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w^re Dutch property : but the property being 

 proved to be American, they were releafed^ 

 and the fhip is now taking in water, prepa-- 

 ratory to purfuing her voyage down to the 

 ftate of Georgia. 



The cargo confifted of a hundred and 

 thirty flaves, of whom two-thirds were males^ 

 and one-third females. The two fexes were 

 kept feparate by a partition, or bulk-head^^ 

 built from fide to fide, acrofs the fhip^ allot- 

 ting the waijl to the men, and to the women^ 

 the quarterdeck. A great majority of them 

 were very young, being from ten to eighteen 

 years of age. We were pleafed to obferve 

 that an air of cheerfulnefs and contentment 

 prevailed among them. In a few only we re- 

 marked defpondency, and dejection of coun- 

 tenance. Both fexes were without apparel, 

 having only a narrow band of blue cloth put 

 round the waift, and brought to faften before, 

 fo as to ferve the office of the fig>leaf, worn 

 by our firft parents, in the fruitful garden of 

 Eden. As we walked through the different 

 groups of them, they fixed their eyes upon 

 us, with feeming curiofity; and fome of the 



0^3 



