Capt. Bartho. Roberts. Q19 



The Difadvantages the Fortuguez^e are under for 

 purchafmg Slaves, are thefe, that they have very 

 few proper Commodities for and the Gold, 



which was their chiefeft, by an Edifl: in July 1722, 

 ftands now prohibited from being carried thither, 

 lb that the Ships employed therein are few, and in-r 

 fufficient for the great Mortality and Call of their 

 Mines ^ befides, fhould they venture at breaking lo 

 deftru£l:ive a Law, as the abovementioned (as no 

 doubt they do, or they could make little or no Pur- 

 chace) yet Gold does not raife its Value like Mer- 

 chandize in travelling (efpecially to Africa) and 

 when the Compofition with the Dutch is alfb paid, 

 they may be faid to buy their Negroes at almoft 

 double the Price the Englljhy Dutch^ or French do, 

 which neceffarily raifes their Value extravagantly 

 at Braftl J (thole who can purchafe one, buying a 

 certainer Annuity than South-Sea Stock.) 



Thus far of the Call for Slaves at Erafil I ihall 

 now confider and obviate Ibme Difficulties objefted 

 againft any Foreigners (fiippole Englijh) interpo- 

 iing in fuch a Trade, and they are fome on theirs, 

 and Ibme on our Side. 



On their Side it is prohibited under Pain of Death, 

 a Law lefs effectual to the Prevention of it than pecu- 

 'niary Mulds would be, becaufe a Penalty fb inade- 

 quate and diiproportioned, is only In terrorem^ and 

 makes it merciful in the Governor, or his Inftru- 

 ments, to take a Compolition of eight or ten Moi- 

 dors, when any SubjeO: is catched, and is the com- 

 mon Cuftom fb to do as often as they are found 

 out. 



On our Side it is Confifcation of what they can 

 get, which confidering, they have no Men of War 

 to guard the Coaft, need be very little, without fii- 

 pine Negleft and Careleffnefs. 



I am a Man of War, or Privateer, and being /in 

 Want of Provifions, or m Search of Pyrates, put 



