ON SLAVERY AND THE WORK OF H.M. CRUISERS 

 ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 



It may be interesting to those unacquainted with slave 

 shipment to learn something of the method employed when 

 a shipping of slaves was about to take place. This account 

 is taken from an old paper, the St. Helena Gazette of 1848, 

 when slavers were continually being captured and brought 

 to St. Helena to be freed. It says : — 



The slaves are taken out as if for their usual airing, perhaps 

 ten or twenty on one chain, which is fastened to the neck of each 

 individual at the distance of about one yard apart. In this manner 

 they are marched in single file to the beach without any intimation 

 of their fate, about which they seem quite indifferent, even when 

 they know it. Every canoe is then put in requisition and the little 

 piece of cotton cloth tied round the loins of the slave is stripped 

 off and the gang on each chain is in succession marched close to a 

 fire previously kindled on the beach. Here marking irons are 

 heated, and when an iron is sufficiently hot, it is quickly dipped 

 in palm-oil in order to prevent its sticking to the flesh and then 

 applied to the ribs or hip, and sometimes even to the breast. Each 

 slave-dealer uses his own mark, so that when the vessel arrives 

 at her destination, it is easily ascertained to whom those who died 

 belonged. 



The slaves are then hurried into a small canoe and compelled 

 to sit in the bottom, where they are stowed as closely as possible 

 till the canoe reaches the ship. They are then put on board and 

 again chained until they reach their destination, where they are 

 given over to intended masters or their agents. Their food is 

 generally farina and palm-oil. 



Farina is made from the manioc or cassava root, the root being 

 ground in the same manner as potatoes for starch, then dried in the 

 sun and again partially ground till about the same substance as 

 oatmeal. This farina constitutes the principal food of the slaves 

 both during the time they are waiting to be shipped and also on 

 the passage. (Ibid. p. 192.) 



The palm oil imported into England is not the same as that 

 used by the natives. The oil sent to England is merely the outside 

 of the nut, similar to the outside of a plum, or any other stone 

 fruit. The oil exported is extracted from the pulp, but the palm- 

 oil used by these people in cooking is extracted from the kernel 

 taken out of the stone of the palm-nut, and is equal to our best 

 salad oil. 



In 1839 a Court termed " The Supreme Court " was 

 established in St. Helena, by order of her Majesty in Coun- 



259 



