, 1860-07-20
PUGET SOUND HERALD.
STEILACOON, ". T, FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1850.
SCENE ON BOARD OF A SLAYER.

account Of the capture OF saver Dy tue OTu
sader." in the old Bahama channel, on the Slst
May:
The " Crusader" now hOisted English colors
and fred q gun to windward, when, after some
DELAY. the barque (for such she proved to be)
finally displayed the French flag at the peak.
By this time, however, We were 20 near that we
we're enabled to see that her matches were all
closely covered over, and as we continued to ap.
uroach, we could even distinguish at intervals
the peculiarly loathsome odor Of . crowded
slaye-ship. Under these circumstances 1t was
determined to board her, and according'ya boat
and the English ensign were lowered at the same
time, and the American colors were hoisted. No
sooner did the " Crusaders" boat leave her side
than the barque 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 neither pa.
pers nor colors, and was confessedy without
name or nationality.
For little while there was a dead silence on
board both ships, though the increasing strong
ammOniacal African ndor placsd beyond all doubt
the fact that the barque had under her hatches
cargo Of negroes. And now we began to hear
sort Of suppressed moaning, which soon swellcd
into the unmistakable murmur Of many human
voices. As our boat reached the side Of the
barque, and the officer in charge sprang on the
deck, with tremendous shout the matches were
forced open from below, and out burst hundreds,
the selElibeiated slaves. As they caught sight
Of the stars and stripes Aoatingso near-whch
no doubt seemed to these poor wretches like q
n.; u.s., ~, III ~, III L.. ~,
n."''. Mt0yy ~ s,,'SS J.S ~, 81 S.,a.S .nS
I.as Ina-sy nu"s on ;no .,.n Ia" S;Lsu ~.
nAe sI sMa'm"g o.ss ;,S ~ "S ss,s, mn"e 'TSe -
,;un. a ''I T ~ s~y s ",sS Ia.""d ~ S..n"J ~
.Is': s:S u, "a S'a s.".,Is'.S .nd ',sreJ
se'r nr''s =, a,e sn, ~ ., . SrL yvnsu
~ 1scO'1aN ou. Pa1neuc cOn.sr~ an.Le - wa M
az IN, ,,. os S.sh.;' .;,;";n. NJ s,,"n,;o" ~
was was "t.ras,sd u ~ Sroon So".;s.Do of s,me~S"t
more than hundred women, Withdrawn apart
from the shouting and noisy men. Their be.
hAvior was in strong contrast with that Of the
others, and was characteristic Of their sex. En-
tirely nude, but innoccntly unabash,d d, they sat
or knet in fearful and silent thankfancss. Sew
cral Of them held Infants in their arms, and
Through their tears, like sunshine from behind
cloud, beamed an expression Of the deepest
gratitude and hapmness. The men looked a.
though they had lust been raised from despair
10 the most exultaut gladness.
The SCENE Of confusion on hoard the baroue.
when the negroes (ouud themselves released
from the Accustomed restraint. battles all DIS.
Cription They had. Of course, ali been kent on
. vsry small allowance of fool and water during
Vl,e passage. The first use thew made Of their
liberty WAS "a salisly their hunger and thirst,
which they dld by breaking into the bread bar.
Ssis and water casks, and then running about
eating. drinking, dancing aud screaming. an at
once. Il mattered but little 70 them what sort
of vessels thcy drank fOm--bucketS boxes and
Vrourhs were ali brourht into rcuuisition.
even saw several G,llows happy and delighted.
with a piece Of bread in one hand and wooden
Spittoon full Of muddy water in the other.
As soon as thrir a,,,etitcs we're satisfied. the
African Iondness for Hnery began 70 show itself
and All the loose articles n the shin were EN-.
- 49, = = 80. 49, ~ 49, ~ " - S'r s.la