The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-24
Our African Correspondence.
u S. SHIP ERIE, PoRTo PRAYA,l
November %, 1913.


breeze, we proceeded our route southwark
Passing through the Canary group, we reached
Porto Praya, after passage OF fifteen days. This
mort is the most convenient depot for the Supplies of
the African squadron; and our stores were here
deuos;ted IN the custom house, subject to the re-
ous,,;on of the vessels which might from time 10
t;ue need them. To pass over so uninterestipo n
snot sc this without comment, is sparing Won a
descrmtion of one of the most abject and G cd for
col on paces which has ever been recognised as
The residence of civilized man.
IJntiI quite recently, the Cape Verd Islands were
a sort of neutral ground to the savers of the coast
of Africa. They here took out new papers, pur-
chased their supplies, and watched their opportu-
nity for securing their cargoes on the coast of
Africa An accident has directed my inquiries to
this subject, as a means OF occupying my time, and
have been greatly interested in the information
obtained from various sources, which consider
IN the highest degree authentic. We have the de-
caraton of distinguished member of the British
Parliament, made quite recently from his official
seat that all the efforts for the suppression of the
slave trade have proved Intellectual to eradicate the
traffic, while they have caused it, under the pres
sure of vigilant and hostile pursuit. to assume new
England has been superadded TO- the regular traffic.
which evades the cruisers; and it has been found
that the number of slaves taken from Africa is en-
larged in proportion TO the amount of the English
about to Join the African squadron, lie said to have
answered the hail of an English cruiser, that I" he
was bound to the coast to protect the slave trade.
| do not vouch for the truth of the anecdote, but
heartily Join in this grave irony of the project of
roofing out the slave trade by means of armed
cruisers, and Of converting into apprentices those
whom they may chance to capture, who are thus
made slaves under color Of more agreeable
name.
do not wish to be understood as undertaking
the importance of cur own squadron on the coast
of Africa, for believe it is at the present moment
not only one OF the most actively employed, but
also one of the most useful in the navy So long
as any other nation maintains the system of cruis-
ing, chasing, searching, capturing, and confscatng
vessels on the coast of Africa, under pretext Of
their being engaged, or equipped for engaging, in
the slave traffic, and that, too, under arbitrary
construction of what constitutes an offence, so
long the presence of our naval vessels is of para
mount importance to maintain the sanctity of our
own flag-to shield our innocent merchantmen
from veXatous pursuit, and from arbitrary deten-
ton, under pretext that the flag is falsely used to
cover slave traffic, and to prevent the complaints,
negotiations, and nationa teuds which would
eventually ensue. In this respect the African
squadron is in high degree beneficial and eco
nomical, and is proftless only to those who waste
their lives in the thankless duty of cruising upon
this scky coast
Besides information collected from other sources,
have, through the kindness OF OF our officers,
who has cruised for some time upon this station,
been put in possession of some interesting and able
manuscript notes on the subject of the slave trade
at large, from person more competent to write
uTon the subject than perhaps any other man living
This person-from whom ! have derived much in
formation as to the details of the slave traffic,
which, if not altogether new, possesses the in
tercst of certain kind of authenticity, confesses
TO have been engaged as a slave-dealer from 1929
to 1870; to have occupied the several grades in the
business, OF captain supercargo, and factor in the
slave country to have owned establishments, at
several noted places on the coastrom whence slaves
into the interior and witnessed the method of pro-
curing slaves by the native dealers, with all the
aggravated horrors of pillage, slaughter, and can
nibalism. lie resided on the coast several years
after he retired from the traffic. TO these oppor-
lunilies for observation he adds an uncommon
frankness in his communications The history of
his adventurous life. related to me, is of itself
romance. He acquired that ascendancy over the
native kings which strong mind never fails to
assert over an inferior one often appealed to as
&C mmCn mediator in their quarrels, his decisions
which he often turned to his own interest, had all
the force of law; and he was once cOmplimented
vessel, as the Machiave of Africa--and his reply
was, that he regretted that he could not, through
him, return the compliment to the English nation.
| am told that he has received the acknowledge.
ments OF the English government Tor an important
service rendered to one of their cruisers, which
prevented her capture by a Portuguese SLAYER.
Without pretending to deny. and in some instances
rendering unequlvocal testimony TO the alleged
that it should be tolerated as benign institution,
improving the deplorable condition of the slave in
Africa, by change of masters and country; and
he declares that the present system of espionage
and capture, without checking the export, has ag-
gravaed necessarily the horrors of the traffic.
In letter appended TO the manuscript, addressed
TO the Rev. J. NJ. Trew, Secretary of the English
society for the EXTINCTION OF the Slave Trade and
The Colonzatlon OF Africa he says:-"I am aware
that but little value will be given to my labor, as
prejudice is the predonnating fault and true cha
Iacerstic of the English toresee that when it
is known that the accompanying answers ITO
The work of IN Italian and an old slave merchant,
no notice will be taken of them, and perhaps not a
VOID believed but those who are personally ac-
quaned with me, have visited Africa, and seen the
Slavery exists throughout Africa from Sene-
gambia to the Red Sea, and from Cape Colony to
AgIers. The export to the West Indies and Brazil
is confined mainly to the Gulf of Guinea on the
west and to the coast of Mozambique on the east;
but everywhere the institution exists, and what
am about to state will make it the more apparent
that II must be universal
From the want of any recognised money, the
value of slave is the sole standard of currency.
Territory, houses, wives, CATTLE Nc, are all valued
as so many slaves or fractions of slave. Mar
rage contracts and treaties in council palabras)
are all arranged IN slave currency The property
so many slaves Thus, slavery is recognised in
every condition and transaction of life, and slaves
interchanged nthe affairs of business, precisely
as geld and silver pass from hand to hand among
ourselves. The trade is restricted by no laws and
the power of the master is absolute
Such an institution cannot have been planted
during the last two centuries; II must necessarily
have existed nom very remote period, it still
exists by virtue Of birth forfeiture of liberty for
mis- fortune or crime, or voluntary announcement of
il for gain.
The Africans have no charities for the infirm and
destitute; no lunatic asylums, hospitals. poor
houses, or lails. They have adopted the custom,
which distinguishes the code of Christendom, Of
involuntary servitude for crime. Having no recep-
cles for the detention of criminals, as prisoners of
the state they commit them to the custody of indi-
viduals, who have absolute power over their labor,
persons, and lives. The African Judge, therefore,
condemns the murderer, highwayman, incendiary,
and aduerer, and other elons to the slave market,
as the more humane and the only means he has of
ohastslng indicators, save by capital punishment.
80, poverty, or some other grinding necessity,
mty have compelled an individual to disburden
himself of the Of iniirm or disabled relative
and he is sold slave. Usage sanctions what