120 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



and of Wales, with North America, than to the trade in alien 

 blacks. 



An abolition of the African slave-trade, such as has hitherto 

 been solicited, would in fact operate merely as a repeal of this 

 wholesome humane law. The small ships, which now execute 

 the smuggling trade of the West Indies, and which alternately 

 visit the British islands, the Spanish main, and the coast of 

 North America, under any flag best suited for the protection 

 of their immediate purpose, would in that case undertake the 

 slave trade. Colony-craft would supersede the regular vessels. 

 These ships have not dimen^ons for accommodating pas- 

 sengers in the becoming manner required by the British act 

 of parliament : so that the old horrors of the middle passage 

 would all return. The manner of removing out of Africa the 



• sumed by disease and filth, which last was horrible ; but after being twelve 



* days at sea, the ship was dismasted and put back to Greenock, where many 

 ' of the passengers, especially children, died from the effects of the short 

 ' voyage they had made." 



This white slave-trade is conducted under the cover of the laws concerning 

 apprenticeship. The white bond-slave is indentured for seven years to the 

 captain of the passage-vessel, who, on arriving in North America, sells his 

 apprentices at the market-price, and makes over his indentures to the several 

 purchasers. But as the selling-price does not always produce the passage- 

 money, a claim of debt against the apprentice bearing interest, accompanies, 

 the indenture ; and thus his servitude is prolonged at pleasure, under pretence 

 of working out this debt. 



