Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-06-19
..Afriean slaYe Trade.,,

IN
ry:
t.Afriean slave Trade.,'
AFRICAN SLAVES AND AFRICAN sIArKRr.
The tribes Of negroes tina. furnish
slaves for the market. are not as gener.
al thing known. nor are they 70 be
found in The works Of geogrsphers or tra>
+vellers. One Of the best aud most numer-
Gus of these tribes 10 the Msndingo.
whose capital is placed on the western
coast Of Africa. inland from Monrovia.
They are generally considered as making
the best slaves for all purposes. The
Congoes who are brought from districts
south Of the Equator. and about the
mouth Of the river Congo. are highly VAL
ued IS agriculturists. The Csrsbali
tribe give class of the most active mind.
to whom seryituds is. perhaps. more in,
.olersbls than to anyother tribe OF ne
groes. and who are admirably fitted for
small trade and pedlars. Those Of this
tribe that are brought to Cuba. are gem
orally found in the large cities and towns.
where they hire themselves from their
masters and trade on their own account.
The waer ofthe water seller of Havana is
also taken from the Carrabalis. There also
the Gouge. the Arara and others. whose
names ne don't find in any works upon
Africa. These all come from the west.
ern coast Of that continent, but they have
been importing negroes from Mozambique.
which has became within late period
the scene Of the Cuban slave trade
as the extension of colonization up
on the western coast and the activity OF
the British cruisers have increased the
dangers Of departure from Africa. The
comparatively small number Of slaves
that have been brought from Africa to
market has very lit:le effect on the do
mestic market there. The number that
is supplied to the caravans carrying on
the domestic trade in every direction
acIo ss the African continent, far exceeds
those exported from the coast.
In fact. large majority of the native
population Of Africa-perhaps three
fourths. are held in state Of slavery OF
the worst description by members of their
own race. The prisoners taken in war
are held as slaves. and the experience OF
slave traders proves that husbands will
sell their wives for rum. powder and such
other articles Of commerce as are most in
demand among them. Incursions are
frequently made by one tribe into the ter.
ritories of another for the purpose of cap.
turing slaves, and there are instances on
record of the unfortunate captives having
been deliberately slaughtered. when
their captors found the supply in the
market exceeded the demand. In fact.
human nature 10 Africa appears to have
sunk to the lowest depths Of ply steal and
moral degradation. and the history Of
that continent does not tell US Of the time
when the negro race was ever in any 9th
er condition. The most revolving aud
horrid crimes are common among them.
and cannibalism appears to be the prac.
lice among nearly all their tribes. We
are told that in Africa "a man is the
standard Of prires--a slave is a note Of
hand that may be discounted or pawned
he 10 q bill Of exchange that carries him
self TO his destination and pays his debt
bodily-he is tax that walks corporeal.
Iy in;o the chief:ian's treasury.
The result OF our inquiries among poo.
pie acquainted with the trade leads to be.
Iieve that the knowledge Of the interior
Of Africa is in much higher and more
advanced state among the Portuguese and
Spanish Slave traders than any one has
ever before supposed. and that were the
geographical societies and learned bodies
Of Europe and America. who are fitting
missionaries and explorers at such expen.
SEES and labor. to direct their inquiries
among the slayetraders of Portugal, Bra.
zlI and Cuba. they would obtain much
information in regard to lie in Africa
The geographical character Of the CONT.
nent. its products. method Of communities.
lion. and all that arc deemed the vital
statistics Of country. AS an exempli.
hcation Of this tact. We can point to n
work recently published in this country.
purporIing to be the adventures Of a
slavetrader and the description witch
he gives Of scenery. manners. customs.
and trade Of the African nations. far sur
passes anything that has ever been given
By all the missionaries who have ever
written upon this subject. The reason OF
this is that these men came into direct
and friendly contact with the negroes
they are considered their friends. and the
only men whose trade is considered pro.
ftable. from the simple fact that they
trade in the only currency which is a lie.
gal tender throughout the whole African
continent-that is. slaves. For these they
exchange powder. rum. arms tools and
6uery Of ali kinds that are desirable to
the negro. while the missionary. or the
discoverer. who comes with the mere
moral truth. is looked upon as an enemy
| hRSt he L. 49,
the sIayetrade. which il, the only one in
which he finds custom and profit, is
wrong in the eyes of his deity.