From: Liz Horan
Date: 2/7/00
Time: 4:50:59 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.195.54
The Slave Trade
The two readings from Olaudah Equiano and Dr. Alexander Falconbridge vividly depict the revolting slave trade and slave ships. Equiano, speaking from personal experience recounts his horror of life on a slave ship in his piece. Falconbridge, on the other hand, served as a doctor on the slave ships and described his surroundings on the ship as well as the slave trade. Falconbridge describes the slave trade by stating that thousands were collected from all over the world, and put up for sale. Before they were purchased, the buyer would inspect them to determine if they were young and in good health, if they were deformed, had bad eyes or teeth, if they were weak, or any had other affliction that would hinder their performance as a manual laborer. Although this practice of purchasing human lives is disgusting, it does not nearly compare to the abhorrent slave ships on which the slaves were transported. On the slave ships, the slaves were under complete supervision. This supervision was easier for the sailors and officers since the slaves were chained together in pairs. Most of the time on the ship, the slaves were contained in their quarters below. This area was more than detestable due to the stench of bodies being so close together. It was so confined that the slaves could barely turn to their side, let alone breathe their own air. Furthermore, there were small containers in which the slaves were to "recourse," that were only emptied once a day, at most. At times the slaves were allowed on deck, often in nice weather, but when on deck they were chained in groups of fifty to sixty. They were not allowed on deck during inclement weather or rough seas, meaning they were consequently confined to their quarters. During storms, most likely many became ill and vomited; obviously making their conditions worse. It has been said that the confinement was the worst part of these ships. Dr. Falconbridge said that due to the intolerable heat and noxious odors, many became ill or died. Also, he recounted the fact that the deck was covered in "blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughter-house." Many slaves were more inclined to take their lives than to remain on these ships, however the crew did all they could to keep the slaves aboard. Equiano recalled a moment when somehow three men escaped overboard, two of them drowned, but the other was recovered by the white men and severely beaten. The slaves were beaten for any uprisings, and also if they refused to eat. They were required to eat their two meals of gruel a day, and they could not try and starve themselves to death in order to escape. One of the most shocking facts about the slave ships is the fact that the white men, who had no regard for the black slaves, still felt they had the right to have intercourse with any of the women. It is ironic that the white men did not regard the African Americans as human in any other aspects, except when it concerned their own fulfillment. The disgusting inhumanity of the slave trade and slave ships, I feel is only touched upon in these articles. I can not imagine the horrors that the slaves endured, and admire the slaves who survived. I am not sure that I would have the strength to endure such conditions. I believe the hardship of the slave trade is best summarized in Falconbridge’s words, "It is not in the power of the human imagination to picture a situation more dreadful or disgusting."