The Horrors of a Slave Ship
Olaudah Equiano
The author's birth and parentage--His being kidnapped with his
sister--Their separation--Surprise at meeting again--Are finally
separated--Account of the different places and incidents the author met with
till his arrival on the coast--The effect the sight of a slave ship had on
him--He sails for the West Indies--Horrors of a slave ship--Arrives at
Barbadoes, where the cargo is sold and dispersed.
[1] I hope the reader will not think I have trespassed on his
patience in introducing myself to him with some account of the manners and
customs of my country. They had been implanted in me with great care, and made
an impression on my mind, which time could not erase, and which all the
adversity and variety of fortune I have since experienced served only to rivet
and record; for, whether the love of one's country be real or imaginary, or a
lesson of reason, or an instinct of nature, I still look back with pleasure on
the first scenes of my life, though that pleasure has been for the most part
mingled with sorrow.
[2] I have already acquainted the reader with the time and place
of my birth. My father, besides many slaves, had a numerous family, of which
seven lived to grow up, including myself and a sister, who was the only
daughter. As I was the youngest of the sons, I became, of course, the greatest
favourite with my mother, and was always with her; and she used to take
particular pains to form my mind. I was trained up from my earliest years in
the art of war; my daily exercise was shooting and throwing javelins; and my
mother adorned me with emblems, after the manner of our greatest warriors. In
this way I grew up till I was turned the age of eleven, when an end was put to
my happiness in the following manner.
[3] Generally when the grown people in the neighborhood were
gone far in the fields to labor, the children assembled together in some of the
neighbors’ premises to play; and commonly some of us used to get up a tree to
look out for any assailant, or kidnapper, that might come upon us; for they
sometimes took those opportunities of our parents' absence to attack and carry
off as many as they could seize. One day, as I was watching at the top of a
tree in our yard, I saw one of those people come into the yard of our next neighbor
but one, to kidnap, there being many stout young people in it. Immediately on
this I gave the alarm of the rogue, and he was surrounded by the stoutest of
them, who entangled him with cords, so that he could not escape till some of
the grown people came and secured him. But alas! ere long it was my fate to be
thus attacked, and to be carried off, when none of the grown people were nigh.
One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I
and my dear sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over
our walls, and in a moment seized us both, and, without giving us time to cry
out, or make resistance, they stopped our mouths, and ran off with us into the
nearest wood. Here they tied our hands, and continued to carry us as far as
they could, till night came on, when we reached a small house, where the
robbers halted for refreshment, and spent the night. We were then unbound, but
were unable to take any food; and, being quite overpowered by fatigue and
grief, our only relief was some sleep, which allayed our misfortune for a short
time. The next morning we left the house, and continued travelling all the day.
For a long time we had kept the woods, but at last we came into a road which I
believed I knew. I had now some hopes of being delivered; for we had advanced
but a little way before I discovered some people at a distance, on which I
began to cry out for their assistance: but my cries had no other effect than to
make them tie me faster and stop my mouth, and then they put me into a large
sack. They also stopped my sister's mouth, and tied her hands; and in this
manner we proceeded till we were out of the sight of these people. When we went
to rest the following night they offered us some victuals; but we refused it;
and the only comfort we had was in being in one another's arms all that night,
and bathing each other with our tears. But alas! we were soon deprived of even
the small comfort of weeping together.
[4] The next day proved a day of greater sorrow than I had yet
experienced; for my sister and I were then separated, while we lay clasped in
each other's arms. It was in vain that we besought them not to part us; she was
torn from me, and immediately carried away, while I was left in a state of
distraction not to be described. I cried and grieved continually; and for
several days I did not eat anything but what they forced into my mouth. At
length, after many days travelling, during which I had often changed masters, I
got into the hands of a chieftain, in a very pleasant country. This man had two
wives and some children, and they all used me extremely well, and did all they
could to comfort me; particularly the first wife, who was something like my mother.
Although I was a great many days journey from my father's house, yet these
people spoke exactly the same language with us. This first master of mine, as I
may call him, was a smith, and my principal employment was working his bellows,
which were the same kind as I had seen in my vicinity. They were in some
respects not unlike the stoves here in gentlemen's kitchens; and were covered
over with leather; and in the middle of that leather a stick was fixed, and a
person stood up, and worked it, in the same manner as is done to pump water out
of a cask with a hand pump. I believe it was gold he worked, for it was of a
lovely bright yellow color, and was worn by the women on their wrists and ankles.
