, ran the ship on shore; but in endeavouring to -make their escape, most of them were seized by the natives, and resold. -Eighteen of these we purchased from Governor Morgue. The Dutch have -likewise a strong fort on this coast, called Elmina, where they carry -on a considerable trade for slaves. - -The principal places of trade for negroes, are Bonny and Calabar. The -town and trade of Bonny, I have already described. That of Calabar is -nearly similar. The natives of the latter are of a much more delicate -frame than those of the Windward and Gold Coasts. - -The natives of Angola are the mildest, and most expert in mechanicks, -of any of the Africans. Their country is the most plentiful of any -in those parts, and produces different sorts of grain, particularly -calavances, of which they seem, when on ship-board, to be extremely -fond. Here are likewise hogs, sheep, goats, fowls, &c. in great -abundance, insomuch, that when I was at the River Ambris, we could buy -a fine fat sheep for a small keg of gunpowder, the value of which was -about one shilling and sixpence sterling. They have also great plenty -of fine fish. I have often seen turtle caught, while fishing with a -net for other fish. They have a species of wild cinnamon, which has a -very pungent taste in the mouth. The soil seems extremely rich, and the -vegetation luxuriant and quick. A person might walk for miles in the -country amidst wild jessamin trees. - -The Portuguese have a large town on this coast, named St. Paul’s, the -inhabitants of which, and of the country for many miles round, profess -the Roman Catholick religion. They are in general strictly honest. The -town of St. Paul’s is strongly fortified, and the Portuguese do not -suffer any other nation to trade there. - - - THE END. - - - - - BOOKS lately Published by JAMES PHILLIPS, George-Yard, - Lombard-Street. - - -ESSAY on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British -Sugar Colonies. By the Rev. J. RAMSAY, Vicar of Teston in -Kent. 4s. Boards. - -An INQUIRY into the Effects of putting a Stop to the African Slave -Trade, and of granting Liberty to the Slaves in the British Sugar -Colonies. By J. RAMSAY. 6d. - -A REPLY to the Personal Invectives and Objections contained in Two -Answers, published by certain anonymous Persons, to an Essay on the -Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves, in the British Colonies. By -JAMES RAMSAY. 2s. - -A LETTER from Capt. J. S. SMITH, to the Rev. Mr. HILL, on the State of -the Negroe Slaves. To which are added an Introduction, and Remarks on -Free Negroes. By the EDITOR. 6d. - -A CAUTION to Great Britain and her Colonies, in a short Representation -of the calamitous State of the enslaved Negroes in the British -Dominions. By ANTHONY BENEZET. 6d. - -The CASE of our Fellow-Creatures, the Oppressed Africans, respectfully -recommended to the serious Consideration of the Legislature of Great -Britain, by the People called Quakers. 2d. - -A Summary View of the SLAVE TRADE, and of the probable Consequences of -its Abolition. 2d. - -A LETTER to the Treasurer of the Society instituted for the Purpose -of effecting the Abolition of the SLAVE TRADE. From the Rev. -ROBERT BOUCHER NICKOLLS, Dean of Middleham. 2d. - -A new and much enlarged Edition of CLARKSON’S ESSAYS will soon be -published. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - -Errors in punctuation have been fixed. - -Page 6: “guarded by a centinal” changed to “guarded by a centinel” - -Page 9: “from Leverpool” changed to “from Liverpool” “for that perod” -changed to “for that period” - -Page 33: “I shal be” changed to “I shall be” - -Page 34: “these proceediNgs” changed to “these proceedings” - -Page 42: “illness aad fatigue” changed to “illness and fatigue” - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE SLAVE TRADE -ON THE COAST OF AFRICA *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/69178-0.zip b/old/69178-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 989be4e..0000000 --- a/old/69178-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/69178-h.zip b/old/69178-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c8dda0e..0000000 --- a/old/69178-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/69178-h/69178-h.htm b/old/69178-h/69178-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 47180cc..0000000 --- a/old/69178-h/69178-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2133 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<head> - <meta charset="UTF-8"> - <title> - An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa, by Alexander Falconbridge—A Project Gutenberg eBook - </title> - <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> - <style> /* <![CDATA[ */ - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; - text-indent: 1em; -} - -.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } - -hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 47.5%; margin-right: 47.5%;} - -div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} -h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} -table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; width: 60%;} -table.autotable td, -table.autotable th { padding: 4px; } -.x-ebookmaker table {width: 95%;} - -.tdl {text-align: left;} -.tdr {text-align: right;} - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - font-style: normal; - font-weight: normal; - font-variant: normal; - text-indent: 0; -} - -.bb {border-bottom: 2px solid;} - -.bt {border-top: 2px solid;} - -.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -/* Transcriber's notes */ -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } - -.big {font-size: 1.2em;} -.small {font-size: 0.8em;} - -abbr[title] { - text-decoration: none; -} - - /* ]]> */ </style> -</head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of An account of the slave trade on the coast of Africa, by Alexander Falconbridge</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: An account of the slave trade on the coast of Africa</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Alexander Falconbridge</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 18, 2022 [eBook #69178]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE COAST OF AFRICA ***</div> - - - -<h1><span class="small">AN</span><br>ACCOUNT<br><span class="small">OF THE</span><br>SLAVE TRADE<br><span class="small">ON THE</span><br><span class="smcap big">Coast of Africa</span>.</h1> -<hr class="r5"> -<p class="center"> -BY<br> -<span class="big">ALEXANDER FALCONBRIDGE,</span><br> -<span class="smcap">Late Surgeon in the African Trade</span><br> -</p> -<hr class="r5"> -<p class="center p2"> -<span class="big">LONDON:</span><br> -<span class="small"><span class="smcap">Printed by J. Phillips, George Yard, Lombard-street.</span><br> -MDCCLXXXVIII.</span></p> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</span></p> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</h2> -</div> - - -<p>The following sheets are intended to lay before the public the present -state of a branch of the British commerce, which, ever since its -existence, has been held in detestation by all good men, but at this -time more particularly engages the attention of the nation, and is -become the object of general reprobation.</p> - -<p>Leaving to abler pens to expatiate more at large on the injustice and -inhumanity of the <i>Slave Trade</i>, I shall content myself with -giving some account of the hardships which the unhappy objects of it -undergo, and the cruelties they suffer, from the period of their being -reduced to a state of slavery, to their being disposed of in the West -India islands; where, I fear, their grievances find little alleviation. -At the same time, I shall treat of a subject, which appears not to have -been attended to in the manner its importance requires; that is, the -sufferings and loss of the seamen employed in this trade; which, from -the intemperature of the climate, the inconveniencies they labour under -during the voyage, and the severity of most of the commanders, occasion -the destruction of great numbers annually.</p> - -<p>And this I shall endeavour to do by the recital of a number of facts -which have fallen under my own immediate observation, or the knowledge -of which I have obtained from persons on whose veracity I can depend.</p> - -<p>And happy shall I esteem myself, if an experience obtained by a series -of inquiries and observations, made during several voyages to the -coast<span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</span> of Africa, shall enable me to render any service to a cause, -which is become the cause of every person of humanity.</p> - -<p>Before I proceed to the methods of obtaining the slaves, and their -subsequent treatment, the treatment of the sailors, and a concise -account of the places on the coast of Africa where slaves are obtained, -(which I purpose to annex,) it may not be unnecessary to give a short -sketch of the usual proceedings of the ships employed in the slave -trade.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="AN">AN<br>ACCOUNT<br><span class="small">OF THE</span><br>SLAVE TRADE, &c.</h2> -</div> - - -<hr class="r5"> -<h3 class="nobreak" id="Proceedings_during_the_Voyage">Proceedings during the Voyage.</h3> - - - -<p>On the arrival of the ships at Bonny, and New Calabar, it is customary -for them to unbend the sails, strike the yards and topmasts, and begin -to build what they denominate <em>a house</em>. This is effected in the -following manner. The sailors first lash the booms and yards from mast -to mast, in order to form a <em>ridge-pole</em>. About ten feet above the -deck, several spars, equal in length to the ridge pole, are next lashed -to the standing rigging, and form a wall-plate. Across the ridge-pole -and wall-plate, several other spars or rafters are afterwards laid -and lashed, at the distance of about six inches from each other. On -these, other rafters or spars are laid length-wise, equal in extent -to the ridge-pole, so as to form a kind of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> lattice or net-work, with -interfaces of six inches square. The roof is then covered with mats, -made of rushes of very loose texture, fastened together with rope-yarn, -and so placed, as to lap over each other like tiles. The space between -the deck and the wall-plate, is likewise enclosed with a kind of -lattice, or net-work, formed of sticks, lashed across each other, and -leaving vacancies of about four inches square. Near the main-mast, a -partition is constructed of inch deal boards, which reaches athwart the -ship. This division is called a <em>barricado</em>. It is about eight -feet in height, and is made to project near two feet over the sides of -the ship. In this barricado there is a door, at which a centinel is -placed during the time the negroes are permitted to come upon deck. It -serves to keep the different sexes apart; and as there are small holes -in it, wherein blunderbusses are fixed, and sometimes a cannon, it -is found very convenient for quelling the insurrections that now and -then happen. Another door is made in the lattice or net-work at the -ladder, by which you enter the ship. This door is guarded by a centinel -during the day, and is locked at night. At the head of the ship there -is a third door, for the use of the sailors, which is secured in the -same manner as that at the gangway. There is also in the roof a large -trap-door, through which the goods intended for barter, the water -casks, &c. are hoisted out or in.</p> - -<p>The design of this house is to secure those on board from the heat of -the sun, which in this latitude is intense, and from the wind and rain, -which at particular seasons, are likewise extremely violent. It answers -these purposes however but very ineffectually. The slight texture of -the mats admits both the wind and the rain, whenever it happens<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span> to be -violent, though at the same time, it increases the heat of the ship -to a very pernicious degree, especially between decks. The increased -warmth occasioned by this means, together with the smoke produced -from the green mangrove, (the usual firewood) which, for want of a -current of air to carry it off, collects itself in large quantities, -and infests every part of the ship, render a vessel during its stay -here very unhealthy. The smoke also, by its acrimonious quality, often -produces inflammations in the eyes, which terminates sometimes in the -loss of sight.