Chapter II: Introduction: BY CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R.N.R. xvii

I. THE GUINEA COAST 1

II. SIR JOHN HAWKINS, SLAVE TRADER 19

III. THE VOYAGE OF THE SHIP “HANNIBAL” OF LONDON, IN 1693 31

IV. THE SLAVING VOYAGE OF THE “ALBION-FRIGATE” OF LONDON 73

V. THE LIVERPOOL AND BRISTOL SLAVERS 89

VI. MUTINIES ABOARD SLAVE SHIPS IN THE EARLY DAYS 113

VII. THE SHIP DOCTOR’S NARRATIVE 133

VIII. THE GUINEA VOYAGE AND THE SAILOR 155

IX. THE BRIG “RUBY” OF BRISTOL, AFRICAN SLAVER 167

X. CAPTAIN CROW, THE LAST SLAVER OUT OF LIVERPOOL 181

XI. THE RECOLLECTIONS OF A SLAVE TRADER 189

XII. FACTORY LIFE ON THE GUINEA COAST 211

XIII. SLAVE SMUGGLING A HUNDRED YEARS AGO 237

XIV. SLAVING VOYAGES BY RHODE ISLAND VESSELS 255

XV. SOME AMERICAN SLAVE SHIPS 267

XVI. SIX MONTHS ON A SLAVER IN 1860 281

XVII. THE LAST VOYAGE OF AN AMERICAN SLAVER 319

INDEX 345

ILLUSTRATIONS

BARTERING FOR SLAVES ON THE GUINEA COAST _Frontispiece_

From a colored lithograph in the Macpherson
Collection.

CAPE COAST CASTLE, THE PRINCIPAL ENGLISH SETTLEMENT ON 2
THE GOLD COAST

From a colored aquatint by J. Hill, published in 1806,
in the Macpherson Collection.

THE GUINEA COAST ABOUT THE YEAR 1700 6

From the map in Churchill’s _Collection of Voyages_,
engraved by R. W. Seale.

CHRISTIANSBORG, THE DANISH SETTLEMENT ON THE GOLD COAST 10

From the engraving by J. Hill, published in 1806, in
the Macpherson Collection.

ELMINA, ON THE GOLD COAST, NEAR CAPE COAST CASTLE 16

From a colored aquatint, published about 1830, in the
Macpherson Collection.

MAP OF THE COAST OF AFRICA FROM SIERRA LEONE TO THE CAPE 20
OF GOOD HOPE

From an original by Arnoldus F. a Langren, engraved in
1599, in the Macpherson Collection.

DUTCH SHIPS TRADING ON THE GUINEA COAST. FROM DE BRY’S 26
“VOYAGES,” 1601

(A) Ship. (B) Negro merchants. (C) How goods are
passed from the canoes to the shore. (D) Where the
merchants have to pay a tax to the chief. (E) Canoe
being carried up the beach.

PROSPECT OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE, LONDON, IN 1714, WITH 32
SHIPPING OF THE PERIOD

From an engraving by John Harris, in the Macpherson
Collection.

NEGRO SLAVES FROM LOANGO, AFRICA 46

From an engraving in Stedman’s _Narrative of an
Expedition to Surinam_, London, 1796.

THE DUTCH CASTLE CORMANTINE, NEAR ANAMABOE ON THE GOLD 54
COAST

From an engraving in Ogilby’s _Africa_, London, 1670.

(A) HAND-CUFFS FOR SLAVES. (B) LEG SHACKLES. (C-E) THUMB 66
SCREWS. (F-H) “SPECULUM ORIS,” TO OPEN CLOSED JAWS

From Clarkson’s _Abolition of the Slave Trade_,
London, 1808.

NEGROES BEING CARRIED OUT TO A SLAVE SHIP; AND CASTLE ON 74
THE GOLD COAST

From an engraving in Churchill’s _Collection of
Voyages_, London, 1756.

THE CEREMONY OF “CROSSING THE LINE” 86

From an engraving in Drake’s _Collection of Voyages_,
London, 1771.

