A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade: Addressed to the freeholders and other inhabitants of Yorkshire — John Shaqi
A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade: Addressed to the freeholders and other inhabitants of YorkshireWilberforce, William
History
A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade: Addressed to the freeholders and other inhabitants of Yorkshire
Wilberforce, William
Antislavery movements -- Great Britain; Slave trade -- Great Britain
let it be observed) as they wandered about in the woods, or concealed
themselves in the glens and strong places in the mountains.”
[Sidenote: Predatory expeditions very common.]
“These plundering excursions are very common, and the inhabitants of
different communities watch every opportunity of undertaking
them.”—“They always,” as Mr. Parke adds, “produce speedy retaliation;
and when large parties cannot be collected for this purpose, a few
friends will combine together, and advance into the enemy’s country,
with a view to plunder, _or carry off the inhabitants_.” (Note, vide,
pa. 19). Thus hereditary feuds are excited and perpetuated between
different nations, tribes, villages, and even families, each waiting but
for the favourable occasion of accomplishing it’s revenge. Such is the
picture of the Interior of Africa, as it is given by one who penetrated
much further inland than any other modern traveller, and of whom it must
be at least confessed, that he was not disposed to exaggerate the evils
produced by the Slave Trade.
[Sidenote: Sources of supply continued.]
[Sidenote: Village-breaking.]
In another part of the country, we learn from the most respectable
testimony, a practice prevails called Village-breaking. It is precisely
the Tegria of Mr. Parke, with this difference, that though often termed
making war, it is acknowledged to be practised for the express purpose
of obtaining victims for the Slave market. It is carried on, sometimes
by armed parties of individuals; sometimes by the soldiers of the petty
kings and chieftains, who, perhaps in a season of drunkenness, the
consequences of which when recovered from the madness of intoxication
they have themselves often most deeply deplored, are instigated to
become the plunderers and destroyers of those very subjects whom they
were bound to protect. The village is attacked in the night; if deemed
needful, to increase the confusion, it is set on fire, and the wretched
inhabitants, as they are flying naked from the flames, are seized and
carried into slavery. This practice, especially when conducted on a
smaller scale, is called _panyaring_; [Sidenote: Panyaring, or
kidnapping.] for the practice has long been too general not to have
created the necessity of an appropriate term. It is sometimes practised
by Europeans, especially when the ships are passing along the coast, or
when their boats, in going up the rivers, can seize their prey without
observation; in short, whenever there is a convenient opportunity of
carrying off the victims, and concealing the crime: and the
unwillingness which the natives universally shew to venture into a ship
of war, until they are convinced it is not a Slave ship, contrasted with
the freedom and confidence with which they then come on board, is thus
easily accounted for[5]. But these depredations are far more commonly
perpetrated by the natives on each other; and on a larger or a smaller
scale, according to the power and number of the assailants, and the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account