Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-05-09
From the Falmouth tJamnica) Post.
CAPTURE OF AN AMERICAN SLAYER,
373 NEGROES RESCUED.

On Thursday last, the 10th iust the inhabitants
of ST. AIMS Bay were thrown into - state OF con
siderable excitement by the arrival OF u schooner
evidently Amerlcan--towed into port 10y her
Mniestys brig Arab, 1t was soon ascertained
that the schooner was u SLAYER and that she had on
bOard,a large numl or of captives. 1t appears
that the Captain of the Arab had received inior-
nation that bark and schooner were expected in
Cuba from the Coast of Africa, each with n cargo
of slaves. strict watch was therefore kept, and
on Monday, the 18th insto suspicious LOOKING
craft was seen with full press OF sail: making The
best of her way to her destined port. She was
closely pursued and the Captain finding that there
was no possibility of escaping from the Arab, de-
serted her taking with him an his shaiiop his crew,
moner .chronometer and ether useful arucles-
The commnnder of the Arab dispatched his gnn-
Boat with fifteen men, under the Command oil his
FIRST Lieutenant, with ders for the capture OF
the shaop. The chase continued for nearly three
hours and n shot having destroyed the rudder OF
the shallop, the Captain, who was the owner OF
the SLAYER surrendered. Two OF his principal
slaves and an Interpreter were taken IRON the
shaIop and the crew we're left in to make the best
of their way to Cuba.
The first Lieutenant then boarded the schooner,
and found her filled with young Africans, males
and females to the number Of 3I3, no less than
1877 having fallen victims to the horrors OF the MD
die passage during voyage OF ~ days. The
moor captives were in q wretched condltion-all OF
have been half-starved. They were packed closely
t,cether. and covered with dirt and vermIn. On
the arrival of the schooner in St. AIMS Bay sew
erel gentlemen went on board, and their sympn-
ltbes were excited Mt the misery they witnessed,
Messrs. Bravo & Brother suggested measures
which we're adopted and with their usual liberality
ordered steer to be killed, and soup prepared for
the sufferers; other gentlemen furnished gronnd
provisions, bread &c., and while tie food was be-
inc prepared, the whole of the human cargo was
brought on deck and washed and had blank cts
given to them until clothing could be procurcd.-
Thirty of them were in dying state, but the most
| humane attention paid TO them, and up 10 the
time when our informant left st. AIMS Bay they
we're all alive, and were expected to do well. The
Hon Charles Royes Custns of the Parish, sent q
dispatch to his Excellency the Lieutenant Govern
or, acauainting him with all the circumstances
connected with the capture and requesting to be
Informed whether the captives shond be handed
over to proprieors Of estates who were anxious tC
procure their services.
The captain of the schooner refuses to give his
name or the name of the vessel but stated thai
| he would be the loser of S3OOOO--a loss which
did not give him much concern, as he had made
other and successful trips. great deal of intor
nation, however, has been obtained from the in
terpreter who mentioned that several vessels were
left on the African coast-that they were to have
sailed soon with full cargoes-that, upon an aver
age two vessels departed weekly, each with $40 to
100 slaves on board-thnt the trade was rap
idly increasing-and that the slaves on being land
did in Cuba were worth from S5OO to SIUO each
With regard To those that were captured in the
schooner there was but one days supply OF pro-
visions on the day of capture, and so limited was
the quantity doled out to them during the passage
that when they saw the SOUP bread, yams &c,
which was sent on board by the gentlemen OF ST.
AIMS they made run to get at them. aud 1t was
found necessary to exercise rigid discipline, in
order that the number most enfeebled should be
the first supplied
The slave schooner has two decks, and between
them the captiyes were packed in such manner
that thew had scarcely room to move. During
each day of the voyage they sat in painful
posture, eighteen inches only being allowed Tor
each to turn in, and in deck'rOom OF ~ feet
in length 800 hnman beings were slowed away
and brought up in platoOns once every day TO ge
a small portion of fresh air. The schooner draws
but six fee. of water, is of great BREADTH ana nat
Ibottomed, and was thus built TO enable her, II
case of pursuit, to run in port where there ii
not much depth of water The interpreter state:
that when slaye-trading Captains cannot escape
cruisers they make their way to particular
point of land on the Cuban coast. run the yes
sci ashore, and leave the slaves to perish. The
; vessel alluded to is surrounded with rocks-hon'
but fiat bottomed boats can get in-ahd I'M
whole OF that portion of the coast Is oianche'
with human bones.
The commander of the Arab is in pursuit o
the bark that sailed in company with the schoone
and we hope that we shall soon have account
; of her capture.
1t now remains TO be seen what arrangement
{ will be entered into by the authorities at heao
quarters for the proper care aud treatment Q
tho unhappy creatures who have oeen s'oie
. from their families ard friends. "ill means