The manner how the Negroes become Slaves. The Numbers of them yearly exported fromGuineatoAmerica.The Lawfulness of that Trade. Mutinies among them on board the Ships where the Author has been, &c.
The manner how the Negroes become Slaves. The Numbers of them yearly exported fromGuineatoAmerica.The Lawfulness of that Trade. Mutinies among them on board the Ships where the Author has been, &c.
BEFORE I give a particular Relation of the severalMutiniesamong the Negroe Slaves, whereof I have been a Witness, and which is to be the chief Subject of this present Book, it will be very proper to prefix a short account of theMannerhow theNegroesbecome Slaves; whatNumbersof them are yearly exported fromGuinea;and then offer a few words in Justification of that Trade.
The manner how the Negroes become Slaves.
As for theMannerhow those People become Slaves; it may be reduced under these several Heads.
1. It has been the Custom among theNegroes, time out of Mind, and is so to this day, for them to make Slaves of all the Captives they take in War. Now, before they had an Opportunity of selling them to the white People, they were often obliged to kill great Multitudes, when they had taken more than they could well employ in their own Plantations, for fear they should rebel, and endanger their Masters Safety.
2dly.Most Crimes amongst them are punished by Mulcts and Fines; and if the Offender has not wherewithal to pay his Fine, he is sold for a Slave: This is the Practice of the inland People, as well as of those on the Sea side.
3dly.Debtors who refuse to pay their Debts, or are insolvent, are likewise liable to be made Slaves; but their Friends may redeem them; And if they are not able orwilling to do it, then they are generally sold for the Benefit of their Creditors. But few of these come into the hands of theEuropeans, being kept by their Countrymen for their own use.
4thly.I have been told, That it is common for some inland People, to sell their Children for Slaves, tho’ they are under no Necessity for so doing; which I am inclined to believe. But I never observed, that the People near the Sea Coast practise this, unless compelled thereto by extreme Want and Famine, as the People ofWhidawhave lately been.
Number of Negroes exported.
Now, by these means it is that so many of the Negroes become Slaves, and more especially by being taken Captives in War. Of these the Number is so great, that I may safely affirm, without any Exaggeration, that theEuropeansof all Nations, that trade to the Coast ofGuinea, have, in some Years, exported at least seventy thousand. And tho’ this may no doubt be thought at first hearing a prodigious Number; yet when ’tis considered how great the Extent of this Coast is, namelyfromCape VerdtoAngola, which is about four thousand Miles in length; and thatPolygamyis allowed in general amongst them, by which means the Countries are full of People, I hope it will not be thought improbable that so many are yearly exported from thence.
Lawfulness of that Trade.
Several Objections have often been raised against the Lawfulness of this Trade, which I shall not here undertake to refute. I shall only observe in general That tho’ to traffick in human Creatures, may at first sight appear barbarous, inhuman, and unnatural; yet the Traders herein have as much to plead in their own Excuse, as can be said for some other Branches of Trade, namely, theAdvantageof it: And that not only in regard of the Merchants, but also of the Slaves themselves, as will plainly appear from these following Reasons.
First, It is evident, that abundance of Captives, taken in War, would be inhumanly destroyed, was there not an Opportunity of disposing of them to theEuropeans. So that at least many Lives aresaved, and great Numbers of useful Persons kept in being.
Secondly, When they are carried to the Plantations, they generally live much better there, than they ever did in their own Country; for as the Planters pay a great price for them, ’tis their interest to take care of them.
Thirdly, By this means theEnglishPlantations have been so much improved, that ’tis almost incredible, what great Advantages have accrued to the Nation thereby; especially to theSugar Islands, which lying in a Climate near as hot as the Coast ofGuinea, theNegroesare fitter to cultivate the Lands there, than white People.
Then as to the Criminals amongst theNegroes, they are by this means effectually transported, never to return again; a Benefit which we very much want here.
In a word, from this Trade proceed Benefits, far outweighing all, either real or pretended Mischiefs and Inconveniencies. And, let the worst that can, be said of it, it will be found, like all other earthly Advantages, tempered with a mixture of Good and Evil.
