398 J A M A I C A. 



live cock tied to It, as an addition to the fpell. Being afterwards on 

 another voyage at the fame place, he beheld the fame king fitting on a 

 Itool under a fiiady tree, and near him a little boy tied by the leg to a 

 flake driven into the ground, covered with files and other vermin, and 

 two marbuls (landing by. On enquiry he learnt, it was intended to 

 be facrlficed that night to their god Rgbo, for his majcfty's profperity. 

 Snelgrave redeemed the child at the king's own price, and carrying his 

 bargain on board (hip, found that this infant's motlier had been fold to 

 him the very day before ; whofe joy on thus meeting again with her 

 fon, fo unexpeftedly refcued from the brink of flaughter, he patheti- 

 cally dcfcribes; adding, that the ftory coming to be known among all 

 the Blacks on board, it difpelled their fears, and impreffed them with 

 fo favourable an opinion of the white men, that although he had three 

 hundred in all, they gave him not the leaft difturbance during the 

 voyage. When their prejudices were diflipated by fo llriking an ex- 

 ample of humanity (hewn to a Negroe, they perceived the Whites 

 were not fuch bugbears as they had been induced to believe, and grew 

 happy and peaceable, on finding that a white matter was likely to be 

 more merciful towards them than a black one. 



The objedion, that many die in tranfportation to the colonies, does 

 not bear againll the trade itfelf, but againft fome defefl: or impropriety 

 in the mode of conducing it. A fimilar objeftion may lie againft 

 cooping up debtors or other prifoners in a clofe unwholefome jail ; 

 fending; convids to America huddled together in fmall veflels; cram- 

 ming Ibldiers into inconvenient tranfport fliips j or imprefled men into 

 clofe tenders, or ill-conifruded (hips of war; by all which means vaft 

 multitudes have perifhed, without any bead-roll taken of their num- 

 ber, though, it is probable, the lift would run fliockingly high. To 

 what end are the contrivances of ventilators, &c. but the prevention 

 or diminution of this mortality? But the mortality is fully evinced in 

 point of fa6t, by the many expedients which have been recommended 

 by humane perfons to render it lefs frequent. 



The captains, I believe, to whofe charge they are committed, are 

 careful of their healths to the utmoft of their, power, confiftent with 

 the fifety of their own lives; their intereft, and that of their employ- 

 ers, depends much upon it. But captains, and other feafaring men, 

 are not often philofophers or phyficians; nor all as difcerning as a 



Linde 



