ST. HELENA 261 



I picked my way from end to end in order to avoid treading 

 upon them, was thickly strewn with the dead, dying and starved 

 bodies. ... A visit to a full freighted slave-ship is not easily to 

 be forgotten ; a scene so intensified in all that is horrible almost 

 defies description. 



The vessel of which he writes was one of one hundred tons 

 burden, and contained a little short of one thousand souls, 

 who had been closely packed for weeks together in the 

 hottest and most polluted of atmospheres. The arms and 

 legs of the poor creatures were worn down to about the size 

 of walking-sticks and as they were passed over the ship's 

 side, some living, some dead, others dying, it was hard to 

 believe they really were human beings. Many died as they 

 were in the act of being passed over the side of the ship. 

 This Liberated African Depot gave much employment to 

 the people, and caused an immense influx of trade in the 

 island, for they were brought by H.M. cruisers ; and to 

 stamp out this horrible traffic in human flesh a large squad- 

 ron was placed in these waters. The following extract 

 shows the number of Africans captured by H.M. Cruisers 

 and brought to St. Helena between June 9, 1840, and 

 September 30, 1847, and the manner of their disposal : 



Received . . . . . . 9,133 slaves. 



Born 



Total . .... 9,155 



Emigrated to the West Indian Colonies : 



To Jamaica ....... 1,093 



To British Guiana . . . . . .2,115 



To Trinidad . . . . . . .1,136 



4,344 

 To Cape of Good Hope . . . . . 1,410 



5,754 

 Deceased ....... 2,926 



8,680 



Removed from the depot as servants . . 445 



Missing, supposed to be drowned ... i 



9,126 

 Remaining in charge on 3oth Sept., 1847 . . 29 



Total 9,155 



