Crossing the River Read online

  Monday 24th August . . . At 3 p.m. cast from the pier head at Liverpool, run against the flood. At 7 p.m. moored with the sheet anchor. A light breeze and some rain . . .

  Tuesday 25th August . . . All day cloudy weather, fresh gales. Four of our people, Edmund Fellows, James Whitaker, Edward Gibson and John Johnson, fixed the longboat’s sails. Carpenter mended the channel bend. John Lawson fixed stoppers for the cables. Pilot boat came on board with 3 sheep, and 2 quarters of beef . . .

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  Thursday 27th August . . . All day fair weather. A brig informed us of variable winds . . .

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  Saturday 29th August At daylight this morning unmoored. High water, fresh gales about SW. For Windward and Gold Coast . . .

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  Wednesday 9th September Thick and fresh gales. Rain in the night, strong and at times very hard. Looking very dirty to the westward. At 2 p.m. came in with the sheet anchor in 10 fathoms. Saw the land of Dublin to the NW and W. In the road, His Majesty’s Ship, the African, 3 Dutch, and another English vessel. Continues very bad weather . . .

  Thursday 10th September All night northern lights flying about the wild sky. Daylight came on thick and the gale increased about WSW and West. At noon let go the starboard anchor under foot . . .

  Friday 11th September . . . Begin to be sensible of a change of climate. Hazy weather. Some small rain. Indifferent smooth water . . .

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  Saturday 19th September On this morning discovered William Barber, Cooper, guilty of broaching a cask of ale reserved for cabin use and filling it with water. Put him in irons and, the facts being fully proved, ordered 12 lashes . . .

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  Tuesday 29th September . . . At 1 p.m. the land ahead proved to be the island Grand Canaries: soon after saw the peak of Tenerife at a great distance. People at work upon the cables. Carpenter began to raise the gratings of the women’s room . . .

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  Monday 5th October . . . The water once again a deep sea colour. Sounded but could get no ground with 60 fathoms of line. A great many flying fish about us. Caught a small dolphin . . .

  Tuesday 6th October . . . Carpenter fitted up state room to serve as a shop on the coast. Removed most of India cloth from hold into cabin. Got ship’s arms chest aft. Marked off the slaves’ rooms, and Carpenter and Mate set about building the bulkheads. All hands engaged. Gunner making cartridges, etc., for the carriage and swivel guns . . .

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  Sunday 11th October . . . Very variable winds and weather. At 9 a.m. sails set with a pretty breeze. Got soundings at about 35 fathoms, white sand and black stones. Caught a small shark. By 2 p.m. a great deal of lightning and thunder. Very strong ripplings . . .

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  Tuesday 13th October . . . Saw land, Sierra Leone eastward about 3 miles. At 3 p.m. passed 4 vessels at anchor off the bar. One, Mary, a snow, of Liverpool is known to me. The Halifax of Bristol is almost slaved. The 2 others are schooners from New England. Have 14 fathoms of water, red sand. At sunset anchored in Frenchman’s Bay. Fired 7 guns. The rest of the day was passed in feasting and firing.

  Wednesday 14th October Fair weather. Made a trip with the yawl for water. Visited on board with Captain Williams of the Mary. He informed me that the Devon of Bristol was recently run on shore by the slaves in an insurrection and totally lost. There was loss of 11 crew. Upon my return the ship’s company, to a man, complained that in my absence the Boatswain, Mr Davy, had used them ill. I thought it proper to put him in chains lest he might occasion disturbance when we get slaves on board.

  Thursday 15th October . . . Corrected the Carpenter with a dozen stripes of the cat for making a commotion while fetching wood . . .

  Friday 16th October In the morning I went on board Mr Sharp’s shallop to Whiteman’s Bay to view some slaves. Was shown 10, but bought none. Lame, old, or blind. In the afternoon ran up with the flood to the island factory. Got there a handsome dozen, paid the goods for them, and brought them up . . .

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  Wednesday 21st October . . . Came up from the Leeward the Virtue, Morris, sloop, of Barbados. He has some 40 slaves on board in 2 months. He gives a disturbing account of trade down below. The price of slaves has run to 125 bars and upwards. Bartered with Captain Morris for 4 hogsheads of rum at 4/- per gallon . . .

