way forward from the main-mast. Its height below the beams was only four feet and a half. A large grating was placed over it; through which, while at sea, a sufficiency of air might in general be admitted: but in harbour, or on the coast, where calms are frequent, the poor slaves confined in it must have often breathed a most impure and stifling atmosphere. There were, in the side, two or three small scuttles, or holes for admitting the air, which were occasionally opened. In this room 140 men were stowed: and certainly the space allotted to them was far too small, either for comfort or health. I observed, that, on their coming on deck the second day after we had sailed (they had at that time been four or five days below) their looks were quite livid and ghastly as well as gloomy and dejected.

The men were always fastened together, two and two, by means of iron shackles; the right leg and hand of one being attached to the left leg and hand of the other. If the weather was such as to admit of their coming upon deck, they were brought up about eight o'clock in the morning. Only two were allowed to come up the hatchway at a time: and a second pair was not permitted to ascend until the first pair was made fast to a chain reaching the whole length of the deck, and which, having been passed through a ring in the leg-irons of each pair in succession, was then locked to a strong ring-bolt. After they had all been brought on deck, their rice was set before them in tubs-(one tub for ten slaves). On a signal being made, they all clapped their hands and cheered three times after which they immediately began to eat. Having finished their meal, a draught of water was given to each. The first-mate and boatswain, armed with a cat, have charge of the main-deck during this process.

Sometimes a drum was carried on the main-deck, to the music of which the men sung and danced. Being fixed to one spot, by means of the chain already mentioned, their dancing consisted only of beating the deck violently with the foot which was at liberty. They had two meals a day: the first between nine and ten; the second, which was conducted in the same way as the first, about four in the afternoon. Before sunset they were all sent down below, and the hatches were then locked. While they were on deck their apartment was always cleaned out; but towards morning the smell of it became necessarily DEC. 1827.

very offensive and it was still more so if the weather at any time prevented their being brought on deck.

The main-deck was entirely separated from the part of the ship abaft the mainmast by a strong barricade about ten feet high, and extending about two feet over the ship's side. In this barricade was a little door, capable of admitting one person; at which two centinels were placed during the time the men slaves were on deck. Four more were placed, with loaded blunderbusses in their hands, on the top of the barricade, above the heads of the slaves: and two cannons, loaded with small shot, were pointed towards the main-deck through holes cut in the barricade to receive them.

A very strong bulk-head, but so formed as to admit the circulation of air, bounded the after-part of the men's room; between which and a bulk-head of the same kind, which formed the fore-part of the women's room, was a space of about ten feet, which served for a passage into the hold. From this second bulk-head the women's room extended to the mizen-mast. This appartment was more commodious in proportion than that of the men, as in general not more than forty-five persons slept in it. The women were not in irons, one excepted, who had attempted to drown herself. The grating was raised about three feet above the deck, and admitted a good deal of air. The women were brought upon the quarterdeck every morning: but with them none of those precautions were used which were thought necessary with the men. They, together with the boys and girls, messed on the quarter-deck, in the same way as is described above; and were kept in order by the secondmate, armed with a cat. They were frequently ordered to dance and sing and, being more at their liberty than the men, and apparently less affected by their state, they made much more noise at this exercise; though it was a difficult matter at times to prevail on them to engage on it. About sunset they also were ordered into their place of confinement, and the hatches locked down.

;

The quarter-deck was raised about seven feet above the main-deck, and extended forwards so as to afford two additional apartments. The aftermost formed the cabin. Here hung the captain's cot and mine; and underneath these, on the floor, during the night

3 S

time, lay twenty-five Httle girls. Before the cabin was another apartment, quite open forward, in which the first-mate and surgeon hung their cots, and where the boys to the number of twenty-nine, lay during the night. The ship's company had their hammocks hung over the main-deck, under the long-boat; on each side of which a kind of awning was extended a little way, in order to defend them from the dews.-Pp. 53

56.

But, before I finally take leave of the Liberty, I cannot withhold the detail of certain other circumstances, which took place on board during our voyage: and which I relate now, to preserve the story's continuity. In the course of our progress, I had observed, for many days, that the captain was unusually mysterious and absent; and apparently dreading to be asked questions about the economy of the ship. I at last ventured to inquire whether any thing were really going wrong. After a pause, he told me, with some confusion, that so many of the water-casks were leaky, and others already empty, as to convince him of the impossibility of reaching the port without putting us all upon a very short allowance and I have before mentioned the noisome state of the water. I listened to his story with great alarm; and the narrator, at its close left me abruptly. I naturally expressed my fears to the mate; whom, by the way, 1 generally shunned, disliking the man even to disgust. But peril and fear are said to effect strange coalitions ; and so I found it. mate and I consulted together; and, in the course of our discussion, he suddenly assumed an expression of countenance between satisfaction and shame; and said, with a scrutinizing look, 'Well, sir, we can but lighten the ship-part with some lumber with some livestock.' Unused to such phraseology, and absorbed, at the moment, by the apprehension of speedy want, I scarcely heard his dark and broken hints; and they certainly conveyed to my inexperienced ears no distinct meaning. The subject was dropped-but while the conversation lasted, I felt as though the mate had something to propose which he dare not communicate; or, that he was endeavouring to gain my sanction to a scheme which, after all, his lips refused to explain.

