Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-01-31

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| sail by which his craft was impelled through
the waters He was an Italian, who fshed
! for the hawk billed turtle. so valuable on ac-
count of their shell, and which at certain sea-
sons in the year are taken in large numbers
among these unfrequented keys. Seeing us
| from his little rancho on shore, he had come
| to our 4eliet He informed us that we were
| fifteen leagues from our port, and that for two
doubloons he would carry me in his frail bark
10 the city for assistance. Taking plentiful
| supply of raw pork and sea bread, with key
| of water, we started on our course. Our boat,
dug out of small cedar log, was too light
for outside navigation. and as in many places
the water was very shoal among the keys, we
were frequently obliged to take the boat on
our shoulders, or drag il over the shoals, (pret-
| ty much in the same manner as the Loco.focos
will be compelled 10 drag the little Magician
over the course next falD thus making the "Trip
| a very toilsome one. Having accomplished
! about half the distance, we saw TRIM looking
clipper-buit schooner, which the crew were
| vainly endeavcring to heave into deep water
by the aid of their cables and anchors. 1t
| appeared she was slaver-fearing her cargo
might be seized by Valdez, then Captain Gen.
eral of the Island who during his short admit
nistration, discopntenanced. as much as he
dared to do, the importation of slaves, and
pho had lately seized a cargo and cold them
for the benefit of government, the captain
had attempted TO land them on the coast, and
the Norther had thrown her ashore. Not.
withstanding the urgency Of the business 1
was OH, I could not resist visiting the SLAYER,
and such a scene of human misery as was
there presented, never before met, and trust
may ne ver again meet my view.
The captain told me he had, when he left
the coast of Africa, three hundred and twenty
men aud women-Qhey never steal children
when adults can be obtained)-two hundred
and twelve were all that now remained
IOS had persisted from diseases caused by
want of air, proper food and water-the
Vessel, ,onglnaIly but about five
4. been foored over with false
above the skin of The vessel, thus
lie negroes to keep always in Sit
STOPPING position-and when or ginal.
,ppcd, males and females must have been
ed Unfortunately, pretty much as her.
are packed into a barrel--as no one
aid imagine how another person could be
slowed in place which l08 had left to fur.
nish food for sharks. The passage had been
a very long one,-the tanks had become al.
most exhausted, and wafer and provisions
had been dealt out to them for the last thirty
days, with such sparing hand, that hunger
and thirst had been added to the long cata-
logue of horrors which they had been com.
PEELED to endure. The attenuated frames
the hollow Cheeks-the deep.sunken eyes
the look Of despair stamped upon their coun-
tenances-ther long bony fingers clutching
with greedy avarce grisly bones which a
| hungry dog would have scorned, for hunger
had made them selfish-the raving madness
exhibited by some-the blank and idiotic stare
oil others,--presented a picture of human
wretchedness which devils would have gloat-
ed over with perfect delight. And yet the
Captain spoke of the business he was enga-
! ged in as one desc rving of praise rather than
censure, and seemed to look upon the misery
he was the instrument of with perfect uncon-
Germ. So stony may the heart become by fire.
quent contact with human suffering. He lived
at Sagua la Grande, but few leagues from
where he hadbeen cast ashore, and this was
his third voyage to Africa. He was maies-
tic looking Creole*--"a fine, sallow, sublime,
sort Of Werter-faced man." with tongue oil
siyery smoothness, dropping honey, like
Nestor's ''though blackness was beneath"-
he spoke of his wife and children, whom he
anticipated meeting SO shortly, with flush ed
cheek and beaming eye, while not thought
seemed to enter his mind of the heart consum-
ing anguish which was raging in the breasts O,
these victims of his soul-destroyng avarice.
In spite of the vigilance of the English Afri.
can squadron, thousands of these unhappy
creatures are annually brought into Cuba, and
although the Government Of Spain has been
compelled by some ofits more powerful neigh
bors to issue an edict ag ainst their importation
into the Island, yet but feeble efforts for its
enforcement can be expected from country
which has been so long desolated by intestine
connections, and especially when that Gov
! eminent knows that unless It suffers the inn.
portation of slaves into its powerful colony.
that colony with its present inert population,
would soon dwinde into insignifcance The av
erage length oflife among the native Africans,
THE word Creole does not, as many are in
the habit of believing, imply mixture of ne.
gro blood, but is used in New Orleans and the
West Indies simply to designate native from
stranger.