I was there I suppose about a month and they at last used to trust me some
little distance from the house. This liberty I used in embracing every
opportunity to inquire the way to my own home: and I also sometimes, for the
same purpose, went with the maidens, in the cool of the evenings, to bring
pitchers of water from the springs for the use of the house. I had also
remarked where the sun rose in the morning, and set in the evening, as I had
travelled along; and I had observed that my father's house was towards the
rising of the sun. I therefore determined to seize the first opportunity of
making my escape, and to shape my course for that quarter; for I was quite
oppressed and weighed down by grief after my mother and friends; and my love of
liberty, ever great, was strengthened by the mortifying circumstance of not
daring to eat with the free-born children, although I was mostly their
companion.
[5] While I was projecting my escape, one day an unlucky event
happened, which quite disconcerted my plan, and put an end to my hopes. I used
to be sometimes employed in assisting an elderly woman slave to cook and take
care of the poultry; and one morning, while I was feeding some chickens, I
happened to toss a small pebble at one of them, which hit it on the middle and
directly killed it. The old slave, having soon after missed the chicken,
inquired after it; and on my relating the accident (for I told her the truth,
because my mother would never suffer me to tell a lie) she flew into a violent
passion, threatened that I should suffer for it; and, my master being out, she
immediately went and told her mistress what I had done. This alarmed me very
much, and I expected an instant flogging, which to me was uncommonly dreadful;
for I had seldom been beaten at home. I therefore resolved to fly; and
accordingly I ran into a thicket that was hard by, and hid myself in the
bushes. Soon afterwards my mistress and the slave returned, and, not seeing me,
they searched all the house, but not finding me, and I not making answer when
they called to me, they thought I had run away, and the whole neighborhood was
raised in the pursuit of me. In that part of the country (as in ours) the
houses and villages were skirted with woods, or shrubberies and the bushes were
so thick that a man could readily conceal himself in them, so as to elude the
strictest search. The neighbours continued the whole day looking for me, and
several times many of them came within a few yards of the place where I lay
hid. I then gave myself up for lost entirely, and expected every moment, when I
heard a rustling among the trees, to be found out, and punished by my master:
but they never discovered me, though they were often so near that I even heard
their conjectures as they were looking about for me; and I now learned from
them, that any attempt to return home would be hopeless. Most of them supposed
I had fled towards home; but the distance was so great, and the way so
intricate, that they thought I could never reach it, and that I should be lost
in the woods. When I heard this I was seized with a violent panic, and abandoned
myself to despair. Night too began to approach, and aggravated all my fears. I
had before entertained hopes of getting home, and I had determined when it
should be dark to make the attempt; but I was now convinced it was fruitless,
and I began to consider that, if possibly I could escape all other animals, I
could not those of the human kind; and that, not knowing the way, I must perish
in the woods. Thus was I like the hunted deer:
--"Ev'ry
leaf and ev'ry whisp'ring breath
Convey'd a foe, and ev'ry foe a death."
Convey'd a foe, and ev'ry foe a death."
[6]
I heard frequent rustlings among the leaves; and being pretty sure they were
snakes I expected every instant to be stung by them. This increased my anguish,
and the horror of my situation became now quite insupportable. I at length
quitted the thicket, very faint and hungry, for I had not eaten or drank anything
all the day; and crept to my master's kitchen, from whence I set out at first,
and which was an open shed, and laid myself down in the ashes with an anxious
wish for death to relieve me from all my pains. I was scarcely awake in the
morning when the old woman slave, who was the first up, came to light the fire,
and saw me in the fire place. She was very much surprised to see me, and could
scarcely believe her own eyes. She now promised to intercede for me, and went
for her master, who soon after came, and, having slightly reprimanded me,
ordered me to be taken care of, and not to be ill-treated.
[7] Soon after this my master's only daughter, and child by his
first wife, sickened and died, which affected him so much that for some time he
was almost frantic, and really would have killed himself, had he not been
watched and prevented. However, in a small time afterwards he recovered, and I
was again sold. I was now carried to the left of the sun's rising, through many
different countries, and a number of large woods. The people I was sold to used
to carry me very often, when I was tired, either on their shoulders or on their
backs. I saw many convenient well-built sheds along the roads, at proper
distances, to accommodate the merchants and travellers, who lay in those
buildings along with their wives, who often accompany them; and they always go
well armed.