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  Thursday 29th October . . . When it lies in the desk, the thermometer at 74, but when exposed to the heat of the sun it rose, at noon, to 96. I was much surprised to detect so great a difference . . .

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  Wednesday 4th November . . . Variable weather, mostly a land breeze, and in the night thunder and lightning. Discharged the Boatswain from his confinement, upon his promise of amendment . . .

  Thursday 5th November . . . Last night Captain Morris’s longboat came in with 10 more slaves having been 2 days gone. He pretends that the trade hereabouts is all engaged to him, but I am not an apprentice . . .

  Friday 6th November . . . Dispatched Mr Pierce in the yawl with a letter for Mr Jones at Whiteman’s Bay. I wish to know whether he can give me any encouragement to stay longer hereabouts. This evening he returned with a half-dozen fine man-boys, but the bars were excessive dear. According to Mr Pierce’s testimony, gleaned from Mr Jones, the resident white men are all exhausted. This parcel of a half-dozen being the last of the present crop . . .

  Saturday 7th November Fair weather, faint sea breeze. In the morning had a visit from some Portuguese of Pirates Bay. They brought a woman slave, whom I refused being long-breasted. I shall proceed down the coast once the longboat is repaired . . .

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  Thursday 12th November This morning set the punt on shore with Jacob Creed and George Robinson. Instead of returning on board they visited a French schooner and got drunk. Afterwards they returned to shore to fight, which when they were sufficiently tired of, attempted to come off, but the ebb being strong, and they by now too tired to pull well, they came upon the rocks. I sent Mr Foster to them, and he was obliged to slip the rope. I gave both of these gentlemen a good caning, and would carry them both confined in chains to the Americas but for the consideration of our being a slaving ship . . .

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  Saturday 14th November At daylight unmoored. At 10 a.m. came in the Wanderer, a French-built cutter in 7 weeks from London. At noon, being high water, weighed and worked down against the sea breeze . . .

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  Monday 16th November . . . Put a fresh cargo into the yawl. Left the ship before noon and rowed into shore. Was shown 11 slaves, of whom I picked 5, viz., 4 men, 1 woman. Paid what goods I had in the boat were suitable and I am to send the rest . . .

  Tuesday 17th November . . . Went on shore directly to look at 4 slaves but they were all old. Rowed up the river and at dusk reached the town. No trade here at present, but they promised to immediately send word of my arrival to Mr Lewis . . .

  Wednesday 18th November . . . Mr Lewis has promised me 2 dozen of the finest slaves if I will tarry a few more days. To this I agree. I return to discover the Boatswain, Mr Davy, once more very abusive and being blind drunk. I secure him in irons and am determined to deliver him up to the first man-of-war . . .

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  Friday 20th November Between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., the watch upon deck being either asleep or consenting, 2 of the people, viz. Joseph Cropper and Jacob Creed, ran away with the yawl, though chained. At daylight she was perceived lying on shore, and I dispatched Mr Smith to bring her off before the blacks knew she was in their power, otherwise she would have cost me, I suppose, near to 100 bars. My people I do not expect to again encounter . . .

  Saturday 21st November This morning had excessive rain for 2 hours with violent thunder and lightning, but, thank God, no damage ensued. By 3 p.m. Mr Lewis came aboard with the promised slaves, most being remarkably fine and sturdy. I purchased 17, viz., 12 men, 5 women. In future the day must begin with arms and sentinels, there now being above 50 slaves on board . . .

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  Tuesday 8th December
. . . Sent Mr Foster in the yawl with goods for 5 slaves, that is to say close to 500 bars which in earlier times might have purchased 20. He returned at sunset in triumph, though it will not do to continue giving nearly what the slaves will fetch in the Americas, exclusive of freight and commissions, and besides the tediousness of trade and the great risk of mortality . . .

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  Thursday 10th December This morning fired 3 guns for trade, but it would appear that everybody is engaged, and the country hereabouts now full of goods. At 4 p.m. the Fortune, Jackson, snow, of Liverpool anchored nearby. At 7 p.m. I went aboard and dined with the frail veteran of the coast, Captain Jackson. We agreed to go downwards and take our share of trade, and assist and protect each other, for there is much villainy to the south, and it is judged precarious for a single ship in these times. Captain Jackson confesses that he has recently been obliged to part with 130 bars for a prime slave, one of his people having walked 2 days in the woods to look at him and bid. I am resolved to stop short of such extravagance . . .

