In a few days we left the river quite,
And in short time, of land we lost the sight;
The captain and the sailors us'd us well. [1]
But kept us under lest we should rebel. [2]
We were in number much about threescore,
A wicked lousy crew as e'er went o'er,
Oaths and tobacco with us plenty were,
Most did smoak, but all did curse and swear
Five of our number in the passage dy'd,[3]
Who burry'd were within the ocean wide
And after sailing seven weeks and more,
We at Virginia all were put ashore.
Then to refresh us we were all made clean,
That to our buyers we might better seem,
The things were given that did to each belong,
And they that had clean linen put it on,
Our faces shav'd, comb'd out wigs and hair,
That we in decent order might appear,
Against the planters did come us to view,
How well they lik'd this fresh transported crew. [4]
The women from us separated stood.
As well as we by them to be thus view'd,
And in a short time some men up to us came,
Some ask'd our trade, others ask'd our name,
Some view'd our limbs turning us round,
Examining like horses if we were sound,
What trade, my lad? said one to me,
A tin-man sir. That will not do for me.
Some felt our hands others our legs and feet,
And made us walk to see we were complete.
Some view'd our teeth to see if they were good,
And fit to chow our hard and homely food.
If any like our limbs, or looks, or trades,
Our captain then a good advantage makes,
But they a difference make it doth appear.
'Twix …those for seven and those for fourteen years. [5]
Another difference there is allow'd,
Those who have money shall have favour shew'd;
But if no cloaths nor money they have got,
Hard is their fate and hard will be their lot.
At length a grim old man unto me came,
He ask'd my trade likewise my name,
I told him tinman was my trade,
Not eighteen years of age I said
To him I told the cause which brought me here,
And for fourteen years transported were,
And when from me this he did understand,
He bought me of the captain out of hand.
Notes
1. This does not indicate abuse but rather lack of cruelty.
2. The boys would have been shackled below decks in the hold, and as all such cargoes of humanity outnumbered thee crew by at least 3-1, they must be kept shackled below deck and only let up for air in sections.
3. Five deaths in sixty marks a passage more benign than most, with just under 10% loss, which were typically 25% and sometimes as high as 50%.
4. This is precisely the way in which William Wells Brown, a mÕ½latto slave in the mid 1800s, described his duty as the servant of a “soul driver.’ William’s description of auction preparation was very similar to this. Note that the year would be around 1680 in the wake of Bacon’s Rebellion of 1676.
5. Standard terms of indenture were 7 and 14 years with the range being from 3 to 31 years.
