Hostile disposition towards the author increases, on account of his
known patronage of the seamen employed in the Slave Trade; manner of
procuring and paying them at Liverpool; their treatment and
mortality.--Account of the murder of Peter Green; trouble taken by the
author to trace it; his narrow escape.--Goes to Lancaster, but returns
to Liverpool; leaves the latter place.
It has appeared that a number of persons used to come and see me, out of
curiosity, at the King's Arms tavern; and that these manifested a bad
disposition towards me, which was near breaking out into open insult.
Now the cause of all this was, as I have observed, the knowledge which
people had obtained relative to my errand at this place. But this
hostile disposition was increased by another circumstance, which I am
now to mention. I had been so shocked at the treatment of the seamen
belonging to the slave-vessels at Bristol, that I determined, on my
arrival at Liverpool, to institute an inquiry concerning it there also.
I had made considerable progress in it, so that few seamen were landed
from such vessels, but I had some communication with them; and though no
one else would come near me, to give me any information about the trade,
these were always forward to speak to me, and to tell me their
grievances, if it were only with the hope of being able to get redress.
The consequence of this was, that they used to come to the King's Arms
tavern to see me. Hence, one, two, and three, were almost daily to be
found about the door; and this happened quite as frequently after the
hostility just mentioned had shown itself, as before. They, therefore,
who came to visit me out of curiosity, could not help seeing my sailor
visiters; and on inquiring into their errand, they became more than ever
incensed against me.
The first result of this increased hostility towards me was an
application from some of them to the master of the tavern, that he would
not harbour me. This he communicated to me in a friendly manner, but he
was by no means desirous that I should leave him. On the other hand, he
hoped I would stay long enough to accomplish my object. I thought it
right, however, to take the matter into consideration; and having
canvassed it, I resolved to remain with him, for the reasons mentioned
in the former chapter. But, that I might avoid doing anything that would
be injurious to his interest, as well as in some measure avoid giving
unnecessary offence to others, I took lodgings in Williamson Square,
where I retired to write, and occasionally to sleep, and to which place
all seamen, desirous of seeing me, were referred. Hence I continued to
get the same information as before, but in a less obnoxious and
injurious manner.
The history of the seamen employed in the slave-vessels belonging to the
port of Liverpool, I found to be similar to that of those from Bristol.
They who went into this trade were of two classes. The first consisted
of those who were ignorant of it, and to whom generally improper
representations of advantage had been made, for the purpose of enticing
them into it. The second consisted of those who, by means of a regular
system, kept up by the mates and captains, had been purposely brought by
their landlords into distress, from which they could only be extricated
by going into this hateful employ. How many have I seen, with tears in
their eyes, put into boats, and conveyed to vessels, which were then
lying at the Black Rock, and which were only waiting to receive them to
sail away!
The manner of paying them in the currency of the islands was the same as
at Bristol. But this practice was not concealed at Liverpool, as it was
at the former place. The articles of agreement were printed, so that all
who chose to buy might read them. At the same time it must be observed,
that seamen were never paid in this manner in any other employ; and that
the African wages, though nominally higher for the sake of procuring
hands, were thus made to be actually lower than in other trades.
The loss by death was so similar, that it did not signify whether the
calculation on a given number was made either at this or the other port.
I had, however, a better opportunity at this than I had at the other, of
knowing the loss, as it related to those whose constitutions had been
ruined, or who had been rendered incapable by disease, of continuing
their occupation at sea. For the slave-vessels which returned to
Liverpool, sailed immediately into the docks, so that I saw at once
their sickly and ulcerated crews. The number of vessels, too, was so
much greater from this, than from any other port, that their sick made a
more conspicuous figure in the infirmary; and they were seen also more
frequently in the streets.
