AN EXPOSITION
OF THE
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE,
FROM THE YEAR 1840, TO 1850, INCLUSIVE.
PREPARED FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS,
AND
PUBLISHED BY DIRECTION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS,
IN
PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE.
PHILADELPHIA:
FOR SALE AT FRIENDS9 BOOK STORE, NO. 84 MULBERRY STREET.
J. RAKESTRAW, PRINTER.
1851.








PREFACE.
In the preparation of the following pages, we have relied for
authority chiefly on the " Slave Trade Papers," presented to both
Houses of Parliament in Great Britain, and by them ordered to be
published.
The papers of each year are divided into four classes, A, B, C
and D, each constituting a volume, to which reference is made in
noting our extracts.  Some extracts have likewise been taken from
the printed evidence, given before the Committees of Parliament,
appointed on the Slave Trade question.
Most of the important testimony, relating to the participation of
American citizens in the traffic, is derived from official communica.
tions of foreign ministers and officers of the United States, many
of them having been published by direction of the Senate.








AN EXPOSITION
OF THE
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.
IT cannot be denied, that the African Slave trade had its
origin from, and owes its continuance to, the cupidity of unprincipled men. Its first steps are indelibly marked with violence and bloodshed, and every subsequent stage is inseparably
connected with misery and suffering-landing both the victims
and their oppressors in degradation and wretchedness.  So
generally is the knowledge of these facts spread throughout the
world, that there are none among the nations professing Christianity, and but few of those styled barbarous, who have not
either altogether prohibited their citizens from engaging in the
traffic, or enacted laws to restrain them in its prosecution, and
to regulate the mode in which it may be carried on, so as in
some measure to diminish its horrors. Few governments have
taken more decided ground in this respect, or placed upon their
statute book laws more stringent, or more unequivocal against
any of its citizens engaging, or being in any way interested, in
the African Slave trade, than have these United States.
So early as 1794, an Act was passed, prohibiting under a
severe penalty, any citizen or other person residing within the
United States, from building or equipping any vessel for the
purpose of carrying on the traffic in slaves to any foreign country, or for the purpose of transporting slaves from one foreign
country to another; and in 1798, 1800, and 1803, respectively,
laws were enacted, defining this offence in its several forms,
and more particularly, seeking to guard, by penalties of fine, forfeiture and imprisonment, against any of those residing within




6
the jurisdiction of the United States, being implicated in, or
accessory to its commission.
In 1807, a law was enacted, totally prohibiting the importation into any part of the United States, from any foreign country, of any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, for the purpose
of holding or selling such person as a slave; and also prohibiting any citizen, or other person residing within the country
from building, equipping, or preparing within its jurisdiction,
any vessel to be employed in the importation of slaves into the
United States; and forbidding all from engaging in such importation. Severe penalties were attached to the infraction of
these laws; and in 1818, the same penalties were extended to
the act of preparing vessels for the transportation of slaves to
any place whatever.
These various Acts failing to effect all that was desired, a
law was passed in 1820, declaring that any citizen of the United
States, being of the crew or ship's company of any foreign vessel
engaged in the Slave trade; or any person whatever, being of
the crew of a vessel owned wholly or in part by, or navigated for
or on behalf of, any citizen of the United States, who shall land
on any foreign shore, and seize any negro or mulatto, not held
to service by the laws of any state or territory of the United
States; or who shall decoy, or forcibly bring on board such
vessel, any such negro or mulatto, with intent of holding such
negro or mulatto as a slave; every such person so offending,
shall be adjudged a pirate, and on conviction thereof shall suffer
death. This law also provides, that if any citizen of the United
States, being of the crew or ship's company of any foreign vessel engaged in the slave trade, or any person whatever, being
of the ship's company of any vessel, owned wholly or in part
by, or navigated on behalf of, any citizen of the United States,
shall forcibly confine or detain, or shall abet in forcibly confining or detaining, on board any such vessel, any negro or
mulatto, not held to service or labour by the laws of either of
the states or territories of the United States, with intent to make
such negro or mulatto a slave; or shall on board any such vessel, offer or attempt to sell as a slave, any negro or mulatto not




7
held to service as aforesaid; or shall on the high seas, or any
where on tide water, transfer or deliver over to any other ship
or vessel, any negro or mulatto, not held to service as aforesaid, with intent to make such negro or mulatto a slave; or
shall land or deliver on shore, from on board such ship or vessel, any such negro or mulatto, with intent to make sale of, or
having previously sold such negro or mulatto as a slave, such
citizen or person shall be adjudged a pirate, and on conviction
thereof shall suffer death.
In the year 1807, after long and persevering exertions on the
part of Clarkson, Wilberforce and many others, an Act was
passed by the British Parliament, prohibiting the subjects of
that government from any participation in the African Slave
trade. Since that period, other laws have been passed more
effectually to secure the design of that act, and by which those
engaging in that trade were declared guilty of felony; and in
1824, that traffic was by the statutes of that country, as it is by
the United States, declared to be piracy.
Since 1807, the year in which she first prohibited her own
subjects from engaging in the slave trade, Great Britain has
repeatedly urged the subject upon the attention of the different
powers, both in Europe and America, with whom treaties have
been made by her, and solicited them to co-operate with her in
its complete extinction.
In 1813, Sweden bound herself by treaty, not to permit her
subjects to engage in the trade; and Denmark, whose king so
early as 1792, had issued a decree prohibiting his subjects from
purchasing, selling or transporting slaves, acquiesced in the
justice of the measure, and prohibited the trade absolutely by
her municipal laws.
France, Austria, Russia and Prussia, in reply to the suggestions of the British ministers, expressed their abhorrence of the
Traffic, and their determination to co-operate in its abolition.
In the treaties of Paris, Kiel and Ghent, in 1814, it was stipulated that the odious traffic in slaves from Africa should be
abolished, which stipulation was confirmed by the Congress of
the Allied Powers at Vienna in 1815, and they declared their




8
wish " to put an end to a scourge which desolates Africa, degrades Europe, and afflicts humanity;" and in the treaty of
peace concluded at Paris in that year, an additional article was
annexed, by which the contracting parties pledged themselves
to renewed exertions for the total extinction of a commerce, so
repugnant to every principle of justice and humanity.
The King of France, in 1815, issued an edict, prohibiting
the trade to his subjects, from that time and forever.
The accession of Portugal and Spain to the principle of the
abolition of the trade, was obtained by the treaties between
Great Britain and those Powers respectively, in 1815, and
1817. Spain, in the latter year, restricted her subjects engaged in the trade, from going north of the line to prosecute it.
In 1820, this prohibition was extended to all places south of the
equator. And in 1845, she enacted a stringent penal law, for
the purpose of suppressing the trade.
In 1815, Portugal confined this trade carried on by her subjects, to the south of the line. In 1836, she issued a decree, declaring the final and entire abolition of the Portuguese slave
trade. And in 1842, she issued a decree, declaring the traffic
within all her dominions to be piracy, and subjecting those
found engaged in it to severe penalties.
The King of the Netherlands, in 1814, entirely interdicted
the trade to his subjects; and in 1818, entered into a treaty
with Great Britain for its total suppression.
In 1813, Sweden bound herself by treaty, not to permit
her subjects to engage in the trade; and in 1824, concluded
another treaty for its abolition. Sardinia, Tuscany, Naples,
and the Hanse Towns, respectively, between the years 1834
and 1838, acceded to the terms of the convention agreed on
between Great Britain and France, in 1831 and 1833, for the
abolition of the slave trade.
By a convention concluded between Great Britain and Brazil
in 1826, it was stipulated that three years after the exchange of
the ratifications, it should not be lawful for the subjects of the
Emperor of Brazil to be concerned in carrying on the African
slave trade, and that the carrying on of such trade by any subject of Brazil, should be deemed and treated as piracy.




9
In 1831, the Emperor, issued a decree, by which he declared, that all slaves brought into Brazil should be free; that
all persons concerned in the slave trade should be liable to
fine and corporal punishment; and that slave ships should be
confiscated; and in 1832 he further decreed, that all ships
arriving at Rio, should undergo search and examination, in
order to the due enforcement of the decree of 1831.
In the year 1826, Mexico bound herself to co-operate with
Great Britain for the total abolition of the slave trade; and all
the Republics of South America, which when asserting and
maintaining their own right to freedom and independence, had
abolished slavery-declared, some at one time and some at
another, their hostility to the trade in all its branches, and their
desire for its suppression.*
* The different treaties to which we have referred, may be divided into
three classes; the first class gives to each party a mutual right of search of,he merchant vessels of the other party within certain geographical limits;
and a right of detention of such merchant vessels, as may be found either
with slaves on board, or equipped for the slave trade; and these treaties
define what circumstances of a vessel, shall constitute, prima facie, an
equipment for the slave trade. These treaties constitute also Mixed Courts,
composed of commissioners of each nation.... Such are the treaties
Great Britain has with the Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Spain, Portugal,
the Argentine Confederation, and with the Republics of Uruguay, of Bolivia,
of Chili, and of the Equator.
The second class, are treaties by which a mutual right of search, is, in
like manner, as in the first class, granted within specified geographical
limits, together with the right of detention, under similar circumstances;
but by this second class of treaties, a captured vessel, instead of being tried
before a mixed Court of Commission, composed of Judges of the two nations,
is handed over to the tribunals of the country under whose flag she has been
captured. Such are the treaties Great Britain has with Denmark, Sardinia, the Hanse Towns, Tuscany, the Two Sicilies, Hayti, Venezuela,
Mexico, Austria, Russia and Prussia. The third class gives no mutual right
of search, but each party engages to maintain a certain force upon the coast
of Africa, for the purpose of watching its own merchant flag, and preventing
any vessels under that flag from being employed in the prosecution of the
slave trade. Such are the treaties with France and the United States.




10
Thus every civilized nation in Europe and America, whether
maritime or not immediately interested in transmarine commerce, has denounced the slave trade as iniquitous, interdicted
its subjects, under the severest penalties, from engaging in it;
and avowed its willingness or determination to suppress a
traffic, stigmatized by them all as deserving the scorn and detestation of every friend of the human race.
As a means of breaking up the trade, of preventing the flags of
their respective nations from being prostituted by those engaged
in it, and for bringing those to punishment who might be detected in its prosecution, treaties were entered into between Great
Britain and France, in the years 1831 and 1833, by which the
mutual right of search, of the vessels carrying the flags of those
powers respectively, is conceded, within certain geographical
limits. To the stipulations of these treaties, almost everr
maritime power of Europe and America has acceded, e>cept the United States, and may be said to have thus united
in a universal league for the extinction of this traffic, which
by the municipal laws of some of them, is declared to be
piracy, and those detected in its prosecution to be worthy of
death.
But notwithstanding the universal verdict of Christendom of
the heinous guilt of the African slave trade; the stringent and
comprehensive laws that have been enacted by all civilized
governments, for the detection and punishment of those who
still dare to pursue it, and the vast power employed for carrying these laws into effect, yet the lust of gold, and the hope
of escaping detection, have so far proved too strong to be much
restrained thereby; and unprincipled and abandoned men, of
nearly all nations are still to be found, willing to embark in this
illicit commerce; and for the sake of the wealth that they
hope to reap, voluntarily make themselves agents in inflicting
indescribable misery on their fellow men, and in ensuring
their own hopeless degradation. It is true, that there are no
parts of the western world, (to supply the supposed wants of
which the trade was commenced and carried on for so many
years by all maritime powers,) into which slaves can now be




11
legally imported; and but few where the illicit trade is winked
at or tolerated by the local authorities. Guiana, the English,
French, Dutch, Swedish and Danish possessions in the West
Indies, no longer permit an African slave to be landed on their
shores; although the French Government, until the year 1848,
continued the practice of purchasing slaves, for the purpose of
recruiting their army at Senegal on the coast of Africa, and at
Demerara; and the Dutch are still guilty of pursuing the same
course, in order to keep up their force at Surinam and in Java.
But Brazil and the Spanish Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, in
America, and the Islands of Cape Verde, of St. Thomas, and
Princes belonging to Portugal on the coast of Africa; though, as
we have before said, bound by the treaties of their governments
to repudiate and punish the introduction of slaves from a foreign
country, nevertheless wink at the illicit traffic, and hold out temptations to slave dealers to run all risks, in order to avair themselves
of the gains to be derived from the markets for human flesh,
which they covertly maintain.
The flags of Sardinia, Portugal, Brazil, and the United States,
are those almost exclusively employed by these outlaws of the
civilized world, who seek to conceal their vile employment, and
screen themselves from punishment, by the use of one or the
other of these flags, as they may deem it most likely to effect
their purpose.
Although it is impossible to arrive at any precise knowledge
of the number of men, women and children, who are thus torn
from their native country, and consigned to hopeless exile and
the most cruel bondage; yet facts which are notorious and
incontestible, enable us to approximate to the truth, and clearly
prove the horrors attending the prosecution of this revolting contraband traffic.
In the year 1839, a work was prepared and published by T.
Fowell Buxton, in which he shows from information transmitted
to the British Government from reliable sources, that at that
time not less than 150,000 persons were annually transported from
Africa across the Atlantic, to supply the slave markets of the west



12
ern world; and 50,000 more were carried off to meet the demands
of the Mohammedan slave dealers of Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli,
Egypt, Turkey, Persia, Arabia, and the borders of Asia; making a total of 200,000 victims, drained from that unhappy country in the course of a year. It is also demonstrated, that the
seizure, march, and detention on the coast, of the poor Africans,
are attended with a mortality of 100 per cent.; the middle passage,
including the return of those who may be captured by the
cruizers, with a mortality of 25 per cent; and the landing and
seasoning of those who arrive at the place of their bondage,
with a mortality of 20 per cent; thus proving a mortality in the
whole process of 145 per cent; 4 so that for every 1000 negroes
alive at the end of the year after their deportation, and available
to the planter," there have been sacrificed 1450. It follows of
course, that the vessels from which the 150,000 Africans were
landed in Brazil, Cuba, and other slave marts of the Christian
world, must have had 187,500 on board when they left the
coast of Africa, and 37,500 perished in the passage; and before 187,000 were embarked, an equal number, that is 187,000
of their fellow countrymen had fallen victims to the barbarities
inflicted on them. Twenty per cent. loss on the 150,000 landed,
during their landing and seasoning, gives a further sacrifice of
30,000 lives, so that the annual victims of the slave trade,
carried on at that time by professing Christians, according to
this work, amounted to 375,000.
There can be no doubt that the number of persons exported
from Africa has been materially diminished, perhaps nearly or
quite one-half, since the period to which T. F. Buxton's work refers, but within the last two or three years, the African slave trade
has again greatly increased, and the whole testimony of those
conversant with it, proves indisputably, that the cruelties and
mortality still attendant upon it, are little if any less than in the
days of its greatest extent.
1840.
We will now proceed to give a brief history of the Slave
trade, from the year 1840 to the present time. In the year




13
J840 it was carried on with more or less activity.along the
western coast of Africa, from a point immediately below the
Great Desert, in the 20th degree of north latitude, to Little
Fish Bay, in about the 16th degree of south latitude. As the
African coast between these two points crosses not only 36
degrees of latitude, but nearly 30 degrees of longitude, the distance along the sea board must be more than 3500 miles.
Along this part of the coast there were a few places, from
which, owing to natural impediments, or from obstacles raised
against it by men, the slave trade was excluded. At the English settlements of Gambia and Sierra Leone, and that part of
Liberia immediately around Monrovia, the opposition of the
government and the settlers, was a sufficient bar to the traffic;
along a considerable part of the Bight of Benin, there were
large tracts of coast so covered with swamp, and a thick
growth of mangrove, as to render the trade there impossible;
and just north of Little Fish Bay, for 140 miles, a high cliff,
lifting a perpendicular breastwork to the sea, as effectually protected that portion of the land from this polluting commerce.
The Barracoons, as the buildings are called in which the
slaves are confined who are brought to the coast for shipment,
were generally located on the rivers in the neighbourhood of
some of the European settlements, or of the small trading towns
where the native chiefs or kings reside.
The slaves obtained from the coast immediately south of the
Great Desert, were principally carried in small trading vessels,
a few at a time, to the Cape Verde Islands, where a large number were landed every year. The northernmost islands of this
group were supplied principally from the neighbourhood of the
French settlements of Senegal and Goree, whilst the southern
ones obtained their cargoes from Bissao and Gallinas. These
slaves were carried to the Cape Verde, in order that they might
be shipped to Cuba or Brazil, with little fear to the slaver, of English scrutiny.-Class B, 1841, page 534.-Class B, 1840,
page 89.
From   Goree southward to Sierra Leone, the trade was
actively carried on, yet it was this year somewhat checked at




14
the Island of Corusco, by the destruction of its slave factories.
The slave traders located at that place, manifested their antipathy
to the opposers of the trade, by firing on the boats of an English
man-of-war. This wanton act of aggression was quickly retaliated. Their buildings, with the merchandize contained in them,
were destroyed, and the traders being left without the means of
carrying on the traffic, it was for a time much depressed.-Class
A, 1841, p. 9.-Class A, 1841, p. 10.
From Rio Nunez, that famous mart for slaves, but few were
carried away by sea this year, the slave traders preferring to
take in their cargoes from the neighbouring port of Bissao, from
which about 2000 slaves were annually taken, principally to
Cuba.-Class.4, 1841, p. 9, 10.
At Rio Pongas, the number shipped had materially decreased,
in consequence of the negro collectors of slaves not keeping good
faith with the masters of the slavers. In many instances, after
having obtained possession of the goods sent to pay for the intended living cargo, they neglected to furnish the slaves, or did
it after a long, and to the interest of the ship owner, a: ruinous
delay.
The trade was brisk in many places between Sierra Leone
and Cape Palmas; Liberia at that time protecting a very small
portion of the coast from this traffic. From the 5th month to
the end of the year, 21 vessels sailed for Gallinas to obtain
cargoes of slaves. Of these, 15 were captured, and one being
driven from its intended port by British cruizers, put into Sierra
Leone, where it was seized and condemned. The remaining
five succeeded in carrying off 1560 slaves.* The slave factories
at this place being destroyed, the native King gave 841 slaves,
which were found in them, to the English, who carried them
to Sierra Ieone, where they were free. The destruction of
these factories took place in the 11th month of this year. They
were eight in number, very extensive, and gave employment to
sixty white men. During the nine months immediately preceding their destruction, 1000 tons of goods, to be employed
* Class A, 1841, page 9, Correspondence with the British Commissioners
relating to the slave trade.




15
exclusively in the purchase of slaves, had been landed at them.
Ten thousand slaves had been annually shipped from this station.-(Class A, 1841, p. 10.) The attack on these factories
was occasioned by the discovery, that a number of the English
Sierra Leone subjects had been seized by the Gallinas traders
and sold into slavery.
The English ships of war, which during this year were
stationed about the Gulf of Guinea, occasioned the number of
slaves shipped from Lagos and Whydah, to be very much below
the average of former years. The port of Ambriz was so closely
watched by these cruizers for three months, that no slave vessel
could approach it, and during the whole of this time 2000 slaves
collected there for shipment, were maintained at a heavy
expense to the traders. (Class A, 1841, p. 8.) From Loanda and
its neighbourhood many cargoes of slaves were taken, although
the Portuguese governor at that place offered some obstruction
to the traffic, seizing and liberating a number of poor captives
brought there for sale. South of Loanda, the principal mart for
slaves was Benguela, although almost every where along that
coast slave ships could obtain cargoes.
On the eastern coast of Africa, many slaves were shipped
from Quillimane, Inhambo, Iboo and Delgoa Bay, and even
from the neighbourhood of Mozambique; although Marinha, the
Portuguese governor in that place, incited by recent instructions
from his government at home, exerted himself to suppress the
traffic. About the middle of 1840, he seized one Spanish brig,
and two Portuguese ships, which had come for slaves to that
port. This vigorous act was felt as a severe blow by the slave
collectors, who had at that time 2500 poor victims gathered in
the neighbourhood of Mozambique, intended for these three
vessels. —Class B, 1841, p. 468, 469, 471.
The slave trade had been openly carried on from all the
Portuguese African settlements, until the close of the year
1836, when, as before stated, the government in Portugal
issued a decree, forbidding the traffic. Previous to that time,
a fixed sum was received at the custom house in every port,
for each slave shipped, and the government derived considera



16
ble revenue from this source. The governors in these possessions received a small salary from Portugal, which was paid
them in a coarse cloth, much used in the purchase of slaves.
It was on the fees which the governors received from the slave
traders, that they principally depended for support, and these
were sufficient to enable them to maintain the style of living
expected from their station, and to realize considerable estates.-Class A., 1844, p. 312, &c.
In 1840 the slave trade still continued to be carried on in
all tPe-Portuguese settlements; and though the governors in
some of them endeavoured to suppress what had now become
an illegal traffic; yet, having little means of enforcing their
commands, their subjects easily thwarted them. Some of the
governors continued openly to encourage the trade, and the
slave traders. Ferdinando Cartes de Costa, of Quillimane, was
one of these. For his patronage and support in this contraband
trade, he received large bribes, amounting in one instance to
$7000 on a single cargo. The trade in the neighbourhood of
that port was systematized and carried on in the most perfect
manner. Persons resident in Quillimane were employed as
factors to purchase slaves, and they made use of native traders,
to collect them throughout the country. The factors supplied
the merchandize, which alone passes for money in the interior,
to their black agents, who with it paid for their unhappy brethren, who were to be torn from their native country and sent to
hopeless bondage in a foreign land. As fast as the slaves were
brought to Quillimane, they were branded, and committed to
the charge of free blacks, who had land granted them in the
neighbourhood, on the sole condition that they should receive
and take care of the slaves until the time of embarkation.
Sometimes two or three hundred would be collected at one of
these depots; and they were employed as labourers on the
farms of those who had charge of them. When the vessel arrived in which they were to be shipped, it generally came into
port, gave or received notice, from which barracoon it was to
take in its cargo, and then stood out to sea again, where it remained until the time for shipping the cargo had arrived. The




17
factors in the mean while busied themselves in collecting from
the various depots, the requisite number of slaves to the assigned barracoon, of which there were several both north
and south of the port. At the time appointed, the ship came to
anchor near by, and through the active aid of a large number
of men and boats, a cargo of several hundred was taken on
board, and packed away in the hold in a few hours. It often
happened, that before night of the day in which the ship first
commenced loading, she was at sea with her cargo, stretching
far south to give a wide berth to the Cape of Good Hope, lest
she should fall in with the British cruizers.-Class,, 1844, p.312.
We have already stated, that the principal places in the new
world, to which slaves are carried from Africa, are the Brazilian Territories and the Spanish Islands. The number of
slaves landed along the coast of Brazil, in 1840, according to
the official table of statistics laid before the Parliament of Great
Britain, was 30,000, and in Cuba and the neighbouring islands
belonging to Spain, 14,470. The reason of the diminution of
the trade from 1839, when the number landed in Brazil was
42,182, was probably owing, in great measure, to the increased activity of the British cruizers. Many slave vessels,
during the year, returned in ballast to the places from which
they had sailed, finding the African ports where they were
destined, so closely watched, they were unable to secure their
cargoes.
It was from no want of demand for the slaves in Cuba or
Brazil, nor from any disposition in those who had heretofore
made immmense fortunes at the traffic, to engage in lawful
commerce. Slaves brought as great prices as heretofore, and
from Cuba great efforts to extend the trade were made. This
is manifested by the number of slave vessels from that Island,
captured during this year. Of 28 vessels condemned at Sierra
Leone, 20 were engaged in the Cuban trade, and 8 only in that
to Brazil. Had those from Cuba been suffered to pursue their
employment without interruption, they would probably have
made more than one trip each, and the number landed on that
island would doubtless have been more than doubled. The
2




18
Cuban vessels, obtaining their slaves almost entirely on that part
of the western coast of Africa, extending from Sierra Leone
down by Cape Palmas, and along the northern shore of the
Gulf of Guinea, they were brought more frequently under
notice of the British cruizers than those of Brazil, engaged in
the same unlawful commerce. All the slaves taken from Quillimane and other ports on the east coast of Africa, for the
"American market," appear to have been carried to Brazil.
Of the 28 slave vessels captured by the English, 11 were to
obtain cargoes from various parts of the coast between Sierra
Leone to Cape Palmas; 8 from the barracoons in the Bight of
Benin; 2 from the River Gaboon, just south of the Bight of
Biafra, and 6 from ports south of the equator. Only 3 of these
vessels had shipped any slaves when they were captured, and
the number in the 3 was but 720.-Class A, 1841, page 8.
As it was known that the flag of the United States protected the vessel bearing it, from the right of search by any
cruizer of a foreign power, that flag had been carried by many
Spanish and Portuguese vessels bound to Africa for slaves. In
the year 1836, five vessels left Cuba, under the "stripes and
stars," for Africa; in 1837, 11; in 1838, 19; in 1839 the number
was 23; while in 1840 there were but 9. This reduction was
doubtless occasioned by the seizure of a number of such vessels by British cruizers, and their condemnation at Sierra Leone,
as Spanish, Portuguese, or Brazilian property, by the sending
some for adjudication to the United States, and by the increased
activity of the national vessels of the United States, on the African coast, in their endeavours to suppress the slave trade.
Americans have since been quite as much connected with this
infamous traffic as ever, but their national flag has not been so
openly used by foreigners to cover it.-Class J, 1841,pages 171,
172.
Of the 28 cargoes of slaves landed this year in Cuba, all except two or three were taken there in vessels bearing the Portuguese flag. A number of the vessels had, however, sailed
from that island under the flag of the United States. Two
Spanish vessels in the Cuban slave trade, were captured by




19
British cruizers, and taken to Havana for adjudication; and,
one in attempting to escape, was driven on a reef and completely wrecked. This last vessel had been most successful in
her iniquitous employment. The name under which she first
sailed was "Urraca;"She landed on Cuba 1 cargo of slaves in 1830
"4      2        "         1831
"       1       "6         1832
4      2    "              1833
4"      1       "          1834
"       1       "          1836
1'836
About the close of 1836 she was transferred at the Cape Verdes
to a Portuguese owner, and sailed from thence as the " Arrogante." Under this name she made one successful trip, but on
the second was captured by a British cruizer, and condemned
at Sierra Leone. Her original Spanish owner, by an agent,
purchased her at public sale in that port, and her name being
changed to " Iberia," she was immediately sent for a fresh
cargo, which she landed safely at Havana. She. had cleared
again for Africa, when being chased by a British cruizer, her
captain finding she could not escape, run her on the reef where
she was destroyed. She had landed not less than 4000 slaves
on the Spanish Islands, in her ten successful voyages.-Class J,
1841, p. 173.-Class B, 1840, p. 57.
One of the captured vessels brought into Havana this year
was named the "Jesus Maria," and had on board 252 negroes,
mostly boys and girls. The average age of this cargo, was
thought by the British officers who examined them, not to exceed
11 years. The vessel was very small, measuring but 35 tons.
She had been long employed in trade from the Cape Verde
Islands to the African coast, principally in carrying provisions.
Finding on his last trip to the coast that he could obtain a cargo
of slaves, the captain, although his vessel was not prepared as
a slaver, and had not even the usual accommodations, yet
crowded into her diminutive hold, 278 negroes. The vessel
was badly provided for a voyage across the Atlantic; she had
no spare anchor, or boat, was old and leaky, and if she had




20
encountered storms, it was the opinion of her captors she must
inevitably have foundered. Previous to the capture of the
vessel, 26 of the slaves had perished, some, at least, through the
effect of gross abuse, 12 more died before they reached Havana,
and many others soon afterwards, of weakness and disease
engendered by the crowded condition of the hold in which they
had been confined.
Commander Stewart, who captured the vessel, thus writes to
the English Commissioner Kennedy, at Havana, of this vessel.
" The negroes are dreadfully crowded; several of them are in a
very emaciated condition, and it is of infinite importance they
should be removed out of the vessel without a moment's loss of
time. If they are detained on board to await her condemnation, more wretched victims will be added to the list of those
already dead. When I fell in with her she was short of water,
which I believe is one of the causes of so many deaths. I
therefore took her to an anchorage off the west end of Santa
Cruz, supplied her with water, provisions, and a few things for
the sick children. The negroes, with the exception of four
women, are all children, their average age from 10 to 15. The
vessel being a slow sailer, I have towed her as far as Cape
Francois, from whence she is certain to carry a fair wind and
smooth water to Havana. I regret my orders will not permit
me to take her there myself. She is the most miserable craft I
ever saw in the shape of a slaver; is not above 35 tons, has no
boat, anchor, cable, spare sails, stores, not even a few planks
for the negroes to lay upon." Class J, 1841, p. 178, 179.
Much gross abuse and wickedness had been inflicted on
these poor young victims during the voyage, whilst they were
at the mercy of the slave captain and his crew. Indeed, the
facts elicited by an examination of the survivors are too horrible and offensive to narrate. The captain, obviously afraid of a
public examination into his conduct, seized an opportunity when
the vessel reached the harbour of Havana to jump overboard,
and swimming to shore, escaped. Here we have one instance
of the legitimate effects of the slave trade. The placing defenceless men and unprotected women, at the mercy of cruel, pas



21
sionate and wicked men, must ever give birth to injury, oppression and outrage.-Class B, 1841, page 81-85.
The general feeling of the people of Cuba favoured the continuance of the slave trade. Some indeed of the old planters,
who had as many slaves as they desired, would have been willing to see the trade suppressed, for this would have raised
the value of the slaves on their estates. There were however,
many new coffee and sugar plantations starting on the island,
the owners of which, some of whom were citizens of the United
States, strongly countenanced the traffic. These wished rapidly
to increase the number of their slaves, and desired to do it at as
small a price as they could. The sugar exported from Cuba
had recently been sold to great profit, and the amount of it had
doubled in the preceding five years. This had given rise to
much pecuniary prosperity in the island. Havana, and the
other chief cities, had greatly increased in population, and many
large towns had sprung into existence. More labourers were
demanded for the work doing, and about to be done, on the
island, and most of the inhabitants looked only to Africa for
them. It is true, a few of the planters sought for free labourers,
and some white persons from Catalan, and many others from
the Canary Islands were employed by them on their sugar
estates. This was as yet an experiment.-Class., 1841,pages
167-171.
In illustration of the profits accruing at that time on a full
cargo of slaves, we mayrstate' on the authority of an American
officer in a communication to the Navy Department of the
United States, that the slaver Venus, an American vessel,
carried from the Gallinas a cargo of 800 slaves, which were sold
in Cuba at so high a price as to realize more than $200,000
profit, after paying for the vessel and all expenses.-Class D,
1840, page 92.
Of the 30,000 slaves carried this year to Brazil, nearly all
were landed on the coast at some distance from any port of
entry. After parting with her living cargo, the slaver would
bear away for Rio Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Maranham,
Para, Ciara, or some place of less consequence, where she
would refit, and from whence she would again clear out to the




22
coast of Africa. We have stated, that the republics of South
America had abolished the slave trade, yet some of those vessels which left Rio on this errand, took out a clearance for
Montevideo, in Uruguay, where the slave merchants of Rio had
regular correspondents who despatched the vessel to some part
of the slave coast. We have already said, that many of the
slaves brought to Brazil, were from the eastern coastof Africa.
The relative numbers generally we cannot tell, but of those
landed near Rio during the last five months of 1839, we have
information.
Six vessels bringing 2974 were from Quillemane, one which
landed 450 from Mozambique,-making 3424 from the eastern
coast,-five bringing 1234, obtained their cargoes at Angola,
two with 638 were from Benguela, and one with 370 from the
river Zaire or Congo, being in all 2242, from the western
coast.-Class B, page 143.
Beside those sent exclusively for slaves, most of the Brazilian
trading vessels to the coast of Africa or adjacent islands, were
prepared to ship 50 or 60 negroes in addition to their lawful
cargo. The whole number of vessels which sailed for Africa
from Brazil in 1840, was 78. Of these 44 cleared out under
the Brazilian flag, 27 under the Portuguese, 3 under that of the
United States, 1 under the English, 2 under French, and 1 under
the Sardinian. Those which bore the flag of the United States
had been remarkably successful as slavers. Of the 46 which
came to Brazil from Africa during the year, 15 bore the Brazilian flag, 23 the Portuguese, 3 that of the United States, 2 the
Sardinian, 1 the French, 1 the Danish, and 1 the Belgian.-Class
A, 1840,-Rio de Janiero.-Class B, 1840, Brazil, 4-c.
Two slave vessels captured with full cargoes were brought
to Rio for adjudication during this year, one from Benguela had
280 negroes on board, and as she measured but 56 tons she
was of course crowded. The other was a canoe forty feet long,
and had 47 slaves in her.
The decree of the Emperor of Brazil issued in 1831, to which
we have already referred, declaring that all Africans imported
into that country thereafter should be free, had always been to




23
a great extent null, because the will of the community was opposed to its enforcement. Many of the inhabitants of Brazil
were however dissatisfied with its remaining, impotent as it
was, on the statute book, and early in 1840, strong efforts were
made for its repeal. They however failed.
The principal participation of the French government in the
slave trade during the year 1840, appears to have been the
purchase on behalf of the government of a few hundred black
men to recruit the army at Senegal and Goree. These slaves
were nominally made -free upon being incorporated into the
army, and their condition was probably not much worse than
that of French conscripts generally, who are torn from all the
endearments of home, and held to military service by the fear
of an ignominious death on desertion.-Class C, 1840, France.
Portugal was deeply concerned in the Slave trade, and the
vessels and capital of her citizens were actively engaged in it.
We have already said, that in her Cape de Verde Islands there
were depots for the collection of the slaves, which were taken there
in small numbers from Africa, that they might be securely shipped
to the market which the western world offered for them. The
Spanish Canary Islands were made use of, by those engaged in
the Slave trade, as depots, but not to the same extent as the
Cape Verde, which are much nearer that portion of the African coast from which slaves could be obtained.
The English government,- finding that the Dutch were in the
habit of filling the vacancies in their military forces at Surinam
and Java, with slaves purchased for that purpose in Africa,
called the consideration of the King of the Netherlands this
year to the subject, as well as to the fact, that the authorities at
the Dutch settlement of St. George D' Elmina, on the gold
coast, furnished or permitted others to furnish, slaves to the
Brazilian ships.-Class B, 1840, Netherlands.
About the conclusion of the year 1839, the Pope had issued
a Brief against the Slave trade, which the English government
took great pains to have printed and distributed in countries
where the Catholic religion prevailed. The Captain General
of Cuba, refused to allow the publication of this Brief in the




24
papers of Havana, and the Spanish government sustained him
in this act. The fear that this Brief, if published, would operate to intimidate superstitious believers in the Pope's power,
and might render ecclesiastics severe on such as violated it,
when they cane to confession, appears to have been the reason
why the Captain General did not desire to see it spread in Cuba.- Class B. 1840, p. 12.
Thus popish Spain endeavoured to neutralize the efforts of
the Romish Pontiff against slavery. Indeed, from the whole
tenor of the actions of the government of Spain, during this
year, it is evident that whilst it did not deem it prudent to revoke the former agreements with Great Britain against the
Slave trade, it intended quietly to allow its subjects to violate
those agreements at their will. The effect of the publication of
the Pope's Brief at Brazil, was salutary in a few instances.
One ecclesiastic at least, deemed himself conscientiously restrained by it, from granting absolution to those engaged in the
Slave trade. This was considered a terrible blow, by men who
believed that a priestly ordination gave authority to man to
grant pardon at will for sin.
Along the northern coast of Africa, many slaves continued
to be brought for sale.    Tripoli was, in 1840, perhaps the
principal depot, there being about 3000 annually sold from
thence. The slave caravans, to that place, from    Ghandames
and Timbuctoo, have a long and tedious journey across the
Sandy Deserts, in which many of their slaves die. On ap* The minister of Spain, in London, offered political reasons against allowing its public promulgation throughout the Spanish territories. He says,
"the Kings of Spain fearing that, under the shadow of religion, the jurisdiction and royal rights of the crown might be usurped, to the detriment of the
supreme power of the nation, and of the public tranquility, have managed,
for centuries past, with incessant vigilance and vigour to restrain, within
just limits, the pretensions of Rome; and as maxims and doctrines contrary
to the royal power, might be inserted in the Pontifical Decrees canonically
issued, the Crown of Spain has always opposed itself to the reception into
the Kingdom of any Bull from the Roman Curia, which has not been asked
for, and which does not come through the channel of the Ambassador or
Agents of Her Majesty."




