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 THE 
 
 LIFE AND ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 ZAMBA, 
 
 AN AFRICAN NEGRO KING; 
 
 AND HIS EXPERIENCE OF 
 SLAVERY IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 
 
 CORRECTED AND ARRANGED BY 
 
 PETER NEILSON. 
 
 LONDON: 
 SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL. 
 
 1847. 
 
London : 
 Printed by Stewart and Mdrra y, 
 Old Bailey. 
 
EDITOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 In presenting to the British Public the Autobio- 
 graphy of a Negro Slave, it may be expected of me, as 
 Editor, to state the circumstances under which this 
 narrative came into my hands, and my reasons for 
 believing that it is really what it professes to be, 
 namely, The Life, Adventures, and Experiences of 
 an African Prince, named Zamba, who succeeded 
 his father as the King of a small territory on the 
 banks of the Congo, and who was inveigled by the 
 captain of an American slaver, and sold as a slave at 
 Charleston, in South Carolina. 
 
 This I am willing to do for the sake of truth and 
 justice, although, in thus publicly avowing my parti- 
 cipation in Zamba's attacks upon slavery and slave- 
 owners, I am quite aware that I shall provoke the 
 displeasure of many individuals now resident in 
 
 a 
 
VI EDITORS PREFACE. 
 
 Charleston, whom I regard as my personal friends, 
 and, no doubt, I shall also incur the odium of all 
 who are in favour of the continuance of negro slavery. 
 
 I could not comply with the request of the Pub- 
 lishers of the work, that I would afford them an 
 opportunity of communicating directly with Zamba ; 
 for (though it may not be generally known in this 
 country) a letter addressed to a coloured person in 
 Charleston by his proper name, would be opened at 
 the post-office of that city, and in such a case as the 
 present, Zamba's life would not be worth an hour's 
 purchase. 
 
 I therefore do not hesitate to declare, that I 
 was personally acquainted with the African negro 
 named Zamba, whose history is here related ; and 
 that, during a residence of several years in Charles- 
 ton, I heard from his own lips the leading incidents 
 of his life. I have therefore no doubt of the truth 
 of the statements contained in this narrative; in- 
 deed, as regards the occurrences in Charleston, some 
 anecdotes are too well known in that city to be 
 controverted. 
 
 That Zamba received considerable assistance in 
 writing his autobiography, from both white and 
 coloured friends, he himself states in his Preface ; 
 
EDITOR S PREFACE. Vll 
 
 and I think it right to avow, that my duties as 
 Editor have not been limited to merely verbal re- 
 vision. As the friend of Zamba, I felt myself at 
 liberty to aid, in common with his friends in Charles- 
 ton, in rendering his narrative more full and attrac- 
 tive, by introducing remarks that he had made to me, 
 and giving greater effect to some passages of descrip- 
 tion. I have also taken upon myself to sanction the 
 omission of certain portions of no particular interest in 
 relation to Zamba and slavery. I should have had 
 some scruples in making any alteration whatever 
 in Zamba's narrative, had it been wholly and solely 
 his own composition, however rude ; and I agree 
 with the Publishers in wishing that the statements 
 of this poor African had been written throughout 
 in his own phraseology. This not being the case, 
 however, I can only hope that since I have done 
 nothing but what I had warrant for doing, the 
 truthful character of the narrative has not been 
 lessened by any act of mine, and that the inherent 
 evidences of its authenticity will be recognised and 
 felt by the reader; for I can truly state, that in 
 all essential points this narrative is genuine and 
 authentic. 
 
 It may be proper to add, that I shall have no 
 
Vlll EDITORS PREFACE. 
 
 objection to give, to any sincere and candid inquirer 
 for truth's sake, such further information as may be 
 desired to satisfy any reasonable person of the reality 
 of the hero of this autobiography — short of affording 
 any clue to the identification of Zamba: for that 
 would expose him to persecution, if not to the deadly 
 vengeance of the slave-holders in the white com- 
 munity amongst which he resides. 
 
 PETER NEILSON. 
 
 Kirkintilloch, North Britain, 
 March 1847. 
 
PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
 It will no doubt be deemed a strange circumstance 
 that an African negro should attempt to write a 
 book, and that he should presume to offer his pro- 
 duction to the enlightened people of Great Britain. 
 
 When, however, it is understood that, in the 
 country in which he resides — the so-called free 
 States of America — certain laws totally debar him 
 from ajDpearing before the public as an author, 
 he will perhaps be the more readily excused for 
 availing himself of the freedom of the press of Eng- 
 land, the only country upon earth where true and 
 genuine liberty has taken up her abode. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be a new thing to many persons, 
 even in Britain, to know, that the laws of the state 
 of South Carolina, in which I reside, are such, that 
 the printer who would be rash enough to print, or 
 the bookseller who would be daring; enough to offer 
 for sale, the production of a negro, or any work 
 written on behalf of this oppressed race, would not 
 
X AUTHOR S PREFACE. 
 
 only draw upon himself the strong hand of the 
 law, in the shape of a ruinous penalty, but would 
 be exposed to the fury and summary vengeance of 
 an insulted republic. Were a single copy of this 
 simple production of mine to appear for sale in the 
 window of any shopkeeper in the city of Charleston, 
 a short time only would elapse ere the " Sovereign 
 People" would attack the house and the person of 
 the unfortunate trader, armed with all the horrors 
 of " Lynch law," — a law which now proverbially 
 reflects so much honour and credit on the mighty 
 western republic. Tarring and feathering, and, 
 finally, hanging from the nearest lamp-post, would 
 be considered proper treatment for the rash book- 
 seller ; but were it discovered that a wretched negro 
 was at the bottom of the affair, he would probably 
 be torn limb from limb, as a warning and example 
 to his black brethren. 
 
 Under these circumstances, it will be said that I 
 might have brought out my book in some of the 
 really free states of America — New York, for in- 
 stance. I may mention, however, that although 
 many States in the Union do not actually hold slaves 
 themselves, there yet exists, generally speaking, a 
 strong and deep-rooted prejudice against the black 
 race. And since Providence has put it in my 
 power, I prefer going at once to the fountain-head 
 of liberty, and imploring the sympathy and the 
 
AUTHOR S PREFACE. XI 
 
 succour of that truly great nation, whose common 
 people, as they may be called, at a mighty sacrifice 
 of their own interests and those of their posterity, a 
 few years ago, by one simultaneous and magnani- 
 mous act, burst the fetters of eight hundred thou- 
 sand of their fellow-subjects, residing in far distant 
 parts of the earth. Such a people, understanding 
 the real condition of nearly three millions of slaves in 
 the United Stales, cannot, and I am sure will not, 
 refuse their sympathy to the cause of the much 
 wrono-ed Negro. 
 
 My great ambition in writing this book is, to add 
 fuel to the heavenly fire of humane and Christian 
 feeling which already exists in the hearts of Britain's 
 free-born sons towards the oppressed slave ; and 
 should I succeed in creating any additional interest 
 in behalf of my proscribed race, happy indeed shall 
 I deem myself. Even the very thought that I have, 
 in a small degree, made the actual condition of the 
 poor negro more clear and palpable, will be a great 
 satisfaction to me. 
 
 It will naturally be inquired, — "By what means 
 have you acquired the requisite education to fit you 
 for your present attempt ?" Should the courteous 
 reader indulge me by a perusal of the following 
 pages, he will be informed on the subject. This 
 much, however, I may say, that I have had the 
 advice and the partial assistance, as I have pro- 
 
Xll author's preface. 
 
 ceeded with my labours, of two or three coloured 
 friends ■ — men who have travelled in Europe and 
 other parts of the world, and who possess talents 
 and education which might confer honour even 
 upon a white man. I have also had the advice and 
 approbation of a white friend or two, who feel an 
 interest in the cause of humanity, and who do not 
 consider themselves utterly contaminated by occa- 
 sional friendly intercourse with a black man. 
 
 Although I have had many misgivings in regard 
 to my present attempt, I yet derive considerable 
 spirit and encouragement from the idea, that, as 
 the production of an African negro, it will excite in 
 Christian England, even a larger share of interest 
 and sympathy than were it the production of an 
 educated white man ; for negro authors are, no 
 doubt, scarce in the world : but I am aware that 
 I must not be too sanguine on this point. It is 
 my conviction, however, that in this city of Charles- 
 ton, there are many of my oppressed and vilified 
 race, who could produce a book, not only equal, 
 but superior to this ; had they only enjoyed the 
 same opportunities of education and information 
 as have fallen to my lot. 
 
 In the course of these pages, I have introduced 
 a few topics not immediately connected with negro 
 slavery. I humbly trust, however, that the in- 
 dulgent reader will not find such paragraphs 
 
AUTHOR S PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 altogether void of interest ; on the contrary, I hope 
 that he may find a few novelties, and become 
 interested in my narrative. 
 
 For very obvious reasons, I have been obliged 
 to give fictitious names to the persons mentioned 
 in the several anecdotes related ; not wishing un- 
 necessarily to harass the feelings even of those 
 who, by their conduct, evince a want of regard 
 for the dearest and holiest rights of mankind. For 
 my own safety, also, and that of my friends, I have 
 been obliged to use great caution, lest any clue 
 might be taken hold of to trace out and persecute 
 us, for our presumption in daring to say, or even 
 to think, that freedom is the natural birthright of 
 all men everywhere upon the face of the earth. 
 
 I have interested one white gentleman, especially 
 in my favour, and to him, I trust, I shall never be 
 deficient in gratitude. May I venture to hope that 
 the general cause of liberty may, in a certain degree, 
 be advanced through his means. It is through him 
 that these pages are destined to appear in type. 
 He has undertaken to forward my manuscript to 
 a friend in Britain, who will take the matter in 
 hand ; and it will, indeed, be a happy day for me 
 when a copy shall reach my hands. It is not one 
 copy, no, nor fifty copies, I fondly hope, that will 
 suffice for Charleston. I even anticipate that some 
 copies will be sought for by the enemies of liberty. 
 
XIV AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 There is no doubt that some of our high-minded 
 and domineering planters and slave-dealers Avill be 
 curious to see what " the black rascal" has dared to 
 say of his betters. How they will fume and fret ; 
 ay, and curse and blaspheme ! They will offer 
 rewards of dollars by the hundred, and perhaps by 
 the thousand, to discover who Zamba is ; but I 
 calculate, as the Yankees express it, that Zamba is 
 beyond the reach of their malice and fury. 
 
 I feel thus far sanguine, because I am convinced 
 that ere another generation pass away, American 
 slavery will be on its last legs. And can any 
 man, white or black, breathe a warmer prayer for 
 America, than to wish that ere long she may, in 
 truth and in deed, be as free from the curse and 
 contamination of slavery, in every shape, as her 
 high-souled and glorious mother, Britain. 
 
 And now, courteous reader, I crave your indul- 
 gence in perusing the following pages. Consider, 
 in the first place, the situation and condition of the 
 author, and make every allowance which your good 
 nature will suffer you to do, in behalf of his inex- 
 perience, his limited education, and that natural 
 incapability of any intellectual effort which has 
 hitherto (at least by a large proportion of white men) 
 been supposed inseparable from the African race. 
 In the next place, consider the cause in which I am 
 writing ; and if a British heart beat within your 
 
AUTHOR S PREFACE. XV 
 
 bosom, I may rest content, that for the cause of 
 human-kind in general, you will make great al- 
 lowance for my deficiencies. Lastly, pardon my 
 presumption ; consider, that possibly Providence 
 may have singled me out from my brethren, and 
 enabled me thus to embody my thoughts, for the 
 purpose of arousing a flame which, although feeble 
 and glimmering, may yet grow brighter and 
 brighter, until the hearts and consciences of all 
 men shall be so illuminated thereby, that true and 
 rational liberty shall flourish in every land, and 
 the existence and the very name of slavery be but 
 as a tale that hath been told. 
 
 ZAMJBA. 
 
 Charleston, South Carolina, 
 February 184G. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Page 
 Author's Birth and Parentage — Native Village and Royal Palace 
 — Black King — Court of Justice — Standing Army — Adjacent 
 Country — Negro Revels — Early Instruction in Religion — 
 Idol-Worship — Mountain Scenery and Adventure with Ba- 
 boon — Negro Priests — Youthful Ideas of a Future State . 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Trading in Slaves, &c. — African Cannibalism — Romantic Scenery 
 — Lion Hunting — Singular Waterfall — Gooloo Bambo, a 
 Negro King — Zamba's danger . . . .17 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Arrival of American Captain — Visit to his Ship— Trading Expe- 
 dition — King Darroola's Village — Festivities — Darroola's 
 Treachery and Skirmish — Zembola vows Vengeance . 83 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 War Expedition— Zembola's Revenge— Burning a Negro Village 
 
 — Fight and Massacre . . • ■ .49 
 
XVUI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Page 
 Zamba settles at Home and marries Zillah — Marriage Entertain- 
 ments — Searching for Gold Dust — Zamba encourages Agri- 
 culture — Learns to read the Bible — His Ideas of Christianity 
 —He repels an Invasion . . . . * 67 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Zamba embarks for America — Interior of a Slave-ship — Voyage 
 — Treacherous designs of Captain Winton — Arrival at 
 Charleston — Sale of Slaves — Zamba is plundered and sold 
 as a Slave — Reflections on his condition | . . .84 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Zamba in an Auction-store in Charleston — First Sabbath in a 
 Christian Country — Goes to a Presbyterian Church — De- 
 scription of the Scene, and Reflections thereon — A Negro 
 Acquaintance — A White Friend and Counsellor — Negro 
 Finery and Politeness — Zamba goes to an Episcopal Church 
 — His Account of the Service, and Reflections on the Sermon 
 — Goes to a Methodist Chapel — Effect of the Service on 
 Zamba and his Brethren — The Sermon, and Reflections 
 thereon . . . . . . .113 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Captain Winton visits the store of Zamba's master — Zamba finds 
 a friend and teacher — Puts his money to interest — Effects of 
 the American War — Negro Slavery in Charleston — Auction 
 Sales of Negroes — The Cowskin — Horrors of a Slave-ship 
 — Affecting Scene — Price of Slaves — Captain Pompey — 
 Emancipation prohibited ..... 131 
 
CONTENTS. XIX 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Page 
 Zamba comments on American liberty — Inhuman treatment of 
 domestic slaves by their masters and mistresses — Condition 
 of the negroes in Carolina — Zamba hopes to revisit Africa 
 — Saves the life of his White Friend — Negro Epistle — Zamba 
 and Zillah meet again, in Slavery — Zillah bought by Zam- 
 ba's master ....... 157 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Zamba and Zillah reunited — Tidings of home — Zillah's account 
 of her capture — Native missionaries needed for Africa — 
 Zamba instructs Zillah — Penalties for teaching a negro to 
 read — Arrival of Zamba's brother-in-law — Zamba and Zillah 
 freed by their master — Zamba a shopkeeper . . 17G 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Zamba and Zillah join a Methodist Church — Their reception by 
 two Ministers — Zamba and Zillah married — Zamba loses his 
 White Friend — Captain Winton in distress — Is relieved by 
 Zamba — Yv'inton killed in a Duel — A Carolinian Duelist. 188 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Description of Charleston — Negro Incendiaries — Traits of Sla- 
 very — Gardens and surrounding Country — Extraordinary 
 Escape — The Wilds of Carolina — An Inn in the Woods — 
 Sporting in the Forest — A Negro Patriarch . . 109 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Scenery of South Carolina — Cotton and Eice Plantations — 
 American treatment of Black and Red Races — Character of 
 the Carolinians — Slave-dealers and Slave- Breeders — Con- 
 duct of Carolinian Ladies to Negro Slaves — Atrocities of 
 Carolinian Planters ...... 217 
 
XX CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Page 
 Negro Conspiracies against the Whites— Anecdotes of Negroes 235 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Zamba's Plan for the Gradual Extinction of Negro Slavery in the 
 United States — Advantages of Free over Slave Labour — 
 Dangers from the Separation of Free and Slave States — 
 Zamba's Appeal to the British Nation — Conclusion . . 24G 
 
LIFE OF ZAMBA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Author's Birth and Parentage — Native Village and Royal Palace — 
 Black King — Court of Justice — Standing Army — Adjacent- 
 Country — Negro Revels — Early Instruction in Religion — Idol- 
 Worship — Mountain Scenery and Adventure with Baboon — 
 Negro Priests — Youthful Ideas of a Future State. 
 
 To the best of my calculation, I was ushered into 
 this world of sin and woe in the year 1780. I was 
 born in a small village situated on the south bank of 
 the river Congo, about two hundred miles from the 
 sea, and had the honour to claim as my father, the 
 chief or king who ruled over this village. His empire 
 comprised a considerable part of the surrounding 
 country, and in his own estimation, and that of some 
 of the neighbouring potentates, he was a personage 
 of no small importance and dignity. 
 
 My father, whose name was Zembola, was a good- 
 looking and very powerful man, and from his infancy 
 he had been brought up to despise dangers and 
 difficulties of every description. To attain the rank 
 and fame of a great warrior was his sole ambition : 
 
 B 
 
6 THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 far different from many great warriors in more civi- 
 lised nations, he evinced no desire to extend his 
 limited dominions. 
 
 The village, or metropolis of his kingdom, already- 
 referred to as my birth-place, consisting of about 
 ninety huts and the king's palace, was built within 
 a hundred yards of the river, which is here about 
 half an English mile in breadth. The bank rises 
 abruptly to about thirty feet above the common level 
 of the water, and the village is thus placed out of 
 reach of the highest floods; and a small but beauti- 
 ful mountain stream issuing from a ravine or glen, 
 enters the Congo at the east end of the village. 
 
 The royal palace towered over all the other build- 
 ings, and was in reality a very considerable edifice. 
 Its form was circular, with an imitation of a dome at 
 the top, in which hung an old ship's bell that was 
 rung on. all great occasions, either of a mournful or 
 joyous nature. The interior of the palace was divided 
 into eighteen or twenty apartments, two of them 
 especially being furnished in a manner that would 
 rather astonish an European. The harem — you will 
 no doubt smile, gentle reader, at the use of this term 
 applied to such an insignificant building, and amongst 
 such a barbarous people — was furnished with rich 
 carpets and cushions to recline upon, and embellished 
 with some very fine mirrors. The audience-chamber 
 was about twenty feet square, having a floor of 
 beautiful polished wood, and was furnished with 
 handsome chairs and tables of foreign manufacture. 
 The walls were adorned with many fine prints ; 
 
KING ZEMBOLA ON HIS THRONE. 6 
 
 amongst them I remember in particular, King George 
 III. on horseback, portraits of several English ad- 
 mirals, and some pictures of sea fights; but above 
 all, a very fine view of London attracted my earliest, 
 and I may say my daily attention. 
 
 When a mere boy, I used to stand for hours gaz- 
 ing upon the wilderness of buildings represented in 
 this picture, and oft-times amused myself by endea- 
 vouring to count the houses, and even the very 
 windows. My power of calculation, however, could 
 never reach a higher sum than the amount of my 
 own fingers and toes; when this was attained, I had 
 always to " recur to first principles" (as the learned 
 men say, with whom I have since then become 
 acquainted) and reiterate the finger and toe. It 
 may be asked, how did my kingly parent obtain 
 these luxuries ? In his intercourse with the slave- 
 traders, which was a considerable part of his avoca- 
 tion. I must not omit to mention the throne, which 
 was elevated somewhat above the other seats and 
 furnished with a canopy of silk and many ornaments 
 of gold and silver. Here, upon special occasions, 
 sat King Zembola, arrayed in garments brought 
 from various nations and climes — mostly old military 
 and naval uniforms, besprinkled with no small quan- 
 tity of gold and precious stones — and smoking a 
 long tobacco-pipe, with a large crystal bottle of 
 Frank "fire-water" near his elbow. In this state 
 would he, with the utmost coolness and indifference, 
 decide cases of life and death ; pronouncing sentence 
 from which there was no appeal. I have seen him, 
 
 b 2 
 
ws 
 
 <± • HIS STANDING ARMY. 
 
 apparently in a calm and tranquil raced, take the 
 pipe out of his mouth for a moment, and point with 
 it to one of a number of poor wretches, whom by 
 his code of equity he deemed worthy of death, and 
 order the appointed officers to remove him, and bring 
 in his head in five minutes ! No sooner said than 
 done ; in the required time the bloody and ghastly 
 head was brought to the foot of the throne, and a 
 dram of rum, from the hands of royalty itself, 
 generally rewarded the executioner. I cannot think 
 that my father was naturally of a cruel disposition, 
 but education and habit are everything. I question 
 if any European monarch, enthroned in magnificence 
 and splendour, and surrounded by his nobles, ever 
 felt half so self-complacent as my father did with 
 his score and half of attendants. Like his brother 
 sovereigns of more extensive empires, my father had 
 a regular standing army, though, including officers, 
 amounting only to forty men. But in case of an 
 invasion of his own kingdom, or his going upon a 
 foreign expedition, he could muster about one hundred 
 and fifty fighting men at a day's notice. His " regu- 
 lars" were all armed with muskets and cutlasses; the 
 others with spears only, or bows and arrows. With 
 these latter weapons, however, much execution was 
 occasionally done. 
 
 The village, and about six acres of ground conti- 
 guous, was surrounded with strong pallisades about 
 nine feet high ; partly as a defence against any sudden 
 hostile incursion, and partly to exclude wild animals, 
 which at night were sometimes daring enough to 
 
FORTIFICATIONS AND STRONGHOLD. O 
 
 attempt an attack on the cattle, that were all collected 
 within at sun clown. The ground sloped very gra- 
 dually backwards from the river, until at some miles 
 distance, it rose into considerable mountains. About 
 two hundred yards in the rear of the palace, arose, 
 sheer out of the plain, an insulated hill, in form of a 
 bee-hive, and covered to the summit with trees. It 
 was about five hundred feet high, and a mile or so in 
 circumference. At the yery foot of this hill, or rather 
 rock, nature had formed an entrance five or six feet 
 in diameter, and on proceeding a few yards inwards, 
 it opened into an immense cave, capable of containing 
 the whole population of my father's realm. By a 
 little artificial aid, this cave was converted into a 
 stronghold or retreat ; and being well secured at the 
 mouth by a gate of iron bars, a small number of men 
 within could defend it fur any length of time. In 
 this retreat my father kept his treasures and valuables. 
 These consisted chiefly of European and American 
 goods (of which spirits and tobacco formed a large 
 proportion), that he had received in barter for slaves ; 
 for to tell the plain and honest truth, my father was 
 neither more nor less than a flesh and blood merchant, 
 He was also a farmer and grazier to a considerable 
 extent, but only so as to procure mere eatables for his 
 dependants. The whole of his subjects were obliged 
 to labour, when required, upon the royal grounds ; 
 but the forty men composing the regular army were, 
 upon the whole, very lazy fellows : little work, save 
 that of cutting throats, firing their enemies' villages, 
 and capturing prisoners, could be got out of them. 
 
ROYAL REVELS. 
 
 In their own line, however, I must own, they were 
 very expert. 
 
 Although my father generally exercised such de- 
 spotic power over his subjects, there were times when 
 great familiarity existed between king- and people. 
 On certain holidays, and upon the return of a suc- 
 cessful expedition, my father was obliged to allow 
 great indulgences, especially to his warriors. He 
 generally submitted to their demands with a good 
 grace, and revelled and rioted like the best of them. 
 
 1 remember, at one time, the army having returned, 
 with King Zembola at their head of course, bringing 
 fifty prime prisoners, that an uncommon jollification 
 was resolved upon : nothing less than the audience 
 chamber for their orgies would please the regulars, 
 and into this state apartment a barrel of rum and 
 other requisites for the carousal were brought. My 
 father mounted his throne, and made a speech (he 
 did not read his speech, as his brother and sister 
 potentates of Europe do, in general, for alas ! poor 
 man ! he was no scholar), and, of course, the said 
 speech was mightily applauded. If literally trans- 
 lated into negro's English, it would have run thus : — 
 " My brave boys, hear me ! — I is great, powerful 
 king ! who is bigger than me ? Sun look down on me, 
 call me broder; moon, she do shine. Kiss my hand. 
 You all brave boys, cause you my men. We go out 
 fight de Moolah tribe. We all lion, — great roar ! 
 Moolah men, dey all sheep. Poor piccanniny — dey 
 runaway when see King Zembola. We chase dem, — 
 smite, slay, kill — one, two, tree hundred, — send all to 
 

 THE HAREM, AND ITS INMATES. 7 
 
 jumbo (hell). Burn village — take prisoner — fifty, 
 sixty black rascal. Keep dera in" Zembola castle. 
 Buckra captain come soon — buy slave. We get 
 knife, musket, powder, ball, rum — rum. Huzza ! — 
 huzza ! for King Zembola and his brave boys !" 
 
 My father and his regulars (the militia, as we 
 may call them, were served outside the palace) con- 
 tinued to drink, and smoke, and feast during the 
 night ; and in the morning, when I, at that time a 
 boy of twelve years old, entered the audience chamber, 
 with my mother and two of my sisters, the princesses, 
 there lay, alas ! King Zembola on the broad of his 
 back, his hand on the floor, and his feet, or rather his 
 heels, resting on the edge of the throne; he held his 
 crown (a large circlet of pure gold) clenched in his 
 right hand, and a wooden cup half full of rum was 
 grasped in the left. The prime minister lay with his 
 feet across my poor father's stomach, and across him 
 lay a captain of ten. In fact, all ceremony had been 
 banished, and the Frank fire-water had accomplished 
 what hundreds of their fierce and armed foes had 
 failed in doing. My mother, who was a managing 
 woman in her way, had her spouse quietly conveyed 
 to bed, and immediately sent in a score of servants 
 with buckets of water) from the Congo, which being 
 dashed profusely in all directions, awoke the whole 
 party. 
 
 I have already said that there was a harem in the 
 palace. My father, being a moderate kind of a king, 
 contented himself with five wives. My mother was 
 the only one who had a son., and she was, conse- 
 

 8 INFANCY 01? ZAMBA. 
 
 quently, in the highest favour. I had nine half- 
 sisters; and, as far as I can remember, they were all 
 very kind to me. This might partly be owing to a 
 feeling of selfishness, as they were aware that I 
 should have much in my power at my father's death. 
 Independently of this consideration, however, they 
 were naturally well disposed : indeed (setting aside 
 scenes of cruelty and blood to which the customs of 
 the country have habituated them), the women of 
 Africa in general have much of the milk of human 
 kindness, and more than one white traveller has con- 
 firmed this assertion. 
 
 I must now recur to circumstances of an earlier 
 date than those already mentioned. I trust the in- 
 dulgent reader will pardon this discursive and irre- 
 gular manner of writing, — for I have no experience in 
 book-making. But I hope that my adherence to real 
 matters of fact, will atone for any defect of arrange- 
 ment in this narrative. 
 
 Of the first three or four years of my existence, as 
 is the case, I believe, with most others of the children 
 of men, I can recollect nothing. When past the age of 
 four, I have a clear remembrance of awaking almost 
 every night after a long sleep, and peeping out of my 
 little crib or box which was fastened to the side of 
 the wall, I used to see my mother and |her four 
 queens in companionship with a considerable number 
 of the domestics, busily engaged in carding and spin- 
 ning cotton; some few of them also were employed in 
 weaving. The cloth was not much above four inches 
 in breadth, and about the fineness of common English 
 
IDOL "WORSHIP. 9 
 
 shirting; and they had the art of dyeing it : generally 
 of a blue colour. Many, many years after, when 
 residing in America, I sometimes saw a few pieces of 
 this cloth brought from Africa; and the sight of it 
 dimmed my eyes with tears when recollection brought 
 back to mind the days of infancy — recalled the mid- 
 night manufacturing scenes in my father's house, and 
 the simple, but expressive and affecting songs which 
 invariably accompanied them. 
 
 I am certain that I recollect everything of impor- 
 tance which took place after I had attained my sixth 
 year. About that time my mother taught me to bow 
 down every morning before a hideous image which 
 was placed in a particular chamber of the house. 
 This idol was tolerably well carved, and intended, I 
 suppose, to represent the devil : it had a wide mouth 
 stretching from ear to ear, long tusks, and huge 
 goggle eyes, composed of precious stones; and was 
 anything but an attractive object to the infant mind. 
 The words my mother taught me to repeat, were 
 only a few monotonous petitions to this hideous 
 monster to do me no harm — not to burn me, or kill me, 
 or run away with me. It was the worship of fear and 
 terror, not of love. Oh ! how far more ennobling 
 and glorious a mode of worship has dawned upon me 
 since — long years ago. But when I think on the 
 millions of my poor benighted relatives and country- 
 men who are still in the darkness and shadow of death, 
 this, indeed, embitters my recollections ; and I can 
 only bow to the dispensations of a great and benevo- 
 
10 COSTUME AND PASTIME. 
 
 lent Being, who will, finally, vindicate all his ways 
 and all his doings to the sons of men. 
 
 For the first five or six years of my life, I was 
 allowed to roll about on the ground or floor, or walk 
 and run as T could, but was never permitted to stray 
 beyond the village enclosure. My father, being some- 
 what proud of his heir apparent, had me clothed in a 
 red, or yellow garment which was fastened round my 
 waist, and came down to my knees, somewhat like 
 the petticoat worn by Scottish Highlanders ; and on 
 my head was a flashy turban adorned with beautiful 
 feathers plucked from the birds of my fatherland, and 
 also with a jewel or two in front. The dress was 
 light and airy, and left me at full liberty to exercise 
 my limbs as instinct dictated. 
 
 At the age of eight or nine, I first learned to han- 
 dle the bow, and soon became expert enough to bring 
 down any small animal at an ordinary distance. I 
 shall never forget my first grand exploit in archery. 
 I have already mentioned that close to the eastern 
 side of the village flowed a beautiful stream which 
 took its rise in the mountains. It ran for many miles 
 through a romantic and lovely glen, which was the 
 retreat of millions of the feathered tribes, and also of 
 numerous quadrupeds. A considerable quantity of 
 gold was found mixed with the sand and gravel of 
 this stream, especially after heavy rains : that is, if 
 any one took the trouble to search for it ; for to speak 
 truly, my countrymen were by no means distinguished 
 for industry, when they could avoid working, and the 
 
A RAMBLE— OUT OF BOUNDS. 11 
 
 women had other things to attend to. I often used 
 to ramble up the bed of this stream, accompanied by 
 a young companion or two ; and sometimes by some 
 of our own family : for my sisters were very fond of 
 me. We used to catch in this stream small fish, 
 which shone like gold and silver; but sometimes we 
 came across game of rather an unpleasant descrip- 
 tion, namely, small serpents and other noxious rep- 
 tiles. We, however, seldom met with any of a size to 
 alarm us much : the larger craft in general never left 
 the Congo; but in it were crocodiles of eighteen to 
 twenty feet in length, and also large sharks. Yet, 
 although much traffic was carried on upon the water, 
 and especially on the great river as it was called, 
 there were seldom any lives lost. 
 
 One day, accompanied by my sister Lemba, who 
 at that time was about thirteen, while my age was 
 eleven, with my bow and arrows in hand, I went to 
 the stream, determined upon an excursion of some 
 distance along its course. There was a splendid 
 waterfall about half a mile up the glen, beyond 
 which we had been previously warned by our parents 
 not to wander. A prohibition of this kind, amongst 
 almost every race of mankind, generally serves as a 
 stimulus to young people to see what is round the 
 corner, as it were ; and so it was with Lemba and I : 
 with gay and light hearts we proceeded on and on, 
 although surmounting the rocky precipice, over which 
 was the waterfall, was a work of some difficulty. 
 When we reached the summit, young as we were, 
 we could not help lifting up our hands in admiration 
 
12 MAGNIFICENT SCENERY. 
 
 of the grandeur and magnificence of the scene here 
 presented to our view. The river was a stream 
 which an ordinary man could step across when it 
 was not swelled by the rains ; but in the lapse of 
 ages it had worn out a most fantastic and curious 
 channel for itself through the solid rock: at every 
 few yards it had made an excavation, like a large 
 cauldron, and these cavities were evidently connected 
 by unseen apertures, causing the water to boil, and 
 toss, and foam unceasingly. Some of these pools, 
 again, were tolerably calm, and in them we could see 
 the glittering fish sporting by hundreds in the ele- 
 ment, which was literally pure as crystal. The 
 banks of the stream were here only about ten feet 
 apart, and rose abruptly to at least a hundred feet in 
 height ; the light of day appearing at top as if 
 shining through a narrow chink, and rendering every 
 thing below only half visible, in a kind of twilight. 
 Shrubs and bushes, of a thousand varieties, sprang 
 from the sides, and upon these sported birds, mon- 
 keys, squirrels, and other children of the forest, who 
 almost deafened us with their incessant and uncouth 
 cries : they seemed unanimously to agree that Leniba 
 and I were intruders on their sequestered domains. 
 
 We continued, however, to advance, amid the up- 
 roar, for a few hundred yards, and could perceive 
 from the increasing light that the ravine was widen- 
 ing. At last we sat down upon a ledge of rock, and 
 my sister, from a small basket which she had carried 
 from home, took out something for us to eat. "While 
 we were satisfying our hunger, a pretty large stone 
 
PERILOUS ADVENTURE. 13 
 
 fell at our feet, and instantly a most hideous yell 
 arose, which was heard above all the other noises ; 
 when upon looking up we perceived seated on 
 the corner of a rock a huge blue-faced baboon, 
 grinning at and threatening us in a most horrible 
 manner. 
 
 Poor Lemba fell a trembling, but presently re- 
 covering herself she snatched hold of my hand, and 
 said, " Zamba ! Zamba ! come, let us go home as 
 quietly as possible. Keep your bow in readiness, but 
 do not attempt to run. I will be cunning with 
 baboon, else it may be bad for us." 
 
 She instantly took a bit of what we were eating, and 
 laid it upon the stone, and then we cautiously com- 
 menced our retreat. On looking back we could 
 perceive the ugly fellow spring at one bound to the 
 place we had left. 
 
 We continued retreating as quickly as possible, 
 always leaving a little of our food in the way; this 
 delayed the enemy, but when just at the brink of the 
 precipice we had to lay down our last morsel. The 
 baboon seemed determined not to lose sight of us, 
 and chattered most furiously as we were sliding 
 down the precipice at rather a quicker rate than we 
 had climbed up. We reached the bottom in safety, 
 but looking up we saw our enemy preparing to 
 descend. Although very much frightened, I adjusted 
 my arrow with tolerable steadiness, and let fly ; it 
 was well aimed, I believe, but a small branch of a 
 tree intervened, into which the arrow stuck. The 
 animal seemed to understand that the arrow was sent 
 
14 zamba's first exploit. 
 
 with no friendly purpose, and attempted to pull it 
 out of the branch ; as he was leaning over for the 
 purpose, and just at the critical moment, I sent 
 another, which completely transfixed our foe, who 
 came tumbling to the ground with a hideous yell. 
 Lemba and I did not stop to examine the wound, but 
 made the best of our way home ; and then what a 
 tale of horror and interest we had to tell. My father, 
 although displeased at our wandering beyond limits, 
 clapped me on the shoulder, and said, " Now, Zamba, 
 you are a man ; T shall soon take you on my expedi- 
 tions, and you shall have a musket to shoot men with 
 instead of monkeys." He then sent two of his regu- 
 lars to bring the dead baboon, and, after it had been 
 skinned, my father had it properly stuffed, and 
 placed in such a part of the palace as would do 
 honour to young Prince Zamba's courage and Lem- 
 ba's prudence. The fact is, that such an animal 
 would have been a match for a stout man, if with- 
 out his weapons ; and on hearing the remarks of my 
 father's dependants, who, of course, all paid court to 
 the heir apparent, I swelled with pride like a 
 turkey-cock. 
 
 Those among my readers who feel interested in 
 this narrative, may, perhaps, be inclined to ask, 
 « Were you receiving any proper education all this 
 time? Had you a teacher? Had you any ideas 
 beyond the things visible around ? Did you know 
 anything of a future state ?" To such questions my 
 reply is, that I had no teacher of letters ; and as for 
 matters of religion, our ideas were extremely dull and 
 
NEGRO PRIESTCRAFT. 15 
 
 erroneous. There were two priests in my father's 
 dominions; but the fact is they were mere jugglers : 
 not only ignorant, but licentious. They occasionally 
 visited every house, muttering some gibberish, and 
 performing many antics to astonish the women, and 
 never failed to collect a pretty good revenue. On 
 certain days of each year they came forth in a sort 
 of disguise, wearing masks, and every soul they en- 
 countered was obliged to provide a present, get it 
 where and how he might ; and there was a particular 
 day in the year when they came forth masked, and 
 the first person they met had either to pay a very 
 heavy ransom, or be slain as a sacrifice. In some 
 few instances, which I well remember, the sacrifice 
 was enforced in a manner too horrible to relate ; and 
 this merely to keep up the authority of these wretched 
 impostors. 
 
 My father, in his intercourse with the white men 
 who came to trade with him, had picked up some 
 confused ideas of another world and of futurity ; but 
 he troubled himself very little about the matter. 
 And are there not millions in civilized Europe, en- 
 joying every opportunity of religious instruction, who 
 are just as indifferent to the fate of their immortal 
 souls ? When I was even a boy some very strange 
 ideas of time and space entered my mind. I used 
 sometimes in the evening to lie down upon the 
 ground, and gaze for an hour or two upon the glitter- 
 ing stars with feelings of indescribable delight. The 
 sun was too dazzling and splendid to gaze much 
 upon ; but the moon — the mild and gentle moon, 
 
16 zamba's ideas of futurity. 
 
 and the innumerable clusters of beautiful stars, fas- 
 cinated my sight, and filled my mind with wonder. 
 For what they were made, how they were made, and 
 of what they were made, altogether puzzled my 
 imagination, I sometimes, however, reasoned thus : 
 Suppose I were carried this moment to yonder light 
 star, what then should I see? More stars I should 
 think. And what then ? More again — still more 
 and more ; and then all will be darkness and 
 nothing. But what then would be beyond that 
 darkness ? This was the puzzle. In the same way 
 I reasoned regarding time. After father die, I shall 
 be king — then I have son, he king — he have son 
 again, more king — more son, more king. And what 
 then ? No end can I see. World burn up — all 
 things end. But how end ? — something must be. I 
 could come to no definite or satisfactory conclu- 
 sion ; yet I think that such thoughts prove that 
 Divine Providence, the Light of Nature, or what- 
 ever it may be called, influenced me to a certain 
 degree, even in wild and dark Africa. 
 
SLAVE DEALING ON THE CONGO. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Trading - in Slaves, &c. — African Cannibalism — Romantic Scenery — 
 Lion Hunting — Singular Waterfall — Gooloo Bamba, a Negro 
 King — Zamba's danger. 
 
 I have said that my father had much intercourse 
 with white men. His principal business, indeed, was 
 to procure cargoes of living flesh and blood, to be 
 transported to some far land towards the setting sun. 
 The slave ships, which came to this part of Africa, 
 generally anchored a few miles within the mouth of 
 the Congo, as there they lay secure from the ever- 
 lasting surf which rolls all along the western coast. 
 Sometimes my father carried down his people, as he 
 called them, to the slavers in large canoes ; but not 
 unfrequently the white captain, with a crew of ten or 
 twelve men, came up to my father's residence. It 
 was, in fact, a convenient depot for trading in other 
 matters. A white man was, consequently, no strange 
 sight to me, even from earliest infancy. There was 
 an American, Captain Winton, who traded for many 
 years with my father. It was he who had brought all 
 the fine furniture for the palace, and amongst other 
 
 c 
 
18 INFLUENCE OF MUSIC. 
 
 toys he brought a large violin for me; but, as we 
 had no instructor, the sounds which my father, my- 
 self, or any of his people elicited from it, would by no 
 means have set the stones a-dancing. On one occa- 
 sion, however, when I had carried the violin into the 
 woods, it providentially had the effect of setting a 
 whole troop of hyenas to their heels : to my great 
 relief and amazement. At last this Captain Win- 
 ton brought a small barrel-organ, which could 
 play eight tunes ; and, having instructed us how 
 to change the tunes, it became a constant treat to 
 prince and peasant: I really think that for six 
 months after we received it, it was not quiet for six 
 minutes. Like all other things, however, it fell into 
 disuse, and was soon set aside as an incumbrance. I 
 must confess, by the way, that my countrymen in 
 general, though fond of music, are extremely capri- 
 cious and volatile in their disposition. To proceed. 
 This Captain Win ton and his men were sometimes 
 inmates of the palace for eight or ten days at a 
 time, therefore I soon learned to pick up many 
 English words, and could soon bear part in a con- 
 versation in that language. My father entertained 
 the white men very hospitably, and presents were 
 continually being exchanged. I may mention, how- 
 ever, as an instance of the way this traffic went on, 
 that Captain Winton received two fine slaves for the 
 barrel-organ. 
 
 To procure cargoes of slaves, my father went upon 
 an expedition every now and then with his regu- 
 lars ; that is, he went to a distant part of the country, 
 
MODE OF PROCURING SLAVES. 19 
 
 and found ways and means to pick a quarrel with 
 some less powerful tribe, which generally ended by 
 the weaker tribe giving up a number of slaves as 
 ransom ; or a fight took place, and the strongest 
 helped themselves. To do my father justice, how- 
 ever, he made it a rule never to quarrel with his 
 next neighbours ; he rather kept on terms with them, 
 and, consequently, they served as a kind of rampart 
 or wall to guard him against the incursions of others. 
 Besides the slaves which he obtained in his warlike 
 expeditions, he procured many more by fair trade : if 
 the term may be applied in such a case. He often 
 sailed up the Congo with a supply of English or 
 American goods, and by bartering these to petty kings, 
 several hundreds of miles up the country, he never 
 failed to come back with a full cargo, at reasonable 
 prices. He also procured gold dust, ivory, and other 
 valuable commodities, in the same way. His kingly 
 office was, in fact, no sinecure ; for to keep up such 
 an establishment 'as my father did required consider- 
 able exertion and prudence. I may mention here, 
 that after I was in America I heard it frequently 
 asserted by white men that my countrymen were 
 cannibals. From my own experience I should have 
 said that this was very incorrect, but my father told 
 me that in one of his journeys, about four hundred 
 miles further up the river than his own kingdom, he 
 had seen exposed for sale publicly in the market of a 
 town, the name of which I forget, human limbs regu- 
 larly cut up ; and this I must not gainsay, as he could 
 have no interest in making a false statement to me. 
 
 c2 
 
20 NEGRO HUNTING PARTY. 
 
 My father proved as good as his word in en- 
 trusting me with a gun, and about half a year after 
 the baboon exploit he procured me a short rifle, with 
 which I practised for an hour or two every day, and 
 in a month or two handled it pretty well. In my 
 own imagination I considered myself now a match 
 for a score of baboons or hyenas, or even for a lion of 
 moderate size ; and it was not long before my skill 
 was put to the test. My father had appointed a 
 regular hunting-match to take place, as several 
 depredations had been committed upon his flocks not 
 far from the village. About two hundred men were 
 mustered on the occasion, and at my own urgent 
 request I was allowed to accompany them. My 
 father was really a very daring fellow, and as chief 
 always considered it his duty to be foremost in 
 danger. He, however, took good care to be well 
 armed at all points. He had a fine double-barrelled 
 rifle, a short cutlass by his side, a pair of pistols 
 stuck in his belt, and an attendant close by him, 
 carrying, for his master's use, a very strong spear, 
 the head of which, about fifteen inches in length, 
 was made of the finest steel, pointed, and double- 
 edged. The shaft was about six feet long, made of 
 lance-wood, and nearly as thick as a man's arm, 
 so that in close encounter with any very large animal 
 there would be no risk of its breaking:. Having all 
 
 to o 
 
 assembled before daybreak at the palace, a dram of 
 rum was served out to every man, and, each being- 
 supplied with provisions for two days, forth they 
 went. When we had proceeded about two miles the 
 
BEAUTIFUL SCENE ON THE CONGO. 21 
 
 sun arose, and by the time we had gained a certain 
 point where the river Congo took a slight bend, one 
 of the finest views, I believe, in Africa opened on our 
 sight. Great part of the country before us was open, 
 interspersed with splendid natural clumps of the teak 
 tree, while here and there orange and palm trees 
 adorned the scene ; fields of Guinea corn, eighteen 
 or twenty feet in height, waved in the morning breeze, 
 the beautiful broad-leaved Indian corn, or maize, 
 spread its waving blades in the air, and then a field 
 of cotton might be seen. Not far distant lay our 
 village, and near it were herds of cattle and goats, 
 and even the labourers at work in the fields might 
 be discerned. I forgot the hunt for a few minutes 
 in admiring this lovely scene ; and even now, when 
 I recur to that morning, after the lapse of nearly 
 half a century, I cannot help inwardly ejaculating, 
 " When, oh ! when, will poor benighted, yet beauti- 
 ful Africa, be brought completely and wholly un- 
 der the mild and glorious influence of Christian 
 civilization?" 
 
 My attention was soon drawn from the enchanting 
 scenery around me, by the incessant blowing of 
 horns and yelling of dogs, intermingled with the 
 incipient growling of wild beasts. Scores of hyenas 
 and other wild animals of the smaller kind, fled 
 before us, and occasionally one was shot down : I 
 cannot say how many were killed that day. We 
 did not fall in with any formidable beast till towards 
 mid-day, when a tremendous lion was started. 
 Instantly our whole troop was on the alert, and 
 

 22 A LION HUXT. 
 
 some who had been very forward at first, now ex- 
 hibited symptoms of disinclination to be in the front. 
 My father, however, seemed quite in his element, 
 and told me to keep close to him, but a little behind. 
 When I got a view of the lion, which was the 
 first I had seen, I really felt very strange : it was 
 quite a different looking creature from the baboon. 
 The beast retired very slowly, frequently stopping 
 and looking round, lashing its sides with its tail, 
 and uttering short low growls, which to my boyish 
 imagination, appeared actually to shake the earth. 
 It had been repeatedly fired at, but as yet evidently 
 without serious effect, and at last it was brought to 
 a stand in a small ravine, through which there was 
 no egress. When the lion discovered its situation, 
 it turned full round, and glared with eyes of fire 
 on its pursuers, still lashing its sides; and now 
 and then as some over-venturesome dog rushed for- 
 ward, striking its assailant to the ground with its 
 paw, as easily as a man could crush an egg-shell 
 with his foot. My father with his attendant, soon 
 approached within thirty or forty yards ; he levelled 
 his rifle with the utmost coolness, telling me in a 
 suppressed voice to fall back, and then fired. The 
 lion uttered a sharp roar and shook itself, but still 
 stood its ground. Again my father fired, and then 
 the animal advanced several yards. Its aspect was 
 terribly grand : its mane which was long enough to 
 reach the ground, stood nearly erect like an immense 
 ruff around its neck, and stretching out its fore-feet, 
 it crouched behind considerably; still keeping its 
 
»*-.- 
 
 A LION HUNT. 23 
 
 glaring eyes fixed on its foe. My father coolly reached 
 out his hand to his attendant and received his spear, 
 and then advanced to within ten yards of the beast, 
 holding his weapon in readiness. At this instant 
 the attitudes of the man and the lion would have 
 made a magnificent picture. My father after a mo- 
 ment's pause, knelt on one knee, holding the butt 
 of his spear firmly to the ground, with the point 
 sloping towards the lion ; he then uttered a loud and 
 peculiar kind of cry, when the animal answering 
 with a tremendous roar made a spring; my father 
 still holding up the spear, leapt on one side with 
 great agility, and the huge monster was completely 
 transfixed. It rolled and twisted about in every 
 direction, until some of the hunters rushed in and 
 despatched him. Had my father not leapt aside at 
 the instant, he would probably have received some 
 deadly wounds from the struggling beast; but he was 
 experienced in such encounters. He told me, after we 
 came home, that having failed in both his last shots, he 
 was determined to venture an attack upon the lion 
 with his spear. His men looked upon him as in- 
 vincible ; and he could not think of retreating and 
 leaving one of his subjects to conquer what had 
 baffled himself. My father now ordered all hands 
 to halt, and a general refreshment to be given. The 
 lion was speedily stripped of its skin, and it was 
 found to measure from the nose to the rump about 
 eight English feet; the tail being three or four feet 
 in addition. There was not a man present who could 
 with both hands clasp the leg round above the fore 
 
24 A LION HUNT. 
 
 knee-joint : some idea may thus be formed of its 
 enormous size. 
 
