weakness of theirScrews,): being abundantly more rigid and severe. than in British vessels employed in the same traffic, made these poor creatures to suffer greatly, and a general sickness prevailed amongst them. Besides the. three who died on the. Gambia', and six or eight while we remained at Goree, eleven perished at sea,, and many. of. the survivors were reduced to a very weak and emaciated condition. In the midst of these distresses, the vessel, after having been three weeks at sea, became so extremely leaky, as to require constant exertion at the pumps. It was found necessary,, therefore, to take some of the ablest of the Negro men out of irons, and employ them in this labour ; in which they were often worked beyond their strength. This produced a complication of miseries not easily to be described. We, were,.however, relieved much, sooner than I expected ; for the leak continuing to gain upon us, notwithstanding our utmost exertions to. clear the vesr sel, the seamen insisted on bearing away for the West Indies, as affording the only chance of saving our lives. Accordingly,, after some objections on the part of the master, we directed our course for Antigua, and fortunately made that island in about thirty-five days after our departure from Goree. Ye t even at this juncture we narrowly escaped destruction ; for on approaching the north-west side of the island, we struck on the Diamond Rock, and got into St. John's harbour with great difficulty. The vessel was afterwards condemned as unfit for sea, and the slaves, as I liave heard, were ordered to be sold for the benefit of the owners. At this island I remained ten days ; when the Chesterfield Packet, homeward bound from the Leeward Islands, touching at St. John's for the Antigua mail, I took my passage in that vessel. We sailed on the 24th of November; and, after a short but tempestuous voyage, arrived at Falmouth on the 22d of December; from whence I immediately set out for London; having been absent from England two years and seven months.
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