With respect to their treatment, nothing could be worse. It seemed to me
to be but one barbarous system from the beginning to the end. I do not
say barbarous, as if premeditated, but it became so in consequence of
the savage habits gradually formed by a familiarity with miserable
sights, and with a course of action inseparable from the trade. Men in
their first voyages usually disliked the traffic; and if they were happy
enough then to abandon it, they usually escaped the disease of a
hardened heart. But if they went a second and a third time, their
disposition became gradually changed. It was impossible for them to be
accustomed to carry away men and women by force, to keep them in chains,
to see their tears, to hear their mournful lamentations, to behold the
dead and the dying, to be obliged to keep up a system of severity amidst
all this affliction,--in short, it was impossible for them to be
witnesses, and this for successive voyages, to the complicated mass of
misery passing in a slave-ship, without losing their finer feelings, or
without contracting those habits of moroseness and cruelty which would
brutalize their nature. Now, if we consider that persons could not
easily become captains (and to these the barbarities were generally
chargeable by actual perpetration, or by consent) till they had been two
or three voyages in this employ, we shall see the reason why it would be
almost a miracle, if they, who were thus employed in it, were not rather
to become monsters, than to continue to be men.
While I was at Bristol, I heard from an officer of the Alfred, who gave
me the intelligence privately, that the steward of a Liverpool ship,
whose name was Green, had been murdered in that ship. The Alfred was in
Bonny river at the same time, and his own captain, (so infamous for his
cruelty, as has been before shown,) was on board when it happened. The
circumstances, he said, belonging to this murder, were, if report were
true, of a most atrocious nature, and deserved to be made the subject of
inquiry. As to the murder itself, he observed, it had passed as a
notorious and uncontradicted fact.
This account was given me just as I had made an acquaintance with Mr.
Falconbridge, and I informed him of it; he said he had no doubt of its
truth; for in his last voyage he went to Bonny himself, where the ship
was then lying, in which the transaction happened: the king and several
of the black traders told him of it. The report then current was simply
this, that the steward had been barbarously beaten one evening; that
after this he was let down with chains upon him into a boat, which was
alongside of the ship, and that the next morning he was found dead.
On my arrival at Liverpool, I resolved to inquire into the truth of this
report. On looking into one of the wet docks, I saw the name of the
vessel alluded to; I walked over the decks of several others, and got on
board her. Two people were walking up and down her, and one was leaning
upon a rail by the side. I asked the latter how many slaves this ship
had carried in her last voyage; he replied he could not tell; but one of
the two persons walking about could answer me, as he had sailed out and
returned in her. This man came up to us, and joined in conversation. He
answered my questions and many others, and would have shown me the ship,
but on asking him how many seamen had died on the voyage, he changed his
manner, and said, with apparent hesitation, that he could not tell. I
asked him next, what had become, of the steward Green. He said he
believed he was dead. I asked how the seamen had been used. He said, not
worse than others. I then asked whether Green had been used worse than
others. He replied, he did not then recollect. I found that he was now
quite upon his guard, and as I could get no satisfactory answer from him
I left the ship.
On the next day I looked over the muster-roll of this vessel; on
examining it, I found that sixteen of the crew had died; I found also
the name of Peter Green; I found, again, that the latter had been put
down among the dead. I observed, also, that the ship had left Liverpool
on the 5th of June, 1786, and had returned on the 5th of June, 1787, and
that Peter Green was put down as having died on the 19th of September;
from all which circumstances it was evident that he must, as my Bristol
informant asserted, have died upon the Coast.
Notwithstanding this extraordinary coincidence of name, mortality, time,
and place, I could gain no further intelligence about the affair till
within about ten days before I left Liverpool; when among the seamen,
who came to apply to me in Williamson Square was George Ormond. He came
to inform me of his own ill-usage; from which circumstance I found that
he had sailed in the same ship with Peter Green. This led me to inquire
into the transaction in question, and I received from him the following
account.
Peter Green had been shipped as steward. A black woman, of the name of
Rodney, went out in the same vessel; she belonged to the owners of it,
and was to be an interpretess to the slaves who should be purchased.
About five in the evening, some time in the month of September, the
vessel then lying in Bonny river, the captain, as was his custom, went
on shore. In his absence, Rodney, the black woman, asked Green for the
keys of the pantry, which he refused her, alleging that the captain had
already beaten him for having given them to her on a former occasion,
when she drank the wine. The woman, being passionate, struck him, and a
scuffle ensued, out of which Green extricated himself as well as he
could.
