on the legislature for the
abolition of the Slave Trade. Dr. Davis returned me an answer, and
received me. The questions which he put to me were judicious. He asked
me, first, whether, if the slaves were emancipated, there would not be
much confusion in the islands? I told him that the emancipation of them
was no part of our plan; we solicited nothing but the stopping of all
future importations of them into the islands. He then asked what the
planters would do for labourers? I replied, they would find sufficient
from an increase of the native population, if they were obliged to pay
attention to the latter means. We discoursed a long time upon this last
topic. I have not room to give the many other questions he proposed to
me: no one was ever more judiciously questioned. In my turn, I put him
into possession of all the discoveries I had made. He acknowledged the
injustice of the trade; he confessed, also, that my conversation had
enlightened him as to the impolicy of it; and, taking some of my
_Summary View_ to distribute, he said he hoped that the inhabitants
would, after the perusal of them, accede to my request.

On my return to Bristol, my friends had procured for me an interview
with Mr. Alexander Falconbridge, who had been to the coast of Africa, as
a surgeon, for four voyages; one in the Tartar, another in the
Alexander, and two in the Emilia slave-vessels.

On my introduction to him, I asked him if he had any objection to give
me an account of the cruelties which were said to be connected with the
Slave Trade; he answered, without any reserve, that he had not; for that
he had now done with it. Never were any words more welcome to my ears
than these: "Yes--I have done with the trade;"--and he said, also, that
he was free to give me information concerning it. Was he not then one of
the very persons, whom I had so long been seeking, but in vain?

To detail the accounts which he gave me at this and at subsequent
interviews, relative to the different branches of this trade, would fill
no ordinary volume. Suffice it to say, in general terms, as far as
relates to the slaves, that he confirmed the various violent and
treacherous methods of procuring them in their own country; their
wretched condition, in consequence of being crowded together in the
passage; their attempts to rise in defence of their own freedom, and,
when this was impracticable, to destroy themselves by the refusal of
sustenance, by jumping overboard i