25
proaching Tripoli, the Shieks, who rule. outside of the city, expect to receive one slave of every four brought for sale. When
this tribute is not peaceably paid, they attack the caravan and
appropriate all to themselves.-Class D, p. 19.
The Slave trade was very extensively carried on in Egypt,
partly to furnish labourers, but principally to fill the army and
the harems there. In addition to those brought in on private
account, the government was wont to send detachments of the
army into the nearest negro districts to recruit their own ranks
by force. On the eastern coast of Africa, north of the Portuguese territory, the principal part of the Slave trade was in the
hands of the Imaum of Muscat, whose African Territories were
over 1100 miles in extent, and the greater part of whose revenue was derived from the sale of slaves. From 11,000 to 15,000
were sold annually in his dominions, being partly negroes, and
partly Abyssinians.-Class D, 1842, p. 68.
There were several marts for slaves about the entrance to
the Red Sea, from which a considerable trade to Arabia, and
to ports on the Persian Gulf was carried on. At one of these
ports, Burburra, a fair is held, to which forty or fifty vessels
from different places go to trade; few if any of which, ever go
away without taking slaves. Very many of the slaves thus
carried out of Africa, are Christians, principally Abyssinian
children. The fierce Galla tribes, located along the south border of Abyssinia, are ever at war with it, or at least are continually making predatory excursions into it,-burning its villages, and seizing as slaves all its inhabitants who have not
perished in the conflict. Many of the men and women are kept
by the Gallas for their own service, but the children are generally sold to traders, who take them to the Red Sea ports, where
they are purchased for the eastern market. Many of them have
found their way into the harems of the East Indies. The children thus sold are from eight to sixteen years of age. Of those
carried across into Arabia, from two to three hundred a month
were brought to Mocha, where, Captain Harris* says, "on land* Class Book A, 1843, p. 436-455.




26
ing they were immediately placed within a pound unclothed,
from whence they were driven to a well for water twice a day
like a flock of sheep." From the information obtained by investigations entered into by the English government and the
East India Company, it appears that many young women, not
slaves, were induced to go, under promise of marriage with seamen, from Burburra and other places; and, after being treated
as wives, were sold at the first good market as slaves. The
Arabian subjects of the Imaum of Muscat, all hold slaves,-at
least as soon as they can earn enough to purchase one,
they do it. The meanest in esteem or rank amongst them, the
poorest in estate, will do no sort of bodily labour after he has
become possessed of a slave. He trusts to that slave to earn or
steal enough for his subsistence, as well as to enable him to purchase young girls for his harem. The number of slaves taken
annually from Africa, for the supply of Mahommedan and Pagan countries, has been variously estimated at from 75,000 to
120,000.-[See many more particulars of this trade, Class J,
1843, p. 358-460.
From the United States of North America in 1840, slaves
direct from Africa were legally excluded. Mexico had abolished slavery, and thereby cut off all demand for slaves. Guatimala, or Central America, had in 1824 passed a law, forever
abolishing slavery. New Grenada received no negroes from
Africa after the year 1834, and though a few were brought
into her territory by planters removing there, the whole number
of slaves was on the decrease. By law all children of slaves
born after 1821, were free at 13 years of age, and a portion of
the estates of all who die is set apart for the purchase of slaves
for manumission. Slavery in Venezuela was on the decline,
her laws concerning slavery as well as those of the Republic of
Equator, closely resembling those of New Grenada. Peru had
abolished the slave trade, and Bolivia in the ninth month, 1840,
entered into a treaty with Great Britain for the abolition of the
traffic in slaves, and admitted none but freemen to enter her
territories.  Chile had taken an early step against slavery,
declaring in 1811, that all the children born of slaves, hencefor



27
ward should be free. In the year 1823 all slaves were by a decree
of the conservative senate, liberated from bondage, and the constitution of the country declares that any slave touching her
soil is free. In 1839 she entered into a treaty with Great
Britain for the abolition of the slave trade to Africa. Buenos
Ayres, in 1813, abolished the traffic in slaves; and in 1840
slavery had almost become extinct in the territory. In Uruguay,
or Montevideo, acts had been passed many years against slavery,
and in 1839, she as well as Buenos Ayres, entered into treaties
with Great Britain against the slave trade.
[See Class D, under head of the above named States.]
1841.
During the year 1841, 22 vessels captured whilst engaged in
the slave trade, were condemned at Sierra Leone., Of these, 10
were to have carried slaves to the Spanish West India
Islands, and 12 to Brazil. The cargoes for six of them were
to be obtained north of Cape Palmas, 7 at the ports on the
Bights of Benin and Biafra, in the Gulf of Guinea, and nine
at slave stations south of the Equator. One of the vessels,
the Josephine of Havana, had on board at the time of her
capture, 291 fine healthy slaves, all of whom were males. She
had taken her cargo in at Whydah in two hours, and remained
in the port but four hours, during which time she did not come
to anchor.-Class J, 1842,pages 3 to 7, and Class.J, 1841,pages
84 and 85.
Among the interesting incidents, illustrating the evils to which
the existence of slavery gives birth, narrated in the proceedings
for 1841, is the following. A trader of Rio Pongos, being about
to take some slaves to Havana, prevailed on two free coloured
persons to accompany him. One of them was named Christopher Weatherhead. He was a mulatto, the son of an English
trader. The other one named Mory, was a near connection of
one of the Rio Pongos chiefs. They arrived safely at Havana,
where the trader with whom they went, having by his extravagance squandered his property, accepted the command of an
English brig bound to Charleston, South Carolina, the captain
of which had died. At his request his two companions from
Africa went with him to the shores of North America. Whilst




28
at Charleston, the new captain again gave way to habits which
brought on pecuniary difficulties, and to raise money, he enticed
his coloured friends on shore, and sold them as slaves. The
two captives determined that they would not work as slaves,
and this determination they maintained. The person who had
purchased them, finding that all the punishment inflicted on them,
failed to subdue them, sold them to a second planter, and he
meeting with the same success, soon parted with them to a third.
This last owner, on being informed that his new slaves would
not work, whatever force or punishment was applied to them,
examined them himself, as to the cause. In reply to his questions they informed him the manner of their being brought from
Africa, and the fraudulent means by which a pretended sale
had been made of them. This planter was a humane man, and
though he had given $1500 for them, he immediately interested
himself in investigating the truth of their assertions. He wrote
to Africa to the parties to whom they referred, as capable of
testifying what was the real nature of their condition in life.
Finding from the answer received, that their narrative was true,
he set them at liberty, and they returned in safety to the land of
their birth.-Class A, 1841, pages 29, 30.
The number of slaves landed this year, 1841, in Cuba, is
estimated at 11,857.* These all came in vessels under the
Portuguese flag, although some of them were doubtless Spanish
property. They had been brought from African ports north of
the Equator, and the Cape Verde Islands.
In the third month of this year, a new Captain General for
Cuba, arrived at Havana,-Geronimo Valdes. Although not
in all things a bold and open opposer of slavery, he yet did
much more than his predecessor in discouraging the Slave
trade.-Class A, 1841, p. 204,,c.
The regular fees which had been paid per head, on landing
fresh slaves in Havana, had been,-to the governor, $16; to
the senior officer of the Spanish naval force, $4; to the collector of the customs, $7, and to the Gen-d'arme who guarded them,
50 cents. The whole fees being $27 50 for each slave. Captain
* Report to Parliament 1849.




29
Tucker, of the English navy, captured a vessel of one hundred
and five tons burden, which had in her former trips paid the
owners for her cost and all expenses. At the time of capture,
she was prepared for a cargo of four hundred. These would
have brought, at the low estimate of $300 a head, $120,000.
Captain Tucker gives an account of the cost to the owner, of
delivering such a cargo in Havana.The first cost of 400 slaves in Africa $16,  -  $6,400
Fees at Havana, 400 at $27 50    -    -    -    11,000
The Captain, $600 salary and 10 per cent. commission 12,600
The 1st. Pilot, $420 salary and 3- per cent. "   4,620
The 2d. Pilot, $360 salary and 1 per cent.  "    1,560
The Boatswain, 360 salary and 1 per cent.  "     1,560
The Carpenter     -    -    -         -           300
The Cooper    -    -                              300
The Cook      -   -    -    --             -      240
The Steward   -    -             -                240
Fifteen Seamen, at $180 -        -    -    -     2,700
Provisions, Harbour-fees, &c. -       - -        3,380
The total cost of the slaves to the owner of the vessel $44,900
This leaves a profit of $75,100 on the voyage.-Class B,
1841, pages 3-5.
Whilst the trade offered such pecuniary inducements to unprincipled men, who can wonder that they continued to carry it
on,-and whilst the governor of Cuba cared more for the treasures of earth, than for the claims of justice and humanity, it is
not strange that he winked at the traffic, when the cargo of one
single vessel would have paid him $6,400. Very many cargoes were landed, consisting of from 700 to 1000 persons.
We have reason to believe that Valdes refused in any way to
partake of the gain of oppression,-at least, the advocates of
slavery felt that he was opposed to them, and the friends of
liberty on the Island began to declare themselves. Soon after
his arrival, some of the creole inhabitants presented a memorial
against the Slave trade. This memorial shows that they feared




30
the ultimate consequences which might result to the Island, if
the constant influx of slaves were not stopped. They cast their
eyes around them,-they beheld warlike Hayti, with 900,000
blacks; Jamaica with 400,000; the Bahama Islands with 12,000,
and they asked themselves the question, What would be the issue in some future day, if these blacks should attack them and
incite their slaves to revolt. Already the slaves numbered sixty
per cent. of the inhabitants. They thought it would be the part
of wisdom to prepare for such an event, by diminishing the
black population and increasing the white,-by encouraging
white labourers from foreign countries to emigrate there. The
memorial referring to one estate, on which free white labourers
were introduced, says-" Already in: the central portion of the
Island, the glorious career of agricultural reform has been
opened by a son of our illustrious Catalonia. He, however,
and all who follow his excellent example, must expect to have
to struggle for some time to come, with the innumerable obstacles which habit, prejudice, bad faith, and above all, the
deleterious influence of the Slave trade, will oppose to them; for it
is in that traffic alone, that we are to seek for the origin of all
the evils by which we are assailed."-Class B, 1841, p. 263-5.
The general expression of the English people of their abhorrence of the Slave trade and slavery, and its repetition by many
others in Europe, began to be felt even in Madrid. One of the
newspapers in that city, fearlessly denounced the traffic in
slaves and the keeping human beings in unconditional bondage.
This paper being in regular course transmitted to Cuba and
circulated there, produced no little excitement amongst the
partisans of slavery and the Slave trade on the Island. They
proceeded to put forth various documents in favour of slavery,
condemning the Madrid papers,-and all Englishmen in general,.and the Consul of that nation who resided at Havana in
particular. They asserted that slavery in Cuba was better th an
freedom in Africa.-Class B, 1841, p. 286, 7.
The excitement in Cuba was largely increased by the proposition to call a convention, to ascertain how many slaves
had been introduced into the Island, since the Spanish law




31
against the trade had made it a crime to bring them there.
These poor slaves were legally free, by laws which Cuba, as a
Spanish colony, was bound to obey. The inhabitants, however, were not prepared for such a convention, and there were
many plain indications that they intended to fight for their slaves,
even against Spain itself, rather than surrender them without
full compensation. They admitted that at least 200,000 had
been illegally brought in, and it was manifest that the treasury
of Spain would prove altogether inadequate to furnish the funds
necessary to purchase them of the present holders.-Class B,
1841, p. 365-387.
Valdes seized a number of newly imported slaves, and by his
course of action, appears soon to have lost the confidence of the
warm supporters of slavery. During the year, the Segunda
Rosario was brought to Havana for adjudication, having been
captured by a British vessel. She had 293 slaves on board,
which had been obtained at Rio Pongos. The vessel was condemned, and the negroes found in her were carried in British
ships to a land of freedom.
The capture of fifteen vessels engaged in the slave trade to
Brazil, made a sensible reduction in the number landed in that
country during the year. According to the account laid before
the British Parliament, there were only 16,000, being but little
more than half the number landed in 1840.
Forty-six vessels arrived at Brazil during the year from
Africa, most of which were more or less directly engaged in
the slave trade, or connected with it. Five of these vessels
obtained cargoes north of the Gulf of Guinea, 19 on the Gulf,
principally at Angola, 8 south of the Gulf, and one from the
eastern coast. Thirteen are noted as from the African coast;
the spot or port not designated. Three vessels were captured
and carried into Rio; one of these had lost on the voyage,
120 out of 500 negroes shipped, and many more of them died
soon after reaching the English store ship at Rio. The survivors of the captured negroes were sent to Demarara, where
they were free.-Class A, and B, 1841, under head Brazil, &c.
Of the vessels which escaped the cruizers, and landed their




32
cargoes in Brazil, one had lost 183 out of 683 taken in; and
this loss of life chiefly depended on the crowded condition of
the vessels, and a scarcity of water and provisions. Of the 500
of this company who were landed, many were very sickly.
Another had lost 117 of a cargo of 764, and many perished on
the beach after landing. The most remarkable voyage noted
in the year, was that of an open launch, which left Africa with
42 slaves, and landed 36 of them safely near Pernambuco.
During the year 1841, Mexico on the western continent, and
Russia, Prussia and Austria, on the eastern, entered into further
treaties with England, for the suppression of the traffic in slaves.
On the coast of Africa on the eleventh of the 1st month, Lieutenant
Seagram of the English navy, entered into a treaty with King
Freeman, and Prince Freeman, of New Cestos, by which the
latter pledged themselves, that the slave trade in the country
which owned their sway, was then and forever abolished.
This was making one more free spot of land between Liberia
and Cape Palmas. On the twenty-third of the 4th month of
this year, Henry Vere Huntly, Lieutenant Governor of the
British settlement at Gambia, entered into a treaty with the neighbouring king of Cantabar, who pledged himself not to allow any
slaves to be sent from his dominions, and placed himself and
his country under the protection of the sovereign of Great
Britain, that his subjects might be secure from the incursions of
neighbouring chiefs. The slave trade was still carried on to
and from the Cape Verde Islands, and even Teneriffe; and
slaves could be obtained from Bissao and Cacheo; yet during the year, the trade north of Cape Palmas was much reduced. To the French settlement at Casamanca, many slaves
were still taken.  The native traders took down to the
coast a large number, principally males, to carry ivory and
heavy goods to the French merchants, and generally desired to sell such a portion of them, as was not needed to
carry back the goods received in exchange for the produce brought. When the number of slaves at Casamanca
became considerable, they were taken, under the protection of
the French government vessels to Senegal, where they were




33
sold at auction to serve for 14 years. At the end of that period
they were nominally free, but were compelled to enter the
French army, and were sent to the West Indies.-Class J, 1841,
pages 22 and 23.
The slave trade in the Bights of Benin and Biafra, was,
although somewhat less than in recent years, still very extensive. On the 7th of the fifth month, Lieutenant Blount made a
treaty with King Bell of Bell's town on the Cameroon's River,
and with King: Acqua of Acqua town on the same stream, by
which the slave trade was abolished in the territories of each of
these rulers. On the 28th of eighth month, Captain Trotter and his officers made a treaty with Obi Osai, the chief of
the Aboh country on the Niger to the same import, and on the
6th of the ninth month a similar one with Ochijah, the Attah of
the Egarra country on the same river. On the 6th of twelfth
month Lieutenant Blount made an engagement with two of the
native kings on Calibar, for the immediate abolition of the slave
trade in those parts of the coast of the. Bight of. Biafra; over
which they had control.*
To the west of these places the slave trade was still carried
on at Attoca, a small dependence of Accra, a Danish settlement.
The governor in vain set himself in opposition to the trade; he
had not the power effectually to check it. South of the Bight
of Biafra, the trade was on the increase, being. permitted and
encouraged at the Portuguese settlements there.
On the eastern coast of Africa, but little change had been
effected during this year. At Mozambique the Portuguese
governor continued to oppose the trade, and to seize the slaves
brought for shipment, but cargoes of slaves were still obtained
freely at Quillimane, and some other places belonging to Portugal. The Imaum of Muscat continued to derive his revenue from  the slaves taken from his possessions in Africa.
Egypt still filled up her armies with'negroes, dragged from their
* See account of all these treaties, in "Instructions for the Guidance of
Her Majesty's Naval Officers employed in the suppression of the Slave
Trade," pages 90 to 98. The Treaties themselves are in the Appendix to
the.volume.
3




34
wives and families, and supplied her own harems and those of
her eastern neighbours with the younger females. From Tripoli
many continued to be sent to Constantinople. The sufferings of
the slaves brought across the Great Desert to Tripoli, continued
to be terribly destructive to human strength and life. This
year 300 out of a caravan of 900, perished for want of sufficient food and drink. By a letter from the English Consul at
that place, it appears, that up to the 22nd of the sixth month,
more thah 2000 had arrived there, and that they were "' in a
most miserably wretched state."
The Bey of Tunis this year issued a law against the slave
trade; set his own slaves at liberty,-prohibited any from being
exported,-abolished the slave market in the place, and had the
building in which it had been held, destroyed. The king of
Greece,-whose subjects had been the principal carriers of
slaves from the African ports to Turkish ones-at the instigation of the English government, this year issued a law against
the traffic. —Class D, 1841.
1842.
In the year 1842, of the nine vessels condemned at Sierra Leone
as having been captured whilst engaged in the slave trade, five
were Brazilian property, three Spanish, and one Portuguese.
The three Spanish were from Cuba, and were bound, one to
New Cestos, one to Bissao, and one to Lagos, in the Bight of
Benin, for their slaves. The other six were in the Brazil trade.
The Portuguese vessel had shipped her cargo, consisting of 450
slaves, at Lagos a day or two before her capture. One of the
Brazilian vessels had engaged her cargo at Elmina in the Bight
of Benin; one was to take hers at the islands of St. Thomas and
Princes further south, one at Congo, and two at Benguela. On
examining the survivors of the Africans on board the Portuguese
vessel, there were found to be 446. Of these there were males
388; 225 being men, and 163 boys, Of females there were but
58, consisting of 15 women and 43 girls.-Class J, 1843, pages
2 to 6.
The number of slaves landed in Cuba during the year 1842,
is estimated at 3150. This diminution was owing partly to the




35
vigilance of the British cruizers, partly to the loss of so many
vessels already captured, but mainly to the determined opposition which it was understood the Captain General had made
and would make to the traffic. But three vessels cleared out
from Havana for the coast of Africa during the year, supposed
to be intended for that traffic; nine vessels from the coast arrived, seven under the Portuguese flag and two under the Spanish.
One Portuguese vessel was seized and brought into Havana
as a prize, and another was seized by the Captain General
whilst lying in port. During the year Valdez gave certificates
of freedom to 1215 emancipated Africans. These were negroes
found on board captured vessels, and entitled to their freedom.
They had been worked as slaves for many years, nominally to
prepare them for living as freemen. The conduct of the Captain
General was such, as to give more and more umbrage to the
slave traders of Havana and their supporters throughout Cuba.
He seized during the year, 754 negroes, who had been recently
brought in from Africa, and declared them free; beside which
he issued a new code for the regulation of the conduct of slave
masters towards those in servitude to them. This code provides
for the slave's proper maintenance and comfort-compels a
master, if he has treated one cruelly, to sell him at a minimum
price to a new master, chosen by the slave; and finally it provides that slaves shall be set at liberty, or sold as it were to
themselves, if they have honestly earned the amount which
another person would give for them. The publication of this
code created a strong excitement amongst the slave holders,
and they began to make strenuous efforts to induce the government of Spain to recall the Captain General. Their efforts
proved effectual, and these regulations do not appear to have
been observed. It should be remembered, that the 754 negroes
above referred to, who were declared free, were yet bound out,
or rather sold for a term of years; and that whilst in this condition they were more hardly treated than the slaves themselves.
Their employers had less interest in using them well, than they
had their slaves, for the latter they were bound to maintain if
they became unable to labour. During the year, some coloured




36
citizens of Great Britain, who had been kidnapped and sold into
slavery in Cuba, obtained their freedom.-Class A, 1842, pages
220 to 223.-Class A,, 1843, pages 97 to 102.
The number of slaves landed in Brazil in 1842 is computed
at 14,200, being less than the previous year. Preparations were
however making in various parts for carrying on the trade
more vigorously. At Macahe, a mercantile house was established with a large capital, for the speedy equipment and fitting
out of vessels engaged in the slave trade. The sympathies of
the Brazilians being with the slave traders, every aid was given
to their vessels to land their cargoes on the coast, and efforts
were made to warn them, if a hostile cruizer was known to be
approaching. "Fires blazed by night, and signal posts were
erected for the express purpose of warning vessels approaching
by day, with slaves on board, if a cruizer appeared in the
offing."
Of 59 vessels which sailed for Africa this year, from the
various ports of Brazil, 24 carried the flag of that country, 13
that of the United States of North America, 11 that of Portugal,
5 that of France, 3 that of Sardinia, 1 that of England, 1 that
of Austria, and 1 that of Hamburg. Many of these vessels
were ostensibly engaged in lawful commerce. Of the 49 vessels
which arrived from Africa during the year, 12 bore the flag of
the United States, 12 that of Brazil, 11 that of Portugal, 4 that
of France, 2 the Danish, 2 the Austrian, 1 each the Hamburg,
English, Sardinian and Swedish. The flags of the other two
were not known. These vessels obtained their cargoes generally on the west coast south of the Gulf of Guinea. One only is
noted as arriving from the eastern coast.-Class l, 1843, pages
188, 190, and Class J, and B, 1842, under head of Rio, Bahia,
&c.
Portugal entered into a special treaty with England this year
for the suppression of the slave trade.
During the year the direct slave trade was almost suppressed along the coast from Sierra Leone to Gambia. One reason
was, the slave factories at Bulama had been destroyed, and the
English government had taken possession of the Island under




37
virtue of an agreement made in former times with the native
princes. No slaves were known to have been shipped from
Pongas or Rio Nunez; yet the trade at Gallinas had partially revived. At Bissao the trade was much checked. Although
along this great extent of coast but few slave vessels came for
cargoes, yet very many slaves were still carried in the small
craft to the Cape Verde's for shipment.
Along the Gulf of Guinea the trade continued, and very many
cargoes were shipped from the Islands of St. Thomas and
Princes, to which places slaves were gathered from various
parts of the neighbouring coasts, particularly from the Gaboon
River. South of the equator the trade was prosecuted vigorously, although it had received tWo important checks, by the
destruction of the slave factories at Ambriz and Cabenda.
Little change took place during the year in the slave trade
from the eastern coast of Africa, except a small increase of it
towards the Persian Gulf. Mehemet Ali, the ruler in Egypt,
made protestations against the trade, yet he received slaves in
payment of tribute, whom he caused to be sold at public auction
in Cairo. At Tripoli and Tunis things remained much as they
had been. The Bey of Tunis continued to evince a determination to suppress the trade, and four Circassian females being
brought there in an Austrian vessel for sale, he had them set
free.-(See Class D, 1842, Tunis.)
1843.
In the year 1843, twelve vessels were condemned at Sierra
Leone. These had all been engaged in the slave trade to Brazil.
Six of them were to obtain cargoes in the Gulf of Guinea, a few
degrees north of the equator, five from places south of the equator, and one at Quillimane on the eastern coast. Two only of
the twelve had shipped their cargoes when captured.-Class.fl
1844, pages 2, 4. There were on board the two, 837 slaves, of
whom 517 were males, and 320 females. There were among
the vessels some very small ones, whose accommodations for a
living cargo were miserable indeed. The English commissioner in giving his judgment in the case of one of them, the Esperanza, says, "This is by far the most atrocious case presented




38
to this court, since I had the honour of a seat on this bench.
Here. we find a small vessel, a mere shell, measuring only fortyfour tons, ordered to ship about 250 men, women and children.
* - * * From the slave deck to the beam, there is only at
the highest part thirty-three and a half inches, middle part
thirty-one and three-quarter inches; the highest at the wing
at midships twenty-three and a half inches, and forward twentyfive inches. Such are the measurements of the height of the
hold in which were to be stowed 250 slaves. The very intention of packing 250 fellow creatures in this place of torment
and death, is too appalling for contemplation.-Class A, 1843,
pages 46-47. In another of the vessels, the Linda, the space
between the slave deck andbeam was still more scant, measuring from twenty-two to thirty-inches.-Class A, 1844, page 16.
At the opening of this year, the slave trade of Cuba was
much depressed. The low price which sugar had for some
time borne, had discouraged the establishment of new plantations, and had rendered so many of the planters scant of funds,
that the market for slaves was any thing but brisk. In addition
to this, Captain General Valdez had, by his actions, tended still
more to discourage slave traders from landing slaves any where
near Havana. The number of those freshly landed seized by
his orders, had been a heavy drawback on the profits of the
voyages, and this was still more lessened by the increased amount
of fees demanded by his subordinates, for screening the balance
of the negroes from the arm of the law. Although in many
cases thwarted by the officers under him, yet Valdez' energy,
together with the depression in the price of sugar, produced
such an effect, that during the first part of this year, the people
of Havana deemed the trade at an end, and articles intended
for the African market, ceased to be in demand.  Towards
the middle of the year, however, things changed. It was understood that the influences exerted at Madrid, to obtain the recall
of Valdez would be successful, and fresh efforts were made to
prepare for a revived trade under his successor.-Class J, 1844,
pages 106-113. We have already said, that some of the inhabitants, particularly such planters as had a sufficient stock of




39
slaves, were opposed to the slave trade, and this opposition was
much increased by some extensive conspiracies amongst the
slaves, discovered this year. A petition was presented to the
Governor of Matanzas, remonstrating against the government
continuing " to permit the introduction of negroes, to the great
injury of the island, and against the wishes of the great majority
of the people."  The Governor, who derived enormous profits
from the slave trade, on reading it, tore it to pieces, and gave
the signers to understand, that by that document they laid themselves open to be proceeded against as conspirators. Afterwards, on hearing they intended to present a similar petition to
the Captain General of Cuba, he told them if they did not desist,
he should be obliged to proceed against them. This did not
deter some of them, and several such memorials were laid before
Valdez. In short, it appeared to be only the cupidity of the
public officers of the Island, and those citizens who were, as capitalists, concerned in the trade, that at this time kept it up in Cuba,
few of the inhabitants needing fresh labourers on their estates.
Of the enormous perquisites which the former Captain
Generals had derived from the Slave trade, we may form some
idea from the following statement. The salary attached to the
office, is ~3000 per annum, yet the Prince of Anlona, after
holding it but twelve months, retired with ~30,000 sterling.
Espelela, who held it eighteen months, carried home with him
~ 50,000; and Tacon, in three years, realized ~ 80,000. Valdez, who held the office for two years and a half, took with
him ~1400. One of the Havana tradesmen, speaking of him
to the English commissioner, observed, "Oh, he is a fool, he
does not know the value of money."- Class A, 1843, p. 149.
During the year 1843, 347 of the Emancipado negroes were
set at liberty, most of them before Valdez was superseded,
which occurred in the ninth month. His successor, O'Donnell, reached Havana on the 19th of the tenth month.
The number of slaves introduced into Cuba in 1843, was about
8000, a large increase from 1842, and brought in principally
during the latter part of the year. Of the 19 arrivals from
Africa, 16 bore the Spanish flag, 2 that of the United States,




40
1 that of Portugal. Of 23, which cleared out for Africa, 14
carried the Spanish, and 9 the United States flag. A cargo of
900 slaves being brought to Matanzas towards the close of this
year, the governor of that place seized the vessel, and before
releasing it, made the captain pay much higher fees than had
been usually demanded at that port. Thirty thousand dollars
were paid to him and his officers, for allowing the landing of
this cargo, and besides this, he seized 93 of the newly landed
slaves, and declared them to be Emancipados.-VClass 4, 1843,
p. 148-150.
The number of slaves introduced into Brazil in 1843, is estimated at 30,500. Of 37 cargoes known to have been landed,
3 were obtained from Quillimane on the eastern coast, the rest
were from ports in the Gulf of Guinea and south of it, on the
western coast; 27 of the cargoes were shipped south of the
equator.-Class A, 1844, p. 183-186.
At Bahia, in Brazil, at and near which many of the slaves
were landed, those who had fitted out the vessels which brought
them, were generally second class merchants, who combined
together and formed joint stock companies, making arrangements with the authorities of the places where they intended to have their cargoes landed. The fees required to give
official sanction to this violation of the laws of the country,
were paid either in slaves or money. These companies in selecting vessels, generally purchased those built in the United
States, as being better sailors, and therefore more likely to
escape from the cruizers.
In five of the provinces of Brazil, from the best information
which could be obtained by the English resident Consuls, there
was a population of three millions, of which one million four
hundred thousand were slaves. There was about one million
of free coloured people, of which number, however, a few were
Indians. The whole number of whites did not much exceed
six hundred thousand.  The white population, owing to the
general laxity of morals among them, increased but slowly,
whilst the slaves were receiving a yearly addition from Africa,
averaging not much short of 40,000. The increasing prepon



41
derance of negro inhabitants, seemed to indicate a fast approaching period, when the slavery of the African race must cease in
Brazil. A slight amelioration in the condition of the slaves in
that country, was observable in 1843, arising from the increased
price the slavers demanded for their new cargoes. It had been
a settled principle with some planters there, when slaves were
cheap and easily replaced, to work those they had, so constantly
during the sugar making season, that human nature sunk under
the excess of toil. It was a matter of calculation, how soon
the labour of the extra hours they worked a slave, would purchase another to replace him. The effect of the rise in the
price of slaves had been, to give an additional value to those
held in bondage, and thus to throw a pecuniary shield of defence around them: some planters treating their slaves with compassion and care. On the other hand, Consul Cowper, at Pernambuco, relates some shocking instances of the barbarity of
owners.  One man, named Antonio Francisco, maimed the
slaves who offended him, in the most cruel manner, and had
even buried some of them alive. He however met, from private hatred and revenge, the punishment which the magistracy
of the country was too weak to inflict. Having caused some of
his slaves to murder a political opponent, the neighbouring
whites took up arms against him, and he was shot on his own
estate. Cowper states, that in this year 1843, whilst he resided in Pernambuco, a public invitation was given by Viora, a
man of notorious brutality, to some of his acquaintances, to
come to his estate on the following first-day of the week, and
see a slave boiled to death. The slave was suspected to have
killed his master, and boiling in the large sugar copper of the
estate, was the punishment which Viora thought suitable to the
supposed offence. Notwithstanding an occasional kind master, Cowper says, the slaves 4( are kept in a state of the darkest
ignorance; they are baptized for form's sake, but are never
instructed in relation thereto, and no doubt actually worship the
images of the saints, as probably resembling their African gods."
Class B, 1843, pages 363-370.
Soon after Cowper first went to Pernambuco, he, with his