Mutinies among the Negroes, in the Ships where the Author has been.
I come now to give an Account of the Mutinies that have happened on board the Ships where I have been.
These Mutinies are generally occasioned by the Sailors ill usage of these poor People, when on board the Ships wherein they are transported to our Plantations. Wherever therefore I have commanded, it has been my principal Care, to have theNegroeson board my Ship kindly used; and I have always finally charged my white People to treat them with Humanity and Tenderness; In which I have usually found my Account, both in keeping them from mutinying, and preserving them in health.
And whereas it may seem strange to those that are unacquainted with the method of managing them, how we can carry so many hundreds together in a small Ship, and keep them in order; I shall just mention what is generally practised. When we purchase grown People, I acquaint them by the Interpreter, “That, now they are become my Property, I think fit to let them know what they are bought for, that they may be easyin their Minds:” (For these poor People are generally under terrible Apprehensions upon their being bought by white Men, many being afraid that we design to eat them; which, I have been told, is a story much credited by the inlandNegroes;) “So after informing them, That they are bought to till the Ground in our Country, with several other Matters; I then acquaint them, how they are to behave themselves on board, towards the white Men; that if any one abuses them, they are to complain to the Linguist, who is to inform me of it, and I will do them Justice: But if they make a Disturbance, or offer to strike a white Man, they must expect to be severely punished.”
When we purchase theNegroes, we couple the sturdy Men together with Irons; but we suffer the Women and Children to go freely about: And soon after we have sail’d from the Coast, we undo all the Mens Irons.
They are fed twice a day, and are allowed in fair Weather to come on Deckat seven a clock in the Morning, and to remain there, if they think proper, till Sun setting. EveryMondayMorning they are served with Pipes and Tobacco, which they are very fond of. The MenNegroeslodge separate from the Women and Children; and the places where they all lye are cleaned every day, some white Men being appointed to see them do it.
It would be tedious to the Reader as well as to my self, should I relate all the Particulars of our Management of them, and the Care we take to keep them in health and order; wherefore I shall conclude with this remark, That if a Commander is himself well inclined, and has good Officers to execute his Orders, the Negroes on board may be easily governed; and many Difficulties (which unavoidably arise amongst such Numbers) got over with a little trouble.
The first Mutiny I saw among theNegroes, happened during my first Voyage, in the Year 1704. It was on board theEagle GalleyofLondon, commanded by my Father, with whom I was as Purser.We had bought our Negroes in the River ofOld Callabarin the Bay ofGuinea. At the time of their mutinying we were in that River, having four hundred of them on board, and not above ten white Men who were able to do Service: For several of our Ship’s Company were dead, and many more sick; besides, two of our Boats were just then gone with twelve People on Shore to fetch Wood, which lay in sight of the Ship. All these Circumstances put theNegroeson consulting how to mutiny, which they did at four a clock in the Afternoon, just as they went to Supper. But as we had always carefully examined the Mens Irons, both Morning and Evening, none had got them off, which in a great measure contributed to our Preservation. Three white Men stood on the Watch with Cutlaces in their Hands. One of them who was on the Forecastle, a stout fellow, seeing some of the Men Negroes take hold of the chief Mate, in order to throw him over board, he laid on them so heartily with the flat side of his Cutlace, that they soonquitted the Mate, who escaped from them, and run on the Quarter-Deck to get Arms. I was then sick with an Ague, and lying on a Couch in the great Cabbin, the Fit being just come on. However, I no sooner heard the Outcry,That the Slaves were mutinying, but I took two Pistols, and run on the Deck with them; where meeting with my Father and the chief Mate, I delivered a Pistol to each of them. Whereupon they went forward on the Booms, calling to the Negroe Men that were on the Forecastle; but they did not regard their Threats, being busy with the Centry, (who had disengaged the chief Mate,) and they would have certainly killed him with his own Cutlace, could they have got it from him; but they could not break the Line wherewith the Handle was fastened to his Wrist. And so, tho’ they had seized him, yet they could not make use of his Cutlace. Being thus disappointed, they endeavoured to throw him overboard, but he held so fast by one of them that they could not do it. My Father seeing this stout Manin so much Danger, ventured amongst theNegroes, to save him; and fired his Pistol over their Heads, thinking to frighten them. But a lusty Slave struck him with a Billet so hard, that he was almost stunned. The Slave was going to repeat the Blow, when a young Lad about seventeen years old, whom we had been kind to, interposed his Arm, and received the Blow, by which his Arm-bone was fractured. At the same instant the Mate fired his Pistol, and shot theNegroethat had struck my Father. At the sight of this the Mutiny ceased, and all the Men-negroes on the Forecastle threw themselves flat on their Faces, crying out for Mercy.
