“ The causes of the disorders which carry off the slaves in such numbers, are ascribed by Mr. Falconbridge to a diseased mind, sudden transitions from heat to cold, a putrid atmosphere, wallowing in their own excrements, and being shackled together. A diseased mind, he says, is undoubtedly one of the causes; for many of the slaves on board refused medicines, giving as a reason that they wanted to die, and could never be cured. Some few on the other hand, who did not appear to think so much of their situation, recovered. ”

“ He says he cannot conceive any situation so dreadful and disgusting as that of slaves when ill of the flux: in the Alexander, the deck was covered with blood and mucus, and resembled a slaughter-house. The stench and foul air were intolerable.
The slaves, shackled together, frequently quarrel. In each apartment there are three or four tubs placed for their convenience: those however at a distance find it difficult to get over other slaves to these tubs: sometimes if one wants to go to them, his companion refuses to go with him; if relaxed, he exonerates while disputing over his neighbours. ”

“ When the ships arrive at their destined ports, the slaves are exposed to sale. They are sold either by scramble or by vendue, (i. e.) publick auction, or by lots. The sale by scramble is thus described by Mr. Falconbridge. "In the Emilia, (says he) at Jamaica, the ship was darkened with sails, and covered round. The men slaves were placed on the main deck, and the women on the quarter deck. The purchasers on shore were informed a gun would be fired when they were ready to open the sale. ”

“ Claxton fell in with the Hero on one voyage, and Mr. Wilson on another. ↑ It is evident from hence, that no Regulation of the Trade can heal the evils in this branch of the subject. It can never cure melancholy or a diseased mind. It can never prevent an injured people from rising if out of irons, nor can it take away corrupted air, unless it reduce the number to be carried so low, as not to make it worth the while of the slave-merchants to transport them. ”

“ Falconbridge says, that there is a place in every ship for the sick slaves, but there are no accommodations for them, for they lie on the bare planks. He has seen frequently the prominent parts of their bones about the shoulder-blade and knees bare. ”

“ Deplorable situation of the refuse or sickly slaves. The state of such is described to be very deplorable by General Tottenham and Mr. Hercules Ross. The former says, that he once observed at Barbadoes a number of slaves that had been landed from a ship. They were brought into the yard adjoining the place of sale. Those that were not very ill were put into little huts, and those that were worse were left in the yard to die, for nobody gave them any thing to eat or drink; and some of them lived three days in that situation. ”

“ In Wilson's and Towne's ships some have gone below well in an evening, and in the morning have been found dead, and Mr. Newton has often seen a dead and living man chained together, and to use his own words, one of the pair dead. ”

“ That shackling together is also another cause, was evident from the circumstance of the men dying in twice the proportion the women did; and so long as the trade continues, he adds, they must be shackled together, for no man will attempt to carry them out of irons. ”

“ Trotter says, that the slaves in the passage are so crowded below, that it is impossible to walk through them, without treading on them. Those, who are out of irons, are locked spoonways (in the technical phrase) to one another. It is the first mate's duty to see them stowed in this way every morning; those who do not get quickly into their places, are compelled by a cat-of-nine-tails.
When the scuttles are obliged to be shut, the gratings are not sufficient for airing the rooms. He never himself could breathe freely, unless immediately under the hatchway. ”

“ The first kind consists of insurrections on the part of the slaves. Some of these frequently attempted to rise, but were prevented, (Wilson, Town, Trotter, Newton, Dalrymple, Ellison,) others rose, but were quelled, (Ellison, Newton, Falconbridge,) and others rose, and succeeded, killing almost all the whites : (Falconbridge and Town) . — Mr. Town says, that inquiring of the slaves into the cause of these insurrections, he has been asked, what business he had to carry them from their country, They had wives and children, whom they wanted to be with. ”

“ Town, the only other person, who speaks of the causes of the disorders of the slaves, says, "they often fall sick, sometimes owing to their crowded state, but mostly to grief for being carried away from their country and friends." ”

“ This is a very general mode of sale. Mr. Baillie says, it was the common mode in America where he has been. Mr. Fitzmaurice has been at twenty sales by scramble in Jamaica. Mr. Clappeson never saw any other mode of sale during his residence there, and it is mentioned as having been practised under the inspection of Morley and of Trotter.
The slaves sold by publick auction or vendue are generally the refuse, or sickly slaves. These are in such a state of health, that they sell, says Baillie, greatly under price. Falconbridge has known them sold for five dollars each, Town for a Guinea, and Mr. ”