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HISTORY OF THE [book. iv. 
buyers, the poor wretches would be murdered 
without mercy.” 
Such is the account which I received, and it is 
confirmed by several of the witnesses that were 
examined by the committee of the privy council, 
and by others that appeared before the house of 
commons; but it is contradicted in some material 
circumstances by other gentlemen, whose exami¬ 
nations were taken at the same time, and to whose 
authority much respect is due. Mr. Penny asserts, 
that although three fourths of the inhabitants of the 
windward coast are slaves to the other fourth, yet, 
that these local and domestic slaves are never sold, 
unless for crimes. He is of opinion, that in no coun¬ 
try, either in the maritime districts or in the interi¬ 
or parts of Africa, are slaves bred for sale, but that 
most of those which are disposed of to the Europe¬ 
ans, are sold in consequence of delinquency, or 
captivity in war. The same, or nearly the same, 
account is given of the Fantyn nation by Mr. Nor¬ 
ris; who observes, that <c a considerable portion of 
the community are persons born slaves, but that 
these have peculiar privileges, and enjoy many ad¬ 
vantages, which the slaves of the neighbouring 
countries do not, and cannot be sold at the caprice 
of their masters.” His opinion is, that the num¬ 
ber of slaves furnished in the Fantyn country (about 
2000 annually) is made up by delinquency and 
debt.* 
* Several other witnesses speak of the privileges which attach to 
domestic slaves in Africa, but it is observable that many of these ad- 
