Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-04-12
KIDNAPPING AND SLAVERY OF CHI,
NESE COOLIES.

NESE COOLIES.
The Boston papers state that a large mercantile
house in that city is charged by public ronown
with having been engaged for some months past
in shipping to the Guapo Island, thousands of tho
deceived and deluded Chinese Coolies. These poor
victims Of cupidity are taken to the Chincha Isles,
on the coast OF Peru.
In another column may be found an account OF
the suffocation Of tuo hundred aud eightytpo Of
these unfortunate Cinnamon on one vessel Tho
horrors Of this trade seem to rival those Of Africa
in years past. These Chinese are employed IN,
transporting the manure to the loading places.
They arc ~inveigle d to the Chincha Islands, under
specious promise, and generally with tho form OF
a contract for three years service. Though very
few of them live to complete this term. The OK
cossive labor-the cruel treatment to which they
are subjected, together with their inhalation of the
nauseous dust arc together rapidly destructive of
life. To what sort of treatment they are subjected.
after their arrival may be learned from the follow.
ing extract from q late number of the London
Daily News
Sometimes they embark in China, and often AZ
Melbourne, where they find nothing to do; and il
is well known that shippers receive so much per
head for every Chinese they land at the Chincas:
there they are detained by an armed force, hutted
in the most miserable manner, fed only after per-
forming q certain amount of labor, and subject to,
q treatment, of which some idea may be Gathered
from the following facts:
whilst we we're at the islands q poor China
man threw himself off the rocks and was dashed
to pieces, rather than submit to the fortunes that
awaited him for having accidentally broke some
tackle he was using in his course of labor; and
we can form a good notion of the severity of the
punishment they are subjected to bv the horrible
bowling constantly heard on the islands. The
following are some that are constantly inflicted ON
the laborers by order OF the commandant, for the
most trivial offences, under the eyes of E%nglishmen
and other reputed civilized people-and certainly
nothing more devilish, nothing more ingenious,
could be invented-viz. hanging in ropes and
chains round the waist, and in other WAYS, from
sunrise to sunset, without food during that period
one, two. or more days, in proportion to the mag
nitude of the offence, and lashing to halEtied
buoys, subject to exposure to the water in addition
to heat and cold. These punishments we saw in.
ficted in several instances, and it was reported
that one man, whom we saw suspended daily for
fully a week, had already suffered q fortnight
previously to our arrival. We were also shewn
a refined instrument of torture, combining the
tabled labor of Danaides, with the penalty of death
staring the culprit in the face if he failed from ex-
haustion or otherwise in performing the task allot-
ted him; this was a lighter, with n large hole in
the bottom, in which the offender was fasten-
ed, with a bucket to save his life by incessant
bailing.
ave were credibly informed that one of the pun.
ishments inflicted on the Chinese on the islands 10
that of placing them on a small point of rock to
which they are chained; SO small that sleep or
change OF position must result in their falling off,
to hang to their manacles, severely bruised, per-
haps, until the period of relief.
But will it be believed that an English CAP
tain, whilst we were there, surrendered a negro,
whom we well knew, to the mercies Of Peruvian
Lynch law after being logged, and that he was
hung in a bovine on the commandant's hulk for
three days successfully, and this for merely swear.
ing at his Honor? | have seen on his hulk as
many as eight or ten ut n time-some swung to-
the davits. and others, one above another, on masts
temporarily rugged up. 1t is not long since that
British and other seamen were subject to the same,
treatment, and a case is recorded of one who dis
appeared from the buoy, and then it was time for
J interference.
docs it not seem strange that civilized nations,
banded together to suppress Slavery. cannot, by
remonstrance or force, with n thrilling power like
Peru, put an end to such inhuman practices at
these islands ? for they do not obtain Mt Calloa;
and if the voluntary Slavery entered into by the
deluded Chinese cannot be prevented, surely some
thing may be done by those who profit by their
labors to alleviate their sufferings.
"No doubt those who have actually been on these
islands could tell a heart rending take of the treat
ment of the poor creatures that would exceed in
/ horror what is here related. 1t is reported that
j the islands and their produce are to be Sold.
We hope they will fall into the hands of people
more humane than their present possessors, and
that such cruel:ies as theirs will be no moro
heard Of"
The London Anti-Slavery Reporter states that
United States vessels, mand by U. S. citizens are
most numerously engaged in this horrid slave
traffic under the guise of emigration, or that with
such vessels no effective interference can be en-
ployed. With vessels and crews of other countries
more effective interference is opposed.