These slave-dealers employed as agents of the Governor of Réunion, to give to them some appearance of respectability, are designated French Delegates; and the slave-trade, which they are employed in is styled The French Free Labour Emigration Trade.
Each vessel employed in this trade is allowed to carry one negro per ton burthen; but, in the case of some ships that can carry more than their registered tonnage, an increase is allowed, being as high sometimes as 30 per cent.
Most of the large vessels are fitted with an apparatus for distilling water.
Before leaving Réunion, the ships are visited by the authorities appointed for that purpose; and the Delegate embarks to witness the legality and voluntary nature of the agreement made with the negroes.
The rations allowed to the negroes are ample; they consist of rice and salt fish, and a liberal allowance of water.
Ibo, a Portuguese possession, the principal of the Querimba Islands, off Cape Delgado, is the general rendezvous for those vessels which proceed direct to the east coast of Africa.
The price paid for the negroes is from 30 to 40 dollars per head, from 12 to 18 dollars of the purchase-money, in each case, being divided between the Governor-general of the province of Mozambique, the Procureur du Roi, the Juge de Droit, and the Governors of Ibo, Killimane, or any other Portuguese possession where the embarkation takes place.
The slaves, for the supply of this traffic, are kept generally at a distance of two or three days’ journey from the coast, on account of the scarcity of food; and also that the barracoons, in which they are imprisoned until required for exportation, may not be seen by the British ships of war employed on the coast for the suppression of the slave-trade.
These slaves are brought from the Interior, and are sometimes two, three, and even four months on their journey to the barracoons.
There can be no doubt that they are obtained by violence.