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  Sunday 20th December An excessive dismal night, populated by a tornado which proved the most violent I have ever suffered. At the height of the squall the yawl broke the best chain on board, but by some miraculous gesture the two remaining ropes managed to hold her secure. We peered on, the night being so close there was no seeing unless in the glare of the lightning, and at regular intervals sought confirmation that our smaller party was still with us . . .

  Monday 21st December . . . The storm having subsided, we anchored at noon in 13 fathoms of clear water and fired 3 guns. Soon after we saw the Fortune. As she drew nearer she began to fire minute guns, and we perceived her colours at half-mast, which we understood to be a melancholy signal of Captain Jackson’s death. She anchored nearby, and the First Mate came aboard and informed me that in the midst of last night’s terrible flurry the Captain had passed away most peacefully. I went on board with Mr Pierce and tendered him the command. He seemed greatly honoured by the charge. Soon after I returned to the Duke of York and at sunset fired 6 minute guns.

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  Wednesday 23rd December This morning Mr Pierce came on board and conveyed to me his desire to complete the loading of his cargo on some other part of the coast, his ship’s crew reasoning that this part of Africa had brought them only ill-luck. To this I readily agreed. If the weather remained fair, the Fortune would, he announced, weigh anchor with the tide . . .

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  Friday 15th January At 8 a.m. set out in the punt to deliver Mr Davy to HMS Humber, man-of-war, at Sierra Leone. Hard rain and a great sea, that I was several times afraid that we might be filled. Got safe round the rock by 3 p.m. and aboard the Humber by 5 p.m. I discharged my Boatswain. On my return I discovered that the Carpenter had finished strengthening the barricado. 1 small girl had been added to the cargo in my absence. Mr Allen, Surgeon, assured me I would regard her a bargain. On a cursory glance I was able to confirm for myself the strength of his judgement. The first part of this night has blown fresh with a short, ugly sea . . .

  [At Sea, 10th January.

  My Dearest,

  I have, these past few days, been discouraged from writing by the mighty apparatus of the seas. But being unable to hold off and tolerate further delay, I now try my eyes by candlelight and attempt to form characters that, I trust, will not try your own. At present, I cannot imagine writing with pleasure to any on land or sea but your own dear self, my head being full of the petty concerns of this valuable vessel, and the lives of the people who dwell hereabouts, whose fortunes are entrusted to my care. These are, indeed, petty concerns when set against my love for you, for I can declare, with honour, that barely an hour of my past life comes to mind with any pleasure, excepting valuable and precious time I have passed in your company, and for that I think the innumerable miseries and pains of my previous unhappy life, not a dear purchase. My affection for you goes beyond any words I can find or use, and I simply wish that it were possible for you to travel with me, and strengthen my purpose in fatigue and difficulty, without actually suffering them. How trifling they would seem to me! But, I submit, I travel abroad in the comfortable knowledge that my better, precious part is safely at home, and though she understands absence to be painful, she knows it is so for her sake. I am engaged in active business, and have some new scene every day to relieve my mind; besides I have long been used to suffering. On the contrary, you, by marriage to one such as I, have exposed yourself to anxieties to which you were a stranger. I know you have done this willingly, and I love you all the greater for this sacrifice.

  My last letter concluded abruptly, for I was ill and disconcerted by an incident in business. I feared it might give rise to bad consequences, and sadly this came to pass. I take a good deal of raillery among the sea-captains, for they know I have not a secure knowledge of life, and I know they have not. They claim I am melancholy; I tell them they have lost their wits. They say I am a slave to a single woman; I claim they are a slave to hundreds, of all qualities. They wonder at my lack of humour, I pity theirs. They declare they can form no idea of my happiness, I counter with knowledge that being pleased with a drunken debauch, or the smile of a prostitute, can never give one such as I pleasure. They pretend, all the while, to appeal to experience against me, but I stand firm. On my own ship such discord recently swelled into near-mutiny, for there is among my officers one in particular who sees me as little more than a gentleman-passenger. I had been warned, prior to our departure, that I might expect trouble in abundance from Mr Davy, the Boatswain, and he recently unleased his drunken invective on myself and others of our company, and then in a flight of madness attempted to seize the ship. But no more of this business, except to say that, indeed, all was very nearly lost, but now we are found. It seems that the disparity between my dear late father’s great reputation, and my own youthful 26 years, fired some hereabouts, under the skilful guidance of Mr Davy, into a frenzy of hostility, the assumption being that I owed everything to my connections, and nothing to my own experience or abilities. But again, I say, no more of this business.

