/ 



June.] SLAVE TRADE. 327 



wretches, nor the whole combined, could muster up sufficient courage 

 to oppose my single arm. The dying captive's struggle was short. 

 In a few minutes more he breathed his last, on the cold inanimate lips 

 of her he loved more than he feared death. I then returned my dirk 

 into its sheath, and again addressed the embarrassed officers : 



44 Step forward, inhuman monsters ! and contemplate the effects of 

 your savage barbarity — your triple murder. Look there ! on the re- 

 mains of those three poor victims of your avarice and cruelty ! Think 

 too of their hapless infants ; which, if not happily already gone to meet 

 their parents in a better world, are fated never to enjoy a parent's tender- 

 ness in this. How will you answer for crimes like these before the 

 God of justice 1 I do not marvel at your cowardice, for it is the in- 

 separable concomitant of guilt like yours. I do not wonder that you 

 turn pale at my just rebuke, and tremble there like culprits at the gang- 

 way. But how much more will you tremble when you are arraigned 

 before the bar of Divine Justice, and hear that voice which brought the 

 universe into existence pronounce the awful sentence — ' Inasmuch as 

 ye have not shown mercy to one of the least of these, ye have not done 

 it unto me.' " 



With these words I advanced to the gangway, and was about to de- 

 part, when the captain of the brig expressed a hope that I would not 

 leave them in anger, but that I would walk below, and join them in a 

 glass of wine. I promptly declined the proffered courtesy, assuring 

 him that it gave me very unpleasant feelings to breathe the same air 

 with men engaged in this abominable traffic ; but were I to drink with 

 them, I should feel guilty of an act of wanton impiety that had stained 

 the untarnished lustre of the flag I sailed under. 



They retorted, with a most provoking assurance, that great numbers 

 of American vessels were at that moment engaged in the same traffic ; 

 vessels which they knew were owned by citizens of the United States, 

 commanded by American captains, and manned by American and 

 English seamen. 



I made no reply, but stepped into my boat, and was soon on board 

 the Antarctic, with food for reflection sufficient to last me during the 

 passage from Africa to America. Nor was this the only revolting 

 scene I was doomed to witness, connected with this infamous system 

 of piracy, while I was detained at Benguela. Being on shore on Fri- 

 day, the 5th of June, I saw about fifty of these unhappy beings hand- 

 cuffed in pairs, and drove into town like so many yoke of cattle, by 

 soldiers on horseback. As the poor wretches passed me, I could see 

 the traces of tears on almost every cheek, and from some eyes they 

 were streaming in torrents. They had been driven so far, and with so 

 little mercy, that many of them were quite lame, their foot-prints being 

 marked with blood ! But still, if any of them faltered or lagged a little 

 behind the rest, their inhuman drivers would start them up again by 

 several severe cuts of the lash on their naked bodies, with as much 

 unconcern as if they were driving so many bullocks to market. 



How is this horrible traffic to be finally and totally abolished ? This 

 is a question of vital importance to the cause of humanity. The 

 United States, in conjunction with England and France, have effected 



