New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-05
HUNTING 9SLAVERS.
THE HORRORS OF THE sLAvE-TRADE.
HOBART pACnA RECALLS SCENES OF AGoNY-cAP-
TURING A SHIP.
III

the present century, in other words carry their
memories back to tho time when the phliahVhroPis"
of Europe were Rowling for the abolition Oh quo
African slave trade never taking for moment 'ii'o
consideration the fact that the state of the savage
African black population was infinitely bettered py
their being conveyed out of the misery ana oaroar-
ism of their own country, introduced 10 cv'zatoh,
given opportunities of embracing rehg'oh anu
Taught that to kill and eat each other was not 10 10
considered as the principal pastime among human
beings Six years of my life were passed. whie
midshipman In the English navy, on BOARD HAL
of.war which with many Others was stationed on
the coast of Brazil with the object OF putting stop
to the trade in slaves which at the period aliude
+o from 1910 to 1S45) was carried out on large
.caIe between the coast Of Africa and South Amer
lea. and most lucrative trade it was, IL the poor
devils of negroes could be safely conveyed ahVe
from one coast to the other l say " because 'ho
rsk of captres was 81 great that the poor wretcheo
men. women and children, were packed liko
herrings in tho holds of the fast lutte Sailing
vessels EN- ployed and to such feariui eA'oh' was
this packing carried on. that even II the 'eSSoiS
were not captured more than half the huhoor Va
blacks embarked died from suffocation or disease
,efore arriving at their destination, yet that nan
was sufficient to pay handsomely those ensageu III
the trade On this point propose giving eAanPio'
and proofs hereafter, merely remarking en- paSS""
that had the negroes been brought over III vessels
that were not liable to be chased ana capturo ."o
owners of sueh vessels would naturally. considering
the great value of their cargo have taken precau-
lions against over-crowding and disease Now let
ma ;,oure "a to the origin of these poor wretched
Africans becoming slaves and of their being sod 10
the white man. 1t was, briefly speaking III this
wise. On a war taking place between TWO ,rioo'
in Africa, thing of daily occurrence naturaiiS
MANY prisoners were made on both sides' vi 'no'0
,r;sorers those who were not tender enough TO DC
made INTO ragout were taken down to the sea coast
and sold 70 the slave dealers, who had wooden par
racks ready for their reception In tncSe
barracks men, women and children, most Oh "noil
were kept in irons TO prevent escape. were ounoieu
,;la cattle there to await embarkation on board the
vessels that would convey them across inc sea'
Now as the coast was closely watched on the
African side to prevent tho embarkation OF slaves
ma II was on the Brazilian side to prevent their
1e,rg landed. the poor wretches were frequently
xxaitin- for weeks on the shore undergoing
every speces of torment At last the vessel to carry
a norton of them of arrived, when they were
rusbed on board and thrown into the hold regaru
less of SEX like bags of sand ana the SLAYER
on her voyage for the Brazils Perhaps whie Oh
her way she is chased by an English CRUISER Ill
,vh;oh CAGE so IL has often been known TO happen.
N mart of the living cargo would DO ,throWh
overheard, trusting that the horror OF leaving
human beings to be drowned would compei the
officers of the English cruiser to slack their speed
while picking the poor wretches up ana mus s''o
the SLAYER better chance of escape. This have
aeon done myself. fortunately unavalngly.l
will now ask the reader to bring his thoughts
hack TO the coast of Brazil, where a good lookout
was being kept for such vessels as have men
TONED az leaving the African coast with her live
cargo on board, bound for the Brazilian waters
Rio de Janeiro the capital OF Brazil was the nea"-
quarters of the principal slaye-owners' t was
there that all arrangements were made regarding
<be traffic in slaves the dispatch OF the vessels III
xb;eh they were TO be conveyed, the points on
which they were to land etc. and 1T was at mo
that the slave vessels made their rendezvous oeore
and after their voyages II was there also that tine
spies on whose information we acted were 10 10
foundcand double-taced scoundrels they were' too'
often giving information which caused the capture
of a small vessel with few slaves on board. While
Che lnaer vessel with twice the number was
landing her cargo unmolested.
IA for myself. was at the time of life when
ENTERPRISE was necessary for very existence and so
keenly did Join in the slaver-hunting mania that
for,J II dangerous to land in the town of Rio for
fear of assassination. NY captain seeing how
enthusiastic I was in the cause which promised
,r;zy.nouey if not renown, encouraged me by
pIacnr me in a position that rs humble mldshlp-
man was scarcely entitled to; gave me his conil-
dence. and thus made me still more Jealous 10 90
something if only 10 show my gratitude. Having
ncked up all the information possible as regarded
fbe movements of the slave vessels, we started on
cruse orr minds set particularly on the capture OF
n celebratel craft called the Lightning. a vessel
renowned for her great success as slaYe-shlp.
IL. nfuaf..
more exciting) that he would show fight especially
n attacked by English mcn-of-war boats when
nvav from the protection of their ships. l must
,nont;op that il was tho custom of the cruisers on
the coast of Brazil TO send their boats on detached
sarvice they 1.-THE boats going in one direction
while the vessels they belonged to went in another
only communicating every two or three days.
Proud. indeed, for me was the moment when on
arriving ut a spot the coast where our friend the
Iiqhtpins was daily expected with his live cargo,
7 left my ship IN command of three boats viz, q
fen-oarel cutter and two fOuroaied whale boats.
had with me in all nineteen men well armed. and
prepared, as imagined, for every emergency.
The night VIC left our ship we anchored late under
the shelter of small island, and all hands being tired
from long row in a hot sun, let my men go t.
seep during the short tropical darkness. AS soon as
the day was breaking all hands were alert, and We
with deight nDt uhhpgiou Win "9Ooi''9"'noh
a beautiful raksl-looking brig crammod will
slaves. close TO the island behind which we has
taken shelter. steering for creek on the mainland
short distance from us. ought to mention tina
tie island in question was within four miles of th
creek. We Immediately prepared for action ant
while serving out to each man his store of car
trldges found to my horror that the percussion
tubos and caps for the boats gun, the muskets anC
pistols had been left on board the ship. What wa
TO be dones No use swearing at anybody. How
ever. we pulled boldly ont from under the shelter
the island, thinking to .intimidate the SLAYER int
heaying to. In this hope We were grievousiy mis-
taken. The vessel. with her men standing ready a
their guns, seemed to put on defiant air as sh