VIEW OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, FROM THE FORT, IN 1798 92

From a colored aquatint by John T. Serres, in the
Macpherson Collection.

VIEW OF CLARENCE COVE, ISLAND OF FERNANDO PO 100

Colored aquatint, after a painting by W. J. Huggins,
in 1833, in the Macpherson Collection.

GEORGETOWN, DEMERARA, SHOWING THE BRITISH BARK “CAESAR” 108
ENTERING THE HARBOR, SEPTEMBER, 1839

From a colored aquatint, after a painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

GROUP OF NEGROES JUST LANDED TO BE SOLD FOR SLAVES 118

From an engraving in Stedman’s _Narrative of an
Expedition to Surinam_, London, 1796.

SECTION SHOWING METHOD OF STOWING SLAVES, IN 1786, ON THE 126
SHIP “BROOKES” OF LIVERPOOL

From Clarkson’s _Abolition of the Slave Trade_,
London, 1808.

CARRYING SLAVES TO A PORTUGUESE SLAVE BRIG LYING IN BONNY 134
RIVER

From a drawing by T. F. Birch, made in January, 1837,
in the Macpherson Collection.

A VIEW OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 144

From a line engraving after a painting by T. Mellish,
published about 1750, by John Bowles, London, in the
Macpherson Collection.

THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE VENUS, FROM ANGOLA TO THE WEST 152
INDIES

From a painting by T. Stothard, engraved for Edward’s
_History of the West Indies_, London, 1818.

METHOD OF STOWING SLAVES ON THE FRENCH BRIG “VIGILANTI” 158
OF NANTES

Captured in the River Bonny, April 15, 1822.

SECTION AND DECK PLAN OF THE FRENCH BRIG “VIGILANTI,” OF 168
NANTES, CAPTURED IN THE RIVER BONNY, APRIL 15, 1822

VIEW OF THE TOWN AND HARBOR OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND 182

From a colored aquatint by W. J. Bennett, engraved in
1811, in the Macpherson Collection.

VIEW OF THE CITY AND HARBOR OF RIO DE JANEIRO 192

From a colored lithograph published by Lemercier,
Paris, in the Macpherson Collection.

SLAVE HUNTERS ATTACKING A NEGRO TOWN 198

From a wood engraving in Canot’s _Twenty Years of an
African Slaver_.

BRANDING A NEGRESS AT THE RIO PONGO 204

From a wood engraving in Canot’s _Twenty Years of an
African Slaver_.

A DUTCH PLANTER IN SURINAM IN HIS MORNING DRESS 208

From an engraving in Stedman’s _Narrative of an
Expedition to Surinam_, London, 1796.

CAPTURE OF THE SLAVER “HENNA,” OCT. 26, 1843, OFF MERCURY 212
ISLAND, S. W. COAST OF AFRICA, BY H.M. SCHOONER “ARIEL”

From a water color in the Macpherson Collection.

VIEW OF THE TOWN OF THE FOULAH TRIBE OF NEGROES 218

From an engraving by Basire in Astley’s _Collection of
Voyages_, London, 1745.

CAPTURE OF THE SLAVER “BORBOLETA,” MAY 26, 1845, BY THE 226
BOATS OF H.M. BRIG “PANTALOON,” AFTER A TWO DAYS’ CHASE
OFF LAGOS, WEST AFRICA

From a colored lithograph, after a drawing by H. John
Vernon, in the Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF THE SPANISH SLAVER “FORMIDABLE,” DEC. 7, 1834, 230
OFF SIERRA LEONE, BY H.M. BRIG “BUZZARD”

From a colored aquatint, after the painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

FEMALE SAMBOE SLAVE GIVEN TWO HUNDRED LASHES 234

From an engraving in Stedman’s _Narrative of an
Expedition to Surinam_, London, 1796.

VIEW OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 240

From a colored aquatint, published in 1841, after a
painting by William J. Bennett, in the Macpherson
Collection.

BRITISH PRIZE BRIGANTINE “NETUNA,” BEATING OFF THE 246
SPANISH SLAVER “CAROLINE,” MAR. 20, 1826, IN THE BIGHT
OF BENIN

The _Netuna_ carried 1 gun and 5 men; the _Caroline_,
10 guns and 90 men.