The

In the middle of one dark, and generally calm, night, I was disturbed by a commotion on deck; but supposing, as

on former occasions of noise and bustle, that some sick slaves were brought up for the benefit of the night-breeze and coolness, I did not leave my cot: and as to the captain, he slumbered as I heard afterwards-till the morning. I rather suspect that the mate, who was skilled in every sort of craft, had drugged his evening glass with laudanum. I lay half-awake, without the least suspicion of what was really the case. However, I overheard, and still without suspicion, a kind of sullen debate among the crew; and, at intervals, caught such interlocutory remarks as these chiefly, indeed, uttered by the well-known voice of the mate-'If I won't do it, somebody must-what's the use of being so squeamish ?-better lose thirty than all die of thirst-necessity has no law, and I thought every fool knew that it's no more than old Sanders did last yearCome, bring out the next; he's half dead already the captain cannot prosecute.'-After a time these debates ceased. I heard, notwithstanding, a continuation of the bustle on deck; and, now and then, noises resembling the plunge of heavy articles in the water.

In the morning I rallied the mate for keeping such late hours, and playing at midnight gambols on the deck. The man had the hardihood and presence of mind to retain his usual ease of manner. Yet I seemed to be aware of the influence of an under-current in his mind, which almost imperceptibly disturbed the upper surface. Two days after, I managed to find my way, among the Negroes crowded on the deck, to some of their diseased companions under the awning in the long-boat; when I was unexpectedly addressed by a slave already mentioned, who had picked up a little English in Africa, Ah, massa, worse lying here than at the bottom of the sea-Quashee happier than me— and Cudjoe and Quamina—and all gone home again, through the salt waterDo let me go next-I heard 'em all dash upon the water-among the sharks.'

6

-The truth now came out! Captain Y-, having resisted the mate's plau to throw the sick, feeble, and old slaves overboard, his second officer, encouraged and assisted by five or six of the crew, had taken the law into his own hands, and-in his view-saved all our lives by sacrificing about thirty Negroes.*

The following observations also on the food and treatment of slaves, are highly important as illustrating the present state of slavery in the West Indian Colonies.

I proceed to give some general information on the actual condition of slaves, But when I contemplate the mass of authentic documents now loading the table of an abolitionist-and from this I wish to draw evidence, generally to the exclusion of any assertions of my own-I am constrained to say,' Inopem me copia fecit!' The difficulty is in the art of selecting and condensing materials; while, in an anxiety to avoid wearisome detail, I am afraid of furnishing insufficient testimony.

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What is the food of the slaves? One, and only one, answer out of many, shall be given to this inquiry. I aver it boldly, melancholy experience having given me occasion to make the remark, that a great number of negroes have perished annually by diseases produced by inanition. To be convinced of this truth, let us trace the effect of that system which assigned for a Negro's weekly allowance six or seven pints of flour or grain, with as many salt herrings; and it is in vain to conceal, what we all know to be true, that in many of the islands they did not give more. With so scanty a pittance it is indeed possible for the soul and body to be held together a considerable portion of time, provided a man's only business be to live, and his spirits be husbanded with a frugal hand: but if motion short of labour, much more labour itself, and that too intense, be exacted from him, how is his body to support itself?' Their attempts to wield the hoe prove abortive; they shrink from their toil; and, being urged to perseverance by stripes, you are soon

less himself, ordered his mate to throw overboard forty-six slaves; two days after, thirty-six more; and subsequently another parcel of forty. Ten others, walking the deck unfettered, jumped in indignantly after them. The ship, after all, brought into port 480 gallons of water. So here were 122 slaves sacrificed-and by a miscalculation about the water!-The case appeared before the British public, because a trial came on at Guildhall, not of the captain [Collingwood] for murder; but upon a mere civil suit, instituted by the owners, for the purpose of recovering from the underwriters the value of the murdered slaves! Still more strange, the owners gained their cause; and not a word was said about the crime. The details may be found in Substance of Debates, &c.' 1806. 177-180.-Had not the owners taken up the affair, we should not have heard a syllable about it; and let it be well considered, what incredible numbers of lives must have been sacrificed in cases where underwriters were not concerned; or, if concerned, not attacked by the insured party!

obliged to receive them into the hospital, whence, unless your plan be speedily corrected, they depart but to the grave.'

