Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-05-04

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only locked to the deck, as before men
toned, but strong nettngs are fastened
around The ship, which reach from the
deck to considerable height in the rig
eing. But Notwithstanding these pre-
cautions, and the terrible example oil
shooting some who attempt to leap over
board, the instances where they thus de-
stroy themselves are numerous, and
when they are frustrated in the attempt
tbs way, they resort 20 other means to
obtain their object. Tue keenesi fore
sight on he part OF their oppressors can
not always prevent them. When ropes
have been lell about the deck, some have
seized the opportunity and hung them
selVes--w hen small instruments, or even
p :. Us OF non have come within their
reach, Others have been discovered 10
have made mortal wounds with them
upon their bodies !; and many TO whom
AL these means have failed, resoulely
refuse to take any susienauce, when, af
ter pnlpg IN great misery for several
days, The welcome hand of death has al
las; terminated heir sutferines Nume-
Tous are the instances OF females Of very
delicate ren permanent Of body aud mind,
whose feelings are more tondcr, snd WHO
have more acute sense OF their siiua-
top, but POSSESS less resolution, where
a continually increasing melancholy has
terminated IN madness, in which ri liable
condition they have remained for The
short remnant Of their days. Such are
he melancholy scenes which are COLI
thuaily passing 81 board the slave ships,
from the period of Leaving he coast OF
Africa, uniil they arrive al the place ot
desunation, during which time cons-
derable mortal y occurs. From the
evidence before quoted, it appears tina,
ON OF 1904 slav S wno sailed with the
Witnesses al differ nj times, 2o5} perish
ed IN The short space OF SIX or eight
weeks, though all IT them were young
aud healthy when brought on board
the oi,est slave SelSom being more than
iwentJ i've years 'oi age What mur-
derous, hat a cruel deyas a,on OF he
5uDan race IS hereby occasioncd- w t
an impious rebellion asan.si the will and
the designs OF beneiceat Providence
II is impossible that men can irt ccai-
ly witness such scenes as those we nave
endeavored to describe, wrhoW becnm
ing hardened in cruelty and in wicked
ness. here is no doubt but hsl many
when they first commence his dab lie d
employ, ind II necessary TO suppress
and siifle tie feelings OF humanity ; bul
every Suppression OF benovolen feeling
does violence 10 the tenderness OF the
human heart; ii seels and blrn US WI =
tuons senslblliy, and prepares il tor the
COMMISSION Of acts of greater atrociiy.
Snch Is precisely the case Of slave ira
ders. by degrees they ave brought TO
view with md ference, and indeed 10 per
petra c acts OF the mos, shocking barba-
rity--ac,s, the bare recital of which
would cause feeling m.cd 10 shuddcr
with aohorfenoe. They are taught, by
repeat ii crueltles, to regard the cries,
he tears, and the sut1erings oi fellow
creature whom they have purchased, no
more man they would tie drowning ol a
fly !. To the truth Of Cur sSserlIsns lei
ne ioi 'iwlns iac's ,esI5:
On BOARD a foreign ship cal ed the
Gong, many of the slaves had died, and
he morality was spreadingeso rapidly
that The captain began 10 fear he should
lose them all. II thereflre came Ia
the diabolica resoio ion OF lecing hose
who were the most siCkl, and throwing
them into the sea, conceiving thai Il be
could plead necessity Tor The deed, the
loss of the slaves would fall upon the
underwriters. The plea which he pro
posed to set up, was want OF water,
though neither the crew nor the slaves
had been put upon allowance. He Sc
lected accordingly one hundred and thir
ty-t7Oo of the most slckly, fHy tour oil
whom were immediately thrown over
board, aud forty-two on the succeeding
day. But here, as if Providence, abaor-
ring the wicked deed, determined to
leave the wretch without the shadow o.
an excuse, a shower OF rain came on,
which lasted for three days. Nolwilh-
stan ing this, the remaining lweny-six
were brough, on deck to share the same
fate. The first sixteen submitted to be
thrown into the sea, but the remainder,
with noble resolution, would no, per-
mi, any of the crew to touch them, but
heroically leaped in after their compa-
Mons. These circumstances we're all
fully proved before court OF Justice IN
Guildha'l, in London, IN the prose ution
OF suit brought to recover their value