Year: 1860




strumentali,y, it will save no considerable
labor, as more of them will be able to read
the news, after you have translated my
manuscript for them, than under any other
circumstances.


When | last wrote to you, we we're
bound to Havana, and since that time We
have been pretty actively cruising for the
greater portion of the time on the coast
of Cuba. Our earnest efforts, however,
have been badly rewarded. We have
overhauled aud searched great many YES
sells, but to our regret (pecuniarily,) they
all appeared to be honest traders. The
U. S. Steamer Mohawk, our partner in our
labors, has been more successful. On
the Goth Of last month, she captured the
beautiful barque Wild6re, off the North
coast of Cuba, with 525 negroes aboard
We were cruising, at the same time, with
in seventy miles of the place Of capture.
The Mohawk is now in this port, with
her splendid prize, and active preparations
are being made by the U. S. Marshal to
receive the negroes ashore. They are
building houses for them near the city OF
Key West, where they will be fixed quite
comfortably. Objections are made to To-
eating them in the city, for fear of sick
ness. 1t is also better for them TO be iso-
lated, as there will not be as good chance
for any person interfering with them i'm
properly. The Wildire was thirty-seven
days from the coast of Africa, and had
over six hundred negroes when she start
ed, but death has reduced the number
now to about five hundred and ten. Some
are dying every day, although they are
now very kindly treated. They will re-
main here until some arraD DgemeDts can
be made for their transportation to Lbe-
ria. They are nearly all young, their
average age being probably about thirteen
years. Their estimated value, if landed
in Cuba, is over four hundred thousand
/ dollars. Among them is an infant scarce
/ three months old, and their numb Der is also
graced with a young princess about thir-
teen years of age. Her signs of royalty
are not in fine clothes, nor in jowels, but
deeply scared in her flesh by hot irons.
She is apparently quite vain of these
royal marks, and it would not be surpri-
sing if she should refuse clothing when it
is got ready for her, unless she resembles
most of her sex and is fond of a change of
fashions even if i. is at the expense of
comfort or appearances. There is now
busy rush of needles to trim out this "Af
rican Embassy" with clothing previous to
their appearance on shore.


1t was with feelings of the deepest in
terest that | boarded the SLAYER to see
something oftbe horrors of this abomiuable
traffic. will not tire you with descrip-
ton of the scenes, as the minutiG Of this
affair will be heralded in all our papers
from one end of the Union to the other,
as given by able and professional newspa-
per reporters. Photographs of the vessel,
and of different views aboard, have already
been taken, and are only waiting for the
tardy mails to be transfxed by the press
of our illustrated papers and give you all



glance at the institution as it is.


To see upwards of five hundred stark
naked men, women and children huddled
together between the low decks of a SLAYER,
and to think of the horrors that they have
already passed through, together with what
is in prospect for them, is enough, me-
thinks, to make saint curse most hearth
ly the negligence and parsimony of
every one who may sanction or assist in
carrying on this most hellish traffic. Tru-
", the curses should be drawn mildly
when we remember that it is in a great
measure owing to our own miserable avar-
ice that it is allowed to exist. Let Con-
gress authorize the building of twelve fast
war-steamers of about seven hundred tons
burden each, and increase the prize money
on each capture, imprison for long term
of years every one engaged in the slave
trade, whether by the loan Of capital or
otherwise, and this curse would be wiped
from the sea. The subject is now before
Congress. 1t will cost money, but We can
we'll afford it. If we can not, let US lay
aside the claim of being great nation.
You who are friendly to the suppression
of the slave trade, mark the Congressional
Representative who is SO ignorant or so
degraded as to vote against these philan-
thropic measures, and when an opportu-
nifty again occurs send better men to rep
resent your sentiments. regret to say
that We have not single vessel in our
Navy that Is fully calculated for this special
service. They either draw too much wa
ter, or are too SLOW 1t is farcical to send
sailing vessels on this mission. The
chances of escape ought to be reduced to
!, u,;nimum regardless of expenses 0ur