42
wife, on one occasion, were dining at the table of a fellow
countryman, when they heard a noise and disturbance in the
entry. This increased-the door was suddenly thrown open,
and a black man rushed into the room followed by soldiers. Finding no way of escape, the poor fugitive, for he was
a runaway slave, seized a knife from the table and cut his
throat from ear to ear, before the company. The soldiers then
seized him and dragged him away.   The host begged his
guests not to be disturbed at the occurrence. Cowper, however, left the table, and followed the poor bleeding body down
stairs, and found it on the ground outside of the house. Perceiving the man to be still living, he tied up the wound as well
as he could with a handkerchief, and sent for a surgeon. The
surgeon did not come for two hours, and when he did, he coolly
said it was not worth while to do anything, for the man would
not live an hour. Life, however, was not so nearly exhausted
in the slave, no large artery had been cut, and he continued to
live. On the third day, his master, who had previously refused to
do anything for him, had him removed to the hospital. He lived
there for three months, and there is little doubt but that if prompt
medical attention had been given him, he would have recovered.
Class B, 1843, p. 368.
The ships engaged in the Slave trade from Brazil, the same
Consul says, are "daily diminishing the space allowed to these
unhappy beings."  He mentions one vessel of 21 tons, into
which 97 slaves were stowed. Another one, the Temerario, of
381 tons, took on board more than 900 on the African coast.
She lost about 100 on the passage, and landed to the great delight of her owners, 816 in Brazil. The rejoicing of the shippers was however soon over,-opthalmia and the small pox
were among those landed, and in a few days 300 died. One
hundred more never recovered their sight, and were given away
to any one who would receive them.
During this year the Slave trade was brisk along the coast
of Africa. At Gallinas it was restored, and several cargoes
were shipped from thence, and from Bissao, and Rio Pongos.
Many were taken from the northern shore of the Gulf of Guinea,




43
but it was south of the equator that the trade was carried on
most extensively. Little change had taken place in the eastern
Slave trade during the year, although the demand from Muscat
was thought to be increasing, as the people were beginning to
find it profitable to keep slaves employed in raising sugar cane
and manufacturing sugar.
Egypt still continued to send expeditions into the interior of Africa, to destroy villages of nations with which she was not at war,
that they might seize the men for her armies, the young girls for
her harems, and keep the remainder of the captured for labourers.
In the early part of 1843, an expedition of this kind took place,
of which we have some of the particulars. It is not often that
we have an opportunity of learning the mode of proceeding of
those engaged in slave hunts on a large scale. The following
authentic account is therefore of much value, showing as it does
the enormous expenditure of human life, the grievous amount
of human suffering, and the wickedness inseparably connected
with such atrocious attempts against the natural rights of mankind. It is a narrative of an expedition of a portion of the
Egyptian army, under Ahmed Pasha, undertaken with a view
of obtaining slaves. The army intended for this purpose, originally consisted of 2,950 men of the regular infantry, accompanied by 1000 mounted Arabs for cavalry, and had with it
four pieces of cannon and 6000 camels. On their march southward, towards the country situated between the White and
Blue Nile, they were joined by many Bedouin Arabs, and by
an auxiliary force of 600 infantry. The first attack was made
on the Denkas negroes, a very numerous people, to some extent agricultural as well as pastoral, who live on the fertile borders of the White Nile, where they find an abundant supply of
rich herbage for their cattle, and of grass seeds and wild rice
for their own subsistence. It was not deemed necessary that
all the troops should be employed in striking this first blow, for
as the Denkas were not at war with the Egyptians, it was not
supposed that they would be prepared for battle or for offering
much resistance to the sudden attack of disciplined and well
armed men. To the cavalry and the Bedouins this service was




44
committed, whilst the main body proceeded still further south
to Ule. Leopold Weingartshoper, a German physician in the
Egyptian service, from whom the incidents of this slave making expedition were derived, being attached to the main body,
was not privyto the desolation and horror which these mounted
marauders spread through the populous Denka village and neighbourhood which they ravaged.  The detachment joined the
army five days afterward, bringing with it 623 human captives, 1500 oxen, and a few sheep and goats. The next day
the booty was divided, one half being set apart for the government, the other half was divided among the captors.
The army still proceeded southward, and on the 19th of the
second month, at Djebel Tombak, in about latitude 10~ north,
longitude 33~ east, a second attack was made on the negroes. In
this case the poor blacks had notice of the approach of enemies, and forsaking their village, retired to the summit of a small
isolated mountain, near by, for refuge. This spot was surrounded
by the Egyptian army, and was soon stormed and carried by it,
notwithstanding the desperate defence of the poor negroes,
almost every able bodied man of whom was killed or desperately wounded. They had no warlike weapons but bows and
arrows with which to repel the invaders, and not one of their assailants lost his life. The conquerors, after securing the prisoners, who, including the infants, were 526 in number,,took from
the village a portion of the food they found there, and then set
fire to the dwellings and consumed them all. The next day,
the medical officers of the army, principally Europeans, publicly examined the prisoners, who were found to be a fine large
muscular people. There were among them but 75 men at all
fit for service, and most of these had severe gun-shot wounds.
The Egyptian commander took all these men, and selected the
best looking women and children to make up the one-half for
the government. From the time of capture up to the period of
separation, the prisoners had been quiet, but now, when husbands were torn from their wives, and children, even infants in
the arms, from their parents, the cries of distress and anguish
were heart rending. The division accomplished, the army pro



45
ceeded to prepare the prisoners for marching. The neck of
each man, and of each able-bodied woman was placed in the
crotch of a forked pole, seven or eight feet in length. The two
ends of the fork were then securely fastened together behind the
prisoner, whose right arm was bound to the pole. This pole
was then made fast to the saddle of one of the mounted soldiers,
who could thus look after the captives with little trouble to himself. The very old and feeble were led along by ropes tied
round their necks.  In their journeys the troops were often
from six to eight hours without finding water, and the prisoners
received none of the supply carried for the use of the soldiers.
The sufferings consequent on thirst,-the scanty supply of food
allowed them,-and the barbarous manner in which they were
hurried along, caused a large mortality among them. Those
whose strength failed them, so that they could not keep up with
the army, were shot through the head by their cruel drivers,
who manifested not the slightest compunction at this wanton
destruction of human life. At least one-half of these captives
perished before reaching the head quarters, at Khartoom, the
junction of the White and Blue Nile.
On the 22d the army proceeded to Kerr, where the inhabitants of a number of small neighbouring villages had taken
shelter in two stockades. On the 22d one of these stockades
was attacked. Many cannon shots were fired against it, and
an opening was at last forced into it by the assailants. The
negroes had nothing but their bows and arrows, yet they thrice
drove them back from the breach. Fire arms, however,
eventually gave the troops the victory. When the enraged
soldiery had at last forced themselves inside the stockade, they
commenced a scene of butchery. Every one who resisted was
shot down, and all whose wounds seemed to unfit them
for being slaves. When the bloody work was accomplished,
and the prisoners secured, they set fire to the stockade, and
leaving the severely wounded, the dying and the dead, to be
consumed in the flames, they proceeded to the second place of
defence. Ahmed, having had four men severely wounded and
300 slightly so, by the arrows of the negroes, and having had




46
six killed and twelve seriously wounded by musket shots, through
the want of skill and discipline among his own soldiers, did not
wish to fight any more, but desired rather to make the defenders of the second stockade prisoners by negotiation. He
sent one of the captives just taken, with an invitation to them
to submit and be slaves. He was unwilling to go on such an
errand, saying respecting his countrymen, "I know them well,
they will never submit." It proved as he said, they did not
deign to answer the summons, and the place was taken by force.
Some of the defenders escaped, some were made prisoners, but
great numbers were slain. The whole of those captured in the
two fortifications, when brought together, proved to be but 463.
About 500 oxen and a few sheep were all the additional booty
driven off; the numerous swine being left behind, no Moslem
being willing to touch one of them.
The government half of these slaves were sent under escort
to Khartoom, but many of the soldiers sold theirs at very low
prices to the Arabian traders, who accompanied the army.
Boys of ten or twelve years of age, sold at seven Turkish piasters, something less than one shilling and six pence sterling;
and one old woman brought but seven pence half penny.
At Kirmuk, a large village of Boran negroes, the army
arrived on the 1st of the third month. The place containing,
it was thought, 1600 huts, had been deserted of all its inhabitants, who had fled to the summit of a mountain. The village
was burnt by the Egyptian army, and on the morning of
the 3rd, a large force proceeded to attack the negroes in their
place of defence, whilst the cavalry and mounted Bedouins kept
watch on every side, to seize all who might attempt to escape.
The first battalion of infantry in ascending the mountain, came
on an inclosure containing about 1200 women and children.
Desirous of booty, the men stopped and commenced binding
and carrying them away. Whilst thus engaged, the Boran
men who had been watching them from above, suddenly
descended and fell on them with loud cries. This unlooked
for attack, produced a panic, their slaves and loaded muskets were dropped, and the whole battalion fled down the




47
mountain precipitately. In their descent the fugitives encountered three other battalions, with the company of auxiliary troops coming up, and as they rushed furiously through
the advancing company, they infected all with a like panic.
The whole body retreated in confusion. The loss of a number of both officers and men, and perhaps more than all, of
some hundred muskets, prepared the Egyptian leader to
listen to the terms offered him by the Borans, who promised to
pay a tribute of fifteen ounces of gold, if he would retire. This
he gladly did.
From one other village, the army obtained a few captives.
On the return of the expedition, it fell into the route of the
escort, who had started to take to Khartoom the slaves made at
Kerr. It was appalling to find so many dead bodies marking
the path pursued by the company. The whole number of negroes
captured in this expedition, was 1875; but another branch of the
Egyptian army, which had gone at the same time negro hunting into Nubia, returned to Khartoom with more than 5000.Class D, 1843, pages 166-169.
1844.
During the year 1844 the slave trade appears to have been
prosecuted with the same unblushing effrontery and determination as heretofore, though perhaps not with the same success.
The whole number of slaves computed to have been exported
westward from Africa in this year, (according to the report of
the select committee on the slave trade, appointed by the House
of Commons,) was 54,102, of which number 13,525 are supposed
to have perished during the voyage.~ Forty-nine of the vessels
engaged in the trade were captured, twelve of which had slaves
on board, and the remaining thirty-seven were fitted for the
traffic, but were taken before having the opportunity for shipping their wretched cargoes. On board the twelve vessels captured after loading, were found 3,519 slaves. The tonnage of all
these twelve vessels is not given, but from what is specified,
some idea may be formed of the dreadful manner in which the
innocent victims of a brutalizing cupidity were crowded into
* 4th Report to H. C. p. 3.




48;
them. Thus, one of ninety-nine tons had 70; one of little
more than thirty-five tons had 282; one of eighty-five tons had
336; one of near ninety-five tons had 421; one of nearly sixtyseven tons had 431; and another of little more than eighty-one
tons had 312 slaves on board; showing an average of five persons for each ton, besides the crew and necessary stores.
The vessels captured carrying the Spanish flag, had obtained
their cargoes at the Sherbro, at Ambriz, Cabinda or Loanda,
and were generally bound for the Island of Cuba, while those
sailing under the flag of Brazil had loaded some where in the
Bight of Benin, or on the coast of Benguela, and were bearing
away for Rio, Pernambuco, Bahia, Mecahe, or San Francisco
de Sal.
The vessels which succeeded in escaping the vigilance of the
cruizers, and crossed the Atlantic, are believed to have landed
10,000 captives in the Spanish colony, and 26,000 in Brazil.
-P. 4th " Rep." to H. C. p. 3.
The Portuguese Government at home appeared desirous to
fulfil the stipulations of the treaty of 1842, and few vessels of
that nation were found openly engaged in the illicit traffic; but
the officers in her dominions on the African coast, as we have
before observed, were generally either engaged in the trade
themselves, or disposed to connive at its prosecution, for the sake
of the gold, with which many of them were openly bribed. At
the Cape de Verdes they continued to furnish passports to vessels
engaged in the traffic, and the British Commissioners in their
report, dated Boa-vista, December 1st, 1844, say, that no person
acquainted with the appearance of newly made slaves, can
walk the streets of that town, without being aware that they
are introduced there, and it was well known they were shipped
from thence, and from other of the islands across the Atlantic.
The Commissioners at the Cape of Good Hope, represent the
trade as being carried on to a considerable extent, from the
Portuguese possessions in the Mozambique, from whence the
slaves were shipped to Brazil. Prior to 1844, Great Britain had
concluded eleven treaties with various of the native chiefs of
Africa, for the suppression of the slave trade; and in this year




49
another was added thereto. Notwithstanding the temptations
held out to them, there can be no doubt that the terms of
these treaties were generally observed by those contracting
them, and they ceased from dealing in their fellow countrymen; but yet the Commissioners at Sierre Leone, who have ample opportunity for acquiring a correct knowledge of the trade
in its several departments say, "we believe that the slave trade
is increasing, and that it is conducted perhaps more systematically than it has ever been before. The actual exports of negroes
from all points of the coast, appear to be now chiefly carried on
under the flags of Brazil and Spain; there can be no question
however, that indirectly the flags of other nations continue to be
used in aid of the traffic."
Notwithstanding the professions of the government of Brazil,
and the provisions of the treaty of 1826, which declare it piracy
to engage in the slave trade, yet it continued to be openly carried
on in nearly all the ports of her extended coast, and the functionaries, from the highest to the lowest, with but few exceptions,
still receive a large pecuniary emolument from the traffic. The
British Commissioners in their Report for this year say;"Every exertion has been made to render this return [return
of slaves landed in Rio in 1844,] correct, but notwithstanding,
we have good reason to believe, that many vessels have landed
their cargoes of human beings, of which no notice has reached
us. This part of the Brazilian coast affords such vast facilities
for this description of contraband, and the establishments at the
numerous and well adapted landing places are now so efficiently
prepared and managed, and so securely protected by the surrounding authorities, that the rapidity, security and secresy with
which 500 or 600 slaves are taken from a vessel, and she in a
few hours after, anchored in the harbour of this capital, is surprising. The proprietors in the localities, the best adapted for
these clandestine proceedings, such as the neighbourhood of
Campos, Cape Frio, Ilka Grande, and Santos, are reaping a
rich harvest, and even the appointment to the municipal offices
in. those districts, is said to be now' an object of eager competition."-Class, X 1845, page 507.
4




50
Of the manner in which this illicit trade was prosecuted, we
obtain the following information from one of the Consuls at Pernambuco; his letter is dated May 16th, 1845.
"The mode in which the African Slave Trade was formerly
conducted in this port, has now assumed a new feature. Instead
of the larger classes of vessels, varying from 150 to 300 tons
burthen each, a smaller kind is now employed, of from 45 to 60
tons, namely, "Maria," 52 tons admeasurement, "Maraquinhas," 52, " Deliberecio," 54, two 4" Delegencies," of 54 and 55,
and the " San Domingos," of 56 tons burden. These insignificant looking craft, rigged with boom, main and fore-sails only,
sail fast, are of light draught of water, and low built, that they
may more easily escape detection; their complement of crew
varies from eight to fourteen men, who are engaged by the
run, and whose interests being solely contingent on the voyage
being prosperous, are always on the alert. These vessels, as
their predecessors did, take on board their cargoes of small
packages of cotton goods, (packed expressly for this traffic,)
are despatched for Aracaty, Ceara, or some other of the northern
parts of this empire, as a blind.... When free from observation, they stretch across the Atlantic for the effectuation of their
nefarious voyage.. When approaching the African coast, the
crew keep a vigilant watch, and seizing the first favourable
moment, dash into some of the small creeks, where concealed
by the mangrove bushes, they instantly land their cargoes; the
packages being all small, capable of being conveyed to the shore
on a man's head, facilitates the discharge; and should the unfortunate victims of the owner's cupidity be collected in sufficient
numbers to fill the vessel, they are as speedily transferred from
the shore to the miserable den, sufficiently noxious when only a
moderate number, (as the slave merchants call 100,) but when
from 150 to 300 beings are stowed in the hold of one of these
small craft, without space to lay down, nay, scarcely to stir, the
stench and filth must be execrable: humanity shudders at such a
picture of misery. It is certain, that if the vessel is secure from
pursuit or danger, the captain will, from motives of interest, not
of benevolence, allow his wretched captives to breathe a pure




51
air, by admitting alternate portions to enjoy a temporary refreshment on deck. On nearing the Brazil coast, more attention is requisite, and a good watch is kept for any cruizers. If
all is clear, the vessel proceeds to the preconcerted place of
disembarkation." * * Una is a favourite spot, and Catuama is
another refuge for this illicit traffic. At the former, all is safe.
The Vicar of that small town superintends the landing of the
slaves, receiving for such service twenty-one shillings and three
pence sterling, for every slave landed alive."-Class B, 1845,
p. 443.
One of the Portuguese vessels captured this year, had shipped
her slaves at Cape Lopez, and was on her way to the Island of
St. Thomas, but it would appear that very few slaves were introduced into the Portuguese West India possessions.
The Cuban Slave Trade, which under the vigorous administration of General Valdez had been almost annihilated, revived
immediately on his being recalled home; and being protected
and encouraged by his successor, Leopold O'Donnell, it had
rapidly increased. The Commissioners stationed in Havana,
by the British Government, in reporting to the Earl of Aberdeen, state, that twenty-one vessels landed cargoes of slaves in
the island; and the " list gives in round numbers a total of 7280
(slaves,) of cargoes actually known, together with three other
arrivals, of which the number were not given, and a remaining
conviction, that several vessels have come to other parts of the
island, of which the particulars could not be ascertained.
Adding therefore one-third to our number, as heretofore, on
these accounts, I have, (he says,) with much regret, to express
an opinion, that about 10,000 unhappy beings have been brought
here into slavery during the past year." Of the eighteen vessels
that left Havana suspected of being engaged in the slave trade,
six were American.-Class., 1845, p. 378.
During this year an insurrection was supposed to have been
planned among the slaves in this island, extensive in its ramifications and contemplating the entire destruction of the cruel
oppressors of the blacks. How far the fears of the merciless
masters exaggerated the dangers to which they supposed them



52
selves to be exposed, by the machinations of those whom by
their cruelty they were goading on to seek redress and revenge,
it is impossible now to ascertain; but it is certain that the occasion was made use of to inflict the most inhuman cruelties upon
the poor blacks on the island, both bond and free. In the Report
of a subsequent year, the Consul General says:
" For obvious reasons, the great destruction of human life by
the cruelties inflicted on the slaves during the terrific persecution of 1844, has been concealed as much as possible; but the
poor wretches were sacrificed in every possible way, crowded
into the most loathsome prisons and other places of confinement, left to die in the stocks, and of the wounds inflicted upon
them by direction of merciless fiscals, and the application of the
lash, under which numbers expired, from whom no sort of confession could be extorted. Whether they were guilty, or had
even been accused, they were treated just the same; vast
numbers were thus destroyed in every district of the island,
besides those that were executed publicly, under sentence of the
military commissions." It was supposed that about 1000 free
blacks were expelled from the island that year, by the Governor
General. These being mostly artizans, possessing some education and property, were deemed dangerous.-Class B, 1848,
page 42.
But although heretofore Spain, Portugal and Brazil have appeared to be most deeply implicated in the illicit Slave trade,
the latter, as the largest slave importing country in the world,
being preeminent in the guilt attached to it, yet numerous facts
were occurring in every year, and noticed in the Reports of the
officers of the British naval force on the coast of Africa, showing how fully American citizens were connected with the traffic, and prostituting the flag of their country for the purpose of
sharing its profits and screening those who were carrying it on.
In 1843, the American Consul, at Rio de Janeiro, wrote to the
Secretary of State upon the subject, showing the manner in
which our citizens. were aiding and abetting the Slave trade;
but it was not until the present year (1844) that the correspondence of the United States Minister at the court of Brazil,




53
fully developed the manner in which a large and important part
of the nefarious transactions connected with this trade, was
conducted by our countrymen.
The following extracts from a communication from Henry
A. Wise, the American Minister at Rio, to Maxwell, Wright
& Co., commission merchants of that eity, who had applied to
him for information regarding the legality of disposing of American vessels at that port, deliverable on the coast of Africa or
elsewhere; or of taking charters to carry cargoes to the same
coast, will serve to show the nature, connections, and extent of
the African Slave trade, as carried on by citizens of the United
States, under the protection of its flag.
"It cannot be denied, and it is no longer to be concealed
(and the sooner all parties, at home and abroad are informed of
it, the better,) that there is no trade whatever, between the coast
of Africa and Brazil, but what partakes directly or indirectly of
the nature, and of the profits or losses, of the Slave trade. The
Slave trade is the main, the staple business, and all other trades,
with the slightest exception, are accessory or auxiliary to it, between that coast (particularly the parts about Congo and Cabinda) and Brazil. And no vessels of the United States are
chartered for the coast, in this country, but to export goods,
provisions, and munitions of war, to make funds for the Slave
trade; or they are chartered to carry and bring crews of vessels employed in the Slave trade, and to be tenders of those
vessels in other respects or they are chartered to cover their
sales, and to obtain the protection of their flag, until they can
be delivered on the coast, and ship their cargo of slaves. And
they are chartered by and sold to none, or scarcely ever to any
one, except notorious slave dealers, and are consigned in almost
every instance, to their known agents in Africa. And extraordinary prices are given for the vessels and the charters of vessels of the United States, because their national flag alone protects them from visits and search. And all this is so notorious
here, and the ways and means of doing this are so well known
here —the charter parties being almost stereotyped-that there




54
is not an intelligent, observing or enquiring citizen of the United
States in Rio de Janeiro, who has resided here three months,
but what may be said to know, and could, with the legal means,
easily verify the objects, purposes, and intents, for which such
charters and sales of vessels, deliverable on the coast of Africa,
are made. And the general knowledge and the general intent
could, in almost every instance be proved, if there was full
power to compel the attendance of witnesses, and to make them
answer under oath. A vessel is apparently chartered by the
month, at so much per month for the coast to cover her on the
voyage to Africa with the United States flag. The charter
party binds her to take over passengers-meaning a Brazilian
or Portuguese master and crew, who are in fact to navigate her
back with a cargo of slaves, without either flag, or papers, or
nationality, running all risks of capture. But she has, in fact,
been actually sold, deliverable on the coast, the whole or greater
part of her purchase money has been advanced here as security
for the sale; her charter and sale have been negotiated by an
English broker, directly with the slave dealer, and he gets two
and a half per cent. commission. The advance of the purchase
money here as security, and the guarantee of the payment of
the whole charter and sale, is made; and two and a half per
cent. commission is charged for that, besides two and a half
per cent. for doing the business, and two and a half per cent.
more for remittance to the United States, making ten per cent.
at least, on the whole transaction of charter and sale. The
master of the vessel is ordered and authorized to take on the
coast, in case it be offered, the sum already bargained and
guaranteed to be given here, and the agent of the slave trading
purchaser in Africa, is written to, and ordered by him to offer
and give the same sum already agreed upon, and partly paid
here. The vessel is loaded with English goods "fit for the
coast," that is, with goods which are the medium of exchange
there, fit for slaves (money not being used or known there) and
with Brazilian provisions of jerked beef, black beans, farina,
and cacheca, and sometimes with bar and hoop iron, and with
powder and muskets; and there is another vessel chartered in




55
like manner already there, or going, or gone, or soon to' go,
with a like cargo, to make Slave trade funds, and to supply the
Slave trade employees, and according to her charter party, and
a private understanding with the first vessel, to bring back
as "passengers" the American crew of the first vessel, at the
cost of the charterer; and the first is sold and delivered; and
her American master and crew have very particular written
instructions by some business friend here, how far to go, exactly, in order to avoid the laws of the United States-to take
off the flag, the name on the stern, and the vessel's papers, and
to exercise no act of ownership, and to give no aid or assistance after sale and delivery, and neither before nor after to aid
or abet the Slave trade in any way. And in most cases these
instructions are very scrupulously followed; and in from two
to seven hours after the vessel is sold and delivered, she is
loaded to suffocation, with hundreds of miserable captives,
already on the beach in shackles; who are berthed on waterpipes, laid level fore and aft, covered with rush mats; and instantly she sails for the first port she can reach in safety, on
the coast of Brazil; and her American master and crew are
transported to the second vessel, which, during the time of her
waiting, is employed, perhaps, in transporting and carrying supplies along the coast, from slave factory to slave factory-from
Cabinda to Congo, and from Congo to Cabinda, and which, as
soon as she gets her returning "passengers," who have carried
a vessel over directly to the slavers, and carried the slavers
themselves over, returns, perhaps, with a lawful cargo of wax,
ivory, &c., which has been brought from the interior to the
coast of Africa, on the heads of the very captives which her
consort has just'sailed with to the first port in Brazil."  * *
"I know that these acts have heretofore been considered
perfectly lawful. * *  * * I had no conception of the extent,
the universality, and the notoriety of the traffic, until duly called
upon to aid in arresting its crimes. To my utter astonishment,
I found nothing but error of opinion, both as to morals and
legal obligations upon the whole subject, even amongst the best
informed and most respectable American citizens. It is need



56
less to inquire how this state of things came to exist. In the
first place, the habitudes of thought and action among our citizens in Brazil, in respect to this trade, have been forming for a
long time, and, I must add, that they have grown and strengthened by long neglect on the part of our government, and its
proper authorities, whose duty it was to enlighten and instruct
our business men, and to prevent errors and misconceptions,
and offences on the part of every body. The apathy at home
on this subject is attributed, justly, to an almost total ignorance
of its importance and consequences, and especially of its details. * * *  In the second place, the silence of the State
Department, and the professional and official opinions that have
been given, that I have seen, on the subject embraced in your
note to me, have been, it so happened, though sound in their
law as far as they go, of a tendency rather to confirm than to
correct errors, because they did not go far enough to meet the
cases as they actually arise here. * * On the 5th of October,
1843, Mr. Slacum wrote to Mr. Upshur, No. 71, in relation to
the case of the ( Parmelia,' showing the almost direct manner
in which our citizens are'aiding and abetting the Slave trade,
&c.,' in relation to the brig' Yankee,' which landed a cargo of
nearly 700 slaves; and in relation to the vessel ( Sterling.' In
this letter he says,-' To the enquiry, why American vessels
are preferred and sought after by the slave dealers, and why
they are willing to pay such high prices for them? it may be
answered, that no other flag carries with it the same immunities. The flag of the Powers, parties to the quintuple treaty,
affords no protection against detention, search, and capture.
So with Brazil and Portugal. Hence the Slave dealer looks to
our commercial marine, to enable him to carry on the tradeI mean so far as regards the transportation hence to Africa, of
the necessary equipments, provisions, water and vessels. Having once got these indispensable adjuncts to the traffic to the
coast, half the risk is over. He must then take his chance for
the other half, that is the return voyage-and in which he is
very often successful.  * * * A vessel is chartered or secretly
sold to a slave dealer, to be delivered on the coast. She car



657
ries a cargo, and in some instances the very persons, as passengers, who are to navigate her back,-all the slave dealer
requires. She is overhauled and examined by an American
man-of-war. Every thing appears to be in due form. The
cargo, be it what it may, (except slaves, as I understand) affords no just ground of capture. She passes on, delivers her
freight, and returns for another cargo; or is then transferred
to new masters, takes in slaves, waits for a propitious moment,
makes her escape from the coast under any and all flags, with
other papers and a new crew, and runs the hazard for her destined port. It is not long since, that an American vessel sailed
hence for the coast, having part of her cargo cleared and shipped as wine; but on her arrival there, it turned out to be ninety
pipes of, fresh water! a much more valuable article than wine.
This vessel was the brig'Duan,' of Beverly, Massachusetts,
Capt. Ezra Foster, &c. The truth is, all these vessels are
either owned by, or are in the service of slave dealers; and
the trade will continue, until some other measures are adopted
by our government to put an end to it." +  * *  *   *
"For reasons entirely unconnected with this subject, and without imputation, either on his official or personal conduct, I
believe Mr. Slacum was removed from his office, and left it on
or about April, 1844. The Slave Trade has been continued
and been increasing between Brazil and Africa ever since. It
was literally continued; for the very vessel the " Montevideo,"
which his last letter on the subject of the trade notified the
department of, is the vessel, the master and crew of which are
now here prisoners.  The other cases are numerous.  The
"4 Ganneclift" has also since landed a cargo of slaves, the
" Sooy," of Newport, Rhode Island, landed another cargo, and
was run ashore in chase, by a British man-of-war: the "( Jgnes,"
whose voyage had its "incipiency" in the United States, has
landed lately two cargoes of slaves; and the  Sea Eagle," of
Boston, the tender of the " Agnes" and " Montevideo," has just
sailed on another charter-party to Africa, with "passengers;"
the brig "Susan and Mary," or "Susan Mary" (American,)
having sailed on the 21st ultimo for Angola, with passengers.*    *    *    *    *




58
" The ship-owners at home, in many cases I hope, ignorant of
what enhances the ships here, write peremptory orders to the
consignees in Brazil, to negotiate charter-parties on sales of their
vessels. One chief consideration of sending vessels here with
cargoes, is to sell the ships; and both are consigned to those
who will negotiate charters and sales to the best advantage. If
the commission merchants here refuse to obey orders, they
necessarily lose their best customers, and the most profitable
part of their business. If they do not touch these negotiations,
they will, in fact, be stopped also of their regular and lawful
chance of gain. Let the whole country then, at home, be fully
informed of the reason why vessels are chartered and sold here
at extraordinary high prices; that the African Slave Trade
alone can afford to pay such high prices; that that trade alone
does pay them; and that charters and sales here are, in one
word, charters and sales to that trade, and that to sell vessels
deliverable on the coast, chartered to take passengers over, is
here notoriously nothing less than to sail a vessel and crew
over to Africa, under the protection of the United States flag,
with the intent to deliver it for the purposes, and to aid and
abet the Slave Trade. Let this be known, and then let us see,
what respectable owners of vessels and cargoes, whose custom
is worth having, will make consignees here pay penalty for
refusing to aid and abet the Slave Trade."-Class D, 1845, p.
118-124.
The following extract from a letter addressed by the same
individual, to Hamilton Hamilton, the British Minister, at the
Brazilian coast, is further illustrative of the manner in which
the trade is conducted. It is dated, December 1st, 1844.
"It is said, and I am convinced truly, that the trade to and
from Africa and Brazil, particularly that part of. the coast of
the former, in and about Cabinda and Congo, with very little
exception, is the buying and selling, and transportation of slaves;
and that the entire trade, with very little exception, in dry
goods, provisions, crockery, cacheca, muskets, powder, iron,
and all other articles, but contributes, and is only auxiliary to,
the one great business of capturing and enslaving the negroes;




59
this is too notorious to be denied in Rio de Janeiro. The passengers from Brazil, to carry whom is almost always a stipulation of the charter parties of our vessels, are mostly masters
and crews of Brazil, taken hence to bring the slave vessels and
their cargoes back; and those brought back from Africa by our
vessels, are mostly American masters and crews, who have
carried our vessels out. Those passengers who are not either
masters, mates, or of the crews of Brazil or the United States,
are either agents or owners of vessels, or are factors, agents, or
employes, in some capacity or other, of the large rich slave
dealers; or are merchants, or their factors and agents, who are
going and coming to look after the proceeds of their goods,
shipped at immense profit, to make funds for the one great trade
in the staple article of slaves.
"No such thing as money proper, or cash, is known scarcely
among the African tribes, on that part of the coast, of which I
am speaking. They buy and sell by the measure of cotton,
cloth, or of aguardiente. The only medium of exchange among
the Africans is in the form of goods, wares, and merchandize,
by barter; and that between the agents there and the large slave
dealers, or in goods for that market in this country, is in the
form of bills, on Brazil. The very ivory and other products of
Africa for export, are brought from the interior to the coast, on
the heads of the negroes, who are themselves to be shipped as
slaves."
"It is said that there is not a merchant or dealer of any sort
on this whole coast, from Para to Rio Grande, engaged in the
trade between Brazil and Africa, who does not, directly or indirectly participate in the profit or loss of the foreign Slave Trade.
And there is very little loss in that trade. Nothing is lost if two
out of five trips succeed, and that trade has of late rather increased than diminished. It has decreased perhaps to Rio de
Janeiro, but increased to every other province of Brazil. By
the estimation of very good authority I am informed, that there
will probably have been imported into Brazil not less than
30,000 slaves, the present year of 1844. Since my arrival in
this city on the 2nd of August last, I can specify the vessels




60
that have brought about 3,000 to this coast, between Cape
Frio and Victoria."  *  *   *   *  *   * "Slave decks are
no longer used, the water casks stowed level in one or more
tiers, according to the size of the vessel, fore and aft, and rush
mats spread over them, is the last improvement of fitting a
slaver; and they can now ship-indeed, it is proved under oath
in this examination, that it took the Montevideo,' with a swept
hold, from but two to seven hours, to ship a cargo of 800 slaves;
they have their water pipes filled, and buried in the sand of the
beach, and the slaves, the farina, the jerked beef, the provisions
and stores, and the water, are moved at a moment's warning in
canoes and launches, to the vessel waiting at the distance of
five minutes row from the shore."-Class B, 1845,page 253.
In order that his government at home should be put in possession of a knowledge of the manner in which its citizens were
transgressing its laws, and bringing disgrace on its national
character,the Minister transmitted copies of the communications
from which the foregoing extracts are taken, to J. C. Calhoun,
then Secretary of State, and from his official correspondence
with the Secretary, we take the following:
"These papers but too clearly show how the African Slave
trade is carried on in Brazil, and how shamefully the United
States flag is prostituted to its infamous uses. Our laws should
be modified to meet this way of aiding and abetting the Slave
trade, by the sale of vessels here,'to be transferred and delivered
on the coast of Africa. Thus it is that our flag is made to protect a Brazilian vessel, with a crew, and perfect outfit of slavedeck, water casks, irons, &c., to the African coast; and I venture to affirm, that\not a vessel of the United States is sold in
Brazil, to be delivered at a port in Africa, without taking out a
crew and such outfit for the Slave trade, and without the United
States captain and crew, if not owners and consignees, wilfully
and knowingly aiding and abetting that traffic; and I affirm
further, that in all cases the United States Consul has reason to
know, and does know to a moral certainty, that in every such
case without exception, there is more or less preparation for,
and an intention to engage in the Slave trade, if opportunity




61
favours the attempt, when any such vessel clears from his office
in Brazil."-Class D, 1845,p. 91.
Rio de Janeiro, Dec., 14, 1844.
"The accompanying papers * * * will show the nature,
connections and extent of the African Slave trade, as it is, and
has for some time, been unblushingly carried on by our citizens
under our flag. It has grown so bold and so bad as no longer
to wear a mask, even to those who reside here, and who are
all acquainted with the trade between Brazil and Africa,  I * I
must say it [an official examination] has developed a combination of persons and means to carry on this infamous traffic, to
the utter disgrace of human nature, and to the dishonour of our
flag, and of all three nations-England, Brazil and the United
States. I have carefully abstained from mentioning names, but
I earnestly submit to the Department, that the attention of Congress ought at once to be called to the amendment of our laws
for the suppression of the African Slave trade, and to the crying injustice of punishing the poor ignorant officers and crews
of merchant ships, for high misdemeanors and felonies, when
the ship-owners in the United States, and their American consignees, factors, and agents abroad, are left almost untouched
by penalties, for sending the sailors on voyages, notoriously for
the purposes of the Slave trade."-Class D, 1845, p. 103.
The President of the United States, transmitted to Congress
copies of the despatches received from the Minister at Rio,
upon the subject of the Slave trade, with a special message, in
which he says, " it cannot but be a subject of the most profound regret, that any portion of our citizens should be found
acting in co-operation with the subjects of other powers, in opposition: to the policy of their government; thereby subjecting
to suspicion, and to the hazard of disgrace, the flag of their
own country. It is true that this traffic is carried on altogether
in foreign ports, and that our own coasts are free from its pollution, but the crime remains the same, wherever perpetrated,
annd there are many circumstances to warrant the belief, that
some of our:itizens are deeply involved in its guilt."




