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”