Upon examining into the matter, we found, there were not above twenty Men Slaves concerned in this Mutiny; and the two Ringleaders were missing, having, it seems, jumped overboard as soon as they found their Project defeated, and were drowned. This was all the Loss we suffered on this occasion: For theNegroethat was shot by the Mate, the Surgeon, beyond all Expectation, cured. And Ihad the good Fortune to lose my Ague, by the fright and hurry I was put into. Moreover, the young Man, who had received the Blow on his Arm to save my Father, was cured by the Surgeon in our Passage toVirginia. At our Arrival in that place we gave him his Freedom; and a worthy Gentleman, one ColonelCarter, took him into his Service, till he became well enough acquainted in the Country to provide for himself.
I have been several Voyages, when there has been no Attempt made by our Negroes to mutiny; which, I believe, was owing chiefly, to their being kindly used, and to my Officers Care in keeping a good Watch. But sometimes we meet with stout stubborn People amongst them, who are never to be made easy; and these are generally some of theCormantines, a Nation of theGold Coast. I went in the year 1721, in theHenryofLondon, a Voyage to that part of theCoast, and bought a good many of these People. We were obliged to secure them very well in irons, and watch them narrowly: Yetthey nevertheless mutinied, tho’ they had little prospect of succeeding. I lay at that time near a place calledMumforton theGold-Coast, having near five hundred Negroes on board, three hundred of which were Men. Our Ship’s Company consisted of fifty white People, all in health: And I had very good Officers; so that I was very easy in all respects.
This Mutiny began at Midnight (the Moon then shining very bright) in this manner. Two Men that stood Centry at the Fore-hatch way, where the Men Slaves came up to go to the house of Office, permitted four to go to that place; but neglected to lay the Gratings again, as they should have done: Whereupon four more Negroes came on Deck, who had got their Irons off, and the four in the house of Office having done the same, all the eight fell on the two Centries, who immediately called out for help. The Negroes endeavoured to get their Cutlaces from them, but the Lineyards (that is the Lines by which the handles of the Cutlaces were fastned to the Mens Wrists) were sotwisted in the Scuffle, that they could not get them off before we came to their Assistance. The Negroes perceiving several white Men coming towards them, with Arms in their hands, quitted the Centries, and jumped over the Ship’s side into the Sea.
I being by this time come forward on the Deck, my first care was to secure the Gratings, to prevent any more Negroes from coming up; and then I ordered People to get into the Boat, and save those that had jumped over-board, which they luckily did: For they found them all clinging to the Cables the Ship was moored by.
After we had secured these People, I called the Linguists, and ordered them to bid the Men-Negroes between Decks be quiet; (for there was a great noise amongst them.) On their being silent, I asked, “What had induced them to mutiny?” They answered, “I was a great Rogue to buy them, in order to carry them away from their own Country; and that they were resolved to regain their Liberty if possible.” I replied,“That they had forfeited their Freedom before I bought them, either by Crimes, or by being taken in War, according to the Custom of their Country; and they being now my Property, I was resolved to let them feel my Resentment, if they abused my Kindness: Asking at the same time, Whether they had been ill used by the white Men, or had wanted for any thing the Ship afforded?” To this they replied, “They had nothing to complain of.” Then I observed to them, “That if they should gain their Point and escape to the Shore, it would be no Advantage to them, because their Countrymen would catch them, and sell them to other Ships.” This served my purpose, and they seemed to be convinced of their Fault, begging, “I would forgive them, and promising for the future to be obedient, and never mutiny again, if I would not punish them this time.” This I readily granted, and so they went to sleep. When Daylight came we called the Men Negroes up on Deck, and examining their Irons, foundthem all secure. So this Affair happily ended, which I was very glad of; for these People are the stoutest and most sensibleNegroeson the Coast: Neither are they so weak as to imagine as others do, that we buy them to eat them; being satisfied we carry them to work in our Plantations, as they do in their own Country.