62
The mode of proceeding in the Slave trade, as detailed by
the United States Minister, had claimed the attention of the
officers of the British government employed in Brazil, and on
the coast of Africa, and it is thus noticed in one of the Reports
already alluded to.
"The most successful adventures to the coast of Africa, during 1844, were those accomplished with the assistance of vessels under the American flag. The plan has been to employ
two vessels under charters, sending them to Africa from this
place with cargoes adapted for African marts, and also with
water and other equipments for the transport of slaves. One
of these vessels proceeds to trade at the different African ports,
under the direction of the chief supercargo, while the other remains stationary, as a store ship, at the place where the negroes
are collected for embarkation. This stationary vessel, generally one which has, according to the terms of a former charter, been two or three previous voyages, is then, under the conditions frequently found in such contracts, delivered over to the
charterers as their property; when being prepared for the reception of the slaves, and all the time under an illegal flag, she
is crammed with slaves as soon as the opportunity offers, and
proceeds to her private rendezvous in Brazil. Thither also her
consort returns in ballast with part of the crew of the other vessel on board, and in all probability assists, should occasion require, to decoy the cruizers from the vessel taking the slaves.
This outrageous prostitution of the flag of the United States,
was instanced in our last Report. The great profit which this
arrangement left to the parties, having increased of late the
employment of American vessels, the authorities of the United
States have been vigilantly exerting themselves, and have lately
added much to the former legal evidence they had collected of
these criminal transactions on the part of American citizens.
Several individuals implicated, are in consequence now under
American custody here, and others are on their way to the
United States for trial." —Class JX, 1845, p. 508.
The Earl of Aberdeen, in a communication to the American
Minister, at London, calls his attention to the subject, and gives




63
the names of the American Brig " Yankee," the "Leda," the
"Sophia" and the " Illinois," as having been detected in these
nefarious transactions.
That the cruelty, the indifference to human suffering, and the
disregard of human life which characterize the slave trade, are
equally manifested on board vessels which have been carrying
the American flag, as those of any another nation, is shown by
the following extract, from a deposition made before the American Consul at Rio, by one of the crew of the " Kentucky," an
American vessel, navigated to the east coast by an American
master and crew. The "Kentucky" had taken in her cargo of
500 slaves at Inhambane. "And deponent further saith, that the
next day after the vessel crossed the bar on leaving Inhambane
as aforesaid, the negroes rose upon the, officers and crew; a
majority of the men, all of whom were in irons, got their irons
off, broke through the bulk-head into the females department,
and likewise into the forecastle. Upon this, the captain armed
the crew with cutlasses, and got all the muskets and pistols and
loaded them, and the crew were firing down among the slaves
for half an hour or more. In about half an hour they were subdued and became quiet again. The slaves were then brought
on deck, eight or ten at a time, and ironed afresh. They were
re-ironed that afternoon and put below, except about seven, who
remained on deck. None were killed on this occasion, and but
eightor ten wounded. They fired with balls in the pistols, and
shot in the muskets. Supposes the reason none were killed, is
that they had to fire through the grates of the hatches, and the
slaves got out of the way as much as they could. On the next
day they were brought upon deck, two or three dozen at a time,
all being well ironed; and tried by Captain Fonseca and officers,
and within two or three days afterward, forty-six men and
one woman were hung and shot, and thrown overboard.
They were ironed or chained, two together, and when they
were hung, a rope was put round their necks, and they drawn
up to the yard arm, clear of the sail. This did not kill them,
but only choked or strangled them. They were then shot in
the breast and the bodies thrown overboard. If only one, of




64
two that were ironed together, was to be hung, a rope was put
round his neck, and he was drawn up clear of the deck, and his
leg laid across the rail and chopped off, to save the irons and
release him from his companion, who at the same time lifted up
his leg'till the other was chopped off as aforesaid, and he released. The bleeding negro was then drawn up, shot in the
breast, and thrown overboard, as aforesaid. The legs of about
one dozen were chopped off in this way. When the feet fell
on deck, they were picked up by the Brazilian crew and thrown
overboard, and sometimes at the body, while it still hung living,
and all kinds of sport were made of.the business. When
two that were chained together were both to be hung, they
were hung together by their necks, shot, and thrown overboard, irons and all.  When the woman was hung up and
shot, the ball did not take effect, and she was thrown
overboard living, and was seen to struggle some time in the
water before she sunk; and deponent further said, that after
this was over, they brought up and flogged about twenty
men and six women. When they were flogged they were laid
flat on the deck, and their hands tied and secured to one ring
bolt, and their feet to another. They were then whipped by
two men at a time, by one with a stick about two feet long,
with five or six strands of raw hide secured to the end of it;
and by the other with a piece of the hide of a sea-horse; this
was a strip about four feet long, from half an inch to an inch
wide, as thick as one's finger and thicker, and hard as whalebone, but more flexible. The flogging was very severe.* ~ 
All the women that were flogged at this time died, but none of
the men; many of them however were sick all the passage, and
were obliged to lie on their bellies during the remainder of the
voyage, and some of them could hardly get on shore on arrival
at Cape Frio. The flesh of some of them where they were
flogged, putrified, and came off in some cases six or eight inches
in diameter, and in places half an inch thick. Their wounds
were dressed and filled up by the Contre Mestre, with farina
and cacheca, made into poultice, and sometimes with a salve
made on board. When the farina and cacheca were applied




65
to the poor creatures, they would shiver and tremble for half an
hour, and groan and sob with the most intense agony. They
were a shocking and horrible sight during the whole passage."
Class.X, 1845, page 518.
We have dwelt longer upon the participation of American
citizens in this nefarious traffic, as exhibited in 1844, because of
it being the first year in which the manner and extent of this
participation was developed, by one holding a high official
station under the government of the United States, and who,
while residing at the greatest slave mart in Brazil, had ample
opportunity of making himself acquainted with the shifts resorted
to, and the crimes committed by his countrymen, while participating in the profits arising from a trade denounced by their
government as piracy and as deserving of the severest punishment. We shall find, however, that notwithstanding these
facts were published for the information of the public, and the
attention of Congress was called to the subject, no more efficient
measures for preventing the extension of the essential aid to
Slave dealers, that has so long been afforded by American
citizens, have been taken, and the annual Reports upon the Slave
trade, are constantly giving undeniable evidence that American
vessels, commanded and manned by our citizens, and with the
connivance of their owners, continue to embark in this illicit
commerce, and to prostitute and disgrace the flag of their
country, by using it to cover and carry out the schemes of those
abandoned men, who, for the love of gold, are willing to incur
the guilt of buying and selling their fellow men.
Of.the efforts for the suppression of the trade made in 1844,
we may notice, that Spain enacted more stringent penal laws
against the prosecution of the Slave trade, attaching various
penalties of imprisonment, fine and banishment to their infringement. In a treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, between Venezuela and New Granada, ratified in this year, they
mutually agree to preserve in force, the l'aws relative to the
abolition of the Slave trade, and to adopt every measure that
appeared necessary for preventing any citizen of either State,
from taking part in such traffic; and the government of Bolivia
5




66
enacted a law by which any one, native or foreigner, who,
under the national flag should trade in slaves, or introduce them
into Bolivia, either by land or sea, should be accounted guilty
of piracy, and suffer ten years imprisonment.
1845.
Notwithstanding the apparent intention of Spain to comply
with her engagements, and restrain her subjects from continuing'in the trade-and although Portugal said she had strictly
forbid the governors of her African dominions from conniving
at it, yet its diminution in 1845 was comparatively small. The
enormous profits realized by the Slave traders, notwithstanding
the loss sustained by the capture of a large number of their
vessels and the perfection to which their organization had been
brought, proved sufficient to animate them with confidence in
the final success of their adventures, and allowed the trade to
flag but little, either in extent or activity.
The number of slaves taken from Africa in this year, to supply the markets of the westerh world, appears not to have been
less than 36,758, being a falling off from the number of the preceding year of 17,344. Of this 36,758, twenty-five per cent. or
9,189, are supposed to have perished on the middle passage; and 3,519 were captured by the cruizers of different
nations.*  Eighty-seven vessels engaged in the trade were captured by the British naval force, the tonnage of which range
from twenty-eight to 417 tons, the most of them being between
130 and 220 tons burden. Of the eighty-seven captured, eleven
had slaves on board. The greatest number of those detected in
the trade, were sailing under the Brazilian flag; and those with
this flag which were loaded with slaves, averaged 6- persons
to each ton. Vessels carrying the Spanish flag were the next
in number, and averaged 4   to the ton, while those sailing
without any flag, of which there were a considerable number,
averaged nearly four. Some vessels under the flags of Portugal,
of France,t of Buenos Ayres, and several with the flag of
the United States, were found participating in the trade. Some
* 4th Report to H. C., p. 3. t Report to H. L., Appendix, pages 359 and 363.




idea of the great extent of the Brazilian Slave trade in this year,
may be formed from the fact, that of the eighty-seven vessels
captured by the naval force of Great Britain, for being engaged
in the trade, sixty-one were Brazilian, and it is probable that
some of those taken by the French and Portuguese were of the
same national character. -Of the slaves exported from Africa
westward, 22,700 were landed in the different parts of Brazil.
It is impossible to ascertain, by the registers kept at the Custom houses in the different ports of Brazil, the number of vessels arriving from Africa, inasmuch as the practice constantly
obtains, of vessels returning from Africa running into outports
on the coast, and landing their cargoes there; large store
houses, and other establishments necessary for the outfit of
slaves being openly kept at those places by the Slave dealers.
Thus, in 1845, the departures from Rio de Janeiro for Africa,
exceeded the arrivals from that country by 32, there being 55
of the former, and 23 of the latter. Of the departures, 14 sailed
under the flag of the United States, and of the arrivals, there
were eight of the same nation. In addition to the uncertainty
arising from this cause, it is notorious, that the government
officers connive at the practice of issuing false clearances. In
consequence of these difficulties in ascertaining the operations
of the Slave dealers, the British Commissioners say in their Report for this year;" In our anxiety to furnish a correct and full Report of these
illegal transactions, we have not neglected any means for obtaining information; notwithstanding which, we have ample
reason to fear, that many instances of successful slave importations have baffled our enquiries."-Class A, 1847, p. 184.
Some idea may be formed of the general disregard of the
laws nominally in force against the Slave trade in Brazil, from
the fact,.that the Commissioners ascertained thelanding of 13,459
slaves within the province of Rio de Janeiro alone, brought by
36 vessels; and they say, "No doubt the suffering and consequent loss of life amongst these unfortunate Africans, crammed
into small and bad vessels, and exposed to all kinds of lawless
acts, could it be ascertained, would be found to reach to the




68
usual calamitous extent."-lbid p. 185. The average price of
the newly imported slaves in Rio, during this year, was ~55
cash, and ~77 in payments of three annual instalments.
In the other ports of Brazil, the same system as we have
before alluded to was pursued, and slavers were permitted to
land their cargoes of wretched human beings, with the full
knowledge of the government officers, who most generally
were implicated in it by the reception of bribes. The British
Consul at Paraiba, in his Report to his government, mentions
the following circumstance, showing the depraved state of feeling existing among those engaged in, or abetting this abominable traffic.
"About 170 contraband slaves have been introduced into
the province, under the following circumstances. A Brazilian
vessel, laden with slaves, bound to Pernambuco, was boarded
and brought to, off the fishing village of Pitimbu, by a number
of jangadeiros or fishermen, who, having plundered her of all
her provisions, obliged her to land her slaves. I have been
credibly informed, that when landed, these slaves were in sound
health and good condition, yet horrible to relate, 39 of the number were suffered to perish of starvation on the beach; the
remainder were kidnapped by different persons, principally
government authorities."-Class B, 1847, p. 280.
We have seen that, in 1844, the Slave trade to Cuba had
considerably increased, the number of slaves imported there,
having amounted to 10,000 over the year before; but in this
year, the island was visited with long continued and severe
drought, succeeded by a tremendous and most destructive hurricane, and the two together almost ruined the coffee plantations, and greatly injured the sugar cane. The former have
never recovered. from the injury sustained, and the export of
coffee from that island is now very small. The export of sugar,
which, in 1844 had amounted to the enormous bulk of 847,000
boxes, or 169,400 tons, five boxes being equal to a ton, fell off
in 1845 to 365,9213 boxes, or a little more than 73,184 tons.
The losses of the planters, and the increased difficulties of the




69
sugar culture, in consequence of the disasters of the preceding
year, and the large number of slaves thrown out of employ, by
the ruin of so many of the coffee grounds, diminished materially
the price of slaves, and removed the demand for new importations. In addition to these causes, the conduct of the governor
and the action of his subordinates, in relation to the trade, was
vascillating and uncertain; sometimes they connived at it as
had been usual, and at other times refused to allow, and even
took pains to counteract it. The Spanish Cortez had passed a
law, professedly for the purpose of destroying the Slave trade
to that island, but the Governor General declined publishing it,
and on all occasions manifested the most determined hostility
to any interference with that trade, except such as he might
choose to originate himself. From these causes there was an
extraordinary diminution in the African slave traffic with Cuba
in 1845, the number of newly imported slaves being only about
1300, a fact which conclusively proves the dependence of the
trade upon the demand for the product of slave labour. " IThese
1300 slaves were brought over in six vessels; while during the
year, thirteen vessels left the island for Africa, suspected of being engaged for the trade."-Class J, 1847, p. 110.
But little change took place on the African coast, in regard
to the collection and embarkation of slaves. The destruction
of the barracoons and slave factories, at Ponte da Linha, Cabinda, and Ambriz, in 1843, had caused almost ruinous losses
to the Slave dealers; but, as that mode of breaking up the trade
had been declared illegal, it had speedily revived, and these
again became places of great resort.  The coast lying between the southern shore of the Congo River and Ambriz,
continued to afford favourite haunts for the slave dealers; and it
was to Ambriz that the American vessels generally sailed with
their cargoes of " goods for the coast;" and there and at Cabenda, their vessels were transferred for the time being, or by
actual sale, to the Brazilians, who loaded them with slaves, and
navigated them back to the market in Brazil.
The professions of the Portuguese government, proved to be
either insincere, or the officers in most of their African pos



70
sessions on the east coast, disregarded them. At Quillimane
and Inhambane, the trade continued to be unrestrained, and the
greatest facilities were afforded for its prosecution within their
limits; and, notwithstanding the Governor of Mozambique
showed his good will to the cause, by authorizing the British
Commander on that station, to destroy any vessel found engaged in the illicit trade, in any port or river under the sovereignty of Portugal, where no responsible Portuguese authorities
resided; yet the slavers managed to overcome or elude all obstacles placed in their way, and not only were cargoes of unhappy victims carried across the channel to Madagascar, but
many succeeded in making transatlantic voyages. Nearly all
transatlantic Slave trade had, however, ceased further north
from the dominions of the Imaum of Muscat.
The following extracts serve to show the deep interest continued to be taken by American citizens, in the profits and guilt
of the trade.
" In January, Her Majesty's Steam Frigate'Penelope,' found
three empty American schooners, concealed in the creeks of
the Rio Pongas, under very suspicious circumstances. In the
same month an American vessel, called the'Atalanta,' was
transferred at Cape Mount, where a cargo of slaves was immediately shipped,-the American crew quitting the ( Atalanta'
on one side, as the slaves were sent up the other. The' Atala'
and some other vessels condemned in these courts, are supposed
to have been delivered by the Americans in a similar manner,
and the practice is notorious."-Class., 1847, p. 9.
Extract from a letter from Commander Bosanquet to Commodore Jones, dated Cabinda, July 2d, 1845.
"I have been particular in describing my proceedings with
respect to the schooner, D. E. Wilson, to prove to you, Sir, how
impossible it is, with every exertion on the part of the cruizers
in this division of the station, to check the Slave trade to any
extent, whilst it is openly carried on under the protection of the
American flag, thus fraudulently assumed; as these vessels are
all virtually sold before they arrive on the coast; and this is only




71
one of the numerous instances that are constantly occurring at
Cabinda, of this trade being thus protected." *  *   *
( Besides the American vessels bought by the Spaniards and
Brazilians as slave vessels, there are many other American
vessels that are chartered exclusively, to bring a full cargo of
slave goods from Rio Janeiro to Cabinda, and from which,
upwards of 1000 tons of slave goods were landed, during April
and May of the present year at this port; a place where none
but the slave trade is carried on. These cargoes were landed
from the barques'Pilot' and'Pons,' of Boston and Philadelphia, and the brig'Janet,' and schooner D. E. Wilson, of
Baltimore."-Class., 1845, p. 138.
Extract from a letter of Captain Wyville to Rear Admiral
Percy, dated "Cleopatra," Simons' Bay, May 10th, 1845.
" The American flag is also abused here, as in the case of the'Kentucky,' that was sold to the Brazilians at Rio de Janeiro,
was navigated by the Americans to Inhambane, making use of
the American flag, and having on board the Brazilian crew
to take her back again with slaves, which they succeeded in
doing about last September. The American crew that brought
the'Kentucky' to Inhambane, returned to Rio de Janeiro in the
American vessel Porpoise,' that vessel having entered the harbours of Quillimane and Inhambane, both of which by treaty they
are excluded from. It is supposed that the agent that collected
the slaves at Inhambane last year, (Rodrigoes,) will try again
to accomplish his object in the same manner, by the use of the
American flag."-Class A, 1845, page 96.
Extract from a communication from Commander Bosanquet
to Commodore Jones, dated June 12th, 1844.
" From the information I have been able to obtain, and from
my own observation, it appears that a very great portion of the
Slave trade, particularly from Cabinda, is now carried on under
the protection of the American flag, with impunity, as no American vessel of war has made her appearance on this part of
the coast for a long time, if at all; and I fear that the increase




72
of our squadron will be found quite inadequate to decrease the
Slave trade, as long as American vessels can carry it on openly,
without punishment, as they keep the American flag flying after
they have all the slave equipments on board, and until the
moment of sailing with the slaves, when they either remove the
flag and papers from the vessel, or destroy them at the time of
capture.-Class A, 1845, page 28.
The following from the Reports of the British Commissioners
at Rio, and of the Consul at Bahia, is to the same effect.
"' We have in previous Reports denounced and fully explained
the manner by which the American flag is made subservient to
the nefarious acts of Slave dealers, and we lament to add, that
the system of chartering vessels navigated under that flag, a
system which proves the main channel for the Brazilian slavetrade was in full operation during the year 1845,and hasbeenpursued even to a greater extent, since the commencement of the
present year (1846.)"-Class J, 1847, p. 184.
" I have the honour to make known to your Lordship, that the
American schooner-brig (Washington Barge,' Capt. Thomas
Duling, sailed with a general cargo, for the coast of Africa, on
the 1st of December last, and returned to this port on the 20th
inst., under the name of'Fantisma,' Gonsalves master, with
the Brazilian flag, and is reported to have landed in the neighbourhood upwards of 600 slaves.-Class B, 1845, p. 426.
This Captain Duling was afterwards, on his return to the
United States, tried for being engaged in the slave trade, and
acquitted.
There were a few vessels sent in 1845, by the Commanders of
the naval force of the United States on the coast of Africa, to
the United States, for trial.
In relation to the measures adopted by different governments,
for the abolition of the Slave trade during 1845, we may observe,
that the High Germanic Diet passed a Resolution, making the
Slave trade piracy to any of its subjects, punishable on conviction with the same punishment as man stealing.
In this year proposals were made by the four powers, which




73
in 1842 had ratified the treaty for the final abolition of the
Slave Trade; to Belgium, Greece, and Hanover, to accede to
the stipulation of the said treaty, "in order, says the British
Minister in his note, that it might be seen by all, that there was
not in Europe a single Christian state, whose flag is known upon
the seas, that has not openly and formally condemned the traffic,
and so far as lies in its power, guarded that flag from being
abused, for the protection of the lawless men who embark in it."
A convention also was agreed on between Great Britain and
France, in 1845, by which each power engaged to maintain on
the west coast of Africa, a combined force of not less than
twenty-six vessels of each nation.
1846.
It is evident that, notwithstanding the efforts made by England, France, Portugal, and the United States, by keeping an
armed police stationed around the west and east coasts of
Africa, to prevent the embarkation of slaves, and intercept the
vessels loaded with them in their attempts to leave the coast,
that not a great deal had been effected towards arresting the
trade, or preventing or ameliorating the dreadful sufferings and
cruelties attendant on it. The native chiefs of Africa, having
acquired a taste for articles of European manufacture, and finding that the flesh and bones of their own subjects, and of those
whom they could kidnap from neighbouring tribes, afforded
them the readiest means for procuring what they had learned
to consider as necessary, continued to send or bring coffles of
suffering captives to the coast, to be there lodged in barracoons,
and kept until an opportunity occurred to barter them to the
white slave dealer, for rum, fire-arms, powder and calico.
Wherever this trade was carried on, it necessarily paralyzed or
destroyed all legitimate commerce, and the poor Africans were
afraid to congregate together, for the purpose of buying and
selling, lest they should expose themselves to be entrapped and
carried away. In one of the communications to the Earl of
Aberdeen, dated May 12, 1846, we find it stated, (' It is well
known that every disposition existed on the part of the natives
to trade, but that they were deterred from doing so, in conse



74
quence of the frequency with which the blacks, who were
bearers of merchandize, (burdens being necessarily carried in
that part of the country by human beings) were fallen upon,
seized, and sold to the Slave dealers."-Class B, 1847, p. 85.
Where, however, they could feel secure under the protection
of those whose power was sufficient, and was exerted to
prevent the Slave trade, they soon evinced a willingness to
resume their original habits, and engage in traffic one with
another, and with foreigners, in the manufactures and agricultural productions of the country. This was exemplified among
those tribes who had entered into treaties with Great Britain,
and who were so situated as to be in some measure under the
protection of her colonial authorities, and by this means her
legitimate commerce with Africa was greatly increased: and
from a Portuguese paper, called the Diario de Governo, of the
2d of fifth month, 1846, we are furnished with the following
extract, showing the same thing.
"From official communications, received from the Province
of Mozambique, under date of 29th of December last, it appears that perfect tranquillity reigned there, and also that the
ancient fair of Mossuril had been re-established, to which the
chiefs of different tribes of those districts, and thousands of the
people flocked, bringing a great quantity of ivory, manufactured
articles, and goats, all which they bartered for goods in demand
amongst them, as articles of dress. This market, which appears to have been discontinued in consequence of ill treatment, suffered in former times by the chiefs of these tribes, has
been renewed through the exertions of the Governor General of
the Province, &c."-Ibid.
But in nearly all the other parts of the possessions of Portugal, on the coast of Africa, the Slave trade continued in 1846
to be carried on as heretofore, with an activity varying only
with the demand for slaves in the markets of the western world.
The trade was also again revived in the settlements of Senegal
and Goree, and at the mouth of the Gambia, all claimed as belonging to the French; and in most of the places heretofore




75
noticed as the resort of slaves, but little change appears to
have been effected, notwithstanding the number of vessels
yearly captured, the most of which were broken up. Every
stratagem was resorted to by the resident and other slave dealers, to elude the watch kept on the coast, and to persevere in
their efforts to carry on their abominable trade. One of them,
during the thick, cloudy weather, accompanying the rains, resorted to the expedient of taking out the masts of his schooner,
shipped about 200 slaves on board of her at Sherbro, and then,
during a fog, immediately, by means of oars, got clear away
beyond the usual cruizing ground, where he re-shipped his
masts, which he had towing astern of his vessel. By this means
he succeeded in carrying his cargo to Brazil, and was soon
again on the coast.-Pages 2-3.
From the eastern coast we learn, by the Report of the Commissioners at Cape Town, "that the Slave trade, during 1846,
has been carried on to about the same extent as the preceding
year. Ibo and Pomba, to the north of Quillemane, being the
principal places of resort."-Class A, 1848, p. 122.
There was, however, one change noticed in the trade, which
was the absence of Spanish vessels among those engaged in
it during this year. The Commissioners at Sierra Leone, in
their Report, refer to this fact as follows:
" Whether the late distracted state of Cuba, and the fear of
increasing the, slave population in that island, may have produced the unprecedented calm in their favourite trade, or
whether the promulgation of the stringent penal act of the Cortez, at Madrid, may have caused this unexpected calm, we
know not; but not a single Spanish vessel has been brought into
this port during the past year, nor have we heard that any
Spanish slaver has been seen on the coast during that period.
This cessation from the Slave trade, on the part of Spain, forms
a new and interesting era in the suppression of this inhuman
traffic."-Class J, 1848, p. 3.
The Report for this year, of the Commissioners at Havana,
would also lead to the belief, that the subjects and vessels of
Spain had relinquished the trade, and left it to be carried on




76
almost exclusively by Brazilians and Americans. They say,
"on consideration of this list, [list of vessels despatched in 1845
from that port] showing as it does, that in 1845 there were 13
vessels despatched hence, intended for the Slave trade, and with
the remembrance that our list for the year preceding showed
18 vessels, the first observation we have to make is respecting
the extraordinary and unprecedented fact, that we have not to
record the departure of any single vessel hence during the last
year, suspected of being intended for the Slave trade. This is
a fact as gratifying as it is extraordinary."-Class J, 1848,
p. 65.
And again, "as our list of arrivals of slave vessels in 1846,
shows only four to have been reported during the year, of which
two were doubtful reports, and all those in the first half of the
year; the further prosecution of the trade has been for the present given up."-Ibid p. 65.
But it appears, from evidence derived from reliable sources,
that notwithstanding this improvement, there was yet some
Slave trade carried on with the Island of Cuba, and that at least
1700 slaves were introduced into it during 1846.-Report to H.
C., page 3.
We have noticed in our account of 1845, the great depression of the sugar trade in that year, and the falling off in the
production of that article, of more than one half, arising in
great measure from the effects of long continued drought and
a destructive tornado in 1844.
Previous to the year 1845, foreign sugars were excluded
from Great Britain, by prohibitory duties, but in the latter part
of that year, an exception was made in favour of sugars produced by free labour. But in 1846, "the Sugar Act," as it is
now commonly called, was passed by the British government,
admitting, for home consumption, sugars produced in all countries, without distinguishing between slave and free labour, upon
a certain scale of duties. An impetus was thereby given to the
cultivation of the cane, which has since carried it far beyond
any thing to which it had before attained.
During the autumn of 1846 the island of Cuba was again visited




77
by a destructive hurricane, which, though not so disastrous nor so
extensive as that of 1844, was yet productive of much injury to
the sugar crop, and totally destroyed many more coffee plantations; yet the export of sugar in 1846, reached to 810,463
boxes, or 162,093T tons,
The slaves thus thrown out of employment on the coffee
plantations, were hired out to the sugar cane growers, and in
this way the demand for labourers was in part met, but the
price of slaves was greatly enhanced.
It was, however, in Brazil, that the effect to stimulate the
Slave trade, produced by the increased demand for sugar, was
most affectingly exemplified.
The British Consul, at Rio de Janeiro, gives the following
analysis of the Slave trade, and slavery there in 1846:
" There were 52 vessels employed at Rio, for purposes connected:with the transport of slaves from Africa: of these 15
were American. A return of similar departures during 1845,
contained the names of 55 vessels, but, as often before remarked,
such returns are no criterion of the extent of illegal traffic with
Africa, for this Custom house, like all the other Brazilian departments, continues to connive at all Slave trade transactions,
and there is no exaggeration in the assertion, that in this harbour
vessels are most completely fitted out for the Slave trade, without any impediment."    * ~  ~
" So long as vessels hoisting the European and United States
flags, are permitted to take freights between the Brazilian and
African coasts, the slave merchants are freed from many embarrassments in the transport of slave equipments; and vessels
once implicated to that degree in Slave trade, are generally
found to fall ultimately under the complete control of slave
traffickers, and to become the means of transporting the slaves
themselves from Africa."  ~  a- " The enclosed list of departures also shows, that of all the foreign flags, the American
continues to be the most prominent in accepting the price paid
for its subservience to Slave trade transactions. In the year
1845, out of 55 departures from Rio de Janeiro to Africa, 14
were American vessels; and during 1846, out of 52 departures,




78
15 sailed under that flag."  ~ *  * *  "American vessels
adapted for the Slave trade, are continually brought to this
port, and sold to the Slave dealers."' * "  Slave dealers
often purchase foreign vessels sold in this harbour, as unworthy
the expense of repair, but all their efficient and substantial craft
are obtained from the United States, *  *  *  " About the
close of 1846, a screw steamer, brigantine rigged, called the'Cariole,' arrived from the United States. She was bought by
a notorious slave dealer, Thomas de Costa Rancos, of this
place. She is now called the'Thereza,' about 180 tons burden.
This vessel sailed hence, about the 22d of last October, for
Africa, and before the end of the year arrived at Cape Frio,
from some port near Angola, with 600 slaves. She has not
since appeared in this harbour, and in all probability has, from
Cape Frio, returned to the coast of Africa for another cargo.
The' Thereza' is fitted with an apparatus for distilling seawater, thus facilitating the transport of a greater number of
negroes, with a small quantity of water casks." -~  - " 
"In reference to the enclosed list of arrivals from Africa,
during the year 1846, it is proper to observe, that most of the
vessels reported in ballast, landed securely at some of the neighbouring out-ports, their slave cargoes."
(' Deceptive as this return is, as to the extent and real nature
of the carrying trade from Africa to Rio de Janeiro, yet it comprises thirty-two vessels, of which eleven are American. ~ 
" I beg leave to report the following, as the result of my constant and careful inquiries, respecting the landing of slaves in
this harbour, (Rio,) as well as at Espritu Santa, Campos, Mecahe,
and the anchorages about Cape Frio and Ilka Grande, during
the year 1846.
During the three quarters ending Sept. 30,  - - 20,000
During the last quarter,  - - -              15,000
At Santos, from Africa direct,                6 - -  6,000
At Rio Grande, from Africa direct, --      -  1,500
In all, about -               -              42,500
"It is said that most of these slaves were shipped on the




79
western coast of Africa, and that one of the means adopted to
elude the vigilance of the cruizers, was to erect barracoons at
various points, and thus distract the cruizers attention from the
spot, where the slaves were really shipped." + *  ~  Twelve
hundred slaves were landed between Bahia and Rio de Janeiro,
from the American barque' Pilot,' which sailed from hence at
the commencement of 1846. Besides vessels under the American flag, there is unfortunately good ground for the belief, that
some under the flag of France and other European states have
brought over slaves."
The influx of African slaves was so great during the latter
part of 1846, that it occasioned a glut in the market; but even
so, the cash price of what is termed " a prime slave," was never
lower than $320, or about ~64, the best bargains being of course,
made in disposing of such as were neither young nor healthy.
"Every succeeding year more plainly shows, that at Rio de
Janeiro and its vicinity, the head quarters of Brazilian Slave
trade are established. It is to the capitol of Brazil that all the
surplus supplies at Bahia and Pernambuco, or in other words,
that all the slaves not readily sold there, are despatched. * +
From this course and the increased arrival of slaves from Africa,
all the slave deposits were full at the close of 1846. This state
of things gave great impulse to another class of Slave dealers,
who are now in full activity, realizing great profits, by taking
into the interior of this, and to the adjoining inland provinces,
newly imported slaves from the different deposits."-Class B,
1848, pages 251, 252, 253, and 254.
An officer employed in the suppression of the trade, writing
from Bahia, a port not mentioned in the above Report says, " I
regret to say, that the Slave trade of Bahia has much revived of
late;" L -  * +*   " the arrival within so short a distance of
time, of so large a number of negroes, as that mentioned in the
return enclosed herewith, more particularly of the unusual, and
indeed unprecedented number of 1,350 in the "Tres Amigos,"
has given new life to the traffic, and six vessels are now preparing, though with unusual precaution as to their fittings, for
the prosecution of this nefarious traffic. The Slave trade as




80
carried on at this port, appears to partake of the nature of a
lottery, as great part of the expense of equipping these vessels
is borne by casual subscribers, whose share of the venture sometimes does not exceed ~20. The temptation must indeed be
great, as the profit on the cargo of the'Tres Amigos' is estimated at over ~40,000. No amount of ill success would appear
to deter the -masters, at any rate, of these vessels from continuing to engage in the trade. The man who commands the'Tres Amigos' has been taken six times, by Her Majesty's
cruizers, but his success this voyage will compensate for many
losses, as he receives near ~1000 for his services." x  "The
(Tres Amigos' landed her cargo at the back of the Island of
Tapaina; they are said to have been in good health, and only
twenty had died on the passage, but the master and officer
represent the smell at night as so offensive, that to obtain rest
they were obliged to hang their hammocks outside the ship,
either under the bowsprit or on the quarter; they had no water
on board when they arrived, and only three bags of farina."Class., 1847, page 44.
From the information obtained through various channels,
there can be no doubt that not less than 52,000 slaves were
smuggled into Brazil, in the course of 1846, and that the whole
of the miserable victims torn from their native homes in Africa,
to be consigned to perpetual bondage in the west, amounted to
76,117, of whom 19,029 perished by casualities when embarking, and while on the middle passage.* This great mortality
rests upon facts well known among those conversant with the
trade, and has been repeatedly admitted by those who have
been long and extensively engaged in it themselves. We could
multiply instances, showing the atrocious crimes committed,
and the utter disregard of the lives of the blacks, but it would
be only a repetition of occurrences similar to what have been
heretofore narrated.  There is, however, one circumstance
mentioned in the Reports published by order of Parliament, in
1847, as having occurred in this year, which we will add to
those heretofore given.
* Fourth Report to H. C., p. 3.




