Page:Abstract of the evidence for the abolition of the slave-trade 1791.djvu/142

( 108 ) beaten and knocked about for nothing. He recollects that on board the Phoenix, a Bristol ship, while lying on the coast, the boatswain and five of the crew made their escape in the, but were taken up by the natives. When Captain Bishop heard it, he ordered them to be kept on shore at Forje, a small town at the mouth of Calabar River, chained by the necks, legs, and hands, and to have each a plantain a day only. The boatswain, whose name was Tom Jones, and an old shipmate of his, and a very good seaman, died raving mad in his chains there. The other five died in their chains also.

Mr. Towne, in speaking of the treatment on board the Peggy, Captain Davison, says, that their chests were brought upon deck, and staved and burnt, and themselves turned out from lying below; and if any murmurs were heard among them, they were inhumanly beaten with any thing that came in the way, or flogged, both legs put in irons, and chained to the pumps, and there made to work points and gaskets, during the Captain's pleasure; and very often beat just as the Captain thought proper. He himself has often seen the Captain as he has walked by, kick them repeatedly, and if they have said any thing that he might deem offensive, he has immediately called for a stick to beat them with; they, at the same time, having both legs in irons, an iron collar about their necks, and a chain; and when on the coast of Guinea, if not released before their arrival there from their confinement, they were put into the boats, and made to row backwards and forwards, either with the Captain from ship to ship, or on any other duty, still both legs in irons, an iron collar about their necks, with a chain locked to the boat, and taken out when no other duty was required of them at night, and locked fast upon the open deck, exposed to the heavy rains and dews, without any thing to lie upon, or any thing to cover them. This was a practice on board the Peggy.

He says also, that similar treatment prevailed on board the Sally, another of the ships in which he sailed. One