A Mariner of England Author:William Richardson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III 1790-91 GUINEA AND THE SLAVE TRADE Joins a slaver bound for Guinea—Arrival of The Spy at Cape Coast Castle—Anamaboe—Character of the captain a... more »nd mates- Accra—Bonny—" King Pepple "—" Breaking trade "—Preparing the ship to receive slaves—Method of purchases—Fever— Two female slaves eaten by sharks—Mutiny in a French slaver —"King Pepple" expedites the supply of slaves—The Spy sails from Bonny—The middle passage—Anno Bon Island—Barbarity of the captain—Arrival at Jamaica—Sale of the slaves—Return to England—Pressed into the Navy—Joins H.M.S. London— Paid off at Portsmouth—Joins another slaver bound for Guinea —Is wrecked at Ostend—Returns to London—Disgusted with the slave trade. Early in 1790, as we were tiding up past Ratcliff Cross, we took particular notice of a fine ship fitting out there with a tier of gun ports and copper bottomed, a rare thing for a merchantman in those days. It was said she was going on a voyage of discovery, which made me think how glad I should be to join her and to see more of the world than dragging about in a collier, where there were no hopes of promotion but for owner's sons and cousins, of which there were plenty. On our return next voyage we saw this fine ship nearly ready to sail; so when we got into the Pool, and our ship moored, I made up my mind at once, and went on shore to inquire after her, and found her name was The Spy, the captain's name Wilson, and that he lived in Well Close Square ; so to him Iwent, found him at home, and inquired if he had got all his men : he told me he had, but after asking a few- questions told me he wanted a fourth mate, and if I would accept that berth I should have it. This pleased me extremely, for had it been a hundred- and-fourth mate I would have accepted it; but, instead of the ship ...« less