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 vessel, 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. Yet 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 have 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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 158 of 167
Words from 42896 to 43169
of 45368
