a sleeping man could occupy. It was found that by sleeping the slaves on their sides space would be conserved, because four men on their sides took less room than three men on their backs. The right side was chosen because it was felt that that position would be less damaging to the heart. Yes, Negroes had hearts the same as other cattle.
In those days when slave trading was legal and even English royalty dipped their fingers in black profits, the conditions of the slavers were not regulated by humane methods but merely by those that were considered the most efficient. Later, when public opinion had overruled the rich merchants of Bristol and Liverpool and banished the slave trade forever, at least legally, the smuggling of slaves brought indescribable suffering to the transported blacks. But while Eng-hsh law upheld the traffic, slaves were not knowingly ill treated. They were a cargo and it behooved the master of the vessel to stow his cargo as compactly and as efficiently as possible. Slaves were valuable and it was most important that as many as possible should survive the hardships of the Middle Passage in good condition in order to bring a good
price. To this end, the ships were kept scrupulously clean; the men were fed as well as the limited variety of foods which were then transportable allowed; and they were given as much fresh air and exercise as possible. Some small efforts were also made to entertain them. They were treated with all the consideration of valuable livestock, which is exactly what they were. Certainly in the eyes of the slavers they were not human. Only white men were human beings— Negroes were cattle, more valuable than a milch cow or a steer but not quite as valuable as a fine horse. They possessed a certain amount of intelligence, it was admitted, which enabled them to speak ^nd possibly think in a limited way, but it was kgreed that they were certainly devoid of human emotions. A good slave was like a good dog—obedient and faithful with a dumb love for his master and, like dogs, he was permitted three pleasures—eating, sleeping and fornicating—all three, of course, at the will and discretion of his white master.
A watery green light penetrated the open ports of the slave deck of the Augustus Tait the morning after she sailed from Yendo Castle. When Tamboura awoke, the stability of land had vanished and now there was such a rolling and pitching that at one moment he was pressed tightly against Omo, with M'dong's weight against his back. In the next moment, he was lying against M'dong and Omo was pressed against him. The movement was continuous: over, pause, back, with unerring regularity. Tamboura's head ached with dizziness and his stomach churned in resurgent nausea. It was hard to contain his swollen bladder, and when he felt the warm stream from M'dong spattering his legs he too let go and, in turn, copiously watered Omo. There were no recriminations for each realized the other was powerless. Tamboura felt relieved and now he had only to fight the rising nausea and hope that he would not cover Omo's back with the filth of his vomit.
By this time they were all three wide awake but in their misery and sickness they did not speak, afraid to open their mouths for fear of disgorging the puke that rose in their throats. The wailing had died down but there was a continuous, restless moving of legs and rattling of chains. After a long while they heard the heavy wooden grating being removed from the hatchway and saw the thick-soled leather boots of a white man on the steps. Above the boots there came blue pantaloons, then a red sash, a white shirt and
drom 71
finally the face of the same man who had chained them the night before. He was followed by two other white men—these in white pants and striped shirts. Without looking at the slaves, one of them went to the forward bulkhead and waited for the other to go aft. There was the sound of metal scraping against metal as the long chain
In those days when slave trading was legal and even English royalty dipped their fingers in black profits, the conditions of the slavers were not regulated by humane methods but merely by those that were considered the most efficient. Later, when public opinion had overruled the rich merchants of Bristol and Liverpool and banished the slave trade forever, at least legally, the smuggling of slaves brought indescribable suffering to the transported blacks. But while Eng-hsh law upheld the traffic, slaves were not knowingly ill treated. They were a cargo and it behooved the master of the vessel to stow his cargo as compactly and as efficiently as possible. Slaves were valuable and it was most important that as many as possible should survive the hardships of the Middle Passage in good condition in order to bring a good
price. To this end, the ships were kept scrupulously clean; the men were fed as well as the limited variety of foods which were then transportable allowed; and they were given as much fresh air and exercise as possible. Some small efforts were also made to entertain them. They were treated with all the consideration of valuable livestock, which is exactly what they were. Certainly in the eyes of the slavers they were not human. Only white men were human beings— Negroes were cattle, more valuable than a milch cow or a steer but not quite as valuable as a fine horse. They possessed a certain amount of intelligence, it was admitted, which enabled them to speak ^nd possibly think in a limited way, but it was kgreed that they were certainly devoid of human emotions. A good slave was like a good dog—obedient and faithful with a dumb love for his master and, like dogs, he was permitted three pleasures—eating, sleeping and fornicating—all three, of course, at the will and discretion of his white master.
A watery green light penetrated the open ports of the slave deck of the Augustus Tait the morning after she sailed from Yendo Castle. When Tamboura awoke, the stability of land had vanished and now there was such a rolling and pitching that at one moment he was pressed tightly against Omo, with M'dong's weight against his back. In the next moment, he was lying against M'dong and Omo was pressed against him. The movement was continuous: over, pause, back, with unerring regularity. Tamboura's head ached with dizziness and his stomach churned in resurgent nausea. It was hard to contain his swollen bladder, and when he felt the warm stream from M'dong spattering his legs he too let go and, in turn, copiously watered Omo. There were no recriminations for each realized the other was powerless. Tamboura felt relieved and now he had only to fight the rising nausea and hope that he would not cover Omo's back with the filth of his vomit.
By this time they were all three wide awake but in their misery and sickness they did not speak, afraid to open their mouths for fear of disgorging the puke that rose in their throats. The wailing had died down but there was a continuous, restless moving of legs and rattling of chains. After a long while they heard the heavy wooden grating being removed from the hatchway and saw the thick-soled leather boots of a white man on the steps. Above the boots there came blue pantaloons, then a red sash, a white shirt and
drom 71
finally the face of the same man who had chained them the night before. He was followed by two other white men—these in white pants and striped shirts. Without looking at the slaves, one of them went to the forward bulkhead and waited for the other to go aft. There was the sound of metal scraping against metal as the long chain
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