 After resting for about a couple of hours, the heat 
 being intense, every one was again on his feet, for 
 it was strongly suspected, by the same experienced 
 hunters, from certain marks and indications which 
 had been seen, that the lion's partner could not be 
 far off. And so it turned out ; for the lioness was 
 started within a mile of the spot where her royal 
 spouse fell, and she made off with all speed for the 
 higher grounds. It was near sun-down when we 
 saw her enter a ravine, and this being a well known 
 locality, a general shout was given; as from this 
 retreat she had no means of escape. The ravine, 
 from which a small stream issued, was not above 
 four feet wide : in some parts two men could hardly 
 pass each other, and the rocks on each side rose at 
 least a hundred feet perpendicularly. About a hun- 
 dred yards from the entrance, the narrow chasm 
 opened into an immense plain, as level and smooth 
 as a cultivated field, about eight or ten acres in 
 extent, and surrounded on all sides by precipitous 
 cliffs, upwards of two hundred feet in height, clothed 
 to the top with trees and shrubs of every description. 
 At the farther end a beautiful spout of water came 
 sheer over the precipice (the edge of which projected), 
 and fell into a basin at least thirty feet from the 
 bottom of the rock ; appearing like a stream of mol- 
 ten silver as the sun shone upon it, and when the 
 wind blew with any violence, it swayed to and fro 
 like a solid band of metal. It was designated by a 
 
SINGULAR WATERFALL. 25 
 
 term in the African tongue, signifying the " crystal 
 chain." 
 
 Our whole troop having entered this retreat, the 
 lioness was soon discovered crouching behind a rock, 
 and growling terribly. My father, having already- 
 done his part sufficiently for one day, allowed all 
 who chose to have a shot at the poor beast, and I 
 suppose about fifty balls were sent into her. Orders 
 were soon given to encamp for the night. In this en- 
 closed space I believe ten thousand men might have 
 found ample accommodation. Timber in large quan- 
 tities was soon collected, and several immense fires 
 were kindled ; and as a considerable number of the 
 animals which had been killed during the day were 
 of a palatable description, and other provisions had 
 been brought out, a hearty supper was partaken of 
 by all. My father being in a particularly good 
 humour, gave orders that every man should receive a 
 small measure of spirts— enough to enliven, but not 
 to intoxicate. 
 
 I may here take occasion to remark, that King 
 Zembola was upon the whole rather a temperate 
 man, considering his habits, his avocations, and his 
 opportunities. Several of his neighbouring poten- 
 tates, who could only maintain a body-guard of six 
 or eight men, did nothing day after day but sit 
 beneath the shade of a tree with their pipes in their 
 mouths, and a keg of rum beside them, and were 
 assisted in the evening to their dormitory in a state 
 of oblivion. So long as their funds lasted they 
 " kept the war up," as the saying is ; and there was 
 
26 KING GOOLOO. 
 
 one merry fellow, but an awful drunkard, named 
 Gooloo Bambo, who again and again pawned his orna- 
 ments, and even one of his wives, to my father for a 
 keg of rum. These, however, as soon as he could 
 raise the means otherwise were honourably redeemed. 
 Who could have thought that the civilized art of 
 pawnbroking had been carried on in heathen Africa ! 
 This King Gooloo was a very eccentric fellow in 
 some of his notions, particularly in regard to dress. 
 At one period he had procured from a slave-trader 
 a very beautiful scarlet long-tailed coat, covered with 
 buttons and gold lace, which he wore close buttoned 
 to the chin, but without vest, pantaloons, or even a 
 shirt ; on his head he stuck a naval officer's cocked 
 hat, and thrust his feet into a pair of good English 
 top-boots, but as to a shirt, he scorned such an 
 effeminate garment. My father earnestly advised 
 him to wear a shirt at least, if he dispensed with 
 unmentionables. " No, no," said he; "shirt made 
 for Buckra man — shirt like woman petticoat. King 
 Gooloo, brave warrior — have no shirt." I saw him 
 one day, after he had generously made the whole of 
 his staff officers and male attendants dead drunk, 
 strutting in the dress I have described, with a musket 
 over his shoulder, and doing duty as sentry at his 
 own palace door, muttering to himself occasionally, — 
 " King Gooloo — big fellow — great prince ; wonder 
 what English people say 'bout me — what King 
 George think; go see him some day. What 'Merican 
 people say of me. Oh, Gomo I Gomo ! I 'stonish 
 them some day." He would then go over to the 
 
A NIGHT ENCAMPMENT. 27 
 
 rum-keg, and very gravely drink his own health. I 
 am by no means exaggerating in regard to King 
 Gooloo ; and perhaps, if the curtain were withdrawn, 
 his brother monarchs in more enlightened parts of 
 the earth might a ]so exhibit a few traits of eccen- 
 tricity. 
 
 To return to our encampment. Night set in imme- 
 diately after supper, but some of the troop were dis- 
 posed for sleep. War-dances, accompanied by fright- 
 ful yells, were commenced, and continued till about 
 midnight. Had any European traveller arrived that 
 evening at the edge of the precipice above us, the 
 scene presented to his view must have been very 
 striking. The night was particularly dark, which 
 rendered the light cast by the huge fires more glar- 
 ing ; and the dark shadows and lurid reflections cast 
 by every object around appeared to me altogether 
 magnificent. Nothing seemed more fantastic than 
 the slender stream of water rushing; through the air : 
 it gleamed and flashed in the flickering light like a 
 cataract of diamonds. The wild beasts, which held 
 dominion in this quarter, being disturbed, kept 
 up an incessant howling and chattering the whole 
 night : hyenas, baboons, monkeys, and many other 
 animals, joined their discordant notes to the scream- 
 ing of numberless tribes of the parrot kind ; and 
 small flocks of the large black vulture, so common in 
 this part of Africa, flitted about from tree to tree and 
 from rock to rock, seeming, to my boyish imagination, 
 hordes of evil spirits in quest of a resting-place, or 
 watching for an opportunity of pouncing upon our 
 
28 zamba's training. 
 
 troop, as at last they lay outstretched in sleep. Long 
 ere daybreak many of the party were astir, replenish- 
 ing the fires, taking a morning smoke, or preparing 
 for breakfast. This meal was no sooner despatched 
 than we again started in search of game. I had the 
 satisfaction of bringing down two hyenas and an 
 antelope. Besides these, only a few small animals 
 were killed by the rest of the party. By the after- 
 noon, our village was again in sight. 
 
 The death of the pair of lions relieved our flocks from 
 all disturbance for a longtime afterwards, and the ad- 
 ventures of this hunting expedition served to wile away 
 many a long evening. I felt so much pleased with the 
 result of this hunt, that I determined to apply myself 
 regularly to the use of the gun, and, if possible, rival 
 my father in his prowess. Accordingly, I practised at 
 a mark every day, and frequently made short excur- 
 sions, always bringing in a greater or less quantity of 
 game. By the time I had attained my thirteenth year, 
 I could hit an egg, suspended to the end of a cane at 
 the distance of a hundred yards, with a single ball; and 
 having performed this feat several times before my 
 father, he allowed me, in company with an attendant 
 or two, to take an excursion to any distance not 
 exceeding two days' journey. I made free use of this 
 license, and encountered many adventures and mis- 
 haps ere I reached my fifteenth year; but I shall only 
 trouble the reader with an anecdote or two. 
 
 When I was about fourteen, having a good consti- 
 tution, and being well taken care of in regard to food, 
 &c, I had become, by free exercise, very stout and 
 
zamba's encounter with a lion. 29 
 
 active for my age, and indeed was a match in strength 
 and agility for many men arrived at maturity. I one 
 day went forth, accompanied by two clever servants 
 named Pouldamah and Bollah — lads who would 
 not, I was confident, flinch at any danger — and 
 having shot several hyenas, I got so eager in 
 the sport that nothing would serve me but a lion 
 encounter, if such could be obtained. I offered a 
 handsome reward to the man who would first start 
 one ; and having stretched far into the wildest part of 
 the forest, our ears were at last assailed by the deep 
 and low growl of one of the forest kino-s. Our doo-s 
 soon led us into a hollow, where we perceived a large- 
 sized lion regaling himself on the new-slain carcass 
 of a wild goat. At sight of us, he merely turned 
 round for an instant, and then proceeded with his 
 meal, munching and growling alternately like a dog 
 over a bone. Without a moment's hesitation, I fired, 
 and hit him on one of the ears. This only irritated 
 him; and before my companions could bring their 
 pieces to a bearing, the huge beast was down upon 
 us with a tremendous roar; and in turning tail, 
 which I naturally did, I fell over a stone and lay- 
 prostrate on my face. My companions also had 
 taken to their heels on the instant ; but, partly 
 through faithfulness to me and their own natural 
 courage, and partly perhaps through fear of my 
 father's anger — which would have been fatal to 
 them, had anything happened to me — they rallied 
 and stood firm for a moment, The lion coming up 
 with me, laid one of his paws on my back, and put- 
 
•-«. 
 
 30 ZAMBA UNDER THE PAY? OF A LION. 
 
 ting his nose close to me, began to growl and snuff. 
 The weight of his paw was tremendous, and even 
 painful ; but, as I had been warned by old hunters 
 of the habits and ways of the lion tribe, I lay dead 
 still, and held in my breath until almost suffocated. 
 When just about to give in for want of breath, I 
 heard two sharp cracks, and in a moment my huge 
 enemy was rolling on the ground. I arose " pretty 
 smartly," as the Americans say, and rushed to my 
 two faithful friends, who clasped me with delight, 
 and even cried for joy. In the mean time, the 
 animal continued to roll and tumble about in his 
 death agonies, and had we not kept at a respectful 
 distance until he was quite spent, we should probably 
 have paid dearly for our temerity. After taking his 
 dimensions, which we found little inferior to the one 
 my father had so daringly encountered, we took away 
 his skin as a trophy. 
 
 And now, it may be inquired, how it happened that 
 I, who was so expert a shot as to hit an egg at a 
 hundred yards distance, did not mortally wound my 
 enemy at first? The truth is, that I felt not quite so 
 steady in my aim as the son of a brave chief ought 
 to have done ; and, farther, I can assure my readers 
 that it is one thing to aim at an egg placed upon an 
 inanimate object, and another to aim at the said egg 
 placed on the forehead of a living and fierce lion. 
 
 I might mention many other encounters that I had 
 with wild animals as I increased in years; but not to 
 become tiresome on one subject, shall close my 
 hunting adventures with another anecdote. One 
 
« 
 
 ZAMBA IN THE FOLDS OF A SERPENT. 31 
 
 day, I went forth with about a dozen of my father's 
 regulars, and after killing some small game, we fell 
 in with a flock of antelopes, of which we were eagerly 
 in pursuit through a kind of open country or prairie, 
 where the grass and weeds grew two or three feet 
 high. I had taken a hasty leap over a small rut, 
 and, alighting on something soft and slippery, fell 
 prostrate ; ere I could recover myself, I felt some- 
 thing twist round my body, and roll me over and 
 over. In a moment it occurred to me that I was 
 within the folds of a serpent. I was squeezed so 
 tightly, that I had only time to give one loud scream 
 for assistance, and instinctively raise my arms up- 
 wards in the endeavour to defend my head and face ; 
 being aware, from what I had heard from others, 
 that the serpent would endeavour to make a twist 
 round my neck. I could hear the monster hissing 
 and playing its head round my face, but could not 
 see: either through pain or horror at my situation. 
 I gradually felt my ribs bending beneath its cruel 
 gripe, and imagined that all was over with me, 
 when to my inexpressible relief, I heard the voices 
 of my friends; one of whom, with his cutlass, at 
 one blow severed the monster's head from its body. 
 It still, however, held me firm in its gripe, but 
 speedily two or three of my faithful attendants threw 
 themselves on the tail part of the animal, whilst 
 another cut about two feet off from its extremity. 
 Instantly I felt relieved, but was quite unable to 
 stand or speak. Fortunately water was at hand, and 
 I soon came to myself, though now quite unconcerned 
 

 32 zamba's escape from the boa. 
 
 about pursuing antelopes or any other game — for that 
 day, at least. The stench which proceeded either from 
 the breath of the serpent, or from its fluids when cut 
 asunder, was suffocating ; and when relieved from its 
 folds, I was covered with blood and slime. As near 
 as we could make out its dimensions, the serpent was 
 about sixteen feet in length, and at the thickest part 
 it was about the size of the leg of a stout man. It 
 was a boa constrictor, and its bite was not poisonous ; 
 although it left a mark or two on one of my arms 
 which did not wear off for some years. For many 
 days afterwards, I shuddered at the sight, or even at 
 the mention, of a snake of any description ; and for a 
 long while after, I occasionally screamed out in my 
 dreams ; nor have I altogether got quit of my horror 
 even at this day. While I lay prostrate beneath the 
 paw of the lion, as before mentioned, I felt very 
 uncomfortable — exceedingly so, indeed ; but that was 
 nothing to be compared to what I endured whilst 
 held in the folds of the serpent : the feeling was 
 horrible — truly horrible ! 
 
 
ARRIVAL OF CAPTAIN WINTOIf. 33 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Arrival of American Captain — Visit to his ship — Trading expedition 
 — Kiucr Darroola's village — Festivities — Darroola's treachery and 
 skirmish — Zembola vows vengeance. 
 
 I shall now advert to other occurrences than limit- 
 ing. My father made regular excursions with his 
 men, and occasionally to a considerable distance, 
 either for the purpose of quarrelling with some other 
 tribe, and helping himself to what fortune threw in 
 his way, or for the more laudable purpose of trading 
 with other chiefs. He refused, however, upon all 
 occasions to let me join him, saying that it was too 
 much to risk both king and prince at one time. He 
 ti'aded with various slave captains, both British and 
 American ; but his chief customer was Captain 
 Winton, who generally came every year, sometimes 
 oftener. He brought many curiosities to my father 
 to adorn his palace. We had even a very handsome 
 London-made eight-day clock, various articles of 
 crystal, crockery, and hardware, and even some 
 elegant silver plate, and — what might be deemed 
 very unnecessary for such ignoramuses as we all 
 
 D 
 
34 zamba's studies. 
 
 were — many handsome printed books with fine plates. 
 My father understood that all civilized princes had 
 fine libraries, and he wished not to be behind any of 
 them, 1 often used to turn over and over the leaves 
 of these volumes, and would get Captain Winton, 
 when he was not engaged in business, to explain 
 their nature to me ; and he would occasionally read 
 a story out of one of them. Sometimes their contents 
 related to our own Africa, describing matters so 
 naturally and truly, that to all of us it seemed quite 
 incomprehensible, and indeed supernatural, that these 
 books should talk better than our wisest men. I felt 
 so much interested by what I heard read, and so 
 eager to know more, that I absolutely bothered Cap- 
 tain Win ton to give me some lessons in reading; and 
 to him I owe the rudiments of my education. In his 
 different visits, he enabled me completely to master 
 the English alphabet, and even to read, in a manner, 
 words of one syllable. For my instruction, he brought 
 me an English primer, and I proved a very indus- 
 trious scholar. 
 
 I must be permitted to say, that nature had cer- 
 tainly formed me in a more intellectual and thought- 
 ful mould than the most of my countrymen ; and I 
 could not shut my eyes to the fact that, in know- 
 ledge, we were far, far behind the strangers who 
 visited us. The various manufactures they brought 
 us was another proof that we were but as infants in 
 comparison to the whites. The more I thought upon 
 the matter, the stronger became my desire to know 
 more of the world and of mankind than what I could 
 
HIS DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE. 35 
 
 acquire in Africa; and I hinted this my desire to 
 Captain Winton. But when my father learned that 
 I had a wish to see foreign nations, he was quite 
 indignant, and forbade me again to mention the sub- 
 ject. This prohibition, however, like many others to 
 young minds, had merely the effect of setting me 
 brooding on the matter, and contriving how to attain 
 my object. 
 
 Captain Winton was a considerable favourite with 
 the female part of our household. He never forgot 
 to bring a few trinkets for them, — most of them, 
 doubtless, of brass well gilded, — and in return he 
 was sure to obtain real bullion in one shape or other. 
 The women were very eager to procure small silver 
 coins, with which they made very pretty necklaces 
 and bracelets, stringing a coin and an amber or coral 
 bead alternately. On gala days, my sisters carried 
 about in this way, on their heads, necks, and arms, 
 as much small change as an extensive retail shop 
 would require. 
 
 I had attained the age of sixteen, when Captain 
 Winton, having arrived, I earnestly requested of 
 my father that he would permit me to go down 
 the river when the captain went, and see his ship 
 at the same time. At length he consented, say- 
 ing that he had a lot of slaves to take down to the 
 vessel, and that we would all go together. Having 
 arranged matters, and shipped his slaves, amounting 
 to fifty-two, in two large canoes, he and I, with twelve 
 of the regulars, embarked in another, and the captain 
 accompanied us with his boat, in which were eight 
 
 d 2 
 
36 FIRST SIGHT OF A SHIP. 
 
 men. In two days, we arrived at the anchoring- 
 ground, which was four miles within the bar that 
 stretched across the mouth of the Congo. 
 
 On approaching this spot, where lay four other 
 slave-ships, I was struck with wonder and amazement 
 at the beautiful appearance and gigantic size of these 
 ships, never having before seen any vessel larger than 
 our canoes. After reaching the deck of Captain 
 Winton's ship, the Triton, I could hardly believe but 
 that all I saw was enchantment. This vessel carried 
 twelve guns ; and, in honour of our visit, Captain 
 Winton ordered a salute of five guns to be fired. I 
 was, of course, well enough acquainted with the 
 explosion of small arms, but had never seen a cannon 
 fired ; and as I had no warning of what was about to 
 take place either from my father or the captain (who, 
 no doubt, wished to try my mettle), on the first gun 
 being discharged, I leaped a considerable height from 
 the deck, and looked round at my father perfectly 
 thunderstruck. Indeed, I imagined it actually was 
 thunder, and it was some time before I could recover 
 my composure. When an explanation took place, 
 however, it more surely convinced me of the wonder- 
 ful power and knowledge possessed by white men. 
 
 On being taken down to the cabin, I was shown 
 some articles that appeared to me very curious ; 
 amongst others, two very large globes, the nature of 
 which the captain explained. My father laughed 
 outright when he was told that this earth was round, 
 and said, — " Oh, captain, you are making fool of 
 black men." Several maps were also explained to 
 
GOSPEL TIDINGS. 37 
 
 us, and even the nature of eclipses was endeavoured 
 to be illustrated to us by means of some diagrams ; 
 but Captain \\ inton's endeavours were often fruitless, 
 as it was impossible for him to supply us with com- 
 prehension. Yet, although I could not understand 
 all he said to us, I was convinced, from other circum- 
 stances, that the white man must be in the right, 
 however mysterious it then appeared to me. 
 
 After thinking for some time, I inquired of the 
 captain if he knew who made the world, and the 
 sun and moon, and all other visible things. He an- 
 swered, that one great and invisible Being had made 
 all things, and that the idols we Africans worshipped 
 were merely things invented by the imagination and 
 ignorance of men. He also said that God in former 
 times had sent visible angels from heaven to instruct 
 and direct men in what was right, but that, through 
 the wickedness of mankind, God had been displeased, 
 and no more held visible intercourse with men. 
 Yet that God in his mercy sent his Son, who had 
 come into this world about two thousand years ago, 
 and gave men good instructions and advice ; and at 
 last, because he was superior in goodness to any 
 being who had ever appeared on this earth, he was 
 slain by wicked men ; but in three days he rose from 
 his grave, and soon afterwards ascended up into 
 heaven, in the presence of many witnesses. All who 
 believed in this Son of God, and repented of their 
 evil w r orks, Captain Winton told me, would after their 
 death be taken to heaven, where they would for ever 
 be happy. All this, although in a great measure 
 
38 HOLD OF A SLAVE SHIP. 
 
 incomprehensible to me at the time, made a deep 
 impression on my mind ; and when I compared such 
 things to the confused nonsense told to us by our 
 itinerant priests, I longed from my heart to know 
 something more of this Son of God. May I ask, 
 now, if such feelings were not infused into my heart 
 by the Holy Spirit of God, at that time, and not 
 merely in consequence of a few sentences spoken by 
 a slave captain ? If not from this cause, from 
 whence did they arise ? I was now determined more 
 and more, although I kept my thoughts to myself, 
 that as soon as it was in my power I would make a 
 voyage to the white man's country. 
 
 Captain Winton then showed us the hold of the 
 ship, and in this there were already stowed, including 
 my father's cargo, nearly three hundred slaves ; they 
 were mostly in fetters or shackles, and seemed other- 
 wise very uncomfortable. Captain Winton told us 
 that if he did not thus confine them, they would, when 
 at sea, come on deck, and make such a confusion in 
 the ship, that the men would be unable to do their 
 work. This seemed plausible enough. I then asked 
 him what would become of the slaves when he 
 arrived in America. "Oh!" said he, laughing, 
 " the women will all get white husbands, and will 
 have little to do but dress and go about: they will 
 be dressed, Prince Zamba, much better than your 
 mother and your sisters ; and as for the men, 
 they will be taught to work at various trades, and 
 will be well fed and clothed, and be far better 
 off than in Africa." I swallowed all this implicitly, 
 

 BARTERING FOR SLAVES. 39 
 
 and thought that in reality they would be better off 
 than if kept by my father and other chiefs as 
 prisoners, in which situation they had no security for 
 their lives for one hour. Captain Winton, however, 
 did not tell me all the facts of the case. I learned 
 them afterwards by my own bitter experience. 
 
 We stopped on board the ship all night, and next 
 day my father received payment for his lot of slaves. 
 At this time a stout male slave was valued, on an 
 average, at from thirty to forty dollars, women from 
 five to ten dollars less, and children in proportion. 
 But the purchase was all paid in barter. A piece of 
 common Irish linen was taken at from twenty-five to 
 thirty-five dollars. A musket and bayonet, which in 
 Birmingham probably cost thirty shillings, brought 
 twenty dollars; and gunpowder was priced at a dollar 
 per pound weight. My father, however, would some- 
 times insist upon having a hundred or two of specie 
 dollars, and seemed quite acquainted with their rela- 
 tive value to manufactured goods. Having arranged 
 all with Captain Winton, we embarked in our canoes, 
 and ere we were a mile on our way up the river, I 
 had the pleasure to see one of the slave vessels under 
 weigh, with a fine breeze ; it was truly a marvellous 
 spectacle to me. As we had three canoes in charge, 
 with few hands, it was five days before we reached 
 home. 
 
 About seven months after this excursion, my 
 father told me he would take me upon a trading 
 expedition ; and farther promised that hereafter he 
 would also take me in his war expeditions,- — in fact 
 

 40 A TRADING EXPEDITION. 
 
 that we should always keep together and take our 
 chance. He made me promise solemnly, that, in 
 case anything befell him, I would endeavour to walk 
 in his footsteps, and do all things just as he had 
 done. I did so; but 1 must confess, with secret 
 misgivings, as I had quite different ideas in my 
 head. The expedition he was now bent on, he told 
 me, was to pay a visit and trade with a brother king, 
 named Darroola, of the Konnantu tribe, who resided 
 about two hundred miles from our place, up the 
 Congo. This Darroola, he said, was a very strange 
 fellow, and it required great caution and courage to 
 deal with him to advantage. However, I should 
 soon be able to judge for myself. We had three of 
 our largest canoes put in order, each of which would 
 carry from forty to fifty men ; the one in which my 
 father himself embarked had a sort of cabin amid 
 ships, and was furnished with an awning and other 
 conveniences. Our merchandise — consisting chiefly 
 of Irish linen, red flannel, flashy English printed 
 cotton, and some hardware, with five barrels con- 
 taining about a hundred gallons of rum, and provi- 
 sions for the voyage — was put on board the canoes, 
 and we were accompanied by thirty of our best men 
 well armed. 
 
 After a passage of six days, mostly accomplished 
 by dint of paddling, we came to King Darroola's 
 landing-place, where we left the vessels in charge of 
 five of the men, and then in formal order proceeded 
 to the village, which made a handsome appearance 
 at about a mile distant. We were soon descried, 
 
KING DARROOLA. 41 
 
 and King Darroola, at the head of twenty or thirty 
 men, came marching down to meet us. The two 
 chiefs appeared delighted to see each other; and I 
 was regularly introduced. King Darroola's appear- 
 ance was very striking and commanding, but there 
 was something particularly savage in his smile, and 
 his eyes, which were extraordinarily large, looked 
 horribly malignant. He was dressed in red flannel 
 breeches, with large knee-buckles — his bare legs 
 showing above a pair of half boots ; a blue naval 
 uniform coat, with large gold epaulettes ; and a red 
 and blue striped night-cap. 
 
 As we neared the village, which was surrounded 
 with pallisades, some of his men commenced blowing 
 trumpets, and huzzaing with all their might. On 
 entering the gate, the most conspicuous building was 
 the palace, of course, which was really a very decent 
 looking building, of two stories in height. I could, 
 as we drew near to the palace gate, perceive several 
 ladies at the upper windows, one of whom beat 
 upon a drum, and another rattled a tambourine vigo- 
 rously in honour of our approach. The pallisades 
 which surrounded the palace on all sides presented 
 a ghastly, and to me an appalling sight. At the 
 distance of about every three feet, a human head was 
 stuck on the end of a small pole ; some of them 
 appeared quite fresh, others were in various stages 
 of putrefaction. I noticed that the pallisade at one 
 side of the palace was destitute of these horrible 
 trophies : the cause of this was soon explained. 
 Just as my father was entering the gate, he stepped 
 
42 GHASTLY TROPHIES. 
 
 into a small pool of fresh blood, when, without 
 appearing in the least astonished, he turned round 
 to his brother king, and with a half serious, half 
 comical look, said, — " What ! King Darroola, still 
 keeping up the old amusement? You are too 
 extravagant, sir. I am sure you always find me 
 ready enough to bargain for your prisoners or 
 your criminals. What have you been about this 
 morning?" — " Ah," answered Darroola, "you know, 
 King Zembola, that I can afford more heads than 
 you. It is only for pocket-money I deal with you. 
 I must have my palace adorned like a true king. I 
 have about fifty blank spaces to fill up yet, and have 
 only furnished three this morning." He then ex- 
 plained that he had made it a rule, every new moon, 
 to fill up at least three vacancies on the pallisades, 
 until they should be furnished all round with heads. 
 One of these he had taken this day, he added, 
 belonged to one of his wives, of whom he was jea- 
 lous ; another was the head of a slave, who had 
 broken by accident a fine crystal bottle ; and the 
 third, that of a prisoner who was rather sickly, and 
 who would not, he believed, have brought ten dollars 
 at all events. He coolly pointed out the three heads, 
 which had been just stuck up in their places, and 
 were still dripping with gore. My father only 
 said, " Sir — sir, you are very extravagant." But 
 the impression made upon my feelings was such 
 that I could not help shuddering at the hideous 
 spectacle ; which Darroola perceiving, he clapped me 
 on the shoulder, and: said, " Ah, boy — boy, you 
 
ROYAL SLAVE DEALERS. 43 
 
 have not seen the world, I perceive." I inwardly 
 hoped that I should soon be far from a country of 
 such horrors, and again reverted in my own mind to 
 what Captain Winton had told me regarding the 
 manner in which white men lived. 
 
 On entering the interior of the palace, I ob- 
 served that, although well furnished for an African 
 prince, it had not the tasteful arrangement or hand- 
 some ornaments of my father's house ; but a great 
 many spoils of the chase lay scattered about, and the 
 walls in every direction were adorned with imple- 
 ments of war. The two chiefs now sat down at a 
 table, and, excepting myself, all others were ordered 
 out. They then commenced to talk of business; 
 bottles of spirits and other refreshments were pro- 
 duced, and after a few cups were drunk, Darroola 
 inquired how much rum his brother had brought 
 with him. To this and other questions, my father 
 answered in an evasive manner, inquiring in return 
 how many and what kind of prisoners Darroola had 
 on hand ; who, like a true merchant, also evaded the 
 question : in fact, the two for a long time, like abler 
 tacticians in more civilized countries, appeared to be 
 striving to get the weather-gauge of each other. At 
 length they came to some kind of terms, and I found, 
 by the prices agreed upon for the various articles to 
 be given for fifty-five slaves, that my father drove a 
 very profitable trade : he gained cent, per cent, at 
 least on every article, and as much upon the slaves. 
 
 After some little time, we went out and inspected 
 the fifty-five slaves, some of whom appeared quite 
 
44 SEALING A BARGAIN. 
 
 happy at the prospect of a change ; having already, 
 as I had no doubt, experienced that they were in the 
 hands of a fiend. My father then sent down a 
 detachment, accompanied by a number of Darroola's 
 men, to the canoes to bring up the requisite goods, 
 and in the mean time the two chiefs returned to the 
 drinking chamber, and seemed determined upon 
 having a jollification. Barroola was, in his own way, 
 very amusing, but I could hardly look at his savage 
 countenance without wishing myself anywhere else 
 than within his premises. The articles were soon 
 brought up from the canoes ; Darroola very gene- 
 rously ordered a cask of rum to be broached, and a 
 good allowance to be served to all the men of both 
 parties; and the whole afternoon was spent in jollity. 
 My father, however, took the precaution, some time 
 before sun-down, to go down to his canoes himself, 
 and appoint a guard of fifteen men to watch all 
 night: the others were to be accommodated at the 
 palace. 
 
 We returned to the palace about dusk, and par- 
 took of a feast which did credit to Darroola's cooks. 
 At the request of Darroola, a few of my father's men 
 were brought into the room where the two chiefs sat, 
 and allowed to sit down along with them, and par- 
 take of the good things; and in the course of the 
 evening we were visited by a priest of the country, 
 whom I instantly recollected having often seen at our 
 own palace. After some time, this priest, who sat 
 next my father, took a small idol out of his pocket, 
 and holding it up, pretended to be whispering a 
 
WARNING OF TREACHERY. 45 
 
 prayer to it ; but this was only to attract my father's 
 attention without being suspected by Darroola: who, 
 by the way, was busily plying some of our men with 
 rum, and had his head and his attention turned in 
 another direction. The priest then whispered, " King 
 Zembola, listen to me, but look as if you heard not. 
 You have been my friend ; I am your friend : I can- 
 not see you betrayed. Mark me now: — an attempt 
 will be made to destroy you and your men to-morrow, 
 when you are at the point of embarking : be on your 
 guard. I can say no more. Now, do not let your 
 countenance betray you. You are safe to-night ; but 
 to-morrow — remember to-morrow." I could instantly 
 perceive my father's countenance change ; but he 
 quickly commanded his emotion, and looking steadily 
 at the faithful old priest, merely pressed his hand, 
 and said, " Good ! my friend, I shall never forget 
 you." 
 
 The entertainment continued, and at last all were 
 more than ready for bed. Many, indeed, had already 
 made theirs on the floor without ceremony, and King 
 Darroola snored in his chair of state. My father 
 and I retired to a room prepared for us ; and after 
 placing two sentinels at the door, and seeing that our 
 arms were in order, we lay down to sleep, and did 
 not awake until dawn of day. The two kings met in 
 the morning with the greatest affability; and refresh- 
 ments were soon prepared, which speedily carried off 
 all the effects of last evening's revelry. 
 
 In the course of the forenoon, the fifty-five slaves 
 were all taken down to the landing-place, coupled 
 
46 darroola's treacherous attack. 
 
 together with fetters; and all being settled at the 
 palace, King Darroola and about a dozen of his men, 
 unarmed, accompanied us, and we all proceeded to 
 the shore : apparently in peace and kindness. The 
 slaves were then placed in two of the canoes, and the 
 troops belonging to my father were preparing to take 
 their places ; part having to go in the same canoes 
 with the slaves, and the remainder with their chief 
 and myself in our best canoe. 
 
 At this juncture, Darroola embraced me, and then 
 my father, with seeming cordiality, wishing us a good 
 voyage and a good market, and then retired up the 
 bank a few paces. Presently, however, he turned 
 round, and exclaiming, — " King Zembola, I forgot 
 something," — he gave a signal, and in an in- 
 stant fifty or sixty men sprang out with a yell from 
 the brushwood about a hundred yards distant, and 
 commenced firing with great celerity. My father, 
 being so far on his guard, had told his men previously 
 to have their muskets loaded, each with a ball and 
 eight or ten buckshot ; and he now very steadily told 
 them to stand close and firm, and give the enemy a 
 volley. At the first surprise, two of our party fell 
 dead, but our men were superior in discipline to Dar- 
 roola's, and better marksmen ; as they proved by 
 their first volley, which brought down from fifteen to 
 twenty of the enemy. Our men, too, were furnished 
 with bayonets, which Darroola's had not ; and ere 
 they could again load, my father, setting the example, 
 called on his men to charge, which they did in gallant 
 style, and in two minutes Darroola and his men were 
 
^v 
 
 zambola's vow of vengeance. 47 
 
 nearly out of sight. My father, however, was as 
 cautious as he was brave, and not knowing how 
 many more might be in ambush, he ordered us to 
 embark without a moment's delay ; and on our way 
 down to the water, he ordered his men to despatch 
 every one of the enemy who lay wounded. With the 
 utmost speed we hauled out the whole of the canoes, 
 and were soon at the farther side of the Congo, driv- 
 ing down the stream as fast as our paddles and the 
 current could carry us. 
 
 My father sat in silence for a considerable space of 
 time after we were afloat ; but his countenance was 
 altogether changed — it absolutely turned to a palish- 
 grey hue, and his eyes rolled in their sockets as if 
 they would burst from their orbits. At length his 
 rage found utterance. He lifted up his hands, and 
 swore by all the gods that were ever known in Africa, 
 that he would not rest day or night until he had taken 
 bloody revenge on Darroola and his tribe. " I have 
 known," said he, " treachery practised by enemies on 
 each other in war; but, in peace and friendship, never. 
 Was there ever the equal to that accursed Darroola ? 
 By the Great Kolla ! if I do not spill the blood of the 
 whole tribe like water, may my whole race go to 
 jumbo !" Then, by way of encouraging his men, he 
 told them to broach a cask of rum, and gave each 
 man a good cupful. He also gave the poor slaves a 
 little to cheer their hearts, as they seemed evidently 
 delighted at Darroola being put to flight. He then 
 told the rowers to pull incessantly, promising them 
 ample allowance of victuals and drink ; and so well 
 
4o THE NEGRO AND HIS IDOL. 
 
 did all execute their task, that, by the evening of the 
 next day, we were safe at our own landing-place. 
 
 After seeing the slaves secured, the first thing my 
 father did was to go into the room where the hideous 
 idol I formerly described was stationed, and give 
 it a tremendous blow on the head with his cutlass. 
 Although I put on a serious face, I could hardly 
 help laughing at such conduct. He then called 
 every male in the place to his presence, and 
 after commenting a little on what had happened, he 
 despatched messengers to every hut in his small 
 domain, to summon instantly all who could wield a 
 weapon. " That infernal scoundrel, Darroola," said 
 he, " will expect me, as a matter of course ; but I 
 shall be upon him ere he imagines we are at home." 
 He then allowed all to take rest for one night, but 
 commanded that next morning there should be a 
 general muster. 
 
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 War Expedition — Zembola's E.evenge — Burning a Negro Village — 
 Fight and Massacre. 
 
 When the morning broke, nay father's men began 
 to assemble from all quarters, and ere the sun was 
 two hours up not one of those expected were missing: 
 all seemed animated by the same spirit of retaliation 
 and revenge. A hundred and forty men were selected 
 for the enterprise, leaving about thirty in arms to take 
 charge of matters at home till the expedition re- 
 turned. Five large canoes w 7 ere put in order, and well 
 provided with victuals and liquor; ammunition, and 
 a quantity of combustible materials were provided, — 
 nothing, in short, that was requisite for our purpose 
 was omitted. By mid-day all were ready; and my 
 father, after giving orders to the person he left as his 
 representative, and taking farewell of my mother and 
 the rest of his wives and family, took me into the 
 room where the idol was placed, and kneeling dow 7 n, 
 besought in a very earnest manner success on our 
 enterprise. For my own part, even at that time I 
 put very little faith in what the hideous image could 
 
 E 
 
50 • EMBARK IN CANOES. 
 
 do, — more especially now, when his ugly head was 
 nearly cloven in two. Alas! my poor father! may 
 the only living and true God forgive thy ignorance, 
 in the day when motives and not words shall be 
 weighed. 
 
 We immediately afterwards embarked in the 
 canoes, and set off at full speed, and both arguments 
 and stimulants were used to make the rowers do 
 their utmost. No untoward accident occurred to 
 delay us for a moment, and in the afternoon of the 
 third day we were within twenty miles of Darroola's 
 village. The canoes were now brought close to the 
 shore, and moored until the sun sank; immediately 
 after which, having refreshed all hands, we again 
 started, and orders were given that perfect silence 
 should be maintained. About an hour before mid- 
 night we arrived within two miles of our destination ; 
 and here the canoes were brought close to the bank, 
 and arrangements made for the attack. 
 
 As it was possible that Darroola might be even 
 thus early on the watch, my father gave orders that 
 twenty picked men, accompanied by myself, should 
 endeavour to surprise the sentinels, who would pro- 
 bably be stationed near the landing-place; the re- 
 mainder, including King Zembola, were to remain 
 in arms beside the canoes, ready at a moment's 
 warning for what might happen. I accordingly 
 started with the twenty men, and as the night was 
 exceedingly dark, and we were but partially ac- 
 quainted with the ground, we had to choose our 
 steps with caution. We marched right into the 
 
THE OUTPOSTS SURPRISED. 51 
 
 country for about a quarter of a mile, then taking a 
 circuit, struck again down to the river side ; and as we 
 approached the spot where we expected any sentinels 
 to be stationed, we crawled upon our hands and 
 knees, hardly daring to breathe. At last we could 
 perceive one man close to the river's bank, walking 
 backwards and forwards ; and, still advancing, we 
 could make out three others sitting near him on the 
 ground, quietly smoking. Had King Darroola seen 
 them, their heads would no doubt have soon filled up 
 a few of his blank spaces on the pallisades. We now 
 all arose, but without the smallest noise, and rushing 
 forward, the four sentinels were secured and bound, 
 and threatened with instant death if a sound escaped 
 them. I despatched two swift-footed fellows to my 
 father, advising him to bring his men straight up by 
 the bank of the river ; and such was their eagerness, 
 that in less than an hour our whole party had 
 ioined us. 
 
 King Zembola now divided his whole force into 
 seven companies, of about twenty men each, and 
 every man of them was furnished with a few pitch- 
 pine splinters, prepared in a peculiar manner to ren- 
 der them more combustible, with directions that as 
 soon as they entered the village, and the signal was 
 given, each man was to set fire to the house near- 
 est his station. My father then addressed a few 
 words to the whole of us, bidding us remember 
 that his honour, and the honour of our tribe, were at 
 stake, and that if we failed in taking signal ven- 
 geance on man, woman, and child, we were no 
 
 e 2 
 
52 NIGHT ATTACK. 
 
 friends of his. " I shall sacrifice at least two hun- 
 dred," said he, '* and we shall have about as many 
 left as prisoners : at all events, Darroola shall pay 
 with his blood for his treachery. But spare the old 
 priest you saw in conversation with me at Darroola's 
 table. And now forward in quietness." 
 
 We marched in dead silence until we came to the 
 village pallisades, and as fortune would have it, the 
 first gate we came to yielded without force. The 
 whole village was wrapt in deep repose and darkness, 
 until the silence was broken by the barking of a dog 
 or two. I felt considerably irritated at the treatment 
 we had received from Darroola ; but, whether it was 
 that my heart was formed of softer materials than 
 my father's, or that a new light was beginning lately 
 to break in upon my mind, certain it is I experienced 
 an indescribable feeling — something allied to melan- 
 choly and sorrow — as I gazed around on the dwell- 
 ings of the poor Kormantoos, who, though guiltless, 
 and most of them totally ignorant of Darroola's 
 treachery, would in a few minutes be aroused from 
 their peaceful slumbers to all the horrors of fire, 
 slaughter, and every species of murderous cruelty; 
 and although I calculated that a considerable num- 
 ber of prisoners would be our booty, I wished, from 
 the bottom of my soul, that the injury could be other- 
 wise atoned for. I had, however, hardly time to 
 make these reflections before my father ordered me 
 to station my company in front of Darroola's palace, 
 saying that he would place his own company close 
 to me, as we might expect most resistance there. 
 
VILLAGE IN FLAMES. 53 
 
 He then gave directions where the others should 20, 
 and told them that as soon as they saw a single 
 torch blazing at his station, they were to light their 
 torches with all expedition, and set fire to the nearest 
 habitations. 
 
 In a few minutes afterwards, he struck a light 
 himself, kindled a torch, and instantly our two com- 
 panies held each his blazing torch aloft, and all the 
 other companies followed like magic. The torches 
 were no sooner applied to the dry thatch, or reeds, of 
 which the huts were mostly formed, than the flames 
 arose and spread like wildfire, and in a few minutes 
 the whole village was in a blaze. And now arose the 
 most awful shouting of men, mingled with the shrill 
 screaming of women and children, that could be 
 imagined; the terror-struck inhabitants endeavoured 
 to rush out of their burning dwellings, but outside 
 our men met them like infuriated tigers, and either 
 cut them down with their cutlasses, or thrust them 
 back into the flames with their bayonets. Some of 
 the Kormantoo men made a gallant resistance, fight- 
 ing with such weapons as they could snatch up in 
 the confusion, but most of them were naked and 
 unarmed, and of course had no chance. The palace 
 windows were soon thrown open, and we could per- 
 ceive Darroola himself, with a musket, at the head of 
 a strong party of his men. They fired most deter- 
 minedly, and even steadily, from the windows ; but 
 the flames made such rapid and fearful progress, that 
 this warfare could not last long: a number of our 
 men fell, and we could plainly see that our volleys 
 
54 DEATH OF DARROOLA AND ZEMBOLA. 
 
 were thinning the number of our opponents within 
 the palace. At length the fire became so fierce, that 
 Darioola and his whole force of about thirty men, 
 made a sally from the front gate, and bravely met us 
 hand to hand. The struggle was now tremendous, 
 and many fell on both sides ; at length Darroola 
 singled out my father, who by no means evaded him, 
 and for some time the two carried on a doubtful 
 combat. Darroola was armed with a huge battle- 
 axe, and my father with musket and bayonet parried 
 his blows with great dexterity, till at length my 
 father fairly thrust him through the body, and pinned 
 him against a wall of the palace : even in this hor- 
 rible position the brave Darroola struck at his trium- 
 phant enemy; but his blows were now feeble, and 
 when my father withdrew his bayonet, his opponent 
 fell dead. Just as my father had finished this fierce 
 encounter, a ball from one of the enemy struck him 
 on the forehead, and ere I could reach him he had 
 fallen beside his enemy : he uttered only one groan, 
 and lay fixed in death. I was perfectly appalled, 
 and knew not what to do. The enemy still continued 
 to resist ; but as the news of my father's death 
 spread through our ranks, most of the men came 
 hurrying to the spot, and I could perceive from their 
 numbers that we were completely victorious. I 
 instantly gave orders that mercy should be shown to 
 all who yielded. 
 
 Just at this moment, a young girl, with hardly any 
 clothing on her, but who, from the ornaments about 
 her head and neck, was evidently a person of rank, 
 
MORNING AFTER THE BATTLE. 55 
 
 came rushing up to me, followed by one of our men, 
 who, with a cutlass uplifted, was in the act of striking 
 her. I parried the blow and cried to him to desist ; 
 and, upon' looking down, perceived the poor girl 
 holding me by the feet and gazing imploringly in my 
 face. By the light of the flames, I saw that she was 
 beautiful, and as she turned up her eyes of heavenly 
 sweetness, I could not help stooping down, and 
 taking her in my arms, telling her that she was per- 
 fectly safe. I then told two of my men (for the men 
 were now mine, alas !) to take her beside the other 
 prisoners, and see that no harm came over her. 
 
 By this time day had broken, and of the beautiful 
 village of Darroola hardly a vestige remained : a 
 number of smoking heaps of ashes and rubbish, 
 mingled with the remains of human beings, told 
 where the cheerful and happy cottages had stood but 
 yesterday ; and the loud wailing and lamentation of 
 the wretched prisoners would have melted the heart of 
 any but a fiend. On mustering our men, I found 
 that thirty-five were wanting, besides my father; 
 whilst of Darroola's people at least two hundred 
 must have fallen in all. Of prisoners, we had a 
 hundred and thirty: many of these were children. I 
 now gave orders to have my father's body laid de- 
 cently aside and covered with a cloth, and then 
 directed a search to take place for the bodies of our 
 fallen countrymen: assisting in this work myself; 
 and after considerable trouble we found twenty-six 
 quite dead, and nine so severely wounded that they 
 had little chance of seeing home. We speedily had a 
 
56 king darroola's treasury. 
 
 hole dug, in which we placed the bodies ; and as I 
 felt deeply touched by my father's death and the 
 horrible carnage amongst our enemies, I prevailed 
 upon my men, by the promise of some rum, to dig 
 another large pit, and bury in it as many dead bodies 
 of the poor Kormantoos as they could collect. We 
 left none living, nor a roof remaining, in the village ; 
 and I believe that to this day the site remains a 
 wilderness. 
 
 I was told that during the search for the dead, at 
 the back of Darroola's palace (which I had not per- 
 sonally inspected), a low-built mud-walled hut was 
 discovered, which had escaped the fire, from its being 
 covered with flat stones instead of rushes as the other 
 houses were, and that it had no windows, but only a 
 very strong door. I instantly went to the spot with 
 a few men, and, on forcing open the entrance, dis- 
 covered a flight of steps which led down to a tole- 
 rably-sized vault or cellar. This proved to be Dar- 
 roola's stronghold or treasury, and we found here a 
 very considerable quantity of foreign goods, some 
 casks of liquor, several very fine elephants' teeth, 
 and, to our great satisfaction, a barrel containing 
 between three and four thousand Spanish dollars, a 
 hundred and twenty doubloons in a bag, and two 
 small bags of gold-dust. Having brought out all 
 these treasures, which were ours by right as con- 
 querors, I had them placed in a heap on the outside ; 
 and collecting all my men, except the few who 
 guarded the prisoners, I addressed them to this 
 effect : I told them that now, as I had succeeded my 
 
OATH OF FIDELITY TO KING ZAMBA. 57 
 
 father as their king, I intended to act towards all of 
 them as a generous chief, and that I hoped they 
 would ever be faithful and true to me; and that, as a 
 proof of my feelings towards them, as soon as we 
 arrived at home, I would divide the whole of the 
 spoil (except one or two things which I would place 
 in the royal treasury) equally and justly amongst all 
 of them, and that the shares of the men who had 
 fallen would be given to their widows or other rela- 
 tives. This announcement was received with shouts 
 of joy, and immediately the whole body of the men 
 knelt down, and each holding both hands close to 
 the crown of his head, swore aloud by the great God 
 Kollah, that they would be true to the death to me 
 and mine. 
 
 When I reflected, in after years, since the light of 
 the blessed Gospel had shone into my benighted soul, 
 upon this act of homage paid to me, I could not help 
 sometimes weeping bitterly to think that I, at that 
 time a poor ignorant boy, should accept of such reve- 
 rence, which was due to God only. But, alas ! at 
 that time I was sitting in the darkness and shadow 
 of death, and knew no better. 
 