81
A letter from Captain Mansel, to the Secretary to the Admirality.
Ascension, October 2d, 1846.
"I regret that I should have to inform the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, of the perpetration of a deed of such
revolting atrocity, as I believe has never been surpassed in the
annals of barbarism. Commander Young, in his letter of proceedings, informs me, that he had long watched, together with
the "Styx," two suspicious Sardinian brigs, lying at Lagos,
which had at length been forced to sail from thence without
cargoes. He then proceeds to state, that the native chief of
Lagos, finding that he could not dispose of the numerous slaves
on his hands, had caused upwards of 2000 to be slaughtered,
and their heads to be stuck on stakes all round the town of
Lagos. This fact is stated on the authority of the master of a
Swedish brig, who says, that he was an eye witness; and is
corroborated by a letter which the captain of the French brig
of war "Fleche," mentions to have been received at the French
factory at Whydah. However horrible in character this deliberate and calculated act of butchery, it is I regret to state, not
without parallel on the coast, as I was informed at Sierra Leone
in July last, by the Governor, who assured me that it was from
the highest authority, that 300 slaves had met the same fate
under similar circumstances, within the last twelve months, in
the neighbourhood, as I believe, of the Gallinas.-Class C. 1847,
page 49.
However incredible it may seem, that such wanton and cold
blooded murder should be perpetrated, even by an untutored
savage, yet the testimony is abundant from eye witnesses, that
it is not an unusual thing, when food is scarce, and circumstances conspire to prevent the slaves kept in barracoons on the
coast, from being speedily disposed of, for those who claim them
to sacrifice their lives, either by starvation, or by deliberately
knocking them in the head; and it may be said to be a common
practice to take the lives of those, who from disease or other
causes, have been rejected by the Slave dealer.
6




82
We have seen in the Report from the Consul at. Rio de Janeiro, how well known, was the continued participation of citizens of the United States in the Slave trade, and how completely
it is identified with the use of vessels claiming the national
character and protection, and manned and commanded by
American citizens. From all parts where the African Slave
trade comes under observation, the same testimony is borne, and
the almost entire impunity with which their part of the trade is
pursued, notwithstanding it is in direct contravention of the
laws of our country, renders these unprincipled men perfectly
regardless of the slight efforts made to restrain them, and the
professed wish to destroy a traffic, that is denounced as a disgrace to our national flag.
The Commissioners at Sierra Leone speak of the constant
employment of American vessels, and the Commissioners at the
Cape of Good Hope, after alluding to the absence of all power
to prevent it,.say, that unless means are taken to put a stop to
their proceedings, " the Slave dealers will most assuredly avail
themselves of the flag of the United States, to convey to the
scenes of their operations, equipments, and the means of purchasing, and ultimately conveying off their human cargoes, and
will thus complete one important part of their nefarious undertaking."-Class d, 1847, page 207.
An officer says, in,a letter, dated February 16, 1846:"I have to observe that I received information, both at Quillimane, and also at Mozambique, that several vessels were
expected over from Rio de Janeiro, under American colours, or
Brazilian, as occasion might suit; but so long as the American
colours can be degraded by covering such a disreputable trade,
it will be difficult to put an effectual check on the Slave Trade
in-the Mozambique."-Class A, 1847, page 47.
The boats, from one of the British armed vessels, having gone
into the River Angozha, found concealed there two American
vessels, one called the " Kentucky," and probably the same on
board which the atrocities were committed, which we have related in our account of 1844. The crew, finding it impossible




83
to leave their vessel, set fire to her and escaped on shore. The
other vessel was a barque, named the " Lucy Penniman," and
so far concealed her real character, as would have prevented
any examination, had not the mate, steward, and four of the
crew come forward and claimed protection from the British
officer, against their captain, Mathew Cooper, and other persons who they affirmed were engaged in the Slave trade.
The "Lucy Penniman" had long been notorious for her constant employment in the trade. In 1843, she had brought out
and landed at Quillimane, on the eastern coast, a cargo for the
purchase of 5000 slaves, for which, says Lieutenant Barnard,
who at the time was at Zanzibar, the slavers have been making
a great rush ever since. Of the fate of a great part of the
slaves brought down to be bartered for these goods, we obtain
the following particulars from the same source, confirmed by
other unimpeachable authority.-Class A, 1847, p. 59-66.
Seven hundred of them were embarked on board the barque
"Julia," and eight days after" sailing, were all drowned on the
Basos de India, all on board perishing except the captain, pilot
and three men. Three hundred were burned to death in a
barracoon, in which they were shut up; fifteen hundred were
got off from Inhambane and Delgoa Bay, through the agency of
a notorious slaver; a brig on board of which 420 had been shipped, was driven ashore, and 350 more were captured by the
cruizers. On her present voyage, the Iucy Penniman had left
New-York for Georgetown, D. C., and left there for Rio de
Janeiro, from whence:she sailed with a cargo, not merely of
goods for the purchase of slaves, but of articles of equipment
for that traffic; and from this cargo three vessels in the Angozha river, were supplied with the means of taking off 1500
slaves. In consequence of information to this effect, from the
mate, steward, and four of the crew, (the master being on shore)
possession was taken of her, and under the command of a
prize master, she was sent to Mozambique, where full statements of all the facts were made by the officers and'crew, with
all due legal formality before the proper authorities, the master,
M. Cooper, admitting their truth. She was then given up to




84
Isaac Chase, the American Consul, at Cape Town, who, after
receiving the deposition, states, in his official declaration and
protest, that after a careful review of all the papers and documents,-he did truly believe, that the said barque, called the
Lucy Penniman, to be "bona fide" American property, and
owned by and belonging to one or more citizens of the United
States; and at this present moment there is neither fact nor
evidence whatever, to show that the owners or the legitimate
captain, have contravened any maritime laws of the United
States of America. Some time after, a person named Alexander Riddel, arrived out from Rio, and presenting himself as
the sole owner of the Lucy Penniman, which he stated was of
New York, protested against her seizure and detention, and demanded her being given up to him as his property. Without
further examination in the case, the American Consul gave her
up, and she shortly after sailed from Rio, to enter once more,
as there was every reason to believe, on her former employment.-Class A, 1848, p. 2 9-80.
Another instance, in which American citizens were employed
in the trade, is given in a communication from Commodore
Jones to the Admiralty, in which, after mentioning the capture
of a steam-ship, called the "( Cacique," engaged in the Slave
trade, he says: —" It appears, from the concurrent testimony of
the Americans, who were found on board of the'Cacique,' as
well as that of the Portuguese master, that the vessel was built
in the United States about two years ago, and being named the
6Tigress,' was, employed as a trading and passage vessel, between New York and Stonington, and other parts of the United
States, under the flag of that country. She is said to have belonged to a Captain Sanford, of New York, who, about the beginning of this year, sold her to Mr. Sexias, a Brazilian merchant, and the last owner of the 6 Cacique,' for $11,500, which
sum was increased to $25,000, by various alterations and improvements, made by Messrs. Brown & English, ship builders,
of New York. In these transactions, Mr. Gardner, an American resident of that city, appears to have acted as the agent,
and he was looked upon then and afterwards, by the Americans




85
belonging to the vessel, as the consignee, and as there is reason
to believe, engaged in fitting out other steam vessels for the
same purpose."
"On the 20th of January, George Washington Rush, the
chief engineer, joined the' Cacique,' at a salary of $80 a
month. *   * *      It was Rush who engaged the three
other Americans, Jackson Sheet, as engineer, and J. P Morris
and Joseph Hamilton, as firemen. All these now declare their
ignorance of the intended slave voyage."-Class B, 1847, p. 287.
" The' Cacique' sailed from New York in the early part of
the year, and having lost her foremast, put into Baltimore,
from whence, having changed the most of her crew, she proceeded to Pernambuco, where she altered her machinery, and
made arrangements for stowing a cargo of 1500 slaves. On
leaving Pernambuco for the African coast, the commander of a
Brazilian brig of war, is said to have boarded her with two
boats, joined a large convivial party assembled on the occasion,
and on parting, took an affectionate leave of M. Sexias. On
arriving at Cabenda, "it appears that the Cacique might immediately have embarked 1000 slaves, which were ready in the
barracoons; but M. Sexias would not be satisfied with less than
his full number of 1500, and the vessel was ordered to stand out
to sea for ten days, until they could be got ready, for which
purpose he landed."  *   *
"The Americans are all agreed, that at least two other
steamers were fitting in the United States, to be employed as
the Cacique' was, the same owners being concerned, and the
same agent, Mr. Gardner, employed in getting them ready. If
this system is to be permitted, and American citizens are at
liberty to drop the very slight veil, which has hitherto covered
their proceedings in the Slave traffic of this coast, it will, of
necessity, entail heavy additional expense on the British government, to provide an adequate remedy."-Ibid, p. 288.
Between the 1st of the fourth month, 1845, and the 31st of
third month, 1846, there were six vessels sent to the United
States for adjudication, one of which was the barque "Pons,"
respecting which, Commander, Charles H. Bell, made a report




86
to the Secretary of the Navy, from which we extract the following. * x      *     ".The'Pons,' under the command
of James Berry, was at anchor at Cabenda, for about twenty
days, before she took on board the slaves, during which time
she was closely watched by her Britannic Majesty's brig,
(Cygnet,' Commander Layton.   At about 9 o'clock on the
morning of the 27th of November, the'Cygnet,' got under way
and stood to sea. Immediately Berry gave up the ship to
Gallano, who commenced getting on board the water, provisions and slaves, and so expeditious were they in their movements, that at 8 o'clock that evening the vessel was under
weigh, having embarked 903 slaves."  *  * "Two days
after, we captured her. Her crew consisted of Spaniards, Portuguese, Brazilians, and some from other countries; and, although continuing under the American flag, with probably
American papers, not one American was on board. As I could
not despatch her the evening of capture, she kept company with
us that night. The next morning I regretted to learn that 18
had died and one jumped overboard. So many dying in so
short a time, was accounted for by the captain, in the necessity
he had of thrusting below all who were on deck, and closing
the hatches, when he first fell in with us, in order to escape detection. The vessel has no slave deck, and upwards of 850
were piled almost in bulk on the water casks below; these
were males. About 40 or 50 females were confined in one half
of the round house cabin on deck, the other half of the cabin
remaining for the use of the officers. As the ship appeared to
be less than 350 tons, it seemed impossible that one-half could
have lived to cross the Atlantic. About 200 filled the spar
deck alone, when they were permitted to come up from below,
and yet the captain assured me, that it was his intention to have
taken 400 more on board, if he could have spared the time.
The stench from below was so great, that it was impossible to
stand more than a few moments near the hatchways. Our
men who went below from curiosity, were forced up sick in a
few minutes; then all the hatches were off. What must have
been the sufferings of these poor wretches, when the hatches




87
were closed?  I am informed that, very often in these cases,
the stronger will strangle the weaker; and this was probably
the reason why so many died, or rather were found dead the
morning after the capture, None but an eye witness can form a
conception of the horrors these poor creatures must endure, in
their transit across the ocean.
"I regret to say, that most of this misery is produced by our
own countrymen; they furnish the means of conveyance in
spite of existing enactments; and, although there are strong circumstances against Berry, the late master of the' Pons,' sufficient to induce me to detain him, if I should meet with him, yet
I fear neither he nor his employers can be reached by our present law. He will no doubt make it appear, that the' Pons'
was beyond his control, when the slaves were brought on board.
Yet, from the testimony of the men, who came over from Rio
as passengers, there is no doubt the whole affair was arranged
at Rio, between Berry and Gallano, before the ship sailed*
These men state, that the first place they anchored at was Onin,
near the River Lagos, in the Bight of Benin; here they discharged a part of their cargo, and received on board a number
of hogsheads or pipes filled with water. These were stowed
on the ground tier, and a tier of casks containing spirits were
placed over them. They were then informed, that the vessel
was going to Cabenda for a load of slaves. On their arrival at
the latter place, the spirit was kept on board until a few days
before Berry gave up the command, covering up the water
casks, in order to elude the suspicions of any cruizer. For twenty
days did Berry wait in the roadstead of Cabenda, protected by
the flag of his country, yet closely watched by a foreign manof-war, who was certain of his intention; but the instant that
cruizer is compelled to withdraw, for a few hours, he springs at
the opportunity of enriching himself and owners, and disgracing the flag which had protected him."-Class D, 1847, p.
128-9.
To complete the history of this case, we may state that the
master of the " Pons" escaped, and no proceedings were instituted against such of the crew as were captured; and we may




88
also observe, that in almost every case tried in the United
States courts, for participation in the Slave trade, the parties
have either escaped without conviction, or, if convicted, have
been freed from the penalties due for their crimes, by an Executive pardon.
In relation to the efforts made in 1846, for the abolition of
slavery and the African Slave trade, we may note that the
Diet of Sweden voted the sum of 30,000 Spanish dollars towards the emancipation of the slaves in the Swedish colony of
St. Bartholomew, and that sum not proving sufficient to pay for
the 523 slaves then held there, the King of Sweden ordered the
balance required to be paid from other funds of the government, and the slaves were emancipated. The English government made a proposition to the Sultan of Turkey, and also to
the Shah of Persia, to issue firmans prohibiting the Slave trade
in the Persian Gulf, both of whom consented to give the subject
due consideration.
The Imaum of Muscat, whose dominions on the coast of
Africa extend from the 5~ N. latitude to 10~ S., and who holds
the Province of Omen in Arabia, at the entrance of the Persian
Gulf, by a further treaty entered into with the British government, agreed to abolish and prohibit the export of slaves from
any part of Africa into his dominions in Asia, and granted
authority for the British and the East India navy to act in suppressing the traffic. He however exempted vessels belonging
to himself, or to any of his own family, from search or molestation.
But perhaps the most remarkable instance is, that of the Bey
of Tunis, who issued a firman, liberating all and every slave
existing in his Regency, and forever destroying the right to
hold that kind of property, declaring in his manifesto, that " the
servitude imposed on a part of the human kind, whom God has
created, is a very cruel thing, and our heart shrinks from it."Class D, 1847, pages 63-4.
1847.
Notwithstanding the large number of Slave vessels annually
captured by the naval force, kept upon the coast of Africa, by




89
America, Great Britain, France, and Portugal, and that by the
persevering exertions made through a long series of years, many
parts of the coast had been entirely freed from the horrors of
the Slave trade, yet the statistics of the year 1847, imperfect as
they confessedly are, prove, that this traffic had received an
impetus, which carried it to an appalling extent, and that the sufferings connected with it were in no wise diminished. In order
to escape the punishment decreed by the governments of Spain
and Portugal, respectively, and now threatened to be enforced
on those of their citizens, taken in the prosecution of the Slave
trade, the Slavers which had formerly sailed under the flags of
those countries, very generally adopted the plan of destroying
their colours, so that the nationality of the vessel and crew
should not be known. Some Brazilian Slavers had also resorted
to this method, for escaping detection, but that government so
openly connived at the prosecution of the trade, that its laws,
although sufficiently stringent in the statute book, were, in
reality, a dead letter. Thus, of the seventy-eight vessels captured during 1847, twenty were without national flags or papers;
fifty-four were Brazilian, and but two acknowledged to be
Spanish, or Portuguese. Eighteen of the seventy-eight had
slaves on board, at the time of capture, amounting to 6,598.
Of these eighteen, a Brigantine, the name of which was supposed to be "Felicidade," of 677,6 English tons burden, had 317
slaves on board, or between four and five to the ton. A schooner (name unknown,) of 35 -28 tons, had 305 on board, or over
eight to the ton. The "Prendora" of 113 tons, had 608, or
over five to the ton. Aschooner, supposed to be the " Maria," of
30g372, had 237 slaves on board, or over seven to the ton; and
the little craft " Rey Bango," of ten tons, had sixty on board,
or six to the ton; the others, though not so shockingly crammed
as these, were nearly all of them loaded with from three to five
human beings to the ton, besides the crew, provisions, and
water.*
It will assist the reader to form some conception of the
crowded condition of these vessels, to be reminded that the
* Appendix to Report to H. L., pages 365-6.




90
section of a Slave ship, first published in London, in 1'788, was
adjusted to the regulating bill of Sir William Dolben. In
the plate, representing the section in which the just proportions
are preserved, the slaves are shown to occupy all the floors and
platforms, on which they are laid, scarcely leaving room to
walk among them without treading on them; yet that bill
allowed only five men to every three tons, in every ship under
one hundred and fifty tons burden, which had the space of five
feet between the decks, and three men to two tons, in every
vessel beyond one hundred and fifty tons burden, which had
equal accommodations in point of height, between the decks.
Some of those mentioned above, had four times the number, and
some even more than four times the number which the regulating bill allowed.
It is impossible for the imagination to conceive the dreadful
tortures which must accompany the crowding so many together in so small a space, within the burning climate of the
tropics.
The Commissioners at the different stations, on the coast of
Africa and its vicinity, in their Reports express the opinion, that
the activity of the traffic had increased throughout this year, and
that the demand for slaves stimulated the dealers to overcome
all the obstacles thrown in their way. Thus, the Commissioners at Sierra Leone, say in their half yearly Report on the Slave
trade on the west coast of Africa, dated
February 9th.
" The principal barracoons on that coast, are at the Gallinas
and Solyman rivers, where, between 2000 and 3000 slaves are
kept in readiness for shipping; there are also barracoons at
Lugury, in the vicinity of the Cape Mount territory, where the
notorious Canot keeps the greater part of his slaves."  v  *  ~
"Great distress has been experienced, owing to the difficulty of
procuring food for so many slaves, and numbers have died of
starvation in consequence.'-Class J, 1848, p. 295.
And in their despatch, dated Dec. 31st, 1847, they further say:
"Although owing to the circumstance of our having no




91
longer jurisdiction over Brazilian vessels, and the now general
destruction of evidences of the nationality of Spanish slavers,
the operations of the mixed courts here, have been necessarily
very'limited, the number of slave cases proceeded against
at Sierra Leone, during 1847, has been considerable. In the
Vice Admiralty Court, there have been adjudicated within the
year *   ~     *  *  seventeen acknowledged Brazilian vessels,
and ten others, without colours or papers.  * i*  These
twenty-seven captures, were made in the following localities.
In the latitude or neighbourhood of Gallinas, Sherbro, or Cape
Mount, five; in the Bight of Benin, nine; off the coast of Loango,
nine; and off the coast of Angola, four.  *  X Of the seventcen Brazilian vessels, *   ten got their imperial passports at
Rio de Janeiro, and seven at Bahia; ten cleared for Brazilian
coasting voyages; three for the Azores, Canaries, or Cape
Verde Islands, and four only for the coast of Africa. From
this, it would seem, that although the Brazilian Slave Trade is
prosecuted almost openly, and to an extent hitherto unparalleled,
some sort of surveillance is still apparently exercised, at Rio de
Janeiro, at least, over national vessels, clearing direct for this
coast. It is understood that some few of them, (vessels without
flags or colours,) were both Spanish property and engaged in
the Spanish Slave Trade; the present high price of slaves at
Havana holding out an inducement not likely, to be resisted
by men, restricted by nothing but the dread of severe punishment, which, under existing circumstances, they well know
may be evaded, by the course to which we have alluded.
"So far as regards the slave vessels adjudicated here, the
number detained north of the Line, rather exceeds those taken
to the southward. It is, however, an unquestionable fact, that
during 1847, the principal Slave trade has been carried on to
the southward of the Line; though we regret to find, that of
late, the traffic in the Bight of Benin has greatly increased; that
part Qf the coast is indeed now described, as "swarming with
slavers." Between the Bight of Benin and this settlement, there
has not been comparatively much Slave Trade during the year,
as far as our intelligence extends; and to the northward of




92
Sierra Leone, still less. In the river Pongos, we have learnt
with satisfaction, several of the Slave traders are turning their
attention to the cultivation of ground-nuts, for which the demand
is increasing, and far exceeds the supply. The neighbourhood
of Bissao, and Bissagos, unfortunately however, retain an
infamous celebrity, and depots for slaves collected at those
places, still exist in some of the Cape Verde Islands.  * %
"   In closing our Report for this year, we regret to have to
state, * x   * that from the information which has reached
us, we are led to the conviction, that the Slave trade on this
coast has never been more vigorously carried on than at present,
or more successfully, notwithstanding the great zeal of Her
Majesty's squadron, demonstrated by the number of vessels
captured, and of slaves liberated."-Class J, 1848, p. 14.
The Commissioners at Loando, say, in their Report, dated
February 18, 1847:"The number of vessels engaged, or supposed to be engaged
in the Slave trade, which have been captured and destroyed by
[the] respective squadrons, as far as our information extends,
[during the year 1846,]" is sixty-one. "It has lately been
again said, that a steamer with a full cargo had escaped from
the neighbourhood of Cabinda. We have not the means*   3
at this moment, of ascertaining the truth of this statement; we
are, however, induced to give it greater credit than we otherwise should  l   *     *  *-  from the information which has
reached us, on undoubted authority, of the intention of the Brazilian speculators, to employ several steamers, conjointly, with
old and comparatively valueless vessels, to be used as decoys, by
engaging the attention of the cruizers, and drawing them off
in pursuit, with the hope of affording opportunity to the steamers
to run in during the chase, and ship the cargoes. One such
successful attempt, would more than compensate the loss of a
dozen worn out vessels, even should they all be sacrificed, and
none of them be able to ship slaves themselves." *  * 
"What effect such heavy losses as the Slave dealers have
suffered for two successive years may eventually produce, time




93
only can determine, but we have every reason to believe, that
they are relaxing nothing of their efforts to attain their object,
(of which the above intelligence may be evidenced as strongly
corroborative,) and that the barracoons all along the coast
are, to this day, as fully supplied with slaves as ever, waiting
only a favourable opportunity for embarkation, which,in defiance
of the vigilance of the cruizers is, we fear, too often accomplished."-Class.X, 1848, pages 154-5.
In another Report from the same Commissioners, dated
February 8th, 1848, they say: "In the course of last month
accounts reached us through a source from which it was difficult to withhold credit, of the shipment of a large number of
slaves from the coast, to the north of Ambriz."  After speaking of a barque which had got off with no less 1400 slaves,
they continue, "a still more startling circumstance however has
occurred at Ambriz itself, where, on the night of the 20th ult, a
large armed steam-ship embarked 1084 slaves, and sailed a few
hours before day-light, on the morning of the 21st. She was
subsequently met well out at sea, by an American trader, on
her passage from St. Helen to Ambriz, where, on the arrival
of the latter, the fact was celebrated with fire-works and every
kind of rejoicing."-Class A, 1849, p. 101.
Again they say: "' To your Lordship, the cause of this fresh
impulse to the traffic, and of the determination on the part of
those engaged in it, to persevere at all hazzards, and to spare
no expense even to the fitting out, as we see of large armed
steamers, will be more readily apparent than it can be to us, with
our very confined means of information, in this remote and isolated spot; but the fact is unquestionable, and each day's experience confirms it more and more."-lbid, p. 105.
From the Cape de Verds, where the suppression of the Slave
trade was impeded by the corrupt practices of the Portuguese
authorities, the Commissioners state that " these islands are again
becoming the resort of slavers," and mention four vessels seen
there suspected of being in the trade, one of them an American.
Respecting the state of the Slave trade on the east coast of Africa, Captain Ricketts says, in a despatch to Admiral Dacres, dated




94
Simons' Bay,.lpril 29th, 1847.
"'The Slave trade has recently increased on the east side of
this coast, and some of the speculations of that nature which
were carried on on the west coast of Africa, have been transferred to the, Mozambique Channel, principally to the Portuguese settlements. A large quantity of the vessels, almost all
of which go from Rio de Janeiro, escape without capture. Arrangements are made from Brazil, by a previous vessel, to have
the number of slaves required, ready at a certain part of the
coast at a fixed time, generally at the full and change of the
moon, allowance being made also for a long passage, so that
the period between arrival and the time fixed on may be passed
at an anchorage on the coast of Madagascar, in order to ensure,
by extreme punctuality at the appointed rendezvous, a rapid
embarkation of the negroes, thereby diminishing the risks of
capture by the cruizers."-Class X, 1848, p. 308.
The Commissioners at the Cape of Good Hope Report;
Cape Town, November 22d, 1847.
"We learn by this opportunity, that the Slave Trade continues in more than its former vigour, and that the exportations
have been very numerous, especially from Angozha."-Class A.
1848, page 131.
As it is well known, that efforts are made to prevent the
Commissioners from obtaining a full knowledge of the extent to
which the Slave trade is carried on, in the places where they
are respectively stationed, it is reasonable to conclude, that their
representations of its activity and extent fall below, rather than
exceed the reality.
The operation of the sugar laws of Great Britain, as we have
before observed, stimulated the trade to a lamentable extent.
The importation of foreign sugars into that country, for home
consumption, had risen from 77,372 cwts. in 1845, to 992,333
cwt. in 1847, and the demand was increasing. To supply the
market thus opened,Brazil and the Spanish colonies were striving
in earnest competition, and there appeared to be neither principle
nor correct feeling in the great body of the people there to restrain




95
them from exacting all that could be derived from slave labour.
Although we have seen that at the close of 1846, the markets
in Brazil were glutted with Africans, yet the system pursued
kept up the demand. New sugar grounds were opened, and
the calculation was deliberately made, how many hours out of
the twenty-four the slaves could be forced to work, and yet
live long enough to make their labour profitable to the owners.
The effect of this was, that during 1847, there were exported
from Africa, for the western markets, 84,000 of her natives, of
whom 21,000 were believed to have perished prior to the arrival
of the slavers at their destined ports; 60,000 were landed in
Brazil; 1,000 arrived in the Spanish colonies, and 3,967 were
captured by cruizers. This estimate, there can be little doubt,
falls short of the reality. Lord Howden, in his despatch to
Viscount Palmerston, dated Rio de Janeiro, 9th February, 1848,
says: "According to the best estimation I have been able to
make, above 60,000 Africans, have been imported as slaves into
Brazil during the year 1847. There is no doubt that this frightful number has been greatly occasioned by the concentration of
the English naval force in the waters of the Plate; at the same
time I learn, that never have the Slave dealers so-perfected all
the appurtenances and appliances of their vile trade as at present;
never have they so organized the whole range of shore signals
from St. Katharine's to Bahia, nor established such facilities for
landing their cargoes as now, and I am afraid I may add with
perfect truth, that never was the toleration, not to say co-operation of this government, more open than at the present moment.
It is a well known fact here, that a vessel belonging to this port
made five voyages to the coast during the last year, and landed
in safety all her cargoes; at a moderate computation this single
ship must have brought from 2000 to 3000 slaves.-Class B,
1849, p. 1.
Acting Consul Westwood, in his Annual Report, dated Rio,
February 17th, 1848, gives an analysis of the African trade
from that port in 1847, by which it appears, that of forty vessels
that sailed from there for Africa, fifteen were under the American
flag; and of twenty-seven that arr.ved frcm thence, eleven car



96
ried the American flag. After alluding to the great success of
the slavers, in landing full cargoes of slaves, he says, " this success
may be mainly attributed to the great assistance and protection
that Slave dealers have derived from the use of the American flag,
which has so aided them in organizing their plans on the coast
of Africa, as to facilitate in a great measure the embarkation of
slaves, and the departure of the vessels; and it is much to be
feared, that so long as the flag of the United States continues
so entirely subservient to all Slave trading purposes as it is at
present, the suppression of this nefarious traffic by British
cruizers, will be greatly retarded. The fact that the flag of
the United States affords in every way, the greatest protection
to the Slave trade, has lately been but too clearly proved, by
the numerous cases that have occurred of American vessels
being sold to well-known slave dealers, without changing
colours; and there are now in this harbour, two brigs, the
" Brazil" and " Don Juan," wearing American colours, while
they are well-known to belong to notorious Slave traders.
Besides these two vessels, the barque " Camilla," barque
"Ceres," and brigs " Malaga," "Whig," and " Joseph," have
lately been sold, and furnished by Mr. Parks, the American-Consul, with sea-letters for African voyages.-Class B, 1849, p.
143.
The Consul at Bahia in his Report, dated December 31st,
1847, observes:
"It appears from the Slave returns, which I have had the
honor to transmit to your Lordship,'that 3,500 slaves have been
landed in the vicinity of this city during the quarter ending this
day, being the largest importation that has taken place during a
like period for the last eight years. The enclosed statement
shows the number of slaves annually imported into this province
since the year 1840, from which it appears, that the Slave trade is
increasing in a great degree; which may be accounted for by
the great temptation now held out to individuals to embark in
this traffic, as small shares can be obtained in the companies
established here for that purpose.




97
" Vessels are frequently arriving from the Mediterranean and
the United States, which are bought by the above mentioned
companies, and sent to the coast of Africa, under the flag of
the nation to which they originally belonged, changing it to
that of Brazil, when in the act of receiving slaves on board. A
lamentable instance of this practice occurred lately, with the
American brig 6 George,' which sailed hence for Africa on the
29th of August last, returning hither on the 16th inst., under
Brazilian colours, and the name of' Tentativa,' landing a cargo
of 726 slaves in a miserable state of starvation; 111 poor creatures having perished on the passage, from deficiency of water
and provisions."-Class B, 1848, p. 289.
Statement of the number of slaves imported into the Province
of Bahia, during the years 1840 to 1847 inclusive:
1840     1,413 slaves         1844     6,501 slaves
1841     1,470  (             1845     5,582  6
1842     2,520  "             1846     7,354  "
1843     3,111  "             1847     10,064. —Ibid.
As the port of Bahia is withdrawn from the immediate notice
of the Emperor, it affords opportunity for the government
officers to give countenance to the Slave trade, and draw a
revenue therefrom, without so openly committing their superiors, as when done in the immediate presence of the court;
and the slavers knowing the terms to be fixed on which they
are permitted to land their cargoes, have adopted the plan of proceeding at once to that place.  A letter from Commander
Moorman, dated Bahia, April 25th, 1847, gives the following
information:
* ~   "' The port of Ilassum and the Island of Hassarica, [on
the coast of Brazil] afford every facility for the landing of African slaves, intended for the market of Bahia. A government
agent attends to levy the tax on those landed, and as an average
of upwards of 5000 slaves are landed annually, at a doubloon a
head, for healthy males, a considerable revenue must accrue.
Bahia seems a favourite starting point for all parts of the west7




98
ern coast of Africa. American bottoms start, generally speaking, for Ambriz and the coast of Benguela; the arrangements
there being such, that a vessel may ship her slaves in a couple
of hours, and changing her flag with a breeze, soon gets a good
offing. It is on record, that the barracoons at Ambriz, emptied
themselves of 8000 Africans in one week.
"The' Martin Van Buren,' American schooner, has just returned hence, entering this harbour in ballast. The Genoese
polacca, Silfido,' landed 1200 slaves from Benguela, about the
10th of March, and left this again for the coast, on the 15th of
April. Some idea may be formed of the immense profit arising, as it is said she carries slaves on freight at seventy-five
dollars a head." —Class A, 1848, p. 300.
From these documents it is apparent, that the importation of
Africans into the various ports of Brazil, had, in 1847, risen to
a most appalling height. How they fared, when landed there,
we have no accurate information; but, eager as their purchasers
were, to heap up wealth, by working their sugar grounds to the
utmost extent of their capacity, there is strong reason to fear
that the poor, unprotected, unpitied slaves, fared no better, if
not worse, than when the following picture was drawn by one
of the Consuls residing on the spot, a year or two before." Some of the abominations practised on the unfortunate slaves,
I have already recounted. * * I have stated, that the condition of the urbane slaves is superior to that of the pirvedial or rustic slave. I have declared the reason for this; I therefore now
repeat generally, that they are treated worse than beastsplunged into the profoundest depths of ignorance and degradation-their lives at the boasted disposal of their masters-overworked to such an incredible extent, that I am anxious, and
intend if possible, to collect some vital statistics which may
demonstrate to what point strength and life itself may be driven
before they emancipate themselves. It has lately come to my
knowledge, that many of these wretched creatures are worked
twenty-two hours out of the twenty-four, goaded to their tasks,
loaded with irons, diseases engendered. How is life supported?




