PETER THE SLAVE. 287 



regret to say, is but little known in this country. 

 Colonel Nicolls had brought with him one of his 

 boys, named Peter, a remarkably smart, active 

 lad, a recaptured slave. It seemed Peter was 

 a Cameroons boy, which we were not aware of 

 until our visit, when he was recognised by his 

 mother and claimed. The story of Peter being 

 carried off into slavery was exceedingly interest- 

 ing to us all, and as I am afraid it is a common 

 one in this unhappy country, I relate it, to show 

 that the evils of the slave-trade are not confined 

 to the enslaved. Peter's father was a respectable 

 trader in Cameroons, and, amongst other trans- 

 actions, bought a canoe from a Bimbia trader. 

 He paid half the price down for this canoe, and 

 gave his son Peter as a pawn (as it is termed 

 upon the coast) for the other half. A slave- 

 vessel came into Bimbia river, and Peter's new 

 master was actively engaged in supplying her 

 with slaves. On the day of her sailing, he was 

 to bring on board a quantity of fresh provisions, 

 for which he had received goods in payment be- 

 forehand, and left Peter as pawn with the slaver 

 until he had fulfilled his contract. This he did 

 as the slave-vessel was getting under weigh, and 

 demanded his pawn; but the commander, having 