 I then ordered a detachment of thirty men to go 
 down and bring up our five canoes to the landing- 
 place, where I would meet them with the prisoners, 
 whom I immediately went to inspect. I found them 
 generally in a most miserable plight ; many of them, 
 as they afterwards told me, looking for nothing 
 less than death in some cruel and protracted manner: 
 for such was often the custom with conquerors in this 
 
58 zamba's clemency. 
 
 part of Africa, so soon as they had leisure to enjoy 
 the horrid scene. I assured them, however, that, 
 much as we had been provoked by the treachery of 
 their chief, not one of them should suffer so long as 
 they behaved peaceably ; and, farther, I caused some 
 refreshment to be given them. The poor creatures, 
 one and all, testified their joy and gratitude at this 
 announcement, and capered and clapped their hands 
 with delight, as well as their bonds would permit 
 them. 
 
 I next inquired for the girl who had run to me for 
 protection the evening before, and found her seated 
 amidst a group of women, who had lent her some of 
 their clothing, and appeared to hold her in great 
 respect. At my approach, the poor girl rose, a blush 
 (for allow me, gentle reader, to assure you that 
 negroes really can blush as well as whites, although 
 not so perceptibly) spread over her cheeks, and she 
 seemed in great agitation. As our native languages 
 were nearly alike, I could readily make myself under- 
 stood ; so, taking her by the hand, I inquired who 
 and what she was — for both her personal qualifica- 
 tions and the rich ornaments she wore convinced me 
 that she was no ordinary personage. She answered 
 at once that her name was Zillah ; but here she 
 paused and held down her head, seemingly much 
 embarrassed. She then said that both her parents 
 were dead, and was proceeding, when I interrupted 
 her by saying, — " Oh ! never mind, Zillah, never 
 mind ; you can tell me all your history when I take 
 you to my mother." She seemed greatly relieved at 
 
Z ILL AH, THE LOVELY CAPTIVE. 59 
 
 what she was pleased, in after days, to style my deli- 
 cacy and feeling, and turned her beautiful eyes upon 
 me with a look of gratitude. The evening previous 
 to that I shall never forget : her looks had struck to 
 my heart with such force and influence as I had 
 never before experienced ; but now, in broad day- 
 light, she appeared still more lovely and interesting, 
 and I gazed upon her for some time with a sensation 
 altogether new to me — pleasing beyond my power to 
 describe, and yet not without a degree of anxiety and 
 pain. In one word, love — all-powerful love — which 
 warms alike the hearts of kings and slaves, had 
 kindled in my breast. Yes, for the first time, and 
 after a scene of blood and cruelty, when my hands 
 were still red with gore (for I had, with my own 
 weapons, done some effectual service in the fray), 
 and while my heart was yet bleeding for the death of 
 my brave father, did the sweet and irresistible pas- 
 sion of love take possession of my soul. 
 
 Zillah appeared to be about a year or so younger 
 than myself. She was tall and exceedingly graceful, 
 her countenance — though its features were some- 
 what of the African cast — was beautiful, and her 
 figure might vie in elegance, colour excepted, with 
 the finest models of ancient sculpture. She wore 
 massive gold rings in her ears ; a necklace of very 
 large pearls, mixed with gold and coral beads, adorned 
 her neck ; and solid bracelets of gold of African manu- 
 facture, and rings of the same metal, encircled her 
 wrists and ankles. I have little doubt but these jewels 
 would have brought 1000?. in Europe : it was the 
 
60 ZAMBA PROTECTS ZILLAH. 
 
 sight of them that aroused the cupidity of the man 
 who was pursuing her; and had I not interfered at 
 the critical moment, the infuriated rascal would have 
 cut her down without mercy. 
 
 I now took Zillab, and telling her to choose out 
 two of her own sex to attend her, promised that I 
 would take her down the river in my own canoe ; and 
 then ordered the whole party, my own men, prisoners 
 and all, to proceed to the landing-place. 
 
 And here I cannot help relating an affecting inci- 
 dent that occurred by the way. On the roadside lay 
 a young woman, cold in death, with a large wound in 
 her side, and at her breast was an infant endeavouring 
 to obtain its natural aliment from its dead mother's 
 bosom. I made one of the women take the child 
 along with her. No doubt, in last night's affray, the 
 poor mother had been mortally wounded while 
 endeavouring to escape, and death had overtaken 
 her here. 
 
 By the time we reached Darroola's landing-place, 
 our men had safely brought up the five canoes ; and 
 as these would not have conveniently carried our now 
 increased company, we took three canoes which had 
 belonged to our late enemy, and after some little 
 trouble in arranging the prisoners, we proceeded 
 down the river: as a matter of course I brought 
 my father's body along with us. In three days we 
 reached our village ; and some of our people (amongst 
 whom were two of father's wives and four of my sis- 
 ters), who were waiting at the landing-place, per- 
 ceived, as we approached, that something was wrong ; 
 
MOURNING FOR KING ZEMBOLA. 61 
 
 although they guessed, by the additional canoes, that 
 we had been successful. 
 
 We no sooner made known King Zembola's death, 
 than all was confusion and outcry, and in a few 
 minutes the whole village was in motion. I went 
 speedily up to the palace, taking Zillah by the hand, 
 and met my mother, whom I requested to go in with 
 me. In a few words, I acquainted her and the other 
 wives of my father with what had occurred. There 
 was now nothing but screaming, tearing of hair, 
 and other violent manifestations of grief. My mother, 
 however, at my earnest request, commanded her 
 feelings better than some of the other royal dames, 
 who had possibly less affection for my father. I 
 entreated my mother to take care of Zillah, and to 
 treat her as a daughter ; and my mother, notwith- 
 standing her grief, embraced the poor girl affection- 
 ately, and led her to an inner apartment. I imme- 
 diately returned to the landing-place, to superintend 
 the removal of my father's body, and saw every one 
 ashore. I then appointed suitable guards to the 
 prisoners, and ordered arrangements for their safe 
 custody; for such was the irritation of our people, 
 both men and women, who had been left at home, 
 on learning the death of my father and so many of 
 his brave men, and at sight of the wounded (though 
 these were now actually amending) that they were with 
 difficulty prevented from falling upon some of the 
 poor prisoners, and taking summary vengeance. I 
 informed them, however, that enough revenge had 
 
C2 FUNERAL RITES. 
 
 been already taken, and warned them, as they valued 
 the favour of their king, which I now was, to do the 
 prisoners no harm. I then, having got, all our plun- 
 der ashore, made a fair and just distribution, as I 
 had promised ; and this, together with a moderate 
 supply of rum to all, had a great effect in promoting 
 peace and resignation. I may here remark, that the 
 value of dollars and of gold coin was perfectly under- 
 stood in this part of the country; and those who were 
 possessed of money had frequent opportunities of 
 exchanging it for goods with passing traders. 
 
 Having made other arrangements to the best of 
 my ability^ I then gave orders that the body of the 
 late king should be consigned to its parent earth : 
 indeed, in such a climate, it had been already too long 
 above ground. I permitted all who chose to take a 
 last look of my father's corpse ; and a suitable grave 
 having been dug, we laid it in the ground with many 
 unmeaning ceremonies, and buried with it some of 
 the brave warrior's weapons. According to a custom 
 often put in practice here, one or two of my father's 
 wives insisted on being made a sacrifice, and interred 
 along with him ; but, partly by threats, and more by 
 promises to them and their children, I induced them 
 to forego this horrible piece of superstition. I could 
 not, however, prevent some of the wives and other 
 female domestics from making great gashes on their 
 bodies with knives and other instruments. 
 
 In the evening, I paid my respects to Zillah, and 
 was pleased to find that she had already made some 
 
zauba's wealth and generosity. 63 
 
 progress in my mother's affections. I left them 
 together, after a few minutes, as all were much in 
 want of refreshing sleep. 
 
 The next day, I requested my mother to go with 
 me to the stronghold or cavern already mentioned ; 
 for I had found a large key in my father's pocket, 
 and recollected his having told me that he had some 
 valuables in his treasury which he could show me at 
 any time. I must confess that I now felt a strong 
 curiosity to see what was in the cave, and, as I shall 
 presently explain, for a laudable purpose. My mother 
 and I went accordingly, and having opened a large 
 closet or apartment which was sunk in the wall of 
 the cavern, we found a chest containing some silver 
 plate, about five thousand Spanish dollars, about four 
 hundred large gold pieces in a bag, and three bags of 
 gold dust, besides some other valuable articles. I 
 found, also, that the stronghold was well stored with 
 foreign goods of every description requisite for our 
 use, and more casks of rum and brandy than we 
 might perhaps turn to good account. 
 
 On our return, I, by my mother's advice (which 
 showed she was far from being a jealous or envious 
 woman) and with all good will, called into the state- 
 chamber my late father's four wives and my nine 
 half-sisters, and informed them that they would find 
 no difference in their treatment, occupations, or way 
 of living, and that I would, in all respects, so conduct 
 myself towards them, that they should find their loss 
 the less severe. As an evidence of my good inten- 
 tions towards them, and that they might, in small 
 
64 ZAMBA VISITS ZILLAH. 
 
 matters, feel themselves more independent, I informed, 
 them of what money was left in the treasury, and 
 promised that I would give each of the four wives 
 five hundred dollars, and a hundred to each of their 
 daughters. I need hardly say that my generosity, 
 as they called it, was greatly applauded. The rest 
 of this day I spent in looking after matters out of 
 doors, which need not be related. 
 
 In the evening, I paid a visit to Zillah ; and since 
 she had now been accommodated with more suitable 
 apparel, the elegance of her appearance was by no 
 means lessened. Need I describe how my heart pal- 
 pitated and my hand trembled as I approached her, 
 or descant upon her downcast and embarrassed looks 
 as I gazed on her interesting countenance ? Many 
 of my readers, no doubt, have felt the powerful in- 
 fluences of love far beyond what my feeble pen can 
 portray, and they will easily, therefore, appreciate 
 my feelings when I say, that I was now deeply and 
 irretrievably smitten by the charming Zillah. Captive 
 though she was, and entirely in my power, I never 
 for a moment indulged the idea of doing violence to 
 her feelings -or affections; but I burned with eager 
 curiosity to know who she was. Taking her by the 
 hand, I said, — " Now, sweet Zillah, you may perceive 
 that I am interested in you more than words can 
 express. Tell me, who and what were your parents?" 
 Poor Zillah fell a trembling, and faltered out, — " What 
 can I deny to the preserver of my life ? Oh, my 
 lord ! if you could but imagine the gratitude with 
 which my heart beats towards you, indeed you 
 
NEGRO LOVE SCENE. 65 
 
 would pity me. I dare not — I am afraid to utter 
 the truth ; for, alas! I shall incur your displeasure, 
 and you will drive me from your presence with horror." 
 — " Zillah ! — dear Zillah ! allow me to call you — what 
 can this mean ? It is all a mystery to me. It is 
 impossible, perfectly impossible, that you can have 
 reason to dread me. I look upon you as innocence 
 and purity itself. If there is a secret which you 
 dread to reveal, I swear to you that, whatever it may 
 be, it cannot — shall not — abate my love to you for 
 a moment." — " Well, then, my lord, since you speak 
 so generously, at the risk of all that is dear to me, 
 I shall no longer conceal from you who I am. My 
 lord," — and here Zillah drew herself up with a dig- 
 nity quite becoming — " I am the daughter of — 
 Darroola!" She burst into tears, and would have 
 fallen to the ground, had I not caught her in my 
 arms, and pressed her with fervour to my bosom. 
 " And so, Zillah," answered I, gazing on her sweet 
 countenance, " you were afraid, my own sweet "Zillah ! 
 — for mine you must be — to tell me of a circum- 
 stance that you could no more prevent than I can 
 help being the son of Zembola. Our fathers have 
 both fallen, even side by side, and though both of 
 them were wrong on many things, they fell like 
 brave and noble princes ; and henceforth the loves 
 of Zillah and Zamba shall far, far outweigh the 
 hatred of Darroola and Zembola — shall it not be so, 
 dear Zillah?" Zillah seemed quite overcome; and 
 looking up in my face with a beaming countenance, 
 said — " Noble-minded Zamba ! then am I happy. 
 
66 NEGRO LOVE SCENE. 
 
 You love me for myself; and it would be folly 
 indeed to deny that your appearance, and your gene- 
 rous conduct from the first, raised a passion in my 
 breast such as I never dreamt of before." I shall 
 not enlarge upon this interview, for it is only to those 
 immediately concerned that such scenes are interest- 
 ing. Zillah, however, informed me, with a fresh 
 flood of tears, that her mother was the unfortunate 
 woman whose head Darroola had caused to be fixed 
 on the pallisades of the palace on the morning of our 
 first visit; but that her father's jealousy was utterly 
 groundless, This circumstance only rendered her 
 the more dear to me. 
 
IP 
 
 zamba's difficulties with his prisoners. 67 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Zamba settles at Home, and marries Zillah — Marriage Entertainments 
 — Searching for Gold Dust— Zamba encourages Agriculture — Learns 
 to read the Bible — His ideas of Christianity — He repels an Invasion. 
 
 I began bow to think of the important station in 
 which I was placed; a youth of seventeen, with so 
 many dependants, also all looked up to me for 
 directions. The great number of prisoners on hand 
 gave me much concern. I saw plainly that I could not 
 keep them all about me ; but, in the mean time, I set 
 such of them as were able to do a little work in the 
 fields. The stubborn and idle disposition of most 
 of them, however, proved to me that I should be 
 obliged to make a bargain with Captain Win ton for 
 them on his next arrival. But when I came to con- 
 sider whether or not I was to pursue business as my 
 father did, I found that my feelings and inclinations 
 were not in unison with his. I was not, I believe, 
 deficient in animal courage, nor in ambition, alto- 
 gether ; but the horrors of the burning of Darroola's 
 village caused in me an aversion to war in any 
 shape. If an enemy attacked me in my own do- 
 minions I would have fought to the last ; but I 
 revolted from the systematic practice of going out 
 p 2 
 
68 zamba's happiness. 
 
 regularly with trained warriors, for the purpose of 
 picking a quarrel with some weaker neighbour, and 
 plundering him, — especially when I was convinced 
 that by peaceably cultivating the earth, fishing in 
 the waters, or hunting upon land, my people and I 
 could procure sufficient for all our ordinary wants. 
 Besides these, there was the chance of finding gold 
 in a tolerable quantity, if it were carefully sought 
 for. At all events, without going to war for the 
 purpose of procuring slaves, I had capital enough to 
 carry on trade on a large scale. But the idea of 
 visiting some civilized countries, and attaining a 
 knowledge of their customs and religion, was ever 
 present to my mind : even my new-born affection 
 for Zillah could not wholly eradicate these thoughts. 
 Notwithstanding, my love for her continued daily to 
 increase, and we enjoyed all the delightful sensations 
 which innocent intercourse, and the anticipation of 
 future happiness could bestow; for we resolved, that 
 out of respect to our deceased parents, we would put 
 off our union for at least three moons. Even yet, in 
 my old age, and in a land far from my native Africa, 
 I often recur to the delightful walks we enjoyed to- 
 gether on the banks of the Congo. But I must not 
 anticipate my history. 
 
 About two months after King Zembola's death, 
 Captain Winton arrived, and pretended to feel great 
 sorrow at the loss of his old friend. By dint of 
 persuasion, and some presents, I persuaded him to 
 stay with us for two weeks, and during this time I 
 got him to give me daily lessons in reading ; and by 
 
CAPTAIN WINTON VISITS ZAMBA. 69 
 
 great attention and perseverance I made astonishing 
 progress, as the captain averred. I could now read 
 any common English book with tolerable facility ; al- 
 though many words, and even sentences, were as yet 
 wholly unintelligible to me. I obtained from him, 
 likewise, as much information regarding foreign coun- 
 tries as our time would permit. At length Captain 
 Winton asked me plainly whether I would take a 
 trip with him to America? saying, that he would 
 then take me to London, where he was in the habit 
 of doing business, and bring me back to my own 
 country again. This idea pleased me mightily ; but 
 at present the thoughts of Zillah, and the necessity 
 that pressed on me to settle affairs rightly in my own 
 kingdom, prevented my going with him. He said, 
 that by shipping a good lot of slaves, and taking 
 what gold dust I had in store, they would bring me 
 quite a fortune in America ; that I could invest it in 
 produce there — all which matters he would assist me 
 in to the utmost; and by taking that produce to 
 England, and purchasing manufactured goods in that 
 country with the proceeds, I could finally land in 
 Africa with property equal to any king in South Af- 
 rica. I told him I should seriously think of all this : 
 never for a moment doubting his sincerity. Captain 
 Winton now made a bargain with me for the whole of 
 my prisoners that were disposable : for there was a 
 considerable number of infants and some others that 
 I thought proper to retain. He bought between 
 eighty and ninety, and in sending them away I never 
 doubted but that I was doing; them a service. 
 
70 PREPARATIONS FOR ZAMBA's MARRIAGE. 
 
 I now commenced preparations for my marriage 
 with Zillah ; and as it is not every day that a king's 
 marriage takes place, even in wild Africa, where so 
 many petty chiefs assume that lofty appellation, 
 these preparations were upon a large scale. I first 
 signified my intentions to my privy council — for I 
 actually had a select number of my officers, and a 
 few of the eldest and most experienced men in my 
 dominions, whom I had formed into a body, with 
 whom I consulted upon all important occasions — 
 and then despatched messengers to invite several 
 neighbouring monarchs to the wedding. In par- 
 ticular I did not forget King Gooloo Bambo ; and 
 being certain that he would come equipped in the 
 manner formerly described, 1 charged my envoy to 
 inform him in a quiet way that he would oblige and 
 honour me greatly by adding breeches to his costume ; 
 and as a token of my friendship, I sent him a very 
 elegant pair for the occasion. The envoy had some 
 difficulty in making Gooloo understand the propriety 
 of such a proceeding, and his Majesty made some 
 objections to this innovation ; when, however, it was 
 signified to him that if he did not comply with my 
 request in this small matter, there would be very little 
 strong waters coming his way in the entertainment, 
 he at once gave in, saying, " Oh, Golly ! Golly ! — 
 Can't want plenty rum at King Zamba's marriage: 
 — must after all put on hirn breeches like de buckrah 
 man." 
 
 After I had fixed the important day, one morning, 
 as I held a kind of levee, my two friends Pouldamah 
 
MORE CANDIDATES FOR MATRIMONY - . 71 
 
 and Bollah, who saved my life by shooting the lion 
 who had his paw on me, entered the audience- 
 chamber and prostrated themselves before me ; then, 
 rising up, in a hesitating manner, said they had a 
 petition to prefer to me, and begged in the most 
 humble manner that, provided I thought proper to 
 refuse their suit, I would at all events not punish 
 them severely. When I bethink myself now, how 
 that I, at that time little more than a boy, could 
 accept, and accept with pleasure and pride, such 
 homage — indeed, it might be called worship — from 
 my fellow-men, I cannot but smile at the weakness 
 of man on the one hand, and his arrogance on the 
 other. Truly I deserved the reprobation of Provi- 
 dence for my presumption. The two young men 
 then gave me to understand that they had gained the 
 affections of my two half-sisters, Zedra and Koo- 
 lamah, at whose instance, and with the consent of my 
 own mother, they now petitioned to have their mar- 
 riages celebrated along with my own. As I have 
 always considered that a favour granted is only half 
 a favour when granted reluctantly, and as my sym- 
 pathies at this critical period were peculiarly tender 
 in love matters, I at once acceded to their request; 
 telling them that no doubt they would henceforth be 
 as ready as ever to peril their lives for me. It is 
 almost needless to add, that I received the warmest 
 assurances of their affection and gratitude. 
 
 My wedding-day at length arrived, and, to use the 
 language of white men, I was " made happy ;" and 
 so were five other individuals, if I might judge from 
 
72 MARRIAGE OF ZAMBA AND ZILLAH. 
 
 appearances. The marriages were celebrated by the 
 old priest who had proved so friendly to my father 
 in the matter of Darroola's treachery, and who was 
 accompanied by a brother in the same "sacred" 
 office. The whole ceremony consisted of a few sense- 
 less mummeries, performed before a hideous idol, 
 and various invocations to the devil not to harm 
 the newly married people in any way — to remain 
 neutral, as it were. They neither asked nor expected, 
 interposition on his part. These were accompanied 
 by certain rites, of such a nature that I cannot with 
 propriety attempt a description of them. There were 
 a great number of strangers present, and feastings and 
 rejoicings of one kind or another were kept up for ten 
 days : nor did night bring a cessation to the uproar; 
 for so I must term great part of the festival. An 
 African holiday is chiefly distinguished by uncouth 
 and incessant noise — firing of muskets, beating of 
 drums, blowing of horns, rattling of cymbals and tam- 
 bourines, and by the human voice in all the various 
 modulations of shouting, screaming, and yelling. 
 
 During the festival, various public entertainments 
 were given by lamp-light ; and the large cave before 
 described served very well as the arena of the per- 
 formances. One night, the entertainment consisted 
 in a number of men disguised to represent various 
 wild and tame animals, chiefly quadrupeds; though a 
 good many figured as the fowls of heaven. The per- 
 formers were dressed in the skins of the several 
 creatures intended to be represented, and some of 
 them played their parts with great credit to them- 
 
ANIMAL MASQUERADE. 73 
 
 selves and to the infinite satisfaction of the audience. 
 The chief lion performed his part most nobly, and 
 actually might almost have passed in twilight for a 
 real monarch of the woods : he lashed with his tail, 
 shook his mane, stamped with tremendous dignity, 
 and roared tremendously. Several large baboons 
 frisked and sported with great spirit, and a huge 
 crocodile snapped his jaws, and beat his tail on the 
 ground like a fury : a peacock and two large turkey- 
 cocks also played their parts well. The whole at 
 last joined in a kind of dance, or rather a stately 
 promenade, bowing, and chattering, and roaring to 
 each other with great complacency. In the midst of 
 this singular masquerade, in came King Gooloo 
 Bambo, in his full accoutrements, riding upon the 
 back of a real living tame ostrich of enormous size, 
 which he had trained for such occasions. His ma- 
 jesty was at least " half-seas-over," as the sailors say, 
 and held a cup in one hand, and a large bottle in the 
 other, with which he first helped himself, and drank to 
 the health of all concerned, and then very generously 
 helped each and all of the performers, some of whom, 
 with difficulty, managed to raise the cup to their 
 lips. I need not say that his majesty's performance 
 was greatly applauded by all present. Another night 
 a drama was represented in a rude way. At last 
 the festivities came to an end, and all retired to 
 their respective homes well satisfied : to my great 
 relief; for the last ten days had made a fearful inroad 
 upon my provision stores, and especially upon the 
 spirit casks, which were brought to a very low ebb. 
 
74 zamba's government. 
 
 On the last night of the festival I made a speech to my 
 brother chiefs, thanking them for their attendance, 
 and signifying my desire henceforth to live on terms 
 of the strictest amity with all of them ; and that I 
 intended to avoid all occasion of going to war, unless 
 in extremity, or in self-defence. But as there were 
 some of them who, I was convinced, held me rather 
 low in their estimation on account of my pacific 
 principles, I declared that should any king or tribe 
 attack me unprovokedly, they might perhaps find me 
 not unprepared for war to the utmost. 
 
 As soon as we had again all become a little tran- 
 quillized after the excitement of our marriage festival, 
 I began to put my kingdom in order. I determined to 
 keep up the standing army to its former amount, but 
 at the same time I obliged my warriors to spend at 
 least one-half their time in the cultivation of small 
 plots of land which I gave them ; or in hunting, 
 fishing, or searching for gold dust. I found, how- 
 ever, that although I allowed them many indulgences, 
 they had still a great longing after war expeditions ; 
 and I could learn, in a quiet way, that they often 
 drew comparisons by no means to my advantage, 
 between my father's warlike propensities and what 
 they called my unmanly disposition. I also made 
 my two brothers-in-law a present of so much land 
 as would engage their attention, and keep them com- 
 fortable, and also gave them sundry stores and utensils 
 to commence with ; and, farther, appointed them to 
 stations of trust near my royal person. I afterwards 
 made several trading excursions up the river, and 
 
GOLD FINDING. 
 
 drove many bargains with white traders, who now 
 frequently visited me. 
 
 I had, in company with my brothers-in-law, made 
 a valuable discovery of gold dust. In the ravine 
 before mentioned, where I had the adventure with a 
 baboon, I remarked that there were a great many 
 excavations or pits in the bed of the stream. It may 
 not perhaps be known to all my readers, that what is 
 called gold dust by the trading world, is not a 
 powder like flour, or the dust of the earth, or 
 ground coffee, but is found in grains from the size of 
 a pin's head to that of a common pea, or even larger. 
 The way in which we collected it was by taking a 
 few handfuls of sand and gravel from the bed of the 
 stream — especially where we could evidently perceive 
 the glittering particles — and placing the whole on a 
 calibash, or small wooden vessel, which was held 
 under a slender stream of water, we kept incessantly 
 shaking it and turning it over with our hands. The 
 lighter particles, of course, were swept by degrees over 
 the edge of the vessel, and after a little time our pa- 
 tience was generally rewarded by a few pieces of the 
 precious metal which sank to the bottom; many small 
 particles, however, escaped in such a rude and simple 
 operation. I had become acquainted with the mys- 
 terious power of the loadstone, through the instruc- 
 tions of Captain Winton (who also made me a present 
 of several magnets), and it occurred to me that were 
 some substance discovered which would attract parti- 
 cles of gold in the same way that small pieces of iron 
 were attracted by the loadstone, it would be a great 
 
76 GOLD FINDING. 
 
 advantage indeed to gold-dust hunters. I also be- 
 thought me, that by searching at the bottom of the 
 deepest hollows in the bed of the stream, I should 
 have a better chance of finding gold dust than 
 hitherto. We therefore set to work, and after re- 
 moving two or three feet in depth of round gravel 
 and rubbish, we operated upon the soil we found 
 undermost, and were astonished at the quantity of 
 gold dust which in this way had been accumulating 
 in those natural vessels for ages. I now had regular 
 gangs of workers sent to this stream, and to stimulate 
 them the more, I gave a certain portion to each slave 
 of all that they found, or else some equivalent from 
 my stores. In this way, during the first year after 
 my marriage, I had collected as much as a hundred- 
 weight of the precious metal, the greatest part of 
 which I exchanged with traders for European goods, 
 so that my stores were amply replenished. 
 
 About a year after our marriage, Zillah brought me 
 a son and heir to the throne. Soon afterwards 
 Captain Winton arrived, bringing with him many 
 rarities as presents; amongst others, some very fine 
 articles of apparel for me. I bargained with him for 
 a number of slaves, some gold dust, and a few ele- 
 phants' teeth ; but, although I had been thinking 
 much on the subject, I could not yet bring my mind 
 to think of going with him to sea; principally on 
 account of my love to Zillah, which suffered no 
 diminution. I talked over the matter with him, 
 however, again and again, and it still ran in my 
 mind that sooner or later go I must, at all hazards. 
 
ZAMBA READS THB 8CRIPTURBS. 77 
 
 At this visit, which lasted a fortnight, I gave Winton 
 some very valuable presents, and insisted on his 
 spending most of the day in giving 1 me further les- 
 sons in reading ; so that I could now read English 
 with more ease and accuracy than would be readily 
 believed. I also managed to get considerable infor- 
 mation from him regarding; the Christian religion, 
 although he seemed by no means greatly interested 
 in the matter. The captain perceiving how well he 
 had brought me on by his former lessons and my own 
 indefatigable perseverance — for my heart was in the 
 matter — prepared to leave me the elements and the 
 sum of all truth, namely, the Bible; and he did leave 
 me a very handsome one. I got him to explain a 
 few of the leading points of Scripture, but I could 
 see plainly that some other teacher than Captain 
 Winton was awanting. He, however, by word of 
 mouth, gave me a cursory view of the first two or 
 three chapters of Genesis, and then recommended me 
 to begin and go through the New Testament. 
 
 After Winton went away I made it a rule to read 
 a part of the Holy Scriptures every day, and although 
 the light which I had to guide me in this was but as 
 the glimmering of a glow-worm, and I knew not how 
 to ask assistance from on high in the right way— 
 that is, through Jesus, who alone is the way, the 
 truth, and the life ; yet I do hope and believe that 
 my heavenly Father, perceiving the sincerity of my 
 heart, and the peculiarity of my situation, occa- 
 sionally shed a bright ray of light from on high to 
 guide me in my darkened and miserable condition. 
 
78 zamba's ideas of Christianity. 
 
 There were, however, many words and expressions of 
 which I could by no means make out the literal 
 English meaning, much less could I understand the 
 spiritual signification. I had no one to whom I could 
 refer in my difficulty, and as yet I wanted one who 
 could teach me to pray. 
 
 It may be interesting to the reader to know what 
 were my ideas at this time regarding Christianity, as 
 being derived by an unassisted heathen from the 
 sacred pages. I felt that the life and character of 
 Jesus Christ were totally different from those of all 
 other men whom I could conceive had ever lived 
 before : that he was altogether pure and spotless ; 
 that in no case did he ever seek his own aggrandize- 
 ment in a worldly sense — rejecting the offers of men 
 to make him a king ; that he went about continually 
 doing good, and performing before thousands such 
 miracles as were quite unheard of previously in the 
 world. It occurred to me also that he who could 
 feed thousands with a few loaves and small fishes, 
 who could calm the raging sea, and raise the dead 
 from the grave, could also, if he willed, have called 
 up an army of men from the dust of the ground ; 
 but in place of this, he forbade his followers to fight 
 in his defence, and delivered himself up calmly to 
 the rage of his enemies : and all this that he might 
 save from some awful future calamity the whole race 
 of sinful and wicked mankind. To die for his worst 
 enemies, and even to pray for those who were the 
 immediate instruments of his death, seemed to me 
 altogether so different from the way of the world, as 
 
ZAMBA'S IDEAS OF CHRISTIANITY. 79 
 
 far as I had seen or heard, that I conceived sucli a 
 sublime and uncommon idea could arise only in the 
 mind of some being altogether superior to the human 
 race. 
 
 The more I perused the Bible, the more could I 
 discern that it must have been a book sent from 
 heaven to instruct blinded and wicked men, and to 
 lead them to look beyond the mere matters of this 
 world to something more glorious in another state of 
 existence; for even in heathen Africa we had some 
 faint glimmerings of a future state, where good men 
 would be rewarded, and those who had been very 
 wicked in this world would be punished. I could 
 also begin to perceive that my heart was exceedingly 
 inclined to follow after that which was evil, and that 
 I had hitherto acted upon a very different principle 
 from that golden rule which the Saviour laid down ; 
 namely, to do unto all men as they would that all 
 men should do unto them. 
 
 There were many expressions of our Saviour's which 
 at this time extremely puzzled me, though I humbly 
 hope that many, many years since they have ap- 
 peared to me as clear as the sun at noonday. But in 
 my early years, and without an interpreter, I took 
 the meaning literally as it was expressed. I could 
 not understand that He who was meekness and bene- 
 volence itself, and who brought " peace on earth and 
 goodwill to men," should in another place say, that 
 he "came not to send peace, but to bring a sword 
 upon earth, and to set the father against the son and 
 the son against the father •" nor why, elsewhere, he 
 
80 ZAMBA TRIES TO CONVERT ZILLAH. 
 
 should recommend us to cut off our hand, or pluck 
 out our eye if it offended us. Neither could I alto- 
 gether understand how we were to forsake all and 
 follow him. But at this time I was blind, and could 
 by no means comprehend the spiritual interpretation 
 of scripture. It is no doubt owing to hardness of 
 heart that thousands of civilized men, who have 
 every opportunity of deriving life and light from the 
 pages of the Bible, merely glance at it occasionally 
 when the pressure of worldly pursuits slackens for 
 a few minutes, and without entering into the matter 
 heart and soul, are content to pick out an expression 
 here and there ; never troubling themselves to com- 
 pare one part with another and consider the whole 
 as a divine revelation, but in their carelessness and 
 apathy becoming more confused in their ideas of salva- 
 tion, they again recur to the world, seeking for com- 
 fort and consolation in worldly pleasures and pursuits, 
 a nd losing their way in the vague and dense mists of 
 infidelity. 
 
 At this period I attempted to communicate a few of 
 my newly acquired ideas to my mother and Zillah, 
 who listened to me very patiently ; but I could per- 
 ceive that it was only their affection for me that secured 
 their attention : they shook their heads, and said, 
 " White man's religion too deep." Any light, alas ! 
 which I could throw on the matter was feeble in- 
 deed: it was the blind leading the blind. From 
 this time, however, I renounced my household idols, 
 and never once entered the room where they were 
 stationed. At the same time, until I saw more clearly 
 
THREATENED INVASION. 81 
 
 how I could bring my friends to perceive the beauty 
 and glorv of the doctrine of Jesus, I considered there 
 would be little good attained in depriving them of 
 that small consolation which they appeared to derive 
 from the worship of those false gods. 
 
 About two months after his birth, our child, my 
 heir apparent, died, to the great grief of Zillah and 
 myself. I, however, continued improving the condi- 
 tion of my people, and adding to my own stores daily 
 from the increased trade I was carrying on ; but I 
 soon found that an earthly crown is not always worn 
 with both honour and ease. I had sent my brother- 
 in-law, Pouldamah, with a canoe and ten men to carry 
 an assortment of goods to a chief named Cumanay, 
 about a hundred miles up the river, with instructions 
 to trade. Pouldamah accomplished this part of his 
 mission satisfactorily, and both he and his men were 
 hospitably entertained and feasted. It happened, 
 however, that one evening some of his men and those 
 of the king my neighbour had become merry with 
 drink, and were boasting of the qualities of their 
 respective chiefs. In the course of their talk, some 
 of my neighbour's men called me " a woman," and 
 said I was afraid to go to war; adding that I should 
 not reign long over any except women like myself. 
 My men were nearly coming to blows at last, when 
 one of the opposite party, who was furious with 
 drink, hinted pretty broadly that I should have a 
 visit not altogether to my liking next new moon. 
 My men looked upon this merely as a drunken 
 boast, but related all to me on their return, and I 
 
 G 
 
82 INVASION OF ZAMBA'S TERRITORY. 
 
 considered it prudent, therefore, to be on my guard. 
 1 had my men daily exercised ; all our arms were 
 kept in order, in case of any attack; and the whole 
 of my best warriors were warned to be ready at a 
 minute's notice. At the time expected, I set a watch 
 at night by the river-side, and kept a look-out through 
 the day ; and on the first evening of the new moon, 
 the whole of my forces were assembled at sun-down, 
 close to the river-side, and kept watch during the 
 whole night. About an hour before daybreak, some 
 of my people could hear the noise of paddles on the 
 water, and just at daybreak we could perceive ten or 
 twelve canoes full of men approaching our landing- 
 place, most of whom I could observe were armed. 
 There was no mistaking their intention. I had made 
 most of my men conceal themselves amongst the 
 bushes, and by allowing my enemy to approach within 
 forty or fifty yards of the shore, I could suddenly have 
 opened a most deadly and destructive fire upon them; 
 but the new light which had dawned upon my heart, 
 influencing my naturally peaceable disposition, in- 
 clined me to avoid the wanton effusion of blood ; as 
 soon, therefore, as the hostile fleet came within about 
 three hundred yards, I ordered the whole of my men 
 who had muskets to give at once a complete volley, 
 which I knew at such a distance would frighten, but 
 not prove very fatal to my foes. The first volley 
 staggered them, and by the time we had repeated the 
 salute three or four times, our enemy had fairly 
 turned tail ; and we could perceive, from certain 
 unequivocal yells, that some of them were wounded. 
 
THE INVASION REPELLED. 83 
 
 They were out of sight in an hour ; and I had the 
 further gratification of finding that my merciful pro- 
 cedure was very advantageous to me, even in the 
 opinions of my brother chiefs. Some time afterwards, 
 meeting King Cumanay at a neighbouring station, 
 where I was trading, I reproached him with his 
 unfair and unworthy attack upon one with whom he 
 had no cause of complaint; when, to my astonish- 
 ment, he firmly denied having any part in the trans- 
 action, and swore by all his idols that it must have 
 been some other tribe who had so basely endeavoured 
 to take advantage of me. Seeing how matters stood, 
 I did not insist upon the accusation, but signified 
 that I should be ready at all times for any treacherous 
 enemy, and that the next time my assailants would 
 not be let off so cheaply. During the time I remained 
 in Africa after this affair, I had no further annoyance 
 from my neighbours ; so far verifying the adage of 
 more civilized men, that to be prepared for war in 
 time of peace is the truest wisdom. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 ZAMBA DETERMINES ON A VOYAGE. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Zamba embarks for America — Interiorof a Slave-Ship — Voyage — Trea- 
 cherous designs of Captain Winton — Arrival at Charleston — Sale of 
 Slaves — Zamba is plundered and sold as a Slave — Reflections on his 
 condition. 
 
 Captain Winton arrived soon after this matter had 
 occurred, and as usual we traded to a large extent. 
 I at last told him that my curiosity was so excited on 
 various subjects, that I should most likely be ready 
 to accompany him in his next voyage. Some time 
 after this, Zillah brought me another son ; but, like 
 the first, he only survived a few months ; and this 
 circumstance, although it by no means lessened my 
 affection for my wife, increased my desire to go 
 abroad. Nothing remarkable occurred for a consi- 
 derable time ; and towards the end of the season, 
 when Captain Winton again made his appearance, I 
 decided to make my long-projected voyage. As I 
 have always conceived that evil, whether to ourselves 
 or others, conies soon enough without anticipating it, 
 I had never hinted either to Zillah or my mother 
 anything regarding my intention of leaving Africa ; 
 
MAKES KNOWN HIS INTENTION. 85 
 
 and now that I told them of my determination, they 
 were of course in great grief, and used every endear- 
 ing art to detain me. But I was firm to my purpose ; 
 and at length some of my arguments, and the promise 
 of my return, had the effect of pacifying them a little. 
 I arranged all my government affairs, and appointed 
 my two brothers-in-law to act as regents in my 
 absence, either jointly or separately. 
 
 Captain Winton was very anxious that I should 
 put on board all the gold dust and other African 
 produce that I possessed, and as many slaves as I 
 could muster. I was not, however, blind to the 
 imprudence of such a course: the ship might be lost, 
 or I might be cut off by sickness or accident; and in 
 either case I should be doing great injustice to my 
 family to incur the loss of so much treasure. I 
 therefore shipped only a part of my property ; namely, 
 thirty-two prime slaves, about thirty pounds of gold 
 dust, and somewhat over two hundred doubloons in 
 gold coin. The captain had brought me a farther 
 supply of clothing, both fine and coarse, which, with 
 some African rarities and my gold, were stowed in 
 two fine trunks that Winton made me a present of. 
 He seemed, indeed, as if he could not do enough for 
 my accommodation ; and had I only possessed a 
 little more shrewdness, and been less inexperienced 
 in the ways of this deceitful world, I should have 
 perceived that he had some underhand intentions in 
 regard to me. 
 
 After many tears and lamentations on both sides, 
 and an assurance on my part that after visiting 
 
86 ZAMBA EMBARKS FOR AMERICA. 
 
 America and England, I should return with Captain 
 Winton, bringing home as much property as would 
 make me the richest king on the banks of the Congo, 
 I bade adieu to Zillah and Africa. Little did I then 
 think that I should no more see dear Africa for ever ! 
 My mother told me, as she bade me farewell, that, 
 from certain dreams she had, she was convinced she 
 should behold my face no more; and poor Zillah was 
 inconsolable. At this distant date, I now think of 
 all this with a melancholy kind of satisfaction, yet 
 with a natural regret; but when I reflect upon the 
 way in which a merciful Providence has acted to- 
 wards me, I feel my heart swell with gratitude and 
 love. Out of seeming evil, how much good hath 
 fallen to my lot is not to be reckoned. The Almighty 
 in His wisdom thought fit to wrest from me a few 
 handfuls of yellow glittering dust; but He hath since 
 repaid me with that inestimable treasure, which is 
 from heaven, which no one can rob me of, and which 
 will never perish, nor rust, nor fade away. 
 
 Captain Winton accommodated me with a hand- 
 some state-room, and we left the Congo on the first 
 day of October 1800. I found that, including my 
 own thirty-two, there were in all four hundred and 
 twenty-two slaves on board : but as the vessel was of 
 500 tons burthen, they were not so crowded for space 
 as I have since learned has often been the case with 
 emigrants from Europe to America ; their accommo- 
 dation, however, was very miserable. The ship's 
 lower deck was divided fore and aft into compart- 
 ments of about six feet square, by planks raised 
 

 
 INTERIOR OF A SLAVE SHIP. 87 
 
 about six inches; and into each of these divisions four 
 slaves were put; to lie down, or sit, or take it as they 
 chose. The planks were intended to keep them 
 from rolling when the sea was rough. Of course, 
 they had nothing but the hard deck to lie upon. 
 In regard to clothing they were very scantily sup- 
 plied : in general, both male and female had a yard 
 and a half, or two yards of Osnaburghs wrapped round 
 their loins ; and some of them had a piece of cloth, 
 or a handkerchief, bound round their heads. The 
 males were all linked two and two by a small chain 
 round the ankle. As for provisions, they were much 
 better off than in the generality of slave-ships ; and 
 this, strange as it may appear, they owed to the 
 avarice rather than the humanity of the captain. 
 The motives of the latter, however, were of little 
 moment to the poor slaves, provided the end was for 
 their advantage. The slaves were supplied for break- 
 fast with a fair ration of ground Indian corn boiled, 
 with a spoonful of molasses to each ; they generally 
 had boiled rice for dinner ; and supper was the same 
 as breakfast. Sometimes for dinner they received 
 each about half a pound of ship biscuit, with a little 
 morsel of beef or pork ; too much of this latter would, 
 no doubt, have created thirst. Although this cap- 
 tain (as will be shown in the sequel of my narrative) 
 acted in a most dishonourable and treacherous man- 
 ner towards me, and was totally devoid of all Chris- 
 tian principle, yet, to serve his own ends in the 
 matter of the slaves, he acted the part of a humane 
 and considerate man. He told me, in the course of 
 
88 TREATMENT OF THE SLAVES. 
 
 our voyage, that, in the early part of his experience 
 in the slave-trade, he had seen as many slaves as he 
 had with him at present shipped on board a vessel of 
 200 tons, where they were literally packed on the top 
 of each other j and, consequently, from ill air, con- 
 finement, and scanty or unwholesome provision, dis- 
 ease was generated to such an extent that in several 
 cases he had known only one-half survive to the end 
 of the voyage; and these, as he termed it, in a very 
 unmarketable condition. He found, therefore, that, 
 by allowing them what he called sufficient room and 
 good provisions, with kind treatment, his speculations 
 turned out much better in regard to the amount of 
 dollars received ; and that was all he cared for. 
 
 For the first few days, the most of us — I mean the 
 blacks — were laid down with sea-sickness : but, the 
 weather being fine, that was soon got over. The 
 captain caused the hatches to be kept open night and 
 day (except only upon two occasions) during the 
 •whole voyage ; and after daylight set in he allowed 
 about one-fourth of his cargo to come on deck for 
 two hours by rotation. He had always four of his 
 men, with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, day 
 and night on deck; but during this trip there never 
 was the slightest attempt at rioting and mutiny. 
 The only misfortune that befell us was this : — After 
 being about fifteen days out at sea, one evening, 
 about sunset — the ship with all sail set, going down 
 the trades at the rate of five knots an hour — in the 
 clap of a hand, or at least more suddenly than a 
 stranger to these latitudes could imagine, a heavy 
 
- t W 
 
 A SQUALL. 89 
 
 squall struck the ship, carrying away great part of 
 the loftier spars and sails, and laying her very nearly 
 on her beam ends. In a few minutes a tremendous 
 sea rose, and although the squall blew over in about 
 a quarter of an hour, and the ship regained her 
 position, the poor slaves below, altogether unprepared 
 for such an occurrence, were mostly thrown on the 
 lee-side, where they lay heaped on the top of each 
 other ; their fetters rendered many of them help- 
 less, and before they could be arranged in their 
 proper places, and relieved from their pressure on 
 each other, it was found that fifteen of them were 
 smothered or crushed to death, besides a great num- 
 ber who were cruelly bruised. The captain seemed 
 considerably vexed ; but the only (or at least the 
 chief) grievance to him was the sudden loss of some 
 five or six thousand dollars. 
 
 Soon after I had recovered from sea-sickness, and 
 was able to go about, one day at dinner-time I asked 
 Captain Winton (who, though tolerably attentive to 
 me, no longer showed that assiduous deference which 
 he showed towards me in Africa) if he would give me 
 a few lessons in reading the Bible, when he was not 
 engaged in his duties. He looked with a peculiar 
 expression to his chief mate, and smiled in a very 
 significant manner, saying, — " You see, Mr. Prince 
 (the mate's name), what a good Christian I have 
 made of this King Zamba ; you see how eager he is 
 about the Bible. I question much if arty of your 
 missionary folks, who have been labouring for years 
 to convert the heathen, have performed such a 
 
90 SYMPTOMS OF TREACHERY. 
 
 miracle as I have. And don't you think, Prince, 
 that I deserve payment for my labour as well as ever 
 a black coat amongst them?" Then addressing me, 
 he said, — " Really, King Zamba, I must charge you 
 for all the lessons I have given you for these some 
 years past, and I cannot charge you less than a 
 doubloon per hour. I could positively have picked 
 up many a good boat-load of niggers during the time 
 I spent in hammering lessons into your head ; and be- 
 sides this, it is not every day that the poor master of a 
 slave-ship falls in with a king for a pupil. We shall 
 talk of this again, however, and settle our accounts at 
 the end of the voyage." He laughed heartily as he 
 said this, wdiich I at first thought he meant only for 
 a joke; but as he cast his eyes in a peculiar way 
 from me to the mate, and again from the mate 
 towards me, I could not help feeling somewhat un- 
 easy. I felt, in fact, that I was not exactly safe. 
 The captain, however, and sometimes Mr. Prince, the 
 mate, listened to me whilst I read for an hour or so ; 
 and they also gave me a few lessons in geography, 
 and explained many very wonderful things to me. 
 
 About eight days after the circumstance related 
 above, I had retired early to my berth, which was 
 next the cabin. The upper part of the state-room 
 door was of glass, and slid aside for ventilation, and 
 a red curtain hung over it. As I lay awake about 
 ten o'clock, ruminating upon my condition, the cap- 
 tain and Mr. Prince came down to consult their 
 books and charts, and after a while the captain 
 ordered the steward to bring in some liquor. They 
 
ZAMBA OVERHEARS WINTON's PLOT. 91 
 
 sat for a considerable time conversing about the 
 affairs of the ship and the voyage ; but at last I 
 could hear the captain say, in a low voice, " Look 
 in quietly, Prince, and see if his majesty is asleep, 
 but don't disturb him." On hearing the mate 
 approach my berth, I lay quite still, and breathed 
 hard, as if I were in deep slumber. Prince raised 
 the curtain, and called me two or three times in a 
 low tone, and then touched me on the shoulder, but 
 I still lay seemingly unconscious. He then retired, 
 and said, laughingly, to the captain, " Oh, poor 
 Zamba is as sound as a top; no doubt he is dream- 
 ing of hunting lions, or gathering gold dust in 
 Africa." — " Well, well," said Winton, " let him en- 
 joy himself while he may ; I rather fear, however, 
 that before long I shall awaken him to certain realities 
 which he little dreams of. Do you know, Prince, 
 that I have been thinking to make this voyage turn 
 out to be the best ever I made. " I have the hank in 
 my hand," as they say in Connecticut, and more fool 
 will I be to let slip the advantage. Betwixt niggers, 
 gold dust, and doubloons, this black fellow has more 
 than twenty thousand dollars; and what the deuce 
 is the use of all that to him? I really think, be- 
 tween man and man, that I have given him twenty 
 thousand dollars' worth of good English and sound 
 religion. As the parsons say, I have given him the 
 ' Pearl of great price' — I have given him what gold 
 cannot purchase ; and surely, Prince, ' the labourer 
 is worthy of his hire.' I shall at all events secure 
 the dust before many days go by." Although usin g 
 
w 
 
 92 AMERICAN ESTIMATE OF NEGRO TESTIMONY. 
 
 the words of sacred scripture, the avaricious rascal 
 said all this in a half-laughing tone. " But," said 
 Prince, " will not Zamba expose you, and tell the 
 whole story when he gets to Charleston ?" — " Ex- 
 pose, and be d d !" answered Winton. " Are 
 
 you such a flat, Prince, as not to know that the 
 oath of a black or coloured man, ay, or of ten thou- 
 sand of them, against a white man in Carolina is not 
 worth the seventh part of a d — n ? No ; although 
 a white man should cut the throats of a dozen nig- 
 gers, and a thousand black fellows witnessed it, their 
 evidence would be no more regarded than the yelp 
 of a dog. Besides, Prince, just consider that this 
 black king, as they call him, has all his life had no 
 scruples in making merchandise of his own flesh and 
 blood. He thinks little just now, however, that the 
 fate of the thirty-two negroes he shipped on board 
 will be his own before a month 's over. I have helped 
 at least to make him a sort of Christian, and now I 
 shall finish, Prince, by giving him a great moral 
 lesson — what think you ?" They had some farther 
 conversation after this which I could not exactly 
 make out ; I had heard enough, however, as the 
 humane reader may well imagine, to awaken me, 
 indeed, to a sense of the horrible predicament into 
 which I had brought myself, and I could with diffi- 
 culty prevent my sobs from being heard. 
 
