The New York herald., 1849-06-12
the African Slave Trade.


The following Is the system observed in the paIti-
ton of captves In the war is carried on by
a snele chief, then the prisoners are considered
HE property, ard at his exclusive disposal A few
females may be bestowed on his own officers and
those of the stiPendiary tribe. When wars are
prosecuted by allied chiefs, each head man takes
What his cwn people may have captured. The
priyales very rarely can claim capyes all Is sur
rendered to he chiefs. The other properly taken
in war-Ibe puge OF the villages, is shared by the
army at large.
| have, thus far, recited crcumstentally the
nisiiLer IN which persons may become slaves, aud
Iass mic the hInds OF native dealers, who drive
them 10 the coast, sometimes as the bearers of
produce, and thur bring them IN famlshed ana
way-weIn condition 10 the marts, where they finally
Iass inlo tie hands Of the white SLAYER
Aoiblng can exceed The baibarous treatment OF
slaves by the African masters, nor can II be
Imagined, except by ihose who have witnessed
the Atrocities and eXacuons imposed upon these
miserable victims. A Foulah, or Msndingo chef,
never dreun,s of feeding or clothing his slave. He
will even deprive h,m of the fruit or game which
he may have painfully procured to satisfy his own
wants. IL Il slave were To eat a h.h without hdv-
ing FIRST offered 1t TO his master, he would forfeit
hls hie. :" / have SEEM" says the SLAYER, ga
Fouah chief draw his knife, and In tEe act of cut
ting his slaves throat. for the value Of two flints.
Nothing but my energy saved the poor fellow 1t
happened in my yard, or could not have inter.
10 the colonies, gains new life in escaping the in
oeIable tasks and airocious cruelty Of the African
master"
Slaves are brought from the interior to the marts
upon the rivers and coast not merely as the OBJ
Jects of irnfic in their own persons but also rs the
bearers Of saleabc produce: This Is especially
noted as beng the custom Of the Mandingss, So
loss, Foulahs, and other tribes, who resort to the
RIO PoDgo, as the headquarters Of their traffic.
Gold, ivory, wax, rice, hides, cattle transported
from the Interior by caravans Of several hundred
laAat
They are sometimes TWO or three months on the
way their food Is scanty, and OF the poorest
qualify, consisting chiefly OF roots. The bearer
and his burden are alike the subjects Of barter and
eale Ii such carriers were not to be procured,
the produce OF the interior would probably never
reach the coast. No beast Of burden could be SO
cbeaply acquired, or sustain proracted and toll
some u march, threading the narrow foot-paths Of
the Cenee nangroVe and maZcs Of the Over-grown
forests, or pursuing their weary way over parched
wastes stretched mmeasurably along, with an in
credlbly small supply OF water, and food. Cattle
without burdens eroop and die, where the
human carrier, with heavy load upon his head,
lives TO reach his destination, SO that the slave in
Africa Is not only regarded as a commodity,
but as a tavorte beast of value. Where slaves are
found in abundance, burdens are generally trans
ported On their persons IN preference to the mule
or the dray. In Rio Janeiro, coffee bags are car
RED toihe shipping by negroes III gangs, who run
through the streets to the time OF cheerful song.
The custom prevails universally on the coast OF At
nco, and the .neghbonng islands, almost to the
IRE eAclnslOn OF beasts Ut burden.
Ibc SLAYER states, that when slaves have reach-
cd the coast IN TINS tamished and Jaded condition,
before they have had time to recruit under the
easy lite and polite nursing Of the barracoons,
they have been captured by English cruisers, and
this has given rise 10 an undeseryed scandal upon
the white slave factor, which belongs solely the
native African dealer.
Slaves are not always driven from the interior
with loads on their heads. Sometimes they are led
/ by small rope round their necks, or are driven
with then hands fastened behind them, or secured
by hoop OF rattan round the waists; the refrac-
Tory ale fastened to a long pole with throng of
hide about their necks, one end OF which reeves
through the pole, and the other is held by the
dIlvers-the conductor, by single twist, chokes
the rebel into submission.
When slave arrives at the factories, policy
suggests a better treatment. He is washed and
shaved, and a new strip Of cloth is given him. He
Is served with u sufficient quantity OF wholesome
food. If he is strong man. he ls secured to another
OF nearly his own size, and irons are placed on his
feet. lfhe becomes noisy or troublesome, hand
cuffs put Oh. All day he is made TO s under the
shelter of shed. At night he is locked in strong
house separate from the women. Young men are
secured IN gangs of ten by chain round the neck.
Women and girls are treated much in the same
way as the men, only they are made to do such
household work us sweeping, washing and cook.
ing All are washed daily; the sick are prescribed
for every morning; their mouths are sponged daily,
and their finger nails pared every week. Order
and silence are strictly enJoned. But dancing, as
cheerful and invi goIaring mode sf exercise, is al
lowed, and even enforced in the cool Of the alter
noon Such are the precautions against disease, and
such the life OF the slave, at the baracoons, or slave
pepe, whore they remain until an opportunity oilers
Of sending them on board the slave chip II is deslr
able to embark the slaves early possible after
their arrival at the factories, as they invariably
dloop, or become affected with scurvy, i kept for
long time in irons in the baracoons. This strict
confinement, even Tor short time, always en-
hances the mortality of the middle passage. 1t Of
ten happens that slave dies after his arrival at
the factories, from wounds or blows received dur
I IS-
eases, which were the cause OF their being sold.
Purchasers not acquainted with the tricks OF the ma,
tive dealers, very often have sicky negroes imposed
upon them. The natives have drug which, i'll
short time, swells negro TO an apparently robust
appearance al the time of sale; but the unfortunate
subject OF the experiment never lives week after
being thus tampered with. The embarkation of ne
groes board the slave vessels is effected in DIFF
| fefent ways, depending upon the situation OF the
factory, and the chance OF euding the vigi-
lance OF the cruisers. Vessel go up the
Rio Pongo, and Nunez. At Gallewas they
are shipped over the bar in large canoes, car
| Tying sixty 10 seventy each. AT New SestOs they
are embarked from the beach through heavy
surf In kIoo canoes, conveying three or four each,
the vessels laying of and on to receive them Two
to four hours are sufficient to put cargo ever so
numerous on board. The male slaves are general
ly shipped on board the SLAYER with irons on their
feet, and are retained In irons until land is made.
Women aud boys not kept In irons. During
the whole night they are confined below decks,
but are released during the day, and ENJOY tho open
air under awnings Oh deck.
The space between decks varies with the size of
the vessel. Schooners have rarely than
| tmrty-eix inches between their decks, often much
less. The size of the matches also depends upon
the size of the vesse they kept open night and
day, and are large and comnIodious as possible.
The apartments of the women divided from the
mems by strong bukheads. For security against
the rising Of the slaves, the watch at night is al
ways aimed; but the necessity OF wearing arms
during the day is Obviated by the whole crew be-
ing on duty. Every man, however, wears a long
knife at mis- side Slaves do not often rise, unless
INDUCED in too much license. Great proprIety Of
conduct Is expected OF the captain and officers;
the cruel and neglecfu are never permitted to
make a second voyage.
Stores of the best quality are provided in great
| abundance. Rice is the principal constituent of
the slaves ration; beef, pork, rum, peppers &c.,
are served out as the health Of the slaves may ap-