From a colored aquatint, after the painting by W. Joy,
in the Macpherson Collection.

A SLAVER DRIVEN ASHORE ON THE BRAZILIAN COAST BY H.M. 250
BRIG “FROLIC”

From a colored lithograph by H. John Vernon, published
about 1840, in the Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF THE AMERICAN SLAVER “MARY ADELINE,” OFF THE 260
CONGO, IN 1852, BY H.M. BRIGANTINE “DOLPHIN”

From a colored lithograph by H. John Vernon, in the
Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF AMERICAN SLAVER “ORION,” NOV. 30, 1859, WITH 264
888 SLAVES, BY H.M. SLOOP-OF-WAR “PLUTO”

From a water color by J. Taylor (1876) in the
Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF AMERICAN SLAVE SHIP “MARTHA,” JUNE 6, 1850, 270
OFF AMBRIZ, BY U.S. BRIG “PERRY”

From a lithograph in Foote, _Africa and the American
Flag_, New York, 1854.

“NIGHTINGALE,” 1060 TONS, BUILT AT PORTSMOUTH, N. H., IN 276
1851

From a lithograph by N. Currier, after the drawing by
C. Parsons made in 1854.

CHASE OF THE SLAVER “GABRIEL,” JULY 6, 1841, BY H.M. BRIG 282
“ACORN”

From a colored lithograph, after a drawing by N. M.
Condy, in the Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF SPANISH SLAVER “DOLORES,” APR. 4, 1816, OFF 288
THE CONGO, BY H.M. BRIG “FERRET”

From a colored lithograph, after the painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

THE CAPTURE OF THE SLAVER “BOLODORA” BY H.M. SCHOONER 296
“PICKLE,” JUNE 6, 1824

From the colored aquatint, after the painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF THE SLAVER “EL ALMIRANTE,” FEB. 1, 1829, IN 304
THE BIGHT OF BENIN, BY H.M. BRIG “BLACK JOKE”

From a colored aquatint, after the painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

THE SLAVER “L’ANTONIO,” WITH OTHER BLACK CRAFT, LYING IN 312
BONNY RIVER

From a colored lithograph published in London, in
1841, in the Macpherson Collection.

VIEW OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, FROM ABOVE THE MIDDLE 320
FERRY

From a colored aquatint, published in 1841, after a
painting by William J. Bennett, in the Macpherson
Collection.

A VIEW OF FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE 326

From a colored aquatint, published Sept. 14, 1837,
after the painting by W. J. Huggins, in the
Macpherson Collection.

CAPTURE OF THE SPANISH SLAVER “MIDAS,” JUNE 27, 1829, ON 332
THE GREAT BAHAMA BANK, BY H.M. SCHOONER “MONKEY”

From the colored aquatint, after the painting by W. J.
Huggins, in the Macpherson Collection.

THE HARBOR OF HAVANA, CUBA 338

From a drawing by J. W. Hill, made about 1850.

THE GUINEA COAST ABOUT THE YEAR 1860 342

From Black’s _Atlas of the World_, Edinburgh, 1867.

TO THE READER

Read this book and visions see
Of Afric land and tropic sea;
Of beaches wide where great waves roar,
Where sea birds scream and vultures soar;
Of lofty palms that bow and sigh
And cast their shade where slavers lie;
Of steaming forests and calm lagoons,
And swelt’ring blacks in barracoons;
Of brutal captains and negro kings,
And dusky belles in anklets and rings;
Of muddy rivers where black craft hide
Among the mangoes—at anchor ride;
Of brig and schooner, snow and ship,
Casting from shore with anchor atrip;
Filling away for the Western World
With cargoes below oft-times hurled
To feed the ravenous water brutes
Which ever cruise on the slavers’ routes;
Of idle ships on a sea asleep
Along the line where the latitudes meet;
Of a western land where “Cotton was King”
And the markets were busy when the slavers were in.
ERNEST H. PENTECOST.