When the scuffle was over the woman retired to the cabin, and appeared
pensive. Between eight and nine in the evening, the captain, who was
attended by the captain of the Alfred, came on board; Rodney immediately
ran to him, and informed him that Green had made an assault upon her.
The captain, without any inquiry, beat him severely, and ordered his
hands to be made fast to some bolts on the starboard side of the ship
and under the half deck, and then flogged him himself, using the lashes
of the cat-of-nine-tails upon his back at one time, and the double
walled knot at the end of it upon his head at another; and stopping to
rest at intervals, and using each hand alternately, that he might strike
with the greater severity.
The pain had now become so very severe, that Green cried out, and
entreated the captain of the Alfred, who was standing by, to pity his
hard case, and to intercede for him. But the latter replied, that he
would have served me in the same manner. Unable to find a friend here,
he called upon the chief mate; but this only made matters worse, for the
captain then ordered the latter to flog him also; which he did for some
time, using however only the lashes of the instrument. Green then called
in his distress upon the second mate to speak for him; but the second
mate was immediately ordered to perform the same cruel office, and was
made to persevere in it till the lashes were all worn into threads. But
the barbarity did not close here; for the captain, on seeing the
instrument now become useless, ordered another, with which he flogged
him as before, beating him at times over the head with the double-walled
knot, and changing his hands, and cursing his own left hand for not
being able to strike so severe a blow as his right.
The punishment, as inflicted by all parties, had now lasted two hours
and a half, when George Ormond was ordered to cut down one of the arms,
and the boatswain the other, from the places of their confinement; this
being done, Green lay motionless on the deck. He attempted to utter
something, Ormond understood it to be the word water; but no water was
allowed him. The captain, on the other hand, said he had not yet done
with him, and ordered him to be confined with his arms across, his right
hand to his left foot, and his left hand to his right foot. For this
purpose the carpenter brought shackles, and George Ormond was compelled
to put them on. The captain then ordered some tackle to be made fast to
the limbs of the said Peter Green, in which situation he was then
hoisted up, and afterwards let down into a boat, which was lying
alongside the ship. Michael Cunningham was then sent to loose the
tackle, and to leave him there.
In the middle watch, or between one and two next morning, George Ormond
looked out of one of the port-holes, and called to Green, but received
no answer. Between two and three, Paul Berry, a seaman, was sent down
into the boat, and found him dead. He made his report to one of the
officers of the ship. About five in the morning the body was brought up,
and laid on the waist near the half-deck door. The captain on seeing the
body when he rose, expressed no concern, but ordered it to be knocked
out of irons, and to be buried at the usual place of interment for
seamen, or Bonny Point. I may now observe, that the deceased was in good
health before the punishment took place, and in high spirits; for he
played upon the flute only a short time before Rodney asked him for the
keys, while those seamen, who were in health, danced.
On hearing this cruel relation from George Ormond, who was throughout a
material witness to the scene, I had no doubt in my own mind of the
truth of it; but I thought it right to tell him at once that I had seen
a person, about four weeks ago, who had been the same voyage with him
and Peter Green, but yet who had no recollection of these circumstances.
Upon this he looked quite astonished, and began to grow angry; he
maintained he had seen the whole; he had also held the candle himself
during the whole punishment. He asserted that one candle and half of
another were burnt out while it lasted. He said also that, while the
body lay in the waist, he had handled the abused parts, and had put
three of his fingers into a hole, made by the double walled knot, in the
head, from whence a quantity of blood and, he believed, brains issued.
He then challenged me to bring the man, before him; I desired him upon
this to be cool, and to come to me the next day, and I would then talk
with him again upon the subject.
In the interim I consulted the muster-roll of the vessel again; I found
the name of George Ormond; he had sailed in her out of Liverpool, and
had been discharged at the latter end of January in the West Indies, as
he had told me. I found also the names of Michael Cunningham and of Paul
Berry, whom he had mentioned. It was obvious also that Ormond's account
of the captain of the Alfred being on board at the time of the
punishment tallied with that given me at Bristol by an officer of that
vessel, and that his account of letting down Peter Green into the boat
tallied with that which Mr. Falconbridge, as I mentioned before, had
heard from the king and the black traders in Bonny river.
