KIDNAPPING OF SLAVES. 
41 
business with sufficient attention, been deemed a trafiic barbarous 
and inîiuman. To all appearance it certainly is so ; ^-r-jA it should 
be considered they are slaves to those at the liead of tlr. ir own 
country ; nay, multitudes of them born so. [t is a fact, that l>y 
them they are barbarously used, and iilmost starved, and are in 
general rejoiced when they sjet on board as slaves to Europeans. 
The various reports of their barbarous treatment in our colonies, 
by those who have been theie, are, except in a few instances, 
contradicted v ith undeniable evidence. Besides, if the English 
did not take theni, liich, it is to be regretted, they no h.ruer 
dare to do, there are plenty of vessels from various n: ';Oi:s 
who would monopohze ih($ whole, and sell them at a oiacli 
higher rate. Some kings, it is true, go to war for slaves ; but 
this, t am apt to think, is, vvheii they are saddled with debt. 
That there is kidnapping also, n\us\ be allowed. On the coast 
it frequently falls on the head of the kidnappet s. A man w ill lay 
in wait until he can seize a boy or girl who is prime, that is, four 
feet four inclies high ; this he hurries down to a factor or ship, and 
sells. With the produce of his villaniy, he goes into the couiitry 
and purchases more slaves ; these he sells again, and g. es on 
tiading until he brings a string of tfiem. By tliis time, the ne- 
groes have perhaps found out who stole their child ; ihey then 
lay in wait for him, seize him and ail his newly acquired, slaves, 
and retaliate by sellmg the whole. Mr. Wilson declares he lias 
frequently bought the slaves and the kidnapper in tl^i^ way. 
All the riches of the negro kings consist m slaves, over whom 
- they have pouer of life and death. In the wxy of bargaining or 
common conversation, it is customary to say, it is woitlx so 
many slaves, or such a one owes me so many slaves. Thus, by 
the slave trade, thousands are taken from I'eal and abject slavery, 
tx) a climiate congenial to theiii, t lough a sigh fâay arise for tha 
loss of their country, and this most certainly happens, but as 
frequently from a different cause, indeed tiiey canuot have an 
idea that you would use them so well, merely to change their 
masters, but often think, they are fattening to be e Uen. To 
convince them of their mistake, wheiî a slave dies, they are ail 
called on deck to see him throvai overboard ; and when one e as- 
sured that we aie not cannibals, their good liumoor -returns, and 
they are knowri sometimes to express fs Vi'ish for the slnp to sail, 
i am certain the idea of the application i)f a whip, will, to njany, 
cause a sigh ; but this is, at least, as frequent'y used in their 
own country, while it is never iipplied m a well reguhvted ship, 
• but in terrorem, as they are extremely iipt to be sulky during tiie 
voyage, and will not eat. 
- ' The consequences of the abolition of the slave-trade, will, 1 fear, 
SPILSIiUPvY.] F 