</p> - -<p>Another purpose for which these temporary houses are erected, is, in -order to prevent the purchased negroes from leaping overboard. This, -the horrors of their situation frequently impel them to attempt; and -they now and then effect it, notwithstanding all the precautions that -are taken, by forcing their way through the lattice work.</p> - -<p>The slave ships generally lie near a mile below the town, in Bonny -River, in seven or eight fathom water. Sometimes fifteen sail, English -and French, but chiefly the former, meet here together. Soon after they -cast anchor, the captains go on shore, to make known their arrival, -and to inquire into the state of the trade. They likewise invite the -kings of Bonny to come on board, to whom, previous to breaking bulk, -they usually make presents (in that country termed <em>dashes</em>) -which generally consist of pieces of cloth, cotton, chintz, silk -handkerchiefs, and other India goods, and sometimes of brandy, wine, or -beer.</p> - -<p>When I was at Bonny a few years ago, it was the residence of two kings, -whose names were <i>Norfolk</i> and <i>Peppel</i>. The houses of these -princes were not distinguished from the cottages or huts of which the -town consists, in any other manner,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> than by being of somewhat larger -dimensions, and surrounded with warehouses containing European goods, -designed for the purchase of slaves. These slaves, which the kings -procure in the same manner as the black traders do theirs, are sold by -them to the ships. And for every negroe sold there by the traders, the -kings receive a duty, which amounts to a considerable sum in the course -of a year. This duty is collected by officers, stationed on board the -ships, who are termed <em>officer boys</em>; a denomination which it is -thought they received from the English.</p> - -<p>The kings of Bonny are absolute, though elective. They are assisted -in the government by a small number of persons of a certain rank, who -stile themselves <em>parliament gentlemen</em>; an office which they -generally hold for life. Every ship, on its arrival, is expected to -send a present to these gentlemen, of a small quantity of bread and -beef, and likewise to treat them as often as they come on board. When -they do this, their approach to the ship is announced by blowing -through a hollow elephant’s tooth, which produces a sound resembling -that of a post-horn.</p> - -<p>After the kings have been on board, and have received the usual -presents, permission is granted by them, for trafficking with any of -the black traders. When the royal guests return from the ships, they -are saluted by the guns.</p> - -<p>From the time of the arrival of the ships to their departure, which -is usually near three months, scarce a day passes without some -negroes being purchased, and carried on board; sometimes in small, -and sometimes in larger numbers. The whole number taken on board, -depends, in a great measure, on circumstances. In a voyage I once made, -our stock of merchandize was exhausted in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> the purchase of about 380 -negroes, which was expected to have procured 500. The number of English -and French ships then at Bonny, had so far raised the price of negroes, -as to occasion this difference.</p> - -<p>The reverse (and a <em>happy</em> reverse I think I may call it) was -known during the late war. When I was last at Bonny, I frequently -made inquiries on this head, of one of the black traders, whose -intelligence I believe I can depend upon. He informed me that only one -ship had been there for three years during that period; and that was -the <i>Moseley-Hill</i>, Captain Ewing, from Liverpool, who made an -extraordinary purchase, as he found negroes remarkably cheap from the -dulness of trade. Upon further inquiring of my black acquaintance, what -was the consequence of this decay of their trade, he shrugged up his -shoulders, and answered, <em>only making us traders poorer, and obliging -us to work for our maintenance</em>. One of these black merchants being -informed, that a particular set of people, called Quakers, were for -abolishing the trade, he said, <em>it was a very bad thing, as they -should then be reduced to the same state they were in during the war, -when, through poverty, they were obliged to dig the ground and plant -yams</em>.</p> - -<p>I was once upon the coast of Angola also, when there had not been a -slave ship at the river Ambris for five years previous to our arrival, -although a place to which many usually resort every year; and the -failure of the trade for that period, as far as we could learn, had -not any other effect, than to restore peace and confidence among -the natives; which, upon the arrival of any ships, is immediately -destroyed, by the inducement then held forth in the purchase of slaves. -And during the suspension of trade at Bonny, as above-mentioned, none -of the dreadful proceedings, which are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> so confidently asserted to -be the natural consequence of it, were known. The reduction of the -price of negroes, and the poverty of the black traders, appear to have -been the only <em>bad</em> effects of the discontinuance of trade; the -<em>good</em> ones were, <em>most probably</em>, the restoration of peace -and confidence among the natives, and a suspension of kidnapping.</p> - -<p>When the ships have disposed of all their merchandize in the purchase -of negroes, and have laid in their stock of wood, water, and yams, they -prepare for sailing, by getting up the yards and topmasts, reeving the -running rigging, bending the sails, and by taking down the temporary -house. They then drop down the river, to wait for a favourable -opportunity to pass over the bar, which is formed by a number of -sand-banks lying across the mouth of the river, with navigable channels -between them. It is not uncommon for ships to get upon the bar, and -sometimes they are lost.</p> - -<p>The first place the slave ships touch at in their passage to the -West-Indies, is either the Island of St. Thomas, or Princes Island, -where they usually carry their sick on shore, for the benefit of the -air, and likewise replenish their stock of water. The former of these -islands is nearly circular, being one hundred and twenty miles round, -and lies exactly under the equator, about forty-five leagues from -the African continent. It abounds with wood and water, and produces -Indian corn, rice, fruits, sugar, and some cinnamon. The air is rather -prejudicial to an European constitution, nevertheless it is well -peopled by the Portuguese. Princes Island, which is much smaller, -lies in 1 deg. 30 min. north latitude, and likewise produces Indian -corn, and a variety of fruits and roots, besides sugar canes. Black -cattle, hogs, and goats are numerous there; but it is infested with a -mischievous and dangerous species of monkeys.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p> - -<p>During one of the voyages I made, I was landed upon the Island of St. -Thomas, with near one hundred sick negroes, who were placed in an old -house, taken on purpose for their reception. Little benefit however -accrued from their going on shore, as several of them died there, and -the remainder continued nearly in the same situation as when they were -landed, though our continuance was prolonged for about twelve days, and -the island is deemed upon the whole healthy.</p> - -<p>Upon the arrival of the slave ships in the West-Indies, a day is soon -fixed for the sale of their cargoes. And this is done by different -modes, and often by one they term a <em>scramble</em>, of which some -account will be given, when the sale of the negroes is treated of.</p> - -<p>The whole of their cargoes being disposed of, the ships are immediately -made ready to proceed to sea. It is very seldom, however, that they are -not detained, for want of a sufficient number of sailors to navigate -the ship, as this trade may justly be denominated the grave of seamen. -Though the crews of the ships upon their leaving England, generally -amount to between forty and fifty men, scarcely three-fourths, and -sometimes not one-third of the complement, ever return to the port from -whence they sailed, through mortality and desertion; the causes of -which I shall speak of under another head.</p> - -<p>The time during which the slave ships are absent from England, varies -according to the destination of the voyage, and the number of ships -they happen to meet on the coast. To Bonny, or Old and New Calabar, a -voyage is usually performed in about ten months. Those to the Windward -and Gold Coasts, are rather more uncertain, but in general from fifteen -to eighteen months.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p> - -<h3 class="nobreak" id="The_Manner_in_which_the_Slaves_are_procured">The Manner in which the Slaves are procured.</h3> -</div> - - -<p>After permission has been obtained for <em>breaking trade</em>, as it -is termed, the captains go ashore, from time to time, to examine the -negroes that are exposed to sale, and to make their purchases. The -unhappy wretches thus disposed of, are bought by the black traders at -fairs, which are held for that purpose, at the distance of upwards of -two hundred miles from the sea coast; and these fairs are said to be -supplied from an interior part of the country. Many negroes, upon being -questioned relative to the places of their nativity have asserted, that -they have travelled during the revolution of several moons, (their -usual method of calculating time) before they have reached the places -where they were purchased by the black traders. At these fairs, which -are held at uncertain periods, but generally every six weeks, several -thousands are frequently exposed to sale, who had been collected from -all parts of the country for a very considerable distance round. While -I was upon the coast, during one of the voyages I made, the black -traders brought down, in different canoes, from twelve to fifteen -hundred negroes, which had been purchased at one fair. They consisted -chiefly of men and boys, the women seldom exceeding a third of the -whole number. From forty to two hundred negroes are generally purchased -at a time by the black traders, according to the opulence of the buyer; -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> consist of those of all ages, from a month, to sixty years and -upwards. Scarce any age or situation is deemed an exception, the price -being proportionable. Women sometimes form a part of them, who happen -to be so far advanced in their pregnancy, as to be delivered during -their journey from the fairs to the coast; and I have frequently seen -instances of deliveries on board ship. The slaves purchased at these -fairs are only for the supply of the markets at Bonny, and Old and New -Calabar.</p> - -<p>There is great reason to believe, that most of the negroes shipped -off from the coast of Africa, are <em>kidnapped</em>. But the extreme -care taken by the black traders to prevent the Europeans from gaining -any intelligence of their modes of proceeding; the great distance -inland from whence the negroes are brought; and our ignorance of their -language, (with which, very frequently, the black traders themselves -are equally unacquainted) prevent our obtaining such information on -this head as we could wish. I have, however, by means of occasional -inquiries, made through interpreters, procured some intelligence -relative to the point, and such, as I think, puts the matter beyond a -doubt.</p> - -<p>From these I shall select the following striking instances:—While -I was in employ on board one of the slave ships, a negroe informed -me, that being one evening invited to drink with some of the black -traders, upon his going away, they attempted to seize him. As he was -very active, he evaded their design, and got out of their hands. He was -however prevented from effecting his escape by a large dog, which laid -hold of him, and compelled him to submit. These creatures are kept by -many of the traders for that purpose;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> and being trained to the inhuman -sport, they appear to be much pleased with it.