Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-12-12


He repeated two or three times, at is the
greatest place IN the anstverse for 1t. Neither
in Cuba nor III the Brazis is it carried on so
extensively. Ships that convey slaves to the
West Indies and South America are fitted out
from the United States. Now and then one
sails from Philadelphia more from Baltimore;
but most of all from New York This is our
headquarters. My vessel was the brig Julia
Moulton. l got her in Boston and brought
her here, and sailed from this port direct to
the coast of Africa" But do YOU mean to
say that this business is going on now F."
yes all the while. Not so many vessels
have been sent out this year-perhaps not
over twenty. But last year there were prob
ably thirty Ave"
Are there large shipping houses engaged
in it Yes, can go down to South St,
and go into a number of houses that help to
fit out ships for the business. l don't know
how far they own the vessels or receive the
profits of the cargoes. 1 had rather not have
American owners; prefer Spaniards or
! Portuguese. But these houses know all about
it. They know me. They see me sail out of
port with ship, and come back passenger.
They sometimes ask me, Captain, where is
! your ships' with a shrug.) They know
what has become Of her. When cargo of
slaves is landed, the vessel is often destroyed,
not to be a witness against her officers and
| crew."
&c But how do you manage to get away
without exciting suspicion - " Why, you
see, we keep close, and get everything aboard,
and do not ask for our papers until we are just
ready to sail Then we go to the Custom
House, and take out papers for Rio Janeiro,
st. Helena, Cape de Verde Islands, or any
| port you plcase-it don't matter where-and
| instantly clear.
| ,, & -. H.
could the officers tell, by searching the ship,
that she was SLAYER -
ooh, yes, they couldn't help knowing.
Besides, they must suspect something from
| seeing such an almighty crew. My little brig
carried but 200 tons, and could be manned by
four men. But l had fourteen before the
mast The moment of leaving port is the one
| OF danger. But we don't lose time. steam
er is kept ready, and we get under way imme-
| dlately. Often two or three slavers leave at
t once. We steam down the bay, and over the
| bay, and then the ocean is before us, and we
set our course for any quarter we please.
''But when you reach the African coast. are
you not in great danger from British ships-of-
war :"
| "Oh, no, we don't care for the English
| squadron. We run up the American flag,
and If they come aboard, all we have to do is
to show our American papers, and they have
| no right to search US. So they growl, and
| grunlble, and go off again"
THAT may do very well when you are GO
ing in empty. But suppose you are coming
| out with u cargo Of slaves OH board?
Even then we can get along well enough,
if the niggers will keep quiet. We put them
all below deck and nail down our matches,
and then present our papers. The officers
have no right to go below. The only danger
in &c &c hat ,uin
long. They often suspect the truth, and hang
about for an hour or two. BY this time the
niggers are stihed, and begin to make noise
Then the thing is out, and they seize the
ship"
''After that l suppose you are punished p
"Oh, no; we generally get off. You see,
as we are Americans, they must bring us to
an American port to be tried. But if they
run the ship into port along the coast, they
get one pound head for every recaptured
slave. So they generally prefer to let us go,
and get their prize money
GLOW many slaves could you carry on your
vessel| awe took on board 664. We might
have slowed away 500. Ii she had been 60
ing to the Brazils we should have taken that
number She would carry 750 aoith pleasure.
The boys and women We kept on the upper
deck. But all the strong men-those giant
Africans that might make US trouble-we put
below on the slave deck" Ibid you chain
them, or put on handouts - 'No, never
they would die. We let them move about"
care you very severe with them r "We
hay c to be pretty strict at first for week or
SOTO make them feel that we are Masters
Then we tighten up for the rest Of the yoy-
age"
slow do you pack them at night"
'Ihey lie down upon the deck, on their
.,l ho1t to NOD hor
enough for all to lie on their backs.
did many die on the passage y
eyes; l lost good many the last cruise
more than ever before. Sometimes we find
them dead when we go below in the morning.
Then we throw them overheard"
''Are the profits of the trade very large ;"
''My brig cost $4,000 to fit her out COM
pletely. My last cargo to Cuba was worth
$220,000. But it was seized by the late Cap
tain. General, Pezuela. He did more TO break
up the slave trade than any one else. If he
had remained in Office he would have stopped
it altogether. But now Concha is back again,
and it goes on as fourishng as ever"
''But thought Concha was the great ene-
my of the slave-trade :" $50 he is-in words.
He talks a great deal, but Pezuela acted
From time immemolial, the planters estate
has been sacred. But Pezuela respected no.
thing. He seized the negroes wherever he
could find them, even on the plantations. By
this he incurred tie enmity of the planters
and he would probably have been assassinat-
ed if he had not been recalled
I'D you ever have fights with the English
ships ''Yes; once ship Of war chased
two of us. We knocked the sticks out of
her. We didn't stop to look after the dead.
AT another time l was captured. 1t was i'll d
dead calm. and there was no chance to get
away. When l saw that we were gone, l
went below and stove every eask of water but
one. The other ship was short, too. So we
bad both to put in 10 the land to get water
They put on board Of us Lieutenant and
crew. But he did hot know tie coast, and,
( as we drew toward land, lie had to make me
! pilot, threatening. at the sar1 time to shoot
me ii l ran her oll shore. | took Tie helm
| and ran her into all inlet. No sooner had we
The barracoons of the slave factors. They all
knew me, and boats put off from the shore
| The Lieutenant hailed them in English, and
told them to keep off. AT the same time,
hailed them in Spanish, and told them the
/, vessel was prize That night they came off
in force and recaptured her. We put the
Lieutenant and his men into boat, and sent
them adrift, whileI went down the coast, and
took in cargo of slaves, and carried them
safely across the ocean,"
"Why, captain, this must be exciting bust.
| ness
His eyes flashed fire as he replied. 'sIt's
| splendid. 1t makes man jump to think of
| it To be cutting away at the rate Of eleven
l. Il. IL. H. 4