jy92. . petilion of the Jharks. 35 



Sheweth, 

 " That your petitioners are a numerous body, and at pre- 

 sent in a very flouriihing situation, owing chieily to the 

 constant visitation of the ihipping of your island. 



" That by hovering round these floating dungeons your 

 petitioners are supplied with large quantities of their moot 

 fax'ourite food — human flefh. • 



" That your petitioners are sustained, not only by the 

 carcases of those who have fallen by distempers, but are 

 frequently gratiSed with rich repasts from the bodies of 

 living negroes, who voluntarily plunge into the abodes of 

 your petitioners, preferring instant destruction by their 

 jaws, to the imaginary horrors of a lingering slavery. 



" That among the enormous breakers and surfs which 

 roll on the fiiores of your petitioners, numbers of Unglifti 

 boats are destroyed, the crews of v/hich usually fall to 

 their lot, and afford them many a delicious meal ; but, a- 

 ■bove all, that large vefsels, crowded with negroes, are some- 

 limes dartied on the focks and fhoals, which abound in the 

 regions of your petitioners, whereby liundreds of human 

 beings, both black and white, are at once precipitated into 

 iheir element, where the gnawing of human fiefli, and tlie 

 crafhing of bones, afford to your petitioners the highest . 

 gratification wliich theirnatures are capable of enjoying, 



" Thus benefited, as your petitioners are, by this widely, 

 extended traffic, a iraffic which has never before been mo- 

 lested, it is with the utmost indignation they hear that 

 there are in Britain, men who, under the specious plea of 

 humanity, are endeavouring to acomplifli its abolition. — 

 But your petitioners trust that this attempt at innovation, 

 this flouriihing of the trumpet of liberty, by which " more 

 is meant than meets the ear," will be effectually frustrated. 



" Should the lower branch of the legislature be to far 

 infatuated by tl.is new-fangled humanity, as serigusly to 