</p> - -<p>I was likewise told by a negroe woman, that as she was on her return -home, one evening, from some neighbours, to whom she had been making -a visit by invitation, she was kidnapped; and, notwithstanding she -was big with child, sold for a slave. This transaction happened a -considerable way up the country, and she had passed through the hands -of several purchasers before she reached the ship. A man and his -son, according to their own information, were seized by professed -kidnappers, while they were planting yams, and sold for slaves. This -likewise happened in the interior parts of the country, and after -passing through several hands, they were purchased for the ship to -which I belonged.</p> - -<p>It frequently happens, that those who kidnap others, are themselves, -in their turns, seized and sold. A negroe in the West-Indies informed -me, that after having been employed in kidnapping others, he had -experienced this reverse. And he assured me, that it was a common -incident among his countrymen.</p> - -<p>Continual enmity is thus fostered among the negroes of Africa, and all -social intercourse between them destroyed; which most assuredly would -not be the case, had they not these opportunities of finding a ready -sale for each other.</p> - -<p>During my stay on the coast of Africa, I was an eye-witness of the -following transaction:——A black trader invited a negroe, who -resided a little way up the country, to come and see him. After the -entertainment was over, the trader proposed to his guest, to treat him -with a sight of one of the ships lying in the river. The unsuspicious -countryman readily consented, and accompanied<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> the trader in a canoe to -the side of the ship, which he viewed with pleasure and astonishment. -While he was thus employed, some black traders on board, who appeared -to be in the secret, leaped into the canoe, seized the unfortunate man, -and dragging him into the ship, immediately sold him.</p> - -<p>Previous to my being in this employ, I entertained a belief, as many -others have done, that the kings and principal men <em>breed</em> negroes -for sale, as we do cattle. During the different times I was in the -country, I took no little pains to satisfy myself in this particular; -but notwithstanding I made many inquiries, I was not able to obtain -the least intelligence of this being the case, which it is more than -probable I should have done, had such a practice prevailed. All the -information I could procure, confirms me in the belief, that to -<em>kidnapping</em>, and to crimes, (and many of these fabricated as a -pretext) the slave trade owes its chief support.</p> - -<p>The following instance tends to prove, that the last mentioned artifice -is often made use of. Several black traders, one of whom was a person -of consequence, and exercised an authority somewhat similar to that of -our magistrates, being in want of some particular kind of merchandize, -and not having a slave to barter for it, they accused a fisherman, -at the river Ambris, with extortion in the sale of his fish; and as -they were interested in the decision, they immediately adjudged the -poor fellow guilty, and condemned him to be sold. He was accordingly -purchased by the ship to which I belonged, and brought on board.</p> - -<p>As an additional proof that kidnapping is not only the general, but -almost the sole mode, by which slaves are procured, the black traders, -in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> purchasing them, chuse those which are the roughest and most hardy; -alleging, that the smooth negroes have been <em>gentlemen</em>. By this -observation we may conclude they mean that nothing but fraud or force -could have reduced these smooth-skinned gentlemen to a state of slavery.</p> - -<p>It may not be here unworthy of remark, in order to prove that the -wars among the Africans do not furnish the number of slaves they are -supposed to do, that I never saw any negroes with recent wounds; -which must have been the consequence, at least with some of them, -had they been taken in battle. And it being the particular province -of the surgeon to examine the slaves when they are purchased, such -a circumstance could not have escaped my observation. As a farther -corroboration, it might be remarked, that on the Gold and Windward -Coasts, where fairs are not held, the number of slaves procured at a -time are usually very small.</p> - -<p>The preparations made at Bonny by the black traders, upon setting out -for the fairs which are held up the country, are very considerable. -From twenty to thirty canoes, capable of containing thirty or forty -negroes each, are assembled for this purpose; and such goods put on -board them as they expect will be wanted for the purchase of the number -of slaves they intend to buy. When their loading is completed, they -commence their voyage, with colours flying and musick playing; and in -about ten or eleven days, they generally return to Bonny with full -cargoes. As soon as the canoes arrive at the trader’s landing-place, -the purchased negroes are cleaned, and oiled with palm oil; and on the -following day they are exposed for sale to the captains.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span></p> - -<p>The black traders do not always purchase their slaves at the same rate. -The speed with which the information of the arrival of ships upon the -coast is conveyed to the fairs, considering it is the interest of the -traders to keep them ignorant, is really surprising. In a very short -time after any ships arrive upon the coast, especially if several make -their appearance together, those who dispose of the negroes at the -fairs are frequently known to increase the price of them.</p> - -<p>These fairs are not the only means, though they are the chief, by which -the black traders on the coast are supplied with negroes. Small parties -of them, from five to ten, are frequently brought to the houses of -the traders, by those who make a practice of kidnapping; and who are -constantly employed in procuring a supply, while purchasers are to be -found.</p> - -<p>When the negroes, whom the black traders have to dispose of, are shewn -to the European purchasers, they first examine them relative to their -age. They then minutely inspect their persons, and inquire into the -state of their health; if they are afflicted with any infirmity, or -are deformed, or have bad eyes or teeth; if they are lame, or weak in -the joints, or distorted in the back, or of a slender make, or are -narrow in the chest; in short, if they have been, or are afflicted -in any manner, so as to render them incapable of much labour; if any -of the foregoing defects are discovered in them, they are rejected. -But if approved of, they are generally taken on board the ship the -same evening. The purchaser has liberty to return on the following -morning, but not afterwards, such as upon re-examination are found -exceptionable.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span></p> - -<p>The traders frequently beat those negroes which are objected to by the -captains, and use them with great severity. It matters not whether they -are refused on account of age, illness, deformity, or for any other -reason. At New Calabar, in particular, the traders have frequently been -known to put them to death. Instances have happened at that place, -that the traders, when any of their negroes have been objected to, -have dropped their canoes under the stern of the vessel, and instantly -beheaded them, in sight of the captain.</p> - -<p>Upon the Windward Coast, another mode of procuring slaves is pursued; -which is, by what they term <em>boating</em>; a mode that is very -pernicious and destructive to the crews of the ships. The sailors, who -are employed upon this trade, go in boats up the rivers, seeking for -negroes, among the villages situated on the banks of them. But this -method is very slow, and not always effectual. For, after being absent -from the ship during a fortnight or three weeks, they sometimes return -with only from eight to twelve negroes. Numbers of these are procured -in consequence of alleged crimes, which, as before observed, whenever -any ships are upon the coast, are more productive than at any other -period. Kidnapping, however, prevails here.</p> - -<p>I have good reason to believe, that of one hundred and twenty negroes, -which were purchased for the ship to which I then belonged, then lying -at the river Ambris, by far the greater part, if not the whole, were -kidnapped. This, with various other instances, confirms me in the -belief that kidnapping is the fund which supplies the thousands of -negroes annually sold off these extensive Windward, and other Coasts, -where boating prevails.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span></p> - -<h3 class="nobreak" id="Treatment_of_the_Slaves">Treatment of the Slaves.</h3> -</div> - - -<p>As soon as the wretched Africans, purchased at the fairs, fall into -the hands of the black traders, they experience an earnest of those -dreadful sufferings which they are doomed in future to undergo. And -there is not the least room to doubt, but that even before they can -reach the fairs, great numbers perish from cruel usage, want of food, -travelling through inhospitable deserts, &c. They are brought from the -places where they are purchased to Bonny, &c. in canoes; at the bottom -of which they lie, having their hands tied with a kind of willow twigs, -and a strict watch is kept over them. Their usage in other respects, -during the time of the passage, which generally lasts several days, is -equally cruel. Their allowance of food is so scanty, that it is barely -sufficient to support nature. They are, besides, much exposed to the -violent rains which frequently fall here, being covered only with mats -that afford but a slight defence; and as there is usually water at the -bottom of the canoes, from their leaking, they are scarcely ever dry.</p> - -<p>Nor do these unhappy beings, after they become the property of the -Europeans (from whom, as a more civilized people, more humanity might -naturally be expected) find their situation in the least amended. Their -treatment is no less rigorous. The men negroes, on being brought aboard -the ship, are immediately fastened together, two and two, by hand-cuffs -on their wrists, and by irons rivetted on their legs. They are then -sent down between the decks, and placed in an apartment partitioned -off for that purpose. The women<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> likewise are placed in a separate -apartment between decks, but without being ironed. And an adjoining -room, on the same deck, is besides appointed for the boys. Thus are -they all placed in different apartments.</p> - -<p>But at the same time, they are frequently stowed so close, as to -admit of no other posture than lying on their sides. Neither will -the height between decks, unless directly under the grating, permit -them the indulgence of an erect posture; especially where there are -platforms, which is generally the case. These platforms are a kind of -shelf, about eight or nine feet in breadth, extending from the side -of the ship towards the centre. They are placed nearly midway between -the decks, at the distance of two or three feet from each deck. Upon -these the negroes are stowed in the same manner as they are on the deck -underneath.</p> - -<p>In each of the apartments are placed three or four large buckets, of a -conical form, being near two feet in diameter at the bottom, and only -one foot at the top, and in depth about twenty-eight inches; to which, -when necessary, the negroes have recourse. It often happens, that those -who are placed at a distance from the buckets, in endeavouring to get -to them, tumble over their companions, in consequence of their being -shackled. These accidents, although unavoidable, are productive of -continual quarrels, in which some of them are always bruised. In this -distressed situation, unable to proceed, and prevented from getting -to the tubs, they desist from the attempt; and, as the necessities -of nature are not to be repelled, ease themselves as they lie. This -becomes a fresh source of broils and disturbances, and tends to render -the condition of the poor captive<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> wretches still more uncomfortable. -The nuisance arising from these circumstances, is not unfrequently -increased by the tubs being much too small for the purpose intended, -and their being usually emptied but once every day. The rule for doing -this, however, varies in different ships, according to the attention -paid to the health and convenience of the slaves by the captain.