However, a few days after this, we discovered they were plotting again, and preparing to mutiny. For some of the Ringleaders proposed to one of our Linguists, If he could procure them an Ax, they would cut the Cables the Ship rid by in the night; and so on her driving (as they imagined) ashore, they should get out of our hands, and then would become his Servants as long as they lived.
For the better understanding of this I must observe here, that these Linguists are Natives and Freemen of the Country, whom we hire on account of their speaking goodEnglish, during the time we remain trading on the Coast; and they are likewise Brokers between us and the black Merchants.
This Linguist was so honest as to acquaint me with what had been proposed to him; and advised me to keep a strict Watch over the Slaves: For tho’ he had represented to them the same as I had done on their mutinying before, That they would be all catch’d again, and sold to other Ships, in case they could carry their Point, and get on Shore; yet it had no effect upon them.
This gave me a good deal of Uneasiness. For I knew several Voyages had proved unsuccessful by Mutinies; as they occasioned either the total loss of the Ship and the white Mens Lives; or at least by rendring it absolutely necessary to kill or wound a great number of the Slaves, in order to prevent a total Destruction. Moreover, I knew many of theseCormantineNegroes despised Punishment, and even Death it self: It having often happened atBarbadoesand other Islands, that on their being any ways hardly dealt with, to break them of their Stubbornness in refusing to work, twenty or more have hang’d themselves at a time in a Plantation.However, about a Month after this, a sad Accident happened, that brought our Slaves to be more orderly, and put them in a better Temper: And it was this. On our going fromMumforttoAnnamaboe, which is the principal part on theGold Coast, I met there with another of my Owner’s Ships, called theElizabeth. One CaptainThompsonthat commanded her was dead; as also his chief Mate: Moreover the Ship had afterwards been taken at CapeLahoeon the windward Coast, byRobertsthe Pirate, with whom several of the Sailors belonging to her had entered. However, some of the Pirates had hindered the Cargoe’s being plundered, and obtained that the Ship should be restored to the second Mate: Telling him, “They did it out of respect to the generous Character his Owner bore, in doing good to poor Sailors.”
When I met with this Vessel I had almost disposed of my Ship’s Cargoe; and theElizabethbeing under my Direction, I acquainted the second Mate, who then commanded her, That I thought it forour Owner’s Interest, to take the Slaves from on board him, being about 120, into my Ship; and then go off the Coast; and that I would deliver him at the same time the Remains of my Cargoe, for him to dispose of with his own after I was sailed. This he readily complied with, but told me, “He feared his Ship’s Company would mutiny, and oppose my taking the Slaves from him:” And indeed, they came at that instant in a Body on the Quarter-deck; where one spoke for the rest, telling me plainly, “they would not allow the Slaves to be taken out by me.” I found by this they had lost all respect for their present Commander, who indeed was a weak Man. However, I calmly asked the reason, “Why they offered to oppose my taking the Slaves?” To which they answered, “I had no business with them.” On this I desired the Captain to send to his Scrutore, for the Book of Instructions CaptainThompsonhad received from our Owner; and he read to them, at my request, that Part, in which their former Captain, or hisSuccessor (in case of Death) was to follow my Orders. Hereupon they all cried out, “they should remain a great while longer on the Coast to purchase more Slaves, if I took these from them, which they were resolved to oppose.” I answered, “That such of the Ship’s Company as desired it, I would receive on board my own; where they should have the same Wages they had at present on board theElizabeth, and I would send some of my own People to supply their Places.” This so reasonable an Offer was refused, one of the Men who was the Ship’s Cooper telling me, that the Slaves had been on board a long time, and they had great Friendship with them: therefore they would keep them. I asked him, “Whether he had ever been on the Coast ofGuineabefore?” He replied no. Then I told him. “I supposed he had not by his way of talking, and advised him not to rely on the Friendship of the Slaves, which he might have reason to repent of when too late.” And ’tis remarkable this very person was killed by themthe next Night, as shall be presently related.
