314 The Slaver and the Missionary 
wild slaves, fresh captives, who were not allowed to 
communicate with their fellow-countrymen ashore. 
In 1850 certain correspondents from Liverpool 
inquired of King “ Eyo Honesty” if he could 
provide for service in the West Indies 10,000 
men, women, and children, as the “ quotum from 
the Old Calabar River,” which would mean 100,000 
from the West Coast. “ He be all same ole slave- 
trade,” very justly remarked that knowing po¬ 
tentate : he added, that he would respect the Sup¬ 
pression Treaty with England, and that he per¬ 
sonally preferred palm-oil, but that all the “ Calabar 
gentlemen” and the neighbouring kings would be 
glad to supply slaves at a fixed price, four boxes 
of brass and copper rods. 
Followed, in 1852-3, the gigantic scheme of MM. 
Regis et C ie , which began operations upon the 
East as well as the West Coast of Africa. Having 
studied it on both sides of the continent, I could 
not help forming the worst opinion of the attempt. 
The agents never spoke of it except as a slave- 
trade ; the facetiae touching “achat” and “ rachat” 
were highly suited to African taste, and I have 
often heard them declare before the people that 
“ captives” are the only articles which can pro¬ 
fitably be exported from the coasts—in fact, as old 
Caspar Barle said, “ precipuae merces ipsi Ethiopes 
sunt.” I subjoin to this chapter the form of 
French passport; it will serve, when a bona fide 
emigration shall be attempted, to show “ how not 