[8] From the time I left my own nation I always found somebody
that understood me till I came to the sea coast. The languages of different
nations did not totally differ, nor were they so copious as those of the
Europeans, particularly the English. They were therefore easily learned; and,
while I was journeying thus through Africa, I acquired two or three different
tongues. In this manner I had been travelling for a considerable time, when one
evening, to my great surprise, whom should I see brought to the house where I
was but my dear sister! As soon as she saw me she gave a loud shriek, and ran into
my arms. I was quite overpowered: neither of us could speak; but, for a
considerable time, clung to each other in mutual embraces, unable to do anything
but weep. Our meeting affected all who saw us; and indeed I must acknowledge,
in honor of those sable destroyers of human rights, that I never met with any
ill treatment, or saw any offered to their slaves, except tying them, when
necessary, to keep them from running away. When these people knew we were
brother and sister they indulged us together; and the man, to whom I supposed
we belonged, lay with us, he in the middle, while she and I held one another by
the hands across his breast all night; and thus for a while we forgot our
misfortunes in the joy of being together: but even this small comfort was soon
to have an end; for scarcely had the fatal morning appeared, when she was again
torn from me forever! I was now more miserable, if possible, than before. The
small relief which her presence gave me from pain was gone, and the
wretchedness of my situation was redoubled by my anxiety after her fate, and my
apprehensions lest her sufferings should be greater than mine, when I could not
be with her to alleviate them. Yes, thou dear partner of all my childish
sports! thou sharer of my joys and sorrows! happy should I have ever esteemed
myself to encounter every misery for you, and to procure your freedom by the
sacrifice of my own. Though you were early forced from my arms, your image has
been always rivetted in my heart, from which neither time nor fortune have
been able to remove it; so that, while the thoughts of your sufferings have
damped my prosperity, they have mingled with adversity and increased its
bitterness. To that Heaven which protects the weak from the strong, I commit
the care of your innocence and virtues, if they have not already received their
full reward, and if your youth and delicacy have not long since fallen victims
to the violence of the African trader, the pestilential stench of a Guinea
ship, the seasoning in the European colonies, or the lash and lust of a brutal
and unrelenting overseer.
[9] I did
not long remain after my sister. I was again sold, and carried through a number
of places, till, after travelling a considerable time, I came to a town called
Tinmah, in the most beautiful country I have yet seen in Africa. It was
extremely rich, and there were many rivulets which flowed through it, and
supplied a large pond in the center of the town, where the people washed. Here
I first saw and tasted cocoa-nuts, which I thought superior to any nuts I had
ever tasted before; and the trees, which were loaded, were also interspersed
amongst the houses, which had commodious shades adjoining, and were in the same
manner as ours, the insides being neatly plastered and whitewashed. Here I also
saw and tasted for the first time sugar-cane. Their money consisted of little
white shells, the size of the finger nail. I was sold here for one hundred and
seventy-two of them by a merchant who lived and brought me there. I had been
about two or three days at his house, when a wealthy widow, a neighbour of his,
came there one evening, and brought with her an only son, a young gentleman
about my own age and size. Here they saw me; and, having taken a fancy to me, I
was bought of the merchant, and went home with them. Her house and premises
were situated close to one of those rivulets I have mentioned, and were the
finest I ever saw in Africa: they were very extensive, and she had a number of
slaves to attend her. The next day I was washed and perfumed, and when meal-time
came I was led into the presence of my mistress, and ate and drank before her
with her son. This filled me with astonishment; and I could scarce help
expressing my surprise that the young gentleman should suffer me, who was
bound, to eat with him who was free; and not only so, but that he would not at
any time either eat or drink till I had taken first, because I was the eldest,
which was agreeable to our custom. Indeed everything here, and all their
treatment of me, made me forget that I was a slave. The language of these
people resembled ours so nearly, that we understood each other perfectly. They
had also the very same customs as we. There were likewise slaves daily to
attend us, while my young master and I with other boys sported with our darts
and bows and arrows, as I had been used to do at home. In this resemblance to
my former happy state I passed about two months; and I now began to think I was
to be adopted into the family, and was beginning to be reconciled to my
situation, and to forget by degrees my misfortunes, when all at once the
delusion vanished; for, without the least previous knowledge, one morning
early, while my dear master and companion was still asleep, I was wakened out
of my reverie to fresh sorrow, and hurried away even amongst the uncircumcised.
