Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-03-01
T,,e African Slave Trade.

Of Cuba. This company, by means of a
u agent, buys its vessels in New York, whe,
d captains for them are also obtained. By
judicious use of money, they are easily cleare
at the Custom House, the agent and tn
captain having previously sworn to the owr
ership, in order to obtain register, and th
vessel, with slaye outfit, starts direct 70
, Africa. But latterly, owing to pressure Q
public opinion, tho United States official
have been rather more rigid in their scrutin.
of suspected vessels, and consequently tn
mode of procedure has been changed. Th'
vessel now takes legal cargo for Havana
wher . she is easily cleared for Africa b.
soothing the etching palms Of the Spanish
officials. This escape from unpleasant scrutiny
! is facilitated by recent decision of Attorney
General Black, declaring that the clearance o
any American vessel from the Custom House
is orima ti1cis evidence Of the legality of The
voyage, and consequently the consul need
take no further s,egs than the ordinary ons
of exactng an oath from the captain that he
is bound on a legal voyage, and with cargl
ia accordance with his clearance. The outfit
and mode of manning q SLAYER is thus
described9
sin the Grst place, ste takes in new cargo,
which consists Of articles used ip the purchase
of the slaves and their subsistence on the
homeward trip, viz. Barrels of bread, tierces
Of rice, puncheons of rum, beans, jerked beef,
tobacco, vinegar, powder, &C., together with
lumber for the slave decks. (Specie is seldom
sent out.) Next, the crew is shipped, con-
sisting usually of every nation; these men
agree to go the voyage upon terms that are
we'll understood-so much advance (say SO
dollars), and one and a half dollars per man
for every negro landed in Cuba.
| "In addition to the captain mate and second
mate there CONES or board a sallow LACED,
gloomy Spaniard, who is generally Don Jose,
or Doa Somebodyelse, whose frequentvoy
to the Coast are writ en- in every line of his
face. He is the 'sobrecargo,' the great factotum
and translator of ali the business Of the ship,
| and in case of need-as when boarded by an
American man of war-he hoists the Spanish
flag and is the Spanish captain.
"After this important character comes
another man, called the contra maestro or
boatswain. he is the 'nigger driver the
brute who manages and beats into submission
the human cargo On the homeward tr.
none but Spaniard could look or be SO cruel
as he is"
The outward voyage occupies about forty
five days. Arriving on the coast, the SLAYER
proceeds thirty miles up the Congo river, to
the ''factory" of the Havana company. Ifa
war steamer makes her appearance in the
river, the captain chee-fuly shows his regular
manifest and clearance, certified by the
American Consul at Havana, and hoists his
American flag, and sends back to the steamer
box of very good Havana cigars and a case
of good brandy. Then the steamer sails
away-periiaps to watch him at sea-for
there is no prize money CT any account in
vessel unless the negroes are on board!
Having completed his arrangements with
the resident agent, the captain speedily dis
charges his cargo into the warehouse, takes
on board lot Of ater-casks, which are filled
from the river, and beside them in the hold
he slows his barrels OF provisions, and over
all he lays his "slaye deck"
Spies are sent to the mouth of the river,
and when they report the coast clear from
cruisers. seven or eight hundred slaves, cost
ing fifty dollars apiece in bad rum, are driven
on board pell-mell, naked as the day they
were born; the lines are cast Oft, and away
the yessa, speeds, under the American flag
One-third of her living freight will die on the
passage. wh;lo lifelong bondage awaits the
remainder. Of the treatment of the negroes
on the passage, the writer says;
"Our ship is one hundred feet long, and
thirty wide. and on her deck and under her
deck. and on her cabin and in her cabin, are
slowed seven hundred and fifty human beings,
so cra.nped and crowded that they can scarcely
sit down when standing or stand up when
sitting , ...
early in the morning, the crew lead a
hose from the pump, and, without regard to
sex or condition. give each one thorough
bath. an! then proceed to wash from the
decks the accumulated filth and excrement Of
the previous Gay and night. Each negro then
;s conneilel to wash out his mouth with vim
cgar-this is done to prevent scurvy. Now
comes the morning meal, which consists OF a
pint of water and quantity of boiled rice and
beans. After breakfast, the doctor makes his
round, pitches overheard the dead and the
diving, and administers. medicine to SUCH as
are not beyond the hope Of recovery. The
principal diseases with which they have te
contend are dysentery and opthalmia, both o.
which are generally fatal, and both owing tt
confined space and foul atmosphere.
"During the day, the contra maestro goes
about among them with his whip; COWS dowr
the boldest, and sllences the noisest with hi
. merciless lash, and sometimes selects tn
wealest, takes them to the least crowded
) space, and makes them dance to the tune
his cowhide-to restore circulation!
"Dinner consists of the same, with tn
occasional addition of scraps Of jerked beei
e There is no change from this food during tn
voyage; at times, when the negroes appea
despondent or weak, they are given littl
L rum. At night they are compelled to il
g down, spoon fashion, Gas housekeepe
9 places her spoons in basket; canvas
o covering is hauled over them, and it
impossible for them to change their positio
until the following morning"
a The passage to Cuba is generally performe
:. in thirty-five days. Running into one of tn
10 many secluded rendezvous on the coast, tn
n anchor is dropped, private signal is raised
IS the launches, which have been awaiting th
,e vessels arrival, put off, and the negroes ar
quickly transferred to the shore, whenc
thew are sent off to some place where the
:, are exercised, washed, and fattened for th
~ market. The ships anchor is then raised
D. sail is made, holes are bored in the bottom
is and she is started forth upon the sea to sinl
re The Captain goes to Havana with one-ha
% of his ships register and o false bill Of sail
'' which he forwards to the New York Custo
House, according to law, and in the meal
20 hile presents himself to bis principal vii
10 the following balance-sheet:
To first-cost of ship $!,0Oo
Advance wages 1850
Captains wages and venture IOsoVV
Supercargo and boatswain 5,0o0
Cost of negroes (750) at $50 S1,3e0
Crew-$750 per man 5s. 1,5oO
J.. ---$l6s,5
=, nG.giU Cn. -
os 500 negroes, at $500 head ~ t3 $4,000
e Net profit $2Sl,5
~ Such is the anodass operandi Of carrying
a commerce which is q disgrace to huma