</p> - -<p>About eight o’clock in the morning the negroes are generally brought -upon deck. Their irons being examined, a long chain, which is locked -to a ring-bolt, fixed in the deck, is run through the rings of the -shackles of the men, and then locked to another ring-bolt, fixed -also in the deck. By this means fifty or sixty, and sometimes more, -are fastened to one chain, in order to prevent them from rising, -or endeavouring to escape. If the weather proves favourable, they -are permitted to remain in that situation till four or five in the -afternoon, when they are disengaged from the chain, and sent down.</p> - -<p>The diet of the negroes, while on board, consists chiefly of -horse-beans, boiled to the consistence of a pulp; of boiled yams and -rice, and sometimes of a small quantity of beef or pork. The latter -are frequently taken from the provisions laid in for the sailors. They -sometimes make use of a sauce, composed of palm-oil, mixed with flour, -water, and pepper, which the sailors call <em>slabber-sauce</em>. Yams -are the favourite food of the Eboe, or Bight negroes, and rice or corn, -of those from the Gold and Windward Coasts; each preferring the produce -of their native soil.</p> - -<p>In their own country, the negroes in general live on animal food and -fish, with roots, yams, and Indian corn. The horse-beans and rice, -with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> which they are fed aboard ship, are chiefly taken from Europe. -The latter, indeed, is sometimes purchased on the coast, being far -superior to any other.</p> - -<p>The Gold Coast negroes scarcely ever refuse any food that is offered -them, and they generally eat larger quantities of whatever is placed -before them, than any other species of negroes, whom they likewise -excel in strength of body and mind. Most of the slaves have such an -aversion to the horse-beans, that unless they are narrowly watched, -when fed upon deck, they will throw them overboard, or in each other’s -faces when they quarrel.</p> - -<p>They are commonly fed twice a day, about eight o’clock in the morning -and four in the afternoon. In most ships they are only fed with their -<em>own food</em> once a day. Their food is served up to them in tubs, -about the size of a small water bucket. They are placed round these -tubs in companies of ten to each tub, out of which they feed themselves -with wooden spoons. These they soon lose, and when they are not -allowed others, they feed themselves with their hands. In favourable -weather they are fed upon deck, but in bad weather their food is given -them below. Numberless quarrels take place among them during their -meals; more especially when they are put upon short allowance, which -frequently happens, if the passage from the coast of Guinea to the -West-India islands, proves of unusual length. In that case, the weak -are obliged to be content with a very scanty portion. Their allowance -of water is about half a pint each at every meal. It is handed round in -a bucket, and given to each negroe in a pannekin; a small utensil with -a strait handle, somewhat similar to a sauce-boat. However, when the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> -ships approach the islands with a favourable breeze, they are no longer -restricted.</p> - -<p>Upon the negroes refusing to take sustenance, I have seen coals of -fire, glowing hot, put on a shovel, and placed so near their lips, as -to scorch and burn them. And this has been accompanied with threats, -of forcing them to swallow the coals, if they any longer persisted in -refusing to eat. These means have generally had the desired effect. I -have also been credibly informed, that a certain captain in the slave -trade, poured melted lead on such of the negroes as obstinately refused -their food.</p> - -<p>Exercise being deemed necessary for the preservation of their health, -they are sometimes obliged to dance, when the weather will permit their -coming on deck. If they go about it reluctantly, or do not move with -agility, they are flogged; a person standing by them all the time with -a cat-o’-nine-tails in his hand for that purpose. Their musick, upon -these occasions, consists of a drum, sometimes with only one head; and -when that is worn out, they do not scruple to make use of the bottom -of one of the tubs before described. The poor wretches are frequently -compelled to sing also; but when they do so, their songs are generally, -as may naturally be expected, melancholy lamentations of their exile -from their native country.</p> - -<p>The women are furnished with beads for the purpose of affording them -some diversion. But this end is generally defeated by the squabbles -which are occasioned, in consequence of their stealing them from each -other.</p> - -<p>On board some ships, the common sailors are allowed to have intercourse -with such of the black women whose consent they can procure. And some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> -of them have been known to take the inconstancy of their paramours so -much to heart, as to leap overboard and drown themselves. The officers -are permitted to indulge their passions among them at pleasure, and -sometimes are guilty of such brutal excesses, as disgrace human nature.</p> - -<p>The hardships and inconveniencies suffered by the negroes during the -passage, are scarcely to be enumerated or conceived. They are far -more violently affected by the sea-sickness, than the Europeans. It -frequently terminates in death, especially among the women. But the -exclusion of the fresh air is among the most intolerable. For the -purpose of admitting this needful refreshment, most of the ships in -the slave-trade are provided, between the decks, with five or six -air-ports on each side of the ship, of about six inches in length, and -four in breadth; in addition to which, some few ships, but not one in -twenty, have what they denominate <em>wind-sails</em>. But whenever the -sea is rough, and the rain heavy, it becomes necessary to shut these, -and every other conveyance by which the air is admitted. The fresh air -being thus excluded, the negroes rooms very soon grow intolerably hot. -The confined air, rendered noxious by the effluvia exhaled from their -bodies, and by being repeatedly breathed, soon produces fevers and -fluxes, which generally carries off great numbers of them.</p> - -<p>During the voyages I made, I was frequently a witness to the fatal -effects of this exclusion of the fresh air. I will give one instance, -as it serves to convey some idea, though a very faint one, of the -sufferings of those unhappy beings whom we wantonly drag from their -native country, and doom to perpetual labour and captivity. Some wet -and blowing weather having occasioned the port-holes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> to be shut, -and the grating to be covered, fluxes and fevers among the negroes -ensued. While they were in this situation, my profession requiring it, -I frequently went down among them, till at length their apartments -became so extremely hot, as to be only sufferable for a very short -time. But the excessive heat was not the only thing that rendered their -situation intolerable. The deck, that is, the floor of their rooms, was -so covered with the blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in -consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughter-house. It is not -in the power of the human imagination, to picture to itself a situation -more dreadful or disgusting. Numbers of the slaves having fainted, they -were carried upon deck, where several of them died, and the rest were, -with great difficulty, restored. It had nearly proved fatal to me also. -The climate was too warm to admit the wearing of any clothing but a -shirt, and that I had pulled off before I went down; notwithstanding -which, by only continuing among them for about a quarter of an hour, I -was so overcome with the heat, stench, and foul air, that I had nearly -fainted; and it was not without assistance, that I could get upon deck. -The consequence was, that I soon after fell sick of the same disorder, -from which I did not recover for several months.</p> - -<p>A circumstance of this kind, sometimes repeatedly happens in the course -of a voyage; and often to a greater degree than what has just been -described; particularly when the slaves are much crowded, which was not -the case at that time, the ship having more than a hundred short of the -number she was to have taken in.</p> - -<p>This devastation, great as it was, some few years ago was greatly -exceeded on board a Leverpool ship.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> I shall particularize the -circumstances of it, as a more glaring instance of an insatiable -thirst for gain, or of less attention to the lives and happiness even -of that despised and oppressed race of mortals, the sable inhabitants -of Africa, perhaps was never exceeded; though indeed several similar -instances have been known.</p> - -<p>This ship, though a much smaller ship than that in which the event I -have just mentioned happened, took on board at Bonny, at least six -hundred negroes; but according to the information of the black traders, -from whom I received the intelligence immediately after the ship -sailed, they amounted to near <em>seven hundred</em>. By purchasing so -great a number, the slaves were so crowded, that they were even obliged -to lie one upon another. This occasioned such a mortality among them, -that, without meeting with unusual bad weather, or having a longer -voyage than common, nearly one half of them died before the ship -arrived in the West-Indies.</p> - -<p>That the publick may be able to form some idea of the almost incredible -small space into which so large a number of negroes were crammed, the -following particulars of this ship are given. According to Leverpool -custom she measured 235 tons. Her width across the beam, 25 feet. -Length between the decks, 92 feet, which was divided into four rooms, -thus:<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> -<table class="autotable"> -<tr><td class="tdl">Store room, in which there were not any negroes placed</td><td class="tdr bb">15 feet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Negroes rooms—mens room—</td><td class="tdr">about 45 feet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">                            womens ditto</td><td class="tdr">about 10 feet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">                            boys ditto</td><td class="tdr">about 22 feet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Total room for negroes</td><td class="tdr bb bt">77 feet</td></tr> -</table> -<p class="center"> -Exclusive of the platform before described, from 8 to 9 feet in breadth, and equal in length to that of the rooms.<br> -</p> -It may be worthy of remark, that the ships in this trade, are usually -fitted out to receive only one third women negroes, or perhaps a -smaller number, which the dimensions of the room allotted for them, -above given, plainly shew, but in a greater disproportion. - -<p>One would naturally suppose, that an attention to their own interest, -would prompt the owners of the Guinea ships not to suffer the captains -to take on board a greater number of negroes than the ship would -allow room sufficient for them to lie with ease to themselves, or, at -least, without rubbing against each other. However that may be, a more -striking instance than the above, of avarice, completely and deservedly -disappointed, was surely never displayed; for there is little room to -doubt, but that in consequence of the expected premium usually allowed -to the captains, of 6<i><abbr title="pound">l.</abbr></i> per cent. sterling on the produce of the -negroes, this vessel was so thronged as to occasion such a heavy loss.</p> - -<p>The place allotted for the sick negroes is under the half deck, where -they lie on the bare<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span> planks. By this means, those who are emaciated, -frequently have their skin, and even their flesh, entirely rubbed off, -by the motion of the ship, from the prominent parts of the shoulders, -elbows, and hips, so as to render the bones in those parts quite bare. -And some of them, by constantly lying in the blood and mucus, that -had flowed from those afflicted with the flux, and which, as before -observed, is generally so violent as to prevent their being kept clean, -have their flesh much sooner rubbed off, than those who have only to -contend with the mere friction of the ship. The excruciating pain -which the poor sufferers feel from being obliged to continue in such a -dreadful situation, frequently for several weeks, in case they happen -to live so long, is not to be conceived or described. Few, indeed, are -ever able to withstand the fatal effects of it. The utmost skill of the -surgeon is here ineffectual. If plaisters be applied, they are very -soon displaced by the friction of the ship; and when bandages are used, -the negroes very soon take them off, and appropriate them to other -purposes.