7274. Sir _T. D. Acland_.] When you find a vessel reasonably suspected of being engaged in the slave trade, you think those who are found on board are liable to the same suspicion?--In the case of a vessel seized amenable to the British law. 7275. Sir _R. H. Inglis_.] Did you not find on board the vessel a contract between Marbeau and Pellett on the one hand, and the French governor on the other, to deliver a certain number of “passengers” at Goree?--This contract for “Blacks” was forwarded to me by the lieutenant-governor of the Gambia, one or two days after I had made the seizure, which contract I sent to the Vice-Admiralty court, with the vessel; every paper connected with the vessel, as well as the contract, was laid before the court. 7276. Mr. _Forster_.] Were you aware that she was engaged by the French government before you sent her from the Gambia?--I had seen this contract, which was entered into by the French governor of Senegal, but not the French government. 7277. Was the French gentleman, M. Pellett, put in prison also upon his arrival at Sierra Leone?--I have stated that I know not what was done by the court at Sierra Leone. Not being in Sierra Leone at the time the vessel was at Sierra Leone, I cannot say; but, to the best of my belief, the whole of them were put in prison. 7278. Sir _T. D. Acland_.] Have you known instances of persons in authority under other governments being engaged in slave dealing?--The charge has been frequently repeated very strongly of the governor of Bissao being engaged very frequently in slave dealing, and I verily believe it myself, because I have frequently detected vessels with papers given by the governor of Bissao, which vessels were equipped in every way for being engaged in the slave trade; and I have also some recollection of some papers being found from the governor of Bissao, detailing how some slaves that he had sent from Bissao were to be disposed of. 7279. That slave dealing being contrary to the law of his own country?--That slave dealing being contrary to the treaty between England and Portugal. 7280. Therefore the mere fact of finding the name of a governor upon the papers would not be a complete warrant for the lawfulness of the traffic in which the vessel was engaged?--I should pay great respect to the name of the French governor, but I should be very cautious how I regarded the name of the governor of Bissao, because I have seen so many instances of papers in which his name has been used to cover slaving transactions. 7281. Mr. _Forster_.] Was the captain of the Sénégambie a black or a white man?--I think a black man was represented to me as the captain.