 At the breakfast-table next morning I endeavoured 
 to command my feelings, so as that my countenance 
 might appear as usual ; but Captain Winton remarked 
 that something was the matter with me. I told him I 
 
ZAMEA PREPARES FOR THE WORST. 93 
 
 was suffering much from headache. " Oh, Zamba," 
 said he, " I know well enough what is the matter 
 with you ; you have been dreaming about Africa and 
 your young wife : but keep up your heart, boy, you 
 will find plenty of pretty wives in Charleston. And, 
 by-the-by, Zamba, you will then see what you have 
 never seen before, — that is, women called mulattoes, 
 half white and half black — very pretty girls, I can 
 assure you ; they will be ready to snap at a king of 
 such property as you." But I was in little humour 
 for language of this sort. After breakfast I said that 
 I wanted to bathe my head with vinegar, and lie 
 down for a while \ and Winton making no objection, 
 I retired shortly afterwards to my berth. In the 
 course of the forenoon I contrived to conceal about 
 thirty of my doubloons, by sewing them in betwixt 
 the lining of various articles of my clothing; I also 
 put a little gold dust away in the same manner, but 
 only amongst my coarse clothes, as I looked for 
 nothing less at this cruel captain's hands than to 
 have my fine clothing taken from me. I also stowed 
 away about two pounds weight of gold dust in each 
 of a pair of stockings, which I thrust carelessly 
 into a pair of shoes. Should I save these articles 
 from the clutches of my white lC friend" Winton, I 
 calculated that it would be so much, at all events, to 
 help me in a strange land. 
 
 On the third day after this I was conning over a 
 chapter in the New Testament, when I came to that 
 place where it says, " What shall it profit a man to 
 gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" I 
 
94 zamba's consolation. 
 
 was forcibly struck with the mysterious ways of Pro- 
 vidence. " If God," thought I, " has seen fit to 
 permit this white man to rob me, and betray me for 
 the sake of my money, am I not now in the way of 
 having my precious soul everlastingly saved ? So 
 that, although it be partly through the means of a 
 wicked and unprincipled man, who has made use of 
 the precious words of scripture, and assumed the 
 character of a follower of Christ, to entrap and be- 
 tray me, I can yet see the hand of God in it all : out 
 of seeming evil he can bring good ; and thus all 
 things redound to his glory. And as regards my 
 slaves, let me ask my own heart, whether or not I 
 have been doing as I would be done by ? I now feel 
 that I have fallen into the pit that I had digged for 
 others ; and I plainly see that — as if to prove the truth 
 of the words of scripture, and to bring conviction 
 home to my heart — Providence is allowing Captain 
 Winton to measure out to me in the same way as I 
 have been measuring out to others." And for the 
 first time, I believe, I uttered an audible prayer, as I 
 murmured to myself, " Lord have mercy upon me, 
 and pardon me, and save me from the evils that I 
 deserve. I cast myself before Thee, and can only say, 
 God be merciful to me a sinner!" 
 
 These meditations were interrupted by the captain 
 coming down, seemingly in a hurry ; " Zamba, 
 Zamba ! " says he, " there is a vessel just now in 
 sight, and I have my suspicions that she is a pirate — 
 that is, a sea robber. Now the first thing they do is 
 to search the cabin for money, and your trunks will 
 
ZAMBA ROBBED OF HIS GOLD. 95 
 
 be opened ; you had, therefore, better give me your 
 bag of gold dust and your gold pieces, all but a few, 
 which you can reserve to offer to the pirates when 
 they come. Now make haste, for it will take me a 
 few minutes to put them in a safe place." What 
 could I do but quietly surrender the gold ? With 
 sparkling eyes, and a grin of cunning delight, he took 
 my treasure into his own state-room, and I never 
 again cast my eyes upon it. In a few minutes 
 the vessel neared us, and proved to be a Spanish 
 slaver from Havannah, bound for the coast of Africa. 
 We continued our course to westward and northward; 
 and low-spirited as I was, I could not but be amused 
 and interested by the wonders which are to be seen 
 by those " who go down to the sea in ships." 
 
 At meal-times I could observe many nods, and 
 winks, and sly grins pass between the captain and 
 the mate as they occasionally looked towards me ; 
 though I sat quietly swallowing my victuals, and 
 appeared not to notice them. After what I had 
 learned from their conversation regarding thelaw as 
 it referred to negroes in America, I was glad to 
 perceive that the countenance of neither indicated 
 any malignant feeling towards me, and I felt thankful 
 to God that my life was not in danger. Nothing 
 could have been easier than for Winton to have 
 had me thrown overboard some dark night; I consi- 
 dered, therefore, that my case might be much more 
 grievous than it was, and I endeavoured to await 
 calmly and submissively the will of the Almighty. 
 
 On the fiftieth day after our departure from Africa, 
 
96 CHARLESTON LIGHT. 
 
 the captain found by his observations at noon, that 
 we were within a hundred miles of the coast of Caro- 
 lina, and gave orders to prepare the anchors and 
 cables ready for service. I could observe that the 
 water was beginning to change from the deep blue of 
 the main ocean to a lightish green, and it became 
 more and more so as we got westward. As we were 
 running about eight knots an hour, we had soundings 
 in the afternoon, about six o'clock ; and by midnight 
 the Charleston light was visible, like a large star, alter- 
 nately appearing and disappearing; and the weather 
 being very fine, we kept running on till within a few 
 miles of the lighthouse. The nature of this light in- 
 terested me very much. Every minute, or so, a bright 
 glare would flash all across the water between the 
 shore and our ship, and then all was pitch darkness 
 for a few seconds ; all which seemed very strange to 
 me. I may mention that in the forepart of this day, 
 while yet a hundred miles from shore, the captain 
 and some of the crew said they plainly smelt the 
 scent of the pine woods ashore. The ship was kept 
 under easy sail all night, and soon after daylight we 
 could discern the tops of the trees, which seemed 
 like a low dark line in the horizon; and presently 
 we could discern the white sandy beach with the 
 surf breaking over it. Shortly afterwards a beautiful 
 little sloop came towards us, and sent out a small 
 canoe with three or four men in it ; one of whom, as 
 black as myself, came on board, and to my great 
 astonishment and delight, took the command of the 
 ship. Thinks I to myself all will be right now : I 
 
zamba's first sight of a civilized country. 97 
 
 shall surely have one on my side ; but I soon found 
 that this man was only hired to steer the ship for a 
 few miles, and then had no more to do with it. 
 This man's name was Pruivus; he was one of the 
 best pilots belonging to the port ; and at last, after 
 serving in this capacity for forty-five years, was 
 drowned in the hurricane of 1822. I was, at all 
 events, much gratified to find one of my countrymen 
 filling a post of such importance. We safely crossed 
 the bar, which is sometimes very dangerous to ves- 
 sels ; it has only thirteen feet or so at low water, 
 and the sea runs very high upon it when the wind is 
 easterly. Soon afterwards we neared Sullivan's 
 Island, a spot where the Carolinians resort to in 
 summer. I was quite astonished at the appearance 
 of the houses, and of a strong fort mounted with 
 heavy cannon ; but the strangest sight of all to 
 me, was a number of carriages drawn by horses 
 along the beach. In an hour more we anchored 
 close to the city, which presented a very handsome 
 appearance, and, together with some hundred or two 
 of ships at the wharves, it was a striking sight ; yet, as 
 there are very few great buildings in Charleston, and 
 only one very fine steeple, the view fell far short of 
 what I expected to see in the white man's country — 
 I mean, it seemed, to my eyes, nothing at all in 
 comparison to the picture of London in my father's 
 house. 
 
 The weather had been warm, and, the day we 
 arrived in Charleston, it was uncommonly hot for 
 that late season of the year; but, next morning, I 
 
 H 
 
98 negroes' notion of ice. 
 
 went on deck before sunrise, and found an amazing 
 change had taken place. During the night the wind 
 had veered round to the north-west, and was blowing: 
 keenly ; the sky being beautifully clear. I now saw 
 ice for the first time in my life: a skin of ice, about 
 as thick as a dollar, covered small tubs of water on 
 deck. After sunrise, many of the slaves came on 
 deck, but speedily went down again : they could not 
 stand the piercing wind, thinly clad as they were. 
 As the sun gained power, however, it felt comfortably 
 warm. One or two of the negroes took pieces of ice 
 in their hands, to show to their comrades below, who 
 imagined it was glass, until it melted, to their great 
 wonderment. 
 
 In the course of the forenoon, the ship was hauled 
 in to a wharf at the north-east side of the city. I 
 saw the captain preparing to go ashore; and, expect- 
 ing that he would take me with him, I put on some 
 of my finest clothing. When he saw me thus 
 dressed, he said, " Zamba, I think you had better 
 put these clothes off, and just do in the mean time 
 with your ship's clothing. I shall explain to you 
 again about it." I felt hurt at his behaviour: very 
 much disappointed, indeed ; for I was, at that time, 
 wofully inexperienced in worldly matters. I ima- 
 gined that an African king would be regarded with 
 much respect in America ; but had I considered a 
 little on some things I had previously heard the cap- 
 tain say, I might have remembered that kings and 
 princes of every description were at a heavy discount 
 in republican America. 
 
AUCTION OF SLAVES. 99 
 
 The captain came on board in the afternoon ; and, 
 soon afterwards, several dray-loads of clothing for the 
 slaves were brought alongside. Next day was still 
 cold ; but the whole of the slaves were put ashore, 
 and obliged to wash and scour themselves. They 
 were then provided with tolerably good clothing, 
 made of blue or white coarse w-oollen cloth, of English 
 manufacture, commonly called "plains." The owners 
 of the ship had provided these ; but, had the weather 
 been warm, the poor slaves would have been put up 
 for sale in the scanty clothing they were in. The 
 captain told me they were advertised for sale, which 
 would take place in two days. Meantime we had a 
 considerable number of white gentlemen to visit us, 
 mostly intending purchasers. On the appointed day, 
 the auctioneer, a Mr. Naylor, accompanied by two 
 young clerks, came down ; and, after much careful 
 inspection, arranged the whole cargo in separate lots, 
 some of them singly, and others in lots of fifteen or 
 twenty. The single ones were intended for domestic 
 servants in town, and were chosen from the youngest 
 and smartest- looking; the larger lots for the country, 
 or what are called "field hands." At length, a great 
 number of white gentlemen had arrived, and a few 
 white ladies — at least, white women ; for their conduct 
 was not such as would entitle them to be called ladies 
 in Europe: in a calm, cool, business-like way, they 
 went around the various groups of negroes, examining 
 and handling their limbs in the same manner as I 
 afterwards saw butchers examining cattle. 
 
 The sale soon began, and took up a consider- 
 
 h 2 
 
100 MORTALITY OP SLAVES ABOARD SHIP. 
 
 able time ; the prices ranging from 250 to 450 
 dollars a head : the thirty-two negroes whom I had 
 put on board brought nearly 10,000 dollars. It will 
 be thus seen that the owners of the ship had made 
 an excellent speculation : by this trip, as I learned 
 from the captain, they had cleared from 90,000 to 
 100,000 dollars; and it must be allowed, that great 
 part of this arose from the prudent and humane 
 treatment which was exercised towards the live cargo. 
 No doubt exists in my mind, that the moving prin- 
 ciple in all concerned was avarice; and, in this case, 
 it showed that, even from sinister motives, Providence 
 can cause good to be produced at last. In the 
 course of my subsequent experience, I have known 
 ships, of the same tonnage as the Triton, arrive from 
 Africa, in which seven hundred and fifty slaves had 
 been embarked ; but, owing to cruel usage, scanty 
 and unwholesome provisions, impure air, and absolute 
 filth, which prevailed on board, not more than four 
 hundred lived to reach Charleston ; and of these, one- 
 half were in a most weakly and miserable condition, 
 and the remainder could by no means be classed as 
 sound and healthy. In these cases, greed and avarice 
 joined to inhumanity were punished ; but at a sad 
 expense of life, as regarded the wretched negroes. 
 I have seen a slave-ship arrive from Africa, in such a 
 condition as to its freight of flesh and blood, that no 
 mortal of ordinary nerves could put his head below 
 the hatch ; and in such a miserable state were the 
 negroes, that I have known thirty or forty out of one 
 cargo sent up to the hospital in carts. I heard fre- 
 
CAPTAIN WINTON AVOWS HIS INTENTIONS. 101 
 
 quently also, from what I deemed good authority, 
 that on board these crowded and ill-conducted 
 slavers, it was not a rare circumstance for the captain 
 to order such poor slaves as were evidently dying, to 
 be thrown overboard during the night, while yet the 
 pulse of life was beating ! 
 
 In the evening, when the slaves were sold, the cap- 
 tain, after supper, addressed me as follows : — " You 
 see, Zamba, that, owing to the death of one of the own- 
 ers of the ship, she is to be sold ; and I believe that 
 I shall not continue in the trade at present — I 
 have some arrangements to make in the northern 
 states, which I came from originally; and may, per- 
 haps, settle there altogether; so that you will per- 
 ceive I cannot go to London with you as I pro- 
 posed. I will make some bargain for you, however, in 
 Charleston, and will leave you in good hands ; and 
 as you have no experience of the world yet, I shall 
 take care of your little property for you in the 
 mean time; and in the course of a few years, when 
 you have learned something, I shall settle accounts 
 with you." •' Do you mean to leave me here, sir," 
 said I, "and keep my property also? Surely, captain, 
 after the friendship my father and I have shown you, 
 you cannot be so cruel and dishonourable! If you 
 do, I shall appeal to the white gentlemen in 
 Charleston — I shall tell my whole story to them," 
 said I, rising up from the table, quite in- 
 dignant. " Sit down quietly, Zamba," said Winton, 
 " and I shall give you a lesson. You see, Mr. 
 Prince," said he, turning to the mate, " how the 
 
102 a slave-dealer's sophistry. 
 
 African blood gets up. But it is of no use here, 
 Zamba ; you must be calm, I tell you, or it will 
 be the worse for you : you will learn before long, my 
 lad, to keep yourself calm and composed like us 
 Yankees. Now, in the first place, you see, Zamba, 
 that, supposing I were to allow you to go into the 
 city of Charleston, and commence your story at the 
 corner of a street, nobody would mind you ; or if 
 any one did listen to you for a moment, the white 
 people would call you a lying rascal, and perhaps 
 would beat you, and your own countrymen would 
 only laugh at you. They would say that if you 
 spoke truth you were well served, for that if you 
 brought such a lot of slaves from Africa for sale 
 you well deserved to be sold yourself. In the next 
 place, consider, Zamba, I have given you as much 
 education as will balance your little property; 
 and I shall dispose of you to a good master. Some 
 folks in my place would sell you to a planter in the 
 country to get you out of the way ; and I tell you, 
 Zamba, that if you are not perfectly docile and 
 humble, that I shall do so to-morrow if I choose. 
 You will find the country a miserable place in com- 
 parison to the life you may lead with Mr. Naylor; 
 who will instruct you in a clever business and treat 
 you well, provided you conduct yourself properly. 
 And now, Zamba (seeing that I was upon the point 
 of breaking out) if you utter a sentence, I shall take 
 your two trunks from you and all that they contain, 
 and give you a single suit of clothing like to the 
 rest of your countrymen. I have, however, a con- 
 
A DREAM OF HAPPINESS. 103 
 
 science, Zarnba ; and you may be truly thankful you 
 have fallen into such good hands : and besides, I am 
 giving you a good moral lesson." 
 
 I need not say that I was not altogether thunder- 
 siruck at the captain's behaviour, as I had received 
 some hints previously from his conversations with 
 the mate : but yet it came very hard upon me ; 
 although now that I reflect upon it, and know better 
 things, I feel that, on account of my slave trans- 
 actions, I really deserved no sympathy : I was merely 
 reaping the fruits of my labour. Nevertheless, Cap- 
 tain Winton proved himself an unprincipled villain; 
 and he, too, latterly reaped the fruit of his labours. 
 But of this in good time. Thus did this wicked and 
 treacherous captain defraud me of about ten thousand 
 dollars, the price of the slaves ; about seven thousand 
 dollars in gold dust, and three thousand in doub- 
 loons, and — what was of more value than all — my 
 liberty ! I had no means of redress, none what- 
 ever, even in a Christian country. Neither my word 
 nor my oath would have been of any avail ; so in 
 silence and humility was I obliged to submit, and 
 console myself that the rascal had left me my two 
 trunks and their contents. 
 
 I went to bed very disconsolate, and dreamed that 
 I was in Africa, with my dear Zillah and my mother, 
 in my own palace, surrounded by m}^ friends and 
 attendants. From this vision of past happiness, 
 never to return, I awoke before sunrise to the sad 
 realities of my condition. At breakfast the captain 
 bantered me about my downcast looks. " Zamba," 
 
104 zamba's future master. 
 
 said he, " you need not take it so much to heart : 
 you will yet think I have been your best friend. 
 Have I not given you a deal of information about 
 the world ? Have I not taught you to read, and 
 brought you to a Christian country, where you will 
 have wise men to teach you all about the Bible, and 
 explain it to you for nothing ? By-and-by you will 
 become a good Christian ; and as for your money, 
 which I am so kind as to take charge of for you, I 
 can assure you, that if left to yourself amongst white 
 people, either here or in Europe, you would not 
 boast of it being your own above ten days : you 
 would be cheated and robbed at every hand. And 
 besides, Zamba, you must know that in a country- 
 like this, so much money in the hands of a boy so 
 young as you are would be dangerous — very danger- 
 ous. I tell you. I shall make a bargain to-day with 
 Mr. Naylor for you, and if you are perfectly quiet 
 and respectful, you shall see how much I am inte- 
 rested in you." Thus did this unprincipled man 
 endeavour to cover his avarice and injustice under 
 the cloak of friendship. As I have already hinted, 
 however, my fate might have been much more 
 pitiable. 
 
 After dinner the captain came on board with Mr. 
 Naylor and another gentleman. This was the last 
 time I had the honour to sit down to dine with 
 so many white gentlemen ; and from what I have 
 since seen of Carolinian customs, I am at a loss to 
 know how and wherefore it so happened that a 
 negro was so honoured on this occasion. Mr. Nay- 
 
zamba's future master. 105 
 
 lor was a thin, careful-looking sharp-eyed man ; but 
 there was a benevolent expression in his counte- 
 nance ; and as I had, even at that time, my own 
 rude ideas of physiognomy, altogether I was pleased 
 to be in his company. He asked me many ques- 
 tions about African scenery, manners, &c, and I 
 was very near giving him some answers (as a mat- 
 ter of course) which would reflect discredit on 
 Captain VVinton ; but the latter kept a sharp look- 
 out, and often interrupted and corrected me. The 
 captain at length said, " Zamba, you will go with 
 this gentleman, and you will learn to be a clever 
 man of business in his store. Mr. Naylor is pleased 
 with your appearance, and the good account I have 
 given him of you ; and I have made a bargain with 
 him for you. I am to receive six hundred dollars ; 
 which you and I will talk about again : but to con- 
 vince you and everybody else of my generosity, I 
 shall return Mr. Naylor three hundred dollars to 
 be kept for your benefit ; and as he is kind enough 
 to say that he will allow you interest upon it, you 
 will be able, in the course of a few years, with what 
 you may otherwise save, to buy your freedom, if 
 you wish it." 
 
 So saying, he took out a purse, counted out 
 (of my own identical money, I believe) twenty 
 doubloons, and handed them to Mr. Naylor; who 
 gave him a receipt for the sum, and at the same 
 time wrote out on a slip of paper what I afterwards 
 learned was a promissory-note at ninety days' date, 
 payable to Captain John Winton, for six hundred 
 
106 PRICE PAID FOR ZAMBA. 
 
 dollars, the same being the price of an African 
 negro named Zamba. 
 
 Although I was almost prepared for such treatment, 
 I could not help starting up, and exclaiming — "And 
 is this the way — is this the cruel manner I am to be 
 treated? Have you absolutely sold me as a slave, 
 
 Captain Winton, after all you have " Here I was 
 
 interrupted by the captain, who also started up, and 
 exclaimed — or rather roared out, for now he was in a 
 dreadful passion — " Hold your tongue, you black 
 rascal, or I'll withdraw my bargain. Just utter one 
 word more, and I shall have you sent to a rice plan- 
 tation to-morrow, and there they will cool your 
 African blood for you, I can assure you." Mr. Nay- 
 lor looked at me, as I thought, with much feeling ; 
 and as I now saw that it was in vain to contend with 
 fate, I sat down and burst into tears. The gentleman 
 who was along with Mr. Naylor puffed away at a 
 cigar and coolly sipped his wine, muttering to him- 
 self, " Curious affair this ; can't understand it at all. 
 But, after all, who the devil cares about a nigger?" 
 Mr. Naylor then addressed me, and said, " My boy, 
 you must not take on so. If you conduct yourself 
 properly and honestly, I will take good care of you. 
 I shall send down to-morrow for you." The gentle- 
 men retired soon afterwards, and Captain Winton 
 went ashore with them. When he came back I was 
 in bed, but he came into my state-room, and told me 
 he had a good mind to keep my trunks for my inso- 
 lence, as he called it, before the white gentlemen. 
 I gave him a meek answer, considering to myself 
 
... 
 
 zamba's parting from his betrayer. 107 
 
 that " a soft answer turneth away wrath." I slept 
 little that night, but lay brooding over my unhappy 
 condition. Yet now 1 really felt extremely anxious 
 to be out of sight and out of the power of the 
 captain. 
 
 In the forenoon of next day, one of Mr. Naylor's 
 clerks, a young Scotchman named Thomson, came to 
 the ship to bring me away. My trunks were placed 
 upon a dray, and in a very few minutes I was ready to 
 go ashore. Just as I was leaving the cabin, the cap- 
 tain, who was busily engaged writing, held out his 
 hand to me, and said — " Ho ! Zamba, don't go away 
 in that manner without bidding me farewell. I tell 
 you seriously, that not one slave captain in a thou- 
 sand would have done for you as I have; and you 
 may thank your stars that your fate is not worse. 
 By-the-by, Zamba, though I don't think you will 
 soon forget me, here is a farewell remembrance to 
 you — you will, perhaps, be in want of a little pocket- 
 money." So saying, he gave me a handful of silver 
 pieces, amongst which were two American gold eagles. 
 I was inwardly inclined at first to reject it, but 
 instantly changed my mind, and put the money in 
 my pocket, though I could not help saying — " Well, 
 captain, I thank you, although I know it is part of 
 the price of my own blood." 
 
 I then left the ship, and accompanied the young 
 man who was sent for me ; and as I paced across the 
 wharf, and then along the street, many strange ideas 
 floated in my brain regarding the inconsistency of 
 character displayed by this Captain Winton. He 
 
w wr^ 
 
 108 ZAMBA FINDS A FRIEND. 
 
 was naturally a warm-hearted, good-humoured man, 
 possessing much information ; but avarice, the love- 
 of money — that root of all evil — led him to commit 
 the most base and heartless actions. His behaviour 
 towards me was certainly a moral lesson, but a dear 
 bought one indeed to me ; that is to say, as the 
 world reckons. 
 
 On the way to Mr. Naylor's store — he was one of 
 the principal auctioneers in Charleston, and did an 
 immense business — Mr. Thomson, the clerk, entered, 
 into conversation with me, and was perfectly aston- 
 ished to learn that I could read the English Bible 
 tolerably. He seemed very much interested in me ; 
 and being quite aware that I was now entirely out of 
 the power of Captain Winton, I told him, in as few 
 words as possible, my whole history, strictly keeping 
 to the truth between man and man. " Well, well, 
 my poor fellow," said he, " I can hardly think you 
 have framed such a story; and if only the one-half 
 of it be true, this Captain Winton for roguery out- 
 Yankees all the Yankees that ever breathed in New 
 England. But you have no redress, my poor fellow ; 
 none whatever. However, you have fallen in with a 
 good owner, and if you conduct yourself, as I hope 
 you will, you will not find yourself so uncomfortable 
 as thousands of your countrymen." Oh, how that 
 word owner tingled in my ear — it seared my heart 
 like a branding iron. But my conscience told me, in 
 a louder tone than ever, that I deserved my fate. 
 I thanked Mr. Thomson for his encouraging words, 
 and told him that, as a proof of the truth of my 
 
~ ^' 
 
 zamba's first impression of slavery. 109 
 
 history, I could show him some articles in my trunks 
 which would convince him I was correct in my state- 
 ments. 
 
 As we walked along the streets I was much struck 
 with the appearance of the houses ; and the shops 
 especially attracted my notice : the wealth which 
 they displayed in goods of every description seemed 
 inexhaustible. But, alas ! I was only a poor slave, 
 and in a land of strangers. It cheered me, however, 
 to observe, as I went along, that my countrymen, 
 who thronged the streets at every hand, seemed in 
 general happy and contented. Some were driving 
 drays, others drove fine and elegant carnages, and 
 numbers were busy in the grog stores, or standing in 
 groups at the doors of them ; and their incessant 
 laughing and chattering bespoke anything but misery. 
 Then, as we passed the foot of the public markets, 
 the appearance of black men, and women too, 
 decently, and many of them flashily dressed, and all 
 apparently in high spirits, was quite pleasing. As I 
 passed by some barbers' shops 1 peeped in, and there 
 again were my countrymen quite busy, soaping and 
 shaving the beards, and cutting the hair of white 
 gentlemen. 
 
 When we arrived at Queen Street, the lower part 
 of which forms what is called Vendue Range, the 
 clerk ordered the drayman to proceed with my trunks 
 to my master's dwelling-house in Broad Street, and 
 there leave them ; he then told me to follow him 
 down the street, in which Mr. Naylor's store was 
 situated. I was quite astonished at the extent of this 
 
110 zamba's initiation. 
 
 store, and the way in which it was filled with goods 
 of every description. I thought to myself that there 
 were as many fine prints and handkerchiefs as would 
 supply every woman in Africa, or even in the world, 
 with clothing; and such quantities of beautiful rifle 
 guns, pistols, and swords, were to be seen also, as 
 perfectly amazed me. All these goods were to be 
 sold by auction. My master spoke a few words to 
 me kindly, saying no work would be required of me 
 that day, and I might merely walk about the store, 
 and satisfy my curiosity. Mr. Thomson, also, be- 
 haved with much condescension to me : he pointed to 
 various bales and boxes, and seemed gratified that I 
 could tell him, in plain English, the names of the 
 letters marked on them. I was somewhat at a loss 
 to make out figures or numbers ; but I attained this 
 knowledge soon afterwards. Mr. Thomson told me 
 he expected I should be very serviceable in the store, 
 and that it would be greatly in my favour if I be- 
 haved civilly and respectfully to all, and was always 
 prompt and active. Surliness and slowness, he said, 
 were the besetting faults of my countrymen ; " but 
 you were a prince, Zamba," added he, laughing, 
 " and must not lose your character." 
 
 In the afternoon, I was taken up to my master's 
 house, which was a large brick building, and, as I 
 afterwards perceived, splendidly furnished. At the 
 back of the house, and on each side of a large court, 
 paved with brick and kept very clean, were situated 
 houses for the servants : very snug two-story wooden 
 buildings. I was allowed to occupy part of an upper 
 

 COMPANIONS IN SLAVERY. Ill 
 
 room in one of them, into which my trunks were 
 taken ; and I was welcomed by two or three of my 
 countrymen (Africans, I mean), and about half a 
 dozen negro women, who were all employed in some 
 way or other about the house. Soon afterwards, we 
 had supper, which was both abundant and agreeable. 
 Some of my fellow-servants belonged originally to my 
 own part of Africa ; so that I had many questions to 
 answer in the course of the evening. I was gratified 
 to find that although all of them had a great desire 
 to visit their native Africa for a time, they seemed of 
 opinion that they should like again to return to 
 America. This, however, it must be observed, was 
 only the bright side of slavery ; or, at least, the tole- 
 rable side of it, if I may say so: and it must, indeed, 
 be a most awful and miserable condition of human 
 nature, which can exhibit nothing save hopeless and 
 helpless misery and despair. 
 
 In due time, I went to bed for the first time in the 
 free and generous land of Columbia : so called, at 
 least, by white men in America. Although under a 
 comfortable roof, and upon a snug bed, I could by no 
 means go to sleep. My feelings were various and com- 
 plicated, and 1 began to consider whether or not I had 
 great room for self-congratulation. It is true that I 
 had been most wofully duped by Captain Winton; 
 but, on the other hand, as I have already admitted, I 
 deserved it; and, besides, I had yet a considerable 
 amount of property remaining. I argued thus with 
 myself: — " What right had Captain Winton to seize 
 my property, and sell me as a slave?" But then my 
 
112 AN ARGUMENT WITH CONSCIENCE. 
 
 conscience told me plainly, " What right had you, 
 Zamba, to put on board the Triton thirty-two fellow- 
 creatures — nay, fellow-countrymen — and congratulate 
 yourself that you would get rich by selling them in a 
 foreign land?" — "Oh!" says I to myself, "they 
 were either my captives in war, or I paid a fair price 
 for them?" — " Very well, Zamba," said conscience; 
 " but does not common reason teach you, — did not 
 the Holy Book, which you partly understood, tell you 
 clearly — that you should not do that with other men, 
 which you would not wish them to do to you?" 
 Thus I found that all my reasonings with conscience 
 ended in my own conviction ; and became quite con- 
 vinced that I had more reason to be thankful for the 
 mercies and advantages which I still possessed, than 
 cause to murmur at the treatment I had received 
 from Captain Winton. I have often considered since, 
 that as long as a man's conscience speaks to him in 
 loud and decisive tones, he has no occasion to despair. 
 At length I fell asleep, and dreamed again and again 
 of poor Zillah and my mother. 
 
AUCTION STORE IN CHARLESTON. 113 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Zamba in an Auction-store in Charleston — First Sabbath in a Chris- 
 tian Country — Goes to a Presbyterian Church — Description of the 
 Scene, and Reflections thereon — A Negro Acquaintance — A White 
 Friend and Counsellor — Negro Finery and Politeness — Zamba goes 
 to an Episcopal Church — His Account of the Service, and Reflec- 
 tions on the Sermon — Goes to a Methodist Chapel — Effect of the 
 Service on Zamba and his Brethren — The Sermon, and Reflections 
 thereon. 
 
 I arose at daylight next morning, and found that 
 some of the servants had been up for an hour or two. 
 Mr. Thomson, who lodged with my owner, sent for 
 me, and told me to follow him to the store. When 
 we got there, he made me assist him, and take dry 
 goods out of boxes and bales, and arrange them on 
 shelves, and also do some other light work about the 
 store. He conversed with me a good deal, but only 
 when the other clerks did not observe him ; for they 
 were chiefly American-born, and considered all con- 
 versation with a negro, except what business abso- 
 lutely required, quite derogatory to their dignity as 
 free-born republicans. 
 
 i 
 
114 ZAMBA's FIRST SABBATH-DAY IN AMERICA. 
 
 In a few days, I became tolerably expert in hand- 
 ling goods, and the time passed on pleasantly but 
 for the thoughts of my own native home. Sunday at 
 length came ; and I shall never forget the first Sab- 
 bath I spent in America. It was, I think, the 29th of 
 November. My master told me I might go to some 
 church, with some of the other servants; but that 
 afterwards he would now and then require my ser- 
 vices on that, as well as on other days, to wait at 
 table. He said to me, smiling, " If you get on as 
 well as I have seen you do for the short time now 
 past, Zamba, I have no doubt that you will yet be a 
 free man. It is for your own benefit partly that I 
 shall have you instructed to be a house, as well as a 
 store, servant : you will thus learn a good deal of the 
 world ; and if you are particularly civil and service- 
 able to your superiors, you will now and then be 
 getting a few dollars." 
 
 Mr. Thomson saw me before he went to church, 
 and told me I mieht follow him. Although he 
 seemed much interested about me, and was of a frank 
 open disposition, he could not avoid participating in 
 the prejudice which generally prevails in Carolina 
 against the black race. To have walked alongside 
 of him in public would have been considered an open 
 breach of the peace ; I, therefore, respectfully kept 
 a few paces in his wake. When we arrived at the 
 church, which was the chief Presbyterian place of 
 worship in the city, he pointed to a door at the left 
 hand, and told me to go in there and walk up stairs. 
 I did so, and found a number of people of my own 
 
zamba's first visit to church. 115 
 
 colour already seated. In the opposite gallery were 
 a number of white people, and the space below was 
 about half filled with white ladies and gentlemen. 
 I afterwards learned that in every church in the 
 city, of whatever denomination, one side of the 
 gallery is wholly appropriated to the accommodation 
 of white strangers, and the other side for people of 
 colour. 
 
 This regulation, certainly, indicates genuine good 
 feeling and real practical Christian charity. Did 
 such a spirit pervade all her institutions and cus- 
 toms, America might then hold up her head among 
 the nations of the earth. 
 
 After some time the clergyman entered and read 
 part of a psalm, as usual in the Presbyterian ser- 
 vice ; and immediately afterwards about twenty 
 white men and women in the front of the gallery- 
 commenced singing. I could not well make out the 
 words they sang, and asked a man who sat near 
 me what they meant. " Hold your tongue, boy," 
 said he; " mustn't talk in meeting. Tell you dey 
 worship God ; so be quiet like good fellow." I ob- 
 served that only some of the white people joined in 
 singing, although the most of them opened a book, 
 and seemed very serious ; but amongst all the black 
 folks on my side of the church not one book was to 
 be seen, and of course they did not join in worship- 
 ping God. 
 
 Thinks I to myself this is very strange, but no 
 doubt the white folks know best what is right ; or, 
 perhaps, they think it would hurt their dignity to 
 i 2 
 
116 zamba's first visit to church. 
 
 sing with poor slaves. I was rather out in my con- 
 jectures, as will appear by-and-by. 
 
 A prayer was, as usual, then offered up, and. I 
 was pleased to find that the minister prayed for all 
 men, master and servant, bond and free. The minis- 
 ter then gave out a chapter in the Bible, and com- 
 menced reading; again most of the white people 
 opened their books. I had a Bible in my pocket, 
 but felt at a loss what to do, from fear of giving 
 offence j but after a minute's hesitation I took it 
 out, and witli a little difficulty found the place. 
 Instantly many eyes were turned upon me, especially 
 those of my own countrymen. I felt very much 
 abashed, lest I was doing something displeasing to 
 the white people ; but, as Providence would have 
 it, in the very chapter which the minister was read- 
 ing, occurred these words, at the very instant I was 
 in my perplexity, " Search the Scriptures, for in 
 them ye have the words of eternal life, and they 
 are they which testify of me." I instantly felt my 
 spirit refreshed, and thought to myself, " Since the 
 Almighty hath been pleased that I have acquired 
 the art of reading, I am not only permitted by Him, 
 but commanded to search the holy book." 
 
 The minister then lectured on Ephesians vi. 5, 
 " Servants be obedient to your masters, according to 
 the flesh." He certainly explained very minutely 
 the duty which servants, especially bondsmen, owed 
 to their masters and superiors ; and held forth 
 awful denunciations, both in this life and through 
 all eternity, upon all who dared to step aside from 
 
zamba's first visit to church. 117 
 
 the path of duty. Said he, " Even though you 
 should have reason to complain of the hardship of 
 your case, remember, that ' whom the Lord loveth 
 he afflicteth, and scourgeth every son he taketh to 
 himself.' And remember, also, my black friends 
 (he was very, very careful to avoid calling us brethren), 
 what holy Paul saith, • I have learned in what- 
 soever condition I am to be content.' " 
 
 There is no doubt but this clergyman was merely 
 doing his duty; but I could take notice, even at 
 this my first experience of a sermon, that he never 
 once alluded to any duty which mutually be- 
 longed to the master towards his dependants and 
 slaves. 
 
 The service ended in the usual manner, and I 
 returned, well pleased that I would now be in the 
 way of hearing the Bible explained to me ; and, 
 above all that, from hearing how the clergyman 
 addressed his brethren, I should soon be enabled 
 to express my feelings to my brethren in a becoming 
 manner. On coming out of church, the black — an 
 old grey-headed man — whom I had addressed at 
 the commencement of the service, came with me 
 and said, " My boy, I see you is a stranger ; but 
 how hab you come to read Bible ? Can't suavey 
 (understand) this !" I explained in a few words how 
 I had been so favoured. " Ah! well, well, boy, you 
 may tank God for this. Buckra can't take know- 
 ledge to read from you now. But do you hearee me : 
 in dis fine free country " — (here he looked round for 
 fear of being overheard) — " you never would have 
 
118 PENALTY FOR TEACHING NEGROES. 
 
 learn to read good book; white man's law fine any 
 man one hundred pounds who would offer to teach 
 poor black man ABC; and if you, my poor boy, 
 offer to teach any of your comrade one single word 
 to read, you either pay fine or go to jail, and buckra 
 take payment out of your bare back with one good 
 hard cow's skin — dat is white man's law, boy ; but, 
 for all dat, some few black folks in Charleston have 
 got knowledge how to read in quiet way, and 
 can write a little too ; but all under a cloud you see. 
 Buckra man terribly 'fraid we get too wise," said 
 the old man, with a peculiar grin. 
 
 We then parted, but not before I had received an 
 invitation to visit old Jerry and his wife ; and we 
 soon afterwards became very friendly. 
 
 When I returned to my master's house, I saw 
 Mr. Thomson in the back yard. He asked me to 
 come up to his room, and requested me to read him 
 a chapter in the Bible. I did so, and he was pleased 
 to say that I must have considerable natural abili- 
 ties, else I could not have made such progress in the 
 cursory manner I had received my lessons. " As I 
 keep my own room a great deal in the evening," 
 said he, " I will run the risk of giving you some 
 lessons myself; and I shall also teach you to write 
 and count. This must be kept very quiet, however, 
 Zamba ; for if found out giving you lessons of the kind 
 I shall be heavily fined, and incur the ill-will of many 
 in this place." He then expressed a wish that I 
 should go to an Episcopalian church in the after- 
 noon, and to a Methodist one in the evening. I 
 
A WHITE FRIEND AND COUNSELLOR. 119 
 
 should like to know," said he, " which form of 
 worship, of all you hear this day, interests your feel- 
 ings most. But remember, Zamba, when you enter 
 the house of God you must throw away all thoughts 
 of the world, or of business ; and the first thing you 
 ought to do is to lift up your heart inwardly to God, 
 and pray that your eyes, and your heart, and your 
 soul may be opened to the truth ; and that you may 
 be enabled to see that you, as well as all men, are 
 but poor, perishing, lost sinners : lost beyond all 
 redemption, if the Holy Spirit conduct you not 
 to the foot of the cross — even to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, who never did, and never will refuse sal- 
 vation to all such as come unto Him in sincerity, 
 and with humble and contrite hearts. I hope, 
 Zamba," said this excellent young man, taking 
 me by the hand, " that you will yet have reason 
 to bless the day when you came to this country ; 
 and that you will even look upon Captain Win- 
 ton as a friend, and pray for him as one who, 
 in the hands of Providence (although to suit his 
 own evil purposes) hath been the means of snatching 
 you as a brand from the fire. I do hope, Zamb*a, 
 that even now, in your condition as a slave, you will 
 be brought from * a state of sin and doubt and 
 darkness, to the marvellous light, and freedom, and 
 purity of the gospel of the Lord Jesus. I do pray, 
 as your friend, that you may receive, even here, 
 a treasure such as the world cannot give, and 
 (blessed be God !) such as it cannot take away — a 
 treasure altogether different from, and infinitely more 
 
120 NEGRO FINERY. 
 
 to be desired than, the few handfuls of gold which 
 a wicked man has deprived you of." 
 
 Tears ran down the cheeks of this good young man, 
 as he addressed me ; and I felt something inexpressibly 
 delightful within my breast at so much unlooked-for 
 kindness. 
 
 It is now nearly forty years since this young and 
 truly sincere disciple of the Lord Jesus exchanged, 
 this life of care, and trial, and uncertainty, for an 
 inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and which will 
 never fade away — at least so is my humble belief and 
 hope; and yet often and again do I behold in my 
 imagination his open and benevolent countenance, 
 as he addressed me, more as if I had been a brother 
 and friend than a poor ignorant bondsman. 
 
 In the afternoon I accompanied one of my fellow 
 servants to an Episcopalian church ; and on the way 
 thither I could not help being much gratified at the 
 appearance made by my countrymen and countrywo- 
 men. Many of the latter were dressed in a very elegant 
 style ; which, although it pleased me then, I have 
 long since ceased to admire, being by far too gaudy, 
 and quite unbefitting their station : what with flaming 
 silk shawls, silk stockings, and red-heeled morocco 
 shoes, they seemed prepared for some jollification 
 rather than anything else ; and some of them, sporting 
 fine parasols, tripped along the pavement with much 
 levity and frivolity. 
 
 It occurred to me, " where have they procured 
 all these fine things ? Not in a very creditable way, I 
 fear." I afterwards found this to be true in regard to 
 
NEGRO GALLANTRY. 121 
 
 hundreds of them ; and little to the honour and 
 discretion of their white lords and masters. It was a 
 gratifying thing to me, however, to find my country- 
 folks so very agreeable and polite to one another, 
 when they chanced to meet in the street. They 
 invariably addressed each other — with a marvellous 
 deal of bowing and curtseying, and shaking of hands 
 — as daddy and mammy, sister and broder, sir and 
 madam, and received similar salutations in return 
 with great seeming satisfaction ; evincing by the 
 loud tones in which they spoke, no habitual dread or 
 terror of their superiors. Many young black men 
 were dressed as finely and fashionably as the first 
 gentlemen in the city; with fine cambric-frilled 
 shirts, and adorned with sparkling jewels, they walked 
 along as proudly as any peacock in the meridian sun. 
 I observed, as I walked very slowly along to see how 
 matters went, one good-looking young black address a 
 couple of young ladies as black as himself. Taking 
 off his glove and kissing his hand, he bowed almost 
 to the ground, and then kept his hat off his head 
 altogether, for some time. " How you do, dear Misses 
 Sarah and Dinah ? I hope I have the pleasure of 
 seeing you this morning in clever good health ; hope 
 mamma,and all friends come on well. Will you allow me 
 the supreme felicity of waiting upon you to church ?" 
 I also observed in my progress to church, that the 
 doors of a few shops stood open, and that people were 
 buying and selling goods within. I was told these 
 were Jewish traders ; the rest of the shops and stores 
 were all closed and quiet. 
 
122 zamba's opinion of the episcopal service. 
 
 We soon arrived at the church, which was very- 
 handsome and elegant, and fitted up differently from 
 the one I had attended in the morning. When 
 the organ commenced playing, I was literally thunder- 
 struck with the tremendous and sublime music ; 
 so different from anything I had ever heard or 
 imagined. I, however, could make no sense out of 
 the words which were chanted or sung. I could 
 understand some of the prayers, and was much 
 pleased to hear many of the blacks join in this part of 
 the service, as they kneeled down with much decency 
 and apparent seriousness. The service seemed to me, 
 however, to be too complicated for such a simple and 
 unlearned person as myself; and I really conceived 
 that the simple prayers of the Presbyterians came 
 nearer to my view of things. The English mode 
 seemed certainly more calculated to keep the attention 
 of the hearers awake ; but if I may dare to express 
 myself, there was too much bustle and stiff formality 
 about it : the other form appeared to come more 
 directly from the heart. 
 
 After some time, the clergyman, having retired 
 and again made his appearance in another dress, 
 which was a new matter of wonder to me, gave out 
 the text, — " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 thou shalt be saved." He went on to explain his 
 text, and I thought to myself that many of his re- 
 marks particularly applied to my own situation. He 
 gave a short sketch of the history of man from his 
 creation — of his speedy and fatal fall from innocence 
 and consequent happiness — and of the natural enmity 
 
ACCOUNT OF THE SERMON. 123 
 
 of his heart to all that was good. He then expa- 
 tiated upon the necessity for a Saviour, and showed 
 that such could not be found either in one of the race 
 of fallen mankind, or even of the more exalted angels 
 of heaven ; who, high as they were, stood charged 
 with folly in the eyes of Him who is altogether purity 
 and perfection. It was requisite, then, that one 
 should be found altogether spotless and pure, and free 
 from the taint of sin in any degree — who could lay 
 his hand upon fallen, wretched, and forlorn man, on 
 the one side, and upon a justly offended and infinitely 
 holy God, upon the other, and reconcile the one to 
 the other. " An intercessor," said he, " must be 
 found, who, by his own obedience and suffering, as a 
 spotless and sinless being, can atone to infinite jus- 
 tice in a satisfactory manner for the sins and rebel- 
 lions of the millions of lost mankind. And such a 
 mediator could only be found in the person of Jesus ; 
 who, although dwelling in the bosom of the Father 
 from all eternity, of his own free will and benevolence 
 towards mankind, became, in due time, a sacrifice, 
 and, by the shedding of his precious blood upon the 
 cross, made an end of sin, and finished transgression 
 He then gave a brief view of the life, character, and 
 doings of the Saviour whilst upon earth. " Would 
 it," continued he, " ever have entered into the imagi- 
 nation of man or angel, that He who was the Second 
 Person in the Godhead, and who thought it no rob- 
 bery to be equal with God, should assume the form 
 and submit to the inconveniences and infirmities 
 attendant upon the sons of men — that he should lead 
 
124 ACCOUNT OF THE SERMON. 
 
 a life of humiliation, and at last lay down his life for 
 a wretched and rebellious race ? Such sublime and 
 godlike ideas could only have emanated from a source 
 exalted infinitely above all that created intelligence 
 could ever imagine ; and the conduct of the blessed 
 Saviour whilst amongst men was so transcendantly 
 pure and benevolent, so superior to anything that had 
 hitherto been seen upon the earth, that even his bit- 
 terest enemies found that it was altogether absurd to 
 deny the supernatural effects produced by his mere 
 words. When they saw the lame and the blind, who 
 had been so from their mother's womb, at once 
 restored to sight and hearing, and when, even before 
 many witnesses, the dead were called forth from their 
 graves ; still, in the malignity and obstinacy of their 
 hearts, they refused to receive the light into their 
 darkened minds, and, since they could not deny the 
 plain and open fact that such miracles were per- 
 formed, attributed the power of the blessed Saviour 
 to magic and the agency of evil spirits. Before 
 our Saviour's time," continued he, " it had been said 
 by wise and sober men and learned philosophers, that 
 men should act as they would that others should do 
 to them ; but it was reserved for the Saviour himself 
 to teach mankind a doctrine hitherto unthought of, 
 and altogether in itself bespeaking its high origin — 
 namely, that we should forgive our enemies, do good 
 to those who despitefully use us, and pray for those 
 who revile and persecute us ; in a word, that we 
 should return good for evil. And now, my friends, 
 believe in this Jesus, and you shall be saved. But 
 
ADVANTAGES ENJOYED BY WHITE MEN. 125 
 
 it is not a mere simple assent to the truth as a matter 
 of historical fact that will save you. Believing, you 
 must act, and show, by your conduct towards all men 
 and towards your Creator, that you believe the Lord 
 Jesus to be his only and well-beloved Son ; and as an 
 evidence that your belief is genuine, you will en- 
 deavour literally to follow Jesus in all your words 
 and actions, and even in your very thoughts. In 
 one word, remember that the Lord Jesus expressly 
 said, ' If you love me, you will keep my command- 
 ments.' And, again, ' Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, 
 and do not the things that I say ?' " 
 
 Pardon me, gentle reader, for being so diffuse upon 
 the matters of my first Sabbath-day's experience in a 
 Christian land. I am aware that some who may 
 honour me by a perusal of these papers will slip over 
 what they may deem cant and hypocrisy ; but I am 
 also aware that there are others who will feel inte- 
 rested in tracing my progress from darkness to light, 
 and from the power of Satan to the glorious liberty of 
 the sons of God. 
 
