into the sea, turning her head another way, that she might not see it!”[5] Another instance occurs in this chapter, not perhaps of more cruelty, though of greater magnitude. A ship from Africa, with about four hundred slaves on board, struck upon some shoals, called the Morant Keys, distant eleven leagues, S. S. E. off the east end of Jamaica. The officers and seamen of the ship landed in their boats, carrying with them arms and provisions. The slaves were left on board in their irons and shackles. This happened in the night time. When morning came, it was discovered that the negroes had got out of their irons, and were busy making rafts, upon which they placed the women and children; the men, who were capable of swimming, attended upon the rafts, whilst they drifted before the wind towards the island where the seamen had landed. From an apprehension that the negroes would consume the water and provisions which the seamen had landed, they came to the resolution of destroying them, by means of their fire-arms and other weapons. As the poor wretches approached the shore they actually destroyed between three and four hundred of them. Out of the whole cargo only thirty three or thirty four were saved and brought to Kingston, where they were sold at public vendue. When the ships arrive at their destined ports, the cargo of slaves is sold, either by scramble or vendue. The sale by scramble is described:--“A great number of people come on board with tallies in their hands (the ship being first darkened with sails and covered round; the men slaves placed on the main deck, and the women on the quarter deck), and rush through the barricado door with the ferocity of brutes. Some have three or four handkerchiefs tied together, to encircle as many as they think fit for their purpose.” This is a very general mode of sale, and so terrifies the poor negroes, that forty or fifty at a time have leaped into the sea; these, however, the witness believes, have been taken up again: the women have got away and run about the town as if they were mad. The slaves sold by public auction or vendue, are generally the refuse, or sickly slaves. These are in such a state of health, that they sell greatly under price. They have been known to be sold for five dollars, a guinea, and even a single dollar each. Some that are deemed not worth buying are left to expire in the place of sale, for nobody gives them any thing to eat or drink, and some of them live three days in that situation! In the sale no care is taken to prevent the reparation of relations; they are separated (says the evidence) like sheep and lambs by the butcher. Making the slaves walk the plank, is a term used for throwing them overboard when provisions are scarce. Sometimes the ships lose more than half their cargoes by the small-pox; at others they bury a quarter or one-third on the passage, owing to various other causes of mortality: and it is confessed by the planters,[6]