So finding that reasoning with these Men was to no Purpose, I told them, “When I came with my Boats to fetch the Slaves, they should find me as resolute to chastise such of them as should dare to oppose me, as I had been condescending to convince them by arguing calmly.” So I took my leave of their Captain, telling him, “I would come next Morning to finish the Affair.”
But that very Night, which was near a month after the Mutiny on board of us atMumfort, the Moon shining now very bright, as it did then, we heard, about ten a Clock, two or three Musquets fired on board theElizabeth. Upon that I ordered all our Boats to be manned, and having secured every thing in our Ship, to prevent our Slaves from mutinying, I went my self in our Pinnace, (the other Boats following me) on board theElizabeth. In our way we saw two Negroes swimming from her, but before wecould reach them with our Boats, someSharksrose from the bottom, and tore them in Pieces. We came presently along the side of the Ship, where we found two Men-Negroes holding by a Rope, with their Heads just above water; they were afraid, it seems, to swim from the Ship’s side, having seen their Companions devoured just before by the Sharks. These two Slaves we took into our Boat, and then went into the Ship, where we found the Negroes very quiet, and all under Deck; but the Ship’s Company was on the Quarter-deck, in a great Confusion, saying, “The Cooper, who had been placed centry at the Fore-hatch way, over the Men-Negroes, was, they believed, kill’d by them.” I was surprized to hear this, wondring that these cowardly fellows, who had so vigorously opposed my taking the Slaves out, a few hours before, had not Courage enough to venture forward, to save their Ship-mate; but had secured themselves by shutting the Quarter-deck-door, where they all stood with Arms in their Hands. So Iwent to the fore-part of the Ship with some of my People, and there we found the Cooper lying on his back quite dead, his Scull being cleft asunder with a Hatchet that lay by him. At the sight of this I called for the Linguist, and bid him ask theNegroesbetween Decks, “Who had killed the white Man?” They answered, “They knew nothing of the matter; for there had been no design of mutinying amongst them:” Which upon Examination we found true; for above one hundred of the Negroes then on board, being bought to Windward, did not understand a word of theGold-CoastLanguage, and so had not been in the Plot. But this Mutiny was contrived by a fewCormantee-Negroes, who had been purchased about two or three days before. At last, one of the two Men-Negroes we had taken up along the Ship side, impeached his Companion, and he readily confessed he had kill’d the Cooper, with no other View, but that he and his Countrymen might escape undiscovered by swimming on Shore. For on their comingupon Deck, they observed, that all the white Men set to watch were asleep; and having found the Cook’s Hatchet by the Fire-place, he took it up, not designing then to do any Mischief with it; but passing by the Cooper, who was centry, and he beginning to awake, the Negroe rashly struck him on the head with it, and then jump’d overboard. Upon this frank Confession, the white Men would have cut him to Pieces; but I prevented it, and carried him to my own Ship. Early the next morning, I went on board theElizabethwith my Boats, and sent away all the Negroes then in her, into my own Ship: not one of the other Ship’s Company offering to oppose it. Two of them, the Carpenter and Steward, desired to go with me, which I readily granted; and by way of Security for the future Success of the Voyage, I put my chief Mate, and four of my under Officers (with their own Consent,) on board theElizabeth; and they arrived, about five Months after this, atJamaica, having disposed of most part of the Cargoe.