 On my way home from church, I reflected thus to 
 myself : " Surely these white people ought to be 
 very good and happy, possessing so many advantages 
 and blessings. What splendid and substantial houses, 
 and what elegant furniture ! Such fine clothing to 
 wear — such luxurious food and wines to eat and 
 drink — such fine streets to walk in — such elegant 
 carriages to ride in — and, above all, such noble 
 houses in which to worship God ! And what sub- 
 lime music to elevate and soothe their feelings ! But, 
 
126 zamba's reflections. 
 
 ah ! why should they be so unjust towards the black 
 people? Why, above all things, debar them from 
 learning to read and write, and thus, in a great mea- 
 sure, cause God's own message from heaven to be a 
 sealed book to those who, from their ignorance, stand 
 most in want of it? " 
 
 I felt greatly comforted by what I had heard this 
 day, and bethought myself that I should now — at 
 least once in seven days — experience a delight which 
 nothing else on earth could give me. Is it not, 
 surely, a high honour for sinful and rebellious man 
 to be allowed to lay his heart open before God — to 
 implore his assistance and his advice — and to hold 
 communion with him, so to speak, as a friend and a 
 councillor ? I, however, learned from my comrade 
 that there were thousands of white people, and also 
 many blacks, in Charleston, who never entered a 
 church door from year to year ; choosing rather to go 
 upon pleasure-parties into the country, or even, still 
 worse, to spend the whole of the Lord's holy day in 
 drinking, gambling, quarrelling, and blaspheming in 
 public houses. How often, alas ! do men, in all coun- 
 tries and stations, look upon God's choicest blessings 
 with an apathy and an indifference alike strange and 
 lamentable ! Because they have, all their life long, 
 been accustomed to find them within their reach at 
 any time and at all times, they think them too com- 
 mon and familiar to be much cared for. 
 
 In the evening, my comrade went with me to a 
 Methodist chapel. He told me the black people 
 chiefly joined this sect of Christians. They seemed 
 
VISITS A METHODIST CHAPEL. 127 
 
 generally to have more sympathy with our race, and 
 did not assume so much state and superiority as other 
 sects. 
 
 Soon after we entered the meeting, a hymn was 
 read ; the person who led the singing slowly re- 
 peated line after line, and, to my great satisfaction, he 
 was instantly joined by the whole of the congrega- 
 tion, white and black. Many of the latter — especially 
 the females — appeared to understand the music well, 
 and sung with beautifully clear voices. I attempted 
 to follow, to the best of my ability, and felt within 
 me a species of happiness hitherto unknown. I felt 
 that, in this the first audible offering of my heart to 
 Almighty God, I was now and for ever bursting the 
 chains of ignorance and paganism, and that hence- 
 forth I should consider myself as enlisted under the 
 banner of our Lord Jesus. 
 
 The prayer which immediately followed appeared 
 to be indeed a prayer from the inmost parts of the 
 soul. It was spirit communing with spirit. The 
 speaker seemed to be deeply impressed with the idea 
 that he was in the presence of an omnipotent and. 
 awful Being, altogether full of goodness and mercy — 
 a Being whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, 
 and who yet deigns to dwell in the heart of the 
 humble and contrite man. As the speaker went on 
 (and I took notice that he, as well as many of the 
 congregation, kneeled at the commencement of the 
 prayer), he entered more and more into the spirit of 
 his holy exercise ; again and again he clasped his 
 hands with energy, and called, in a voice still louder and 
 
128 EFFECT OF THE SERVICE. 
 
 louder, upon the Lord, to look down and have mercy 
 upon all present. Many of the white audience 
 seemed equally earnest, and called aloud, with all 
 the fervour of an aroused spirit, for mercy and peace. 
 Many, too, of the blacks — especially the females — 
 appeared to be greatly moved and excited, and even 
 lost all command over their feelings, beating their 
 breasts, and calling out — " Lord, have mercy upon us 
 sinners !" 
 
 I am quite aware, from my subsequent experiences, 
 that the Methodists have been accused of an improper 
 degree of fanaticism and enthusiasm, according to the 
 notions of worldly men. No doubt, there are some- 
 times extravagances committed in the Methodist 
 mode of worship ; but is there no allowance to be 
 made for simple and unlearned people, who, perhaps 
 for the first time in their lives, have their eyes opened, 
 as it were, in an instant, by the power of the Holy 
 Spirit, which oftentimes pierceth as a sword, separat- 
 ing the joints and marrow ? In the days of our 
 Saviour, there is no doubt that, on the impulse of the 
 moment, many sinners called aloud, in the streets 
 and in the fields, for mercy; and there is as little 
 doubt that the men of the world in those days looked 
 upon them also as mad enthusiasts. 
 
 On my way home from church, I began to 
 question myself, whether I considered any worldly 
 disadvantages and disappointments I had experienced, 
 were to be compared with the advantages I now 
 enjoyed? — hearing the gospel preached to me, as 
 it were, and the infinite love and salvation of Jesus 
 
AN AWAKENED CONSCIENCE. 129 
 
 offered to me, a poor miserable and ignorant sinner ; 
 and I further asked myself, " Are you perfectly at 
 peace in your heart with Captain Win ton, and can you 
 fall down on your knees and pray for him, and 
 forgive him from the bottom of your heart?" I will 
 candidly own that this latter part of the matter 
 seemed not altogether so clear to me as my con- 
 science told me it should be. As I thought further 
 of it, however, I was, by the holy Spirit of God illu- 
 minating my heart and eyes, brought so far, that 
 before I slept that night I fell upon my knees, 
 and offered up a prayer, entreating God that he 
 would enable me to forgive Captain Winton soon. 
 But in the midst of my devotion conscience again 
 interposed, and whispered, " But, Zamba, what if 
 God removes you from this world before daylight; 
 how will you dare to stand before Him, and your 
 enemy still unforgiven ? " I found there was no 
 tampering with conscience ; so at once I petitioned, 
 " Lord, enable me this moment to forgive my enemies, 
 wherever or whoever they may be; or enable me 
 altogether to forget them." 
 
 The serious reader will perceive what struggles still 
 went on within me betwixt the natural heart of sin 
 and corruption, and the holy influences of the blessed 
 Spirit. It is sometimes very difficult to drive the 
 old man utterly away from the sinful heart, which 
 he has so long occupied : he will often assume a 
 less revolting shape, and attempt to go halves with 
 the struggling sinner; blinding him so far that he 
 thinks he has wholly obtained the triumph over sin, 
 
 K 
 
130 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 when he is yet but in the hottest of the battle. The 
 young man with whom Jesus communed regarding 
 his previous life and character, made a stand at the 
 sacrifice proposed by Christ : for the sake of his 
 worldly possessions, which were great, he turned his 
 back upon the precious jewels which Christ had in 
 store for him ; and, as many others since have done, 
 and even now still do, went away — away to enjoy, for 
 a few fleeting years or days, the gross pleasures of the 
 senses ; and for ever to forego those pleasures which 
 are at God's right hand. 
 
INTEREST EXCITED FOR ZAMBA. 131 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Captain Winton visits the store of Zamba's master — Zarnba finds a 
 friend and teacher — Puts his money to interest — Effects of the 
 American War — Negro Slavery in Charleston — Auction Sales of 
 Negroes — The Cowskin — Horrors of a Slave-ship — Affecting scene 
 —Price of Slaves — Captain Pompey — Emancipation prohibited. 
 
 Next morning I resumed my duties at the store, and 
 soon became tolerably expert at handling and ar- 
 ranging goods. 
 
 In my different conversations with Mr. Thomson, 
 I had given him a history of the manner in which 
 Captain Winton had behaved towards me ; and, as a 
 matter of course, Mr. T. had made no secret of it, 
 so that the other clerks, and many customers who 
 frequented the store, were acquainted with it. It 
 is well known to the world that the Americans are a 
 very inquisitive race ; and I am aware, from my own 
 experience, that they do not let any story they get 
 hold of lose anything in its travels. I excited much 
 more interest in the concern than was altogether 
 agreeable; for the fact of the matter was, that 
 although all joined in condemning the Captain to a 
 
 k 2 
 
132 CAPTAIN WINTON BANTERED 
 
 certain extent, the laugh was invariably turned 
 against me at the last : I was told half a dozen 
 times every day, by some one or other, although 
 in a good-humoured way, that I was well served. 
 " Really, you were a fine fellow, Zamba, to be in 
 the way of selling thirty-two of your own countrymen. 
 Dog should not eat dog, Zamba." 
 
 Captain Winton had been several times at the 
 store regarding business with my master ; but as yet 
 I had never encountered him closely: he generally 
 came round by a back way, which led to the counting- 
 house. Whether it was really the case or not, may be 
 doubtful, but I could not help imagining that he 
 did not wish to see me : to face me, I would say, eye 
 to eye : such cowards does guilt cause men to be. 
 As chance would have it, however, one afternoon 
 Captain Winton, with another gentleman, came 
 walking down the front pavement, and were passing 
 the large open door, around and within which were 
 about a score of dealers (Jews, Gentiles, and all sorts), 
 waiting to receive the goods they had purchased in 
 the forenoon. One of these, a New England man, 
 and a very merry fellow, called out, " Ho ! Winton, 
 come hither and tell us all about the story of the 
 Black Prince," at the same time pointing to me as I 
 was engaged in handing out goods. The Captain 
 did not change colour, but he looked rather black, as 
 I have heard people say, and answered, " What do 
 you mean now, Bennet? You are always upon some 
 nonsense or other." " Why, I guess anyhow, Captain, 
 it was no nonsense of you to make twenty thousand 
 
IN HIS VISITS TO THE STORE. 133 
 
 particular hard dollars at a slap ; and all without any 
 
 trouble, too, as they tell me, excepting a lesson or 
 
 two in the primer to this poor black Nincompoop. 
 
 I must acknowledge, Winton, you do credit to old 
 
 Connecticut — you have beat all to particular smash 
 
 your cousin Ezekiel, who sold some barrels of wooden 
 
 nutmegs last year here at Vendue. Ha! ha! 
 
 Winton, you are a real king of trumps, and don't 
 
 do things by halves. But, I say, Winton, for old 
 
 times you must stand treat the next time you come 
 
 up my way in King Street." All this was said in 
 
 a free and easy sort of way ; nevertheless, it evidently 
 
 went to the quick ; as, however well-pleased people 
 
 may feel with themselves at making a spec in a 
 
 way of this kind, they do not wish the world to 
 
 know all the particulars. The laugh completely 
 
 turned against the Captain for once; and a 
 
 good-natured shopkeeper, who had once or twice 
 
 before spoken to me kindly, slipt a quarter dollar 
 
 into my hand, as I assisted him to put his goods 
 
 upon a dray, saying, " Never mind, Zamba, you 
 
 are a clever fellow, and will be a man yet. And as 
 
 for that rascally Captain, I tell you, as sure 's my 
 
 name is Tobias, your money won't thrive long with 
 
 him : he is too fond of the dice-box." 
 
 I must confess that I felt a secret satisfaction in 
 seeing Winton thus annoyed. This, then, was a 
 pretty sure sign that my heart was yet in the gall 
 of bitterness. I consoled myself, however — and how 
 glad are all men to catch at a straw in extremity — 
 that I was on the way to better things. I went 
 
134 ZAMBA PREFERS THE METHODISTS. 
 
 home in the evening and had my supper. And I 
 may here remark that, to use a common saying, 
 I and the rest of my fellow servants were fed like 
 princes ; and the large kitchen, with its fire blazing 
 every evening, and its well-furnished table, was by 
 no means a scene of gloom or discontent. I was 
 often, indeed, at a loss to know why we were 
 permitted to be so merry and cheerful. But, as I 
 shall yet show, there was an amazing and awful 
 difference between our situation and that of thousands 
 of our countrymen. 
 
 After supper, Mr. Thomson sent for me to his 
 room. He was desirous to know what were my feel- 
 ings in regard to the good things I had heard on the 
 Sabbath, and which of the churches I should prefer 
 going to regularly. I at once told him, that I pre- 
 ferred the Methodists ; " because," said I, " they 
 seem to address their sermons very particularly to 
 the blacks ; and they seem pleased to hear us join in 
 singing and praying. And, besides all this, I think 
 they are a very plain and simple people, and more 
 adapted than the other sects to teach us poor blacks." 
 " I believe you are not far wrong, Zamba," said he. 
 " You may go and hear a few of the other sects which 
 are in the city ; but the sooner you fix upon one, the 
 better. Keep by one minister : you are not so likely, 
 in that case, to be tossed about by every wind that 
 blows." 
 
 Although I had made up my mind, after Captain 
 Winton's affair, to put my trust in no white man, I 
 was now inclined to alter my mind. Mr. Thomson 
 
CONFIDES IN MR. THOMSON. 135 
 
 seemed such an amiable young man, and appeared 
 to have my soul's interest so much at heart, that I 
 thought I could not do better than consult and con- 
 fide in him in temporal affairs. 
 
 I told him about the gold I had contrived to save 
 from the Captain's clutches, and how it happened. 
 He was quite delighted to learn that I had shown 
 so much prudence and forethought, and said that it 
 would be a great pity to let my money lie idle in a 
 trunk. He said that Mr. Naylor was a very rich 
 man, and a most honourable man ; but that people 
 in business were never the worse for having plenty of 
 ready money. He would speak to Mr. Naylor on the 
 subject, and had no doubt but that he would readily 
 take charge of my little stock, and give me good 
 interest for it. " In the mean time, Zamba," said he, 
 " although you have far more money than would pur- 
 chase your liberty at a fair price, I would, as a friend, 
 advise you to remain as you are ; you could not be 
 more comfortable anywhere than in Mr. Naylor's 
 service ; and you will be the better for more expe- 
 rience before you venture on the world on your own 
 account. I suppose, Zamba," said he, smiling, " you 
 will be often thinking of home, and your wife and 
 mother; but just be patient a little, there is no 
 saying what the Almighty will bring round for you. 
 And let me tell you, Zamba, that, although I do not 
 say much about it, I think as often about the hills of 
 my own dear Scotland, as you can do about Africa ; 
 and I have a dear father and mother there, too ; and 
 sisters and brothers, whom I dream of almost every 
 
136 zamba's treasure. 
 
 night." He then told me that his father was a clergy- 
 man in Scotland, with a small income and a large 
 family ; and that, as he himself was very saving in 
 his habits, and had a good salary besides his board, 
 he was enabled to send his father every year, about 
 two hundred dollars ; " which is," said he, " not 
 near so much as some of my fellow-clerks annually 
 spend on theatre tickets, cigars, and brandy. It is 
 to my virtuous parents, however, and the grace of 
 God, that I owe all ; and I must not boast of my 
 virtue : my comrades lay out their money to please 
 themselves, and so do I." 
 
 The next morning early I opened my hidden trea- 
 sures, and it was found that I had about five pounds 
 of gold dust; this was afterwards sold at 250 dollars 
 per pound, making 1250 dollars ; and the thirty doub- 
 loons came to 450 dollars, so that I had 1700 dollars 
 to place in the hands of Mr. Naylor, who congra- 
 tulated me on my prudent conduct. " I will allow 
 you," said he, " at the rate of seven per cent., Zamba ; 
 so that you will have 119 dollars every year coming to 
 you as interest ; and it will always be increasing. And 
 now I tell you, in the presence of Mr. Thomson, that 
 in case of my death, I shall give you a letter declaring 
 you a free man, and will also give you a receipt for 
 the money ; for you must understand that, by the laws 
 of this State, a slave cannot own property in his own 
 right. You will draw out these papers, Mr. Thomson, 
 and we shall show poor Zamba, that all white men 
 are not exactly so greedy as Captain Winton." I was 
 much struck at my master's condescension, and very 
 
HIS PROGRESS IN KNOWLEDGE. 137 
 
 much amazed to find that money grew so fast, from 
 year to year, in the hands of white men. 
 
 Excepting anxious thoughts regarding Africa and 
 my dear friends there, my mind and body, I may say, 
 were in a sound and comfortable state. Mr. Thomson 
 faithfully performed towards me the part of a teacher : 
 giving me lessons, at least four times in the week, in 
 reading or writing, not forgetting arithmetic ; and he 
 was pleased to say that I was a most hopeful scholar. 
 He used to say, " How blind are the rulers of this 
 State to debar black men from the knowledge of 
 letters, and how much are they combating against 
 their own interests : they might have excellent clerks 
 and bookkeepers, without being required to pay high 
 salaries to white men. For instance, now, Zamba, I 
 make no doubt but that, with proper instructors, and 
 having the thing done openly, in a few years you 
 would be as expert at writing and figures as many 
 clerks in Charleston, who receive 1000 or 1200 
 dollars per annum. But prejudice, stupid prejudice, 
 will often blind men to their dearest interests ; and 
 the dearest interest of man in America seems to be 
 the acquisition of dollars and cents : there are mer- 
 chants in this city, who, by educating their own 
 negroes, might save annually from 6000 to 8000 
 dollars." For my own part, I found that the more 
 I read in books, the more was I inclined to read on 
 and know as much as possible regarding the people 
 of other countries ; and I found that the little learn- 
 ing I had already obtained was of great service to 
 me, in performing my duty towards my master. 
 
138 RUINOUS EFFECTS OF WAR. 
 
 I may mention, that Mr. Naylor had a most 
 extensive business going on. He sold a vast deal 
 of what is called real property : houses, lands, &c. ; 
 also immense lots of goods alongside of ships; lots 
 of negroes, almost every day ; and an immense quan- 
 tity of dry goods at the store. 
 
 Whilst in Mr. Naylor's service, I saw many ups 
 and downs in the commercial world. During the 
 war with Britain, from 1812 to 1815, business was 
 almost wholly at a stand. Let the Americans boast 
 as they will, to use the expression of an old Scotch 
 merchant, who went much about our store : " Anither 
 half year, my braw lads, would finish you, stoup and 
 roup : ye wad be rinnin' red naked, an' no a bowl or a 
 plate, or a hale jug in a' yer aught." 
 
 War, in fact, a ruin and a curse to any country, 
 is especially so to America. Her trade was com- 
 pletely knocked up ; and even her agriculture in 
 a great measure : for example, good cotton was 
 offered in Charleston at five or six cents per pound ; 
 but no one would venture to buy it, because they 
 were in daily dread that the British would come in 
 and burn the city and its contents. I recollect, 
 however, a certain Dutch gentleman — who was very 
 wealthy, and had perhaps better information from 
 Europe than some of his neighbours — who ventured 
 upon ten or twelve thousand bales of cotton, at six 
 cents or so, and took his chance of the burning. 
 When peace came, he realized from twenty to twenty- 
 five cents for his whole stock ; thus clearing more than 
 half a million of dollars. I recollect also that the ear- 
 
NEGRO SLAVES IN CHARLESTON. 139 
 
 liest arrivals of goods from Britain brought enormous 
 prices : blue-edged common dinner plates, which cost 
 about two shillings per dozen in Liverpool, brought 
 six dollars, or about twenty-seven shillings. I saw 
 the same kind, however, sold, in about a twelve- 
 month afterwards, at half a dollar per dozen : the 
 market getting overstocked, and sales by auction 
 being resorted to. Other kinds of goods — British, 
 French, and German, were equally in demand at the 
 opening of the trade ; but the market was so soon 
 overwhelmed, that I have seen such sacrifices at 
 auctions as would cause a man of a mercantile turn 
 to shed tears. 
 
 I had, as yet, in regard to my fellow-countrymen, 
 observed few of the evils of slavery. Draymen, 
 porters, and workmen of every description, seemed 
 generally merry and hearty ; and, in the loading of 
 ships with cotton, rice, See, a stranger would think 
 the negro one of the merriest creatures in the world : 
 such continual singing and bawling going on, as if 
 there were no such thins; as care in the world. But. 
 as I have already said, I had yet only seen the bright 
 side of the picture. 
 
 To be sure, the very action of exposing my fellows 
 to sale was a deplorable matter ; but to this traffic I 
 had been habituated, and, I fear that I must add, 
 hardened. We had almost daily sales of negroes. 
 But I must particularize a little. When my master 
 had orders from any customer, for instance, to sell a 
 single negro, or a few, it was generally called a Lot, 
 and the sale took place before the Auction Store. 
 

 140 AUCTION SALE OF NEGROES. 
 
 When the number amounted to any thing consider- 
 able, they went by the name of a Gang ; and the sale 
 took place at the Exchange. 
 
 In selling them at the Store, a large table was 
 placed before the door, upon the wooden pavement ; 
 and upon this table my master, or one of his partners, 
 mounted, with a paper in his hand and a small wooden 
 mallet. The negro or negroes, generally dressed in 
 their best, were then placed also upon the table, and, 
 were told to hold up their heads. Mr. Naylor, or his 
 partner, then read out their description and character : 
 sound, sober, honest, and no runaway, being almost 
 always part of the latter; and then the Terms of Sale 
 were stated : cash, or an endorsed approved note, at 
 sixty or ninety days, or sometimes six months. 
 
 In the mean time, intending purchasers, including 
 oft-times white ladies, had gathered around the table. 
 Questions were then put to the piece of living mer- 
 chandize, and, in general, quiet and humble answers 
 given ; although I have seen some of my race very 
 sullen and refractory. On the other hand, I have 
 seen some young fellows as merry as crickets, laugh- 
 ing and joking with all around. These generally, 
 however, I am aware, could pretty well guess into 
 whose hands they would most likely fall. I have 
 more than once heard a young lad bawl out to a 
 gentleman passing down the Vendue-street : " Do, 
 Massa Robertson, come here, and bid for me, and 
 disappoint old Mr. Lamp, who wants much to have 
 me ; but I would rather sarve you, Sar." 
 
 I have, however, witnessed scenes at auctions which 
 

 AFFECTING SCENES AT SALES. 141 
 
 were truly harrowing to the soul ; especially in the 
 case of females. I have seen poor women so much 
 agitated, and rending the air so with their screams, 
 that the auctioneer, notwithstanding all his bland- 
 ishments, was obliged to put off the sale till a 
 succeeding day ; and the poor women had to be 
 taken into the Store, and revived (for more than 
 once have I seen them faint) with a glass of wine. 
 
 What would ladies in civilized and Christian Eng- 
 land think of the fair and gentle ladies of free and 
 Christian America — to see, I say, these lilies of the 
 creation at an auction table, putting questions to 
 victims of their own sex, such as no modest man 
 would repeat, and that, too, in the presence of a 
 crowd of men ? I have seen at the same time 
 men ordering these poor black women to pull 
 down their stockings, and stretching forth their un- 
 hallowed hands to assist the poor creatures in 
 doing so. This was done, as I was told, to ascertain 
 whether the individuals offered for sale, were troubled 
 with diseased or ulcerated legs : but it was done with 
 the utmost coolness; just in the same manner as a 
 butcher handles his four-legged victims. 
 
 To recount the strange, cruel, unnatural, and in 
 some few cases humorous, scenes at the sale of 
 negroes which came under my observation, would 
 be endless. I must sometimes adhere to generals 
 and not to particulars. I may observe, however, 
 that upon an average, the owners of their fellow-men, 
 who thus outraged the first principles of human 
 nature, by making merchandise (and that too in 
 
w 
 
 142 SEPARATION OF HUSBAND AND WIFE, 
 
 such a glaring manner) of " man, the image of God," 
 even although clothed in a sable skin, generally so 
 arranged matters beforehand, that husband was not 
 separated from wife, father or mother from their 
 children, or children of the same parents from one 
 another. If they could as well be sold in lots con- 
 veniently to the purchaser, so far all was good. If 
 not — that is to say, if the purchaser had not cash, or 
 credit sufficient to go a certain length, or if he required, 
 perhaps, only a female domestic servant — he, without 
 compunction, bought the wife or daughter, and left 
 the husband or father to some other bidder ; who, 
 perhaps, lived in a part of the country where there 
 would be no chance of the poor slaves ever again 
 meeting with each other. 
 
 I have seen the husband and wife, and sometimes 
 an infant or two, upon the auction table ; the hus- 
 band with his arms around the neck of his faithful 
 and long-loved, although black partner, imploring, in 
 the most moving language, while the tears trickled 
 down his sable cheeks, that they would not separate 
 him from all that he cared for upon earth ; and the 
 poor woman equally moved, and in many cases more 
 so, beseeching, with all the eloquence of nature's 
 own giving, that she might be allowed to toil the 
 remainder of her earthly existence with the only one 
 her heart ever loved. But all in vain! For the con- 
 venience of some proud, arrogant, and overbearing 
 planter, or some iron-hearted slave-dealer, who had 
 all his life been accustomed to regard the black race 
 as merely a superior order of brutes, the most sacred 
 
CHILDREN AND PARENTS, AT SALES. 143 
 
 and tender links of humanity were torn asunder, 
 and a few coarse jeers and remarks made upon the 
 mighty fuss about nothing. I have heard it re- 
 marked a hundred times, " Feelings of a negro ! 
 where the devil did they find feelings? No, no, my 
 good fellow (addressing the wretched and broken- 
 hearted husband), your wife and children go with 
 me; she is an excellent cook and laundress I hear, 
 and really I am not in want of a fellow like you at 
 present :" or, " why, really I would go out of my 
 way a few dollars to accommodate you all; but I 
 know well enough that you will soon find a wife, go 
 wherever you may; and as for your wife you seem 
 so uneasy to part with, why, I promise you, I shall 
 find her a husband to her heart's content." 
 
 Amongst many of the white people the impression 
 is that a negro has no feelings, although even these 
 know well to the contrary, and merely entertain this 
 idea before the world, to cloak their own want of 
 feeling. I have seen husband and wife so loth to 
 part, that at length the husband was forced into 
 the auction store and compelled to await the arrival 
 of his purchaser, whilst the weeping wife and chil- 
 dren were conveyed up the street to a waggon in 
 waiting for them ; their lordly, noble, high-souled and 
 generous republican master, bringing up the rear 
 with a cowskin in his hand, applying it now and 
 then, in a gentle way, to the back of his new-made 
 purchase. 
 
 And here, by the way, I may let the British reader 
 know what a cowskin is. Many hundred bundles of 
 
144 
 
 THE AMERICAN KNOUT. 
 
 them have gone through my hands in attending 
 my duty in my master's store. Large quantities 
 came down from the manufactories in the northern 
 States, by almost every ship : for, although these 
 states disown the holding of slaves, they have no 
 objection, for the sake of a few dollars in the way of 
 honest trade, as they call it, to supply the southern 
 tyrants with proper instruments of torture. 
 
 The cowskin, then, is formed of untanned cow or 
 ox hide, cut in narrow strips, and twisted together in 
 a spiral form, as thick as a stout walkingstick at the 
 butt end, and tapering gradually to a point ; and, 
 lastly, coated over with oil paint, generally green. 
 The fact is, that the greater part of them are used 
 as riding-whips. They are so tough and so hard 
 that any person of ordinary strength can leave a 
 deep mark in a deal board by one blow of this in- 
 strument. It may then be imagined with what 
 effect it tells upon the bare back or legs of a poor 
 negro, or (as happens often enough) a negress. 
 
 My master had often the sale of whole cargoes of 
 slaves, " fresh from Africa," — or, as it turned out in 
 many cases, anything but fresh. I have seen ships 
 arrive from my native land with cargoes at least three to 
 one more numerous than that of the vessel in which I 
 myself came to America. The filth and the abomi- 
 nation which some of these presented was perfectly 
 indescribable ; and the squalid, wasted, and mise- 
 rable plight in which the poor negroes or cargo ap- 
 peared, was enough to have checked for ever such 
 traffic, had not the individuals who were embarked in it 
 

 SUFFERINGS OF NEGRO SLAVES. 145 
 
 been destitute of every feeling which can confer 
 honour or dignity on human nature. Some of these 
 poor victims to the white man's love of gold, were so 
 far gone that I have known the owners of the ship to 
 murmur and grumble very much at being obliged to 
 pay duty (which the law compelled them to do) on im- 
 porting negroes, viz. ten dollars each. " Ten dollars !" 
 I have heard them say, " why some of these poor 
 
 devils are not worth ten cents. But we can't " 
 
 this sentence was left unfinished : they meant, " we 
 can't well now throw them into the sea, and so evade 
 the ten dollars ; no, that would be rather too open, 
 even for Carolina." But I am quite aware that the 
 captain was, in some cases, given to understand, 
 in as delicate a manner as possible, that he should 
 get rid of such encumbrances on the east side of 
 Charleston bar: that is, somewhere or other in the 
 bosom of the broad Atlantic. 
 
 Slave ships from Africa generally moored off a 
 place in the north-east side of the city, called 
 Gadsden's wharf. It was out of the bustle of the 
 harbour j and here a number of low wooden sheds 
 or huts were erected, for the accommodation of 
 imported negroes. 
 
 During the warm season, the poor creatures were 
 landed, and after being washed and cleaned, were 
 put up for sale, in general with no more than a 
 yard or two of Osnaburgh round the middle; but in 
 winter the owners were, for their own sakes, obliged 
 to furnish them with a few warm clothes, other- 
 wise they would have lost them altogether,, The 
 
 L 
 
146 NEGRO SLAVES ASHORE. 
 
 keen sharp air which prevails during some days of 
 the winter months would speedily have finished 
 them. 
 
 Although certain that they had come to a country 
 where they would be treated as slaves, and sub- 
 jected to hard work and hard treatment, without 
 the smallest chance of ever again seeing their native 
 land, yet the negroes upon coming ashore, and being 
 allowed to stretch their limbs, and walk about a 
 little — to refresh themselves in the salt water, and 
 breathe the pure air of heaven — and, above all, 
 being furnished with fresh provisions, it was astonish- 
 ing to observe how their spirits revived : a change 
 for the better appeared in their countenances, and 
 they expressed their delight, by capering and sing- 
 ing. But no wonder, after all, when we consider 
 the difference between the hold of a ship, containing 
 four or five hundred negroes, surrounded with filth, 
 and suffering from suffocation, and the fresh and 
 grateful free air of heaven. 
 
 I would here observe, that in the preceding portion 
 of my narrative, and also in that which is to follow, 
 I have never had recourse to falsehood, in expressing 
 what I have seen or heard ; the case does not require 
 it ; the plain and simple truth will do more for the 
 cause of the black man, than ten volumes of var- 
 nished fables : yea, one simple fact, related as it 
 actually happened, will do more for our cause, than 
 fifty exaggerated fabrications. To do justice, then, 
 to the white man, I observed, that in dividing the 
 negroes into lots for sale, the captain and mates 
 
AN AFFECTING SCENE. 147 
 
 were always consulted by the owners, and such of 
 the slaves as it could be made out were related to 
 one another, were put in the same lot. I remember 
 one case, however, which created some sensation, 
 even among the hardened slave-dealers. 
 
 By some oversight or mistake, a mother was put 
 in one lot, and her only daughter, a fine girl of sixteen 
 or seventeen in another, and when, after the sale, the 
 purchasers were driving away their lots, (for, indeed, 
 they were actually driven away, like four-footed beasts) 
 the poor girl ran to her mother, and taking her by 
 the hand, was proceeding up the wharf with her. 
 But in a moment, this was discovered by the person 
 who had purchased the girl — for a particular purpose, 
 as it afterwards appeared. He instantly followed 
 and seized the girl by the wrist, and although she 
 could not speak a word of English, she manifested 
 by her looks and voice, that she was not deficient in 
 nature's eloquence. She threw her arms around the 
 neck of her mother, who seemed equally moved; and 
 it was not without much difficulty, and many hard 
 blows of the cowskin, that they could be separated. 
 Mr. Naylor here humanely interfered, and en- 
 deavoured to effect a compromise or bargain betwixt 
 the planter who purchased the mother, and who 
 resided 150 miles up the country, and the person 
 who had purchased the daughter; but all to no 
 effect. The latter, who resided within 20 miles of 
 Charleston, would hearken to no terms ; he had a 
 particular purpose, as I have already said, for the 
 girl, and would yield her up to no one. 
 
 l 2 
 
148 zamba's scholarship. 
 
 What this purpose was, I might leave the reader 
 to guess; but as some readers may not be quite 
 conversant with the humane and christian-like laws 
 and habits of Carolina, I may tell him that the poor 
 girl was intended to grace the harem of this noble- 
 minded and free-souled republican — nolens volens t I 
 may add. 
 
 Perhaps the reader may exclaim to himself here, 
 " What do you know about Latin, my black friend ?" 
 Why, sir, my kind friend Mr. Thomson, besides in- 
 structing me in English, writing, arithmetic, and a 
 little geography, lent me a Latin dictionary, to shew 
 me the derivation of words, and taught me how to 
 use it; so that I have picked up even a little of that 
 ancient and sublime language. 
 
 And, by the way, I may mention that during my 
 residence in Charleston, I have been acquainted with 
 negroes and mulattoes, not a few, who could both 
 speak and write in English, French, Spanish, and 
 German. 2 
 
 It is an easy matter for republicans — liberal- 
 minded legislators — to make laws prohibiting the 
 black man from using the means of instruction; but 
 it would be as easy to stay the gulf-stream in its 
 course, as to put these laws in force to the letter. 
 One black man, who possesses a little knowledge, 
 may communicate the same to hundreds of his race, 
 without the cognizance of white men ; and there is 
 much more of this going on in Charleston, even now, 
 than the public are aware of. And shall it all come 
 to nought ? No ! the light, feeble though it be at 
 
PRICE OF NEGJEtO SLAVES. 149 
 
 present, and necessarily communicated amid gloom 
 and privacy, will yet burst forth like a blazing comet, 
 and astonish those despots, who attempt to smother 
 the heavenly spark of knowledge, and to stifle that 
 eager desire for information which exists in the soul 
 of many black men — and black women too. 
 
 I hope the kind reader will pardon my frequent 
 digressions ; I am not used to book-making, and have 
 no regular plan laid down for my narrative. I write 
 down just as my memory serves me, and from the 
 impulse of the moment. I must also crave pardon 
 for such frequent allusion to self; but I can hardly 
 avoid this piece of egotism. 
 
 It may not be out of place here to speak of the price 
 or value of slaves at different periods. From the time 
 of my arrival in America, up till 1807, an immense 
 quantity was imported from Africa. In 1807 the 
 American government nominally abolished the slave 
 trade. I say nominally, for although after that year 
 there was no direct importation, it cannot be denied 
 that up to this very hour thousands of negroes are 
 annually smuggled into the southern states — especially 
 to the ports in the Gulf of Mexico — from Cuba 
 and the Brazils ; and it is also believed, not a few di- 
 rect from Africa, in an underhand way. 
 
 The price of negroes usually varies with the price 
 of rice and cotton ; although this rule does not 
 always hold. At this present moment, for instance, 
 while cotton sells at from 6 to 8 cents per pound, 
 a good field hand will bring from 400 to 600 dollars; 
 and I remember well that, in 1817 and 1818, when 
 

 150 PRICE OF NEGRO SLAVES. 
 
 the same kind of cotton was at its very highest : 
 namely, 33 and 35 cents, the same negro would 
 not have brought above 800 dollars. — I believe, how- 
 ever, that the present high price is maintained on 
 account of the great demand in the far western states ; 
 especially for the newly admitted state of Texas. 
 
 The slave-dealers are exulting at this great acqui- 
 sition at present ; as being, in their opinion, a deadly 
 blow at the abolitionists. Time will, perhaps, yet 
 show that they are in the wrong. Providence some- 
 times blinds the wicked to their own destruction. 
 
 In regard, however, to the price of negroes, I have 
 seen two old women sold for 60 dollars. They were 
 above 80 years of age, and could be of no use as 
 domestics ; unless perhaps to kindle a fire, or watch a 
 pot boiling. In the particular case to which I allude 
 they were purchased by a charitable man, who had 
 some bowels of compassion even for negroes. And 
 it must be remembered here that the owner of slaves 
 cannot, when his negroes get old and feeble turn them 
 into the street altogether : no, he must maintain them 
 in some way, however stinted. The law in this case 
 is not destitute of wisdom and humanity. I may say 
 then, that I have seen negroes sold at all prices, from 
 30 dollars (61. 15s. sterling) up to 1550 dollars, 
 (348/. 155.). I have seen this latter sum paid for a 
 young man of 25, who was a first rate cooper and 
 blacksmith. It will be seen then, from this, that the 
 white man in his capacity of slave-owner, does not 
 enjoy his privileges altogether without some serious 
 drawbacks. The man, for instance, who to-day pays 
 
INSECURITY OF PROPERTY IN SLAVES. 151 
 
 1500 dollars for a negro, may lose him to-morrow by 
 the unceremonious visitation of that great and in- 
 visible power before which all men, bond and free, 
 prince and peasant, must bow, sooner or later. Or 
 the new made purchase may take it into his head to 
 run away to the woods, or perhaps feign sickness, or, 
 as it has happened more than once, may commit 
 suicide. Such accidents as these must detract a great 
 deal from the slave-holder's peace of mind. 
 
 I mentioned already that I had seen some rather 
 humorous scenes even at the sale of negroes ; I shall 
 describe one which took place about six years after 
 my arrival in Charleston. My master had orders to 
 sell a schooner and her crew; and, accompained by 
 Mr. Thomson and myself, he proceeded to the wharf 
 (it was Crafts' wharf, I recollect) on the day of sale. 
 After a number of intending purchasers had col- 
 lected on the schooner's deck and on the wharf, Mr. 
 Naylor read out the particulars of sale, viz. : — " The 
 schooner Susannah, with all her apparel and appur- 
 tenances, 65 tons register, 3 years old, a regular 
 trader to Georgetown, and carries a large cargo to her 
 tonnage. Conditions : — an approved indorsed note, 
 at 90 days, with security on the vessel." Well, the 
 vessel was knocked down at 2250 dollars to a Mr. 
 Lawson. Mr, Naylor then read on : " Pompey, the 
 Padroon, a black man aged 28, a prime negro — " Here 
 Mr. Naylor was interrupted by Pompey, who stood 
 close beside him on the quarter-deck, rigged out 
 in his best : and really he was as handsome a fellow 
 as any in Carolina. — Pompey then bowed to Mr. 
 
152 LUDICROUS INCIDENT 
 
 Naylor, and said, " Mr. Naylor, if it be quite agreeable 
 to your feelings, I will thank you to call me Captain ; 
 'specially when you observe, sar, that my crew are 
 present. I always wish to have good example before 
 my crew." And here Pompey drew himself up with 
 much state and gravity, with his arms folded across 
 his chest. Mr. Naylor, who was in reality a very 
 affable man at all times, smiled — indeed Pompey's 
 speech excited a smile on the countenances of all pre* 
 sent — and said, "Oh ! very well ; by all means Captain 
 Pompey, I really made a mistake. Well, a prime 
 negro, named Pompey, captain of the said schooner 
 Susannah, 28 years old, sound, sober, and honest, 
 well acquainted with the Georgetown and Savannah 
 trade, and also with the turtle fishing on the Florida 
 banks. Who bids for Captain Pompey ? He will be a 
 great acquisition to any one, especially to the owner of 
 this same schooner. Is five hundred dollars bid?" 
 " Yes," said a would-be purchaser. 
 " Six hundred dollars, I hear — seven hundred dol- 
 lars: thank you, Mr. Turner; eight hundred dollars — 
 nine hundred dollars — one thousand dollars for Cap- 
 tain Pompey. Go on, gentlemen, you a'n't half-way 
 yet. Captain Pompey is worth two thousand dollars, 
 if he is worth a cent." 
 
 When the thousand dollars were bid I had my eye 
 on Pompey, and being pretty well acquainted with 
 him, felt much interested ; and it was curious here to 
 see the workings of human nature, or rather of human 
 pride ; at a thousand dollars Pompey held his chin at 
 least three inches higher, and his jet black eyes 
 
AT A SLAVE AUCTION. 153 
 
 actually flashed with excitement. However, to go on, 
 eleven hundred dollars were bid — " Twelve hundred 
 dollars, do I hear?" said Mr. Naylor; "thirteen hun- 
 dred dollars — thirteen hundred dollars, is that all that 
 is bid for Captain Pompey, the primest hand in all the 
 coasting trade ? It is actually throwing him away." 
 
 "Not so fast, Mr. Naylor, if you please," said 
 Pompey, again interrupting; "whether you throw 
 me away or not, you are 'ware, sar, that I shall 
 not throw the Susannah away, nor myself either, if I 
 can help it." 
 
 "Well done, Captain Pompey," said a bidder; 
 "fifty dollars more for that, my lad." 
 
 Mr. Lavvson, who had purchased the vessel, seemed 
 considerably uneasy now. "At once," he said, " fifteen 
 hundred dollars, Mr. Naylor ; and that is my last 
 bid." 
 
 " Fifteen hundred — fifteen hundred ; does nobody 
 say more? then fifteen — fifteen — fifteen hundred dol- 
 lars ; — going, going, gone ! It is a high price, Mr. 
 Lawson ; but still you have a bargain, considering 
 Captain Pompey's character and ability." 
 
 Mr. Naylor now proceeded, — " Jacob, a negro man, 
 aged 30, sound, sober, and faithful, acts as mate ; 
 Caesar, aged 25, of a similar character, acts as 
 steward ; and Jupiter, a negro boy, aged 16, a very 
 promising lad, acts as cook : these three go in one lot. 
 Terms for the whole of the negroes, cash on delivery." 
 
 Not to tire the reader with the auctioneer's gossip, 
 these three were knocked down to the gentleman who 
 bought the other two lots, at two thousand dollars. 
 
154 a slave's hospitality. 
 
 The sale being now finished, Captain Pompey 
 bowed low to Mr. Lawson and Mr. Naylor, and said, 
 " Gentlemen, I hope you will do me the honour, with 
 as many of the other gentlemen as choose, to step 
 down and take a glass of wine ; it will be most grate- 
 ful to my feelings, and I beg you will not deny 
 me the felicity of entertaining you for once." 
 
 " Oh, yes, Captain Pompey, by all means," said 
 two or three at once ; " we shall, with much plea- 
 sure, drink success to the Susannah, her captain and 
 crew." 
 
 The reader will have perceived that the whole of 
 the crew of the Susannah held office in one shape 
 or other, viz., captain, mate, steward, and cook. 
 
 Upon going below, the cabin scuttle being off, 
 I could hear Pompey order Csesar to put down 
 glasses and bottles. He then drew some Madeira 
 wine, and had decanters of brandy and gin, on the 
 table besides. With his own hands, he then went 
 round with the liquor on a waiter, and served his 
 guests in a most respectful manner. 
 
 " Sit down a little, Captain Pompey," said the new 
 purchaser; " sit down, and take a glass yourself." 
 
 " No, Mr. Lawson, I thank you very much, but 
 I know my station : I will not sit down in the pre- 
 sence of white gentlemen, and 'specially when one of 
 them is my owner ; but I shall, with great pleasure, 
 drink prosperity to all consarned." 
 
 After a short time Pompey's guests left him, and 
 he then came on deck and requested me to go below, 
 where he acted the host with much suavity and 
 
"captain pompey" doing the honours. 155 
 
 dignity. He sat at the head of the table, and placed 
 me at his left hand, and we enjoyed ourselves eating, 
 drinking, and perhaps too rashly criticising some 
 of our white masters. Pompey did not forget his 
 crew either; but called them down and treated them 
 handsomely, standing, however. He knew his dignity 
 too well to ask his subordinates to sit, especially when 
 he had company. 
 
 The reader will, I dare say, see from all this 
 that Pompey knew something of the world, and 
 could act the courtier as well, perhaps, as many a one 
 who sports a star on his breast, and an embroidered 
 garter on his knee. Captain Pompey, it must be 
 observed, however, although a slave, was treated 
 by his owners in a very different manner from the 
 common run of slaves. He was allowed a consi- 
 derable number of perquisites, and many ways of 
 turning a penny on his own account. In a few years 
 after the time I refer to, he purchased his own freedom, 
 and has since done well. 
 
 But in those days there were few obstructions 
 by law to prevent a slave from procuring his freedom, 
 provided he could satisfy his owner in regard to 
 the dollars. 
 
 The case is totally different now. Since the at- 
 tempted insurrection in 1822, various laws have been 
 passed to prevent humane masters from emancipating 
 their slaves, and enterprising and careful slaves from 
 purchasing their freedom. In fact, such a thing can- 
 not be done without express permission from the 
 legislature of the state ; and the different processes 
 
156 EMANCIPATION PROHIBITED. 
 
 that must be gone through in order to obtain this, 
 operate very nearly as a total prohibition to indivi- 
 dual emancipation. It is somewhat akin to, but even 
 more difficult to obtain, than procuring an act of 
 Parliament in Britain for any important matter. 
 
THE u LAND OF LIBERTY." 157 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Zamba comments on American liberty — Inbuman treatment of domes- 
 tic slaves by tbeir masters and mistresses — Condition of tbe negroes 
 in Carolina — Zamba bopes to revisit Africa — Saves tbe life of bis 
 white friend — Negro epistle — Zamba and Zillab meet again, in 
 slavery — Zillab bought by Zamba's master. 
 
 I had now been nearly two years in America, alias 
 Columbia, alias — by a horrible incongruity — the 
 land of liberty ! Liberty, forsooth ! why, really Dame 
 Liberty, with her long hair flying freely bahind 
 her, her bold look, and the cap of liberty in her hand, 
 looks mightily out of place, as she appears in a gilded 
 and splendid car, drawn by a score of groaning slaves, 
 loaded at the ankles with half a hundredweight of 
 iron shackles, and with their bare backs wealed and 
 scarred with the cart-whip or the cowskin. But 
 this is all of a piece with Jonathan's inconsistency : 
 witness his flag — the so much boasted of national 
 flag. What the stars signify I am not quite satisfied 
 about ; but to a certainty the stripes very fairly re- 
 present the slave's portion in the community. Jona- 
 than ought to be ashamed to hoist it when sailing 
 
158 ZAMBA ON AMERICAN FREEDOM. 
 
 upon the highway of nations — the free and open sea; 
 — or when he comes within sight of any land where 
 true liberty dwells. 
 
 It will be imagined that I am in jest ; but I really 
 would, with all due deference for the people of Ame- 
 rica, suggest, by way of improvement to their flag, 
 that they should expunge the stars, and replace 
 them by their far-famed eagle ; such as is represented 
 on their coins. Though I would have the said eagle 
 drawn with a cowskin in its beak; for the bunch of 
 arrows in one of its claws, I would substitute a bundle 
 of cigars ; and place in the other claw a grog-bottle. 
 These three symbols, in conjunction with the stripes 
 underneath, would far more truly and faithfully repre- 
 sent the propensities and tendencies of a nation of 
 despots and slaves — of tyrants and their victims — 
 than their present device. 
 
 And now that I am upon this particular point, let 
 me ask what the far-famed heroes and worthies of the 
 revolution ever effected for the cause of true and 
 rational freedom? 
 
 In their celebrated declaration of Independence, 
 they state that all men are born free and equal ; and 
 that personal freedom is the rational and indis- 
 putable birthright of every man. 
 
