Abstract of the evidence for the abolition of the slave-trade (1791)/Chapter 5
Mr. Wadstrom thinks the understandings of the natives of Africa capable of equal improvement with those of the whites, and, as a proof, he states several of the manufactures, which they carry on from the River Senegal to the River Sallum.
The natives, says he, are particularly skilful in manufacturing gold and iron. The art of working the former, he believes, they derived from the Moors, but they are now almost the sole artists themselves, having never seen but one Moor working in that branch. They are equal to any European goldsmith in filagree or trinket work, and even in other articles, such as buckles, except in the chasses, tongues, and anchors, which they do not manufacture so well. The iron which they forge is on anvils of a remarkable hard and heavy wood, when they cannot get stone for the purpose.
They manufacture also cloth and leather with uncommon neatness. The former they dye also blue, yellow, brown, and orange. The cloth is made best at Sallum. The latter they tan and work into sandals, and into a variety of useful and ornamental articles.
Besides the above, they are skilful in making indigo and soap. They make also pottery ware, and prepare salt for their own use from the sea water.
They make also canoes, but as wood of a sufficient close texture is seldom found on the sea shore, they make them principally in the interior parts. Here they shape, but do not hollow them. When shaped, they are dragged by a number of the natives for weeks together (each village generally undertaking to drag them to the next, and receiving in return partly European merchandize, and partly fish and salt) till they come to the sea shore. The ropes, with which they drag them, are made of a kind of aloe, growing abundantly in the country, and when well made by the natives, they are exceeding strong and good.
Mr. Wadstrom offered to produce, if necessary, specimens of several of the above manufactures, which he had brought with him from the coast.
Nearly the same accounts are given of their manufactures by Dalrymple, Kiernan, and Captain Wilson: and Hall, Newton, Surgeon Wilson, Sir George Young, Falconbridge, Captain Thompson, and Towne, (without enumerating many of their manufactures like the former) declare their capacities, either to be good, or equal to those of the Europeans.
With respect to their feeling and affection one instance may be taken from Mr. Falconbridge. Being sent to choose some slaves out of a yard at Cape Coast Castle, he objected to one that was meagre, and put him aside, Mr. Falconbridge observing a tear steal down the man's cheek, which the man also endeavoured to conceal, inquired of him the reason,—upon which he said he was going to be parted from his brother.
As a second instance, Surgeon Wilson says, that at Bonny, one of the people called Breechies, of the higher class, was brought on board. He seemed to take his situation to heart, and became ill; but from indulgencies, which none of the rest had, he partly recovered. When he was convalescent, a young woman was also brought on board, who proved to be his sister. On their first meeting, they stood in silence, and looked at each other apparently with the greatest affection;—they rushed into each others arms—embraced—separated themselves again,—and again embraced. Surgeon Wilson perceived the tears to run down the female's cheeks. The man had a return of his former complaint, and his sister attended him with the greatest care. The first thing she did of a morning, was to come to Surgeon Wilson, and ask how her brother did. He at length died—on the news of this, his sister wept bitterly, tore her hair, and shewed other signs of distraction. They carried her safe to South America, and there delivered her as a slave.
As a third instance, that mentioned by J. Parker may be introduced, (page 44) of the poor woman turning her head on one side, when obliged by the whip to drop her dead child overboard and weeping afterwards for many hours.
Mr. Wadstrom is clearly convinced, that the natives of Africa actually surpass in affection such of the Europeans as he has known.
On the moral character of the natives, Mr. Wadstrom says, that they are very honest and hospitable. He has often passed days and nights alone with them without the least fear, and was treated with all civility and kindness.
Captain Wilson calls them grateful and affectionate.—They treated him most kindly, he says, when many miles up their country, and unprotected, vying with each other in entertaining him, and numbers shed tears at his departure.
Captain Thompson, in speaking of them, calls them harmless and innocent. Storey, Dalrymple, Howe, Towne, and Bowman, join in the epithets of "Friendly and hospitable;" to which the latter adds, "just and punctual in their dealings;" and they are described by Hall to be as capable of virtue as the whites.
Such appears to be the moral character of the Africans when they have but little intercourse with the Europeans, or the trade in slaves: but as they become connected with these, it appears by the evidence, that it becomes proportionably changed.
In proof of this, Mr. Newton observes, that the natives are often friendly, and may be trusted, where not previously deceived by the Europeans. He has lived in safety among them when the only white man there. The best people he ever met with were on the River Gaboon and at Cape Lopez. These had then the least intercourse with Europe, and he believes no trade in slaves, for their trade was ivory and wax, and he has heard them speak in emphatick terms against the other.
Dr. Trotter says, they are susceptible of all the social virtues, and he has seen no bad habits, but among those (one instance excepted) who were engaged in trade with the whites.
Lieutenant Storey says, that they are more honest inland than upon the shore.
They are also described by Mr. Towne to be in general hospitable and kind, but to differ as our own people in character. Those, who live inland, are innocent: those on the coast learn to be roguish, which he ascribes to their intercourse with the Europeans.
The same accounts are also given of them after their arrival in the West Indies. Giles and Woolrich observe their intellects to be good, and Harrison, Jackson, Duncan, Stuart, Cook, the Dean of Middleham, and Rees, to be equal to those of the Europeans. The same equality to the whites is mentioned by Harrison, Cook, Duncan, and Davies, to hold good with respect to their dispositions also. Generosity, fidelity, and gratitude, are allowed them by Stuart. These virtues Dr. Jackson enumerates, and adds charity to all in distress, and a strong attachment on the part of the parents to their children. Baillie insists on the same, of which he gives some instances, and Woolrich, after stating that he knows of no exception to their possessing the social affections as strongly as the whites, says, that he never knew an African, who could express himself, but allowed of a Supreme Being.
To this account may be added the words of Captain Smith, who says, he always considered them as a keen, sensible, well-disposed people, where their habits were not vitiated by cruel usage on the part of the Europeans.