Page:Abstract of the evidence for the abolition of the slave-trade 1791.djvu/36

( 6 ) because they always came to the factory before setting out, and demanded powder, ball, gun flints, and small shot; also rum, tobacco, and a few other articles. When supplied, they blew the horn, made the war cry, and set off. If they met with no slaves, they would bring him some ivory and camwood. Sometimes he accompanied them a mile or so, and once joined the party, anxious to know by what means they obtained the slaves. Having travelled all day, they came to a small river, when he was told they had but a little way farther to go. Having crossed the river, they stopped till dark. Here Mr. Bowman (it was about the middle of the night) was afraid to go farther, and prevailed on the king's son to leave him a guard of four men. In half an hour he heard the war cry, by which he understood they had reached a town. In about half an hour more they returned, bringing from twenty-five to thirty men, women and children, some at the breast. At this time he saw the town in flames. When they had re-crossed the river, it was just day light, and they reached Scassus about mid-day. The prisoners were carried to different parts of the town. They are usually brought in with strings around their necks, and some have their hands tied across. He never saw any slaves there who had been convicted of crimes.

He has been called up in the night to see fires, and told by the towns people that it was war carrying on.

Whatever rivers he has traded in, such as Sierra Leon, Junk, and little Cape Mount, he has usually passed burnt and deserted villages, and learned from the natives in the boat with him, that war had been there, and the natives had been taken in the manner as before described, and carried to the ships.

He has also seen such upon the Coast: while trading at Grand Bassau, he went on shore with four black traders to the town a mile off. In the way, there was a town deserted, (with only two or three houses standing) which seemed to have been a large one, as there were two fine plantations of rice ready for cutting down. A little further on they came to another village in much the same state. He was told the first town had been