The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-23
,
HORRORS OF THE SLAVE TRADE-INTEREST
ING NARRATIVE.

HORRORS OF THE SLAVE TRADE-INTEREST-
ING NARRATIVE.
Mr.. EDITOR: Your very interesting account
of these people almost renders further descrip-
ton punec essary. Bat, as some of the recent
contributions to your paper presented picture
altogether bright, would be glad to show both
sides
OF those in health or comparatively so,
found about 250-of whom some so were fe.
males. There were about SO others G do not
| pretend to exactness in 6gures) in the sick
wards. in various stages of disease. You have
already shown that the negroes are from almost
under the eaastor-stitude 81 go south longi-
tude IL 2O0 east. In the few books to which l
have had access since saw them, have not
found them described. Bowen's explorations
we're in Central Africs-Livingstone' in the
Southern part. Bsrth's volumes, as far az be
has gone, are descriptive of North and Central
Atrica-so thai l am left somewhat at a loss for
references. The negroes are of various ages,
from 80 years to few months or even weeks
some, ! should judge, having been born on the
| passage. 1t is wonderful how either mother or
infant survived such an event.
1t has already been stated that they BELONGED
to various tribes. This is soon apparent from
! the difference of shades, from their being con.
! gregated in separate groups, and the evident
inability to converse generally with each other
L observed nothing like general concert of
! thought or action between them, except in the
! chanting or clspping of hands. In these all,
under the leadership of one man, the largest
among them, united.
1t has also been noticed tina. these Africans
are far below the size common to the same age
of negroes among us. This is understood to
refer to height; for, emacisted as most of them
are, no one rot better skilled in human anato-
| my than l am, could conjecture what their
weight, in health, would be. Among the whole
4 number, 1t struck me that the man above re-
terred to may have been FIVE feet eight inches
hIgh--a few more may reach Eve feet six but
besides these, there did not seem to be any of
the uen who were over FIVE feet two or three
inches. Some few, a half dozen perhaps, of
the men, and few more women, seemed in
good health and cor dition. 1t is supposed that
these exceptions of the former were of such as
we're not slowed away in the hold, but were en-
ployed in working about the SLAYER. The women,
tor some unexplained reason, were undoubtedly
in better condition than the men. You have
already stated that the latter we're wholly nude,
and the former nearly so. One of the most sin.
gulsr of the exhibitions | saw was that of
woman whose hands were adorned By pair of
cotton gloves-almost her only covering. There
was scarcely any comeliness among them and
! the only one whose appearance agreeably at
tractej attention was the so.styled Princess.
whose tatooing certainly gave evidence of great
dexterity and skill in the art.
! | have no pretensions to science, and must
leave the chronological questions to the learned.
who, trust, are engaged in their investigs.
tions. But, to even the casual observer. the
difference of tribes is quite evident. was sur.
prised that few or none exhibited the very thick
lips and fat noses which we are accustomed to
see In the African. The hair would doubtless
! be kinked, but, In accordance with the usage of
savers, 1t has been shaved, probably at the
time OF sailing from Africa. Our communics-
tons with them we're made in part By signs.
which they understood readily, and in part
through an interpreter. This man was one of
the slsver's crew, who did not profess knowledge
of the negro dialect, but the principal negro
had smattering knowledge of Portuguese.
from having worked on ships &C., on the coast.
and in this language be conversed with the in.
terpreter. 1t was evident they understood each
other, for, upon our party asking the ssilcr TO
show as the Congo tribe, the negro brought
three men, who took their places before us, and
l distinctly heard him say "Congo." l was
struck with their teeth; some were even. az
usual. One tribe had the two central upper
fore teeth cut out in a semicircle; while. in an
other, the front teeth were shsrpened to point.
Many Of the negroes, especially with the aid of
an old flannel shirt or trowsers, looked as fsmil.
lar as household or plantation slaves. liz many
such, tne feature and expression reminded US of
familiar faces at home.
! The result of the whole visit vas intepsa
sympathy for them, and indignation towards
their csptors. You may read of the horrors of
the middle passage" but the half cannot be
told as one view OF these untortunates will tell
the tale Dysentery, dropsy, and opthalmis, all,
L believe, the productions of contact, want of
ventilation, and want of exercise, are the pre-
vailing diseases. Bat even where these were
/ not visible, the spectacle was narrowing.
skeleton taken down from the nail of doctors
closet, and presented to your view, would scare.
ly be more descriptive of anatomy than many
OF these living walking specimens of the human
frame.
The effect was very startling when Won saw
them squatting on their launches, with their
knees drawn up behind their elbows, in an att;.
tude common to apes and balloons, but which
no human frame clothed in flesh can attain
Some, when sitting, and told to RISE did so with
great difficulty, and moved with step as tot
teriug as / ever saw after illness The very
head seemed but skull encased in black
covering. 1t is common to speak of man
being reduced 70 skin and bone, but one who
saw these can scarcely use the expression
agaip.
BIT if this is 10 be said Of those comparative
ly N health, what language can describe the
SICK L saw one poor creature swollen to the
meg wonderful size With dropsy and as Re ley
on lis back, he moved his hands, signifying 10
one Of our party request for his cigar, which,
Wht1 gwen to him, he smoked with the great.
| est Avidity. Another manifested similar wante.
and,replied to our reckoning to come to us BY
poit ting to his leg, which we construed into in.
abilay TO move. Two lay near, whose troubles
her, had ceased in death; while another, the
mo affecting sight of ala child of six or
Gig t years-lay on its side in the sun on the
sto wharf, with eyes closed, and no other ev.
ide zee of life than the slight motion of the
sto ZACH indicating breathing. The poor crea.
tur alone and unattended, had rested its head
on IS little hand as naturally as our own little
on' do, and, in this touching attitude of suffer.
inc childhood, was fast losing the consciousness
OF life whose experience had been only that
of orrow and suffering.
| 8 turned from this spectacle, the thought
va naturally suggested, for what was all this
iut ,rred 2 In all charity, could only answer,
sv rice. If ever argument was wanted in
pr of of human depravity, it was furnished
he J.
)ne thing impressed me forcibly-the com
Pill 70 docility, amounting to mere mechanical
SO mission, of all these creatures. In the sick
w I'd, the physician was applying caustic to the