99
Without sympathy, consideration, or common feeling, the very
bonds of nature severed. What rest, what nourishment, what
consolation is administered to sustain these onerous gesticulations?"
Another, subsequently referring to the above, says: "Not any
improvement has taken place either in the quantity or quality
of their food, nor any additional hours of relaxation granted. I
feel inclined to say, that these have been curtailed, the increased
demand for sugar in the European markets inducing the planters to work their mills night and day, that they may take advantage of the favoured opportunity. The slave is never thought
of, unremitting labour is demanded-a source to augment the
profits of his harsh master."
The same cause that increased the demand for slaves in Brazil, was acting with equal force in the Spanish colonies, but,
owing to the peculiar circumstances to which allusion has already been made, in our account of 1845, this demand was met
in the Island of Cuba, by the numbers thrown out of work on
the ruined coffee plantations. From the Commissioner's Report, dated Havana, January 1st, 1848, we take the following:
"During the last year (1847) the-price of sugar has been so
high, that the cultivation of cane in new lands has been carried
on to a very great extent, and the price of slave labour has
about doubled in value. Thus a great demand has arisen for
the purchase of slaves, which has been hitherto met, though
inadequately to the demand, from the gangs of the coffee estates
lately abandoned, after the two hurricanes and the other losses
experienced by the coffee planters.  From  this source it is
estimated that no fewer than 30,000 slaves have been transferred to the cultivation of sugar during the last three years;
and this would account from the hitherto little sensation occasioned by the cessation of the Slave trade.-Class A, 1848, p.
106. The value of the slaves tended to render them better
treated."
The great change for the better, that had taken place within
a few years, in the Cuban Slave trade, is illustrated in the following extract, from a communication of the Commissary Judge




100
to Viscount Palmerston, dated Havana, January 1st, 1848.
After speaking of the number of vessels arriving from Africa,
and departing from Cuba for the coast, engaged in the contraband Slave trade in 1837 and 1838, he says:
"     * *  We may assent, to the general belief then prevailing, that the then Slave trade of this place, [Havana] engaged the regular services of about 80 vessels. There appears
thus to have been an average of about 70 vessels per annum,
sailing hence for the coast of Africa, of which upwards of twothirds returned with cargoes, amounting to about a total of
15,000 slaves. This was to this place and neighbourhood alone,
and as this was the great central mart for slaves, we may calculate that those brought to the other parts of the island would
not exceed two-thirds of this number, or 10,000 per annum,
making a total of 25,000 per annum. I state these numbers as
the highest they have been rated at, believing they may have
reached that number in one or two years, though the general
average did not exceed 20,000 per annum."
Then, after alluding to the change that had taken place
among many of the white inhabitants, in relation to slavery, he
goes on    *                *    *         *    *    *
" Under this different state of feeling, instead of there being
70 vessels per annum sailing hence for the coast of Africa, by
the last Inclosure No. 1, your Lordship will perceive that there
were only three suspected of having sailed in the last year, of
which two were cleared out ostensibly for other places, and the
third we heard of only by general rumor, without being able to
learn any particulars; while in the preceding year 1846, we
were unable to discover that even one vessel had sailed, suspected of being intended for the Slave trade. On the other
hand, instead of 50 vessels arriving with slaves, as in 1837, in
the last year, [see Inclosure No. 2,] he could not hear of more
than three having arrived with slaves. All of these landed
their cargoes at great distances from this city, and from the
last a proportion of one-third was seized by the authorities of
the island."- Class A, 1848, p. 105.




101
That this cessation of the Slave trade did not arise from any
diminution in the amount of labour required in the cultivation
of the soil, is shown from the fact, that the high price of sugar
had led to the extensive opening of new lands for the growth of
the cane, and slaves were in great demand at such high prices,
that their owners were induced, from self interest, to treat them
with comparative lenity. During this year, "the exports of
sugar from this place [Havana] and Matanzas, amounted to the
enormous total of 1,006,767 boxes, having been in the year preceding, 810,463 boxes, of which about five are equal to a ton."
Ibid, p. 107.
Some slaves were imported in 1847 into Porto Rico, from
the Dutch West India colonies, and a few slavers were fitted
out from that island, but with what success is not known.
We have seen, by the Report of the Acting British Consul,
at Rio, that the disgraceful notoriety of the participation of
American citizens in the Slave trade, still continued, and we
find it thus alluded to by C. Hotham, Commander of the British
squadron, on the coast of Africa, in his Report, dated April 7th,
1847.
* * *    "6 The participation in the profits of the trade, by
neutral vessels, tends to increase their chance of success. The
money or goods to pay for the cargo, is invariably brought
over by a neutral; in some cases the interest in the transaction
ceases on delivery of the cargo; but unfortunately, where the
flag of the United States is concerned, it often happens that the
vessel changes hands on the coast, and the sale is concluded
when the Slave deck is laid. The best arrangements would be
frustrated by this scheme, and the day of the slaver's sailing,
rendered dependent on the temporary absence of the cruizer.
Under such circumstances, their lordships will not wonder that
the United States flag is seen every where. Their country
produces the articles most sought for by the African race;
rum, tobacco, coarse cloths, powder and arms, find a ready
sale, and in three of these the British trade is undersold. On
rounding Cape Lopez, the character of the Slave trade changes,
and the speculation on the part of the Brazilians, is founded on




102
the principle of employing vessels of little value, to be crowded
to excess with slaves. It is said that one arrival in four, pays
the adventurer; here it is therefore that this traffic assumes its
most horrid form; at this moment the' Penelope' has in tow a
slaver, of certainly not more than 60 tons, in which 312 human
beings were stowed; the excess of the imagination cannot depict
a scene more revolting. Vessels for this part of the coast, sail
out of Rio, and its adjacent ports."-Class., 1848, p. 298.
The matter was so glaring, that it again became a subject of
an official communication from D. Tod, who had succeeded H.
A. Wise as Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister Plenipotentiary
from the United States, at the Court of Brazil, and who, addressed the following despatch to James Buchanan, then Secretary of State:
" LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Rio de Janeiro, October 16, 1847.
"SIR: I am mortified to learn, by reference to their correspondence, that my predecessors have been compelled to report
to your department, frequent instances of the use of the flag of
our country, in the infamous traffic of carrying negroes from
the coast of Africa to this country. It has also been their painful duty, to announce the fact, of American citizens being engaged in this abominable trade. I deeply regret, that it is likewise incumbent upon me, to address my government upon the
subject.
"The infamous traffic is yet carried on to an extent, I am advised, almost incredible. Many discreet and intelligent men
have informed me, that not less than forty-five thousand negroes
have been imported into Brazil within the last year. The poor
creatures are not only separated from their homes and friends;
but, on their passage, and frequently after their arrival here,
are treated most brutally. More or less of every cargo are
murdered on the voyage, and the survivors are too often used
as mere beasts of burden.
"This traffic should, at all hazards, be put down; and when I




103
inform you, that by far the greater portion of it is carried on in
vessels built in the United States, and under the flag of our
country: I trust you will agree with me, that it becomes us to
act, and to act promptly. For myself, I will do so with hearty
good-will.
" Our Consul at this place, in the months of May and July
last, took sundry depositions, clearly establishing the fact, that
the American brig' Senator' proceeded to the coast of Africa,
in the month of December last, and brought to the coast of Brazil a large cargo of negroes. The depositions (an abstract of
which I enclose you, marked A.) represent a scene of cruelty
and horror indescribable. I was informed, that the monster
Miller, the mate, was yet in this city, and that he openly defied
the authority of our government to arrest him. In the hope
that I might be instrumental in procuring his apprehension, to
be sent home for trial and punishment, and thereby, as far as
practicable, wipe out the foul stigma he had brought upon our
country-as well as to keep this government advised that the
United States are determined, as far as in their power, to break
up this unholy traffic-I procured copies of the depositions, and
on the 12th instant addressed a note to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, a copy of which (marked B.) is enclosed.
" I deeply regret that I could not have demanded the surrender of the wretch Miller. This, however, in the absence of
treaty stipulations, I could not do. I will, however, continue
to solicit it until they hand him over to us.
" It will be difficult, if not impossible, wholly to rescue American vessels and the American flag from this trade. We build
better ships and at less cost in the United States, than are built
in any other part of the world. The Slave trader, therefore,
finds it to be his interest to use American vessels. But, above
all, the t" stars and stripes" give to vessels, throughout the
world, a protection that is afforded them by no other flag.
"Treaty stipulations with this government, binding it to lend
its aid for the suppression of the trade, and providing for the
surrender of the violators of our laws, are, perhaps, the only
means we can resort to for its arrest. Well-guarded provi



104
sions of this nature would, I apprehend, tend greatly to accomplish the desired end."
*              * +    *      *      *      *      *
" The use of American vessels in this traffic, would also be
materially checked by refusing sea-letters, except for the sole
purpose of returning home to obtain a register.
" These several measures adopted, and then rigidly enforced,
would tend greatly to arrest this guilty and inhuman traffic.
The subject is one of great moment to our government, and I
hope you will, without delay, give me your views upon it.
"I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,                              DAVID TOD."
" Hon. JAMES BUCHANAN,
Secretary of State.
" 31st Congress 2d Session Senate.-Extra Document Jbo. 6."
Accompanying this despatch, was a synopsis of depositions
taken before Gorham Parks, United States Consul at Rio, in
the 5th. and 7th months, 1847, from which it appears that the
brig " Senator" was of Boston, commanded by an American
captain, of the name of Kelly, and with an American crew.
She sailed for the coast, having some Portuguese or Brazilian
passengers. She touched at Ambriz, went up the Congo, thence
to Cabinda, landing part of cargo at each place, and finally
discharged the balance at Loango. The mate, John Miller,
and crew, having prepared the vessel, the slaves were immediately shipped on board, amounting, according to the statement
of one of the crew, about 914, and according to that of
another, 943. A Portuguese captain now took command;
and the American flag was hauled down. The slaves consisted of men, women, and children, who, one of the deponents
declared, were stowed away in the hold like cargo." The deck
and hold were both as full as they could be. Seventy-four died
the first night from suffocation. One of the crew stated, that
there was a great scarcity of water. They were twenty-two
days on the passage to Macahe, in which time 283 of the blacks,
according to one statement, and according to the statement of
another of the crew, 373 blacks and three white men died.




105
"The language of the American Minister in his address to the
Secretary of State, under the Brazilian Government, transmitting the depositions of the Americans on board the " Senator,"
is very strong, both as regards the heinous guilt of the acts perpetrated on board that barque, and the indignation of his government at the "outrage to her flag," and her determination to
wipe out the "foul stain" thus cast upon it. How he could
doubt that the authorities of [Brazil] countenanced the infamous
traffic, we cannot understand. He thus writes:"LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Rio de Janeiro, October 12, 1847.
"The undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, has the honour to enclose to his
Excellency Satunino de Sanga i Oliveira, Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the depositions to which he
referred in their interview of yesterday, and which were taken
before the United States Consul of this port, in the months of
May and July last.
"This proof establishes beyond question the fact, that the American barque'Senator,' under the flag of the United States,
sailed from this harbour in the month of December last, to the
coast of Africa, for a cargo of human beings; that she received
on board some nine hundred blacks; that after a short voyage
she returned and landed at Macahe, a Brazilian port, within one
hundred miles of the capital of the empire, over six hundred and
fifty souls; and that on the passage two hundred and forty-six
were cruelly murdered-not with the ordinary instruments of
death, which, under the circumstances, would have been a blessing to them, but by the awful and excruciating tortures of thirst
and suffocation.
"The perpetrators of this hellish deed still stalk abroad, whilst
the blood of the wretched victims, as well as the cry of those
who escaped death to enter bondage, is yet unavenged and
unanswered.
"One of the principal actors in this wholesale piracy-the
mate, Miller-is a citizen of the United States, as the undersign



106
ed has been informed. He is now in this city, and is represented to boast of his security. The laws of the United States
make ample provision for the punishment of those concerned in
this high-handed outrage, if the guilty actors were within their
jurisdiction; and it is a source of deep regret to the undersigned,
that in the absence of treaty stipulations upon the subject
between the respective governments, he is not authorized to
demand of Brazil, in behalf of the United States, that this man,
Miller, be surrendered for the purpose of being sent home for
trial and punishment. But although the undersigned has no
right to demand, he trusts that, in view of all the facts, a deaf
ear will not be turned to him when he solicits the imperial
government to cause Miller to be arrested and delivered on
board the United States ship'Ohio,' for the purpose already
mentioned.
" The foul stain resting upon both governments must be wiped
out. The undersigned well knows, that the United States will
neither forget nor forgive the outrage to her flag, and he sincerely hopes that a like spirit pervades the bosoms of all, participating in the administration of the affairs of the Brazilian empire.
He will not believe, until conviction is forced upon him, but that
his Majesty's government will go hand in hand with the United
States in the suppression of the Slave trade. Indeed, was the
undersigned satisfied that the authorities of this country countenanced the infamous traffic, he should forthwith recommend to
his government, an entire dissolution of all connexion with Brazil;
for the people of the United States, who are governors of that
happy and prosperous land, could neither seek nor accept the
friendship of a power that will, in any manner, abet the nefarious crime of stealing and forever enslaving their fellow-men.'"The undersigned indulges the hope, that his Majesty's government will embrace the occasion thus afforded to speak and act
upon this important subject; and he flatters himself that the
answer of his Excellency to this communication may be such as
will give him the proud satisfaction of saying to his government,
that Brazil will lend her powerful aid in breaking up forever
this abominable traffic.




107
" The undersigned repeats to his Excellency assurances of his
very high regard and consideration.      DAVID TOD."
A case very similar to that of the " Senator," was that of the
brig " Malaga," of New York, which, in the fifth month of 1847,
sailed from Rio, commanded by one Lovet, for Africa, where,
having made use of the American flag until she had shipped her
cargo of slaves, she sailed without claiming the protection of
any, and was shortly after captured by the " Ferret," Commander Sprigg, from whose report we obtain the following account.
After describing the chase of a vessel, he says:
" Slaves in masses were visible on her deck. I fired a musket
to reduce her sail. On hailing, I was informed she had 853
slaves, from Loango, three days out. I had been for many
years familiar with slave ships, yet the miserable state of this
vessel outdid all I had ever seen. It must have been the acme
of endurance to them, while we were chasing, for the crew of
the slaver had forced and confined all below, except the sick,
and about fifty or so, girls, for six hours. I was unable to get
at the horrid truths that night, owing to the late hour of capture,
which allowed me only to remove thirty-five prisoners and sixty
slaves. Next day I found, that with four thrown overboard
the previous evening, the deaths were twenty-eight, and as many
more almost dead, which I attributed to suffocation. Having
fortunately filled from the rains, near twenty tons of water, I
was enabled forthwith to remove 271 of the exhausted and
sickly cases, which, with the prisoners and our own crew, made
near 400 on board the'Ferret,' but this was greatly aggravated by the condition, not only of these slaves, but the prisoners,
twenty of whom were down with malignant fever, making our
decks a scene of loathsome suffering, and calling for our best
exertions to aid them. Death ended the cases of four prisoners,
and thirty-one slaves, during our passage to Sierra Leone, while
that of the slaver was eighty-eight. I cannot refrain from
mentioning an humble individual, in the person of a liberated
African boy, on board, in soothing the sufferings of the slaves
whose dialect was his own."




108
"The capture of this vessel affords an instance of what little
impediment the Slave Improvement Acts, oppose to an experienced Slave trader, such as the proprietor of this vessel, who is
the notorious Fonsea, of Rio de Janeiro."*  *  -  x 
" I would avoid an unnecessary mention of the misery that
existed, when captured, but as you are aware, that the hasty
conversion of vessels, from mercantile pursuits to slavers, always
inflicts a deplorable cruelty on the slaves, from the deficiencies
of ventilation, and the usual accommodation to feed them, so in
this case, the sordid avarice of this wealthy proprietor is to be
abhorred, for he embarked one-half on his own account, with
permission for the other factories to cram her to the extent of
853, charging 110 milreis each, that should reach Brazil. Had
the number been confined to 550, the space would then have
afforded room and a chance for life."-Class., 1848, p. 328-9.
It has always been a favorite object with the United States
Government, to encourage ship building, by its citizens, and as
one means thereof, a law was passed so early as 1792, authorizing Consuls of the United States at foreign ports, to grant the
" sea letters" alluded to in the despatch, from the Minister at
Brazil, under cover of which, a citizen of the United States purchasing a vessel from another citizen in a foreign port, had a
right to send her on a voyage, to whatever part of the world he
pleased, and to; claim for her the protection of the United States
flag, while so engaged. This was intended to secure the ready
transfer of ownership, from citizens building ships within the
limits of the United States, to their fellow citizens residing in
other countries. But it proved an effectual means for promoting
the nefarious schemes of the Slave trading community in Brazil,
whereby as we have seen, they were enabled to avail themselves
of American shipping, and the American flag, to carry on their
traffic in flesh and blood. The Consul of the United States at
Rio de Janeiro, seeing the manner in which the provisions of
this law were prostituted there, had for some time refused to
furnish these "sea letters" when applied for, unless he had
This vessel was brought over by an American Captain.
* This vessel was brought over by an American Captain.




109
reason to believe the applicant had no intention to engage in the
Slave trade. In consequence of this course, complaints of the
Consul were forwarded to his government at home, which issued
instructions to him, whereby the exercise of any discretionary
power was taken from him, and rendering it imperative on him
to grant " sea letters," whenever there was a transfer of a vessel
from one citizen of the United States to another. Under these
circumstances, the practice had generally obtained for captains
of slavers to be provided with two sets of papers, both of which
were genuine. Each vessel was claimed by two owners, a
Brazilian and an American; the latter was furnished with " sea
letters" by the United States Consul, while the former readily
procured from the corrupt officers of his own government, the
necessary clearances to entitle him to its protection. Thus furnished, the captain sailed under which ever flag would render
him the more protection, at the time being, and exhibited the
credentials duly certified, which would be more likely to secure
him from detention and interference.
In relation to the events occurring in 1847, demonstrating
the gradual advancement of the anti-slavery cause, we may
mention, that the king of Denmark, in conjunction with the
states of the kingdom, decreed the emancipation of all slaves in
his colonies in the West Indies; the decree states, that " moved
by sentiments of justice and humanity, and taking into consideration the welfare of our West India colonies, as well as the interest of the planters in those colonies; [We] ordain that the
arbitrary power, possessed by the master over the slaves, shall
entirely cease; but in order to protect the interests of all, and
that the necessary measures may be taken for preparing for
this change in the state of the slaves, the said change will not
be effected for the space of twelve years, reckoning from the
date of this proclamation. Nevertheless it is our will, that the
children who may be born to the slaves, after the date of this
decree, shall be free from their birth, but they shall remain with
their mothers or with their parents, on certain conditions to be
hereafter fixed."
Portugal gave further evidence, that the light of reason and




110
the feeling of justice and humanity were gradually overturning
the dark and cruel policy she had so long pursued, in regard to
slavery. A decree was issued by her ministry, which, after
reciting that'the Slave trade being already prohibited by law
and treaties in all the Portuguese possessions, and it being also in
accordance with the true spirit of justice and equity, in which
all good policy rests, that an end should be put to negro slavery
still tolerated and permitted in those possessions, appointed a
committee to make the necessary inquiry, and to prepare the
most efficacious and proper practical means of carrying into
effect, the emancipation of the slaves existing in the Portuguese
ultramarine territories."
The Belgian Government in 1847 acceded to the stipulation
of the treaty, signed at London, in 1841, for the suppression of
the Slave trade.
But it was not only among nations professing Christianity
that the progress of justice and humanity was evinced.
By order of the Sultan, the slave market, at Constantinople,
was abolished. Although, says the British minister, in announcing this circumstance, " this measure does not in any way
affect the question of slavery, as the sale of slaves will be continued in private, it is gratifying to observe that the Sultan and
the ministers will no longer permit a public exposure of them.
I hail it as a real progress in civilized feelings." Beside this,
the Sultan consented that the importation of Afiican slaves into
his ports, within the Persian Gulf, shall cease, and commissioned some of his vessels to cruize in that Gulf, to prevent the
traffic.-Class D, 1848, pages 5-6.
Six of the Sheiks, on the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf,
who had been in the habit of carrying on the trade, entered into
a treaty to prohibit the exportation of slaves from the coast of
Africa, so far as their power extended. —bid, p. 8.
Fourteen separate treaties were this year concluded, with
Native Chiefs of Africa, prohibiting the Slave trade within the
limits of their respective territories: many of them living in the
neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, some on the banks of rivers,




111
and some whose territories extend for many miles along the
coast.
1848.
In the year 1848, 31 vessels, captured whilst engaged in the
Slave trade, were tried and condemned at Sierra Leone. Of
these, 14 bore the Portuguese flag; one the British; one that
of the United States, and 15 had the flag of no nation on board.
Nearly all of these vessels were to obtain cargoes south of
Cape Palmas, and 14 were taken within six degrees south of
the equator. Thirteen of the vessels at the time of seizure, had
slaves on board, amounting in all to 5,619. Before they could
be carried to Sierra Leone, 337 of them had died. One of the
vessels, of but 167 tons burden, had on board, when captured,
852 slaves. The English officer, in command of the capturing
vessel, finding the poor creatures severely suffering from sickness, engendered by their crowded condition, had 300 of them
removed to another vessel. Notwithstanding this care, 127
died.-Class.A, 1849, p. 2, &c.
Sixty-five slave vessels, of which 64 were taken on the coast
of Africa, and one near Brazil, were sent this year to St.
Helena for adjudication. Of these, 11 had 2,802 slaves on
board at the time of capture, of which number 375 died before
reaching that island. Thirty-eight of the vessels were, when
captured, sailing under the Brazilian flag, and 27 were without
any national flag. Of those captured near the coast of Africa,
five when taken, were just north of the equator, and 59 within a
few degrees south of it.-Class A, 1849, St. Helena, 157-230.
In Cuba, in 1848, the Slave trade continued somewhat depressed, yet at the beginning of the year, greater activity was
displayed in sending vessels to Africa, than had been manifested
for some time. O'Donnell, the late Captain General, had really
no objection to the trade, yet his exhorbitant charges had discouraged the bringing in of slaves. The Slave dealers indulged
the hope that his successor, Conde de Alcoy, would be more
moderate towards them. Seven vessels were sent to Africa
the first four months in the year, and four during the last eight
months. The Slave traders were disappointed in the new Cap



112
tain General, who, although he might wink at the private landing of slaves, refused to receive any fees, or to throw the
shield of government participation and patronage around those
engaged in it. This was not the only cause of the small number of slaves landed in Cuba this year. The main reason was,
that the price of sugar had fallen, and the coffee plantations
still proved a failure in a mercantile point of view. Only 1500
slaves are reported as landed during the year.-Class., 1849,
under head Havana.
The Slave trade to Brazil, had evidently considerably increased. One hundred and forty-five vessels are reported as
having sailed for Africa, and 100 as having arrived from that
country. Of those bound to Africa, 56 left under the Brazilian
flag; 32 under that of the United States; 27 under that of Sardinia; 18 under that of France; 10 under that of Portugal,
and two under that of Spain. Of those reported as returned,
27 were under the flag of Brazil; 22 of that of the United
States; 22 under that of Sardinia; 15 under the French; nine
the Portuguese; two the Spanish; two the English, and one
that of Hamburg.-Class B, 1849, Brazil.
Some of the vessels bringing slaves, were very much
crowded. One of 80 tons landed 430 slaves, and one of 34
tons 230. A boat not exceeding 10 tons, which left the coast
of Africa with 50 captives, succeeded in landing 35 of them.
Of this vessel, the English Consul, at Bahia, thus writes:"It appears incredible, but it is nevertheless a fact, that a
ship's long boat, manned by three persons, and measuring 24
feet extreme length, seven feet breadth, and only three feet nine
inches depth, has arrived here from the coast of Africa, in which
50 miserable children had actually been stowed, and 35 conducted hither, fifteen having died on the passage.
"It is more than probable that every soul on board would
have perished for want of water and provisions, had they not
been relieved by a merchant vessel, when reduced to the last
extremity."-Class B, 1849, p. 79.
A large slave steamer, the "Providencia," made at four




113
successful voyages from Africa to Brazil this year, carrying
from the land of their birth at least 4500 negroes. The United
States Minister and the Consul, at Rio, both exerted themselves
against the Slave trade, to the utmost of their power, and discouraged what they could, the transfer of American vessels to
be employed in that cruel and unjust traffic. Two vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, were seized by a ship
of war of that government, and sent home for trial, on a charge
of having been engaged in the Slave trade.
Although the trade to Africa for negroes was evidently on
the increase, yet a more open opposition to slavery in general,
and to the Slave trade in particular, than had heretofore been
the case, was manifested by some of high station in Rio.
The English squadron, on the African coast, during the year
1848, captured 100 slave vessels, and liberated 7000 slaves
fpund in them. The loss of so many vessels rendered the trade
more of a lottery than it had hitherto been; and yet some were
so successful at it, that unprincipled men were still induced to
run the risk and engage in it. The whole number of slaves exported from Africa in 1848, was computed at 86,848, of which
60,000 were introduced into Brazil, 1,500 into the Spanish colonies, and 21,712 were supposed to have perished.
The English Consul, at Bahia, Edward Porter, thus writes
to Lord Palmerston of one vessel:
"I beg leave to call your Lordship's attention to the Brazilian
yacht,' Andorinha,' of 80 tons burden, which vessel has made
eight successful voyages to and from the coast of Africa, having actually landed 3,392 slaves at this port, receiving the usual
freight of 120 reis per head, amounting to ~40,704 sterling.
Her first cost, including every thing necessary for the voyage,
may have been about ~2000."-Class B, 1849, p. 116.
The French government this year, abolished slavery in her
African colonies.
Some slaves were still shipped from the Cape Verde Islands
to the Spanish Islands. A change for the better had taken
place in some of the old slave marts, between Cape Palmas and
the French settlement at Senegal. At Bissao the Slave trade
8




114
had been abolished, and the inhabitants, as we have before
stated, were turning their attention to raising ground nuts for
shipping. Rio Pongos was the only place north of Sierra
Leone, where slaves were collected for shipping, and in various places along this upper coast, agricultural pursuits were
coming extensively into favour and practice with the natives.
From Cape Roxo to Cape Palmos, a distance of 770 miles,
the Slave trade was still carried on in many places; and so it
was along the coast of the Bight of Benin, from Cape St. Paul
to the River Quorra, 375 miles. Of the coast, from Cape
Lopez to Little Fish Bay, 1050 miles, it was said this year, by
Captain Drinker, that there was s" not a foot of ground untrod
and unoccupied by the Slave dealers." It is true, that there
are points along that coast, from which slaves cannot be shipped, but they are driven from point to point, to suit the convenience of the purchasers.
During the year, the English government, through the agency
of some of their officers, entered into fourteen treaties with African kings or chiefs, for the suppression of the Slave trade among
their respective subjects. Some of these treaties were signed
by several chiefs.-Class J, 1849, pages 251-268.
The Slave trade, on the eastern coast of Africa, is reported
as having been very active, yet some considerable check was
given to it, by the firmness of the Governor of Mozambique,
and of Campos, the new Governor of Quillimane. The late
Governor of the latter place, had absconded, carrying off with
him to Brazil, 500 slaves.
The Slave trade, in the Imaum of Muscat's dominions, was
diminished; many slaves, however, were still carried into Arabia, from the opposite shores of the Red Sea, and from thence
into Persia, and further east.
Tripoli continued her trade in human beings, and the caravan paths across her arid deserts were still marked by dead
bodies of poor captives, who had perished in being driven to
her market.
1849.
As we are not in possession of authentic documents, from which
we could make out as full a statement of the extent and com



115
plexion of the Slave trade, during 1849 and 1850, as we have
given of the eight years preceding, we shall content ourselves
with the few details which we have been able to obtain; which,
however, filly established the sorrowful fact, that there has
been but little diminution in its extent during that time, and
none in the horrors that ever attend it.
All the Reports from the Commissioners at the different
stations on the coast of Africa, not having come to hand, we
cannot say at what points the export of its natives has been
carried on with the most determination and success; but if we
may judge from the few accounts which we have seen, furnished by some of the Commissioners, and by officers in the British
squadron, engaged in the suppression of the trade, there is
reason to believe that the abandonment of the traffic in one
point, is only the evidence of its having been opened at another;
and that all the efforts yet made to destroy it by force, have proved
insufficient, the lust of gold and the excitement of pursuing a
contraband trade, proving too powerful to be overcome by the
disgrace of detection, or the fear of punishment. This sentiment is expressed by the Commander of the British Naval
force. In his despatch, dated December 5th, 1848, after
alluding to the proposition for England and the United States
to declare the Slave trade piracy, and to authorize the officers
of ships capturing those engaged in it, to execute summary
punishment on them, he says: "there is no doubt it would tend
to check it, [the trade,] but England must be prepared to maintain her present force-it will bear no diminution. She must be
prepared to watch the coast of Africa, from Tangiers to the
northern boundary of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope
Arrangements will be made to provide slaves in other parts ot
Africa. She [England,] will obtain complete success for one
year, being the time required to enter upon the new system,
after that the ramifications of the Slave trade will have extended to quarters where legitimate commerce is at present flourishing; it cannot be considered otherwise than a question of pounds,
shillings and pence. As we augment the difficulties, so will the
price of the slave rise, and the profit increase, for men will




116
always be found willing to embark in any adventure offering
excitement and gain."-Class J, 1849, p.
In the Appendix to the Report, made to the House of Lords,
by its Committee, printed in 1850, are the following statements.
The Commissioner at Sierra Leone, in his Report for 1849,
says: "In obedience to your Lordship's instructions, I have the
honour herewith to transmit an official copy  g * of a return
of vessels captured on suspicion of being engaged in the Slave
trade, and which have been adjudicated in the Vice Admiralty
court of Sierra Leone, between the 30th of June and the 31st
of December, amounting to eleven, which with the eleven
adjudicated in the same court, during the previous half year,
give a total of twenty-two vessels, adjudicated in the Vice Admirality court of Sierra Leone, in the year 1849."*
s" Of these twenty-two vessels, * *  fifteen were captured
under the Brazilian flag, and seven without either flag or national
papers, and three under the Brazilian colours, had in the aggregate, 1814 slaves, when captured."  *  *'  "The above
named captures took place in the following localities; sixteen
were seized within 6~ north of the equator, four within 9~ south,
one in latitude 15~ 6' south, and longitude 11" 18' east, and one
in latitude 24~ 33 south, and longitude 45~ 45' west."
The Commissioners at the Cape of Good Hope observe:
"'We have the honour to Report to your Lordship, that to the
best of our belief, the Slave trade has been on the increase on
the east coast of Africa, during the year 1849. The Reports to
this affect, which we had the honour to lay before your Lordship, in our Despatch No. 15, of March the 30th last, and which
were corroborated by Captain Watson, have been still further
confirmed, by information recently received, though we have
not been able to procure particulars relative to the persons
engaged, or the number of cargoes actually despatchied." * *
"We regret that we are unable to give any thing like an accurate estimate of the number of slaves exported from the Mozambique, during the year past, and that we cannot state more pre* Appendix to Report of Leeds Census, page 157.