</p> - -<p>The surgeon, upon going between decks, in the morning, to examine the -situation of the slaves, frequently finds several dead; and among -the men, sometimes a dead and living negroe fastened by their irons -together. When this is the case, they are brought upon the deck, and -being laid on the grating, the living negroe is disengaged, and the -dead one thrown overboard.</p> - -<p>It may not be improper here to remark, that the surgeons employed in -the Guinea trade, are generally driven to engage in so disagreeable -an employ by the confined state of their finances. An exertion of the -greatest skill and attention could afford the diseased negroes little -relief, so long as the causes of their diseases, namely, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span> breathing -of a putrid atmosphere, and wallowing in their own excrements, remain. -When once the fever and dysentery get to any height at sea, a cure is -scarcely ever effected.</p> - -<p>Almost the only means by which the surgeon can render himself useful -to the slaves, is, by seeing that their food is properly cooked, and -distributed among them. It is true, when they arrive near the markets -for which they are destined, care is taken to polish them for sale, by -an application of the lunar caustic to such as are afflicted with the -yaws. This, however, affords but a temporary relief, as the disease -most assuredly breaks out, whenever the patient is put upon a vegetable -diet.</p> - -<p>It has been asserted, in favour of the captains in this trade, that -the sick slaves are usually fed from their tables. The great number -generally ill at a time, proves the falsity of such an assertion. Were -even a captain <em>disposed</em> to do this, how could he feed half the -slaves in the ship from his own table? for it is well known, that -<em>more than half</em> are often sick at a time. Two or three perhaps -may be fed.</p> - -<p>The loss of slaves, through mortality, arising from the causes just -mentioned, are frequently very considerable. In the voyage lately -referred to (not the Leverpool ship before-mentioned) one hundred -and five, out of three hundred and eighty, died in the passage. A -proportion seemingly very great, but by no means uncommon. One half, -sometimes two thirds, and even beyond that, have been known to perish. -Before we left Bonny River, no less than fifteen died of fevers and -dysenteries, occasioned by their confinement. On the Windward Coast, -where slaves are procured more slowly, very few die, in proportion to -the numbers which die at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> Bonny, and at Old and New Calabar, where they -are obtained much faster; the latter being of a more delicate make and -habit.</p> - -<p>The havock made among the seamen engaged in this destructive -commerce, will be noticed in another part; and will be found to make -no inconsiderable addition to the unnecessary waste of life just -represented.</p> - -<p>As very few of the negroes can so far brook the loss of their liberty, -and the hardships they endure, as to bear them with any degree of -patience, they are ever upon the watch to take advantage of the -least negligence in their oppressors. Insurrections are frequently -the consequence; which are seldom suppressed without much bloodshed. -Sometimes these are successful, and the whole ship’s company is cut -off. They are likewise always ready to seize every opportunity for -committing some act of desperation to free themselves from their -miserable state; and notwithstanding the restraints under which they -are laid, they often succeed.</p> - -<p>While a ship, to which I belonged, lay in Bonny River, one evening, a -short time before our departure, a lot of negroes, consisting of about -ten, was brought on board; when one of them, in a favourable moment, -forced his way through the net-work on the larboard side of the vessel, -jumped overboard, and was supposed to have been devoured by the sharks.</p> - -<p>During the time we were there, fifteen negroes belonging to a vessel -from Leverpool, found means to throw themselves into the river; very -few were saved; and the residue fell a sacrifice to the sharks. A -similar instance took place in a French ship while we lay there.</p> - -<p>Circumstances of this kind are very frequent.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> On the coast of Angola, -at the River Ambris, the following incident happened:——During the -time of our residing on shore, we erected a tent to shelter ourselves -from the weather. After having been there several weeks, and being -unable to purchase the number of slaves we wanted, through the -opposition of another English slave vessel, we determined to leave -the place. The night before our departure, the tent was struck; which -was no sooner perceived by some of the negroe women on board, than -it was considered as a prelude to our sailing; and about eighteen of -them, when they were sent between decks, threw themselves into the sea -through one of the gun ports; the ship carrying guns between decks. -They were all of them, however, excepting one, soon picked up; and that -which was missing, was, not long after, taken about a mile from the -shore.</p> - -<p>I once knew a negroe woman, too sensible of her woes, who pined for a -considerable time, and was taken ill of a fever and dysentery; when -declaring it to be her determination to die, she refused all food and -medical aid, and, in about a fortnight after, expired. On being thrown -overboard, her body was instantly torn to pieces by the sharks.</p> - -<p>The following circumstance also came within my knowledge. A young -female negroe, falling into a desponding way, it was judged necessary, -in order to attempt her recovery, to send her on shore, to the hut -of one of the black traders. Elevated with the prospect of regaining -her liberty by this unexpected step, she soon recovered her usual -chearfulness; but hearing, by accident, that it was intended to take -her on board the ship again, the poor young creature hung herself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p> - -<p>It frequently happens that the negroes, on being purchased by the -Europeans, become raving mad; and many of them die in that state; -particularly the women. While I was one day ashore at Bonny, I saw a -middle aged stout woman, who had been brought down from a fair the -preceding day, chained to the post of a black trader’s door, in a state -of furious insanity. On board a ship in Bonny River, I saw a young -negroe woman chained to the deck, who had lost her senses, soon after -she was purchased and taken on board. In a former voyage, on board a -ship to which I belonged, we were obliged to confine a female negroe, -of about twenty-three years of age, on her becoming a lunatic. She was -afterwards sold during one of her lucid intervals.</p> - -<p>One morning, upon examining the place allotted for the sick negroes, -I perceived that one of them, who was so emaciated as scarcely to be -able to walk, was missing, and was convinced that he must have gone -overboard in the night, probably to put a more expeditious period to -his sufferings. And, to conclude on this subject, I could not help -being sensibly affected, on a former voyage, at observing with what -apparent eagerness a black woman seized some dirt from off an African -yam, and put it into her mouth; seeming to rejoice at the opportunity -of possessing some of her native earth.</p> - -<p>From these instances I think it may be clearly deduced, that the -unhappy Africans are not bereft of the finer feelings, but have a -strong attachment to their native country, together with a just sense -of the value of liberty. And the situation of the miserable beings -above described, more forcibly urge the necessity of abolishing a trade -which is the source of such evils, than the most eloquent harangue, or -persuasive arguments could do.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span></p> - -<h3 class="nobreak" id="Sale_of_the_Slaves">Sale of the Slaves.</h3> -</div> - - -<p>When the ships arrive in the West-Indies, (the chief mart for this -inhuman merchandize), the slaves are disposed of, as I have before -observed, by different methods. Sometimes the mode of disposal, is -that of selling them by what is termed a <em>scramble</em>; and a day -is soon fixed for that purpose. But previous thereto, the sick, or -refuse slaves, of which there are frequently many, are usually conveyed -on shore, and sold at a tavern by vendue, or public auction. These, -in general, are purchased by the Jews and surgeons, but chiefly the -former, upon speculation, at so low a price as five or six dollars a -head. I was informed by a mulatto woman, that she purchased a sick -slave at Grenada, upon speculation, for the small sum of one dollar, -as the poor wretch was apparently dying of the flux. It seldom happens -that any, who are carried ashore in the emaciated state to which they -are generally reduced by that disorder, long survive their landing. I -once saw sixteen conveyed on shore, and sold in the foregoing manner, -the whole of whom died before I left the island, which was within a -short time after. Sometimes the captains march their slaves through the -town at which they intend to dispose of them; and then place them in -rows where they are examined and purchased.</p> - -<p>The mode of selling them by scramble having fallen under my observation -the oftenest, I shall be more particular in describing it. Being some -years ago, at one of the islands in the West-Indies,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> I was witness -to a sale by scramble, where about 250 negroes were sold. Upon this -occasion all the negroes scrambled for bear an equal price; which is -agreed upon between the captains and the purchasers before the sale -begins.</p> - -<p>On a day appointed, the negroes were landed, and placed altogether -in a large yard, belonging to the merchants to whom the ship was -consigned. As soon as the hour agreed on arrived, the doors of the -yard were suddenly thrown open, and in rushed a considerable number -of purchasers, with all the ferocity of brutes. Some instantly -seized such of the negroes as they could conveniently lay hold of -with their hands. Others, being prepared with several handkerchiefs -tied together, encircled with these as many as they were able. While -others, by means of a rope, effected the same purpose. It is scarcely -possible to describe the confusion of which this mode of selling is -productive. It likewise causes much animosity among the purchasers, -who, not unfrequently upon these occasions, fall out and quarrel with -each other. The poor astonished negroes were so much terrified by these -proceedings, that several of them, through fear, climbed over the walls -of the court yard, and ran wild about the town; but were soon hunted -down and retaken.</p> - -<p>While on a former voyage from Africa to Kingston in Jamaica, I saw a -sale there by scramble, on board a snow. The negroes were collected -together upon the main and quarter decks, and the ship was darkened -by sails suspended over them, in order to prevent the purchasers from -being able to see, so as to pick or chuse. The signal being given, -the buyers rushed in, as usual, to seize their prey; when the negroes -appeared to be extremely terrified, and near<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> thirty of them jumped -into the sea. But they were all soon retaken, chiefly by boats from -other ships.