New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-09
THE LATEST SLAVE CAPTURE.

The CORRESPONDENT of The kep- Orleans Delta, whit
was on board the u. 8. steamer Crusader when she
made her recent capture gives the following accoun
Of that exploit: ,o,o
U. STEAMER CRUSADER, May q, 1860.
Az the u. s. steamer Crusader cruising IN the
old Bahama Channel, not far from Nuevitas, on ,h'
I'D OF May, square-riggcd vessel OF moderate SIZE
was reported from aloft We Immediately stood Tor
her, no sail is allowed to pass us in these SLAYER
haunted waters, TO come in sight, without nav
ing her character ascertained. As she fonad
herref object Of pursuit the strange sail began to
behave ia such manner as strongly excited our sus-
pcions and at length fairly pnt her helm up ana ran
ia for the Shore thus taking the last and most despe.
rate chance Of escape Unfortunately for her the WIND
so light that she was prevented from erecting her
purpose, and rapidly overhsuled her. notwihsLaad-
ing that she carrying all her canvas.
The Crusader now hoisted English coors and fired a
gun to windwaId when, after some delay, the bark
for such she proved to bel finally displayed the French
ilsg at the peak. BY this time however, We were 80
near that we were enabled TO that her matches were
all closely covered over, and continued 70 APP
proach could distinguish at intervals the pc
lliarly loathsome odor of crowded save-shp. I'M
der these circumstances il determined TO board her,
and accordingly boat and the English ensign were
lowered at the same time and the American colors
were hoted. No sooner did the Crusaders boat leave
her eide than the bark hauled down the French coors
and, as we subsequently, learned, threw them and her
Portuguese papers overheard together; 30 that when
she boarded she had neither papers coors and
was confessedly without name or nationality.
For q little while there was dead silence on board
both ships, though the increasing odor placed beyond
all doubt the fact that the bark had under her matches
cargo Of negroes. And now we began 10 hear q sort
Of suppressed moaning which soon sweled into the I'M
mi-lakable nu,mur Of many human voices AS our
boat reached the side of the bark and the officer in
charge spraDg on the deck, with tremendous shout
the matches were forced open from below, and out
burt hundreds, the self-liberited slaves. AS they
caught sight of the stars and stripes floating so near
which doubt seemed 10 these poor wretches ike
bright rainbow Of pronise-thcy became perfectly
frantic with JOY. They climbed mp all along the rail
they hung on the shroudsthey clustered like swarm
ing bees in the rigging while from sea to SKY the
widest acclamators OF delight. They danced, aud
leaped and waved their in the air. and screamed
and yelled in dscordant but pathetic concert. There
was one thing, however, even more touching than all
this outcry OF barbaric rejoicing. My attention was
attracted 10 group consisting OF somewhat more tnan
hundred womeu withdrawn apart from the shouting
and noisy men, Their behavior in strong contrast
with that of the Others and characteristic OF their
Entirely nude, but innocently unabashed, they
Eat knet IN fearful and silent thankfuness. Several
Of them held infants in their arms, and through their
tears, like sunshine from behind cloud, beaned an
expression of the deepest gratitude and happiness. TIE
men looked though they had just been raised from
despair to the most exutant gadness
The scene of confusion board the bark, when the
negroes found themselves released from the accustomed
restraint, battles all description They had, of course
all been kept on very small allowance OF food and
water during the passage The first Hse they made OF
their liberty TO satisfy their hunger and thirst
which they did by breaking into the breadbarrels and
wa,ercaks, and then running about eating drinking,
dancing, and screaming all at once. II mattered but III
tie 10 them hat sort Of vessels they drank frombuck
eis boxes and troughs were all brought into rsquis
ton even saw several fellows, happy and delighted.
with piece of bread in one hand and wooden spit
toon full of muddy water in the other
As soon as their appetites were satisfied the Afri
can iondness nery began to show itself and all the
loose articles in the ship were employed as personal
ornaments. Some fastened Delaying pins to their
wrilts ard some srutted proudly about with copper
ladies hung around their necks.
BY this time however, a detachment of marines ar
rived from the Crusader and order was at once re-
stored and organization established. The negroes
were clothed with pieces of canvas and the captain,
supecargo, and crew sent on board the Crusader Us
prisoners.
They made no claims or circumstances whatever,
but surrendered themselves savers, without nation
ay They stated that the bark had no name, and that
all their papers had been thrown overheard with the
colors They seemed 10 bear their loss with philoso
ptc equaniInity. Such a contingency had evidently
been regarded by them part OF their risk and they
were not unpreJared for it. The captain is French
man. ms is ALTO the supercargo and the mostly
Spaniards, with few Frenchmen. The negroes were
selected from among 5000 prisoners of war recently
taken by the King Of Dahomey. They were brough
from Whydah, largo town on the slave coast in Oh 3
Bght of Benin port of the renowned Kingdom
of Dahomey. They much superior to the Congos
who usually compose the cargoes of savers, not only
in physique but also in intelligence. Nearly all are In
exec lent health, which is doubt owing to the care
fuI arrangements made for their comfort board tn
bark In number they amount to about $50; and tn
slave deck affords ample accommodation for them all
During passage of As days hom the Gulf OF Guinea
seven only have died. which is certainly very small
number.