117
cisely to what extent the Slave trade in that quarter has been
carried on. *  * I   Our belief, however, as stated above, is
that the traffic has been very brisk."-Ibid, 164.
In reference to the activity of the Slave trade at Rio de
Janeiro, in 1849, the Consul says:
" The correct number of departures, from this harbour to
Africa, during the last year, cannot be ascertained, for many
vessels have cleared outwards with false destinations, while
others have fitted out and sailed from the various outports; and
where not only every convenience is provided for the outfit of
slave vessels, but also where barracoons, lighters, and large
drogas, and all other requisites for the quick disembarkation of
Africans, are known to exist. But the Brazilian return of arrivals, from the coast of Africa, is even more glaringly deceptive than that of the departures, for it is notorious to every person in authority, that all the vessels mentioned in the enclosed list, have brought slaves from thence, and that they
have been landed at some of the small harbours, to the northward and to the southward of Rio de Janeiro, being 69 vessels,
with about 40,980 slaves, besides 10 justly suspected of landing
about 5000 slaves, making a total of 45,980. Long as this list
of vessels is, it is more than probable that it does not still comprise the entire number, from the facility with which many can
elude observation, in these unfrequented places. At the close
of 1849, there were about 32 vessels, known to be on their
illegal voyages from this district to Africa, for slaves, and 18
lying in this harbour, also belonging to slave merchants, and
either recently returned from Africa, or fitting out for that
coast; besides which, there are many vessels employed in Slave
trade, between the outports and Africa, that rarely appear in
Rio harbour. So many deceptions are successfully practiced,
with the connivance of the Brazilian authorities, that it is not
possible to arrive at a satisfactory estimate, of the number of
vessels now engaged in the Slave trade, and owned by persons
resident here. For instance, it has been ascertained that the
seven following vessels, all proceeded from hence direct to




118
Africa, though they cleared outwards and under the American
flag, with which they arrived from the United States, as follows:-Last August, brig Rio de Taldo, for Rio Grande; bark
Hannibal, for the River Platte; brig Imogen, for the River
Platte; in September, brig Snow, for Pernambuco; October,
schooner brig Casco, for the United States, with a cargo of
slave provisions; schooner Rival, for Rio Grande; and without
any publication of clearance, brig Overman."-Ibid.-Rio de
Janeiro.
From these statements it will be perceived, that at the close
of 1849, the Slave dealers of Brazil had relaxed none in their
daring and determination, in carrying on their vile trade, and
that the Brazilian authorities, notwithstanding their repeated
professions of desire and intention to put a stop to it, were so
generally known to countenance and protect the traffic, that it
was hardly thought worth while to resort to any method, or
take any trouble, in order to disguise the extended schemes
organized for carrying it on. The information relative to the
trade in the ports of Bahia, Pernambuco, Para, &c., is too
scanty to show its extent and general bearing; but sufficient is
known to justify the assertion, that little or no diminution in it
had occurred since 1848, when there were about 10,000 slaves
landed in the first named port alone.
The whole number landed in Brazil, during the year 1849,
was upwards of 65,000; and, although a few of the citizens, in
view of the evils which will probably result from such a vast
annual accession of uncivilized human beings, to their already
overgrown servile population, were anxious to put a stop to it,
by executing the laws of their country against the commerce;
yet the power of the Slave dealers, and the cupidity of the
sugar growers, desirous of reaping the profits of the open market
in England, proved too much for them to contend against successfully; and arrangements continued to be made to bring
more of the virgin soil under cultivation, and to increase the
facilities for stocking the new plantations with slaves.
In the years 1846, 1847, and 1848, we have seen that the




119
Cuban Slave trade had so much decreased, that there appeared
strong reason to hope, it would in a little while longer, entirely
cease. This happy result seemed the more probable, from the
fact, that Spain had given some evidence of a sincere desire to
render her legislation against the trade effective, by enforcing
her laws, and also from the efforts occasionally made by the
Captain General of the Island, to throw obstacles in the way of
those who persisted in seeking a market there, for the unhappy
victims of their cruelty.
It is true, that the demand for labourers on the sugar plantations, created by the stimulus given to the growth of the cane,
by the Sugar Acts of Great Britain, had, for the three years
mentioned, been met by those slaves, who had formerly been
engaged in the cultivation of coffee, or in the manufacture of
segars, (which manufacture had greatly diminished) or by those
who had been employed by the Goverment, in working on the
railroads; but, still it was hoped, that a change had been gradually wrought in the feelings and convictions of the people at
large, and that that change was so inimical to the illicit traffic
in Africans, that it would not be revived to any great extent.
But by the following extracts, from official Reports given in the
Appendix, to which we have referred, it will be seen that those
hopes and expectations were doomed to disappointment:
"I regret to have to state, that the trade is certainly more
vigorously prosecuted than it has been for some years past. In
1848 I could only estimate the arrivals to have been, as I believed, five vessels, and the slaves brought, about 1500 in number. In 1849 it is, I fear, beyond all doubt, that at least twenty
vessels have arrived with cargoes, which, according to the
numbers reported of each, have brought 6,575 slaves. Adding
one-third to these numbers, for vessels that have come to distant parts of the island, information of which never reached us,
I calculate the probable amount of importation, to have been
8700 slaves. These I have to state, on trustworthy information, were sold, the best lots of adults at as much as twentyeight doubloons, or 496 dollars per head, say ~100 sterling;




120
the inferior ones at twenty-two doubloons, or 394 dollars per
head. Women and children at less, according to their respective values. Of children, there has been a large proportion
brought, which appears to me a proof of the low state of the
market, on the coast of Africa, as the dealers would not have
brought them, if they could have obtained others on the coast,
of a better quality." —Jppendix.-Havana.
We have repeatedly had accounts published in this country,
of the war carrying on in the Province of Yucatan, between
the whites, and the Indians natives there; and at the close of
the Mexican war, a small part of the American army volunteered to serve there, in the employ of the state authority. Of
one of the abominable circumstances connected with this war,
we obtain the following information from the above official
communication,
"In addition to the 8,700 slaves, estimated above, I think
should be enumerated 330 Indians, from Yucatan, by the steam
ship'Cetro,' which is registered as the property of Don Antonio Juan Parego, the person now considered most extensively
engaged in Slave trading in this place. These Indians were
sold by the Yucatan government to him, at twenty-five dollars
per head, being prisoners taken in the miserable war going on
in that country, and in which the American volunteers, who
entered that service, and for the most part left in disgust, declared that the atrocities committed on the Indians, exceeded
those of which the latter could be accused. At any rate, the
prisoners were sold, and brought here in chains, and are now
worked in gangs, exactly like other slaves, subject to the same
treatment. It is true, that there was a form of contract drawn
out for hire, but this hypocritical proceeding was intended, I
believe, more to meet foreign objections than their own scruples." The total number of persons then brought into slavery,
may be stated in round numbers, to be 9000 for the year
1849.
Besides the large number of slaves introduced into Cuba,




121
direct from Africa, there were several cargoes imported from
Brazil, the Report of the Consul noticing the arrival of three, if
not four cargoes during the year. Notwithstanding the accession made to the slave population, during the year 1849, there
was a diminution in the production of the island, compared with
that of 1848, there being but 850,348 boxes of sugar exported,
instead of 1,000,341, the export of 1848.
Of the continued participation of American citizens in the
Slave trade, we give the following testimony, by the American
Minister at Brazil, who says, in a despatch, dated
"LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Rio de Janeiro, January 11, 1849.
"The traffic in slaves, from the coast of Africa, yet curses
this country, and I fear it will continue for years to come. I
regret to say, that our flag is still to some extent disgraced in
this infamous trade. Our Consul, Gorham Parks, Esq., as well
as the officers of our squadron, I am happy to say, have done,
and continue to do all in their power to rescue the national ensign; but so long as our vessels are permitted to clear from
the ports of Brazil, for the coast of Africa,for any purpose
whatever, no regulation can entirely check the evil. I would
therefore recommend, that all trade in American vessels between the ports of Brazil and those of Africa, be prohibited by
law. The legal trade between the two countries is inconsiderable; the loss, therefore, to our carriers, would be trifling.
"I also recommend, that our laws, providing for the issue of
sea-letters, to vessels sold abroad, be so amended as to entitle
the purchaser to a sea-letter, only to navigate his ship to the
United States. This would at all times give to our government, the security afforded by the bond executed by the owners upon obtaining their register, and to this extent serve to
prevent a violation of our navigation laws."-Ex. Doc. JXo. 6.
There is not a great deal to be recorded, relative to govern.
mental acts, for the advancement of the cause of freedom during this year; but we may remark, that the proposal to abolish




122
slavery in their colonial dependencies, having been repeatedly made by Great Britain to Portugal, that government, in
1849, submitted to the Chamber of Peers, the project of a law
for the gradual abolition of slavery in all her colonies, by which
it was proposed, that all slaves entering the Portuguese territories, ports, or ships, except in certain specified cases, shall be
free; and all slaves belonging to, or who shall hereafter belong to
the state, shall be at once set free; and then provides for the
emancipation of all slaves at the end of twelve years. From
the manner in which this proposal for a law was received by the
Cortez, and urged by the Minister, it was evident that a strong
disposition prevailed to carry it into effect. The subject was
referred to the Committee on Colonial Affairs, which reported
favourably, recommending the enacting of the proposed law,
and there is reason to believe it will ere long be effected. The
number of slaves in the Portuguese African, and Asiatic possessions, is computed at about 40,000.
The decree of the National Assembly of France, by which
all persons born within, or residing within the limits of the republic, are declared free, was fully carried out' in 1849, and
measures were adopted for meeting the circumstances, resulting from the emancipation of so large a number, who now took
the rank of citizens, so that their rights should be secured, and
they be represented in the National Assembly.
1850.
We shall confine our Exposition of the Slave trade of 1850,
principally to what is obtained through the official communications made to our own government, and published by direction
of the Senate, during its last session. We may, however,
first give the substance of the Reports received from the British
Commissioner at Havana, up to the latter part of the 3rd month
of 1850. In the first, he says, " I regret to have to state that
there are rumours of three cargoes of slaves having been brought
to this island, and of three vessels having been despatched for
the Slave trade, since those I was able to refer to in my previous despatches."  Again, in the 2nd month, "I understand
that several thousands, as many as 8000, slaves have been landed




123
lately on the south side of the island, principally in the neighbourhood of Santiago de Cuba." * "  " I fear that another
report is true, that the Spanish government has granted the
Slave traders permission to introduce 40,000 slaves into the
island, and that the Captain General has been instructed to
connive at the introduction, allowing him to take the payment
of three doubloons, or about ~10 per head for so doing. It is
said that this is with the consent of the British government also;
which I only repeat to show how openly the trade is carried
on, because people think it could not be so without British permission also.  A large number of Bozals, are offered about
now in the markets, and a respectable American settler has
had the warranty given him, that a lot of twenty-five he was
buying, should have permits from the Captain General, to be
taken wherever they might be wanted, without hindrance
or loss."-.Appendix to Lord's Report, 1850,
We now proceed to give the following extracts, from the
papers published by direction of the Senate, just alluded to.
JMr. Tod to Mr. Clayton.
" LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Rio de Janeiro, January 8, 1850.
SIR: "Fifty thousand Africans are annually imported into
Brazil, and sold as slaves for life. I believe one-half of this
number are introduced through the facilities directly and indirectly afforded by the American flag. This belief is founded
upon my familiarity with the subject, growing out of a close
attention to it since my arrivalin Rio de Janeiro. The declaration is a humiliating one, and nothing but a desire to awaken
action on the part of the legislative power of our country could
induce me thus to make it. As my predecessors had already
done, I have from time to time called the attention of our government to the necessity of enacting a stringent law, having in
view the entire withdrawal of our vessels and citizens from
this illegal commerce; and after so much has been already
written upon the subject, it may be deemed a work of superero



124
gation to discuss it further. The interests at stake, however,
are of so high a character, the integrity of our flag and the cause
of humanity being at once involved in their consideration, I
cannot refrain from bringing the topic afresh to the notice of
my government, in the hope that the President may esteem it of
sufficient importance to be laid before Congress, and that, even
at this late day, legislative action may be secured."
The following extracts from despatches of my immediate
predecessors, will satisfy you that I do not exaggerate the
responsibility which attaches to us as a nation, in connexion
with this trade.
Mr. Proffit, in his No. 9, of 27th of February, 1844, wrote to
Mr. Upshur:
"I regret to say this, but it is a fact not to be disguised or
denied, that the Slave trade is almost entirely carried on under
our flag, in American-built vessels, sold to Slave traders here,
chartered for the coast of Africa, and there sold, or sold here,
to be delivered on the coast. And, indeed, the scandalous traffic
could not be carried to any extent, were it not for the use made
of our flag, and by the facilities given by the chartering of
American vessels to carry to the coast of Africa the outfit for
the trade, and the materials for purchasing slaves." In the
same despatch, Mr. Proffit intimated that such was the participation of American citizens, under the American flag, in the
Slave trade between Brazil and Africa, a United States Minister
could not consistently join in a remonstrance to this government, as provided for in the treaty of Washington-assigning
as a reason, that " he who remonstrates on such a subject should
do it at least with hands untarnished by the vile trade."
Mr. Wise, in his despatch No. 12, of February 15, 1845, said
to Mr. Calhoun:
" It is not to be denied, and I boldly assert it, that the administration of the Imperial government of Brazil is forcibly constrained by its influences, and is deeply inculpated in its guilt.
With that, it would at first sight seem, the United States have
nothing to do; but an intimate and full knowledge of the subject
informs us, that the only effectual mode of carrying on that trade




125
between Africa and Brazil, at present, involves our laws and
our moral responsibilities as directly and fully as it does those of
this country itself. Our flag alone gives the requisite protection
against the right of visit, search, and seizure; and our citizens,
in all the characters of owners, consignees of agents, and of
masters and crews of our vessels, are concerned in the business,
and partake of the profits of the African Slave trade, to and
from the ports of Brazil, as fully as the Brazilians themselves,
and others in conjunction with whom they carry it on. In fact,
without the aid of our own citizens and our flag, it could not be
carried on with success at all."
"Since the despatches were written from which the foregoing extracts have been made, no material change has taken
place in the mode of conducting the Slave trade. There has
been no diminution in the number of Africans imported; and
the participation of American citizens in this business at the
opening of the year 1850, is believed to be at least as unblushing as at any former period. The important fact is thus established, that our squadrons have failed to rescue the United States
flag from the inhuman traffic, and that our existing laws upon
the subject have proved signally inefficient.
( It has been asserted at various times, that the Imperial
government was about to resort to strong measures, for the destruction of this commerce. Some months ago, reports of this
character were more than usually prevalent; but, if any new
steps have been taken to arrest the trade, they have proved
entirely nugatory.
"A respectable journal of this city, the' Corneio Mercantile,'
of the 17th ultimo, in referring to the Slave trade, and to the
reported determination of the government to suppress it, held
the following language:
"Singular circumstances! At the very time it is said the
government is seriously engaged in suppressing the Slave trade,
the slave dealers are boldest and most ostentatious, and the
landing of slaves is the most frequent and nearest to the principal ports of the coast. Official morality is marvellously advancing."




126
"If the Brazilian statutes upon the subject were faithfully
enforced, the Slave trade could not continue. Unfortunately,
however, those clothed with their administration and execution,
with some honourable exceptions, connive at the traffic, and
silently acquiesce in the violation of the laws they are sworn to
uphold.
"Whilst the head of the government and many of the most
enlightened statesmen of the empire, are believed to consider the
Slave trade as inimical to the true interests of their country, a
greater number profess to be honestly of the opinion that the welfare of Brazil demands the continuance of the trade; and, after
defending the traffic on the ground of necessity, many proceed
to contend that the condition of the African is meliorated when
he becomes a Brazilian Slave. However repugnant to the principles of sound political economy and of enlightened humanity
these doctrines may be, they are very generally entertained by
the people of Brazil. When to these impressions is added the
tremendous power of the prince, wielded by those who reap the
immediate profits of the traffic, it may be inferred that the few
who labour for its suppression have very embarrassing obstacles
to contend with.
" In this unequal struggle between humanity and patriotism
on the one hand, and cupidity and imaginary self-interest on the
other, the influence of the United States flag is scarcely felt,
except in support of the Slave dealer-the seizures made by
American men-of-war, weighing as nothing in the scale with
the facilities which our colours afford in the transportation to
Africa of slave goods, slave crews, and slave vessels.
" It is not my intention to point out the various modes in which
our flag is used to advance the nefarious traffic. The government is already in possession of full information upon the subject. Despatches from this legation, and from the American
Consulate in this city, give the particulars in detail and with
accuracy.
"In my despatch No. 11, written more than two years since,
I suggested certain measures for the suppression of the trade,
and at the same time requested your predecessor's views upon




127
the subject, which I failed to receive. Much reflection and
close observation, however, have convinced me that there is but
one way to rescue our flag from this disgraceful business. With
my despatch No. 28, I forwarded a copy of a circular, addressed
to the United States Consuls in Brazil, soliciting information
which, if obtained, I hoped would'induce the President to recommend the abolition of all trade in American vessels, between the
ports of Brazil and the coast of Africa.' To that circular, however, I received but partial and unsatisfactory replies. From
the Consuls at Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, the two ports of Brazil
from which the great majority of Slave vessels take their departure, I received no answers whatever. The late Consul in
this city, informed me verbally, that the proceedings of the
Slave dealers were such, as to baffle every attempt to trace
their operations, and that it would be impossible to reply to my
circular in a reliable or satisfactory manner; referring me to
the fact, with which I was already familiar, that vessels bound
for the coast of Africa, very frequently clear for islands in the
South Atlantic and Indian oceans, for ports in Brazil, and also
for the United States-fraud, perjury, and forgery going hand
in hand with the commerce in African slaves.
" In the absence, however, of the information I had hoped to
obtain, I hesitate not to recommend" 1st. That all trade in vessels of the United States between
the ports of Brazil and those of Africa be prohibited by law.
";2d. That it be declared criminal to sell any American vessel on the coast of Africa, unless when condemned as unseaworthy, after survey made according to law.
"3d. That it be declared criminal to sell, anywhere, an
American vessel deliverable on the coast of Africa.
"The foregoing provisions, introduced into a statute in a
manner not to be evaded, and their observance enforced by a
squadron of light-class vessels on this and on the coast of Africa,
could not fail to purify our flag from the pollution of the Slave
trade. So long as the amicable relations which now exist shall
continue between the two countries, large class vessels are of
no service here, unless intended as floating palaces for commo



128
dores. We require vessels of light draught-particularly steamers; and none others, in time,of peace, are of the slightest
practicable utility upon this coast. Several small vessels may
be supported at an expense equal to that required to keep in
service a single frigate. The energy and prowess of the American people have placed our country's name high among the
great nations of the earth, and it is no longer necessary to send
large ships abroad merely to satisfy the world of our wealth and
our power.
" It may be said, in general terms, that the entire trade carried
on in American vessels between Brazil and Africa, is directly
or indirectly connected with the Slave traffic. No one charters
a United States vessel for Africa, and no person purchases one
deliverable there, except the Slave dealer. I repeat it, the
whole commerce carried on in American vessels between the
two countries, is stained with the blood of the African, and is a
reproach upon our national reputation.
" By referring to Mr. Wise's letter to Messrs. Maxwell,
Wright, & Co., which accompanied his despatch of December
14, 1844, it will be seen that my immediate predecessor entertained the same views upon this point which I have just expressed. *  * *   *
( I believe that in no other manner than that which I have
recommended, can our government cut itself loose from the
responsibility which now attaches to it in connection with this
subject. The mode suggested makes no attack upon honest and
legitimate commerce; nor does it encroach.upon the wide field
of enterprise open to the sea-faring man, who spurns to earn
gold at the price of blood and the honour of his country.
"The preservation of the integrity of our flag, is an object
too sacred to be placed in the scale with dollars and cents. If
it be not so, let all enactments upon the subject of the foreign
Slave trade, be wiped from the statute-book. If it be an improper restriction upon commerce to prohibit our vessels from
participating in a trade, all of which directly or indirectly facilitates the traffic in slaves, let the door be thrown wide open, and
the protection afforded by the American flag will give to our




129
citizens an undisputed monopoly in this most humane and honourable commerce in flesh and blood.
4( Citizens of the United States are constantly in this capital,
whose only occupation is the buying of American vessels with
which to supply the Slave importers. These men obtain sealetters which entitle them to continue in use the United States
flag; and it is this privilege which enables them to sell their
vessels to the Slave traders, deliverable on the coast of Africa,
at double, and sometimes more than double the price for which
they were purchased on the preceding day. The vessels take
over slave goods and slave crews, under the protection of our
flag, and remain nominally American property, until a favourable opportunity occurs for receiving a cargo of slaves; and it is
not unfrequently the case that our flag covers the slaver until
the Africans are landed upon the coast of Brazil.
" The granting of sea-letters to American purchasers in this
country is one prolific source of the abuse of our flag. But under
our laws and the instructions from the State Department, Consuls are obliged to grant them, when the applicants establish
that they are the bonafide purchasers, that they are citizens of
the United States, and that they do not usually reside abroad.
No little of my time here has been devoted to the consideration
of these applications. I have attended in person at the Consulate, and have cross-examined witnesses, and the applicants
themselves; and with the exception of two or three cases, in
which the usual residence abroad of the purchasers was known
to the Consul and myself, the parties have never failed to swear
in such manner as to entitle them to sea-letters under existing
laws and instructions. It is a melancholy fact that, no matter
what proofs may be exacted, the slave power will manufacture
them to order. With the Slave dealers and their abettors, oaths
are as the idle wind, and testimony is a fair purchasable commodity. So long as the American flag is suffered to cover vessels
trading between Brazil and Africa, all restrictions may be considered absolutely nugatory and futile. American ingenuity,
backed by the money of the Slave importer, will triumph over
9




130
all the guards and checks, which the wisdom of Congress can
throw around the trade between this and the opposite coast.
" Many of our vessels have been seized and sent to the United
States for trial, on a charge of participating in the Slave traffic;
but how seldom, except when slaves have been absolutely found
on board, has a condemnation taken place. Forfeitures scarcely
furnish exceptions to the general rule. Having its inception
in a distant land, the crime remains unpunished, because a conviction is in a great measure dependent upon a chain of circumstantial evidence, and an intimate familiarity with the mode of
conducting the trade, which are alone attainable upon the spot
where the offence originated.
"' Apart from the odium which the participation of our flag and
our citizens in the trade brings upon our country, it not unfrequently happens that private parties in the United States become
sufferers. The case of the barque'Herald,' lately communicated to the Department of State, is an instance in point. Masters
and mates of vessels are sometimes seduced into a betrayal of
the interests of their employers, and become pirates, in the hope
of suddenly accumulating fortunes. Might not a repetition of
outrages, similar to those which mark the case of the' Herald,'
seriously endanger the peace of the countries?
"Only a few days since, the French Charge d'affaires near
this court informed me, that he was instructed by his government to ascertain our laws upon the subject of the Slave trade;
and he at the same time submitted in writing the following
questions:'What powers do the laws of the United States
confer upon their agents upon the subject of the Slave trade?
Have they the power to prevent the transport to Africa in
American vessels of merchandise destined for the traffic? Have
they power of placing an embargo upon vessels suspected of
sailing for slaves?'
" I refer to the request of Mr. St. George, in this place, only
to show that other governments are becoming aroused to the
necessity of adopting new measures to rid themselves from all
connexion with this trade.
" The painful solicitude I experience upon this subject is my




131
apology for having thus long trespassed upon your valuable
time. I could not have said less, consistently with my sense of
duty to my country and to the cause of humanity. I could not
see our proud banner converted into a shield for Slave robbers,
and the sacred principle of its inviolability basely prostituted in
the prosecution of this traffic, without once more invoking the
prompt and energetic action of my government in the premises.
"Nearly half a century has elapsed since the Congress of the
United States prohibited the introduction of Africans as slaves
into our country.
" The wisdom and the justice of that measure are acknowledged by all classes of our citizens, regardless of their locality.
The North and the South, the East and the West, would rise as
one man, to crush any attempt to open our ports to the importation of African slaves. And does it not become us, then, as a
just nation, to prohibit our citizens from directly or indirectly
assisting to burden another people with what we would consider
a dire curse? Shall we suffer the influence of our flag to remain
arrayed in opposition to the Brazilian patriots and philanthropists, who are struggling against great odds, for the suppression
of the trade?  Or shall we not rather, by one summary act,
secure ourselves from the taint of this horrible business, that we
may be enabled consistently, and with a moral power, which
would be irresistible, to call upon the government of Brazil to
rise in its might and crush the monster, at all hazards, and at
any cost.
" I shall not speak of the horrors of the Slave trade, of the
misery, of the wars, of the murders it occasions; neither shall
I lift the veil which conceals the hellish torments of the middle
passage-tortures, compared with which the most cruel death
known to the law would be hailed as mercy's boon. But I do
appeal to my government, as it regards the obligation devolving
upon it to preserve the American escutcheon unsullied, and the
duty it owes to a neighbouring nation, to cut us loose from all
participation in this most accursed traffic; and I again repeat my




132
conviction, that this end can only be accomplished by the adoption of the measures I have recommended.
" Hundreds of thousands of American bosoms would be bared
to resent an insult offered to our flag by a foreign foe; and shall
we hesitate to rescue that same glorious banner from the foul
pollution of the Slaver's touch, when it may be done by merely
lbpping off a trade comparatively contemptible in extent, bloodstained in character, and in which none but outlaws and the
abandoned may be presumed to participate?
" I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,                              DAVID TOD."
"Hon. JOHN M. CLAYTON,
"Secretary of State, Washington, D. C."
Further information upon the subject, is given in the communication from G. Parks, who had for many years been Consul
at Rio, and was intimately acquainted with the schemes of the
Slave dealers.
The Minister, in his despatch to the Secretary of State, dated
March 18th, 1850, says:
" On the 24th of December, I addressed a note (a copy of
which is herewith, marked A) to Gorham  Parks, Esq., late
United States Consul in this city, requesting him to give me the
result of his observations relative to the character of the commerce carried on in American vessels, between Africa and Bra
zil. It was my wish to transmit Mr. Parks's reply with my
No. 50, upon the subject of the Slave trade, but it was not received until after that despatch had been forwarded to your
department.
"I have now the honour to enclose Mr. Parks's note, (marked
B,) and respectfully direct your attention to the facts it embraces. The general intelligence of Mr. Parks, and the facilities he enjoyed for becoming familiar with the subject he discusses, entitle his suggestions to deliberate consideration.
*      *      *      *       *      *      *




133
"I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,                               DAVID TOD."
"Hon. JOHN M. CLAYTON, Wc.,, 4c., Wc.,'c."
Rio DE JANEIRO,
January 29, 1850.
"SIR: I regret that circumstances have prevented me from
answering your letters of July 24, and December 24, last past
until now. The pressure of business, during the months of
August and September, upon me, at the Consulate, prevented
me from collecting the information desired by you; and my
absence from the city since my removal from office, has, until
the present moment, debarred me from access to the papers
necessary to enable me to reply to you in a satisfactory manner.
" The number of American vessels which, since the 1st of
July, 1844, until the 1st of October last, (when I left the Consulate,) sailed for the coast of Africa from this city, is ninetythree, as will appear from the annexed paper, marked A. Of
these vessels, all except five have been sold or delivered on the
coast of Africa, and have been engaged in bringing over slaves,
and many of them have been captured with the slaves on board.
The value of the cargoes it is impossible to ascertain, as the
amount of property on which duties are paid at the Custom
House, by no means indicates the true amount carried over.
They were all of them loaded with goods with which to purchase slaves, and with provisions and water for their support
on their passage over.
4( The number of American vessels, which have entered from
the coast, during the same period, has been fifty-one, as by annexed paper marked B. The value of imports from Africa,
excepting slaves, nothing. There is no trade between either
the west or east coast of Africa and Brazil, excepting what is
connected directly or indirectly with the Slave trade. The
English cruizers form the principal impediment to the prosecution of this traffic; and as our government does not permit
vessels carrying our flag to be searched, our vessels are pre



134
ferred to most if not all others, by the Slave traders, as offering
perfect protection for the traffic from their dreaded enemy.
" The first step in the prosecution of this traffic, is to transport to the coast, in safety, the goods with which the slaves are
to be purchased. For this purpose, an American vessel is
either chartered or bought. If the first, the vessel, having deposited the goods at the several slave factories and posts on the
coast, returns to Rio in ballast, when the charter money is paid,
and the affair is ended. If, however, the American vessel is
purchased, the Slave dealer (if other than a citizen of the United
States) finds some American citizen in whom he is willing to
confide, and employs him to buy the vessel. He does so, applies to the American Consul for a sea-letter, passes the necessary examination, and obtains the sea-letter. The Slave dealer
then makes a kind of stereotyped contract with this nominal
owner, by which, in consideration of so much money per
month, the said vessel shall carry to any port or ports in Africa, such goods as the charterer may choose to put on board,
(if not contraband,) and deliver them to the person to whom
they are consigned. Connected with this is a letter of instructions from the nominal owner to his captain, (if he be not master himself) directing him, provided A B, who he understands
may want a vessel, should offer him the sum of -- dollars, to
sell him the vessel and take drafts on C D at Rio for the amount.
In case A B, who is the agent on the coast of C D, the owner
at Rio, has a cargo of slaves ready to be shipped, then he wants
the vessel, purchases it for the amount specified, and perhaps
goes through the form of drawing bills on the owner here. All
this transaction is gone through with for the purpose of being
able to show that all is straight, if they are questioned by any
public functionary of the United States, either at home or
abroad. This pretended sale takes place at the moment when
the slaves are ready to be shipped-the American captain and
his crew going on shore as the slaves are coming off, while
the Portuguese or Brazilian passengers who were carried out
from Rio in her, all at once become the master and crew of
the vessel. Those of the American crew who do not die of




135
coast fever get back as they can, many of them being compelled to come over in slave vessels in order to get back at all.
There is evidence on the records of the Consulate, of slaves having started two or three times from the shore, and the master
and crew from their vessel, in their boat, carrying with them
the flag and ship's papers, when the parties becoming frightened, both parties retroceded, the slaves were returned to the
shore, and the American master and crew again went on board
the vessel, the stars and the stripes were again hoisted over
her and kept flying until the cause of alarm (an English cruiser) had departed from the coast, and the embarkation safely
effected.
" I know of another case where an American captain took
on board slaves and landed them three times, and was finally
compelled to come away in ballast. Both the captain and the
vessel have been in Rio since. The vessel was under American colours at the time.
"You can have no desire to have me narrate to you at
length, the manner in which the Slave trade is carried on, or to
descant on its horrors; both are well known to you: and
should the government of the United States wish for any further information on the subject, by directing the Consul at this
port to send home copies of all the depositions and other papers
bearing on the subject which are recorded in his archives, a
mass of information would be obtained, which would cause
many a blush for shame and glow of indignation, at the degradation to which our flag is subjected in this Slave traffic, and
the aid it affords to it.
"In the list marked A are included not only those vessels
which cleared openly for the coast, but also those which cleared
for small ports in Brazil, at times when some small American
vessel was in harbour which could be ordered by the commodore to pursue and capture her, and afterwards slunk into some
by-port, where they knew they were not likely to be followed,
and there received their cargo, even to the slave-decks, and
then proceeded to sea.  So, also, it includes those like the
Laurens, lately condemned at New York, which cleared osten



136
sibly, I believe, for Batavia; and two whalers-the whalers
Fame and the Herald-both of which vessels, having been
cleared as for whaling voyages, were afterwards, in accordance with secret arrangements perfected in this city, converted
into slavers when they got to sea, and were, as I understand,
total losses to their owners or insurers. As the flag ship never
cruises on such occasions, her presence in the harbour excites
but little alarm. In justice to myself, perhaps, I ought to add
that I have made it a rule to inform the commanding officer of
our naval forces in the harbour, of the intended sailing of every
vessel I believed about being engaged in the Slave trade, and
the grounds of my belief. I have good reason to think that
many of the captures made have been in consequence of such
information.
" The whole number of slaves imported into the province of
Rio de Janeiro, which comprises this Consulate, is estimated by
Mr. Hesketh, H. B. M. Consul, (who has better opportunities
for information than any American Consul can have,) for the
years 1846, 1847, 1848, and 1849, to have been about one hundred and seventy-three thousand five hundred. In this estimate
of Mr. Hesketh I fully concur, considering it rather below than
above the mark. I have no means of information as to the
whole number imported into Brazil. *  *  *`
" Soon after I arrived here, I was applied to to grant sealetters. I perceived at once, what has since been too painfully
verified, the great aid it would give to the slave traffic, and
after consultation with Mr. Wise, then United States Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at this court, I
declined to grant sea-letters for any other voyage than to the
United States, where, upon the arrival of the purchased vessel,
her owner would be obliged to procure a register in the usual
manner. Mr. Wise sent me a very able and luminous argument sustaining me in the views I took of this subject, which I
forwarded to the State Department. A.n answer was returned,
informing me that it was my duty to grant sea-letters. Since
that instruction was known, I have granted nineteen sea-letters
to vessels, seventeen of which (those named in the accompany



137
ing paper marked C) are known to have gone to the coast of
Africa, one went to California, and the other cleared for the
river Plate, but where she went to I never knew. I have never
granted a sea-letter, except with the approbation of your predecessor or yourself. Of the number of applications rejected I
have never kept an account. Every applicant was required to
bring himself most clearly within the purview of the law. How
severe and critical have been the examinations, you well know.
As you inform me that you intend to communicate my letter to
the Department of State, I annex copies of two of the examinations for perusal. Beyond them, there will be little in my letter that I have not in substance said to the Department of State
years ago.
"Furthermore, as there is no trade in American vessels between Brazil and the coast of Africa, but what is directly or
indirectly connected with the Slave trade, all commerce between Brazil and Africa in our vessels should be prohibited.
Should any one deny the assertion, that there is no trade in
American vessels between this country and the coast, except
what is connected with the Slave trade, I refer him to the evidence furnished in the cases of the Laurens and Independence.
Were these suggestions adopted, you must be well aware, that
not only the whole Slave trade in our vessels between Africa
and Brazil would be entirely broken up, but the Slave trade
itself, in any vessels, would receive a severe and salutary check;
and no people would rejoice more at such a consummation, than
a large proportion of the ablest and wisest men this country
affords. The deep affection which is felt here for the people of
the United States would be increased; our commercial and
friendly relations would be drawn still nearer together; our
national character would be elevated more than it could be,
were we to line this whole coast with line-of-battle-ships and
frigates; much good and no evil would be done.
" In concluding this communication, allow me, sir, to tender
you my thanks for the aid you have ever so readily afforded in
the execution of my multifarious and laborious duties as Con



138
sul, and the unwavering kindness you have ever extended to
me as a man.
i" With great respect, I am your excellency's most obedient
servant,                  GORHAM PARKS,
Late United States Consul at Rio de Janeiro."
"To His Excellency DAVID TOD,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States at the Court of Brazil."
Notwithstanding the clear manner in which these communications portrayed to the government at home, the great and
indispensable support the Slave trade receives from its citizens
abroad, yet it would appear, from the following despatch, that
the subject attracted very little attention from those in authority,
until they were again, as they had been repeatedly before,
called on by the representative of a foreign power, to take
some step to arrest the enormous evil, and rescue our country
from the odium justly resting upon it.
-" Ir. Tod to JIr. Clayton.
" LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Rio de Janeiro, June 20, 1850.
"SIR: Your despatch No. 24, with the enclosures, is just at
hand.
" I am gratified to hear from your department (as I now do
for the first time since my residence at this court) in relation to
the abominable traffic in slaves carried on under the flag of our
country from the coast of Africa to the ports of this empire.
I regret deeply, however, that the interference of a foreign
government should have caused your communication, or that
you should have thought it necessary to have given me instructions, after what I have written to your department, to exert
myself'to repress the illegal traffic.'
"You wrong, deeply wrong, the authorities of our government here, in crediting the assertion of the British Charge d'affaires, Mr. Hudson, that we'had of late (November 13, 1849)




139
relaxed our rigorous measures in the suppression of the Slave
trade in American vessels.'
" To acquit myself of the foul charge, may I not with triumph refer you to my several despatches, Nos. 11, 12, 17, 23,
28, 34, 45, 49, 50, at length, and 53? Justice to Mr. Parks,
the former United States Consul, and to Mr. Kent, the present
Consul, requires that I should, so far as they are concerned,
also repel the charge. They simply have the power and duty
to grant clearances to registered vessels, and to issue sea-letters
to American vessels that may be transferred to American citizens at this place. These vessels may by law clear for any
port in the world, or they may clear for one port and then go
to another.
" When the applicant demands either a clearance or sealetter, if he is entitled to it, the Consul is bound to give it to
him, and has no power to inquire what trade he designs putting
his vessel into.
" Many of the vessels of our nation that engage in this trade
change owners here; hence the applications for sea-letters are
numerous. In no single instance did Mr. Parks grant a sealetter without first consulting with me. Mr. Kent, I believe,
has, in one or two instances, when the cases admitted of no
doubt whatever, done so. They have both held the applicants
to the most rigid proof of their right to demand the sea-letter,
and unless this was furnished, it has been withheld.  They
have been faithful and vigilant in the discharge of all the duties
of their office. They should not, then, for a moment, rest under
this charge, preferred against us all by Mr. Hudson.
" It is true that the government of the United States have not
been as vigilant for the past few months in the suppression of
the slave traffic in American vessels, as they had been for some
time prior to the 9th of June, 1849, (the date of Mr. Hudson's
letter of praise;) but the fault is not with officers of our government here.
4( I have frequently urged the absolute necessity of keeping
at this place vessels of war of suitable size, for the purpose of
searching upon the high seas such vessels as one might suspect




140
were engaged in the trade. The United States brig'Perry'
was sent to this station for that purpose, and while here did
most efficient service.
" Most unfortunately, however, for some cause unknown to
us, she was ordered home. Since her departure, which was
in the early part of June, 1849, we have not had any vessel of
war in this port at all suitable to the purpose. True, the frigate' Brandywine' has been in port part of the time; but she might
just as well have been at home as here, for long before she
could be got under way, the suspected vessel would have made
her escape.
<" We have not the right to visit or search our vessels in the
waters of Brazil; and without the means to follow the slaver
to sea, how are we to repress the traffic? It will afford me
pleasure to continue to use every means in my power to rescue
our flag from this accursed traffic; but, without the aid from
Congress, and from the Navy Department which I have heretofore recommended, the Slave traders, as Mr. Hudson says,'will continue to be worried by applications from Americans to
hire their vessels.' With this aid, however, the vigilance of the
authorities here would worry them to find an American vessel
that will dare to engage in their infamous business. Until this
aid is given us, however, the foul stigma must rest upon our
nation. I have heretofore communicated my views so fully
upon this subject to your department, that, solicitous as I feel
upon the subject, I find it difficult to say anything more. Pernlit me, however, to call your attention again to my despatch
No. 50. This was written with the hope that the subject, if not
the communication itself, would be deemed of sufficient importance to be laid before Congress.
"Be that as it may, however, since the charge has been
made against me by Her Britannic Majesty's representative,
that I have been less vigilant than I should be in rescuing the
beloved flag of my country from the hands of those who are
worse than murderers, I feel that it is due to myself that my
several despatches relating to this subject be communicated to
Congress for publication, and I request the President to cause
this to be done.