After having sent the Slaves out of theElizabeth, as I have just now mentioned, I went on board my own Ship; and there being then in the Road ofAnamaboe, eight sail of Ships besides us, I sent an Officer in my Boat to the Commanders of them, “To desire their Company on board my Ship, because I had an Affair of great Consequence to communicate to them.” Soon after, most of them were pleased to come; and I having acquainted them with the whole Matter, and they having also heard the Negroe’s Confession, “That he had killed the white Man;” They unanimously advised me to put him to death; arguing, “That Blood required Blood, by all Laws both divine and human; especially as there was in this Case the clearest Proof, namely the Murderer’s Confession: Moreover this would in all probability prevent future Mischiefs; for by publickly executing this Person at the Ship’s Fore-yard Arm, the Negroes on board their Ships would see it; and as they were very much disposed to mutiny, it might prevent them fromattempting it.” These Reasons, with my being in the same Circumstances, made me comply.
Accordingly we acquainted the Negroe, that he was to die in an hour’s time for murdering the white Man. He answered, “He must confess it was a rash Action in him to kill him; but he desired me to consider, that if I put him to death, I should lose all the Money I had paid for him.” To this I bid the Interpreter reply, “That tho’ I knew it was customary in his Country to commute for Murder by a Sum of Money, yet it was not so with us; and he should find that I had no regard to my Profit in this respect: For as soon as an Hour-Glass, just then turned, was run out, he should be put to death;” At which I observed he shewed no Concern.
Hereupon the other Commanders went on board their respective Ships, in order to have all their Negroes upon Deck at the time of Execution, and to inform them of the occasion of it. The Hour-Glassbeing run out, the Murderer was carried on the Ship’s Forecastle, where he had a Rope fastened under his Arms, in order to be hoisted up to the Fore-yard Arm, to be shot to death. This some of his Countrymen observing, told him, (as the Linguist informed me afterwards) “That they would not have him be frightened; for it was plain I did not design to put him to death, otherwise the Rope would have been put about his neck, to hang him.” For it seems they had no thought of his being shot; judging he was only to be hoisted up to the Yard-arm, in order to scare him: But they immediately saw the contrary; for as soon as he was hoisted up, ten white Men who were placed behind the Barricado on the Quarter-deck, fired their Musquets, and instantly killed him. This struck a sudden Damp upon our Negroe-Men, who thought, that, on account of my Profit, I would not have executed him.
The Body being let down upon the Deck, the Head was cut off, and thrown overboard. This last part was done, tolet our Negroes see, that all who offended thus, should be served in the same manner. For many of the Blacks believe, that if they are put to death and not dismembred, they shall return again to their own Country, after they are thrown overboard. But neither the Person that was executed, nor his Countrymen ofCormantee(as I understood afterwards,) were so weak as to believe any such thing; tho’ many I had on board from other Countries had that Opinion.
When the Execution was over, I ordered the Linguist to acquaint the Men-Negroes, “That now they might judge, no one that killed a white Man should be spared:” And I thought proper now to acquaint them once for all, “That if they attempted to mutiny again, I should be obliged to punish the Ringleaders with death, in order to prevent further Mischief.” Upon this they all promised to be obedient, and I assured them they should be kindly used, if they kept their Promise: which they faithfully did. For we sailed, two days after, fromAnamaboeforJamaica; and tho’ they were on board near four Months, from our going off the Coast, till they were sold at that Island, they never gave us the least reason to be jealous of them; which doubtless was owing to the Execution of the white Man’s Murderer.
These three Mutinies, I have here related, are all that ever happened where I was present, tho’ I have gone many Voyages to the Coast ofGuinea. But I have heard of several, that have ended in a very tragical manner. However to avoid being tedious, I shall relate only one, which is very remarkable, and happen’d on board theFerrers GalleyofLondonCapt.Messervy; who by his over-care, and too great Kindness to theNegroeson board his Ship, was destroyed by them, and the Voyage at last came to nothing. I met this Gentleman atAnamaboeon the Coast ofGuinea, inJanuary1722. At his coming on board my Ship, he informed me of his good fortune, in that he had purchased near 300 Negroes in a few Days, at a place calledCetre-Crue, onthe windward part of the Coast ofGuinea; which happened in this manner.
