Observations on the slave trade and a description of some part of the coast of Guinea, during a voyage, made in 1787, and 1788, in company with Doctor A. Sparrman and Captain Arrehenius — John Shaqi
Observations on the slave trade and a description of some part of the coast of Guinea, during a voyage, made in 1787, and 1788, in company with Doctor A. Sparrman and Captain ArreheniusWadström, Carl Bernhard
History
Observations on the slave trade and a description of some part of the coast of Guinea, during a voyage, made in 1787, and 1788, in company with Doctor A. Sparrman and Captain Arrehenius
Wadström, Carl Bernhard
Guinea -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Slave trade -- Africa, West -- Early works to 1800
The Moors, who inhabit the countries on the north of the River Senegal,
are particularly infamous for these predatory _Wars_. They cross the
river, and attacking the negroes, bring many of them off. There are
not a few who subsist by means of these unprovoked excursions. The
French, to encourage them in it, make annual presents to the Moorish
kings. These are given them under certain conditions, first, that their
subjects shall not carry any of their gum to the English at Portendic;
and, secondly, that they shall be ready, on all occasions, to furnish
slaves. To enable them to fulfil this last article, they never fail to
supply them with ammunition, guns, and other instruments of _War_.
To confirm what I have now said, I shall put down the following example:
The king of Almammy had, in the year 1787, very much to his honour,
enacted a law, that no slave whatever should be marched through his
territories. At this time several French vessels lay at anchor in
the Senegal, waiting for slaves. The route of the black traders in
consequence of this edict of the king, was stopped, and the slaves
carried to other parts. The French, unable on this account to complete
their cargoes, remonstrated with the king. He was, however, very
unpropitious to their representations, for he returned the presents
which had been sent him by the Senegal company, of which I myself was
a witness; declaring, at the same time, that all the riches of that
company should not divert him from his design. In this situation of
affairs, the French were obliged to have recourse to their old friends,
the Moors. These, who had before shewn themselves so ready on such
occasions, were no less ready and active on this. They set off in
parties to surprise the unoffending negroes, and to carry among them
all the calamities of _War_. Many unfortunate prisoners were sent,
and for some time continued to be sent in. I was once curious enough
to wish to see some of those that had just arrived. I applied to the
Director of the company, who conducted me to the slave-prisons. I there
saw the unfortunate captives, chained two and two together, by the
foot. The mangled bodies of several of them, whose wounds were still
bleeding, exhibited a most shocking spectacle; and their situation may
be much easier conceived than described. The Director of the company,
however, used his best endeavors to console them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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