</p> - -<p>On board a ship, lying at Port Maria, in Jamaica, I saw another -scramble; in which, as usual, the poor negroes were greatly terrified. -The women, in particular, clang to each other in agonies scarcely to -be conceived, shrieking through excess of terror, at the savage manner -in which their brutal purchasers rushed upon, and seized them. Though -humanity, one should imagine, would dictate the captains to apprize the -poor negroes of the mode by which they were to be sold, and by that -means to guard them, in some degree, against the surprize and terror -which must attend it, I never knew that any notice of the scramble was -given to them. Nor have I any reason to think that it is done; or that -this mode of sale is less frequent at this time, than formerly.</p> - -<p>Various are the deceptions made use of in the disposal of the sick -slaves; and many of these, such as must excite in every humane mind, -the liveliest sensations of horror. I have been well informed, that -a Liverpool captain boasted of his having cheated some Jews by the -following stratagem: A lot of slaves, afflicted with the flux, being -about to be landed for sale, he directed the surgeon to stop the anus -of each of them with oakum. Thus prepared, they were landed, and taken -to the accustomed place of sale; where, being unable to stand but -for a very short time, they are usually permitted to sit. The Jews, -when they examine them, oblige them to stand up, in order to see if -there be any discharge; and when they do not perceive this appearance, -they consider it as a symptom of recovery.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span> In the present instance, -such an appearance being prevented, the bargain was struck, and they -were accordingly sold. But it was not long before a discovery ensued. -The excruciating pain which the prevention of a discharge of such -an acrimonious nature occasioned, not being to be borne by the poor -wretches, the temporary obstruction was removed, and the deluded -purchasers were speedily convinced of the imposition.</p> - -<p>So grievously are the negroes sometimes afflicted with this troublesome -and painful disorder, that I have seen large numbers of them, after -being landed, obliged by the virulence of the complaint, to stop almost -every minute, as they passed on.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span></p> - -<h3 class="nobreak" id="Treatment_of_the_Sailors">Treatment of the Sailors.</h3> -</div> - - -<p>The evils attendant on this inhuman traffick, are not confined -to the purchased negroes. The sufferings of the seamen employed -in the slave-trade, from the unwholesomeness of the climate, the -inconveniences of the voyage, the brutal severity of the commanders, -and other causes, fall very little short, nor prove in proportion to -the numbers, less destructive to the sailors than negroes.</p> - -<p>The sailors on board the Guinea ships, are not allowed always an equal -quantity of beef and pork with those belonging to other merchant ships. -In these articles they are frequently much stinted, particularly when -the negroes are on board; part of the stock laid in for the sailors, -being, as before observed, appropriated to their use.</p> - -<p>With regard to their drink, they are generally denied grog, and are -seldom allowed any thing but water to quench their thirst. This urges -them, when opportunity offers, at Bonny and other places on the coast, -to barter their clothes with the natives, for English brandy, which -the Africans obtain, among other articles, in exchange for slaves; and -they frequently leave themselves nearly naked, in order to indulge an -excess in spiritous liquors. In this state, they are often found lying -on the deck, and in different parts of the ship, exposed to the heavy -dews which in those climates fall during the night; notwithstanding the -deck is usually washed every evening. This frequently causes pains in -the head and limbs, accompanied with a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span> fever, which generally, in the -course of a few days, occasions their death.</p> - -<p>The temporary house constructed on the deck, affords but an indifferent -shelter from the weather; yet the sailors are obliged to lodge under -it, as all the parts between decks are occupied by, or kept for, the -negroes. The cabin is frequently full, and when this is the case, -or the captain finds the heat and the stench intolerable, he quits -his cot, which is usually hung over the slaves, and sleeps in the -round-house, if there be one, as there is in many ships.</p> - -<p>The foul air that arises from the negroes when they are much crowded, -is very noxious to the crew; and this is not a little increased by -the additional heat which the covering over the ship occasions. The -mangrove smoke is likewise, as before observed, productive of disorders -among them.</p> - -<p>Nor are they better accommodated after they leave the Coast of Africa. -During the whole of the passage to the West-Indies, which in general -lasts seven weeks, or two months, they are obliged, for want of room -between decks, to keep upon deck. This exposure to the weather, is also -found very prejudicial to the health of the sailors, and frequently -occasions fevers, which generally prove fatal. The only resemblance -of a shelter, is a tarpawling thrown over the booms, which even -before they leave the coast, is generally so full of holes, as to -afford scarce any defence against the wind or the rain, of which a -considerable quantity usually falls during this passage.</p> - -<p>Many other causes contribute to affect the health of the sailors. The -water at Bonny, which they are obliged to drink, is very unwholesome; -and,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> together with their scanty and bad diet, and the cruel usage they -receive from the officers, tends to impoverish the blood, and render -them extremely susceptible of putrid fevers and dysenteries.</p> - -<p>The seamen, whose health happen to be impaired, are discharged, on -the arrival of the ships in the West-Indies, and as soon as they get -ashore, they have recourse to spiritous liquors, to which they are the -more prone, on account of having been denied grog, or even any liquor -but water, during their being aboard; the consequence of which is, a -certain and speedy destruction. Numbers likewise die in the West-India -islands, of the scurvy, brought on in consequence of poverty of diet, -and exposure to all weathers.</p> - -<p>I am now come to a part of the sufferings of the sailors who are -employed in the slave-trade, of which, for the honour of human nature, -I would willingly decline giving an account; that is, the treatment -they receive from their officers, which makes no inconsiderable -addition to the hardships and ailments just mentioned, and contributes -not a little to rob the nation annually, of a considerable number of -this valuable body of men. However, as truth demands, and the occasion -requires it, I will relate some of the circumstances of this kind, -which fell under my own immediate observation, during the several -voyages I made in that line.</p> - -<p>In one of these, I was witness to the following instance of cruel -usage. Most of the sailors were treated with brutal severity; but one -in particular, a man advanced in years, experienced it in an uncommon -degree. Having made some complaint relative to his allowance of water, -and this being construed into an insult, one of the officers seized<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span> -him, and with the blows he bestowed upon him, beat out several of -his teeth. Not content with this, while the poor old man was yet -bleeding, one of the iron pump-bolts was fixed in his mouth, and kept -there by a piece of rope-yarn tied round his head. Being unable to -spit out the blood which flowed from the wound, the man was almost -choaked, and obliged to swallow it. He was then tied to the rail of -the quarter-deck, having declared, upon being gagged, that he would -jump overboard and drown himself. About two hours after he was taken -from the quarter-deck rail, and fastened to the grating companion of -the steerage, under the half deck, where he remained all night with a -centinel placed over him.</p> - -<p>A young man on board one of the ships, was frequently beaten in a -very severe manner, for very trifling faults. This was done sometimes -with what is termed <em>a cat</em>, (an instrument of correction, which -consists of a handle or stem, made of a rope three inches and a half in -circumference, and about eighteen inches in length, at one of which are -fastened nine branches, or tails, composed of log line, with three or -more knots upon each branch), and sometimes he was beat with a bamboo. -Being one day cruelly beaten with the latter, the poor lad, unable to -endure the severe usage, leaped out of one of the gun ports on the -larboard side of the cabin, into the river. He, however, providentially -escaped being devoured by the sharks, and was taken up by a canoe -belonging to one of the black traders then lying along-side the vessel. -As soon as he was brought on board, he was dragged to the quarter-deck, -and his head forced into a tub of water, which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> had been left there for -the negroe women to wash their hands in. In this situation he was kept -till he was nearly suffocated; the person who held him, exclaiming, -with the malignity of a demon, “If you want drowning, I will drown you -myself.” Upon my inquiring of the young man, if he knew the danger to -which he exposed himself by jumping overboard, he replied, “that he -expected to be devoured by the sharks, but he preferred even that, to -being treated daily with so much cruelty.”</p> - -<p>Another seaman having been in some degree negligent, had a long chain -fixed round his neck, at the end of which was fastened a log of wood. -In this situation he performed his duty, (from which he was not in the -least spared) for several weeks, till at length he was nearly exhausted -by fatigue; and after his release from the log, he was frequently -beaten for trivial faults. Once, in particular, when an accident -happened, through the carelessness of another seaman, he was tied up, -although the fault was not in the least imputable to him, along with -the other person, and they were both flogged till their backs were raw. -Chian pepper was then mixed in a bucket, with salt water, and with this -the harrowed parts of the back of the unoffending seaman were washed, -as an addition to his torture.</p> - -<p>The same seaman having at another time accidentally broken a plate, -a fish-gig was thrown at him with great violence. The fish-gig is an -instrument used for striking fish, and consists of several strong -barbed points fixed on a pole, about six feet long, loaded at the end -with lead. The man escaped the threatening danger, by stooping his -head, and the missile weapon struck in the barricado.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> Knives and forks -were at other times thrown at him; and a large Newfoundland dog was -frequently set at him, which, thus encouraged, would not only tear his -cloths, but wound him. At length, after several severe floggings, and -other ill treatment, the poor fellow appeared to be totally insensible -to beating, and careless of the event.</p> - -<p>I must here add, that whenever any of the crew were beaten, the -Newfoundland dog, just mentioned, from the encouragement he met with, -would generally leap upon them, tear their cloths, and bite them. -He was particularly inveterate against one of the seamen, who, from -being often knocked down, and severely beaten, appeared quite stupid, -and incapable of doing his duty. In this state, he was taken on board -another ship, and returned to England.</p> - -<p>In one of my voyages, a seaman came on board the ship I belonged -to, while on the coast, as a passenger to the West-Indies. He was -just recovered from a fever, and notwithstanding this, he was very -unmercifully beaten during the passage, which, together with the feeble -state he was in at the time, rendered him nearly incapable of walking, -and it was but by stealth, that any medical assistance could be given -to him.</p> - -<p>A young man was likewise beaten and kicked almost daily, for trifling, -and even imaginary faults. The poor youth happening to have a very bad -toe, through a hurt, he was placed as a centry over the sick slaves, -a station which required much walking. This, in addition to the pain -it occasioned, increased a fever he already had. Soon after he was -compelled, although so ill, to sit on the gratings, and being there -overcome with illness and fatigue,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> he chanced to fall asleep; which -being observed from the quarter-deck, he was soon awakened, and with -many oaths, upbraided for neglect of duty. He was then kicked from the -gratings, and so cruelly beaten, that it was with great difficulty he -crawled to one of the officers who was more humane, and complaining -of the cruel treatment he had just received, petitioned for a little -barley-water (which was kept for the sick slaves) to quench the -intolerable thirst he experienced.