[10] Thus, at the very moment I dreamed of the greatest
happiness, I found myself most miserable; and it seemed as if fortune wished to
give me this taste of joy, only to render the reverse more poignant. The change
I now experienced was as painful as it was sudden and unexpected. It was a
change indeed from a state of bliss to a scene which is inexpressible by me, as
it discovered to me an element I had never before beheld, and till then had no
idea of, and wherein such instances of hardship and cruelty continually
occurred as I can never reflect on but with horror.
[11] All the nations and people I had hitherto passed through
resembled our own in their manners, customs, and language: but I came at length
to a country, the inhabitants of which differed from us in all those
particulars. I was very much struck with this difference, especially when I
came among a people who did not circumcise, and ate without washing their
hands. They cooked also in iron pots, and had European cutlasses and cross
bows, which were unknown to us, and fought with their fists amongst themselves.
Their women were not so modest as ours, for they ate, and drank, and slept,
with their men. But, above all, I was amazed to see no sacrifices or offerings
among them. In some of those places the people ornamented themselves with
scars, and likewise filed their teeth very sharp. They wanted sometimes to
ornament me in the same manner, but I would not suffer them; hoping that I
might sometime be among a people who did not thus disfigure themselves, as I
thought they did. At last I came to the banks of a large river, which was
covered with canoes, in which the people appeared to live with their household
utensils and provisions of all kinds. I was beyond measure astonished at this,
as I had never before seen any water larger than a pond or a rivulet: and my
surprise was mingled with no small fear when I was put into one of these
canoes, and we began to paddle and move along the river. We continued going on
thus till night; and when we came to land, and made fires on the banks, each
family by themselves, some dragged their canoes on shore, others stayed and
cooked in theirs, and laid in them all night. Those on the land had mats, of
which they made tents, some in the shape of little houses: in these we slept;
and after the morning meal we embarked again and proceeded as before. I was
often very much astonished to see some of the women, as well as the men, jump
into the water, dive to the bottom, come up again, and swim about.
[12] Thus I continued to travel, sometimes by land, sometimes by
water, through different countries and various nations, till, at the end of six
or seven months after I had been kidnapped, I arrived at the sea coast. It
would be tedious and uninteresting to relate all the incidents which befell me
during this journey, and which I have not yet forgotten; of the various hands I
passed through, and the manners and customs of all the different people among
whom I lived: I shall therefore only observe, that in all the places where I
was the soil was exceedingly rich; the pomkins, eadas, plantains, yams, &c.
&c. were in great abundance, and of incredible size. There were also vast
quantities of different gums, though not used for any purpose; and everywhere a
great deal of tobacco. The cotton even grew quite wild; and there was plenty of
redwood. I saw no mechanics whatever in all the way, except such as I have
mentioned. The chief employment in all these countries was agriculture, and
both the males and females, as with us, were brought up to it, and trained in
the arts of war.
[13]
The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast, was the
sea, and a slave ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its
cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror,
when I was carried on board. I was immediately handled, and tossed up to see if
I were sound, by some of the crew; and I was now persuaded that I had gotten
into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill me. Their
complexions, too, differing so much from ours, their long hair, and the
language they spoke (which was very different from any I had ever heard),
united to confirm me in this belief. Indeed, such were the horrors of my views
and fears at the moment, that, if ten thousand worlds had been my own, I would
have freely parted with them all to have exchanged my condition with that of
the meanest slave in my own country. When I looked round the ship too, and saw
a large furnace of copper boiling, and a multitude of black people of every
description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing
dejection and sorrow, I no longer doubted of my fate; and, quite overpowered
with horror and anguish, I fell motionless on the deck and fainted. When I
recovered a little, I found some black people about me, who I believed were
some of those who had brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay;
they talked to me in order to cheer me, but all in vain. I asked them if we
were not to be eaten by those white men with horrible looks, red faces, and
long hair. They told me I was not, and one of the crew brought me a small portion
of spirituous liquor in a wine glass; but being afraid of him, I would not take
it out of his hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to
me, and I took a little down my palate, which, instead of reviving me, as they
thought it would, threw me into the greatest consternation at the strange
feeling it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before. Soon after
this, the blacks who brought me on board went off, and left me abandoned to
despair.
