Squatter sovereign., 1855-05-29
are you not in great danger from British
ships Of war!''

"Oh no we don't care for the British
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 searchus. So they growl
and grumble and go off again
'That may do very well when you are
going in empty, but suppose you are conn
ing out with a cargo of slaves on board?'
"Even thenwe can get along we'll 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 look below
The only danger in this case is that they
will stay on board too long. They often
suspect the truth, and hang about for an
hour or two. By this time the niggers are
stifed, and begin to make a noise. Then
the thing is out and they seize the ship"
.'After that suppose you are punish
ed?"
"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 pre-
fer to let us go, and get their prize money!
allow many slaves could you carry on
your vessel?''
ave took on board 664. We might
have slowed away 500. If she had been
going to the Brazils we should have taken
that number. She would carry 750 with
pleasure. The boys and women were kept
on the upper deck, but all the strong men
those giant Africans that might make
US uouble-we put below on the slave
deck"
"Did you chain them, OF put on hand
cuffs?"
"No, never; they would die. We let
| them move about"
| care you very severe with them?"
"We have to be pretty strict at first-for
a week or so-to make them feel that we
are masters, then we Tighten up for the rest
of the voyage
''How do you pack them at night?''
''They lie down upon the deck, on their
sides, body to body. There would not be
room enough for all to lie on their backs"
'sDid many die on the passage!'
ayes, l lost a good many tbs last cruise
more than ever before. Sometimes we
| find them dead when we go below in the
morning. Then we throw them over
| board"
care the profits of the trade very
largea"
"My brig cost $4,000 to fit her out
completely. My last cargo was worth
S22O,O00, but it was seized by the late
Captain 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 backa again, and it goes on as
| flourishing as ever"
"But thought Concha was the creates
enemy to the slave trader
$50 he is-in words. He talks grea
deal, but Pezuela acted. From time inn
memorial the planters estate has been sa
cred, but Pezuela respected nothing. He
seized the negroes wherever he could fine
them, even on the plantations. BY this he
incurred the enmity of the planters, and he
would probably have been assassinated i
he had not been recalled"
"Did you ever have fights with the Eng
lish shipss"
eyes; once ship of war chased two o
us. We knocked the sticks out of her,
We didn't stop to look after the dead. A
another time was captured. 1t was in q
dead calm, and there was no chance to ge
away. When saw that we were gone,
went below, and stove every cask of water
but one. The other ship was short too
So we had both to put in to the land to ge
water. They put on board of us lieu
i tenant anu CteNs OQt AO 0io AiOt AIAOo Ink
coast; and, as we drew toward land. he had
to make me pilot, threatening at the same
ltime, TO shoot me if ran her on shore
l took the helm, and ran her into an inlet
No sooner had we passed the mouth thar
we saw, on the bank the baracoons of the
slave factors. They all knew me. and
4 f.. u Il
ant hailed them in English, and told then
Ito keep off. At the same time hailet
them in Spanish, and told them the vesse
was prize. That night they came off il
force and recaptured her. We put ths
lieutenant and his men into a boat, ant
set them adrift, while went down th.
lco,e+ o,,,5 sool- ~, a "a r<rs, af slaves an.