Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-02-22
TIE AFRIcAN sLAYE TRADE.

THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.
/ A writer who is apparently fully CONVEX
SAINT with the subject is describing the secret
history of the slave trade in the New York
/ Past. An organized company. having capital
I Of 81 900. 600, exists in Havana, whose sole
business it is to import negroes into the island
of Csba. This company, by means Of an a.
gent, buys its vessels in New York, where
captains for them are also obtained. BY a
iudicious use Of money they are easily clear
/ ed at the Custom House, TIE agent and cap
tain having previously sworn to ownership in
order to obtain register, and the vessel, with
a slave outfit, starts direct for Africa. In this
way seventy vessels are said to have sailed
from the port of New York. after cargoes of
slaves, since lst of January last But latter
Iy, owing to pressure Of public opinion, the
United States officials have been rather more
rigid in their scrutiny Of suspected vessels,
and, consequently, the manner Of procedure
has been changed The vessel now takes a
legal cargo for Havana, whence she is easily
cleared for Africa by soothing the itching
palms of the Spanish officials. This escape
from unpleasant scrutiny is facilitated by a
recent decision Of Attorney General Black,
declaring that the clearance Of any American
vessel from the Custom House is primd focie
/ evidence Of the legality OF the voyage, and
consequently the consul need take no further
steps than the ordinary one Of exacting an
oath from the captain that he is bound on a
legal voyage, and with cargo in accordance
with his clearance. The outfit and mode of
manning SLAYER i. thus descrbed
''In the first place she takes ia new cargo
which consists Of articles used in the purchase
of the slaves aud their subsistence on the
homeward trip. viz. Barrels of Bread, tier
ces 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,
consisting usually of men Of every nation /;
these men agree to 60 the voyage upon terms
that are well understood--so much advance
.say so dollars and one and half dollars
per man for every negro landed in Cuba.
In addition to the captain, mate and second
mate, there comes on board a sallow faced,
gloomy Spanard, who is generally Don Jose,
OF Don Somebodyelse, whose frequent voy-
ages to the Coast are written in every line
of his face He is the 'sobrecargo, the
great factotum and translator of all the busi-
ness of the ship, and in case Of need-as
when boarded by an American man-ot- war
he hoists the Spanish flag and is the Spanish
captain
After this important character comes an
other man, called the contra maestro, or
boatswain. He is the Niger driver the
brute manages and beats into submission the
human cargo on the homeward trip none
but Spanard could look or be so cruel as
he is"
The outward voyage occupies about forty
So a IL a. 81.
proceeds thirty miles up the Congo river, to
the factory of the Havana Company. If
a war steamer makes her appearance in the
river, the captain cheerfully shows his regular
manifest and clearance, certified by the Amer
ican Consul at Havana, and hoists his Amer
lean flag, and sends back to the steamer a box
of very good Havana cigars and a case of
good brandy. Then the steamer sails away
perhaps to watch him at sea-sor there is
no prize money Of any account in a vessel un-
less 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 water 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 slave deck
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 pcll nell, naked as the day they
were born, the lines are cast off. and away the
vessel speeds, under the American flag One
third Of her living freight will die ON the pas
sage, while lifelong bondage awaits the re-
mainder. OF the treatment Of the negroes
on the passape 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 aud in her cabin, are
slowed seven hundred and fifty human beings,
SO crsmped and crowded that they can scarce
ly 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, and
then proceed to wash from the decks the ac-
cumulated filth aud excrement of the previous
day and night Each negro then is com
PEELED to wash out his mouth with vinegar
this is done to prevent scuryy. Now comes
the morning meal, which consists of pint Of
water and quantity of boiled rice and beans
after break fast, the doctor makes his rounds,
pitches overheard the dead and the dying. and
administers medicine to such as are not be-
yond the hope Of recovery The principal
diseases with which they have,to contend are
dysentery and opthalmia, both of which are
generally fatal, and both owing to confined
space and foul atmosphere.
During the day the contra maestro goes
about among them with his whip cows
down the boldest, and sienees the noisest
with his merciless lash, and sometimes selects
the weakest, takes them to the least crowded
space, and makes them dance to the tune OF
his cowhde--to restore circulation
Dinner consists of the same. with the oc-
casional addition Of scraps Of ierked beef