</p> - -<p>Another seaman was knocked down several times a day, for faults of -no deep dye. It being observed at one time, that the hen coops had -not been removed by the sailors who were then washing the deck, nor -washed under, which it was his duty to see done, one of the officers -immediately knocked him down, then seized and dragged him to the -stern of the vessel, where he threw him violently against the deck. -By this treatment, various parts of his body was much bruised, his -face swelled, and he had a bad eye for a fortnight. He was afterwards -severely beaten for a very trifling fault, and kicked till he fell -down. When he got on shore in the West-Indies, he carried his shirt, -stained with the blood which had flowed from his wounds, to one of the -magistrates of the island, and applied to him for redress; but the ship -being consigned to one of them, all the redress he could procure, was -his discharge.</p> - -<p>Many other instances of similar severity might be produced; but the -foregoing will suffice, to give some idea of the treatment seamen are -liable to, and generally experience, in this employ; the consequence of -which usually is desertion or death.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span></p> - -<p>Of the former I will give one instance. While a ship I belonged to -lay at Bonny, early one morning near a dozen of the crew deserted in -one of the long boats. They were driven to this desperate measure, as -one of them afterwards informed me, by the cruel treatment they had -experienced on board. Two of them, in particular, had been severely -beaten and flogged the preceding day. One of these having neglected to -see that the arms of the ship were kept fit for use, was tied up to the -mizen shrouds, and after being stripped, very severely flogged on the -back; his trowsers were then pulled down, and the floging was repeated. -The other seaman, who was esteemed a careful, cleanly, sober fellow, -had been punished little less severely, though it did not appear that -he had been guilty at that time of any fault.</p> - -<p>It is customary for most of the captains of the slave ships to go on -shore every evening to do business with the black traders. Upon these -occasions many of them get intoxicated, and when they return on board, -give proofs of their inebriation, by beating and ill using some or -other of the crew. This was the present case; the seaman here spoken -of, was beaten, without any reason being assigned, with a knotted -bamboo, for a considerable time; by which he was very much bruised, and -being before in an ill state of health, suffered considerably.</p> - -<p>Irritated by the ill usage which all of them, in their turn, had -experienced, they resolved to attempt an escape, and effected it early -in the morning. The person on the watch discovered, that the net-work -on the main deck had been cut, and that one of the long-boats was gone; -and,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> upon farther examination it was found, that near a dozen of the -seamen were missing. A few hours after, the captain went in the cutter -in pursuit of the deserters, but without success.</p> - -<p>On my return to England, I received from one of them, the following -account of their adventures during this undertaking.</p> - -<p>When they left the vessel, they proposed going to Old Calabar, -being determined to perish, rather than return to the ship. All the -provisions they took with them was, a bag containing about half a -hundred weight of bread, half a small cheese, and a cask of water of -about 38 gallons. They made a sail of a hammock, and erected one of -the boat’s oars for a mast. Thus slenderly provided, they dropped -down the river of Bonny, and kept along the coast; but mistaking one -river for another, they were seized by the natives, who stripped them, -and marched them across the country, for a considerable distance, to -the place to which they themselves intended going. During the march, -several were taken ill, and some of them died. Those who survived, were -sold to an English ship which lay there. Every one of these deserters, -except three, died on the coast, or during their passage to the -West-Indies; and one of the remaining three died soon after his arrival -there. So that only two out of the whole number, lived to arrive in -England, and those in a very infirm state of health.</p> - -<p>While I am upon the subject of the desertions among the sailors, I -must add, that the captains in this trade generally take out with -them tobacco and slops, which they sell at an exorbitant price to the -sailors. And in case of their desertion or decease, they have it in -their power to charge to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> the seamens accounts, whatever quantity they -please, without contradiction. This proves an additional reason for -cruel usage. In case of desertion, the sailors forfeit their wages, by -which the expences of the voyage are lessened, and consequently the -merchants reap benefit from it.</p> - -<p>The relation just given of the barbarities exercised by the officers -in the slave trade, upon the seamen under their command, may appear to -those who are unacquainted with the method in which this iniquitous -branch of commerce is conducted, to be exaggerated. But I can assure -them, that every instance is confined within the strictest bounds of -truth. Many others may likewise be brought to prove, that those I -have recited are by no means singular. Indeed, the reverse of this -conduct would be esteemed a singularity. For the common practice of the -officers in the Guinea trade, I am sorry to say it, will, with a very -few exceptions, justify the assertion, that to harden the feelings, and -to inspire a <em>delight in giving torture</em> to a fellow creature, is -the natural tendency of this unwarrantable traffick. It is but justice -however, that I except from this general censure, one captain with whom -I sailed. Upon all occasions I found him to be a humane and considerate -man, and ever ready to alleviate the evils attendant on the trade, as -far as they were to be lessened.</p> - -<p>The annual diminution of British seamen by all the foregoing causes, is -what next claims attention, and upon due investigation will be found, -I fear, to be much more considerable than it is generally supposed to -be. As this is a question of great national importance, and cannot fail -to evince the necessity of an abolition of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span> slave trade; in order -to convey to the public some idea of the destructive tendency of it, I -will give an account of the statement of the loss of a ship, to which -I belonged, during one of her voyages. And though this statement may -not be considered as an average of the loss upon each voyage, which I -have before estimated, as I would not wish to exceed the mark, at one -fourth, and oftentimes one third. I have known instances where it has -been greatly exceeded, as I shall presently shew.</p> - -<p>The crew of the ship I speak of, upon its departure from England, -consisted of forty-six persons, exclusive of the captain, chief -mate, and myself. Out of this number, we lost on the coast eleven by -desertion (of whom only two, and those in a very infirm state, ever -arrived in England) and five by death. Three perished in the middle -passage, of whom one was a passenger. In the West-Indies, two died, -one of which was a passenger from Bonny. Five were discharged at -their own request, having been cruelly treated, and five deserted, -exclusive of two who shipped themselves at Bonny; of these ten, several -were in a diseased state; and probably, like most of the seamen who -are discharged or desert from the Guinea ships in the islands, never -returned to their native country. One died in our passage from the -West-Indies to England; and one, having been rendered incapable of -duty, was sent on board another ship while we lay at Bonny.</p> - -<p>Thus, out of the forty-six persons before-mentioned, only fifteen -returned home in the ship. And several, out of this small number, -so enervated in their constitution, as to be of little service in -future; they were, on the contrary, reduced to the mournful necessity -of becoming<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> burthensome to themselves and to others. Of the ten that -deserted, or were discharged in the West-Indies, little account can -be taken; it being extremely improbable that one half, perhaps not a -third, ever returned to this country.</p> - -<p>From hence it appears, that there was a loss in this voyage of -thirty-one sailors and upwards, exclusive of the two sailors who were -passengers, and not included in the ship’s crew. I say <em>a loss of -thirty-one</em>, for though the whole of this number did not die, yet if -it be considered, that several of those who returned to England in the -ship, or who might have returned by other ships, are likely to become a -burthen, instead of being useful to the community, it will be readily -acknowledged, I doubt not, that the foregoing statement does not exceed -reality.</p> - -<p>How worthy of serious consideration is the diminution here represented, -of a body of people so valuable in a commercial state! But how much -more alarming will this be, when it appears, as is really the case, -that the loss of seamen in the voyage I am speaking of, is not equal -to what is experienced even by some other ships trading to Bonny -and Calabar; and much less than by those employed in boating on the -Windward Coast; where frequently there happens such a mortality among -the crew, as not to leave a sufficient number of hands to navigate the -ships to the West-Indies. In the year 1786, I saw a ship, belonging to -Miles Barber, and Co. at Cape Monserado, on the Windward Coast, which -had lost all the crew except three, from <em>boating</em>; a practice -that proves extremely destructive to sailors, by exposing them to the -parching sun and heavy dews of Africa, for weeks together, while they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span> -are seeking for negroes up the rivers, as before described.</p> - -<p>It might naturally be asked, as such are the dangers to which the -sailors employed in the slave trade are exposed from the intemperature -of the climate, the inconveniencies of the voyage, and the treatment of -the officers, how the captains are able to procure a sufficient number -to man their ships. I answer, that it is done by a series of finesse -and imposition, aided not only by allurements, but by threats.</p> - -<p>There are certain public-houses, in which, for interested purposes, the -sailors are trusted, and encouraged to run in debt. To the landlords -of these houses the captains apply. And a certain number being fixed -on, the landlord immediately insists upon their entering on board such -a ship, threatening, in case of refusal, to arrest and throw them into -prison. At the same time the captain holds out the allurements of a -month’s pay in advance above the ships in any other trade, and the -promise of satisfying their inexorable landlords. Thus terrified on the -one hand by the apprehensions of a prison, and allured on the other -by the promised advance, they enter. And by this means a very great -proportion of the sailors in the slave trade are procured; only a very -small number of landmen are employed. During the several voyages I have -been in the trade, I have not known the number to exceed one for each -voyage. The few ships that go out in time of war, generally take with -them, as other merchant ships do, a greater proportion of landmen. And -with regard to apprentices, we had not any on board the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> ships I sailed -in, neither to my knowledge have I ever seen any. So far is this trade -from proving a nursery for seamen.