6897. Was Mr. Canôt at that time avowedly engaged in the slave trade?--Mr. Canôt had, a very few days before the arrival of the Echo, given up all his slaves and abandoned the slave trade. It was a mere accidental circumstance their finding that Mr. Canôt was not then carrying on the slave trade. 6898. _Chairman._] They were consigned to him under the expectation that he was a slave dealer?--At the time the consignment took place he was a slave dealer, and no one at that time could have contemplated so sudden a change on his part. 6899. Mr. _Milnes_.] But at the time the Echo was there, Mr. Canôt was not engaged in the slave trade, and was under British protection?--Mr. Canôt had, a few days before, given up his slaves and abandoned the slave trade. 6900. But the parties who chartered the Echo could not have been aware of that fact?--They could not possibly have been aware of that fact. 6901. Sir _T. D. Acland_.] Mr. Canôt was known to be concerned in the slave trade at the time the consignment was made?--Perfectly. 6902. Mr. _Forster_.] You do not think that Mr. Canôt in abandoning the slave trade, was at all influenced by the prospective arrival of this vessel, with a view to possessing himself of the cargo?--I do not see how he could have been influenced by that; because, under the circumstances, I could not have seized her, whether he had been carrying on the slave trade or not. On the other hand, although he had turned from the slave trade, yet, had I found any equipment upon her, I should have seized her. It made no difference whatever.