[14]
I now saw myself deprived of all chance of returning to my native country, or
even the least glimpse of hope of gaining the shore, which I now considered as
friendly; and I even wished for my former slavery in preference to my present
situation, which was filled with horrors of every kind, still heightened by my
ignorance of what I was to undergo. I was not long suffered to indulge my
grief; I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a
salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the
loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick and low that
I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything. I now
wished for the last friend, Death, to relieve me; but soon, to my grief, two of
the white men offered me eatables; and, on my refusing to eat, one of them held
me fast by the hands, and laid me across, I think, the windlass, and tied my
feet, while the other flogged me severely. I had never experienced anything of
this kind before, and, although not being used to the water, I naturally feared
that element the first time I saw it, yet, nevertheless, could I have got over
the nettings, I would have jumped over the side, but I could not; and besides,
the crew used to watch us very closely who were not chained down to the decks,
lest we should leap into the water; and I have seen some of these poor African
prisoners most severely cut, for attempting to do so, and hourly whipped for
not eating. This indeed was often the case with myself. In a little time after,
amongst the poor chained men, I found some of my own nation, which in a small
degree gave ease to my mind. I inquired of these what was to be done with us?
They gave me to understand, we were to be carried to these white people’s
country to work for them.
[15]
I then was a little revived, and thought, if it were no worse than working, my
situation was not so desperate; but still I feared I should be put to death,
the white people looked and acted, as I thought, in so savage a manner; for I
had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruelty; and this not
only shown towards us blacks, but also to some of the whites themselves. One
white man in particular I saw, when we were permitted to be on deck, flogged so
unmercifully with a large rope near the foremast, that he died in consequence
of it; and they tossed him over the side as they would have done a brute. This
made me fear these people the more; and I expected nothing less than to be
treated in the same manner. I could not help expressing my fears and
apprehensions to some of my countrymen; I asked them if these people had no
country, but lived in this hollow place (the ship)? They told me they did not,
but came from a distant one. “Then,” said I, “how comes it in all our country
we never heard of them?” They told me because they lived so very far off. I
then asked where were their women? had they any like themselves? I was told
they had. “And why,” said I, “do we not see them?” They answered, because they
were left behind. I asked how the vessel could go? They told me they could not
tell; but that there was cloth put upon the masts by the help of the ropes I
saw, and then the vessel went on; and the white men had some spell or magic
they put in the water when they liked, in order to stop the vessel. I was
exceedingly amazed at this account, and really thought they were spirits. I
therefore wished much to be from amongst them, for I expected they would
sacrifice me; but my wishes were vain — for we were so quartered that it was
impossible for any of us to make our escape.
[16]
While we stayed on the coast I was mostly on deck; and one day, to my great
astonishment, I saw one of these vessels coming in with the sails up. As soon
as the whites saw it, they gave a great shout, at which we were amazed; and the
more so, as the vessel appeared larger by approaching nearer. At last, she came
to an anchor in my sight, and when the anchor was let go, I and my countrymen
who saw it, were lost in astonishment to observe the vessel stop—and were now
convinced it was done by magic. Soon after this the other ship got her boats
out, and they came on board of us, and the people of both ships seemed very
glad to see each other. Several of the strangers also shook hands with us black
people, and made motions with their hands, signifying I suppose, we were to go
to their country, but we did not understand them. At last, when the ship we
were in, had got in all her cargo, they made ready with many fearful noises,
and we were all put under deck, so that we could not see how they managed the
vessel. But this disappointment was the least of my sorrow. The stench of the
hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was
dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay
on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole ship’s cargo were
confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The closeness of the
place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was
so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us.
This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for
respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness
among the slaves, of which many died — thus falling victims to the improvident
avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was
again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable, and
the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost
suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the
whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily perhaps, for myself, I
was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost
always on deck; and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters. In this
situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of
whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began
to hope would soon put an end to my miseries. Often did I think many of the
inhabitants of the deep much more happy than myself. I envied them the freedom
they enjoyed, and as often wished I could change my condition for theirs.
