, 1860-07-20
Scene on Board of a SLAYER.

II lhe new OFleaHS papers luolleH ue-
tailed account of the capture Of SLAYER by
the Crusader" in the old Bahama chan
mel, on the 3lst May:
The "Crusader" now hoisted English
coors and fred gun to windward, when,
after some delay, the bark, (ror such she
proved to be) finally displayed lhe French
flag at the peak BY this time, however,
we were so near that we >were enabled to
see that her matches were all'closely cover
ed over, and as we continued TO approach,
we could even distinguish at intervals the
peculiarly lohthsome odor of crowded
slave-Ship Gnder these circumStanceSit
was determined to board her, and nccor-
dngly boat and the English ensign were
lowered at the same time, and the Ameri-
can colors were hoisted No(sooner did the
Crusaders" boat leave hcg side than the
bark hauled down the French colors, and,
as we subsequently learned, threw them and
her Portuguese papers overheard together;
so that when she was boarded she had Meth.
er papers nor colors, and was confessedly
without name or nationality.
For little while there was O dead
silence on board both ships, though the In.
creasing strong ammonical African odor
placed beyond all doubt the fact that the
bark had under her matches a cargo of ne
groes. And now we began to hear sort
Of suppressed moaning, which soon swelled
into the unmistakable murmHr of many
human voices. As our boat reached the
side Of the bark, and the officer in charge
sprang on the deck, with tremendous
shout the haifhes were forced open from
below, and ouEburst hundreds, the yselElib-
Grated slaves. AS they caught sight Of the
stars and stripes floating SO near-which,
no doubt seemed to these poor wretches
like rainbow of promise-they became
perfectly frantic with joy. They climbed
up all along the rail-Ihey hung on the
shrouds-they clustered like swarming bees
in the rigging, while rose from sea to sky
the widest accamatons of deligh. They
danced, and leaped aud waved their arms
in the air, and screamed, and yelled in q
discordant but pathetic concert. There
was one thing, however, even more touch
ing than all this outcry Of barbaric rejoic-
ing. Ny attention was attracted to q
group consisting of somewhat more than
hundred women, withdraWR apart FROM the
shoating and noisy men. Their behavior
was in strong contrast with that Of the 9TH
ers, and was characteristic of their sex
Entirely nude, but innocently nnabashed,
they sat or knelt in fearful and silent
thankfulness. Several of them held infants
in their arms, aud through their tears, like
sunshine ffom behind cloud, beamed an
expression of the deepest gratitude and
happiness. The men looked as though
they had just been raised from despair to
the most exultant gladness.
The scene of confusion on board the
bark, when the negroes found themselves
released from the accustomed restraint,
battles all description. They had, Of
course, all been kept on a very small allow
ance of food and water during the passage.
The first use they made Of their liberty was
to satisfy their hunger and thirst, which
they did by breaking into the bread bar
rels and water casks, and then raining
about eating, drinking, dancing and scream
ing, all at once. 1t mattered but little to-
them what sort Of vessels they drank from
buckets, boxes and tronghs were all
brought into requsition. / even saw sew
eral fellows, happy aud delighted, with q
piece Of bread in one hand and wooden
spittoon full Of muddy water in the other.
As soon as their appetites were satisfied,
the African fondness for fnery began to
show itself, and all the loose articles in the
ship were employed as personal ornaments
Some fastened Delaying pins to their wrists,
aud some strntted proudly about with cop
per ladies hung around their necks.
BY this time, however, detachment Of
marines arrived from the Crusader" and
order was at once restored, and an organi-
zation established. The negroes were
clothed with pieces Of canvas, and the cap
'tain, supercargo and crew sent on board
the Crusader" as prisoners.
They made no claims or remonstrances
Whatever, but surrendered themselves as
slavers, without nationality. They stated
that the bark had no name, and that all
their papers had been thrown overheard
with the colors. They seemed TO bear
their loss with philosopbic eqhanimity.-
Such contingency had evidently been re-
garded by them as part Of their risk, and
they were not unprepared for It. The cap
tain is Frenchman, as is also the super
cargo, aud the crew are mostly Spaniards,
with few Frenchmen. The negroes were
selected from among 5000 prisoners Of war
recently taken by the King Of Dahomy.-
They were brought from Whydah, large
town on the slave coast, in the Blight o.
Benin, the seaport Of the renowned King
dom Of Dahomey. They are much superior
to the Congos, who usually compose thl
cargoes of slavers, not only in physique bu
also 10 intelligence. Nearly all are in ex
, celIent health, which is no doubt owing tC
the careful arrangements made for theiI
comfort GU board the bark.