It seems the Inhabitants of this place, which lies near the Sea-side, had been often misused by some inland People, who for a long time had treated them in a villainous manner, whenever they went to their Towns with Salt, or any other Commodities to sell. For knowing the People ofCetre-Crue, did in a great measure depend on them for their Food, which is Rice, they took their Commodities, and gave them just what quantity of Rice they pleased, in exchange. TheCetre-Crueshaving long complained of this Injury, without redress, resolved to bear it no longer, but to revenge themselves by Arms. And they were crowned with Success, destroying and taking all the Inhabitants of the principal Town where they used to go and buy Rice.
CaptainMesservyhappened to anchor nearCetre-Cruejust at that time, and had the opportunity of purchasing a great many of the Captives at an easy rate. For the Conquerors were glad to get somethingfor them at that instant, since if a Ship had not been in the Road, they would have been obliged to have killed most of the Men-Captives, for their own Security.
After the Captain had told me this story, he desired me to spare him some Rice, having heard, I had purchased a great many Tuns to the Windward; where he had bought little, not expecting to meet with so many Slaves. This request I could not comply with, having provided no more than was necessary for my self, and for another of my Owner’s Ships, which I quickly expected. And understanding from him, that he had never been on the Coast ofGuineabefore, I took the liberty to observe to him, “That as he had on board so many Negroes of one Town and Language, it required the utmost Care and Management to keep them from mutinying; and that I was sorry he had so little Rice for them: For I had experienced that the Windward Slaves are always very fond of it, it being theirusual Food in their own Country and he might certainly expect dissatisfactions and Uneasiness amongst them for want of a sufficient quantity.”
This he took kindly, and having asked my Advice about other Matters, took his leave, inviting me to come next day to see him. I went accordingly on board his Ship, about three a clock in the afternoon. At four a clock the Negroes went to Supper, and CaptainMesservydesired me to excuse him for a quarter of an hour, whilst he went forward to see the Men-Negroes served with Victuals. I observed from the Quarter-Deck, that he himself put Pepper and Palm Oyl amongst the Rice they were going to eat. When he came back to me, I could not forbear observing to him, “How imprudent it was in him to do so: For tho’ it was proper for a Commander sometimes to go forward, and observe how things were managed; yet he ought to take a proper time, and have a good many of his white People in Arms when hewent; or else the having him so much in their Power, might incourage the Slaves to mutiny: For he might depend upon it, they always aim at the chief Person in the Ship, whom they soon distinguish by the respect shown him by the rest of the People.”
He thanked me for this Advice, but did not seem to relish it; saying, “He thought the old Proverb good, thatThe Master’s Eye makes the Horse fat.” We then fell into other Discourse, and among other things he told me, “He designed to go away in a few days:” Accordingly he sailed three days after forJamaica. Some Months after I went for that place, where at my arrival I found his Ship, and had the following melancholy account of his Death, which happened about ten days after he left the coast ofGuineain this manner.
Being on the Forecastle of the Ship, amongst the Men-Negroes, when they were eating their Victuals, they laid hold on him, and beat out his Brains with thelittle Tubs, out of which they eat their boiled Rice. This Mutiny having been plotted amongst all the grown Negroes on board, they runfromthe fore-part of the Ship in a body, and endeavoured to force the Barricado on the Quarter-Deck, not regarding the Musquets or Half Pikes, that were presented to their Breasts by the white Men, through the Loop-holes. So that at last the chief Mate was obliged to order one of the Quarter-deck Guns laden with Partridge-Shot, to be fired amongst them; which occasioned a terrible Destruction: For there were near eightyNegroeskill’d and drowned, many jumping overboard when the Gun was fired. This indeed put an end to the Mutiny, but most of the Slaves that remained alive grew so sullen, that several of them were starved to death, obstinately refusing to take any Sustenance: And after the Ship was arrived atJamaica, they attempted twice to mutiny, before the Sale of them began. This with their former Misbehaviour comingto be publickly known, none of the Planters cared to buy them, tho’ offered at a low Price. So that this proved a very unsuccessful Voyage, for the Ship was detained many Months atJamaicaon that account, and at last was lost there in a Hurricane.
The End ofBOOKII.
decorative icon