The fair being opened, and the crowd 

 affembled, thefe un pitied fable beings were 

 expofed to the hammer of public au&ion. A 

 long table was placed in the middle of a large 

 room, or logis. At one end was feated the 

 au£tioneer : at the other was placed a chair 

 for the negroes to ftand upon, in order to be 

 expofed to the view of the purchafers ; who 

 were fitting at the fides of the table, or ftanding 

 about the different parts of the room. All being 

 in readinefs, the flaves were brought in, one 

 at a time, and placed upon the chair before 

 the bidders, who handled and infpeded them, 

 with as little concern as if they had been ex- 

 amining cattle in Smithfield market. They 

 turned them about, felt of them, viewed their 

 fliape and their limbs, looked into their 

 mouths, made them jump and throw out their 

 arms, and fubjeded them to all the means of 

 trial as if dealing for a horfe, or any other 

 brute- animal. Indeed the indelicacy (hewn 

 towards the poor defencelefs Africans, by fome 

 of thefe dealers in their fpecies, was not lefs 

 unmanly and difgufting than it was infulting 

 to humanity. 



We were fhocked to obfervc women in 

 y 4 