 Now, unless it can be made out clearly by the 
 abettors of slavery, that coloured men are brutes, 
 destitute of mind and soul, they must plead guilty to 
 the glaring inconsistency of bursting asunder with 
 the one hand the chains and fetters of King George 
 the Third — which weighed so heavily upon their own 
 
WASHINGTON AND HIS SLAVES. 159 
 
 limbs — whilst with the other hand they were firmly 
 and cruelly riveting chains and fetters, ten times 
 more weighty and galling, around the limbs of their 
 coloured fellow-men — their brethren : thousands and 
 tens of thousands of them born and bred in the same 
 land. 
 
 I saw lately, in a British newspaper, a paragraph 
 stating that the late President Jackson had left no 
 instructions in his last will that his slaves should be 
 emancipated ; but that George Washington had done 
 so. This is a gross mistake. I say it with all due 
 respect to the memory of the great Washington — the 
 father of his country — the brave, acute, and inde- 
 fatigable general ; the disinterested hero who refused 
 to accept gold or permanent honours as a reward for 
 his labours ; the man who in private life bore a spot- 
 less name : in short, the man who bore the character 
 of a sincere follower of Christ. This — all this, and 
 much more in his favour may be true : but alas ! — 
 foul spot on the escutcheon of the immortal Wash- 
 ington ! he left his slaves — and a goodly number they 
 were — he left them a legacy ! What was it ? The 
 chains, the fetters, and the degradation of slavery ! It 
 is of no use denying it. I may be scouted by many, 
 even in free Britain, for daring to arraign, in any 
 shape, the otherwise noble Washington ; but I merely 
 answer in the words of the Latin proverb, " Magna 
 est Veritas, et prevalebit." — Truth is great, and will 
 prevail. America's military heroes have never moved 
 one finger in the cause of general and genuine free- 
 dom ; anything that has been done in this way, has 
 
160 HORRIBLE CRUELTY TO A SLAVE GIRL. 
 
 been by her Christian heroes, and especially by some 
 members of the Society of Friends. More than one 
 of these real friends of liberty and mankind have, 
 at once, given freedom to their slaves by the score, 
 and even in greater numbers. 
 
 But to return to my story : — I had been nearly two 
 years in Charleston, and had witnessed little practical 
 cruelty in regard to slaves. To be sure I had occa- 
 sionally seen youngsters pretty severely chastised ; 
 but not without cause. Nothing very glaring came 
 under my notice, until the following occurrence. 
 One fine summer morning, about six o'clock, as I was 
 preparing to go to the Store, I heard a dreadful 
 screaming in the neighbouring yard, where a new 
 tenant had come during the previous week. On 
 looking out of my bed-room window, I saw a white 
 gentleman with his coat off; he held a young negro 
 woman by the arm with his left hand, whilst with the 
 other he struck her, apparently with all his force, with 
 a cowskin. The poor girl was naked to the middle; 
 her back and bosom quite bare of course ; the blood 
 flowed at every stroke, and her screams were truly 
 heart-rending : " Massa, dear massa ! for God Al- 
 mighty sake forgive me, and I '11 never do so again. 
 Do, dear massa ! for mercy sake, be done !" Her cries 
 and petitions were alike in vain, until at last the white 
 brute — I cannot help calling him such, whether or not 
 the reader may be displeased at this expression : who- 
 ever had been a spectator, as I was, I am sure 
 would not think my words too strong, — worn out 
 with exertion, let her go. On inquiry, I found that 
 
LEGALIZED TORTURE. 161 
 
 in cooking some coffee for him that morning the girl 
 had mismanaged it in someway ! And mark ! reader — 
 enlightened British freemen ! — this man the world 
 styled a gentleman ! he was a lawyer, of considerable 
 practice in the city. I can hardly describe how I 
 felt on witnessing this outrage on humanity — this 
 horrible insult to the modesty and tenderness of the 
 weaker, (I need not say the fair) sex ; this dreadful 
 degradation of human nature. But after all, thinks 
 I to myself, the degradation is chiehy on the part of 
 the gentleman. 
 
 In the course of the day I related to Mr. Thomson 
 what I had seen. " Oh ! Zamba, that is nothing to 
 what you might see every day, were you upon some 
 country estates. The people in town, for decency's 
 sake, and perhaps, too, because they are more polished 
 in their manners altogether, keep these things as quiet 
 as possible. When they wish to chastise a slave, they 
 send him to the workhouse, or sugar-house, as your 
 black brethren call it; and there the poor wretch 
 receives a regular lashing, according to law : that 
 is to say, not more than thirty-nine strokes can be 
 inflicted in one day; and for this accommodation the 
 owner must pay half a dollar." 
 
 I brooded in silence over the matter; but the very 
 next day, as fate would have it, I witnessed a still 
 more melancholy scene. On passing through State- 
 street, I heard screams and yells proceeding from a 
 yard ; and on peeping through a chink in one of the 
 boards in the fence, I beheld a young girl, stripped to 
 the middle, her hands tied to a post, used generally 
 
 M 
 
162 A TENDER MISTRESS ! 
 
 for fastening ropes to for drying clothes upon ; and 
 behind her a young — lady, shall I call her? No, 
 nor yet woman ; but a she-fiend, in the semblance of 
 a lady, deliberately striking her victim with a regular 
 cowskin, making the blood start at every blow ; and 
 to make the punishment more severe, abusing the girl 
 with her tongue, in terms very unfit for a lady to pro- 
 nounce : " I shall teach you, you confounded black 
 devil, to burn my best muslin gown ; but take that — > 
 and that," redoubling her blows ; " and if you ever do 
 the like again, I shall have you flayed alive." The poor 
 wretch, it seems, in ironing a gown of the lady's, had 
 applied an iron in rather too hot a state ; and now the 
 meek-tempered mistress revenged herself at the ex- 
 pense of everything sacred and dear to the sex, by 
 treating her worse than a dog. 
 
 I felt an impulse to leap over the fence and interfere 
 in the matter ; but a moment's reflection convinced 
 me that I would merely make the matter worse ; and 
 should I dare to raise my hand against a white person, 
 I already was aware that, according to law, I should 
 forfeit my right hand. 
 
 I made some inquiries regarding the parties, and 
 
 found that the lady was a Miss (I am strongly 
 
 tempted to disclose her name), a young woman of 
 twenty ; very beautiful, according to white notions, 
 accomplished and wealthy, and much admired by 
 the other sex : in short, one of the toasts of the 
 city. 
 
 On passing the house, a few days afterwards, I 
 perceived her seated near an open window, performing 
 
ANGELIC EXECUTIONER 163 
 
 upon the piano, and singing with really a melodious 
 voice ; and looking, for all the world, as people say, 
 like an angel. But oh ! alas, what a different part 
 had I seen her perform a few days previously. 
 
 Ladies of free and glorious Britain, what would 
 you have thought to have seen your fair sister of 
 Carolina — the delicate, the refined, the intellectual, 
 the admired and beloved of her family, — throwing 
 aside the character of an angel in human shape, 
 and assuming the office of a bloody and iron-hearted 
 executioner? — Ye would weep, would ye not? — ay, and 
 blush with indignation, to see your sex so horribly 
 degraded. But, above all, would ye not congratulate 
 yourselves that ye breathed a purer and holier atmo- 
 sphere, and lived in a land where no such outrage 
 against the majesty, and the dignity, and the modesty, 
 of womankind could take place ? 
 
 I commenced one day, about this time, in a 
 contemplative fit, to enumerate the advantages 
 and disadvantages which appertained to the lot 
 of the negro in Carolina. In the first place, sup- 
 posing that in Africa he was in the situation of 
 a mere vassal or slave to his native prince — 
 subject to all the caprices of his lord, and, in the 
 matter of life and death, completely at his mercy — 
 in being transported to America, in one sense, 
 and perhaps, in more than one, his condition as a 
 rational being was amended; he had the means of 
 being instructed in the knowledge of the one only 
 living and true God, and of living in a community, 
 even though as a slave, far, far elevated above any- 
 
 m 2 
 
164 CONDITION OP THE NEGRO IN CAROLINA. 
 
 thing be could ever have experienced in his native 
 land. I candidly confess that I deem the first of 
 these advantages sufficient to outweigh a whole host 
 of disadvantages. 
 
 In the second place — previous to the laws which 
 have of late years been passed, placing so many ob- 
 stacles in the way of individual emancipation — by 
 industry and frugality, the negro could, in many 
 cases, obtain his personal freedom to a far more 
 efficient extent, and in a state of society more con- 
 sonant to the dignity of man, than he could ever 
 have obtained in Africa. 
 
 But, on the other hand, imported as a slave from 
 Africa, he was put up for sale to the first bidder, as if 
 he were a four-lego-ed brute ; and were he to assume 
 
 Do 
 
 a partner of the other sex, to console his dreary con- 
 dition, he could, at an hour's warning, be torn from 
 wife and children, and disposed of to a new tyrant ; 
 and perhaps one yet more reckless than he had yet 
 laboured under. In the next place, he was totally 
 denied all means of intellectual culture ; even the 
 very elements of reading were forbidden fruit, by 
 law : a fine of 100/. being the penalty levied upon 
 any white man who should dare to teach a negro 
 the alphabet. In the third place, the evidence of a 
 coloured person is perfectly null and void in the 
 case of a white person. I reckon these three the 
 most prominent disadvantages under which the negro 
 labours in America ; but I might enumerate a thou- 
 sand petty insults to wriich he may be daily sub- 
 jected. To mention one, for instance : the most 
 degraded ruffian, who wears a white skin, upon 
 
SLAVES IN THE CITY. 165 
 
 meeting a coloured person on the pavement, male 
 or female, old or young, should the latter not in- 
 stantly give way, that is, step into the kennel, ankle 
 deep or knee deep, may, if he so incline (and it is 
 often done), knock the poor negro down: this may 
 serve as a sample. 
 
 The condition of slaves in the city is much prefer- 
 able to the situation of those in the country ; this 
 will appear most plainly, from the fact, that nothing 
 is more common in town than for a master, in the 
 event of a slave behaving improperly, saying, " I shall 
 sell you into the country, you rascal, the very next 
 time you do so and so." This generally has a far 
 more decisive and lasting effect than a chastisement 
 with the cowskin. Slaves in the city, especially 
 domestic servants, are in general well fed and well 
 clad : although it would appear very anomalous to an 
 Engl'uh gentleman to see a black footman standing 
 behind his master's carriage, clad in glaring and 
 handsome livery, but without shoe or stocking on 
 his feet. This I have seen often enough, and the 
 same carriage, by the bye, had painted on the pan- 
 nels some splendid coat of arms. Republicans as- 
 suming the insignia of nobility ! It would almost 
 cause a poor negro to laugh, though the cowskin were 
 brandished in his face. 
 
 The condition of negroes in the country is often 
 dreary enough, though not altogether either without 
 its advantages. Upon many estates the negroes are 
 set to task work. In this way, however, they have to 
 work apart from each other, and consequently are 
 
166 CONDITION OP NEGROES. 
 
 more cheerless. I am aware that in the West Indies 
 negroes generally labour in gangs or companies, and 
 beguile their labour with the song, and with mutual 
 words of encouragement ; but in Carolina I have seen 
 forty or fifty in one large field, all apart, and all 
 labouring in solemn silence. By this plan of task 
 work, however, a clever negro has his work over 
 sometimes by three o'clock in the afternoon ; and he 
 may then employ the remainder of the day, if near a 
 river, in fishing, or in snaring small game, or in any 
 way he chooses. 
 
 By law, a planter must allow each grown slave 
 nine quarts of Indian corn per week, and one pint of 
 salt ; but nothing else : no not a salt herring even, 
 or an ounce of meat to relish his corn. Indian corn 
 by itself will hardly make into bread, and is gene- 
 rally used by the negro in the shape of mush or 
 hominy (a kind of pudding or porridge). This allow- 
 ance gives about two and a half pounds per day of 
 grain ; and on some estates the negroes are allowed a 
 small piece of garden-ground, and may keep a few 
 fowls, or a pig. By these means, in some cases they 
 are tolerably comfortable in regard to food ; and as to 
 clothing, there is either by law or custom a certain 
 allowance of various articles per annum : but all 
 depends upon the temper of the proprietor or over- 
 seer. 
 
 The condition, then, of the negroes varies just in 
 proportion to the variety of disposition or caprice 
 in their masters ; which of course are about as various 
 as their physiognomies. 
 
ZAMBA LONGS TO REVISIT AFRICA. 167 
 
 To say that by law the negro is entitled to this 
 or to that is all a mere mockery ; for who is there to 
 see these laws put in execution 1 or to whom is the 
 aggrieved negro to make his complaint? Suppose 
 that an avaricious overseer on an estate of two hun- 
 dred negroes thinks proper to give them only six 
 quarts of corn per week, how is this to be rectified 1 
 The affirmation of the white tyrant will be taken in 
 evidence at any time ; whilst the asseveration or oath 
 of the two hundred negroes will not go for one pin's 
 point. To talk, therefore, of any law in favour of 
 negroes, while at the same time the solemn evidence 
 of a thousand of these negroes is rejected with 
 contempt, is merely adding mockery and insult to 
 injury. 
 
 In regard to my own case, I had nothing to com- 
 plain of; I was w'ell fed, comfortably lodged, and had 
 plenty of clothes ; and received much kindness from 
 my master, and all with whom I had immediate 
 intercourse. I had no grieving thoughts or cares, 
 except in regard to my poor wife and relations, in 
 Africa. 
 
 After I had been about two years in Charleston, I 
 asked Mr. Thomson whether or not he thought Mr. 
 Naylor would allow me to embark in some slave-ship 
 for Africa, and arrange matters so as to return with 
 my wife to Charleston. I had felt so much of the 
 benefits of civilization, and of the sublime hopes and. 
 ideas with which Christianity inspired me, that I had 
 no wish to return to Africa as a permanent residence. 
 I was now a close and attentive hearer of the Gospel ; 
 
168 KINDNESS OF ZAMBA'S MASTER. 
 
 and humbly hope that without any prospect of future 
 personal freedom, I should on no account have fore- 
 gone the advantages which I weekly, or oftener, 
 derived from the preaching of the Gospel. 
 
 Mr. Thomson made my request known to Mr. 
 Nay lor, who in a few days told me that some friends 
 of his, in Baltimore, were at that time building a 
 ship expressly for the African trade ; that she would 
 probably be ready for sea in six months or so, and 
 that he would make such arrangements as would 
 ensure my safety from being over-reached by any 
 captain ; and also, that he would secure my return 
 with my wife. 
 
 Such kindness and friendly interest in my behalf 
 fairly overwhelmed me. I could only kiss Mr. Nay- 
 lor's hand, and weep my gratitude. 
 
 It pleased Heaven, however, that I should never 
 again behold Africa. But I must not anticipate my 
 story. 
 
 About this time an occurrence took place which 
 raised me very much in the estimation of all who 
 knew me. I am quite aware that in relating such 
 anecdotes I am exposing myself to the charge of 
 egotism in a great degree : methinks I hear some one 
 of my indulgent readers exclaim, "Why this sur- 
 passes all I have ever seen in print; I can tell you, my 
 good black fellow, that you are tolerably well provided 
 with vanity." So be it, gentle sir, as long as I 
 adhere to the truth I must be content to stand 
 the smart of a few of the shafts of criticism, as many 
 
ZAMBA SAVES HIS WHITE FRIEND. 169 
 
 a better man has done before me ; and will have to do 
 as long as books are printed. 
 
 To proceed : my master one day ordered Mr. Thom- 
 son and myself to go down to a ship which had 
 arrived from the West Indies, and make some ar- 
 rangements in getting the cargo properly placed on 
 the wharf where it was to be sold next morning. The 
 ship lay across the end of one of the wharves, and 
 was a few feet distant from the land ; in walking up 
 the plank which reached to the ship's gangway, 
 Mr. Thomson unfortunately slipped his foot, and 
 was instantly swept by the tide, which runs pretty 
 strong here, astern of the ship, and in a few minutes 
 would have been far out in the harbour. At this 
 season, sharks were tolerably plentiful about the 
 harbour, ranging about for prey at all times ; so that 
 poor Mr. Thomson, who could only swim a few 
 strokes, was in imminent danger. I was quite used 
 to the water in Africa and could swim like a sea- 
 gull ; so without hesitation, kicking off my shoes, and 
 throwing off my jacket and hat, which was done in a 
 few seconds, I plunged into the flood, and after a 
 few minutes' strenuous exertion made up to my friend, 
 who was just at the moment sinking ; having seized 
 him by the coat collar with my left hand, I continued 
 to keep afloat until a boat (several of which were 
 pulling hastily to our assistance) came alongside and 
 hauled us in ; Mr. Thomson in a state of insensibility, 
 and myself well ducked and completely out of breath. 
 A tavern was luckily at hand, into which Mr. Thom- 
 son was conveyed, and by prompt attention was 
 
170 THE WHITE MAN'S GRATITUDE. 
 
 brought to his senses in less than an hour. As soon 
 as he saw me and understood from those around that 
 I had been his preserver, he held out his hand and 
 said • " Zamba, I always thought well of you ; 
 but now I am bound to you for life : never shall I 
 forget my noble-hearted Zamba." He was speedily 
 conducted home to refresh himself in bed, and was 
 out next morning at business. 
 
 This little incident, which I should have deemed a 
 matter of no moment in Africa, procured me consi- 
 derable favour and interest here. Mr. Naylor took 
 me by the hand and was pleased to say : " You 
 are a good boy, Zamba, and have behaved like a true 
 hero, and a true Christian, which is more to the 
 point; and depend upon it, you shall be no loser Dy- 
 vour generous endeavour to save Mr. Thomson : you 
 shall not want a friend as long as I am spared, and 
 your conscience will be a satisfaction to you in life 
 and death." 
 
 ^Mr. Thomson [himself j redoubled his attention to 
 me, and made me spend at [least every other evening 
 in^his room, instructing^ me] as far as his own infor- 
 mation went, and causing me occasionally to write 
 him short letters, 'to which he gave answers. I am 
 certain some of myattempts in this way would amuse 
 the" reader not a] little. I have most of them yet 
 in my possession, and frequently peruse Mr. Thom- 
 son's with a melancholy pleasure ; he having now 
 been nearly these forty years in a land (at least I 
 believe and hope so, from the bottom of my soul) 
 of light and glory, where no proud tyrant can pre- 
 
NEGRO LETTER. 171 
 
 sume to lord it over his trembling slave. Should 
 these pages of mine be yet perused by some haughty 
 Carolinian, no doubt he will say : " Ay, ay, the 
 black scoundrel ! and he pretends to sentiment too: 
 could I but find out his den in Charleston, I should 
 make a good cowskin welt his hide for him." Provi- 
 dence will, however, I trust, protect the poor old 
 black fellow from the despots of Carolina : and who 
 knows but these pages may live and bring forth fruit 
 many years hence, and serve to stir up the next gene- 
 ration of negroes, at least to make an attempt to 
 obtain their rights. I now give a literal copy of one 
 of my first letters to Mr. Thomson. The spelling 
 and diction will amuse the reader, no doubt; but 
 could he only see the penmanship it would add to 
 his mirth. 
 
 " Verry Gud Sar, 
 I am moch indett to yu for kindnes to poor Afri- 
 cann. — I'm stonish yu pay tension so grat to blak 
 Slaw — if Scotsman al lik yu den Scotlan must shude 
 bee vine cuntrey — yu teech me reed — reed Bibell. — 
 Bibell telly me all bout God and Hevven an grat most 
 eksselentest Saveeour Jesus who die for all men ever 
 live and bleeve on Him. — Bibell telly me allsoe bout 
 Hell, dat is de place vere al bad man goe — al Tyrands 
 an Moorderurs an Teeves — dey wil floggee Cow- 
 skinn one anoder dere for punishe for sins dune in 
 dis worlld — 'Low me tank yu Massa Tomson fur al 
 yur tension an no morr till nicks time yu heerre from 
 mee yur moss bedeent Sarvan Zamba." 
 
172 A FRESH CARGO FROM AFRICA. 
 
 For some months matters went on very smoothly 
 with me; only that I was getting very impatient to 
 know when the new ship spoken of would sail for 
 Africa. One day, however, in April 1803, Mr. Naylor 
 came into the Store, and calling me aside informed 
 me that a ship had just come into port consigned to 
 him with a cargo of slaves direct from the river 
 Congo ; and he smilingly said, " Perhaps, Zamba, 
 you may hear some news of your wife and friends." 
 I felt very much agitated at this information; and 
 felt something strange beating at my heart, I could 
 not explain how. Mr. Naylor a short time after- 
 wards ordered Mr. Thomson and myself to proceed to 
 the wharf where the ship had by this time hauled in, 
 and make arrangements about the slaves coming 
 ashore, &c. 
 
 I remained quite silent all the way, but felt as if 
 something strange were about to happen. When we 
 came alongside the ship (the Hunter), the slaves were 
 crowding out, and one-half were already washed and 
 quartered in the sheds. 
 
 We proceeded thither to ascertain what kind of 
 cargo we had got ; I had just entered the little build- 
 ing, and Mr. Thomson had stepped in the door-way, 
 when I heard my name called, or rather screamed 
 out, and, in a moment, a young woman had thrown 
 her arms around me and continued calling out, 
 " Zamba ! my dear Zamba." 
 
 In the first moment, although the voice somehow 
 thrilled to my heart, I was, as the sailors say, " taken 
 all aback ;" but, on recovering myself, and looking 
 
zamba's meeting with zillah. 173 
 
 in the woman's face, my astonishment may be 
 imagined, when I found her to be my own dear 
 Zillah ; — ay, the once proud and splendid African 
 princess. But, alas ! how altered ; not so much in 
 looks, however, as in apparel and general appear- 
 ance. She had merely a short Osnaburgh petticoat 
 on her lower limbs, an old Madras handkerchief on 
 her head, and a tattered printed shawl across her 
 breast; but better, however, in respect to dress, than 
 the most of her fellow passengers. Alas ! where was 
 now the rich and gaudy apparel in which I had her 
 clothed in her native land? where the many gold 
 ear-rings and bracelets, and the necklace of pearl, 
 which would have been coveted by many a Eu- 
 ropean countess ? These, however, were nothing 
 in my eyes, while here was my own beloved Zillah 
 herself, though considerably wasted and worn out, 
 yet to all appearance in good health. Need I say 
 that my delight far surpassed my amazement, and 
 this delight was heightened by the idea, which 
 instantly flashed across my mind, that as I was 
 in favour with my master, and had plenty of cash 
 in his hands, to procure my Zillah's freedom, all 
 would be right. Mr. Thomson remained silent for 
 some minutes ; but as soon as my wife and I had 
 composed ourselves a little, came forward and con- 
 gratulated me on my happiness. " Why, Zamba, 
 this is quite a romance : it surpasses anything I 
 have ever seen in a theatre. I shall instantly talk 
 to Mr Naylor, and get him to make some arrange- 
 ment with the captain regarding your wife ; for if he 
 
374 ZILLAH BOUGHT BY MR. NAYLOR. 
 
 gets time to know your whole history, he will, no 
 doubt, enhance her value to an exorbitant pitch." 
 
 Having arranged a few matters then, Mr. Thomson 
 told me to remain and comfort poor Zillah, whilst he 
 would inform Mr. Naylor regarding the affair, and he 
 would also go home and send down one of the 
 wenches (young negro females in Charleston are 
 always styled wenches, — girl is the more genteel ap- 
 pellative of young white females) with a few clothes 
 for Zillah. In about an hour Mr. Naylor made his 
 appearance, and said, "Now, Zamba, it will be in 
 my power to reward you for your fidelity as 
 a servant hitherto, and for your humanity in 
 saving Mr. Thomson, when in danger of being 
 drowned, or devoured by sharks. I shall go on 
 board, and can, I should think, easily make a bargain 
 with the captain, for your wife." He then went 
 on board, and in a few minutes sent for me; he 
 wished, as he said, to make the bargain in my pre- 
 sence. After a short discussion, and having told 
 the captain a little of my history, and said more in 
 my favour than I deserved, a bargain was struck for 
 three hundred and fifty dollars, hard cash. Need I 
 say with what delight I witnessed and experienced 
 all this. I was overwhelmed with gratitude to Mr. 
 Naylor and Mr. Thomson, and, above all, with deep 
 gratitude to the Great God, who had brought about, 
 in such an unexpected way, my most sanguine wishes. 
 
 Mr. Naylor then told me to convey Zillah home, 
 and he would make some arrangements with Mrs. 
 Naylor to have her accommodated: " In fact," said 
 
zillah's kindness to her companions. 175 
 
 he, after taking a good view of my wife, " I think, 
 Zamba, that Mrs. Naylor will take her to wait upon 
 herself. I am pleased with her appearance so far, 
 and have no doubt she will soon learn to be a clever 
 waiting-maid." 
 
 Zillah, before she left the shed, pointed out to me 
 two or three women who had done all in their power 
 on the voyage, to console and comfort her ; and be- 
 seeched me to do something for them if I could. I 
 was glad to find Zillah was still my own kind-hearted 
 and grateful girl ; and, at the sale, which took place 
 in two days afterwards, by means of Mr. Thomson's 
 influence, we managed to have these women, all of 
 them, sold as domestic servants in the city : be- 
 sides this, I made them a present of some useful 
 clothing in the name of Zillah, who had the pleasure, 
 years and years afterwards, of meeting frequently 
 with her fellow-voyagers. In the fulness of my 
 heart, I also gave a small handkerchief, or some 
 trifle, to every woman who came in the Hunter, and 
 a piece of tobacco to every male slave who could 
 use it. 
 
176 ZILLAH DOMESTICATED WITH ZAMBA, 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Zamba and Zillah reunited — Tidings of home — Zillah's account of her 
 capture — Native missionaries needed for Africa — Zamba instructs 
 Zillah — Penalties for teaching a negro to read — Arrival of Zamba's 
 brother-in-law — Zamba and Zillah freed by their master — Zamba 
 a shopkeeper. 
 
 When Zillah arrived, she could only speak a few 
 words of English ; Mrs. Naylor was pleased with 
 her, however, and under the government of such a 
 mistress, she soon became very serviceable in her 
 department, and could make herself understood in 
 English. She was allowed to take up her residence 
 in my little room, and I may say that I was now 
 as completely happy as man can be upon earth. 
 It may be imagined that after the first flurry of my 
 meeting with my wife was over, I should inquire for 
 my mother and the rest of my family. In a few 
 words, I learned, that my poor mother had died, 
 partly of a broken heart on my account, about six 
 months previously ; but that all of my sisters were 
 well, and my two brothers-in-law were carrying on 
 the government of my kingdom with much satis- 
 faction to my subjects. 
 

 zillah's account of her capture. 177 
 
 As to herself, Zillah informed me that after I had 
 left her, she felt lonesome indeed, and day by day 
 wandered hither and thither, especially by the banks 
 of the river, often gazing to the westward, as if she 
 would hear or see something of me. They did hear 
 at last, by a round-about way, that I had been 
 cheated by the captain, and left in Charleston : 
 although totally ignorant of geography, yet Zillah 
 could recollect the name Charleston well enough, 
 and that Charleston was in America. Even after she 
 had given up all hopes of ever seeing me, she still 
 continued to keep a look-out upon the river ; and, 
 being about a mile from her home one day, quite 
 by herself, she observed a large boat rowing down 
 the river, close to the side where she walked. 
 
 At last the boat put into a small cove a few hun- 
 dred yards from, her ; and some of the men, who 
 were white, came ashore. She then observed two of 
 them walk straight into the country; but when they 
 had proceeded about a quarter of a mile in that 
 direction, they struck off at a right angle, and com- 
 menced running, as if chasing each other in diver- 
 sion. They then took a turn about, as if to the 
 river, and immediately made towards her. One 
 came up on each side, and seizing her by the wrists, 
 one of them drew a cutlass, and made signs, by 
 pointing to her mouth, and then to her breast, that he 
 would kill her if she screamed. 
 
 They then dragged her towards the boat, in which 
 were about a dozen white men and a few blacks, 
 put her in, and pushed off to the middle of the river; 
 
 N 
 
178 ZILLAH ON BOARD THE SLAVE-SHIP. 
 
 and by hard rowing were not long in reaching their 
 ship, which lay at anchor in the river. 
 
 As soon as poor Z ill ah was in the boat, some of 
 the men attempted to take the bracelets and ear- 
 rings from her ; but were instantly checked by a man 
 who seemed superior to the rest. She was no sooner 
 on board the ship than the same person took her 
 down to the cabin, where the Captain sat smoking ; 
 and here poor Zillah was speedily stripped of all her 
 ornaments, pearl necklace included. She was then 
 without ceremony huddled down to the hold, and 
 for many days endured great hardships. 
 
 Whilst at sea she suffered much from sickness ; 
 but when able to keep her feet was allowed to be on 
 deck for an hour or two every day. Here she could 
 make out, by the little English she understood, that 
 the ship was bound for Charleston. She felt quite 
 delighted at this, and her spirits rose thenceforth, as 
 she had some little hopes that she might meet with 
 me. The result was as I have already narrated ; and 
 shows that although Providence may seem at the 
 time to be working quite in opposition to our dear- 
 est hopes and wishes, yet that oft in its mercy it 
 brings about, in a wonderful and mysterious way, 
 the very thing we had desired ; thereby inculcating a 
 lesson of patience and submission under every seem- 
 ing disappointment. 
 
 Having now obtained the dearest object of my 
 affections, I gave up all idea of ever visiting Africa : 
 although at times my conscience whispered me that 
 I, who had so largely partaken of the mercy of God, 
 
zamba's thoughts of his countrymen. 179 
 
 and had my* eyes opened to the light of the Gospel, 
 should act in some effectual manner, so that my poor 
 blinded brethren in Africa might also in some degree, 
 through my means, have an opportunity of knowing 
 the one true God. My conscience, I say, told me, 
 that I ought to forego my own comfort and conve- 
 nience, and that I should at all hazards return to 
 Africa and impart to my fellow-men all that I knew 
 about the Bible and a Saviour. These reflections 
 often yet prey upon my mind ; for I am fully con- 
 vinced that the civilization and christianization of 
 Africa, will yet be mainly effected through the 
 means and exertions of Africa's own children, or 
 their descendants. 
 
 The climate of the greater part of Africa is an in- 
 superable bar to the exertions, however well meant — 
 I mean, to the effectual and extensive exertions — of 
 white men. How many enterprising and noble- 
 hearted Europeans, especially Englishmen, have be- 
 come victims to the climate of Africa! It is truly a 
 melancholy circumstance to contemplate. Consider, 
 for instance, the colony of Sierra Leone, which was 
 established as a means of introducing civilization and 
 Christianity into Africa. In the space of fifty years, 
 it has, I understand, cost the Government of Britain 
 between eight and nine millions of pounds sterling, 
 and the lives of about twenty-five thousand white 
 men, military and civil ; and the actual benefit which 
 has accrued to Africa is comparatively nothing. 
 
 Let Britain establish a few colleges or schools in 
 some of the West India islands ; let her then procure 
 
 n2 
 
180 SCHEME FOR CHRISTIANIZING AFRICA. 
 
 natives of Africa, either from our colonies or from 
 Africa itself, and give these natives a fair education, 
 such as will befit them to civilize and Christianise 
 Africa in their native tongue ; let them, then, be de- 
 spatched to Africa, not by ones or twos, but by 
 scores, and let them have the means and knowledge 
 for establishing trade with the various African chiefs ; 
 and I will venture to say that in this way more good. 
 will be effected in behalf of Africa, and a greater 
 bar thrown in the way of the slave-trade by the 
 expenditure of one million, than by all that the nine 
 millions expended on Sierra Leone has yet done ; 
 and this without risking the life of one Englishman. 
 I am too old now to attempt to do anything myself; 
 but I hope my advice, although only that of a poor 
 old African, may cause wiser heads to think on 
 the matter. 
 
 Having now my wife to comfort me, I applied my- 
 self with more vigour than ever to my duties at the 
 store ; being determined to prove to my master that 
 there is both honour and gratitude in a negro bosom. 
 I applied myself also most closely to my education, 
 and now felt it my duty to instruct Zillah. This was 
 a task in which I had tenfold delight; and giving 
 her instructions, as far as my own feeble light would 
 admit of, in regard to the Bible and her Maker, was 
 also a most agreeable employment. I also took her 
 to church with me ; and she very readily took up the 
 English tongue, and seemed very eager to acquire 
 a knowledge of religion. 
 
 About a year after Zillah's arrival an occurrence 
 
ZAMBA ASSAILED FOR READING. 181 
 
 took place in regard to ray own acquirements, which 
 I must not pass over. One afternoon, when there 
 was nothing particular for me to put my hand to in 
 the store, I had taken up a newspaper, and was 
 reading my way through it as well as I could ; keep- 
 ing myself, however, rather in a quiet part of the 
 store. I had placed the paper on the top of a 
 large packing-box, and while spelling over it, a 
 Colonel Morgan, who dealt with my master, and 
 owned a plantation about twenty miles from town, 
 happened to stray in ; and in looking through the 
 store for some goods of a particular description 
 which he wanted, he came close upon me. I heard 
 him instantly exclaim — and he was a gigantic, rough- 
 looking fellow, with a voice like a speaking-trumpet 
 — " Ha ! what the devil is this ? How do you come 
 to read the papers, boy 1 How do you happen to read, 
 I say ?" I looked up very calmly and meekly, as I 
 thought, and answered, " I was taught, sir." — " You 
 were taught, were you, you black rascal ! and who 
 taught you, pray ? If I knew the scoundrel I would 
 break his bones." — " The person who first taught 
 me to read," said I, " is out of your reach at pre- 
 sent, Colonel; and, surely, I am doing no harm, 
 sir." — " Do you bandy words with me, you infernal 
 black dog?" said the gallant Colonel; " take that 
 and be d — d !" he then let fly at me with a great 
 heavy stick which he carried ; but, luckily, I was 
 in time, and dodging my head escaped his friendly 
 salute. The stick, however, made a deep mark on 
 the edge of the box, showing the good-will with 
 
182 PENALTY FOR TEACHING NEGROES TO READ. 
 
 which the blow was given ; and proving, also, that 
 hard and thick as African skulls generally are, had 
 my head caught it, it would doubtless rather have 
 discomposed me. 
 
 The noise which the noble Colonel made, at- 
 tracted the attention of a number of people who 
 were about the store at the time ; and Mr. Naylor, 
 who was writing at his desk, came forward, and in- 
 quired what was the matter. " Matter," answered 
 the Colonel, " why are not you a fine fellow to be 
 one of the authorities of the city, and teach your 
 cursed negroes to read ? Don't you know, as well 
 as myself, sir, that you incur a penalty of one hun- 
 dred pounds by instructing a black fellow to read ?" 
 — " Just speak a little slower, Colonel," said Mr. 
 Naylor. " In the first place, sir, it was not I that 
 taught that boy to read ; he could read English, sir, 
 however it may surprise you, before he left Africa ; 
 and farther, although there is a law forbidding ne- 
 groes to be instructed, I am not aware that there is 
 any law forbidding them to read anything that comes 
 in their way after they can read ? And let me tell 
 you, Colonel, that had you injured that boy (who is 
 my property, look you) with your stick, I should 
 have made it cost you much more than the penalty 
 you talk of. I take it very ill, sir, that you should 
 lift your hand to any person, white or black, in my 
 stove; and I will just advise you as a friend, Colo- 
 nel, to command your temper a little." An old 
 Scotch merchant, a very wealthy man, who dealt 
 much about the store, here interposed his word. 
 
THE PLANTER DISCOMFITED. 183 
 
 ** Dear me, Colonel, man ; what 's the matter wi' 
 ye? Ye think, nae doubt, ye are amatig yere nee- 
 gurs at hame just now: ye may kick and stiike 
 them as ye please, an' no ane to interfere wi' ye ; 
 but I think ye shouldna meddle wi' your neighbour's 
 property, ye '11 get yourself into a scrape may be.'' 
 " Ah ! so you must poke in your word," said Mr. 
 Niven ; " why it ? s all owing to you foreigners that 
 we have so much trouble with our infernal neegurs ; 
 you are continually exciting them to rebel in one 
 way or other." — c: Foreigners ! gude feth, my braw 
 Colonel, if it were na for foreigners, such as I 
 am, ye wad craw less cruse ; if we didna tak the 
 cotton an' rice aff your hands, ye wad hae naething 
 to eat but Indian corn an' alligawtors ; no, nor a 
 pair o' hale breeks to your hinderlands." A great 
 number of customers, both Jews and Gentiles, 
 had by this time gathered round the disputants; 
 but this speech of the old Scotsman, turned the 
 laugh so much against the gallant Colonel, that he 
 thoug-ht fit to retreat, growling vengeance against 
 
 d d neegurs and foreigners. 
 
 The ship Hunter, in which Zillah had arrived, 
 was preparing to return to Congo, and it was under- 
 stood that she would be a regular trader between 
 that river and Charleston. I got acquainted with 
 the steward, who was a countryman of my own, and. 
 who had actually this last voyage been up at my 
 native town, and had seen and conversed with my 
 brothers-in-law ; I, therefore, ventured to entrust him 
 (and he faithfully kept his trust) with a small trunk 
 
184 ARRIVAL OF POULDAMAH. 
 
 containing a few presents to my friends. It was 
 of no use to write a letter, as none of them would 
 have been the wiser ; but I sent a verbal message, 
 informing them how Zillah and I were situated. 
 
 Well, the Hunter sailed away, and in the course 
 of eight months what was my surprise one day 
 when my brother-in-law Pouldamah entered the 
 store. We instantly recognised each other; and as 
 soon as I was satisfied that he had come as a free 
 passenger, and had made a cautious arrangement 
 with the Captain to take him back to Africa, my joy 
 was great indeed. He told me that he could enjoy 
 no rest or peace until he could ascertain my real 
 situation. The Captain of the Hunter, whose name 
 was Toomer, was not a bad fellow on the whole 
 (although the reader will possibly recollect that he 
 deliberately robbed poor Zillah of her jewels), and 
 having done a good deal of business with him he 
 made a bargain to go with him as passenger, and 
 upon being landed safely again at his own village 
 he became bound to pay the Captain thirty doubloons ; 
 and Bollah, my other brother-in-law, witnessed and 
 guaranteed the bargain. Pouldamah then whispered 
 me quietly that he brought a few barrels of bees'- 
 wax, a few large pots of honey, and a few elephants' 
 teeth with him; and says he, in my ear, " Zamba, 
 I wish to have my small cargo ashore as quickly 
 as possible, and secured snugly with you, as one of 
 the honey-pots is much more valuable than the 
 Captain or any of his men imagine." I instantly 
 procured a dray, and went along with my friend, and 
 
- f - - 
 
 POULDAMAH INSTRUCTED. 185 
 
 speedily had all secured in Mr. Naylor's premises. 
 On arriving at home, Pouldamah selected one of the 
 honey-pots, and going up to my bed-room I found on 
 examination that my considerate relation had placed 
 a bag with a hundred doubloons, and another with 
 ten pounds of gold dust at the bottom of the pot. 
 
 I appreciated his prudence, but could not help 
 saying, "Why, my dear Pouldamah, had Captain 
 Toomer but guessed the contents of this pot, decent 
 fellow as he may be, considering his profession, 
 I rather fear he would have played Captain Winton 
 with you." 
 
 I can hardly express how delighted I felt at seeing 
 Pouldamah, and although I was by no means in want 
 of the money, I could not but feel very grateful. As 
 I could not properly accommodate Pouldamah in my 
 own small room, and did not wish to intrude too 
 much on my master's condescension, I procured him 
 comfortable lodgings in the house of a coloured friend; 
 and here Pouldamah resided during five months : the 
 ship requiring thorough repairs, and the Captain 
 having fallen sick, caused this delay. Pouldamah 
 could already speak some English ; but during his 
 stay in Charleston, I gave him a lesson almost every 
 evening, and I engaged a clever mulatto friend, who 
 devoted several hours every day to his instruction. 
 Before he left Charleston he could read the Bible 
 pretty correctly, though slowly, and could also 
 manage to scrawl a few lines, so that I could 
 understand him. I made up a handsome assortment 
 
186 ZAMBA AND ZILLAH FREED. 
 
 of goods for him, and at length, with many tears, he 
 parted with Zillah and myself. 
 
 When the Hunter returned, he sent me a letter 
 as evidence that the Captain had dealt honourably 
 with him, and I occasionally heard from him and 
 of him for many years ; but for these last fifteen 
 years I have heard no intelligence whatever from 
 Congo. -I trust, however, that Pouldamah made good 
 use of the knowledge he acquired in America, and 
 that even now his posterity are deriving benefit from 
 his enterprise. 
 
 Matters continued to go on smoothly with me and 
 Zillah. We were as happy, I believe, as any couple 
 in America. She brought me no more children, so 
 we contented ourselves with one another as well as 
 we could. I placed the gold Pouldamah brought 
 me (and he assured me that he had a large quantity 
 at home, but I told him I was quite satisfied, and 
 would have him run no more risk in bringing or 
 sending it to America) in Mr. Naylor's hands ; and 
 now it might be said I had a fortune. Mr. Naylor 
 dealt with me like a true gentleman. I was allowed 
 many perquisites about the store, and was in fact as 
 much indulged as if I had been his own son. 
 
 In 1807, Mr. Naylor had regular free papers made 
 out for Zillah and me ; but as long as he remained 
 in Charleston he allowed us to remain with him. 
 At length, when he gave up business and went 
 to reside in another State of the Union, in 1819, 
 he had a regular account-current made out for me 
 
ZAMBA A SHOPKEEPER. 187 
 
 from the commencement ; allowing both Zillah and 
 myself annual wages, and calculating interest upon 
 the money he held for me to a fraction, and fairly 
 and finally paid me over every cent of what was due. 
 
 My gratitude to Mr. Naylor and his family can 
 only cease with life itself; and I can assure the 
 reader, that in recording the virtues of white men, 
 I derive ten times more satisfaction, than in dilating 
 upon their failings and vices. 
 
 In 1819, I took a small shop, and continued for 
 some years to carry on a limited trade; more for the 
 sake of keeping myself in employment than for 
 the sake of gain. For the last twenty years I have 
 lived very quietly and retired, and spent much of 
 my time in perusing the works of the " mighty 
 dead." I also devote a little of my time and means 
 in alleviating the distresses of others. 
 
 And now should the time and labour which I have 
 expended, and mean yet to expend, in making the 
 wrongs of my fellow-countrymen known to Euro- 
 peans, and to those noble-hearted Republicans of 
 America who really are free and consistent, and who 
 are willing that the bonds of slavery should be 
 broken — should my exertions, I say, come to any 
 account, then shall I reckon these the happiest and 
 the best spent moments of my life. I have antici- 
 pated my history here somewhat ; but, as already 
 mentioned, I have no regular plan laid down, and 
 just write what comes uppermost. 
 
188 ZAMBA AND ZILLAH JOIN THE METHODISTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Zamha ancT Zillali join a Methodist Church — Their reception by two 
 Ministers — Zamba and Zillah married — Zamba loses his White 
 Friend — Captain Winton in Distress — Is relieved by Zamba — 
 Wiuton killed in a Duel — A Carolinian Duellist. 
 
 I had now been a regular attendant at a Methodist 
 chapel for nearly four years, and for the last twelve 
 months had been accompanied by Zillah, as often 
 as her duties to her mistress would permit. She 
 had by this time made considerable progress in read- 
 ing, and could get tolerably well through a chapter 
 in the Testament, and understood pretty well what 
 was spoken from the pulpit. It was now hinted to 
 me by some coloured members of the congregation, 
 that we should both of us wait upon the minister, 
 and apply to be admitted as church members ; and, 
 further, that it would raise us in the estimation of 
 our brethren to have our marriage celebrated ac- 
 cording to the Christian form. 
 
 It is well known to most people, that ministers 
 in the Methodist body are almost continually shifting 
 from one station or chapel to another. Our clergyman 
 at this time was a Mr. Gorman, a powerful preacher; 
 
ZAMBA AND THE MINISTER. 189 
 
 but by many thought rather bigoted and narrow- 
 minded. However, we ventured to wait upon him, 
 although I confess that I was under considerable 
 trepidation regarding the way in which I guessed he 
 would question me. 
 
 " Well, Zamba," said he, " one of the elders has 
 spoken to me regarding you, and gives you a good 
 character, and allows that you are a very regular 
 church-goer ; but you must not think that your good 
 deeds, or anything that you can do, will advance 
 you one step nearer to the kingdom of heaven ; you 
 must look upon yourself as a sinner damned to 
 eternal perdition thousands of years before you were 
 born. All men fell in Adam, and all of woman 
 born are from their infancy prone to evil, and nothing 
 else than children of the devil. How do you think, 
 Zamba, that you can be saved from the wrath of 
 God ? " 
 
 " I believe, Massa," said I, " that in Jesus Christ 
 alone all men shall be saved. I read in the Bible 
 that as in Adam all sinned, so in Christ shall all be 
 made alive." 
 
 " You have said so far well, Zamba," answered 
 he ; " but the words of Scripture must oft be taken 
 in a limited sense. You surely do not believe that 
 all men will be saved ? " 
 
 " I cannot tell, Massa, exactly how that is ; but 
 does it not say that Christ is the propitiation for our 
 sins, and not for our sins only, but for the whole 
 world ; and it is said that God will never require 
 what he never gave. I should be grieved to think 
 
190 ZAMBA AND THE MINISTER. 
 
 that many of my countrymen who have lived peace- 
 ably, and done good to all around them, as I know 
 some have done, should be damned to all eternity, 
 when it was not in their power even to hear of 
 Christ." 
 
 " Zamba, Zamba," said he, u as long as you 
 think and believe in this way I cannot admit you as 
 a member of Christ's church : you are yet in the gall 
 of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity. You 
 must go home and pray that your eyes may be 
 opened to the truth." 
 
 " Hear me, Massa, if you please," said I. " Do 
 you condemn me for saying that I hope some of my 
 poor innocent countrymen may be saved 1 Does not 
 the Bible tell us to have charity for all men, and to 
 pray for all men ?" 
 
 " It does not matter, Zamba," said he ; "I fear 
 some one has been putting erroneous notions in your 
 head. I tell you that, all men — all men whatsoever, 
 I say — are naturally and necessarily children of the 
 devil, and heirs of God's wrath ; and until they are 
 renewed in the image of Christ, and sprinkled with 
 his blood, they can have no hope — no title to hope 
 for salvation. I suppose it will be useless to ask 
 your wife any questions at present; so go home and 
 pray, and read your Bible, and come back in three 
 or four months, and we shall see then how your soul 
 fares." 
 
 I then left the clergyman rather disheartened and 
 downcast, I confess; and I could not, for my life, 
 see how charity for my poor blinded countrymen 
 
ZAMBA ENCOURAGED. 191 
 
 could be a barrier in the way of my own salvation. 
 Mr. Gorman was, however, removed to a station in 
 the country about two months afterwards, and a new 
 minister was appointed to our chapel. 
 
 After hearing him for three or four Sabbaths, I 
 was so much pleased, and I hope edified, by his dis- 
 courses, that I ventured again to risk an examination, 
 and called upon Mr. Willison. 
 
