should state that the negroes seat by him from. Afriqato theeolo-
nies, were obtained in a lawful way, arid were treated well, the
European government should send the governor of the: factory a
valuable testimony of their approbation.
To him also should be sent several negroes born in the West In-
dies, but who still should have a knowledge of the language of the
country from which they first originated; these negroes On their arrival
in Africa would soon become acquainted with the different
native tribes; and thus by their means the governor would know
the circumstances which had occasioned a war, what might be the
intention of the conquerors with respect to their prisoners, and in
what station thrise were before they became captives. .And when
the governor had formed his judgment which of these negroes would
be the most useful for cultivating the land in the colonies, and after
the interpreting negroes had explained-to the prisoners, the nature
of the situation they were intended for, should they be willing to
part with their African masters; then the governor should enter, into
an agreement with the person in whose possession they are, to exchange
those prisoners for such European goods'as’he may demand
for them. Amongst the negro prisoners of war, of course all those
who had been previously.employed in labouring in* the fields in
Africa, would be the most useful for tbe colonies, and preferable to
all others, except the creole-negroes. But the slave trader^ never
made any distinction: they bought, for instance* as well as the
others, those negroes who were reputed iri Africa to practise witchcraft,
which consisted chiefly in a knowledge of the different effects
of the most powerful poisons, and the inqst artful methods of administering
them to those who might have the misfortune of falling
under their displeasure, by which means thriy were able to predict
the time of their death. Those subjects, when transported into the
colonies, have often destroyed a number of negroes, and sometimes
their masters too, before their villainy could be discovered.
At other times, the; slave'traders purchased a chieftain negro, or a
great warrior, who*, by change of fortune, fijad fallen into the hands
of his èhemy-,,atod conveyed him to a colony,, where he became very
indignanfwith hisïtréatment; and refused to labour ; but the owner
who bought*him, not willing to be a loser by him, wörild:< Irifist On
his working# which would make the chief desperate, and induce him
to use all tbn influence he had over the other negroes on the plantation;
to engage them in rebellion against their masters, or to escape
into fiHA, woods, w h ërè 'they4 we re soon joined by other fugitive ne-
gtoè'ài and this association committed afterwards all kinds óf depre-t
dhtiórisriri thfe colony.|The . governors , o f the African factories, might
likewise be allowed to buy such-chieftains from their: conquerors ;'
but Only for the purpose o f giving them their liberty, and allowing
riaemp’to fdtutipin' peace to their, own -country dud pjeopl^isa
Old persons are very* highly respected by the negroes, but I have
no information of tfaèi manner of their treatment when‘they happen,
to«fall into the hands of the enemy*at war wi?thn.t$ieiè nation; but
should they ibe then ill treated, ffie governor, should likewise purr*
chase them, and send them to their, own* horse. to jr
Ey acts-of humanity like these;,the negro would universally entertain
a high idea of the character of theE.uropeans,'and,this yculd
lead'to opportunities of civilizing them, and of forming »with them
more substantial and extensivé commercial connections. ;u
: -With regard tolthe; transporting olpthej negroes, tpwthe?.e,plonies,
according to the new proposed plan, they should bp senten govern-
ment vessels, so that there could be no doubt of their beipg well
treated. It is said, that in the Portuguese negro, transport :$npSj
there are always some negroes who h^.ve been born in (South America,
kept as stewards, who pay particular attentlonjjptheir new African
companions, and give, them a description ol| the country they are
going toj which consoles themu so much that they arrive in good
health and spirals a f the colony. This method of the Portuguese is