show the fact that they were so. For what
was the inference from it, but that they did not leave their own country
willingly; that, when they were in the holds of the slave-vessels, they
were not in the Elysium which had been represented; and that there was a
fear either that they would make their escape, or punish their
oppressors?

[Illustration: Shackles for the legs]

I bought also a thumb-screw at this shop. The thumbs are put into this
instrument through the two circular holes at the top of it. By turning a
key, a bar rises up by means of a screw from C to D, and the pressure
upon them becomes painful. By turning it further you may make the blood
start from the ends of them. By taking the key away, as at E, you leave
the tortured person in agony, without any means of extricating himself,
or of being extricated by others. This screw, as I was then informed,
was applied by way of punishment, in case of obstinacy in the slaves, or
for any other reputed offence, at the discretion of the captain.

At the same place I bought another instrument which I saw. It was called
a speculum oris. The dotted lines in the figure on the right hand of the
screw represent it when shut, the black lines when open. It is opened,
as at G H, by a screw below with a nob at the end of it. This instrument
is known among surgeons, having been invented to assist them in
wrenching open the mouth as in the case of a locked jaw; but it had got
into use in this trade.

[Illustration: Thumb screw]

[Illustration: Speculum oris]

On asking the seller of the instruments on what occasion it was used
there, he replied that the slaves were frequently so sulky as to shut
their mouths against all sustenance, and this with a determination to
die; and that it was necessary their mouths should be forced open to
throw in nutriment, that they who had purchased them might incur no loss
by their death.

The town-talk of Liverpool was much of the same nature as that at
Bristol on the subject of this trade. Horrible facts concerning it were
in everybody's mouth; but they were more numerous, as was likely to be
the case where eighty vessels were employed from one port, and only
eighteen from the other. The people, too, at Liverpool seemed to be more
hardened, or they related them with more coldness or less feeling. This
may be accounted for from the greater number of those facts, as just
related, the mention of which, as it was of course more frequent,
occa