141
I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,                               DAVID TOD."
"Hon. JOHN M. CLAYTON,
Secretary of State, Washington City, D. C."
We have already so multiplied evidences of the method pursued, in order to render the American flag subservient to the
interests of the Slave traders, that it would seem hardly worth
while to adduce more; but some of the cases narrated in the
official reports of officers of the navy of the United States, employed on the African station, published by Congress, are so
much to the point, that we are disposed to give a few extracts,
though with the danger of being prolix.
The first is from Commander L. M. Powell, addressed to
"Commodore Francis H. Gregory, commanding United States
naval forces.
" U. S. SHIP JOHN ADAMS,
Mt sea, off Jmbriz,.pril, 1850.
"COMMODORE: I forward for your information, the accompanying correspondence with the commanders of her Britannic
Majesty's cruizers named therein, touching the capture of several vessels claiming to be American, but: said to have been
seized under Brazilian Colours, as Brazilian property, by the
officers of the British cruizers, after the American flag had been
struck:; and also the complaints of some of the captured parties,
together with those of two masters of American merchant vessels, the only two I have fallen in with on the south-west coast
of A-frica.,"That our flag is used and abused for the purpose of sheltering the African Slave trader, both here and on the coast of
Brazil,, is a shameful truth-by Brazilians, and other foreigners,
to.evade the British cruizers; and by our own people, to cover
foreigners and their property from search and capture, when
the latter were destined for the Slave trade. But this, though
unlawful before an American tribunal, gives no right to a




142
foreign officer to visit, search, and seize an American vessel;
nor has this been the plea for seizure, but quoted to strengthen
the alleged cause, to wit:' false American papers'-to sustain
which allegation, not a title of evidence other than assertion
has been adduced.
"L. M. POWELL, Commander.
"Commodore FRANCIS H. GREGORY,
Commanding U. S. naval forces,
Coast of Africa."
The American Commodore having requested from the Commanders of some of the:British cruizers, information relative to
American vessels, captured by them, the following cases are
given.
"6 HER MAJESTY'S STEAM-SLOOP ( RATTLER,'
At sea, February 22, 1850.
"SIR: I have the honour to inform you, that on the 20th
instant, her Majesty's sloop of war' Rattler,' captured a brig
called the'Lucy Ann,' with five hundred and forty-seven slaves
on board.
"' The facts connected with this capture are instructive, and
will tend to show the difficulties which beset an officer in the
discharge of an onerous duty on this coast; and I therefore beg
to submit the following:
"On the evening of the 18th instant, I personally boarded
this vessel, for the first time, off Ambrizette, and examined her
papers, to ascertain her nationality. They appeared to me in
order, and sufficient to justify her sailing under the flag of the
United States. They had also previously been examined by
several experienced officers, without a defect having been
detected. The visit, sir, was performed with the respect due to
the honourable flag she had assumed, and in strict compliance
with the instructions-the brig not even having been hove-to on
my going on board or quitting her. Her movements, however,
having excited my suspicion, at night-fall, I placed her Majesty's
sloop in a position to see her,' should she sail with slaves; and




143
on the morning of the 20th, the same brig hove in sight, standing to the westward, having a moderate breeze, and under all
sail. As she continued her course, and no effort to escape
being made, I was enabled to board her at 9h. 30m. A. M., and
was shown the papers I had previously examined, without observing any alteration. She was at this time under the United
States flag. Her decks were perfectly clean, and her hatchways
carefully-I may add almost hermetically-closed, and a boomboat over all. When about to leave, a low, indistinct murmur,
wrung from the accumulating sufferings of her human cargo,
became audible, and steam, forced from the pressure below,
visible. I' mutely' directed the ostensible captain's attention to
this, when he instantly declared the papers to be false-that he
was not the master-ordered the mate to haul the American
ensign down, and hoist her proper colours, Brazilian, under
which flag the hatches were removed, and a most revolting
spectacle exhibited. More than five hundred slaves of both
sexes had been thrust below, impressed with the idea, that if they
betrayed themselves by the slightest noise, their lives would be
immediately sacrificed: they therefore preserved the strictest
silence until the powers of endurance became exhausted.
"I endeavoured to secure the papers, which were confessedly
false, but found an opportunity had been taken to throw them'
overboard-a circumstance I much regret.
" Many of the crew were evidently citizens of the United
States-which, however, they denied; and in the absence of
any proof of their nationality. I was reluctantly induced to allow
them to land with the Brazilian crew. Their anxiety to avoid
being recognised as Americans is a clear proof of the sincerity
of that government; for they looked with dread upon the sure
and certain punishment that would have awaited them.
"I believe, sir, I am not singular in my opinion, when I state
that at least one-half of the successful part of the Slave trade is
carried on under the American flag-but certainly not under its
protection. I have had the opportunity of meeting American
cruizers in the Bights of Benin and Biafra, and can bear testimony to the vigilance with which their officers watch over their




144
flag, in order to prevent its being violated by adventurers who
may think proper to hoist it, without any legal right, for the
impunity it affords them; but the number of American cruisers
on the station is so small, in proportion to the immense extent
of the Slave-dealing coast, that it is to be feared, unless that
squadron is increased, or more extended powers granted to the
Commanders of Her Majesty's cruizers in ascertaining (in these
waters) the true nationality of a vessel hoisting the flag of a
nation not a party to the slave treaties, the generous sacrifices of
our country may be lost, and the hopes of the African philanthropist never be realized.
6" I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
"ARTHUR CUMMING, Commander.
(' Commodore ARTHUR FANSHAWE, C. B.,
Commander-in-chief, -c."
" CYCLOPS," LOANDO, December 2, 1849.
"SIR: I have the honour to bring to your notice the following
particulars, with reference to the boarding of the American brigantine' Casco,' by a boat of her Majesty's steamship under my
command, at daylight on the 27th ultimo, while steaming to the
southward. Between Ambriz and Mazula a sail was observed
close under the land, and on coming up with the vessel she
showed American colours. I sent Lieutenant Branch to board
her. The master produced a paper called a sea-letter, from the
Consul of the United States at Rio de Janeiro, (Mr. Gorham
Parks,) granting that vessel protection whilst trading in Africa,
and stating that the'Casco' had been disposed of by one
American citizen to another, in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro,
after a survey-the cargo stated to be general, and bound to
Ambriz. I felt doubtful as to the American's honesty; but being
in want of coal, I proceeded towards Loando, and on my way
fortunately fell in with, some time afterwards, her Majesty's
steam vessel'Pluto,' and directed her commander to proceed
to watch the movements of the' Casco.'
"The next morning the' Pluto' discovered the above-named




145
vessel at anchor, in the act of shipping a cargo of slaves. She
immediately slipped, and the'Pluto,' after a short chase captured
her, having on board 420 slaves, without papers. I have not
yet received my official report from Lieutenant Jolliffe, but will
transmit it to you the moment received.
" I regret to say, the American flag has been made use of on
many occasions, since I have been employed on this division of
the station, for the purpose of affording protection to the vessels
engaged in the Slave trade, so as to permit arrangements to be
made by agents of thd parties for the purchase of cargoes of
slaves; and whenever a good opportunity is observed, such as
the absence of a British cruiser, the shipment is effected, the
colours hauled down, and the papers destroyed or secreted, perhaps to be again used on another occasion.
No American vessel of war has been seen on this part of
the coast for many months; and if this system of making use of
or purchasing American nationality is continued, in my opinion,
no efforts on the part of the cruisers will have any avail in putting a stop to the traffic in slaves.
"I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
G. F. HASTINGS, Captain."
" To ARTHUR FANSHAWE, C. B.,
Commodore and Commander-in-chief, west coast of.frica."
" CYCLOPS, LOANDO, January, 1850.' While at anchor in Ambriz roads, awaiting the arrival of her
Majesty's steam vessel'Pluto,' two sails were observed in the
offing, which, the weather clearing, were made out to be the'Pluto,' and a barque, under American colours. Lieutenant
Jolliffe boarded the barque, and considered the papers produced
by her master very unsatisfactory, but as the vessel was bound
to Ambriz, he thought it right to bring the matter under my
notice. On the barque anchoring I visited her, and demanded
to see her papers. The master produced the register in which
it was stated, she was bound to California, and he asserted she
had been sold in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, having put in
there in distress, to a Mr. Frank Smith, a resident of that
10




146
place, but an American citizen, being a native of Philadelphia.
The master produced no document mentioning the transfer and
sale of the vessel, sea-letter, nor indeed any authority for wearing the colours under which she was at the time. I informed him that I doubted his nationality-more particularly as
out of the crew on deck, there was only one other American
person, the rest being foreigners, and in consequence, would
search the vessel. On opening the hatches she was found to be
fully fitted for the Slave trade, with fourteen Brazilians on the
Slave deck, in addition to the foreigners already mentioned,
and two Brazilians on deck as passengers. I then acquainted
the master with my intention to detain the vessel, and that I
would deliberate respecting her disposal, and returned on board
the ( Cyclops.' Some two hours afterwards, one of the Brazilian passengers, who now affirmed himself to be the real captain
came on board and acquainted me, that, feeling it useless to
evade capture, he had destroyed the false American colours
and papers, and substituted the Brazilian flag, I therefore was
at liberty to seize his vessel, and in consequence, took possession
of the Brazilian barque'Pilot,' of 300 tons, fully equipped for
the Slave trade, and I sent her to St. Helena in charge of Lieutenant Dew.
"I found the barque' Pilot' at that time an American, was disposed of as before stated, some months since, to Mr. F. Smith,
of Rio de Janeiro, who, I hear, is the same individual who was
mentioned in the sea-letter, produced by the brigantine'Casco,'
which vessel came over to the coast of Africa under nearly the
same circumstances as the barque. If Mr. Smith is enabled to
purchase American vessels, procure protection from the United
States Consul, he (Mr. Smith) being, as I am informed, in the
pay of the Slave merchants at Rio de Janeiro, and thus procure
for Brazilian property the fraudulent use of the American flag,
with impunity, the performance of our duty in suppressing the
Slave trade will be increased in difficulties, it being in many
cases scarcely possible to discern between the true and false
American.
" The person (Mr. J. Myers,) who represented himself, on my




147
boarding the' Pilot,' as the American master, has since informed me that he held the same position on board the alleged American barque'Quincy,' (whom you, sir, may remember being on
the south coast in June and July last;) that she was at the time
boarded by the'Centaur,' and the cruisers (bona fide Brazilian property,) had all the requisite fitments for slaves, and in
charge of a Brazilian master, who appeared as passenger; that
the Quincy shipped 650 slaves the same night that she was
boarded by some of the boats of our cruisers, and that before
this shipment took place they had at Ambriz embarked their
full cargo of slaves;, but, the smoke of a steamer appearing in
the offing, (which vessel afterwards proved to be the'Centaur,')
the whole of the slaves were relanded in less than one hour,
having employed upwards of thirty-five boats for this service;
and that, on being boarded by the' Centaur's' boat, the American master and papers were again produced.
I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient humble servant,
JOHN TUDOR, Commander."
Captain FOOTE,
United States sloop-of-war Perry."
HER MAJESTY'S STEAMER FIREFLY."
Loando, March 21, 1850.
" SIR: I beg to forward you the information you requested,
relative to vessels that have been boarded by the Firefly,' or
her boats, upon her station off the' Congo,' under the American flag. All of these vessels have taken slaves from some part
of the coast or other, and, with the exception of the'Lucy
Ann,' taken' by her Majesty's ship'Rattler,' with five hundred
and upwards on board, have escaped, although each of them
has been boarded by most of the cruisers on the station previous
to shipping, but not having the right of search, upon overhauling their papers, and to the best of our judgment not being able to
detect any inaccuracies in such papers, our duty with the American flag ended. These are vessels that have been boarded by
myself or boats; but the senior officer of the division (the Hon.




148
Captain Hastings) can give you a list of many more, all of
which would have been good prizes to any American man-ofwar, or officer having the right of search, for we are well
assured that all of them came over to this coast fully fitted and
equipped for the Slave trade.
JOHN TUDOR, Commander."
"To Captain FOOTE,
United States sloop-of-war Perry."
With these extracts we close our notice of the trade in 1850.
Of the number of slaves exported from Africa during that year,
we have no correct information, but there is ample reason to
believe, that it did not fall short of the number which was carried into slavery in the year preceding. The concurrent testimony which we have adduced of the ministers and officers of
our own government, and of those of the government of Great
Britain, establish beyond a doubt, the extensive, iniquitous and
disgraceful participation of American citizens in this abominable
traffic, and we apprehend there are comparatively few among
us who are aware to what a vast extent this trade continues to
be carried on, and the indescribable misery it is yearly inflicting upon the helpless and harmless inhabitants of the vast continent of Africa. The brief sketch which we have given of some
of its main features, may serve to impart some correct knowledge
upon the subject, and we trust will arouse a determination to
put an effectual check to the further prosecution of a commerce
so directly at variance with the laws of our country, and which
is subjecting it to so much obloquy and reproach.
During ten of the eleven years which we have been glancing
over, that is, up to the termination of 1849, according to the
official information on which we have relied, and which we are
well assured, falls short of the true numbers, there have been
carried away from the coast of Africa for the western markets,
684,786 human beings, of whom 374,800 were landed in Brazil,
and 42,277 in the Spanish colonies, while 158,696 are supposed
to have perished in the transatlantic voyage. If the calculation made by T. F. Buxton, to which we have previously refer



149
red, is correct, that for every individual carried off, there is a
life sacrificed before embarkation, we have the fearful fact
presented to us, that within that short period considerably
more than a million and a quarter of our fellow creatures,
who though lacking the light of civilization, and the outward knowledge of the Christian religion, are equally with
ourselves, the objects of our Heavenly Father's regard, have
been either destroyed or consigned to hopeless bondage and
misery, in order to satisfy the cravings of that thirst for gold,
which debases the principles, and benumbs the feelings, of so
large a portion of the professors of Christianity. How completely all the nobler feelings of humanity are eradicated from
the hearts of those who pursue this illicit employment, may be
clearly seen from many of the facts that we have already narrated; but these facts may be supposed to be isolated cases,
which do not fairly represent the legitimate features of the African Slave trade. We shall therefore close our exhibit of this
part of the subject, by the testimony of one who had himself
been long actively engaged in the business, and to whom the
various phases it presents had become familiar and apparently
matters of indifference. We allude to Jose E. Cliffe, M. D., a
native of the United States, but a naturalized subject of Brazil,
from whose evidence, given before the Select Committee of the
House of Commons in Great Britain, we extract the following:
Q. " I wish to ask you some questions relative to the sufferings of the slaves on board the slave ships, and in the barracoons.
Is there much suffering generally in the barracoons on the coast
of Africa, while the slaves are in the state of detention?
A. Not in the ordinary course of business. At present, from
what I know, I believe that at times there is a great deal of suffering. We will say for example, that there are 500 slaves waiting
for a vessel; a cruizer is in the neighbourhood, and the vessel
cannot come in, it is very difficult to get, on the coast of Africa,
sufficient food to support them, and they are kept on the smallest possible ration on which human life can subsist, waiting for
an opportunity of putting them on board the vessel or vessels.
Therefore there is a great deal of suffering now in the barracoons that did not formerly exist.  *       * 




150
Q. Do the slaves in consequence of insufficiency of accommodations and other causes, perish in large numbers on board
the vessels?
A. Occasionally they do-in many cases they do.
Q. Generally speaking is there a large mortality?
A. There is.
Q. Is the suffering of such slaves as escape death very great?.. Exceedingly so, almost beyond the powers of description.
I have seen them when brought ashore, when life has been reduced to the lowest possible ebb, when they have been simply
alive; nothing more than that could be stated of them; there
was a complete wasting of the whole animal system, and a mere
mass of bones, but still alive.
Q. To what causes is that attributable?.. To a long passage; to a want of sufficiency of food, and
to the confinement and foul air.
Q. Is the heat of the hold very great?
A. Yes, I should think fiom 120 to 130 degrees, taking the
Fahrenheit thermometer, and perhaps more. *  *  *
Q. What they suffer from really, is the fetid state of the
atmosphere?
A. The fetid state of the atmosphere, and not having a sufficiency of food and water.
Q. Although the Africans would not suffer from that high
degree of temperature, would it not promote a great desire for
drink?
A. Of course it would, under these circumstances. Accustomed as they are from their earliest period of life to drink
water, and that in very large quantities, their sufferings from
want of water are more dreadful than they would be with the
Anglo-Saxon race, who are accustomed to drink very little
water, and require very little; but in the tropics they require a
large quantity of water, and are accustomed to drink plenty,
and of course the sufferings of people like these, are infinitely, if
it is possible so to say, more severe in consequence of it.
Q. What quantity of water do you suppose that an African
would require for his sustenance per day?




151.. A boy of ten or twelve years of age would drink more
than a gallon.
Q. What quantity do they usually get?
A. It is horrid almost to say; the quantity is very small. I
have known from hearsay, within the last two years, that a
tea-cup full given once in three days, will support life for twenty
or thirty days.
Q. Even in that temperature?
A. Yes; but the loss of life must be great on these occasions.
Q. Is the agony occasioned by the desire for water very
great?
S.. Indescribable. There are no words that I can make use of,
that will describe the sufferings in the tropics from want of
water; it is ten times more horrible than the want of food. A
man may suffer from the want of food four or five days and
think nothing of it, but the sufferings from want of water for
two days, in the tropics, are almost beyond endurance.  *  *
Q. Beside the sufferings occasioned by the want of water;
occasional want of food, and the fetid atmosphere in which the
slaves are placed, do they suffer from other causes, such as close
confinement and bruises, from the manner in which they are
confined on board the slaver?
A. All these causes do act upon them, but I believe that there
is nothing which they suffer so greatly from as the want of
water. I think that that swallows up the whole of the other
small causes.
Q. The slaver I suppose, is in a very dirty condition?
A. It must be, because the slaves are jammed in, as I observed before. They are packed in upon their sides, laid in, heads
among legs and arms, so that it is very difficult frequently, until
they become very much emaciated so as to leave room, for
them to get up alone, without the whole section moving together.
Q. Are they permitted to get up?
A. Small boys would be. Small boys are never confined,
but the way in which they are put in now, is, that they are
generally jammed in in such masses, even allowing that there
was elevation sufficient for them to rise up, they could not rise




152
without the whole section rising. They make two or three
slave-decks in a vessel, which has perhaps, six feet between her
deck and her beams above. There would be three tiers of
slaves stowed away.
Q. In six feet?
A. Yes; sixteen to eighteen inches would stow them in; then
the timber, or whatever you term it, of which it is built, would
occupy the rest of the space; so that you would have three
tiers of them in a common deck, therefore there is not room for
a very small boy to sit. They are put like books upon a shelf,
consequently there is plenty of room for them to lie flat, but not
enough for them to elevate.
Q. Do they lie upon their backs?
A. No; all upon their sides.
Q. Can they turn from side to side?
A. By the whole section turning, not otherwise, until they
have become a good deal emaciated, and some have died out,
that of course makes room for the remainder.
Q. Are they so placed for the convenience of stowage?
A. Yes; for the possibility of stowing large numbers.
Q. By what means is the food supplied to them in that way?
A. By a man going down amongst them, passing down a
calabash with a quantity of rice or beans, or whatever description of food may be, and passing it round, a little portion to
each one.
Q. The slaves are brought on deck to feed there?
A. In a vessel where it was well conducted, the old plan used
to be, to bring them on deck by sections and let them feed and
wash themselves, and do what was necessary, and then take
them below again; but now when they are so jammed up, it is
impossible to do so; in addition to which, the want of water is
so great, that if they were to see water alongside, a great number of them no doubt would jump overboard without considering that it was salt water, therefore they are fed between decks
as much as possible; a few who are suffering more than the
others are occasionally brought on deck, but the object is to
keep asmany below as possible. *  * * * *




153
Q. The slaves being packed in those large numbers and exposed to a long voyage, after a considerable detention, are
liable to suffer from disease?
A. Yes. There are cases in which the mortality is much the
greatest; where they have been detained for some length of
time in the barracoons, not having had an opportunity to be
shipped; those are the cases in which the mortality is the
greater, because their systems have been worn down previously
to their being put on board the vessel.
Q. Did you ever know an instance of a vessel losing one-half
of her cargo?
A. Yes, a good deal more than that. There was an instance
in which out of 160 which was but half a cargo, only 10 escaped, and those 10 were sold for 300 milreas, about ~37. I
know that personally to be a fact. * * *  * *
Q. There is one cause to which you have not called attention, and that is the nature of the decks. I believe that it has
been the practice to pack the slaves away frequently upon the
casks, has it not, without the intervention of a slave deck?
A. Yes, that is very frequently done, but as the African is
not accustomed to sleep in a feather bed, from sleeping on a
hard cask no injury arises.
Q. Do they not suffer from bruises, from being jammed together between the casks?
A. When they are first put on board they do bruise; but
afterwards they become so emaciated and are so very light,
that the bruising is very trifling then. * * * * * *
Q. When the food is supplied to them, is it possible for the
person who supplies it to get among them, between the rows of
them, or is it handed from one row to another?
A. If I were to speak the truth it would be this: the vessels
are so excessively offensive, that it is perhaps the greatest punishment to which you can put any person on board. There is
some half-witted person whom they generally have almost on
purpose for it, to pass the food round to them, and he is in such
a hurry in doing it, that those who are nearest to one of the
hatchways are more likely to get a double portion of food,




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rather than that he should go round the sides of the vessel,
which is so ill ventilated that it produces a sickening effect
upon him.
Q. Then he does not get upon the level where they are, and
pass between the rows of them, helping each one singly?
A. He should do it, but from the excessively filthy state it is
not always done.
Q. He has to get upon a mass of filth?
A. He has to get upon a mass of filth, and almost upon a
mass of living bodies at the same time, because they roll out
and take up every thing they can.
Q. In that case some may go without food?
A. Frequently those that are more remote do not get any
thing at all, unless they can crawl up over the others and get
nearer to the hatchways.
Q. In the case of one of these people dying, how is the body
removed?
A. It lies there until perhaps an alarm is given or something
like that, and in the morning it is generally thrown overboard.
Q. Is it always noticed?
A. There may be instances, and I believe there have been
instances in which they have remained until they have increased the amount of putridity, and in fact when they have
been thrown overboard, you could hardly keep them together;
because the putrefaction would be so rapid in a temperature of
of that kind, that in a few hours decomposition would take
place; they would hardly hold together to be thrown overboard. * * * *
Q. When the cargoes come in, are the slaves, or a great
many of them, unable to walk?
A. Most of them are.
Q. Are these men shackled?
A. No, the little ones which they bring now are not shackled.
The most favourite cargoes, at the present time, are boys of
eight to twelve years of age.
Q. Why do they bring them at so early an age?
A. Because at that age they are smaller and pack more con



155
veniently, and will endure the effects of the voyage better than
persons of more mature age.        * X      * 
Q. Have you seen many cases of the slaves landed from the
slavers on their arrival?
A4. Yes.
Q. In what condition did you find them?
A. I do not know that I could describe it, to be intelligible to
you. I do not think that I have power of description enough
to describe it.
Q. You have told us these three things, that they are, many
of them, in a situation of acute suffering, and at the same time
of great physical reduction and torpidity of the animal functions.
A. Yes; so that the knee bones appear almost like the head
of a person; from the arm you may slip your finger and thumb
up; the muscular part of the arm is gone, it is a mere bone
covered with a bit of skin; the abdomen is highly protuberant,
it is very much distended, very large. I am speaking of them
just as they are landed. A man takes them up in his arms and
carries them out of the vessel; you have some slave, or some
person that must do it if they are not capable of walking; they
are pulled out and those that are very dirty are washed.  X *
Q. Are they for the most part lifted up on deck?
A. A great many of them are; a good many make attempts,
they could not stand even if they were not so much emaciated.
From not having perhaps stood upright for a month or two, the
muscles have lost the power of supporting them.
Q. The eye has lost its speculation?
A. Precisely so; it has an idiotic appearance, a leaden appearance, in fact a sunk appearance. It is almost like the boiled
eye of a fish. In fact nature is reduced to the very last stage
consistent with life. To the lowest stage in: which it is possible
tosay they are yet living. * x x
Q. Have you ever formed an estimate of the numbers who
perish after they are landed?
W. No. In some vessels where the captain is a humane and
clever man, the mortality is always a great deal less. Where
the man is a humane man and has plenty of resources within




156
himself, the amount of positive suffering is never so great; but
with those who are more careless the sufferings are indescribable. There is every thing bad that you can either mention or
fancy."-2d Rep. to H. C., 1848, p. 42-50.
Such is the picture drawn by one who had himself actively
participated in the scenes which he describes. The heart instinctively revolts at the dreadful details, and we feel unwilling
to believe that any of our kind can become so lost to every human feeling, as voluntarily to engage in a business almost inseparably connected with so much cruelty and degradation.
And yet the conviction is forced upon us, that large numbers of
our own countrymen are devoting their time, their strength and,
their wealth to its eager pursuit, and that through them the
rights and privileges of American citizenship are degraded into
the means for maintaining this system of wholesale murder and
indescribable misery.
It is not merely the captains and crews of the American vessels,
who are carrying from a foreign port "goods to the coast," and
returning crammed with cargoes of human flesh and blood, that
are guilty of the multiform crimes of the trade, and should be
held responsible therefor; but not a few it is to be feared here in
our own country, men who perhaps are occupying respectable
stations in society, and are received and associated with as
honourable citizens,-high professors it may be of the Christian
religion, are acting as agents for supplying these vessels, shipping their crews, and securing to them the protection of the
national flag, and are therefore equally criminal and equally
deserving of condemnation.
Nor can our National government justly escape a portion of
the censure that attaches to all, who either directly or indirectly connive at and facilitate its pursuit, or screen from punishment those who are embarked in it. More than five years
have now elapsed since our Minister at Brazil, clearly demonstrated to those in authority at Washington, the manner and
the extent in which the African Slave trade is dependent for its
successful prosecution, upon the American marine and the use
of the American flag, and the attention of the government has
since then been called again and again to the subject, in order




157
that it might take some step to pdt a stop to the crying evil.
Nothing however has been done that can avail in counteracting
and breaking up the schemes of the Slave dealers.
By treaty stipulations with Great Britain, a naval force is
employed on the African coast, but it has been, and can be of
very little use as a police, for the prevention of the illicit trade.
By government orders, the Consuls have been forbidden to exercise any discretion in granting sea-letters in cases of sale of
a vessel by one American citizen to another in a foreign port,
and we have seen how completely these credentials are made
subservient to the interests of the Slave traders. Under their
protection their vessels visit all parts of the African coast, secure
from molestation by the American cruizers, and prepared, if
visited by the cruizers of other nations, to give colour to the
bitter complaints which they do not fail to raise in order to
arouse the jealousy with which our government has ever resisted the right of search.
So great is the extent of coast from which slaves can be
shipped, and so constantly do the traders change the places of
embarkation, that the few vessels employed by the American
government are easily deceived and avoided. Even when they
do overhaul vessels connected with the trade, so difficult is it
in the courts of this country to convict upon the ground of
equipment, that the officers knowing they may be made liable
for damages should the case not be made out, are unwilling to
run the risk, and very often both principal and accomplices are
suffered to escape with impunity. Even where the cargo of
slaves has been found on board, suffering the horrid tortures of
the middle passage, the aggressors have either managed to
elude the demands of justice by a sham transfer to another
nationality, or in some other way have escaped the punishment
they deserved.
In almost every instance, if not in all, where conviction has
followed trial in this country, the guilty party has been rescued
from the penalty of the law, however richly deserved, by the
means of an Executive pardon.
The question naturally arises, how are these evils to be met
and overcome. Within the last few years they have been too




158
glaring, and too repeatedly denounced by other governments, to
be concealed, or to be passed by in silence by our Executive. The
subject has therefore been brought before Congress, by Presidents Tyler, Polk, and Taylor, but without any decisive action
being taken. During the last session of Congress it was again
brought under discussion, and much was said respecting the
enormity of the crime, and the necessity of rescuing the stars
and stripes from the odium attached to them by their employment in this disgraceful commerce, but amid the pressure of
other business, this could not obtain sufficient time and attention to allow any legislative measures to be perfected, and
consequently nothing can be done in that way, until Congress
shall meet again.
But it is greatly to be desired that no more time may be lost,
and that whatever course may be pursued, it shall be fully adequate to meet the whole case, and to cut the evil up by the root.
Both the present Minister at Brazil and his predecessor, have
assured our government that there is no commerce between
Brazil and Africa, but what is either directly or indirectly connected with and dependent upon the Slave trade, and that our
ship owners and merchants may rely on their assertion, if they
are not already aware of the fact, that the reason why their
vessels yield so large a profit, either when sold in, or sailed
under a charter-party from the different ports of Brazil, is
because they are to be employed in the African Slave trade.
We have seen by the despatch already given from the present
Minister to that country, that he recommends " all trade in
vessels of the United States, between the ports of Brazil and
those of Africa, to be prohibited by law."  " That it be declared criminal to sell any American vessel on the coast of Africa,
unless when condemned as unseaworthy, after survey made
according to law, and that it be declared criminal to sell, anywhere an American vessel deliverable on the coast of Africa."
We do not know that the enactment of laws for carrying
these provisions into effect, would be sufficient, or be the wisest
course to pursue for attaining the end proposed, but we think
that if they are required therefor, the pecuniary sacrifice, how



159
ever great it might be, should not be allowed to come in competition with the demands of justice and humanity.
During the period which we have been reviewing, the progress
of the cause of human rights among the nations of the earth,
has been decided and increasing, and we cannot doubt that as
light and knowledge are more generally diffused, as the Spirit
of the Gospel is more fully recognised, and its requirements
carried into effect'by the governments professing to believe in
it, this cause must continue to triumph over the obstacles that
oppose it until it shall not only have destroyed the trade carried
on in the sons and daughters of Africa; but until slavery itself
shall have ceased to exist, and their descendants shall have
regained all the rights of which they have been deprived, by
violence and fraud. We have seen that much has been done in
that time, in conformity with the demands of justice and the
obligations of the divine law in relation to the suppression of
the Slave trade, and the emancipation of the enslaved. The
National Assembly of France, while asserting and securing by
constitutional provisions the liberty of the citizens of that country,
recognized the right of the coloured man to personal freedom
as equal to their own, and decreed the abolition of slavery
throughout all her colonies, so that a slave cannot exist within
the limits of that Republic.* Denmark has shown her wisdom
and her sense of justice, by pursuing the same course, for
although the first act, providing for the extinction of slavery in
her dominions, contemplated its completion within twelve years,
yet subsequent events evinced the propriety of immediate emancipation, and the slaves were at once released from their servitude. Sweden, rather than rest under the odium connected with
the support of the iniquitous system, voluntarily paid the price of
the few hundred slaves held by her subjects, and restored them
to freedom. Portugal, who had so long and so perseveringly
pursued the trade in men, has not only subjected her subjects
convicted of participating therein, to the penalty awarded to
piracy, but entertained the project of a law which will probably soon be adopted for abolishing slavery in those parts of her
* By this act between 250,000 and 300J,0 CO slaves were at once declared
free.




160
dominions where it exists. Even some of the powers which
we style barbarous, have joined in the general condemnation of
the trade, and one of them emancipated upwards of 30,000
slaves at once, declaring what it would be well for us to remember, "that the servitude imposed on a part of the human kind
whom God has created, is a very cruel thing."
By means of treaties with native chiefs resident on or near
the coast, by the settlement at Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other
stations, and by the intervention of an armed police constantly
on the watch, to prevent the violation of the laws of the civilized
world against the African Slave trade, large districts of country where the manstealer and his accomplices once had unrestricted sway and full license to pursue their iniquitous commerce, have been rescued from their polluting and desolating
presence.
But though such is the fact, it is nevertheless evident, that
within the last five years the Slave trade has greatly revived
and augmented, until it is probable that from 85,000 to
100,000 victims are annually required to satisfy its demands.
We have seen that its cruelties and its crimes are in no wise
diminished; and as the knowledge of right and wrong is spread
abroad, its guilt is proportionally increased.
Spain ard Brazil actuated by a blind policy, appear willing
to bear the disgrace, and to incur the penalty of being its chief
supporters, for the sake of supplying the supposed wants of
their people; but our own country is deeply implicated therein,
and made to share largely in the odium and guilt, in order that
her citizens may earn the gold paid them as common carriers,
who, under the protection of her flag, traverse the great highway of nations with their vessels crammed to suffocation with
wretched victims. It behooves all to be alive to the enormity of the evil, and to the responsibility resting upon us, both
individually and as a nation, and to exert whatever influence
we may possess, until our fellow countrymen shall voluntarily
desist from all connection with this trade, or until our government shall enact such laws for its suppression, as will effectually
prevent them from pursuing it.
FINIS.