3 IS HISTORY OF THE [book iv. 
this commerce, a less number of slaves would in 
consequence thereof be brought down for sale in 
Africa? Admiral Edwards, who served on the sta¬ 
tion, and was on shore seven months at a time, is 
decidedly of opinion that, so long as other nations 
continue to purchase, the number would not be 
diminished in the least A and a little reflection may 
perhaps convince us, that his opinion is founded in 
reason, and the nature of the case. Among the 
commercial nations of Europe, it is true, that in 
most cases of purchase and barter, the demand and 
the supply grow up together and continue to regu¬ 
late and support each other: but these are the ar¬ 
rangements of well-informed and civilized men. In 
Africa, it is apprehended, the slave merchants pos¬ 
sess no ideas of this kind, neither does the na¬ 
ture of their traffic allow of such regulations. When 
two African states are* at war with each other, the 
aim of each undoubtedly is to destroy as many ene¬ 
mies, or seize on as great a number of captives as 
possible. Of these last unfortunate victims, all 
such as are able to travel, are commonly sent down 
to the coast for sale, the rest are massacred on the 
spot, and the same fate attends those unhappy 
wretches who, being sent down, are found un¬ 
saleable. The prices indeed on the coast have 
been known to vary as the market is more or 
less plentifully supplied; but so long as ships from 
Europe create a market, whether the prices be 
* See his evidence in the report of the Committee of Privy Council, 
3789. 