 He received me in a much more sympathizing and 
 kindly manner than his predecessor had done. The 
 very tones of his voice thrilled encouragement to my 
 heart ; and after a few questions, nearly to the same 
 purpose as those put by Mr. Gorman, and which 
 I answered in the same candid manner, and nearly to 
 the same effect, he said, " Zamba, I cannot blame 
 you for wishing well towards your poor benighted 
 brethren in your own land ; but you see very plainly 
 from the Bible, that there is none other name given 
 under heaven whereby men shall be saved, but the 
 name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I dare not, however, 
 as a minister of the blessed Jesus, who himself, 
 while upon earth, preached and practised love and 
 charity to all men, without exception, put limits to 
 bis atonement. What he never gave, he never will 
 require; and you will observe that Jesus himself 
 said, that in the day of judgment it would be more 
 tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, and, conse- 
 quently, for such places as poor benighted, neglected 
 Africa, than for such as had the benefit of the Gos- 
 pel and rejected it. And you will also observe, 
 Zamba, that when some of the disciples asked their 
 
192 ZAMBA AND ZILLAH BECOME CHURCH MEMBERS. 
 
 Master, whether many would be saved, he told them, 
 as much as to mind particularly their own salvation, 
 and leave the rest with God, to whom all things are 
 possible; and, finally, Zamba, shall not the Judge 
 of all the earth do right ? Strive ye, Zamba and 
 Zillah, and pray without ceasing, that your own souls 
 may be enlightened in the first place, and pray 
 frequently for all men upon earth. Do your duty to 
 all and to each other as far as in you lies, and 
 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 
 saved." 
 
 Having put a few questions to Zillah, which she 
 answered in a natural and simple manner, consider- 
 ing her opportunities as yet, he said it would be cruel 
 in him any longer to debar us from coming to the 
 table of the Lord ! Shortly after this, in the presence 
 of a few friends, we were regularly joined in wedlock, 
 and at the same time admitted to partake of that bread 
 which is unto Everlasting Life, and of which who- 
 soever eateth shall never die. I now felt pleased and 
 gratified (I hope without pride) that poor Zillah and 
 I were members of a Christian community, and mem- 
 bers of Christ's body. 
 
 Nothing remarkable occurred with me for a consi- 
 derable time. In the year 1807, the yellow fever 
 raged to a great degree, and to my inexpressible 
 grief I lost my excellent friend Mr. Thomson. The 
 yellow fever is a great scourge to the Southern States 
 of America. It is supposed by some to arise from 
 the putrid exhalations of decayed vegetable matter in 
 the low, swampy, country; and by others it is sup- 
 
DEATH OF MR. THOMSON. 193 
 
 posed to be imported from other parts, — such as the 
 West India Islands, especially Cuba, and South Ame- 
 rica. — It is very fatal, at all events, in its effects, 
 amongst the white inhabitants, especially strangers. 
 Upon an average, I believe that seventy or seventy- 
 five die out of every hundred who are affected by it, 
 and it gives very little time of preparation for death. 
 Mr. Thomson was attending his duty in the store in 
 the morning ; but after breakfast complained of a 
 pain in the forehead and in his back. In an hour or 
 two he was obliged to betake himself to bed. Mr. 
 Naylor requested me to wait upon him, and medical 
 aid was instantly procured ; but the fearful malady 
 made such rapid progress, that he died the third 
 morning, and was consigned to parent earth in the 
 afternoon of the same day. — Corruption makes such 
 rapid progress in this climate, and especially in cases 
 of yellow fever, that there is a necessity for almost 
 immediate interment. Poor Mr. Thomson was sensi- 
 ble nearly until the last struggle, and about two hours 
 previously, when the black vomit had attacked him, 
 he knew that all was over. 
 
 " Zamba," said he ; " poor Zamba, I am sorry to 
 leave you. But all men are born to die; and if my soul 
 is found in Christ, which I humbly hope is the case, 
 it is perhaps much better to go away in my youth, 
 than to remain to combat with a cruel world, and 
 after all, perhaps, go -astray, and depart from the 
 Saviour. I am convinced that finally everything that 
 happens upon earth must be for the good of man. But 
 I feel faint, Zamba, and can only say that I wish you 
 
 o 
 
194 " EASY GOT, SOON GONE." 
 
 well. Go on as you have done, and I hope we shall 
 hereafter meet in a land of light and glory — of love 
 and peace, where no sorrow enters, and where God 
 shall wipe away all tears — where there are no tyrants 
 and no slaves — where Europe's pale sons and the sable 
 sons of Africa, are alike welcome — where, in short, all 
 is light, and where darkness and sin are for ever un- 
 known." 
 
 He spoke only a few broken sentences after this, 
 and when he drew his last sigh, I felt for the time as 
 if I were alone in the world. Peace to thy soul, my 
 noble-hearted friend ! Though nearly two score years 
 have rolled over my head since I saw thy mild eyes 
 close in death, often and often does old Zamba, heave 
 a sigh for the warm-hearted and youthful Scotsman. 
 
 I now felt the absence of Mr. Thomson as a deep 
 and irreparable loss : but being engaged busily in the 
 store from morning; till ni«;ht, and having mv faithful 
 Zillah to console me, time, that soother of grief, by 
 degrees reconciled me to my loss. 
 
 In the following year, an incident occurred which 
 showed that sooner or later, Providence will not suffer 
 the wicked to go unpunished, and verifying also the 
 proverbs, " Easy got, soon gone," and " What comes 
 by the wind, goes by the water." 
 
 One afternoon who should I see enter the store and 
 inquire for Mr. Naylor, but my old acquaintance, 
 Captain Winton : but in appearance and habiliments, 
 alas ! how fallen. He plainly perceived me, but 
 went to the back part of the store where Mr. Naylor 
 was at his desk, and I could perceive that he re- 
 
CAPTAIN WINT0N DOWN IN THE WORLD. 195 
 
 ceived a parcel of money from him. He repeated 
 his visits several times, but I could perceive that 
 although Mr. Naylor always gave him more or less, 
 it was in the way of charity. Mr. Naylor, by-the-by, 
 was a very benevolent man ; I have seen him give 
 a person in distress again and again a twenty dollar 
 note, and more than once, fifty dollars. The captain 
 seemed now terribly chop-fallen ; he had a most de- 
 bauched look, and was generally half-seas over. He 
 still kept up a swaggering appearance, however. I 
 soon learned, on inquiry, that he had entered into 
 some speculations in the north, which had turned 
 out very unsuccessful, and that finally he had fallen 
 in with gamblers and sharpers, and, to use an 
 American expression, had got close-shaved. He had 
 now come to try his luck upon a venture, at the 
 cards and dice, in the south. I may inform the 
 reader that I really felt sorry for him : but I rather 
 fear that there was so much of the old Adam in my 
 heart, as created a certain degree of satisfaction, or 
 — (I am rather at a loss to find a proper word to ex- 
 press my feelings,) a sort of calmness or composed- 
 ness in my breast when I reflected on the ways of 
 Providence. About a month after his first appear- 
 ance, one afternoon while I was engaged at some 
 business on the wharf next to our store, Winton came 
 up to me and said, " Well, Zamba, how do you get 
 on? I hear that you are getting rich. I hope you 
 haven't forgot old friends. Why man, Zamba, I 
 am mighty particularly hard up for a ten dollar bill 
 to-night, suppose you advance me so much; I shall 
 
 o 2 
 
196 ZAMBA RETURNS GOOD FOR EVIL. 
 
 repay you first chance I have." I looked very calmly 
 at him and said, "Why, Captain Winton, I am sorry 
 you have managed so badly with the money you had 
 of me. I do not wish to insult a man in distress, but 
 of all persons in the world, I never thought you would 
 have applied to me for money." " Oh ! well, well, 
 Zamba, it is an old story now. But the fact is, I was 
 under a strong temptation, and you must allow that 
 in my situation, some persons would have treated 
 you worse — ay, left you without a rag to your back, 
 or a cent in your pocket : and, besides, you must 
 admit that I procured you a good berth, and a good 
 master." " Well," said I, " Captain, as things have 
 turned out, I owe you no grudge; and to convince 
 you that I am profiting by my instructions in Chris- 
 tianity, which enjoins me to return good for evil, if 
 you meet me here to-morrow afternoon, I shall bring 
 you what you are in want of- and in the mean time 
 here is all the change I have upon me." I handed 
 him a dollar and a half, and he actually dropped a 
 tear on my hand as he shook it, and said " Zamba, 
 you're a noble fellow. If certain white men I have 
 lately dealt with, had such hearts as you, I should 
 not be in this condition to-night." The next day I 
 met him and handed him a doubloon, which quite 
 astonished him; and in about two weeks afterwards 
 I gave him another, but recommended him to try 
 and get some employment. 
 
 After this I saw him no more until the following 
 circumstances occurred a few weeks afterwards. Mr. 
 Netylor had a summer-house in Sullivan's Island, to 
 
WIN TON KILLED IN A DUEL. 197 
 
 which he frequently resorted to enjoy the sea-breeze, 
 and freer exercise than the city afforded ; and I 
 generally accompanied him to carry his gun or um- 
 brella. One morning he went out about six o'clock, 
 and I followed him of course. He took the direction 
 to the north-east part of the island, where there was 
 a small natural plantation of myrtles and other trees, 
 and as we approached this spot, we observed thirty 
 or forty men crowded together, and in a few seconds 
 heard the report of two fire-arms. We were only an 
 instant in being up with the group, and lo ! here 
 lay poor Captain Winton on the ground in the 
 pangs of death. My master and I tried to hold up 
 his head a little ; and he turned his eyes upon us, 
 and seemed to know us, but gave only a shiver or 
 two and all was over. He was shot clean through 
 the body. His antagonist was standing by, very 
 coolly wiping his pistol, and most of the others 
 seemed to look upon the matter as nothing ex- 
 traordinary. Mr. Naylor was one of the magistrates 
 of the city, and the fellow who shot Winton, being 
 informed of this by one of the by-standers, instantly 
 hurried off with a companion or two. 
 
 To show the systematic way in which duels are 
 sometimes conducted in Carolina, 1 may mention that 
 poor Winton's second stooped down, and examining the 
 wound, remarked, as calmly as if he had been looking 
 at a scratched finger, " A d — d good shot, by G — !" 
 
 I assisted with some others in carrying the lifeless 
 clay to the hotel in which Winton had lodged whilst 
 livino - ; and in the afternoon he was interred in the 
 
198 CAROLINIAN DUELISTS. 
 
 burying-ground on the island, attended by a few 
 heartless strangers. On inquiry, I found that a dis- 
 pute about some game at cards the previous evening 
 was the origin of the quarrel ; and of thus causing 
 one hardened sinner to hurry another, without a 
 minute's preparation, into the presence of a God who 
 has said, " Thou shalt do no murder." At one period 
 this circumstance would have afforded me, I am sorry 
 to say, a secret satisfaction ; but now I was inclined 
 more to sorrow than anger. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF CHARLESTON. 199 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Description of Charleston — Negro Incendiaries — Traits of Slavery — 
 Gardens and surrounding; Country — Extraordinary escape — The 
 Wilds of Carolina — An Inn in the Woods — Sporting in the Forest 
 — A Negro Patriarch. 
 
 I have brought my personal narrative nearly to a 
 conclusion; but I crave to be indulged in making 
 a few observations, and relating a few anecdotes 
 regarding the moral and physical condition of Caro- 
 lina. I am aware that the southern States of America 
 have not been so minutely described by travellers as 
 the northern, and therefore the more readily assume 
 the task. 
 
 The city of Charleston was founded about the year 
 1666, and is situated upon a peninsula, or neck of 
 land, bounded on the south by the river Ashley, and 
 by the Cooper on the north. These two rivers, which 
 are less than a hundred miles in length, and only 
 rank as sixth or seventh rate rivers in America, unite 
 at the city, and form an estuary or frith, which leads 
 easterly to the Atlantic, about ten miles distant. 
 The north side of this estuary, where it joins the 
 
200 CAROLINIAN PATRIOTS. 
 
 ocean, is bounded by Sullivan's Island; and the 
 south side by John's Island and part of the mainland. 
 There is a sand-bank or bar across the mouth, caused 
 by the rolling of the Atlantic and the sand brought 
 down by the rivers. This bar shifts frequently, and 
 is at times very dangerous to vessels. It has been 
 said, however, that it serves as a protection to the 
 city from hurricanes, which generally come in this 
 direction; and it is most assuredly a safeguard against 
 any foreign enemy, as no vessel larger than a 36-gun 
 frigate can cross the bar, and even then with diffi- 
 culty, at spring-tides. On this part of the American 
 coast, the tide rises and falls only about six feet. 
 
 There is a fort on Sullivan's Island, and one on the 
 opposite island, also another nearer the city ; but 
 some of these are now dismantled of their cannon. 
 There are some very heavy guns in Fort Moultrie on 
 Sullivan's Island; and, during; the revolutionary war, 
 the British, who had intruded so far with a few 
 frigates, actually came off second best in the affair. 
 They succeeded, however, two years thereafter, in 
 storming and taking the city, which was almost 
 burned to the ground : but whether by the British or 
 the Americans themselves does not appear clearly. 
 The Americans at this time, to confess the truth, 
 were very harshly treated by the British ; and had 
 they only evinced one-tenth part of that sympathy 
 for the welfare and interests of their black brethren, 
 which just and consistent men, struggling for 
 their own freedom and rights would have done., 
 I should consider them as martyrs and heroes in the 
 
STREETS OF CHARLESTON. 201 
 
 cause of liberty. But when they only fought and 
 bled for a part of the population of America, leaving 
 the others in hopeless chains, I can only say, alas ! 
 for poor human nature. Many hundred of Caro- 
 linian patriots were at this time confined in close and 
 crowded prison-ships, lying in Charleston harbour 
 during the sickly season, and perished in a most 
 pitiable manner in sight of their own fire-sides. 
 There are some few aged people yet surviving in 
 Charleston, who remember these things, and who 
 shrink with abhorrence at the name of a British 
 soldier — and no wonder. 
 
 Charleston is built partly of brick, but mostly of 
 wood. Some of the brick houses are three or four 
 stories high, and very handsome and substantial ; 
 though the hus;e wooden houses, with the elegant 
 piazzas and balconies all gaily painted, are much 
 more showy. The streets run mostly at right 
 angles, and some of them are very broad and airy. 
 There is generally a foot-pavement at each side, 
 made chiefly of brick j the middle part for carriages 
 is nothing but the bare soil or sand, excepting a few 
 of the principal business-streets, which are paved in 
 the middle with whinstone from New York or Scot- 
 land : this was done at great expense. Many of the 
 streets are planted with fine shady trees along the 
 edge of the pavement, looking very pleasant, and af- 
 fording protection from the powerful rays of the 
 sun. Several of the principal churches and other 
 public buildings were erected during the British 
 sway, and are some of them handsome and solid 
 
202 
 
 INCENDIARY FIRES. 
 
 edifices. Upon the whole, Charleston is one of the 
 handsomest cities in the Southern States. 
 
 Charleston has unfortunately, like all cities built 
 chiefly of wood, suffered greatly from fire. More 
 than once since I resided in it, at least one-half 
 cf the city has been completely destroyed, within 
 twenty-four hours ; and I am quite aware that most 
 of these fires have originated from the prevalence of 
 slavery. Revenge is one of the strongest passions 
 which can affect the human mind ; especially the 
 mind of a man who has received no education, and 
 who is daily subjected to degradation, insult, and 
 tyranny. Numbers of poor infatuated blacks have 
 suffered on the scaffold in Charleston for incen- 
 diarism ; and in many instances the poor wretches 
 have confessed with their dying breath that they had 
 no particular object in raising a fire, but merely 
 to cause a stir, and in some cases to be revenged on 
 massa for some trifling matter. I have said, and will 
 yet make it more clear, that the white lords of the 
 creation do not enjoy their privilege of trampling 
 upon the African race, either with honour or ease. 
 During a whole winter, I have known the alarm of 
 fire to be given almost every night, and sometimes 
 four or five times in a night, and always more or 
 less damage done. Let the reader reflect what a 
 melancholy state of things must exist in a city, 
 where not only firemen and fire-engines must be 
 called into service almost nightly, but where again 
 and again loaded cannon with their attendant artil- 
 lerymen, have to be planted at the corners of streets, 
 
HURRICANES. 203 
 
 ready to vomit death and destruction on that portion 
 of the community who are by law and custom so 
 cruelly oppressed, that no faith or trust can be placed 
 in them. Were the poor blacks but allowed their 
 rights as men and reasonable beings, they would, 
 be the very first to use their utmost endeavours to 
 quench any accidental conflagration ; but, as matters 
 now stand, the majority of negroes seem actually to 
 enjoy an extensive fire, delighted that they can give 
 their white masters so much trouble and vexation. 
 
 Charleston has also suffered much from hurricanes. 
 I recollect one in September 1822, which was truly 
 awful ; it left the city next morning in as ruinous 
 and roofless a state as if it had undergone a regular 
 bombardment, and many valuable lives were lost. 
 To give the British reader an idea of the force of the 
 wind, I can assure him that I have seen large trees 
 broken off about four feet from the ground, as cleanly 
 and evenly as if cut asunder by a saw. The very 
 orick pavements were in some places torn up, and a 
 hole left large enough to hold a wagon. Much 
 damage, as a matter of course, was done to the 
 shipping, and several vessels were seen outside the 
 bar bottom upwards. 
 
 Some of the churches in Charleston are very hand- 
 somely fitted up inside, and to the credit of all deno- 
 minations be it said, one side of the gallery is in all 
 cases appropriated to the use of white strangers, and 
 the other half to negroes. 
 
 In Charleston there has been always a handsome 
 and commodious theatre, and during the winter 
 
204 NEGROES EXCLUDED FROM THE THEATRE. 
 
 season this house of vanity is much better filled 
 and frequented than any of the churches ever are. 
 I never had the honour, however, of being within the 
 door of a theatre, so I can give no description of 
 what is inside ; for, by law, no negro or coloured 
 person can be admitted to the theatre in Charleston : 
 there is generally at the foot of the play-bills — • 
 " N. B., No coloured persons or dogs can be ad- 
 mitted." Mr. Thomson informed me that he be- 
 lieved negroes were debarred from entering such 
 places for this reason, that in some of the plays acted 
 black men or women held too conspicuous and too 
 exalted a position. Does not this display something 
 akin to fear on the part of the whites ? 
 
 Charleston contains about 40,000 inhabitants, 
 whereof only three-eighths are whites ; the re- 
 mainder are blacks and coloured persons, of whom 
 about 3000 are free : but their freedom amounts, in 
 reality, to little more than mere exemption from per- 
 sonal violence. They cannot, it is true, be sold on a 
 table like a piece of linen or cotton, but they 
 hardly possess one privilege over the merest slave, 
 although some of them are very wealthy. I knew 
 one very intelligent coloured man who petitioned the 
 legislature for leave to keep his carriage : but no, it 
 Would not do. He was permitted, however, to keep 
 a drosky, or something of that sort, but not a four- 
 wheeled coach. 
 
 With regard to mulattoes, I have seen individuals 
 sold at Vendue who were two or three shades whiter 
 than mulattoes — whiter, indeed, than many native 
 
A MOTHER BUYING HER OWN CHILDREN. 205 
 
 Carolinians ; but who had, as it was expressed by 
 their proprietors, " a drop of the devil's blood in 
 them." I saw a little boy and girl of nine or ten, 
 years of age, sold one day, who were exceeding fair 
 and beautiful ; they might, indeed, have travelled 
 through old England without suspicion of being 
 allied to Satan by blood. They were purchased by 
 their own mother ; and in this one case I was much 
 gratified to observe that intending purchasers who 
 were present, on being apprised of the state of the 
 matter, kept rather aloof, and offered no opposition 
 to the poor mother, who, consequently, obtained her 
 own children at a very moderate price. 
 
 In Charleston, all white men above eighteen and 
 under forty-five years of age (with certain exceptions) 
 are required to turn out as militia men. There ace a 
 few uniform companies, gaudy and showy enough in 
 appearance, but who would cut a sorry figure before 
 a regular British regiment. The majority turn out in 
 their every-day clothing, and present rather a motley 
 group ; they serve, however, to keep a rabble of poor 
 unarmed negroes in awe. At a review of the Char- 
 leston forces I have seen a whole company or two 
 stand out of line, and describe a complete semicircle, 
 in order to avoid standing in a part of the field which 
 was somewhat wettish. Notwithstanding all that 
 their officers could say or do, none of them would 
 budge an inch. 
 
 Charleston covers a large extent of ground in 
 proportion to its population. There are many fine 
 gardens in the rear of the houses, adorned with 
 
206 GARDENS AND MARKETS. 
 
 orange, fig, peach, and other trees, and flowers of 
 various scent and hue, which I am not botanist 
 enough to describe. One splendid shrub, called the 
 magnolia, flourishes in great perfection ; and I have 
 seen a species of small rose, called the multiflora, 
 spreading over a fence to the extent of perhaps thirty 
 feet by six or eight, and in all that space you could 
 hardly have put down your finger without touching a 
 rose. Kitchen vegetables are very difficult to rear in 
 or about Charleston, and consequently the price is 
 high, though a supply of cabbages, onions, &c. is 
 received by almost every vessel coming in from the 
 northern states. Nearly thirty years ago I saw a 
 single cabbage (but it was very large) sell for 
 eighteenpence sterling; and a quarter dollar was 
 common enough for one. The public markets in 
 the city are very commodious, and cleanly kept. 
 These consist of a range of sheds, supported on pil- 
 lars, and provided with tables, hooks, &c. at each 
 side, running up the whole length of Market Street. 
 There is a carriage-way betwixt these sheds and the 
 houses at each side, so that a busy scene is oft pre- 
 sented in this street. Large flocks of turkey buz- 
 zards, and a species of vulture of a most hideous 
 appearance, parade up and down this street through- 
 out the day, picking up all kinds of offal. They may 
 be styled the city scavengers, and are protected by 
 law ; a fine of 5/. being imposed on any person who 
 kills one of them. These birds regularly leave the 
 city every evening before sunset, and cross the Ashley 
 River to the woods, where they roost, and come 
 
ENVIRONS AND SURROUNDING COUNTRY. 207 
 
 back in the morning as regularly as an organized 
 body of men could do. It is curious to see the poor 
 things on a cold day huddled in crowds around the 
 chimney-tops for the sake of a little warmth. 
 
 The environs of Charleston present few agreeable 
 walks ; at least not such as I have seen by the river 
 side in my native land, or as I have heard are to be 
 enjoyed in great perfection in Britain : there is no such 
 thing as a walk on the flower-enamelled velvet lawn. 
 To attempt a walk by the banks of either the Ashley 
 or Cooper rivers, you would find yourself up to the 
 middle amongst reeds and mud. 
 
 Charleston lies upon a perfect level, and the coun- 
 try for 100 or 120 miles from the coast does not 
 rise 20 feet above tide water. In all that region, not 
 a rock, nor a stone so large as a man's head is to be 
 found. Beyond this, the land rises apace, and at 
 200 miles distance from the Atlantic the ground is 
 about 800 feet above sea-level. It here presents a 
 beautiful variety of hill and valley, and sparkling 
 mountain-stream, and is deemed quite healthy. Far- 
 ther back, the land becomes still more elevated, 
 and is in many districts peopled with not a few 
 bears, wolves, panthers, &c. : but the inhabitants 
 do not suffer great annoyance from the ferocity 
 of these denizens of the forest, which must in 
 general be sought after before they are met with. 
 There are, however, even in the most cultivated parts 
 of the low country, serpents of a dangerous and 
 troublesome description, and in the rivers there are a 
 considerable number of alligators. 
 
208 EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE. 
 
 I shall here relate a circumstance which I witnessed, 
 although aware that some of my readers will think 
 I am dealing in the marvellous : but I am only re- 
 lating the truth. Mr. Naylor and his wife, accom- 
 panied by a young lady of about twenty, and a gentle- 
 man, left the city in their carriage upon a visit to an 
 estate in the upper country near Columbia, and took 
 me with them. When we had proceeded about sixty 
 miles, which was not till the second day of our 
 journey, we halted about noon by the road-side, to 
 take some refreshment, as is usual in this country 
 even with people of the greatest wealth. The car- 
 riage was drawn up near the edge of a clear stream 
 which crossed the road with a gentle ripple; for 
 there was a trifling descent in the ground at this 
 spot. Mr. Naylor and his wife were walking about ; 
 the young gentleman was washing his face in the 
 brook, and the young lady had seated herself under- 
 neath a steep bank. While the coachman was busy 
 with his horses, and I was employed in spreading a 
 cloth on the ground and setting out the refresh- 
 ments ; the young lady called out in a faint voice, 
 " Look here ! but for God's sake do not stir or 
 speak — one of you." Being all of us within thirty 
 yards of her, we perceived to our horror and dismay 
 that an immense black snake at least eight feet in 
 length, and as thick as a man's arm, had fairly 
 twisted itself round the poor girl's waist, and again 
 bringing its head under her arm, was actually moving 
 its head from side to side, and gazing in her face. 
 The 3/oung lady remained perfectly still, but was 
 
EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE. 209 
 
 pale as a corpse, while the snake continued for about 
 two minutes to play or amuse itself in this manner. 
 The lady still kept her eye upon it; and at length, 
 to our infinite surprise and relief, it gently unwound 
 itself and glided away amongst the bushes. Some 
 of us were for pursuing it; but the young lady 
 begged of us to let it alone, as she had received no 
 harm. We were all much astonished at the circum- 
 stance, and were at a loss whether most to admire 
 the gentleness of the reptile, or the courage and 
 presence of mind of the lady. The snake was not of 
 a poisonous nature, but being of the constrictor 
 species, was of such a size that, had it been so 
 disposed, it could in spite of our interference, have 
 crushed the poor girl in a fearful manner. 
 
 In this excursion, the scenery was rather of a mo- 
 notonous character : after leaving the city there was 
 little variety. Immensely tall and slender pine-trees 
 lined each side of the road, which consisted of the 
 bare sand, into which the carriage-wheels sometimes 
 sank from six to twelve inches, which made the pace 
 very heavy and slow. In general, we appeared to be 
 travelling through an interminable and gloomy lane, 
 and but for the occasional tinkling of the bells of the 
 wagoners' whom we met, and the chirping of birds by 
 the wayside, the dullness would have been intolerable : 
 at least to towns' people, who delight in a bustle. 
 Here and there we came to a cleared spot ; but these 
 clearances, in proportion to the land in a state of 
 nature, were " few and far between," as some Eng- 
 
 p 
 
210 A NIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 lish poet says the visits of angels are to this poor 
 fallen world of ours. 
 
 The first night we put up at a tavern about forty- 
 miles from Charleston, kept by a widow, who owned 
 some land, and about twenty or thirty negroes, and 
 seemed a very pleasant woman. There were a few 
 strangers in the house, else I should have imagined 
 we were altogether out of the world, the situation of 
 the house was so sequestered. About ten acres im- 
 mediately around it were cleared ; but the prospect 
 in every direction was bounded by trees of a hundred 
 and fifty feet high, forming, as it were, a sombre 
 wall, enclosing us on every side. I measured some 
 pine-trees lying on the ground, and found them to 
 be one hundred and seventy feet in length, but not 
 more than two feet in diameter at the thickest end. 
 About sunset, it was curious to observe the various 
 kinds of domestic animals arrive from their feeding 
 place. First came a few cows with a bull at their 
 head, at whose neck hung an old bell ; next a flock 
 of sheep led by a ram, who had two plates of old 
 iron jingling at his neck ; a flock of goats followed ; 
 then a herd of swine ; and lastly, a whole squad of 
 turkeys, geese, cocks and hens. The commotion and 
 confusion of sounds that the poor creatures kept up, 
 until admitted to their respective pens, was quite 
 a contrast to the previous silence, and recalled to 
 my mind the words of Scripture, " The ox knoweth 
 his owner, and the ass his master's crib." 
 
 This being the first night I had slept in the coun- 
 try since I had been in America, everything seemed 
 
A NIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS. 211 
 
 strange, and I could obtain little rest, but lay listen- 
 ing to the noise of crickets and insects of va- 
 rious kinds, the croaking of millions of bull-frogs, 
 the hooting of owls and other night birds, and the 
 incessant, yet pleasing, note of the Whip-poor- 
 Will. 
 
 Two or three parties of wagoners encamped for 
 the night about two hundred yards from the house, 
 and I amused myself with watching their proceed- 
 ings. They loosed their horses in a twinkling, fas- 
 tened them to the wagons, and provided them with 
 corn and water. In a few minutes afterwards a large 
 quantity of wood was cut down, and in less than no 
 time, as one might say, they had a fire blazing large 
 enough to roast an ox; a large kettle was boiling 
 for coffee, and a frying-pan with a handle five feet 
 long, was hissing and frizzling with good solid bacon. 
 One of the waggoners came into the tavern after 
 
 DO 
 
 supper, and got a large bottle filled with whisky, 
 and soon afterwards I noticed that they all lay 
 down on the ground in their great-coats, with their 
 feet towards the fire, having two or three large dogs 
 for sentinels. 
 
 At this period, there was an immense traffic upon 
 this road betwixt Charleston and the upper country ; 
 and many thousands of bales of cotton, and other 
 produce, were brought down to the city in wagons. 
 I have seen two hundred wagons in one morning- 
 arrive in King-street ; but of late years, since steam- 
 boats and railways have come into operation, there is 
 hardly a wagon to be seen, and the country roads 
 
 p 2 
 
212 NEGRO DWELLINGS. 
 
 are consequently almost as lonely as an African 
 desert. 
 
 About a hundred yards in rear of the inn here, 
 there was a row or street of rude wooden huts for 
 the negroes to reside in. I went into several, and 
 found from the conversation of the inmates that they 
 were tolerably comfortable, and by no means hard 
 worked. There are not, however, many proprietors 
 in Carolina so humane and indulgent as Mrs. Kin- 
 non was. 
 
 I found here an elderly negro man busily employed 
 in erecting a little frame-house, much superior to the 
 others. His mistress had supplied him with boards 
 and a few other necessary articles ; and he had 
 managed, with a little assistance from a fellow- 
 servant and his own children, to cut down trees of 
 a fitting size, and with his axe and saw and a few 
 old chisels, had squared and formed all that he wanted 
 in the way of joists, rafters, lintels, &c. The building 
 was about twenty feet by twelve, and about eight high, 
 with a regular sloping roof. He was putting shingles 
 on the roof the night I saw him. These are flat 
 slips of board about eighteen inches long, by five or 
 six inches in breadth, and serve the same purpose as 
 slates or tiles in more civilized countries. Poor old 
 Jem had no nails to fasten them on with, and was doing 
 it in his best way with wooden pins; indeed he had 
 put the frame of the house together, and even boarded 
 it, all with wooden pins. He had left openings for 
 windows and a door, but said that he would be rather 
 at a loss for hinges and some other articles of iron. 
 
OLD JEM AND HIS HOUSE. 213 
 
 He seemed very proud of bis new building, and I had 
 the satisfaction of making him perfectly happy, as he 
 said, by promising to send him a box next week, 
 with a few pounds of nails, some hinges, a lock or two, 
 and (what to him seemed better than all) two or 
 three dozen small panes of glass. These articles only 
 cost me about four dollars in all, and I sent them out, 
 as promised, by a wagoner who passed that way, in 
 about ten days thereafter. So assiduous was old 
 Jem in his work, that when I saw him he was labour- 
 ing by the light of a small fire; which some of his 
 children kept burning brightly a few yards off, 
 by means of chips, branches of trees, but especially 
 by immense fir-cones which they procured in the 
 surrounding forest. Some of these cones were as 
 large as a seven-pound sugar-loaf, and being full of 
 resin or pitch, burned with a clear and strong light. 
 Jem was an African as well as myself, but from 
 another part of the coast. He acknowledged to me 
 that, slave as he was, he preferred the life he now led 
 to what he could recollect of Africa ; for, said he, " I 
 am now good Christian, and go every day to meet- 
 ing, which is three miles off; and although there 
 is much cowskinning on some of the neighbouring 
 estates, there is none of the continual murdering 
 and fighting and burning as used to go on with my 
 tribe and their neighbours in Angola. If I could 
 only read Bible I should be so happy." 
 
 The next morning I was up with the dawn, but so 
 tall were the trees all round this little farm, that we 
 did not see the jolly face of the glorious sun until he 
 
214 FOREST GAME. 
 
 was more than an hour above the horizon. About 
 seven o'clock, a white man, carrying an immense 
 turkey-cock over his shoulders, came in from the 
 woods. " Mrs. Kinnon," said he, laying down his 
 game in the piazza, " I must have an extra glass of 
 bitters this morning. I have brought you a forty- 
 pounder, I calculate; but I have had a long dull 
 night of it waiting for this big fellow." The size and 
 beauty of this bird was astonishing. I took it up by 
 both legs, and when I held it up in front higher than 
 my face its head lay on the ground. Its plumage 
 was really splendid ; its legs were about as thick as 
 the wrist of a boy of twelve years old ; and its spurs 
 were at least four inches long. We guessed its 
 weight to be over 40 lb. ; and the man who shot 
 it, assured me that lie had killed turkeys in Caro- 
 lina which weighed close upon 60 lb.; he had 
 shot the hen only a few days previously. The 
 way he did was this : he went to the haunt of the 
 birds the evening before, and kept up a calling or 
 gobbling noise similar to what is made by these 
 birds, so as to keep his prey near to him all night ; 
 and as soon as daylight enabled him to spy the 
 bird perched upon a tree, he took aim with his rifle, 
 and brought it down with a single ball. He in- 
 formed me that deer were tolerably plentiful, and 
 that there was occasionally a sprinkling of wolves. 
 Then pointing out to me two tremendous dogs, which 
 were terribly marked and cut about the head; 
 " These," said he, " are powerful critters, but a wolf, 
 such as I never saw before, engaged with both of 
 

 A NEGRO PATRIARCH. 215 
 
 them about three weeks ago, and had I not inter- 
 fered with my rifle, I rather guess that my two 
 good dogs would have been regularly done up. 
 The critter was a strapper, I tell you ; he measured 
 nearly seven feet including the tail." 
 
 As my master did not order his carriage till ten 
 o'clock, I had time this morning to look about me 
 a little. Seeing an old black man in a corn-field 
 close by the house — and hearing him, too, for he 
 made the forest re-echo with a shrill scream every 
 half minute or so — I asked who he was. The people 
 told me it was old Monday, and that he was 104 
 years old. On going up to him, I could see that he 
 was indeed a patriarch: his hair was white as snow, 
 and not a tooth was left in his head ; he held a long 
 staff in his hand, and kept up an incessant noise and 
 screaming to frighten the birds, as I understood; 
 he had an old pair of Osnaburgh trousers on, and an 
 old bluejacket, but neither shirt nor anything else. 
 He appeared to be in his dotage, and I could make 
 out little of what he said; but I found that he had 
 come from Guinea when about twenty years old. 
 I offered him a small piece of silver money; he 
 looked at it and then returned it to me, shaking his 
 head; but betook a stump of a tobacco-pipe from 
 his pocket and pointed to the bowl of it, which was 
 empty. There was no mistaking this language, so I 
 pulled out a good junk of tobacco and gave it to him. 
 He then seemed to meditate a little. There were no 
 lucifer-matches in America in those days, but I had 
 a powerful burning-glass in my pocket, and as the 
 
216 A NEGRO PATRIARCH. 
 
 sun is always strong in Carolina, I had his pipe 
 blazing for him in no time. He seemed quite 
 petrified at what I had done, and eyed me rather 
 suspiciously at first, but presently puffed away most 
 vigorously. Poor old Monday ! thinks I ; what a te- 
 dious and dreary pilgrimage you must have had. Surely 
 the grave will be indeed a bed of rest for you, and the 
 God of mercy and of love will never require such an 
 account from you, as from those who have all their 
 days lived in ease, and had every opportunity of 
 moral and intellectual culture! 
 
SCENERY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 217 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Scenery of South Carolina — Cotton and Rice Plantations — American 
 Treatment of Black and Red Races — Character of the Carolinians — 
 Slave-Dealers and Slave-Breeders — Conduct of Carolinian Ladies to 
 Negro Slaves — Atrocities of Carolinian Planters. 
 
 As we proceeded further up the country, the ground, 
 although still elevated only about twenty or thirty 
 feet above the sea-level, swelled here and there into 
 gentle undulations, which broke in some measure the 
 monotony of a dead level. The grand and prevailing 
 feature in all American scenery is trees : mostly pine, 
 in this part of the country, interspersed with hard- 
 wood trees of various descriptions, chiefly oak ; and. 
 these generally have a very venerable appearance, 
 owing to the immense quantities of a kind of creep- 
 ing moss, hanging from their branches in festoons. 
 A great quantity of this moss is dried and beaten 
 with sticks, when it assumes the appearance of black 
 horse-hair, and is made use of in stuffing chairs, sofas, 
 mattresses, &c. It forms, indeed, a regular trade in 
 Charleston; great quantities being annually shipped 
 for the north. 
 
218 THE COTTON PLANT. 
 
 We passed, in our journey, many fields of cotton. 
 I have a few words to say on this subject, which may 
 be interesting to the people of Britain, who have 
 brought the manufacture of this article to great per- 
 fection, and carry it to such an amazing extent. 
 
 There are two kinds of cotton cultivated in Ca- 
 rolina: the black-seed, or long-staple, sometimes 
 called sea-island, which grows best on rich low lands, 
 •near the coast, and is of a finer quality than can be 
 got in any other part of the world ; and the green- 
 seed, or short-staple, called upland, generally, and 
 which goes often in Britain by the name of Bowed 
 Georgia: for what reason I know not. 
 
 Cotton is usually planted in the month of March, 
 but I have several times witnessed a black frost, as 
 late as the 20th April, which so completely blighted 
 the young cotton plants, then about three or four 
 inches high, that the whole field had to be planted 
 over again ; which, of course, caused an exceeding 
 late harvest. The seeds of cotton, which are about 
 the size of peas, but of an oblong shape, are planted 
 (after the ground has been perfectly prepared, of 
 course,) three or four together in one hole, in rows 
 about four feet apart, and the same distance between 
 every hole. Soon after the young plants come up, 
 the weakest are pulled up, leaving one at the dis- 
 tance, as I have said, of every four feet. When full- 
 grown the plant is four or five feet high, with a beau- 
 tiful blossom, and afterwards a pod about as large as 
 a walnut; this, when ripe, bursts open in three or four 
 divisions, and the cotton then appears. A field of it, 
 
THE COTTON-GIN. 219 
 
 in this state, looks very fine. As soon as the cotton 
 is fairly ripe, it is gathered by negroes — men, women, 
 and children — who are generally required to collect a 
 certain quantity each day. They carry a small bag 
 or pocket in front of them, into which they put the 
 pods, as they go along, picking them off the stems. 
 The cotton and seeds adhere together, so that it takes 
 about four pounds of pods thus collected to produce 
 one pound of clean cotton. The Sea-island cotton 
 is very easily cleaned ; the wool being stripped off 
 the seed, readily and smoothly, by means of two 
 rollers about an inch in diameter, moving in opposite 
 directions, and driven by a treddle, like the wheel 
 of a lathe. The green seed, however, adheres most 
 tenaciously to the wool, and until a machine was in- 
 vented, some fifty years ago, the planters were at 
 great trouble and expense in cleaning their cotton. 
 The machine to which I allude, is called the cotton- 
 gin, and was invented by a person of the name of Eli 
 Whitney, who, at the time, was tutor in a gentleman's 
 family, in Georgia. After many trials it was brought 
 to perfection ; but Mr. Whitney, like many other me- 
 chanical inventors and benefactors of mankind, was 
 very unhandsomely treated by those who reaped the 
 benefit of his labours. Before his death, however, he 
 received some very considerable compensation for his 
 invention. The principal part of the cotton-gin, con- 
 sists of a roller six or eight inches in diameter, and 
 about three feet long, upon which are fastened forty 
 or fifty small circular saws, which turn round in a 
 frame furnished with as many crevices or grooves as 
 

 220 RICE PLANTATIONS. 
 
 there are saws. In front of these chinks is a small 
 trough, into which the cotton and seeds, as they come 
 from the bush, are placed ; and as the roller turns 
 round, the cotton is drawn through the chinks by 
 means of the teeth of the saws, leaving the seeds in 
 the small trough. At the under side of the row of 
 saws, another roller is placed, and upon this roller a 
 number of strong brushes, made of stout bristles, are 
 fastened, corresponding in number and position to the 
 small saws, and turning in an opposite direction, with 
 many times the velocity of the saw-roller. This, con- 
 sequently, sweeps the wool clean from off the teeth of 
 the saws, thereby causing them, as they turn to the 
 upper side, to be ready again to seize a fresh quantity 
 from out the trough or feeder. This machine is set 
 in motion by human labour, or by horse power; and 
 it is really a most ingenious piece of mechanism. 
 
 In the low country of Carolina, an immense quan- 
 tity of rice is grown. In some parts of the world, 
 this grain is, I am aware, cultivated upon hills or 
 rising grounds ; but in Carolina it requires to be 
 done upon a perfect level, so that the field may be 
 occasionally overflowed with water, to the depth of 
 a few inches ; which is done for the purpose of de- 
 stroying weeds. Under the influence of a powerful 
 sun, this practice naturally produces what is called 
 marsh miasma, which engenders fevers of a dan- 
 gerous nature : fatal, indeed, to white men in most 
 cases ; and even negroes, in some seasons, suffer 
 greatly from it. 
 
 Europeans have scarcely any idea of the low lands 
 
PROPORTION OF WHITE AND BLACK RACES. 221 
 
 of Carolina. What would they think of travelling 
 through endless and almost impervious woods, where 
 the air is in a state of stagnation ; and where, in 
 some seasons, stagnant water lies upon the ground 
 in most parts to the depth of twelve or eighteen 
 inches? Even so early as the month of April, I 
 have been in a part of the country about fifteen, 
 miles south-west of Charleston, and observed that in 
 driving along the public road, where it led through 
 a swamp, the white passengers in a carriage were 
 obliged to apply a handkerchief to their noses, so 
 noxious and intolerable was the effluvium. 
 
 Carolina will continue to suffer from periodical 
 fevers until the low countryis cleared of trees, 
 the swamps drained, the present system of rice- 
 planting put an end to, and the country generally 
 cultivated. All this can only be effected through the 
 instrumentality of negroes ; and, as I shall hereafter 
 show, it may be done in the course of years by free 
 negroes ; but never under the system of hopeless 
 slavery. 
 
 I may here observe that the whole of the land yet 
 cultivated in Carolina is trifling in proportion to its 
 extent. South Carolina contains nearly 28,000 square 
 miles, or nearly the same extent as Scotland ; and the 
 population, white and black, bond and free, is not 
 much over 600,000. Of these there are yet a few 
 thousands of native Indian Americans; but the white 
 man is fast driving these aboriginal proprietors of the 
 soil to the far West ; and in a few years hence a 
 
222 RED INDIANS. 
 
 native Indian will be a rarity on the east of the 
 Mississippi. 
 
 The Americans excuse themselves for their treat- 
 ment of the Indians, by alleging that as the Indians 
 do not cultivate the soil, it therefore belongs to those 
 who will. The American Government annually pays 
 several hundred thousands of dollars to certain Indian 
 tribes, as compensation-money ; but the " truck sys- 
 tem," as it is called in England, is in operation, and 
 the poor simple Indians are paid in blankets, mus- 
 kets, gun-powder, fire-water, &c, at a profit of 200 or 
 300 per cent. The Americans bind themselves to pay 
 great part of the Indian pension-money for ever; but 
 I rather guess that Jonathan will take it into his 
 head to repudiate on this score, long before the end 
 of the present century. But indeed it is thought by 
 many judicious men, that ere that period elapses 
 there will be very few of the red men left to trouble 
 their white oppressors. 
 
 It was never my fortune to fall in with many 
 Indians together ; I have only seen a few stragglers, 
 who come to Charleston now and then ; and these 
 (with the exception of a few chiefs, who have occa- 
 sionally visited the city on their way to see their 
 " great father" at Washington) were by no means 
 fair samples of their countrymen. Going about from 
 one grog-shop to another, both men and women were 
 usually in a state of oblivion from the time they 
 entered Charleston, until their departure. Some of 
 the chiefs I have seen were very noble-looking men, 
 
ZAMBA TO THE CAROLINIANS. 223 
 
 and wore splendid and gaudy dresses. The Indians, 
 by-the-by, affect to look upon the negro race with 
 sovereign contempt. 
 
 I shall now return to the city, and take the liberty 
 of passing a few remarks on the moral character of 
 the Carolinians. Should these remarks ever reach 
 the eye of a Carolinian, he will probably, without 
 thinking, exclaim, " What, you neegur ! do you pre- 
 sume to animadvert upon the character of free-born 
 Republicans ? You stab us in the dark, you black 
 rascal ! Come forward in open day and let us know 
 your name, and what you are, and we shall soon 
 refute the scandalous lies which you dare to tell 
 about us, while you remain hidden in your hole like 
 a venomous spider." " Yes, massa ! Just so. Hear 
 the poor black fellow one word. Let me share the 
 privileges which, as a freeman, you possess yourself; 
 and grant me a safe conduct to any public place in 
 Carolina, or any of the slave states. Guarantee to 
 me protection from all violence to my person, or 
 damage to my property ; and last, though not least, 
 giant me the privilege of the public press, and I am 
 ready to come forward. But until you do this, I 
 shall remain unknown, and take the advantage of 
 spreading the truth in regard to slavery and all that 
 pertains to it, by means of the British press ; which 
 it is beyond your power to control." 
 
 The Carolinians have been described by some of 
 their northern brethren as proud, overbearing, quick- 
 tempered men ; exceedingly vain, extravagant, licen- 
 tious, and fond of gambling ; but, at the same time, 
 
224 CHARACTER OF THE CAROLINIANS. 
 
 hospitable, generous, warm-hearted, and not without 
 animal courage. I shall not attempt to analyze their 
 characters, or reconcile seeming contradictions, but 
 will be content to relate a few anecdotes. 
 
 I will allow that, during the season of sickness, the 
 people of Charleston have, again and again, displayed 
 much kindness and sympathy to strangers; both in 
 regard to the opening of their purse, and personal at- 
 tention. I have known ladies of delicacy and refine- 
 ment go from house to house, administering to the 
 wants of the distressed with their own hands ; and in 
 the event of fire (which, as already observed, is a very 
 frequent disaster here), their generosity has, in many- 
 instances, been most nobly displayed towards the suf- 
 ferers. In their domestic virtues also, in many in- 
 stances, both male and female Carolinians are beautiful 
 examples of love and unity ; and in some families 
 their kindness and sympathy extends even to their 
 black dependants : white ladies, with their own hands, 
 administering medicine and cordials to the sick 
 negroes. Perhaps some English abolitionist may ob- 
 serve, " Oh ! they were afraid of their property ; it was 
 no genuine pity for their negro, but merely the fear 
 that death would deprive them of so many hundred 
 dollars." This consideration might operate a little, 
 but in most cases, I am convinced, that the true milk 
 of human kindness prompted them to these labours of 
 love. I could expatiate at considerable length upon 
 the acquirements, and the natural virtues of the ladies 
 of Carolina in general, and I have pleasure in bearing 
 testimony to their many amiable qualities ; and also, 
 
a 'cute slave-dealer. 225 
 
 as far as a man of my colour may be permitted to 
 judge, as to their personal beauty. But with all this 
 there is still this one " damning spot," to disfigure and 
 blotoutmanyvirtues: viz.,theircruel prejudice against, 
 and too oft cruel treatment of, black people. To their 
 honour, however, I must repeat the remark that I 
 have often heard made here, that there has hardly 
 ever been a single case of a native-born white lady of 
 Charleston descending so low as to join the degraded 
 class of " women of the town." These unhappy crea- 
 tures come down in crowds from the northern cities at 
 the commencement of every winter, and return on the 
 approach of the sickly season. It is, however, neither 
 my province nor my desire to enlarge on this subject. 
 The love of money, that " root of all evil," often 
 leads men in this place, who are, otherwise, possessed 
 of sense and feeling, to do many things derogatory to 
 their characters, and very humiliating to contemplate. 
 I knew one old gentleman who owned property to the 
 amount of half a million dollars, and who, neverthe- 
 less, for many years, had a peculiar satisfaction in 
 purchasing at Vendue what he called " bargains," or 
 "job lots," in the shape of negro women. These he 
 would take home to his wife, an old Scotch lady, and, 
 under her instructions, they became, in a few years, 
 servants of the first class — as cooks or laundresses ; 
 and when they had been thus accomplished, old Mr. 
 Lamp carried them down again to Vendue, and there 
 they were sure to command large prices, in the pro- 
 portion of at least three to one for his outlaid money. 
 "Mr. Lamp! Mr. Lamp!" his old wife would ex- 
 
 Q 
 
226 A BREEDER OF NEGRO SLAVES. 
 
 claim, "really it is most annoying that I have no 
 sooner got proper cooks than off you hurry them to 
 auction." " Well, well, my dear ! you know you are a 
 very clever woman, and you would tire for want of em- 
 ployment if I did not oblige you in this way. I shall 
 try and get you a fresh young girl or two next week, so 
 say no more about it. You see it is always turning 
 over a few hundred dollars." 
 
