Excerpt from The African Repository, and Colonial Journal, Vol. 6: March 1830-February 1831

The African part of our population, or their ancestors, were brought hither forcibly and by violence, in the prosecution of the most abomina ble trafic that ever disgraced the annals of the human race. They were chiefly procured, in their native country, as captives in war, taken, and subsequently sold by the conqueror as slaves to the slave trader. Some times the most atrocious practices of kidnapping were employed to obtain possession of the victims. Wars were frequent between numerous and barbarous neighbouring tribes scattered along the coasts or stretched upon the margin of large rivers of Africa. These wars were often cohin dled and prosecuted for no other object than to obtain a supply of sub jects for this most shocking commerce. In these modes, husbands were torn thorn their wives, parents from their children, brethren from each other, and every tie cherished and respected among men, was violated. Upon the arrival, at the African coast, of the unfortunate beings thus reduced to slavery, they were embarked on board of ships carefully con structed and arranged to contain the greatest amount of human beings. Here they were ironed and fastened in parallel rows, and crowded toge ther so closely, in loathsome holes, as not to have room for action or for breathing wholesome air. The great aim was to transport the largest pos sible number, at the least possible charge, from their native land to the markets for which they were destined. The greediness of cupidity was frequently disappointed and punished in its purposes, by the loss of moi ties of whole cargoes of the subjects of this infamous commerce, from want and suffering and disease on the voyage. How much happier were they who thus expired, than their miserable survivors!

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