</p> - -<p>By their articles, on entering on board some Guinea ships, the sailors -are restrained, under forfeiture of their wages, from applying, in case -of ill usage, to any one for redress, except to such persons as shall -be nominated by the owners or the captain; and by others, to commence -an action against the captain for bad treatment, incurs a penalty of -fifty pounds. These restrictions seem to be a tacit acknowledgment -on the part of the owners and captains, that ill treatment is to be -expected.</p> - -<p>Having stated the foregoing facts relative to the nature of this -destructive and inhuman traffick, I shall leave those, whose more -immediate business it is, to deduce the necessary conclusions; and -shall proceed to give a few cursory observations on those parts of the -coast of Africa already referred to; confining myself to such as tend -to an elucidation of the slave trade, without entering minutely into -the state of the country.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> -<div class="chapter"> - -<h3>A short Description of such Parts of the Coast of Guinea, as are -before referred to.</h3> -</div> - -<p><span class="smcap">Bonny</span>, or <span class="smcap">Banny</span>, is a large town situate in the Bight -of Benin, on the coast of Guinea, lying about twelve miles from the -sea, on the east side of a river of the same name, opposite to a town -called Peter-forte-side. It consists of a considerable number of very -poor huts, built of upright poles, plaistered with a kind of red earth, -and covered with mats. They are very low, being only one story. The -floor is made of sand, which being constructed on swampy ground, does -not long retain its firmness, but requires frequent repair.</p> - -<p>The inhabitants secure themselves, in some degree, against the noxious -vapours, which arise from the swamps and woods that surround the -town, by constantly keeping large wood fires in their huts. They are -extremely dirty and indolent; which, together with what they call the -<em>smokes</em>, (a noxious vapour, arising from the swamps about the -latter end of autumn) produces an epidemical fever, that carries off -great numbers.</p> - -<p>The natives of Bonny believe in one Supreme Being; but they reverence -greatly a harmless animal of the lizard kind, called a Guana, the body -of which is about the size of a man’s leg, and tapering towards its -tail, nearly to a point. Great numbers of them run about the town, -being encouraged and cherished by the inhabitants.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p> - -<p>The river of Bonny abounds with sharks of a very large size, which -are often seen in almost incredible numbers about the slave ships, -devouring with great dispatch the dead bodies of the negroes as they -are thrown overboard. The bodies of the sailors who die there, are -buried on a sandy point, called Bonny Point, which lies about a quarter -of a mile from the town. It is covered at high water; and, as the -bodies are buried but a small depth below the surface of the sand, the -stench arising from them is sometimes very noxious.</p> - -<p>The trade of this town consists of slaves, and a small quantity of -ivory and palm-oil, the latter of which the inhabitants use as we do -butter; but its chief dependence is on the slave trade, in which it -exceeds any other place on the coast of Africa. The only water here -is rain-water, which stagnating in a dirty pool, is very unwholesome. -With this, as there is no better to be procured, the ships are obliged -to supply themselves, though, when drank by the sailors, it frequently -occasions violent pains in the bowels, accompanied with a diarrhæa.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">The Windward Coast</span> of Africa has a very beautiful appearance -from the sea, being covered with trees, which are green all the year. -It produces rice, cotton, and indigo of the first quality, and likewise -a variety of roots, such as yams, casava, sweet potatoes, &c. &c. The -soil is very rich, and the rice which it produces, is superior to that -of Carolina; the cotton also is very fine. It has a number of fine -rivers, that are navigable for small sloops, a considerable way up the -country.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span></p> - -<p>The natives are a strong hardy race, especially about Setrecrou, where -they are always employed in hunting and fishing. They are extremely -athletic and muscular, and are very expert in the water, and can swim -for many miles. They can likewise dive to almost any depth. I have -often thrown pieces of iron and tobacco pipes overboard, which they -have never failed bringing up in their hand.</p> - -<p>Their canoes are very small, not weighing above twenty-eight pounds -each, and seldom carrying above two or three people. It is surprizing -to see with what rapidity they paddle themselves through the water, and -to what a distance they venture in them from the shore. I have seen -them eight or nine miles distant from it. In stormy weather the sea -frequently fills them, which the persons in them seem to disregard. -When this happens, they leap into the sea, and taking hold of the ends -of the canoe, turn her over several times, till they have emptied her -of the chief part of the water; they then get in again, with great -agility, and throw out the remainder with a small scoop, made for that -purpose.</p> - -<p>They sell some ivory and Malegetta pepper.</p> - -<p>They are very cleanly in their houses, as likewise in cooking their -victuals. The ivory on this coast is very fine, especially at Cape -Lahoe. There are on this coast small cattle.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">The Gold Coast</span> has not so pleasing an appearance from the -sea, as the Windward coast; but the natives are full as hardy, if not -more so. The reason given for this is, that as their country is not so -fertile as the Windward Coast, they are obliged to labour more in the -cultivation of rice and corn, which is their chief food. They have<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> -here, as on the Windward Coast, hogs, goats, fowls, and abundance of -fine fish, &c. They are very fond of brandy, and always get intoxicated -when it is in their power to do so. They are likewise very bold and -resolute, and insurrections happen more frequently among them, when on -ship-board, than amongst the negroes of any other part of the coast.</p> - -<p>The trade here is carried on by means of gold-dust, for which the -Europeans give them goods, such as pieces of India chintz, bafts, -romals, guns, powder, tobacco, brandy, pewter, iron, lead, copper, -knives, &c. &c. After the gold dust is purchased, it is again disposed -of to the natives for negroes. Their mode of reckoning in this -traffick, is by ounces; thus they say they will have so many ounces for -a slave; and according to the number of ships on the coast, the price -of these differs.</p> - -<p>The English have several forts on the Gold Coast, the principle of -which are, Cape Corse, and Anamaboe. The trade carried on at these -forts, is bartering for negroes, which the governors sell again to the -European ships, for the articles before-mentioned.</p> - -<p>The natives, as just observed, are a bold, resolute people. During -the last voyage I was upon the coast, I saw a number of negroes in -Cape Corse Castle, some of whom were part of the cargo of a ship from -London, on whose crew they had risen, and, after killing the captain -and most of the sailors, ran the ship on shore; but in endeavouring to -make their escape, most of them were seized by the natives, and resold. -Eighteen of these we purchased from Governor Morgue. The Dutch have -likewise a strong fort on this coast, called<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> Elmina, where they carry -on a considerable trade for slaves.</p> - -<p>The principal places of trade for negroes, are Bonny and Calabar. The -town and trade of Bonny, I have already described. That of Calabar is -nearly similar. The natives of the latter are of a much more delicate -frame than those of the Windward and Gold Coasts.</p> - -<p>The natives of Angola are the mildest, and most expert in mechanicks, -of any of the Africans. Their country is the most plentiful of any -in those parts, and produces different sorts of grain, particularly -calavances, of which they seem, when on ship-board, to be extremely -fond. Here are likewise hogs, sheep, goats, fowls, &c. in great -abundance, insomuch, that when I was at the River Ambris, we could buy -a fine fat sheep for a small keg of gunpowder, the value of which was -about one shilling and sixpence sterling. They have also great plenty -of fine fish. I have often seen turtle caught, while fishing with a -net for other fish. They have a species of wild cinnamon, which has a -very pungent taste in the mouth. The soil seems extremely rich, and the -vegetation luxuriant and quick. A person might walk for miles in the -country amidst wild jessamin trees.</p> - -<p>The Portuguese have a large town on this coast, named St. Paul’s, the -inhabitants of which, and of the country for many miles round, profess -the Roman Catholick religion. They are in general strictly honest. The -town of St. Paul’s is strongly fortified, and the Portuguese do not -suffer any other nation to trade there.</p> - - -<p class="center p2">THE END.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="BOOKS_lately_Published_by_James_Phillips_George-Yard">BOOKS lately Published by <span class="smcap">James Phillips</span>, George-Yard, -Lombard-Street.</h2> -</div> - - -<p>ESSAY on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British -Sugar Colonies. By the <abbr title="reverend">Rev.</abbr> <span class="smcap">J. Ramsay</span>, Vicar of Teston in -Kent. 4s. Boards.</p> - -<p>An INQUIRY into the Effects of putting a Stop to the African Slave -Trade, and of granting Liberty to the Slaves in the British Sugar -Colonies. By <span class="smcap">J. Ramsay</span>. 6<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>A REPLY to the Personal Invectives and Objections contained in Two -Answers, published by certain anonymous Persons, to an Essay on the -Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves, in the British Colonies. By -<span class="smcap">James Ramsay</span>. 2s.</p> - -<p>A LETTER from Capt. <span class="smcap">J. S. Smith</span>, to the <abbr title="reverend">Rev.</abbr> <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -<span class="smcap">Hill</span>, on the State of the Negroe Slaves. To which are added an -Introduction, and Remarks on Free Negroes. By the <span class="smcap">Editor</span>. 6<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>A CAUTION to Great Britain and her Colonies, in a short Representation -of the calamitous State of the enslaved Negroes in the British -Dominions. By <span class="smcap">Anthony Benezet</span>. 6<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>The CASE of our Fellow-Creatures, the Oppressed Africans, respectfully -recommended to the serious Consideration of the Legislature of Great -Britain, by the People called Quakers. 2<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>A Summary View of the SLAVE TRADE, and of the probable Consequences of -its Abolition. 2<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>A LETTER to the Treasurer of the Society instituted for the Purpose -of effecting the Abolition of the <span class="smcap">Slave Trade</span>. From the <abbr title="reverend">Rev.</abbr> -<span class="smcap">Robert Boucher Nickolls</span>, Dean of Middleham. 2<abbr title="pence">d.</abbr></p> - -<p>A new and much enlarged Edition of CLARKSON’S ESSAYS will soon be -published.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - - -<p>Errors in punctuation have been fixed.</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_6">Page 6</a>: “guarded by a centinal” changed to “guarded by a centinel”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_9">Page 9</a>: “from Leverpool” changed to “from Liverpool” “for that perod” -changed to “for that period”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_33">Page 33</a>: “I shal be” changed to “I shall be”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_34">Page 34</a>: “these proceediNgs” changed to “these proceedings”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_42">Page 42</a>: “illness aad fatigue” changed to “illness and fatigue”</p> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ACCOUNT OF THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE COAST OF AFRICA ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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