GUINEA VOYAGES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 28, 2 August 1926, Page 3

GUINEA VOYAGES

IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY RECORDS OF A BRISTOL SLAVE TRADER THE CAPTAIN'S ORDERS. By the kindness of a correspondent, say the editor of "Lloyd's AVeekly List," there has recently come into our hands a thiu folio volume, bound in faded and rather battered brown leather, which con tains the documents relating to three ''Guinea" voyages made between the years 1770 and 1776 by the ship Sector, ,of. the trade goods shipped in the vessel to be bartered for slaves,' gold dust . and ivory, the orders given by the owners (John Chilcott and Co.) to the captain, ship store accounts, copies of letters written by the eompauy to • the ship's agents at ports where she was Tikely to touch, and the accounts of the voyage*:.

The ship appears to have been fitted to carry some 360 or 370 negroes, and the price which the owners wished to obtain for them on the first voyage was from £30 to £31 apiece. There is no record of the number actually carried, or of the price per head at which 'they were sold, but the .accounts of the. first voyage show that the total proceeds ■ from the sale of negroes was £8386 15s 9d, and that with the freight on the homeward cargo from North America, consisting, of rice and skins, barrels of pitch and tar, turpentine, and pipe staves, the net proceeds of the voyage, after deducting all expenses, were £8583. This „ was divided between the five partners to the venture in the follow ing proportions:—Thomas Deane 12-48ths, Thomas Longdon 12-48ths, Captain Reed 8-48ths, Captain Archbd. Robe 3-48ths, John Chilcott 13-4Sths. On the second voyage £45 is suggested as the average price obtainable.for the negroes, and the sum realised from their sale was £10,114 ss, the net balance of the voyage being £10,774. The balance of the third voyage was £9382. The trade goods carried on the outward voyage from Bristol included India goods, Manchester goods, earthenware, brass goods, muskets, cutlery and knives, beads, carpets, gun-powder, rum, and brandy. "

The orders to the captain for the first voyage are typical. They were sometimes varied by letters dispatched by later ships leaving for the Guinea coast, in the hope that they might encounter him, or by letters sent to the ship's agents in South Carolina or Virginia for delivery to him. THE ORDERS. BRISTOL, Sepr 1770. Capn. Willm Lewellin

AYE appoint you Command our Ship Hector, and desire you will repair on Board, her with your ships Company, not exceeding Thirty-two in Number and imbrase the first Opportunity of sailing & make the best ot your vray to Angola, where you are to dispose of your Cargo for good Healthy young- Negroes & Ivory, as we expect your first Trade to be at River Ambrose where you are to purchase what Negros & Ivory you can, if Plenty your whole Cargo, but at least do your endeavour to Purchase one Hundred Negroes at»Ambrose as you have but a small quantity of Bafts/ should you Be oblidg'd to make great part of your Purcfiase at Cape Benda you will find-that Article very short, for which reason it will be Prudent for you to do "your best at Ambrose/ & when you are half Slav'd dont stay long if there is a possibility of getting of for after that tho Risk of, Mortality & sickness is great. AYe recommend to you the care of your white people, for when your Crew is healthy they will be able to take care of your Negroes without which there is little Probability of making a good Voyage/ all this we must leave to your prudent Management as we dont doubt your best endeavours for the good of the Concern

WHEN you have finish'd your Trade on the Coast you are to make the best of your way to Charles Town in So Carolina, & there apply to Messrs. Brewton, Doyle & Brewton, but don't: go over the Barr with the ship until you hear from them, for if they are not certain of tourning [?] your Negroes out at upwards of Thirty Pounds Sterling round, you are to Proceed to Virginia to Hampton Road & send an Express to .... of your arrival & proceed to any River those Gentlemen might Order you. should you be oblig'd to call at the Islands for Provisions let it be at St Cristophers on Messrs. Baillis but we hope that will not be tho Case, but should it so happen make'an offer of your. Cargo to Messrs. Baillies at Thirty Pounds, Sterling tor the whole, if they will accept those terms & Oblidge themselves to Dispatch the ship in six weeks & make all the remittance by her in good Bills of Exchange at three, Six & Nine Months in equal Proportions take their own Bond for the Performance & deliver them your Cargo. IN COMPLYANCE with these our Orders we allow you Five Pounds per Month wages, & six p Cent out of the nett Proceeds of the Cargo, your Chief Mate is to .have three Slaves on an Averidge with the Cargo paying us the prime cost, of them with Interest & Insurance, your Doctor Three your second Mate one on the same terms aforesaid, You nor your Officers are not allowed to Purchase any Ivory on Penalty & Forfiture of the same to the Owners. Be frugal in your' Dis-biu-stments & make all Dispatch possible whereever you go as Dispatch is the life of a Guinea Voyage. AYe desire no Candle might be made use. of in drawing Spirits or to go near the Powder & be ture the most careful of your Officers & men are ■ imployd to do that duty. We recommend to you to treat the Negroes with as much Lenity as safety will admit & suffer none of your people to bate or abuse them under what pretence so ever, be sure let their Provisions be" well dres'd & given in due season. And get your wood on Board & water fill'd that you may not be detained nor your ship Lumberd, when you are nfear slay'd, your seeing these Orders fulfifld will contribute mutch to a healthy Ship & of course to a good Voyage. In case of your Mortality, which we pray god to Prevent, your Chief Mate Mr. Jacob Paterson is fo take fo the Command of our bhip & follow these our Instructions & so on m Sucksession we are wishing you a good Voyage & safe return to your Friends & Owners. " ' NB . If you should have the scurvey or Swelling amonge your Negroes, we insist on your Doctors making use of the Lime juce & iron as p receipt given you, & as you are Directed in it. Mutton Broth is likewise recommended to you in Fluxes and you are to get all the sheep & Goats you can to bring off the coast with you. After you leave River Ambrose, let Cape Benda be your place of trade.

JOHN CHILCOTT THO LONGDEN JOHN READ ' THO DEANE .Received 2d Septcm. 1770 of Mr. John Chilcott a Copy of the foregoing Orders which I promise to Observe . AVILLM. LEAVELLIN, Received at the same time of Mr. John Chilcott the Hectors Register, Mediterranenn Pass, Cockett & Ship Articles, all ot which I promise to be accountable for AVILLM. LEWELLLN