BOOK III. CHAP. n. jg; 



anJ confequently to the intercfl of the traders ; but they feem in- 

 evitable. The many acls ot violence they have committed, by 

 murdering whole crews, and delhoying fliips, when they had it left 

 in their power to do fo, have made this rigour wholly chargeable on 

 their own bloody and malicious difpofition, which calls for the 

 fame confinement as if they were wolves or wild boars. 



Several of the Negroes imported into our colonies, having been 

 qneftioned, as Toon as they had learned Englifh enough to be under- 

 ftood, what opinion they had conceived in Afric of their future defti- 

 nation among the white people; it appeared from their anlwer, that 

 fome of thele poor wretches believe that they are bought in order to- 

 be fattened, rojfted, and eaten. Others fuppofe, that the Europeans 

 buy them to make gunpowder of their bones ; and Du Pratz fays, 

 that the French Negroes imbibe a notion from their infancy, that the 

 \vhite 4nen buy them to drink their blood ; which, he tells us, is 

 owing to this; that when the firlt Negroes iaw the Europeans drink 

 red wine, they imagined it was blood ; fo that nothing but experience 

 can eradicate thefe falfe terrors: but as none of the flavcs, who have 

 had that experience, ever return to their own country, fo the fame 

 prejudices continue to fubfifton thecoaft: of Guiney, where they are 

 purchafed. Some, who are Grangers to the manner of thinking 

 among the Negroes, imagine, that thiscan beof nobad confequence. 

 But there are many examples of the contrary, efpecially if the 

 Negroes, on their firft arrival, meet with no other (lave who can. 

 talk their dialect, and quiet their fears; for thefe have often caufed 

 fome to hang or drown themftdves, and others to run awav. 



To thefe prejudices may be afcribed the reluftance they fo often 

 manifeft, on leaving Afric. They who are fold for heinous crimes, 

 as well as others who are fold for trivial faults, or perhaps no faul' 

 at all, are equally fufceptible of thefe apprehenfions. The merely 

 leaving their country, can work no fuch etfeil on the minds of thole 

 who are fenfible that, if they had remained in it, or fliould return to 

 it again, they muft inevitably fuffer death. Snelgrjve mention?, that 

 when he was on the coaft, in i 730, the king of Old Calabar, tailing 

 fick, caufed (by advice oih.hmarbuts)'^ child about ten months old to. 

 be facrificed to his fetifhe, or divinity, for recovery. Snelgrave faw 

 the child, after it was killed, hung up on. the bough of a trec^and a 



live 