When he came to me next day, he came in high spirits. He said he had
found out the man whom I had seen. The man, however, when he talked to
him about the murder of Peter Green, acknowledged every thing concerning
it. Ormond intimated that this man was to sail again in the same ship
under the promise of being an officer, and that he had been kept on
board, and had been enticed to a second voyage, for no other purpose
than that he might be prevented from divulging the matter. I then asked
Ormond, whether he thought the man would acknowledge the murder in my
hearing. He replied, "that, if I were present, he thought he would not
say much about it, as he was soon to be under the same captain, but that
he would not deny it. If, however, I were out of sight, though I might
be in hearing, he believed he would acknowledge the facts."
By the assistance of Mr. Falconbridge, I found a public-house, which had
two rooms in it: nearly at the top of the partition between them was a
small window, which a person might look through by standing upon a
chair. I desired Ormond, one evening, to invite the man into the larger
room, in which he was to have a candle, and, to talk with him on the
subject. I proposed to station myself in the smallest in the dark, so
that by looking through the window I could both see and hear him, and
yet be unperceived myself. The room, in which I was to be, was one where
the dead were frequently carried to be owned. We were all in our places
at the time appointed. I directly discovered that it was the same man
with whom I had conversed on board the ship in the wet docks. I heard
him distinctly relate many of the particulars of the murder, and
acknowledge them all. Ormond, after having talked with him some time,
said, "Well, then, you believe Peter Green was actually murdered?" He
replied, "If Peter Green was not murdered, no man ever was." What
followed I do not know. I had heard quite enough; and the room was so
disagreeable in smell, that I did not choose to stay in it longer than
was absolutely necessary.
I own I was now quite satisfied that the murder had taken place, and my
first thought was to bring the matter before the mayor, and to take up
three of the officers of the ship. But, in mentioning my intention to my
friends, I was dissuaded from it. They had no doubt but that in
Liverpool, as there was now a notion that the Slave Trade would become a
subject of parliamentary inquiry, every, effort would be made to
overthrow me. They were of opinion also that such of the magistrates, as
were interested in the trade, when applied to for warrants of
apprehension, would contrive to give notice to the officers to escape.
In addition to this they believed, that so many in the town were already
incensed against me, that I should be torn to pieces, and the house
where I lodged burnt down, if I were to make the attempt. I thought it
right therefore to do nothing for the present; but I sent Ormond to
London, to keep him out of the way of corruption, till I should make up
my mind as to further proceedings on the subject.
It is impossible, if I observe the bounds I have prescribed myself, and
I believe the reader will be glad of it on account of his own feelings,
that I should lay open the numerous cases, which came before me at
Liverpool, relative to the ill-treatment of the seamen in this wicked
trade. It may be sufficient to say, that they harassed my constitution,
and affected my spirits daily. They were in my thoughts on my pillow
after I retired to rest, and I found them before my eyes when I awoke.
Afflicting, however, as they were, they were of great use in the
promotion of our cause: for they served, whatever else failed, as a
stimulus to perpetual energy: they made me think light of former
labours, and they urged me imperiously to new. And here I may observe,
that among the many circumstances which ought to excite our joy on
considering the great event of the abolition of the Slave Trade, which
has now happily taken place, there are few for which we ought to be more
grateful, than that from this time our commerce ceases to breed such
abandoned wretches: while those, who have thus been bred in it, and who
may yet find employment in other trades, will, in the common course of
nature, be taken off in a given time, so that our marine will at length
be purified from a race of monsters, which have helped to cripple its
strength, and to disgrace its character.
