"There are a great many other laws; and I don't think it makes any difference what country you belong to, if you are caught in the business. Some of you think it is a hard case to lose your wages. I will read you from another law, which goes on to say, that no person or persons shall build, fit, equip, load, or otherwise prepare a vessel to be engaged in the slave trade. Now hear. 'And if any ship or vessel shall be so built, fitted out, equipped, laden, or otherwise prepared for the purpose aforesaid, every said ship or vessel, her tackle, apparel, furniture, and lading shall be forfeited, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who shall sue for said forfeiture, and prosecute the same to effect,' &c."
"What's the English of that, Phil?" asked Walker, scratching his head, and then hitching up his trousers.
"It means that the vessel and all that she contains shall be forfeited," I replied.
"What's that maw—"
"Moiety? It means one half."
"Do you mean to say that half the value of the bark will go into our pockets?"
"I am no lawyer, but that's what I think it means. In my opinion, shipmates, you will make more money by taking the vessel back to New York than you would by accepting the thousand dollars the mate offered you for the cruise."
"That's good news, but it's only a fair thing," said Baxter.
"The men who fit out a slaver are liable to a fine of from one to five thousand dollars besides, and half of that goes to the informers. We shall be the informers in this case."
"I don't care anything about that," added Sanderson. "I don't like that word. I believe in minding my own business; but it's a different thing when men are carried off as we were, and called mutineers, when we object to go slaving."