 I was also acquainted with a Mr. Dunnam, a boot 
 and shoe maker, who made a regular traffic of breed- 
 ing negroes, and had hardly ever less than fifteen or 
 twenty negro children swarming in his back yard. 
 He was a shrewd judge of the value of this peculiar 
 kind of property. I remember his purchasing a negro 
 girl, named Sally, about twenty years of age, with a 
 child at her breast, in the year 1811, when prices were 
 dull, for 350 dollars only. Sally soon found a hus- 
 band among Mr. Dunnam's shoemakers; and by the 
 year 1818, Sally had become the mother of five fine 
 children; when as negroes were then selling at an ex- 
 travagant price in consequence of the very high rates 
 of cotton and rice, the knowing boot-maker brought 
 the whole family to the Vendue table. I witnessed 
 the sale personally, and can assure the reader that 
 they brought 530 dollars a head, or, in all, 3180 dol- 
 lars ! Such enormous profits on the raising of negroes 
 certainly offer a great temptation to men whose god 
 is money. 
 
 It is still more to be deplored, that the love of 
 mciiey should operate so powerfully upon the mind 
 of woman, as to destroy that natural delicacy of feel- 
 
A CAROLINIAN BEAUTY. 227 
 
 ing which is one of the brightest ornaments of the 
 softer sex. I was standing one day at the door of a 
 grocery, in East Bay Street, when two white ladies, 
 finely dressed, walking on the pavement, came up 
 while a young black woman was conversing with 
 me; the elder of the ladies stopped, and, drawing my 
 female friend aside, asked her to whom she belonged. 
 " I belong to nobody, ma'am," said the young wo- 
 man, dropping a courtesy; "I do be free woman, 
 ma'am." " Oh ! very well, my good girl — never mind ; 
 I only thought you looked as if you would breed well !" 
 The white ladies then went on their way. Is any 
 comment here necessary ? 
 
 I will just give one or two more examples. " But 
 how did you become acquainted with these private 
 scenes, Mr. Zamba ?" some reader may ask. "Some 
 of them through the intervention of Zillah ; who, like 
 the rest of her sex, was fond of a bit of gossip with 
 her sister waiting-maids." One of these told her that 
 when waiting on her voting mistress, a Miss Treu- 
 man, in her bed-chamber, where also one or two of 
 the young lady's sisters were present, Miss Treu man 
 would lean back in her chair and say, " Now Dinah, 
 come hither and rub my legs." Dinah forthwith 
 kneeled down on the floor ; and having pulled off the 
 young lady's stockings, commenced in as gentle a 
 manner as possible to manipulate the limbs of this 
 Carolinian beauty for she really was a beauty : at 
 least in outward appearance. " Rub a little harder 
 now, Dinah ; ah ! that's a good wench, just so : ah ! 
 that'll do. Now, you black devil, have you scratched 
 
 q 2 
 
228 AN INFURIATED HOUSEWIFE. 
 
 me? If you scratch me as much as a pin's point I 
 shall have you regularly cowskinned in the morning." 
 " Beg pardon, missy," said poor Dinah, " I not 
 scratch missy legs for de world." — " Well, just be 
 careful now, wench, for you know that there is venom 
 beneath the nails of you black heathens." When 
 Zillah related this little incident to me, I could not 
 but laugh ; and I have since wondered much whether 
 duchesses and countesses in England cause their wait- 
 ing-maids to rub their legs before going to bed. 
 
 I have a more serious tale now, however, to relate. 
 I was taken by my master one day to assist in serv- 
 ing at a large dinner-party, at which he was a guest. 
 As the chief servant of the house was carrying into 
 the dining-room a large crystal epergne, loaded with 
 jellies, custards, syllabubs, &c, he most unfortunately 
 stumbled, and the whole concern was smashed to 
 pieces. I could observe all that passed, as I was 
 at the moment standing at the sideboard ; and poor 
 Tom was by no means to blame, for the large' epergne 
 that he carried prevented his seeing a stool which 
 one of the host's children had left in the way. The 
 gentleman of the house was a very fine man, and 
 attempted to pass off the matter with a laugh ; but 
 I could observe the mistress of the house turn pale 
 as a corpse, whilst her eyes flashed like those of a 
 tigress : though in a short time she appeared more 
 composed, and all went on quietly until the guests 
 retired. I learned, however, that no sooner was the 
 house clear of strangers than Mrs. Alderton made her 
 appearance in the kitchen — where poor Tom, assisted 
 
A TENDER-HEARTED YOUNG LADY. 229 
 
 by his fellow-servants, was busily employed in clean- 
 ing and clearing away matters — and broke out most 
 furiously. " You abominable, infamous neegur ! to 
 break my epergne, which* cost ninety dollars. But 
 you shall pay for it, you black brute you." And 
 here she attacked poor Tom with a pair of iron tongs, 
 laying on with all her might and regardless of where 
 she struck him. She would most probably have put 
 it out of Tom's power to break any more crystals in 
 this world, had not her husband interfered. Nothing, 
 however, could ever pacify this vindictive lady ; and 
 after Tom had endured for some months the most 
 brutal usage, his master, for peace's sake, and out of 
 humanity, sent him to the Vendue table. 
 
 I feel no pleasure in recording such savage cruel- 
 ties perpetrated by the white ladies of Carolina ; but 
 truth ought not to be concealed, if the making known 
 of that truth should in any way hereafter tend to 
 ameliorate the unhappy condition of domestic slaves. 
 Nor can I pass over the opinions and sentiments of 
 a young lady of Charleston, in regard to the punish- 
 ment of negroes at the time of the insurrection in 
 1822. Her father, a Mr. Wiggins, being one of the 
 city authorities, his opinion had considerable influ- 
 ence. One morning, at the time of the trials, as Mr. 
 Wiggins rose from breakfast, Miss Lydia followed 
 him to the door and said, " Dear pa, I tell you what 
 you should do with these horrible wretches of negroes, 
 who designed to murder us all. I would have a 
 large brander (gridiron) made, pa, and chain every 
 soul of them upon it, and then kindle a fire under- 
 
230 HEARTLESS CRUELTY OF A SLAVE-OWNER. 
 
 neath. Do you not think it an excellent plan, pa? 
 Do recommend it to the judges." Mr. Wiggins, 
 who had more humane feelings within his breast than 
 his delicate and lovely daughter, replied, " Hush ! 
 hush ! Liddy ; you are going too far. I don't like to 
 hear such talk from you ; it does not become you at 
 all. Go to your room quickly, and read your bible." 
 This fair daughter of the American Republic — accom- 
 plished, refined, and elegant — who would have turned 
 aside to avoid treading upon a worm, utters in cold 
 blood a proposal which the Inquisition, in the height 
 of its power, could hardly have surpassed ! This is 
 only another proof that the existence of slavery, in 
 any country, debases and degrades the oppressor, in 
 a moral sense, even more than it does the poor 
 trembling slave. 
 
 I might fill a large volume with the deliberate 
 murders, rapes, and other outrages upon humanity, 
 which have been practised by Carolinians and other 
 slaveholders against their helpless victims ; but I will 
 only give an instance or two. A Mr. Wilkins kept 
 an inn, within twenty miles of Charleston, who was 
 a wealthy man and fond enough of money ; but 
 when his passions obtained the mastery over him — 
 and that was every day, almost every hour — he acted 
 more like an incarnate devil than a human being. 
 It was well known to many — indeed it was a matter 
 of public notoriety — that he had killed several of his 
 slaves, by usage of the most revolting nature. On 
 one occasion it happened, that having stripped two 
 of his slaves — one of them a woman — nearly naked, 
 
ADULTERY AND MURDER. 231 
 
 he lashed them ferociously with a horsewhip ; to 
 escape from this cruel chastisement they broke loose 
 from him, and making for a wooden bridge which 
 was within a hundred yards of the house, leaped into 
 the river and were speedily drowned, or devoured by 
 the alligators. Their inhuman persecutor, thinking 
 only of his loss, said, (i D — them ! but I gave 
 them a handsome walloping first! They may go to 
 hell ! I don't mind a few hundred dollars, when I get 
 satisfaction for it." 
 
 About ten miles from town, one Captain Gullan 
 had an estate, upon which were about fifty negroes; 
 and amongst them was a very handsome young mar- 
 ried woman, named Juno, who had taken the captain's 
 fancy: and he, too, be it observed, was a married 
 man. The captain had first attempted, by what his 
 brother white men here call fair means — that is, by 
 the offer of a little favour or indulgence, or a few 
 dollars — to seduce poor Juno; but she resisted all 
 the overtures of the white libertine. The captain, 
 however, would not be thus repelled, but persecuted 
 her from day to day. One evening, after her field- 
 task was over, he paid her a visit in her little hut ; 
 her husband being present, and their only child, an 
 infant. " Juno, I wish to see you this evening at 
 the house," said the captain ; " you will call up after 
 dark. My wife is in town at present, and I wish you 
 to come particularly; so do not disappoint me, or, by 
 the Lord ! I shall make it a bad business for both 
 you and Billy here." Poor Billy sat apart, and 
 never opened his lips ; but Juno, clasping her hands 
 
232 AN ADULTEROUS SEDUCER MURDERS 
 
 together, said, imploringly — " Do, dear massa, ex- 
 cuse me — do, for God's sake, excuse me. I know 
 you want me for no good. Oh ! dear massa, haven't 
 you a dear, sweet, good lady of your own ? Why 
 will you take trouble for a poor negro woman ? I 
 will serve you night and day : but do not ask me 
 to be faithless to my poor Billy." — " Hold your jaw 
 now, you neegur," said he, " and give me none of 
 your sermons. Come up as I bid you." But Juno 
 held out, and did not go to the house. So the fol- 
 lowing day Captain Gullan came down on horseback 
 to Juno's hut, early in the morning, just as the 
 negroes were standing at their doors, preparing to go 
 to their task in the field. He called out, and the 
 woman came to the door with her husband. "Come 
 this way, Juno," said the captain, and whispered some- 
 thing in her ear. At this the poor woman renewed 
 her supplications that he would let her alone. "Take 
 that, then, you d — d neegur," said he — " and that" 
 cutting her over the head and shoulders with his 
 horse-whip. " By God ! I shall make you obey 
 me/' Billy rushed between his wife and her brutal 
 assailant, holding up his hands to ward off the blows 
 from her, and crying out — " Do, for God's sake, 
 massa, let us do our work in peace, and let poor 
 Juno alone !" — " Do you dare to lift up your hands 
 and attempt to resist me, you infernal black dog?" 
 said the captain. " Take that, and be d — d ; " and 
 he drew a pistol from his pocket, and shot poor Billy 
 through the heart. The whole of the negroes around, 
 at this horrible deed, set up a shout of horror ; and, 
 
THE HUSBAND OF HIS VICTIM. 233 
 
 as chance would have it, at this moment two of the 
 neighbouring planters made their appearance quite 
 unexpectedly. " Why, captain," said one of them, 
 " what is all this? You really have gone too far, I 
 expect;" and stooping down to the now dead negro, 
 he added, " why, you have killed one of your best 
 negroes ! God bless me, captain, do you know what 
 you have done?" — "Done!" said the murderer, 
 quite coolly ; " yes, I know what I have done. Do 
 you think I would allow a cursed negro to lift his 
 hand to me, and not make him pay for it? I was 
 only acting in self-defence." — " Massa ! massa!" 
 exclaimed some of the negroes, " poor Bill only held 
 up his hands to save Juno." — " Peace ! you con- 
 founded rascals," cried the captain ; and riding 
 amongst them, he struck right and left with his 
 whip, and dispersed them. He then returned to his 
 two white neighbours, and said — " Did not both of 
 you see that black rascal with his hands uplifted to 
 me before you came forward ? " — " Why, captain, I 
 believe I did see him with his hands up," said one; 
 "but I question if it was to strike you. I think you have 
 been too rash ; and I can tell you, captain, that I do 
 not envy your position any how." The captain then 
 threw down a few dollars on the ground, and said to 
 the poor bereaved widow — " There, Juno, you may 
 tell the gang that no work need be done to-day. 
 You can send for some rum to treat them, and get 
 Bill buried." He seemed a little softened ; but he 
 rode back to his own house with his two friends, and 
 no more was heard of the matter. This murder, like 
 
234 MURDER OF NEGROES NOT ILLEGAL. 
 
 many others perpetrated on black people in Carolina, 
 remains unpunished to this day. 
 
 The humane reader will now probably inquire — 
 " Is there no law to punish a white man who deli- 
 berately murders a negro?" I answer that I have 
 heard some talk of such a law existing in Carolina, 
 which awards the punishment of death in such cases ; 
 but I boldly ask, and without fear of contradiction, 
 " Has it ever been known in Carolina that a white 
 man was brought to the gallows for murdering a 
 black V It cannot be denied that hundreds, nay 
 thousands, of such murders have actually been com- 
 mitted. But how is the murderer to be convicted? 
 When a white man deliberately murders a black, he 
 takes especial care that he does not do so in the pre- 
 sence of a white man ; but should he commit the 
 crime before ten thousand blacks, their evidence is 
 of no avail. I may even add, that the murder of 
 negroes is actually permitted by law; for I have 
 Charleston papers in my possession in which there 
 are advertisements by white slave-owners, offering a 
 reward for a certain runaway negro, in these words — 
 " Ten dollars will be given to any person bringing 
 the said runaway alive to the subscriber; or, one hun- 
 dred dollars for his head." If this be not murder, 
 what is it ? And though it may not be directly 
 sanctioned by law, the practice is too common and 
 open to be considered illegal. 
 
NEGRO CONSPIRACY. 235 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Negro conspiracies against the Whites — anecdotes of Negroes. 
 
 While speaking of such dreadful subjects, I may as 
 well in this place say a few words regarding the negro 
 conspiracy which came to light in 1822. Like 
 almost all conspiracies, it was discovered by one of 
 the conspirators themselves ; from whose evidence 
 (for the evidence of a black man against individuals 
 of his own colour, is quite valid in law here) it ap 
 peared that on a certain Sabbath afternoon, as soon 
 as the bells commenced rinsing for church, the 
 whole of the conspirators, who expected to be joined 
 by every able black man in the city, were to com- 
 mence a massacre of every white male in the city, 
 leaving the white ladies as partners to the con- 
 querors. It was also said that every black female 
 was to be murdered at the same time : but this, I 
 conceive, however, to have been an invention of the 
 white men, so as to cast more odium on the con- 
 spiracy. One thing is certain, that I had no notion 
 
236 
 
 NEGRO CONSPIRACY 
 
 of this affair ; my black brethren knew that I was 
 well enough off, and, of course, never thought of 
 dragging- me into the business. The man who in- 
 formed on his fellow-conspirators, did so, on account 
 of his master, it was said : he wished to have his 
 master exempted from the general slaughter ; but 
 his comrades, not consenting to this, he, out of 
 gratitude for former kindness, " peached." The 
 conspirators had been in the habit of meeting in a 
 certain place in King Street, where they concocted 
 their plans, and initiated new members, with many 
 strange oaths and ceremonies. The leading men 
 in this conspiracy were mostly mulattoes, men of 
 talent and education ; and who, in any other country, 
 would have been hailed as patriots. I must 
 allow that their schemes were most bloody and 
 savage: but what could be expected under such 
 oppression and tyranny. On a certain day they 
 were arrested, to the number of several hundreds, 
 in a most quiet and cautious manner : with hardly 
 any stir indeed. The most of them were legally 
 (in a nominal sense) tried, a great number con- 
 victed, and about forty were hanged : twenty-two 
 on one gallows, the first day, and a few now and 
 then immediately thereafter. They all exhibited 
 much courage and calmness at the last; and several, 
 with the rope round their necks, addressed their 
 fellow blacks who were present, beseeching them 
 to be true to the cause of freedom, and never to 
 cease conspiring against their white tyrants, until 
 their purpose would be accomplished, which it sooner 
 
BAD FAITH OF THE CAROLINIANS. 237 
 
 or later could not fail to be. Two of the most 
 noted who suffered, were named Telemaque Vesey 
 (commonly called Denmark Vesey) and Gullah 
 Jack (Angola Jack). Denmark was a very clever 
 and accomplished fellow. Four negroes were re- 
 spited on one of the execution-days at the scaffold, 
 and received a solemn promise that their lives would 
 be spared, provided they made a full confession ; 
 but after they had confessed, it was decided by 
 their white masters, that the things which they had 
 divulged were of such a dreadful nature, and so 
 deeply implicated these negroes, that they were unfit 
 to live ; so, a few days afterwards, they were again 
 taken out and executed. This signal proof of the 
 bad faith of the white men of Carolina, will not 
 soon be forgotten by the negroes. 
 
 Since that period, several conspiracies of a less 
 extensive character have come to light ; and there 
 is little doubt, that, although the flame of liberty 
 is for the present smothered : it will break out some 
 day with a fearful explosion, unless, indeed, some 
 conciliatory measures are resorted to in behalf of 
 the oppressed negro. For my own part, I most 
 earnestly deprecate having recourse to physical force; 
 and I hope to make it clear, (that unless the whites 
 should be for ever blind to their own interests) 
 slavery may be totally abolished in the United 
 States, in a gradual and unobjectionable manner; 
 without detriment to any one, and so as to secure 
 happiness, honour, and security to all, both black 
 and white. 
 
238 a negro's retaliation. 
 
 I will now relate an anecdote or two of a more 
 pleasing nature. I mentioned in a former part, that 
 black people were compelled to give way in the 
 streets for a white, even of the lowest and most de- 
 graded class. There was an elderly white man, a 
 very ill-tempered fellow, who walked about a good 
 deal, and took a peculiar delight in chastising any 
 unfortunate coloured person he met with, who did not 
 instantly get out of his way. He always carried a 
 huge stick over his shoulder, and whenever he met 
 with a negro, male or female, who did not in a 
 twinkling scamper off the pavement, down came the 
 cudgel upon their crown with right good will. IMovv 
 there was a negro carpenter, a big jolly fellow, with 
 whom this spiteful old white man came in contact 
 several times ; and as the big carpenter did not so 
 readily make way as the old gentleman thought 
 proper, he applied his stick more than once to the 
 jolly carpenter's upper story: or at least aimed at 
 him. It happened that the carpenter met his white 
 enemy almost every morning at the breakfast hour, 
 in a retired part at the north end of East Bay 
 Street; so one morning he watched cautiously, and 
 although there were black people in plenty within 
 view, by good luck there was not a solitary white. 
 There had been a good deal of rain previously, and 
 the middle of the street was a perfect puddle; so 
 when the carpenter came near his old friend, he stept 
 off the footpath, and then turning quietly round, he 
 lifted the old fellow by the neck and the heels, as 
 one would do an infant, and, carrying him delibe- 
 
ZAMBA CHASTISES A COWARDLY PUPPY. 239 
 
 rately over to the deepest part of the puddle, softly 
 and cautiously laid him down upon his back in it, 
 and then took to his heels. Either through fear 
 or policy, or perhaps from a feeling that he had 
 been acting too much the tyrant, the redoubtable 
 white man with the cudgel was much more cautious 
 and peaceable in his walk thereafter; and Big Bob 
 the carpenter, was much applauded by all his 
 coloured acquaintances, and even many white gentle- 
 men laughed at the exploit. 
 
 Let me relate another anecdote, in which I was one 
 of the actors myself. I was sent, one day, to the store 
 of a Mr. Landen, to arrange some goods which were 
 to be sold by auction in one of the floors of a large 
 building; and I was assisted in performing this duty 
 by a tine negro lad, of about fifteen, named Peter. 
 While Peter was employed in turning over some 
 boxes of muslin, a young white gentleman (oh, how 
 much is this word misapplied and abused in every- 
 day life !) entered, and, going up to Peter, gave him 
 a switch over the back with a cane, saying, " You 
 blasted neegur ! is that the way to place a box — with 
 the marked end down?" Peter looked up, and said, 
 " Stop, Massa Halsey ; you always abusing me for 
 nothing. I shall tell Mr. Landen."—" Tell the d— 1, 
 you black thief 1" retorted Halsey; again attacking 
 poor Peter, who made his escape behind some bales. 
 A chase commenced, the white youth giving Peter 
 a blow as often as he could reach him ; at length 
 the poor negro, bursting into tears, exclaimed, " My 
 God ! if I were but white for one half hour, I would 
 
240 ZAMBA CHASTISES A COWARDLY PUPPY. 
 
 repay you, Massa Halsey." This only exasperated 
 the white gentleman still more, and I could refrain 
 no longer. Being aware that all the clerks were up 
 stairs, I went and shut the door, and coming up to 
 Mr. Halsey, said, in a firm voice, " I tell you what, 
 young gentleman, you are very wrong to strike that 
 poor boy, and it shows you are a coward at heart; 
 for you know well that he dare not return your blows 
 unless at the peril of losing his right hand." At this 
 the young white puppy lifted his cane, as if to strike 
 me ; but I stopped him by saying, " Now, Mr. Halsey, 
 take care what you are about; I am Mr. Naylor's 
 property, and if you do strike me, you shall pay 
 dearly for it. And now, as there are no white people 
 to witness against me, I shall give you a lesson for 
 once." So saying, I seized him by the shoulders (I 
 did not strike him), and shook him so very heartily — 
 for I was a pretty stout fellow at that time — that, 
 when he could get breath, he whined and prayed 
 for mercy. At last I desisted, and taking him in 
 my arms, placed him gently upon a bale of carpet- 
 ing, to recover his wind and compose himself. He 
 was so ashamed and crest-fallen, that I don't think 
 he ever mentioned the story to any one. 
 
 Although the blacks are looked down upon with so 
 much contempt in general, yet I have seen at least 
 one instance, where the talents of a negro were 
 brought into public requisition ; no less an honour 
 being conferred upon him than " Master of Cere- 
 monies" at a grand ball given by the St. Andrew's 
 Society, which numbered among its members many 
 
A NEGRO MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES. 241 
 
 of the first merchants in the city. I accompanied 
 my master thither, and was allowed occasionally to 
 peep in at the door. The ball was held in a splendid 
 hall, well lighted up, and the floor was chalked at an 
 expense of thirty dollars. The American eagle, sur- 
 rounded by stars (I really forget whether the stripes 
 were depicted or not) and other ornaments, formed 
 the centre; and all around it the Scottish thistle dis- 
 played its prickly beard. There was a great assem- 
 blage of beauty and fashion, sprinkled with a little 
 republican pride and arrogance; but the principal ob- 
 ject of attraction to me was old Joe, the master of 
 the ceremonies. Joe was a complete negro — none of 
 your half-and-half breed, but a genuine son of 
 Africa. He was nearly sixty years of age, but still 
 an erect, handsome-looking fellow ; and he was 
 dressed in white kerseymere breeches, white silk 
 stockings, a white vest, and blue coat with gilt but- 
 tons: his feet were cased in red morocco pumps, and 
 his hair, which required no curling-irons, was well 
 powdered. He displayed a flashy gold chain round 
 his neck, and at his watch hung half a dozen large 
 seals ; whilst an elegant silver-topped cane was his 
 wand of office. Joe stood in great dignity at the 
 end of the room, and arranged the whole business of 
 the evening — placing the dancers in their proper sta- 
 tions, directing the musicians, introducing ladies and 
 gentlemen to each other; and, in fact, as I was in- 
 formed by people more versant in high life than 
 myself, performing the character he represented with 
 credit to himself, and satisfaction to all concerned. 
 
 R 
 
242 A NEGRO WOMAN'S KINDNESS. 
 
 It was curious to see Joe stamping with his foot, and 
 bawling out, " Now, Missy Foot, this way if you 
 please; right hand to Massa Starky, cross over den, 
 and sachee dere. Now, Missy Lemraan, hands across, 
 and set to Massa Suydam." Long before the ball 
 was finished, the feet of the dancers had quite oblite- 
 rated the American eagle; but the Scottish thistle 
 still remained, to the evident satisfaction of some hot- 
 blooded republicans. I thought to myself, that by 
 granting to negroes more liberty, and more indul- 
 gence in trifling matters, the whites would more 
 securely bind them to allegiance than by everlasting- 
 oppression. 
 
 I will now relate a couple of anecdotes that will, 
 I hone, reflect honour upon the black race, and no 
 discredit to the white persons concerned. There was 
 an elderly Scotsman who kept a small grocery store 
 in Market-street, and carried on considerable traffic 
 with black people. He had been formerly very ex- 
 tensively engaged in commerce, but had met with 
 many misfortunes; and to add to his mishaps, he was 
 attacked by a slow fever, in the summer of 1809. 
 He struggled against it as long as he could, and 
 having no assistant in his little business, at last be- 
 came so weak, that he could not rise from bed to 
 take off the shutters from his windows. In this 
 emergency, without a white friend to help him, a 
 negro woman, named Hagar, who kept a stall for 
 kitchen herbs in the market, opposite the Scotsman's 
 door, and who had often bought and sold with him, 
 came, like a good Samaritan, to his aid : she made 
 
A NEGRO WOMAN'S KINDNESS. 243 
 
 the sick stranger's bed, cooked any little victuals he 
 could take, made gruel and other messes for him, and 
 gave him herb drinks of her own composition as me- 
 dicine. She nursed and attended upon him several 
 hours every day for about six weeks, and at length. 
 had the satisfaction to see her patient once more get 
 up and open his own windows. Some years after- 
 wards this Scotsman had a large business going on 
 in the foreign trade, and was greatly elevated above 
 the rank of a grocer; but he never passed through 
 the market without stopping to say a few words 
 to old Hagar, and many a little present did he give 
 her. 
 
 One Sabbath afternoon I was walking; through 
 Boundary-street, in the upper part of the city, and 
 perceived thirty or forty boys and young men, of all 
 colours, gathered together at one side of the street, 
 and occasionally shouting and laughing. On coming 
 closer I discovered a white man, dressed in light 
 clothing, such as mechanics generally wear, sitting 
 on the ground. He was very much intoxicated, and 
 had tripped over a hillock of rubbish, in which were 
 some broken bottles, and was severely cut about the 
 legs and ankles, which were bleeding profusely. Just 
 at the moment I got into the crowd, he was stooping 
 his head down, and sucking one of his ankles, repeat- 
 ing to himself " American blood for ever will reign, 
 
 you d d rascals ! " He then looked up to those 
 
 who surrounded him, with his face besmeared with 
 blood and dust, like his clothes. I had seldom seen 
 such a revolting picture of intoxication. I felt much 
 
 B 2 
 
244 A DRUNKEN YANKEE. 
 
 for the poor man, but was quite at a loss how to assist 
 him; when at this moment an old negro man and his 
 wife came out from a small wooden house adjacent, 
 and upon learning what was the matter exclaimed, 
 " Poor buckrah ! Gar Amighty ! he die there — he 
 bleed to death. Come, boy," said he to me, tl help 
 me to carry the poor man, and I shall give him a 
 corner to lie down, till he get sober." I was quite 
 glad to hear the old man say so, and turning to some 
 of the negro boys, I said, " Now, my boys, I would 
 advise you to be off, as fast as you like, or I shall 
 give one or two of you something that you will not 
 like; and, as for you, young gentlemen," said I, turn- 
 ing to the lordly part of the mob, " 1 hope you will 
 leave the poor man. I should think that you have 
 been sufficiently amused for one Sunday afternoon." 
 The biggest boys muttered something about " black 
 rascals," but dispersed speedily. We now had the 
 drunken and bleeding man conveyed to old Jacob's 
 dwelling, and I assisted in washing the poor fellow, 
 and managed to bind up his wounds. As soon as he 
 came a little to himself, he seemed quite cast down, 
 and muttered many thanks. " Who the devil would 
 have expected this from niggers?" said he to him- 
 self. " Well, anyhow, I shall likely be better to- 
 morrow ; and they shant lose by it." In the mean 
 time, old Mary made a cup of coffee for their guest; 
 and pointing out a mattress on the floor of a small 
 closet, their only other apartment, said that buckrah 
 would be welcome to stay till the morning. I then 
 left them, saying, I would call next day. I did so ; 
 
RESCUED BY NEGROES. 245 
 
 after breakfast, and found that the white man had 
 been down at his lodging, and had returned in a 
 better dress, and to show his gratitude, he handed 
 the old couple ten silver dollars. Old Isaac refused 
 to take them at first, and said he did such things for 
 the love of God, and would find his reward hereafter; 
 but the white man insisted, and old Isaac put the 
 coins in his pocket, saying, " Very useful things, 
 them same dollars; don't find them every day. Many 
 thanks to you, massa buckrah!" The man was a 
 carpenter, doing a pretty good piece of business, not 
 an habitual drunkard; but had fallen in with some 
 rascals at a tavern, who he believed had put poison 
 in his drink, as he had never in his life been so over- 
 taken before, — and I often saw him afterv/ards. Old 
 Isaac sold a few hucksteries in his little dwelling, 
 and he told me, " Old Mary and self contrived to live 
 somehow; God only knows how, sometimes." I had 
 the satisfaction, without detriment to myself, to as- 
 sist him somewhat in his little trade, by advancing a 
 few dollars; and the grateful carpenter called upon 
 him repeatedly, and never did so without bringing 
 some little present in his pocket for old Mary. Such 
 incidents reflect honour on human nature; and sure 
 am I, that I have as much pleasure in recording the 
 virtues, or amiable points of character in the white 
 race, as in my own. 
 
246 
 
 PLAN FOR THE 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Zamba's Plan for the Gradual Extinction of Negro Slavery in the 
 United States. — Advantages of Free over Slave Labour. — Dangers 
 from the Separation of Free and Slave States. — Zamba's Appeal 
 to the British Nation. — Conclusion. 
 
 I cannot better conclude this narrative than by 
 submitting certain propositions to the General Go- 
 vernment of the United States ; and, if facts and 
 figures carry any weight with them, those whom I 
 take the liberty of addressing must be wilfully and 
 obstinately blind to common sense and justice should 
 they not admit that, at least, my arguments are 
 sound. 
 
 I would observe, in the first place, then (although 
 I am aware that it will be displeasing to many honest 
 abolitionists both in Britain and America, and also 
 to many of my black brethren), that emancipation 
 should be gradual, both for the sake of master and 
 slave. It may be urged that Britain granted freedom 
 all at once to the slaves in her colonies; but it must 
 be borne in mind that many thousands of these slaves 
 had had the benefit of education for many years pre- 
 viously ; and, further, that the few years of appren- 
 
GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF SLAVERY. 247 
 
 ticeship served as a kind of modification between 
 abject slavery and absolute freedom. I mean that, 
 in some measure, it prevented any ill consequences 
 arising from too sudden a change in the condition of 
 so many thousands of men. I am aware, while ad- 
 dressing the General Congress of the United States, 
 that it is not in their power to emancipate the slaves 
 of Carolina or Georgia, as the laws of each State can 
 only be altered by its own individual legislature. But 
 J will suggest a very simple plan, by following out 
 which, negro emancipation may be gradually, yet 
 certainly, brought about. T hardly know whether it 
 ought to be matter of joy or grief to abolitionists, 
 that the General Congress has lately shown its deter- 
 mination to perpetuate slavery more than ever. I 
 understand that it lately passed a bill declaring that 
 no petitions in favour of abolition would be allowed 
 to be placed on the table of the House of Represen- 
 tatives; and further, in admitting Florida lately as a 
 new State, it was on the express condition that the 
 State of Florida should at no future period grant 
 emancipation to her slaves. Now that the states are 
 about including Texas in the Union, and stretching 
 out their hand towards Oregon, they will no doubt 
 stipulate for the same conditions. How it is that 
 the anti-freedom party have obtained such an ascen- 
 dency in the House, I know not. Do the white men 
 of America really imagine that the black race will 
 never obtain their just rights? that they will^'or ever 
 submit to be oppressed and trampled upon? The 
 negroes of America are rapidly increasing in num- 
 
248 PLAN FOR THE 
 
 bers; the present slave population of the United 
 States may be reckoned at 2,800,000, and the free 
 black population at 600,000. A large proportion of 
 able-bodied men are included in this number — men 
 who, by a very little discipline and with proper arms, 
 would be found no contemptible soldiers; and who, 
 if once aroused in the cause of personal freedom, 
 would lay down their arms only with their lives. 
 Such a number of robust men, brooding under a 
 sense of the wrongs inflicted on them for a long- 
 series of years, residing in the heart of any common- 
 wealth, and with so many opportunities of retaliating 
 upon their oppressors in case of an invasion, is not to 
 be contemplated without apprehension. For my own 
 part, I am most decidedly opposed to all physical 
 force ; — but what is the opinion of one, or a few, to 
 that of millions of my oppressed race? 
 
 During the last war with Britain, there were not 
 twenty negroes in Charleston but were daily pray- 
 ing that John Bull would land and chastise their 
 proud masters ; and they were ready, to a man, with 
 such arms as they could command, to turn against 
 their oppressors. 
 
 But it is in the power of the Americans to convert 
 the whole of their black population into staunch and 
 determined defenders of the land in which they live; 
 instead of being, as they necessarily must be under 
 the present state of things, doubtful and suspicious 
 neutrals, at the best, if not covert enemies. 
 
 I shall now, with all deference, propose a plan, by 
 which the whole of the slaves in the United States 
 
GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF SLAVERY. 249 
 
 may be emancipated, with honour to the whites, and 
 without detriment to their purses, in the course of 
 twenty-one or thirty years. Congress cannot inter- 
 fere with the individual laws of any particular State 
 of the Union, and emancipate the negroes of that 
 State; but it can pass a law, imposing a tax. Now 
 a tax of five dollars per head, annually, on every 
 coloured person in America, whether hond or free, 
 would effect this happy change in twenty-one years ; 
 or, a tax of only three dollars, would bring it about in 
 thirty years. At the rate of five dollars per head, 
 allowing the money to yield 6 per cent., and calcu- 
 lating compound interest (and there is no doubt but 
 that in a thriving, enterprising, and rapidly increasing 
 country, as America undoubtedly is, money can be 
 safely invested, so as to make my calculations good,) 
 a five dollar poll-tax on negroes, would produce in 
 twenty-one years, 670,000,000 dollars. But to make 
 the tax easier to the planters, who must pay for their 
 slaves, and to give more time for the gradual ameli- 
 oration of the negro's moral condition, I shall go upon 
 the three dollar tax. 
 
 But, in postponing emancipation for the long period 
 of thirty years, many of my brother blacks may say, 
 ee Ay, it is well enough for you, Zamba, to talk in 
 this easy way — you who have never fully known the 
 wretchedness of slavery ; but for us, to look forward 
 for thirty years, is dreadful." I allow it is a long 
 period ; but such important changes generally require 
 time. Should any abolitionist, black or white, pro- 
 
250 PLAN FOIt THE 
 
 pose a more speedy and rational plan, I shall indeed 
 feel happy. 
 
 There is no planter who owns one hundred negroes, 
 but can easily manage to pay a tax of three hundred, 
 dollars per annum ; especially if he reflects what a 
 boon it will confer on millions of oppressed fellow- 
 creatures ; and finally, that it will all revert to him 
 threefold. As for the free coloured people in the 
 United States, there are but few of them who could 
 not afford three dollars per annum, in such a good, 
 cause ; and those who are really very indigent will 
 have the emancipation tax paid by some charitable 
 brother, who will do thus much for the sake of his 
 enslaved brethren. I am convinced, also, that there 
 are thousands of white abolitionists in America, who 
 would cheerfully, were such a plan in operation, con- 
 tribute their mite, and see that the tax would be 
 forthcoming for the poorest coloured person in the 
 land. And were an appeal made to the negroes' 
 friends in other countries, there would be many thou- 
 sands of dollars sent annually from the abolitionists 
 of Britain, to assist in the good work. Independent 
 of all extraneous aid, however, I calculate that three 
 dollars per head per annum, would, in the first year, 
 yield about ten millions of dollars, at 6 per cent. ; 
 and compound interest on this sum, and on ten mil- 
 lions additional every year, for thirty years, would at 
 the end of that period amount altogether to eight 
 hundred and forty-five millions of dollars; or two 
 hundred and fifty-three dollars per head, compensa- 
 
GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF SLAVERY. 251 
 
 tion money, for each negro slave — man, woman, and 
 child, — in the whole of the United States of America. 
 This would be more than double the amount of com- 
 pensation money given to the planters in the British 
 Colonies, for emancipating their slaves : the average 
 paid them for 800,000 slaves was twenty-five pounds, 
 or one hundred and ten dollars per head. 
 
 I have made my foregoing calculations in round 
 numbers, but am very near the truth. It will be seen 
 that the whole amount to be paid out as tax, in thirty 
 years, for each negro, would only amount to ninety 
 dollars, and for this, at the end of the thirty years, 
 the planter would receive back two hundred and fifty- 
 three dollars, on condition of emancipating his negro. 
 In fact, it would be something similar to the invest- 
 ment of the money in a savings bank. The result 
 would be profitable, and the end attained glorious! 
 It may be urged that the number of negroes, in thirty 
 years, will have greatly increased. So, also, would 
 the annual poll-tax, and consequently the capital and 
 interest; thus the one may go to balance the other. 
 Would it not be a glorious thing, Oh Americans ! 
 that on the 4th July 1876 — on the centenary of your 
 own independence — you should be able to celebrate 
 the independence and liberty of every living soul 
 within the precincts of your vast and beautiful do- 
 minions? 
 
 Were Congress to adopt this plan, I should recom- 
 mend, that as soon as the law passed, means should 
 be immediately adopted for the education of the 
 negroes. Let a few public schools be established in 
 
252 ADVANTAGES OF FREE LABOUR. 
 
 towns, and a teacher appointed upon every estate in 
 the country, of any consequence. But were the law 
 passed, there is no doubt that the means to effect this 
 desirable object would be forthcoming. I have no 
 ambition to make my fellow-blacks learned men: 
 only enable them to read the Bible, and the blessing 
 of Heaven will second your endeavours. Let emis- 
 saries, or missionaries, be sent among the slaves, to 
 explain all that is intended to be done for them, and 
 to show them that much will depend upon their own 
 orderly and peaceable behaviour ; and being thus 
 civilized and instructed by degrees, there will be few, 
 indeed, in a state of ignorance, at the end of thirty 
 years. I would answer for my brethren that their 
 industry, and their gratitude, will be developed in 
 proportion as they become enlightened. 
 
 I shall now endeavour to show that, after you have 
 emancipated your slaves, you may hire them as free 
 labourers with more advantage to yourselves and 
 them, than under the present system. I believe that 
 on certain estates, for example, the labour of a negro 
 for four days in the week will be amply sufficient; 
 and supposing you hired them at 25 cents per day, 
 that would be 52 dollars per annum. At present you 
 value an able-bodied field negro at 500 dollars ; the 
 interest on this sum, at 6 per cent., is 30 dollars; and 
 you cannot clothe and feed him, and pay for a doctor 
 to attend in case of sickness, under 30 dollars per an- 
 num at least — making 60 dollars per annum ; so that 
 you would save 8 dollars per annum, and have the 
 command of the 500 dollars (the first price or cost of 
 
ADVANTAGES OF FREE LABOUR. 253 
 
 the negro) to extend your plantation, or otherwise, as 
 you chose. Besides, at present you run the nsk 
 daily of losing your negro by the hand of death; 
 you must also support him in sickness and in old 
 age : but, by hiring him as a free labourer, you would 
 be free from all this responsibility and loss. 
 
 Allow me to lay before you another calculation, 
 which ought to convince any one who is not blindly 
 and determinedly prejudiced, of the reasonableness of 
 my plan. A planter, who at present has 100 negroes 
 on an estate, cannot calculate upon the work of more 
 than one-half, after deducting infants, old people, and 
 women not in condition to labour; but I shall allow 
 that sixty can be reckoned able-bodied. Now, calcu- 
 late 100 negroes at 300 dollars per head — that is 
 30,000 dollars; this at 6 per cent, interest, is 1800 
 dollars. You cannot reckon less than 20 dollars per 
 head for food, clothes, and medical attendance, or 
 2000 dollars in all ; which, with the 1800 above as 
 interest, makes 3800 dollars per annum for the ser- 
 vices of 60 labourers. You might hire 60 free 
 labourers at 52 dollars per ann. each, or 3120 dollars 
 in all ; thereby saving 680 dollars per annum, and be 
 clear of all the burdens before mentioned. 
 
 I am, however, making these calculations on the 
 supposition that the negro be allowed a small plot of 
 ground to raise provisions for himself and family ; for 
 there are millions upon millions of acres lying waste 
 in Carolina, which, if cultivated, would render the 
 country much more healthy. Say that every able- 
 bodied negro be allowed five acres; or, where land is 
 
254 DANGERS FROM THE SEPARATION 
 
 not so plenty, two or three acres; by devoting his 
 own two days in the week to the cultivation of his 
 own land, he could raise amply sufficient for all that 
 he and his family can consume; and the wages he 
 receives would provide clothes, education, and all 
 other requisites in abundance. By adopting such 
 measures, you would transform the poor, trembling, 
 heart-broken, hopeless, ignoranl, and discontented 
 slave into a free, brave, happy, intelligent, and pa- 
 triotic peasant — ready at all times to defend his 
 house and his children, and to follow the (then truly 
 free) republican standard of America against every 
 invader. 
 
 Then there would be no aspirations or prayers 
 that a foreign enemy might come to their relief; but 
 the free and contented negro would identify himself 
 with the soil of America, and shed his heart's blood 
 in her defence, and in that of his brother freemen, 
 ■white or black. 
 
 Should Congress, however, be blind to the real 
 interests of America, and treat with contempt all 
 proposals which have been or may be made by aboli- 
 tionists, it will merely hasten the time when a 
 separation of the States will take place. The northern 
 and the southern, or rather the free and the slave- 
 holding States, in their present condition, are an ill- 
 matched pair. The free States, in their alliance with 
 the slave States, are obliged to submit to many dis- 
 agreeables, merely because they are found in bad 
 company : they have to share all the obloquy due 
 only to slave-holders, without reaping any advantage. 
 
OF SLAVE AND FREE STATES. 255 
 
 On the other hand, I must allow that it is quite too 
 hard that a Carolinian should have to pay double, or 
 perhaps treble, price for a piece of British muslin or 
 cotton, merely that manufacturers in the northern 
 States may be aggrandized. Supposing, which is by 
 no means unlikely, that a separation of the States 
 should take place some years hence, how will the 
 slave States then be situated? At present the pro- 
 portion of whites to blacks, in the whole of the 
 United States, is as 15 to 3; but were the slave 
 States fairly disjoined from the free, then the propor- 
 tion in these slave States, of white men to the coloured 
 portion, would only be about as 5 or 5^ to 3. Then, 
 in case of a foreign war, would not the danger of the 
 slave States — from the disaffected and discontented 
 members of their own household, so to say — be vastly 
 aggravated ? And, even in time of peace, would not 
 the free States stand most convenient as a place of 
 refuge to runaway negroes ? The editors of the news- 
 papers in Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, and 
 other cities in the south, daily publish, without think- 
 ing of it, gross and glaring libels on their fellow- 
 citizens ; for column upon column of their papers are 
 filled with nothing but advertisements for runaway 
 negroes. And, in many cases, such outrages upon 
 the best feelings of human nature appear, as the fol- 
 lowing : — " Dinah: has a mother residing at such an 
 estate in the country, and a sister at such another 
 place — any white person proving that such have har- 
 boured her, will be rewarded, and the parties visited 
 with the utmost rigour of the law?' Alas, poor 
 
256 zamba's appeal to the British nation. 
 
 America ! alas, poor humanity ! A mother, or a 
 sister, must undergo the utmost penalty of the law 
 for protecting their own flesh and blood ! Yes ! a 
 mother, who endeavours to protect her daughter from 
 the fangs of a cruel and unrelenting tyrant, must 
 suffer the penalty of the law ! How long will a just 
 and beneficent God withhold vengeance for such a 
 violation of His law ? — " How long, O Lord ! how 
 long?" 
 
 I will now conclude, by addressing a few words to 
 the inhabitants of the only truly free country upon 
 earth — Great Britain — that country which, even amid 
 the din and tumult of war, contrived to find time and 
 opportunity to put an end to the African slave-Jrade 
 in the first place ; and, latterly, while herself groan- 
 ing beneath the burden of a debt which would have 
 overwhelmed and annihilated any other European 
 nation, nobly and generously devoted twenty millions 
 sterling to the emancipation of her slaves in all parts 
 of the world. 
 
 In the name of my oppressed race I appeal to you, 
 noble and generous Britons, to stretch forth your 
 hands, and assist in alleviating our condition. 
 
 You can at least give us your sympathy and your 
 prayers ; and, although we cannot ask you to inter- 
 pose directly in our behalf, by interfering with the 
 Government of America, you can, as individuals, 
 and as associations combined for the abolition of 
 slavery, address and remonstrate with your brethren 
 in America. You can print and circulate pamphlets, 
 both in Britain, and America, which, sooner or later, 
 
ZAMBA'S APPEAL TO THE BRITISH NATION. 257 
 
 may arouse inquiry into the nature and effects of 
 slavery amongst those who have hitherto beheld the 
 unrighteous institution with apathy ; and the more 
 inquiry that is made, and the more that is learned, of 
 the real condition of the negroes, the more will 
 Christian and human sympathy be awakened in our 
 favour. 
 
 The American Government have declared that they 
 will not even receive petitions in behalf of the slave ; 
 but although, as public members of Congress, they 
 may refuse to listen to our complaints and remon- 
 strances, it may be that, as private citizens of America, 
 they will not object to peruse arguments and documents 
 which may be distributed, in the form of pamphlets, 
 over the length and the breadth of the land. We would 
 beseech you, then, generous Britons, as you prize and 
 appreciate the blessings of liberty yourselves, to listen 
 to our prayers. We have no means of petitioning 
 directly the Government of America; and, even in 
 those states which hold no slaves, there is yet a pre- 
 judice against the black race which does not exist 
 in Britain. Mr. George Thompson, while visiting 
 America, experienced cogent proofs of what I assert. 
 All that I ask, in the mean time, is this : that such 
 of my readers as may have been interested in the 
 facts and observations which I have laid before them, 
 and who feel a benign spirit within them whisper 
 something in behalf of Africa's sable sons, may exert 
 their influence in calling the attention of their friends 
 and acquaintances to the subject. I shall wait with 
 patience, but with anxiety, to learn what effect, if 
 
 s 
 
258 zamba's appeal to the British nation. 
 
 any, these pages may produce on the minds of men 
 in Britain ; and, if I should succeed in exciting a 
 fresh interest in our behalf among the free sons of 
 England, there is little doubt but that a similar feel- 
 ing will in time extend to this side of the Atlantic. 
 Perhaps some member of Congress may be induced 
 to deliberate upon and investigate the question of 
 slavery in all its bearings, and finally set on foot some 
 agitation amongst his friends, to inquire whether or 
 not Congress may not have been too rash in prohibit- 
 ing the reception of any petition in behalf of slaves. 
 " Behold how great a flame a little fire kindleth ! " 
 So, let it be hoped that Zamba's humble volume may 
 yet advance the cause which he pleads. 
 
 To such of my readers as have gone thus far, allow 
 me to return my most grateful thanks ; and, should 
 the liberal-minded people of Britain, before whom I 
 have ventured to appear, honour me with their ap- 
 proval and patronage on this occasion, and should 
 circumstances otherwise warrant, I hope to be spared 
 long enough to have the honour again to address 
 them. 
 
 the end. 
 
 
 London: Printed by Stewart and Murray, Old Bailey. 
 
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