The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-27
THE SLAVE TRADE.
The Case Of the Brig BYaman. Z
UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS COURT.
Before Geo. W. Morton, Esq.


Before Geo. w. Morton, Esq.
JUNE 2e-The United States Us. j. Pedro dG Canha.-Ihe
District Attorney appeared for the government and Mr.
Benedict for the defendant.
The Rev. j. Iangton Wilson deposes-Ee has been o.
missionary eighteen twenty years on the coast Oh
Africa is acquainted, TO extent with the slave
trade and the trade the Of Africa the principal
points Cape Lopez and other ports the slaves are
brought down boats, and the land slave factories
called baracoons slaves also purchased at Cana
st. Catharines and sent to Cape Lopez there s la
COON running from Cana TO Cape lopez along which,.
when the outside, the slaves taken c'
various points, circumstances require, when the
savers in and take oil the slaves wherever the sig
l al is hosted; there few taken from Nayumbah'
Bay Loapgo, Kabenda and the Congo river also de-
pots; large numbers collected the Congo slavers
ding up fifty or sixty miles, where they are in mea-
screened, as the men ofwar find il extremely diff
ut TO follow kem up the current being very strong ans
he traders hiding under the maugroves; there is very
ittle if any, lawful commerce on the Congo; the ficto
for the lawful products Of the country and the slave
factories often located nearly together the next slave
epot is Ambriz then comes St Paul dc loaado, which
The largest European settlement the whole coast Of
Guinea it is Portuguese colony, with mixed popua-
on Of black and whites there has been large ae there
in both lawful produce and slaves; the only place to the
south OF that which know Of where slaves procured,
is Penguela, a small Portuguese settlement.
On cross examination by Mr.. Benedict, witness said
that he had been the Island of St. Thomas during
his residence on the Gaboon; was there in lsIY and
touched there in 1S48 spent two or three day. there at
st. Anna de Slaves the principal settlement on the Island
Of ST. Thomas have been at st. Paul de Loando,
nor at Benguea have never been present when slaves
were transported from Gaboon to Cape Lopez ] have
slaves their way to st. Thomas; during the
time was at Gaboon never saw cargo Of slaves taken
from st. Thomas my testimony is from personal contact
with men who deal in slaves; native man on the Ca
boom who had been in my employment was taken from
my premises carried across the river Sold ana taken
Cape Lopez he not slave, but British subject
who had been taken by the cruisers out Of SLAYER;
tried to effect his release but failed; have ships
trh aetut hora
sells come in where knew slaves were, and the slaves
not there after the vessel had left have been
slave barracoon, the south side OF the Gaboon river
In 1912 1913; was in other barracoon the barra
about fifty sixty miles from Cape Lopez; the
articles of lawful trade on the coast south Of the equator
are ivory redwood ebony, bceswax, gum copa and
tones, small quantities OF palm OIL and from one point
small quantities Of provisions for the Europeans and some
times little plank; palm oil Is only dealt in on small
part Of the coast they have pretty good water on the
coast; have great many vessels from tha United
States the coast and have had dealings with em tho
lawful commerce on the Goa t. so far as know, is not
carried on by the same parties as deal in slaves the slave
dealers and The lawful traders very different in char
racter the slave traders purchase sometimes provisions
from lawful traders and then supply the slavers with
Them there only two places where there facilities
for supplying ships with watcr-not in our sense Of
of get their water there; there places this
coast where vessels obtain outfit OF provisions;
never knew or heard of lawful trader baliascd with,
water have personal knowledge Of the slave trade be-
ing carried have slaves in irons, carried to and
fro, and have often ntcrered when could accomplish
any thing 10 effect their release; lived right among
thcm and could not avoid knowing about the business
Direct resuIned-1here is but one place on the South
Coast, the Camarsons river, in degrees north, where
100 casks of palm oil could be obtained at Batauga,
fifty miles south Of that, they just introducing it,
and so casks might be obtained; degrees north OF
the equator palm oil may be obtained in very large guam
titles.
