The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-11-02

the REVELATIONS or SLAVE SaUGGLEn.
A narrative of the life of Capt. Philips Drake,
said to have been an African trader for fifty
years. describes as follows the fate Of the Pom
cheeta, with 700 slaves on board just purchased
at Badasry. The vessel was commanded by
Antonio Mendez, an old slave smugglcr
Our schooner was loaded beyond capacity;
and the deck had to be fitted with temporary
platforms, or shelves, rs high rs the taifrail.
Above these, stiff netting was drawn to prevent
the shackled couples from leaping overheard,
to commit suicide. In walking the deck, We
sometimes tr0d on hand or foot thurst out
from the lower tier. Such was the condition OF
the Poncheeta's cargo when We LETT the
bright.
On our last night out there was q frightful
battle among the slaves tor room and air, al-
though our matches were of. The crew and
oyerseer restored order by the use Of whips and
handspikcs, but not till seventeen negroes had
been chokcd TO death, or 80 badly gnawed In
their throats by their ncghbors, that we were
Obliged To drown them. So tightly were the
wretches wedged below, that the sailors had to
draw the dead ones out by main pulling Of their
legs.
About n week out VIC encountered severe
gale, which drove us furiously before II, all our
canvas being taken in. hal, up To this time, /,
kept to my resolution of abstaining from drink
while on shipboard; but the close, sultry
weather, and the stencil Of the negroes, sickened
me, 80 that INDUCED that night pretty freely
on portions OF Jamaica spirits, until dropped
off to sleep. 1 was awakened By q crash, as IL
theskics were falling, and yell like thousand
tigers. Springing from my bunk, near the after
I IL IA,
his mates, whilst the men were running To and
fro like mad. Nothing was to be seen; no light
apeak or abeam; and the night rainy, and rs
dark rs a VOLTS mouth. ran toward the bin
nacle lamp, and found the helm swinging loose,
and nj that moment vivid flash OF lightning,
by which saw Captain Mcndez, with face
like his shirt, save yourself, doctor y cried he,
'the brig is sinking"
rushed to the midshps, and heard the nc.
groes screeching on both sides, then back to
the stern layits, where our men were lowering
the boats. How got in with the rest. never
knew but ten minutes after this found myself,
with Capt. Mendez and half the crew, In one OF
our boat, the rain dashing on us; We rowed
about for an hour, before day appeared. The
gale had lullcd, but the heavy rain was like
wa,cr.spout. An this time We could hear the
slaves screeching on boar,l the Poncheeta.-
When morning broke. We saw her a-lee, her
decks almost level with the waters edge. We
did not dare to pull nearer, but lay by. till she
went down, little over two hours after the
collision that caused her to founder.
She had been struck on the beam, by large
vessel, which tore away her starboard rail and
netting, the whole length. crushing our chained
blacks on their shelves, which occasioned the
dismal shreks We had heard. The Poncheeta
sprung a leak, and filled gradually. till she
sank, with nearly four hundred living human
beings manacled on her slave. decks. One OF
our boats must have foundered, with several Of
the crew. We were picked up by the vessel that
hal run us down, and which had lain to during
the fog. Il was an armed East lndiaman, the
Mcrsey, bound for Zanzibar, and by her we
we're landed at Kahenda, on the Guinea coast.