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John Barbot
"PREPOSSESSED OF THE OPINION...THAT EUROPEANS
ARE FOND OF THEIR FLESH"
John Barbot, an agent for the French Royal African Company, made at least
two voyages to the West Coast of Africa, in 1678 and 1682.
Those sold by the Blacks are for the most part prisoners of war, taken
either in fight, or pursuit, or in the incursions they make into their enemies
territories; others stolen away by their own countrymen; and some there are,
who will sell their own children, kindred, or neighbours. This has been often
seen, and to compass it, they desire the person they intend to sell, to help
them
in carrying something to the factory by way of trade, and when there, the
person so deluded, not understanding the language, is old and deliver'd up as a
slave,
notwithstanding all his resistance, and exclaiming against the treachery....
The kings are so absolute, that upon any slight pretense of offences
committed by their subjects, they order them to be sold for slaves, without
regard to
rank, or possession.... Abundance of little Blacks of both sexes are also stolen
away by their
neighbours, when found abroad on the roads, or in the woods; or else in the
Cougans, or corn- fields, at the time of the year, when their parents keep
them there all day, to scare away the devouring small birds, that come to feed
on
the millet, in swarms, as has been said above.
In times of dearth and famine, abundance of those people will sell
themselves, for a maintenance, and to prevent starving. When I first arriv'd at
Goerree,
in December, 1681, I could have bought a great number, at very easy rates, if I
could have found provisions to subsist them; so great was the dearth then,
in that part of Nigritia.
To conclude, some slaves are also brought to these Blacks, from very remote
inland countries, by way of trade, and sold for things of very
inconsiderable value; but these slaves are generally poor and weak, by reason of
the
barbarous usage they have had in traveling so far, being continually beaten, and
almost famish'd; so inhuman are the Blacks to one another....
The trade of slaves is in a more peculiar manner the business of kings, rich
men, and prime merchants, exclusive of the inferior sort of Blacks.
These slaves are severely and barbarously treated by their masters, who
subsist them poorly, and beat them inhumanly, as may be seen by the scabs and
wounds
on the bodies of many of them when sold to us. They scarce allow them the least
rag to cover their nakedness, which they also take off from them when sold to
Europeans; and they always go bare- headed. The wives and children of
slaves, are also slaves to the master under whom they are married; and when
dead,
they never bury them, but cast out the bodies into some by place, to be devoured
by birds, or beasts of prey.
This barbarous usage of those unfortunate wretches, makes it appear, that
the fate of such as are bought and transported from the coast to America, or
other parts of the world, by Europeans, is less deplorable, than that of those
who
end their days in their native country; for aboard ships all possible care is
taken to preserve and subsist them for the interest of the owners, and when sold
in America, the same motive ought to prevail with their masters to use them
well, that they may live the longer, and do them more service. Not to mention
the
inestimable advantage they may reap, of becoming christians, and saving
their souls, if they make a true use of their condition....
Many of those slaves we transport from Guinea to America are prepossessed
with the opinion, that they are carried like sheep to the slaughter, and that
the
Europeans are fond of their flesh; which notion so far prevails with some,
as to make them fall into a deep melancholy and despair, and to refuse all
sustenance, tho' never so much compelled and even beaten to oblige them to take
some
nourishment: notwithstanding all which, they will starve to death; whereof I
have had several instances in my own slaves both aboard and at Guadalupe.
And tho' I must say I am naturally compassionate, yet have I been necessitated
sometimes to cause the teeth of those wretches to be broken, because they
would not open their mouths, or be prevailed upon by any entreaties to feed
themselves; and thus have forced some sustenance into their throats....
As the slaves come down to Fida from the inland country, they are put into a
booth, or prison, built for that purpose, near the beach, all of them
together; and when the Europeans are to receive them, every part of every one of
them,
to the smallest member, men and women being all stark naked. Such as are
allowed good and sound, are set on one side, and the others by themselves; which
slaves so rejected are there called Mackrons, being above thirty five years of
age,
or defective in their limbs, eyes or teeth; or grown grey, or that have the
venereal disease, or any other imperfection. These being set aside, each of
the others, which have passed as good, is marked on the breast, with a red- hot
iron, imprinting the mark of the French, English, or Dutch companies, that
so each nation may distinguish their own, and to prevent their being chang'd by
the natives for worse, as they are apt enough to do. In this particular, care is
taken that the women, as tenderest, be not burnt too hard.
The branded slaves, after this, are returned to their former booth, where
the factor is to subsist them at his own charge, which amounts to about two-
pence a day for each of them, with bread and water, which is all their
allowance.
There they continue sometimes ten or fifteen days, till the sea is still enough
to
send them aboard; for very often it continues too boisterous for so long a
time, unless in January, February and March, which is commonly the calmest
season:
and when it is so, the slaves are carried off by parcels, in bar- canoes, and
put aboard the ships in the road. Before they enter the canoes, or come out of
the booth, their former Black masters strip them of every rag they have, without
distinction of men or women; to supply which, in orderly ships, each of them
as they come aboard is allowed a piece of canvas, to wrap around their waist,
which is very acceptable to those poor wretches....
If there happens to be no stock of slaves at Fida, the factor must trust the
Blacks with his goods, to the value of a hundred and fifty, or two hundred
slaves; which goods they carry up into the inland, to buy slaves, at all the
markets, for above two hundred leagues up the country, where they are kept
like cattle in Europe; the slaves sold there being generally prisoners of war,
taken from their enemies, like other booty, and perhaps some few sold by their
own
countrymen, in extreme want, or upon a famine; as also some as a punishment
of heinous crimes: tho' many Europeans believe that parents sell their own
children, men their wives and relations, which, if it ever happens, is so
seldom, that it cannot justly be charged upon a whole nation, as a custom
and common practice....
One thing is to be taken notice of by sea- faring men, that this Fida and
Ardra slaves are of all the others, the most apt to revolt aboard ships, by a
conspiracy carried on amongst themselves; especially such as are brought
down to Fida, from very remote inland countries, who easily draw others into
their
plot: for being used to see mens flesh eaten in their own country, and publick
markets held for the purpose, they are very full of the notion, that we buy and
transport them to the same purpose; and will therefore watch all
opportunities to deliver themselves, by assaulting a ship's crew, and murdering
them all,
if possible: whereof, we have almost every year some instances, in one European
ship or other, that is filled with slaves.
Source: John Barbot, "A Description of the Coasts of North and South
Guinea," in
Thomas Astley and John Churchill, eds., Collection of Voyages and Travels
(London, 1732).
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