[17]
Every circumstance I met with, served only to render my state more painful, and
heightened my apprehensions, and my opinion of the cruelty of the whites. One
day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied
themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on
deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed
the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some
as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by
hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to
get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them
some very severe floggings. One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate
wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them
at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through
the nettings and jumped into the sea; immediately, another quite dejected
fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed
their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same, if
they had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed.
Those of us that were the most active, were in a moment put down under the
deck; and there was such a noise and confusion amongst the people of the ship
as I never heard before, to stop her, and get the boat out to go after the
slaves. However, two of the wretches were drowned, but they got the other, and
afterwards flogged him unmercifully, for thus attempting to prefer death to
slavery. In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now
relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. Many a time
we were near suffocation from the want of fresh air, which we were often
without for whole days together. This, and the stench of the necessary tubs,
carried off many. During our passage, I first saw flying fishes, which
surprised me very much; they used frequently to fly across the ship, and many
of them fell on the deck. I also now first saw the use of the quadrant; I had
often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I
could not think what it meant. They at last took notice of my surprise; and one
of them, willing to increase it, as well as to gratify my curiosity, made me
one day look through it. The clouds appeared to me to be land, which
disappeared as they passed along. This heightened my wonder; and I was now more
persuaded than ever, that I was in another world, and that everything about me
was magic.
[18]
At last we came in sight of the island of Barbadoes, at which the whites on
board gave a great shout, and made many signs of joy to us. We did not know
what to think of this; but as the vessel drew nearer, we plainly saw the
harbor, and other ships of different kinds and sizes, and we soon anchored
amongst them, off Bridgetown. Many merchants and planters now came on board,
though it was in the evening. They put us in separate parcels, and examined us
attentively. They also made us jump, and pointed to the land, signifying we
were to go there. We thought by this, we should be eaten by these ugly men, as
they appeared to us; and, when soon after we were all put down under the deck
again, there was much dread and trembling among us, and nothing but bitter
cries to be heard all the night from these apprehensions, insomuch, that at
last the white people got some old slaves from the land to pacify us. They told
us we were not to be eaten, but to work, and were soon to go on land, where we
should see many of our country people. This report eased us much. And sure
enough, soon after we were landed, there came to us Africans of all languages.
We were conducted immediately to the merchant’s yard, where we were all pent up
together, like so many sheep in a fold, without regard to sex or age.
[19]
As every object was new to me, everything I saw filled me with surprise. What
struck me first, was, that the houses were built with bricks, in stories, and
in every other respect different from those I had seen in Africa; but I was
still more astonished on seeing people on horseback. I did not know what this
could mean; and, indeed, I thought these people were full of nothing but
magical arts. While I was in this astonishment, one of my fellow prisoners
spoke to a countryman of his, about the horses, who said they were the same
kind they had in their country. I understood them, though they were from a
distant part of Africa; and I thought it odd I had not seen any horses there;
but afterwards, when I came to converse with different Africans, I found they
had many horses amongst them, and much larger than those I then saw. We were
not many days in the merchant’s custody, before we were sold after their usual
manner, which is this: On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers
rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of
that parcel they like best. The noise and clamor with which this is attended,
and the eagerness visible in the countenances of the buyers, serve not a little
to increase the apprehension of terrified Africans, who may well be supposed to
consider them as the ministers of that destruction to which they think
themselves devoted. In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends
separated, most of them never to see each other again. I remember, in the
vessel in which I was brought over, in the men’s apartment, there were several
brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving
on this occasion, to see and hear their cries at parting. O, ye nominal
Christians! might not an African ask you — Learned you this from your God, who
says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? Is it not
enough that we are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury
and lust of gain? Must every tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to your
avarice? Are the dearest friends and relations, now rendered more dear by their
separation from their kindred, still to be parted from each other, and thus
prevented from cheering the gloom of slavery, with the small comfort of being
together, and mingling their sufferings and sorrows? Why are parents to lose
their children, brothers their sisters, or husbands their wives? Surely, this
is a new refinement in cruelty, which, while it has no advantage to atone for
it, thus aggravates distress, and adds fresh horrors even to the wretchedness
of slavery.