  I confess that, when alone, the recollection of my past with you overpowers me with a tender concern, and such thoughts give me a pleasure, second only to that of being actually with you. I have written myself into tears, yet I feel a serenity I never imagined till I was able to call you mine. To win your love was my principal desire, and without it, all that you possessed, and might have bestowed upon me, would have seemed dull by comparison. I have the confidence that you love me, a confidence which renders me superior to all the little entertainments that might allure me, and all the difficulties which are daily thrown in my way. Whatever dangers and hardships I meet, I declare that no one has heard me complain. Those of my company who pity me because I appear not to be fond of what they call pleasure, know not what renders me superior to it. I was once, in earlier times, as eager as they after pleasure, but you have thoroughly refined my state, so that my sole pleasure is to dream of our future children, and our family life together. What I have in view at the end of this voyage, is so fixed in my thoughts, that to be acknowledged and rewarded by you, outweighs any hardship that I might possibly suffer.

  I am, etc.

  Inviolably yours.

  James Hamilton.]

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  Wednesday 20th January . . . Fair weather, the thermometer reading 79 degrees. In the afternoon took the yawl in to see if any trade has come down as yet . . .

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  Friday 22nd January . . . Fresh gales of wind from the N to the NE with some rain. Bought a pair of man-boys from an African prince, as they are styled. Dispatched the yawl to the shore with instructions to fill a load of water . . .

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  Thursday 4th February This morning at daybreak I was saluted by the agreeable vision of my longboat, and soon after she came on board with crew well and a dozen slaves, viz., 4 men, 2 women, 1 man-boy, 1 boy (4 feet) and 4 girls (under-size). Mr Smith brought news that in the comi
ng weeks there is likely to be an extraordinary run of trade and no competitors. Prices may fall below 100 bars in these conditions. In the evening I ordered the fiddler to play and strong liquors to be drunk. Hectic days lie ahead . . .

  Friday 5th February . . . Put another cargo in the longboat and sent her and the yawl to Mr Johnson’s with a charge to trade vigorously. The Carpenter seems to have rid himself of the drinking habit, and is busily extending the bulkhead of the men’s room. This afternoon, bartered with a Frenchman for 2 anchors of brandy, 20 cwt of rice, and a man slave of quite unnatural proportions. Hot hazy weather.

  Saturday 6th February This morning the yawl returned upon the flood tide with information that the Robert, a New England sloop, is down the coast with near 200 slaves on board, and that there has been an insurrection in her, in which the Chief Mate, 2 ordinary seamen, and 27 slaves were killed. The good news is that this portion of shoreline has proved fertile ground, and we can presently expect a brimming longboat. At 4 p.m. I dispatched the yawl laden with more goods . . .

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  Wednesday 17th February . . . An unwholesome land wind. Have the Surgeon and 4 more people ill of a fever. Carpenter purposefully employed in building the bulkheads in the women’s room, Gunner cleaning the arms . . .

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  Saturday 27th February . . . A continual calm. At 3 p.m. weighed with the flood tide to drive downwards, but at sunset can hardly perceive we have made any advance. The Carpenter’s work is complete, having constructed yet another platform in the men’s room. The ship is clear enough to take the remainder of our slaves without inconvenience. This day fixed 6 swivel blunderbusses in the barricado which will, I hope, be sufficient to intimidate the slaves from any thoughts of an’ insurrection . . .

  Sunday 28th February Anchored this morning in 15 fathoms. An excessive high surf upon the shore, which prevents the canoes from coming off. I left the ship in the punt and got over the bar, but not without some danger, the sea running high for so small a boat. Reached safely to the town by sunset. My great desire is to complete 50 slaves before I go downwards, and I have great reason to expect to do it here in a matter of days . . .