Alexander proved that when dscharging railroad
iron from the ship Amazon in the early part OF the
month he Ia Cunla, with hat box III hand 60
ing towards the seantug Young America; and boy
followed him carrying trunk
Abraham Deiuno, Jr, examined by the District Ator.
ney dcposed that he is native Of this country was Capt
of the brig Baman the time she seized the port
Of New York; first saw la Cunha at the St Nicholas Ho
TEL in De Co.. tas about the It'll OF June inst was
introduced TO him by NJ Reiser burgh his interpreter he
introduced captain and Da Cunha supercarto;
had been first introduced 10 De Costa by ~ tgar, who
seemed TO be interested in the vessel he told he
a carpenter shpwrght; saw la Cnnha on saturday,
at the St. Nicholas, and Monday the day sailed,
met him at Mr. Machado's lce Mr. DC Castro and
MIR Ia Cunha there: else there except the
lcoplc that belong TO the office; went from there
oard The Young America with la Cunha dc Costa ana
Castro from therc board of tho brig Braman;
first point to be made alter sailing GARDENERS
Paw on the east end north side of Long Island we we're
meet another vessel there do know her name
never saw her; we were to know her by signal she
was to give; got the instruction from Dir. Fasar, who
Interpreted for De Costa, and translated the business Ia
unha not present; the directions were, to take
barge of the brig Braman take her round to GARDENERS
no danger to be aprehcndcd, he was TO give signal
land, take from that vessel whatever she
lad and put it on board the Braman; was to take pro-
Visions ana poundel gun ehcased IN DoS SIX mus
kets and Fix swords; beef bread pork and re besides
sci whatever was on board was to take thcse things
from Gardeners Bay because should there be out OF
the way Of cutters and not liable TO be seized as soon as
got these things Board was TO set sail ior the coast
OF Africa was rot TO stop anywhere elsc was.
not to TO st. Thomas; togo TO the coast Of Africa
and land Ia Cuna as supecargo; was to 80 according
TO his orders negroes for slaves was to make the
coast Of Africa was somewhere on the South coast in
about latitude 20 degrees between Cape Frcar and Cape
Cross; to the line westward OF the Ca pe de-
yerde the southeast trades out then take the varia-
bes and work up the Of Africa had large flag
the island Of Cuba; not to stand in unless the signal
was answered from the shore on the coast of Africa
obey the instructions Of Ia Cunlla, standing Of
and on just as he directed paper handed to wtncss)
that signed by Dc Costa do not know of whom this
vessel was bought, when whose money paid for il;
Mr. Resenburgh told me mir. De Costa the owner of
the brig had sixty five or seventy casks al water on
board had also oil casks and shocks board nothing
else on board that know Of except stores there were
some new sudding sails made Perit, the second mate,
with four were on the brig when took her. on the
I'd of June; shipped five men, that is, they sgnei the
articles; the second mate produced all of the men-the
there were six other sailors on the vessel OF. the day
to sail, while the steamboat Only Son coming
towards us the second mate came and told me there
were to be part of the after we got ousdeso Mr.
De Costa said; none Of the crew were Amer ans was
the only American on be ard my compensation was 10 De
about De Costa said through Da Fagar that he had
paid high 81 900 IS 900; Da Costa told me could
have the money when got to Cuba after the slaves
landed, draft on New York. whichever choose was
never before engaged in slave voyage, and don't
wish to be again; was told by De Costa, through
Rosenberg, that la Cunha aud the second mate had
been the business before, and understood H. the second
mate recommended good doctor for the saves;
the mgskets for to defend ourselves against the
blacks, who sometimes come oil in boats and annoy
savcrs gun was for the same purposes these arms
also defend ourselves against the crew in case
they munied; the breakwater on the deck to keep.
the deck dry, where the blacks to be carried Mr.
Ia Cunha 10 buy the negroes heard him say that
he had f245 sterling on board; I don't know what he
was going to do with IT, nor il he had any money
on board as the vessel likely TO be taken
Ia Cunha threw handkerchief full of papers overheard,
with somesling to sink it; he went down ana got them
before the officers got on board; contained my letters
Of instruction and his, which were to be opened when
got outsde they both from Mr. Da Costa; the
handkerchief contained other papers, handkerchief
full; those papers thrown overheard because
saw that we should be takcn was in the cabin, and Da
Costa and called look at the steamer went,
and although knew she after u.s. told themit was
nothing, and returned to the cabin / could not rest,
however but walked TO and fro and soon after the OIL