The temper of many of the interested people of Liverpool had now become
still more irritable, and their hostility more apparent than before. I
received anonymous letters, entreating me to leave it, or I should
otherwise never leave it alive. The only effect which this advice had
upon me, was to make me more vigilant when I went out at night. I never
stirred out at this time without Mr. Falconbridge; and he never
accompanied me without being well armed. Of this, however, I knew
nothing until we had left the place. There was certainly a time when I
had reason to believe that I had a narrow escape. I was one day on the
pier-head with many others looking at some little boats below at the
time of a heavy gale. Several persons, probably out of curiosity, were
hastening thither. I had seen all I intended to see, and was departing,
when I noticed eight or nine persons making towards me. I was then only
about eight or nine yards from the precipice of the pier, but going from
it. I expected that they would have divided to let me through them;
instead of which they closed upon me and bore me back. I was borne
within a yard of the precipice, when I discovered my danger; and
perceiving among them the murderer of Peter Green, and two others who
had insulted me at the King's Arms, it instantly struck me that they had
a design to throw me over the pier-head; which they might have done at
this time, and yet have pleaded that I had been killed by accident.
There was not a moment to lose. Vigorous on account of the danger, I
darted forward. One of them, against whom I pushed myself, fell down:
their ranks were broken; and I escaped, not without blows, amidst their
imprecations and abuse.
I determined now to go to Lancaster, to make some inquiries about the
Slave Trade there. I had a letter of introduction to William Jepson, one
of the religious society of the Quakers, for this purpose. I found from
him, that, though there were slave-merchants at Lancaster, they made
their outfits at Liverpool, as a more convenient port. I learnt too from
others, that the captain of the last vessel, which had sailed out of
Lancaster to the coast of Africa for slaves, had taken off so many of
the natives treacherously, that any other vessel known to come from it
would be cut off. There were only now one or two superannuated captains
living in the place. Finding I could get no oral testimony, I was
introduced into the Custom-house. Here I just looked over the
muster-rolls of such slave-vessels as had formerly sailed from this
port; and having found that the loss of seamen was precisely in the same
proportion as elsewhere, I gave myself no further trouble, but left the
place.
On my return to Liverpool, I was informed by Mr. Falconbridge, that a
ship-mate of Ormond, of the name of Patrick Murray, who had been
discharged in the West Indies, had arrived there. This man, he said, had
been to call upon me in my absence, to seek redress for his own bad
usage; but in the course of conversation he had confirmed all the
particulars as stated by Ormond, relative to the murder of Peter Green.
On consulting the muster-roll of the ship, I found his name, and that he
had been discharged in the West Indies on the 2nd of February. I
determined, therefore, to see him. I cross-examined him in the best
manner I could. I could neither make him contradict himself, nor say
anything that militated against the testimony of Ormond. I was
convinced, therefore, of the truth of the transaction; and, having
obtained his consent, I sent him to London to stay with the latter, till
he should hear further from me. I learnt also from Mr. Falconbridge,
that visitors had continued to come to the King's Arms during my
absence; that they had been very liberal of their abuse of me; and that
one of them did not hesitate to say (which is remarkable) that "I
deserved to be thrown over the pierhead."
Finding now that I could get no further evidence; that the information
which I had already obtained was considerable[A]; and that the committee
had expressed an earnest desire, in a letter which I had received, that
I would take into consideration the propriety of writing my Essay on the
_Impolicy of the Slave Trade_ as soon as possible, I determined upon
leaving Liverpool.
[Footnote A: In London, Bristol, and Liverpool, I had already obtained
the names of more than 20,000 seamen, in different voyages, knowing what
had become of each.]
I went round accordingly and took leave of my friends. The last of these
was William Rathbone, and I have to regret, that it was also the last
time I ever saw him. Independently of the gratitude I owed him for
assisting me in this great cause, I respected him highly as a man: he
possessed a fine understanding with a solid judgment: he was a person of
extraordinary simplicity of manners. Though he lived in a state of
pecuniary independence, he gave an example of great temperance, as well
as of great humility of mind: but however humble he appeared, he had
always the courage to dare to do that which was right, however it might
resist the customs or the prejudices of men. In his own line of trade,
which was that of a timber-merchant on an extensive scale, he would not
allow any article to be sold for the use of a slave-ship, and he always
refused those, who applied to him for materials for such purposes. But
it is evident that it was his intention, if he had lived, to bear his
testimony still more publicly upon this subject; for an advertisement,
stating the ground of his refusal to furnish anything for this traffic
upon Christian principles, with a memorandum for two advertisements in
the Liverpool papers, was found among his papers at his decease.