But let the inquirer pass on, in his terrible progress, to what, in point of physical suffering, is the most accursed part of the colonial system; and admits of no explanation or defence, but such as would justify crimes of the deepest malignity, namely, compulsory labour under the cart-whip. The drivers are selected from among the most intelligent and the most athletic of the slaves belonging to the estate; and present, in their plump and robust appearance, a striking contrast to the generality of the poor labourers whom they drive. A long, thick, and strongly platted whip, with a short handle, is coiled and slung like a sash over their shoulders, except when extended in the hand for use, as the ensign of their fearful office; and being long trained to the expert use of it, they well know how to direct, and how to aggravate or mitigate its inflictions. They have an emulation in the loudness of the report which they produce from this instrument of torture, the sound of which is enough to make the stoutest of its male patients tremble; and the smack of the cart-whip-in Jamaica it is called the cattle-whip, being the same that is used to drive oxen in carting-frequently repeated from a distant cane-piece, serves often, instead of a bell or conch-shell, to summon the Negroes from their huts, at the earliest dawn, to the theatre of their labours. The drivers, however, can when they please, in actual punishment, produce a loud report without proportionate severity of stripes; and, on the other hand, when told to cut, as the phrase is, they can easily inflict a gash at every stroke, so as to make even a few lashes a tremendous punishment. A planter, who valued himself on his humanity, once pointed out to me a driver of his, then passing by, as a man whose strength of arm and adroitness in the use of his whip were more than commonly great, and who had also a cruel disposition. I once actually saw the fellow, said he, lay open the flank of a mule, cutting fairly through its tough hide at a single stroke. Cutting does not mean merely drawing blood and peeling off the scarf skin, for those are effects of almost every stripe on the naked body with this instrument, however leniently applied; but it means cutting through the cutis, or true skin, into the muscle or flesh below; and this is so usual in cart

whippings, when regularly inflicted for a serious fault, that confinement to the hospital during the cure is an ordinary consequence, and large scars or weals remain during the life of the patient.

We hear with horror of the Russian punishment of the knout, which is applied only to capital convicts; but by the description travellers have given of it, there seems to be no other difference between the knout and the cart or cattle whip, than their application to different parts of the frame. The long whip of the Russian executioner cuts the victim from the nape of the neck to the loins, his back being laid bare for the purpose; and by its deep incisions, though few in number, often produces death; but the Negro, to avoid that consequence, is lacerated by a like instrument, only on a part of the frame from the fleshy texture of which the incisions, however torturous, are not likely to be fatal. They nevertheless sometimes prove so. In a pretty recent case, brought to the knowledge of Parliament, a poor field Negro was literally whipped to death, by the immediate order and in the presence of his master.

When employed in the labour of the field-as, for example, in holing a cane-piece-the slaves are drawn out in a line, each with a hoe in his or her hand; and in the rear is a driver. Thus disposed, their work begins, and continues for a certain number of hours; during which, at the peril of the drivers, an adequate portion of land must be holed. As the trenches are generally rectilinear, and the whole line of holers advance together, it is necessary that every hole or section of the trench should be finished in equal time with the rest and if any one Negro were allowed to hoe with less rapidity than his companions in other parts of the line, it is obvious that the work of the latter must be suspended. It is therefore the business of the driver, not only to urge forward the whole gang with sufficient speed, but to watch that all in the line,

whether male or female, old or young, strong or feeble, work, as nearly as possible, in equal time and with equal effect. No breathing time, no pause of languor, to be repaid by brisker exertion afterwards, can be allowed to individuals. All must work or pause together.

The System, by Charlotte Elizabeth, though not so ably written, nor containing so much authentic information as the Memoir of the West India Planter, is every

way deserving of commendation; it especially illustrates the impossibility of a benevolent master's securing the happiness of his own slaves, and evinces the dangers to which the West Indian proprietors must ever be exposed so long as they retain the negroes in their present humiliating bondage.

We are induced the more earnestly to press these volumes upon the attention of our readers from an apprehension which we have been compelled to entertain, that the cause of emancipation is rather losing than gaining ground. Many seem to imagine that some effectual progress has been made in checking the evils of slavery, and preparing a way for the liberation of negroes by the measures adopted in some of the Government colonies, as Trinidad, Berbice, &c. But to us it plainly appears that so little has been effected, that ages and generations may pass away without any material improvement arising from this quarter to the African race; and a recent decision whereby a slave who had acquired her liberty by landing in this country, and who afterwards returned to the West Indies has been pronounced again a slave, has excited in our minds the most painful feelings and apprehensions,-feelings the more painful, because in the delivery of that judgment some positions were advanced which appear to us far from favourable to the general cause of liberty.

We had hoped that one of the last judicial acts of the distinguished individual to whom we allude, might have been the restoring liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. In this hope we have been disappointed, and that disappointment urges us to call upon all the friends of Africa's injured race, to prepare their petitions and urge forcibly on the British Parliament the duty and the necessity of wiping away the blot of slavery from the British dominions.