Do you mean to exclude or include the fact of merchandise being landed there, and purchased there, and paid for in money, so that a stranger carrying it there, and selling it and receiving his money, would be doing what of course was perfectly lawful?—My answer is, that a person landing his goods there would not be able to procure a return, but that all the goods would go for the purchase of slaves, and nothing else: that is my reason for saying nothing but the slave trade is carried on there.
I will call them all slave traders, if you please. Do you mean to say a man may not purchase a quantity of goods which he may barter for slaves; may he not sell a part of them also to the natives?—The natives have no means of paying for them, except by the exchange for slaves: there is no produce.
As regards the shippers from this country; supposing that a man were to ship, not as agent, but on his own account, a cargo from this country, receiving money for what he exported, do you mean to say there would be any slave trading in that?—I should say not of necessity.
Mr. Justice Maule. Suppose he comes away in ballast, if such a transaction happens?—I have never known of such a case; there was no English trade during the time I was there.
Mr. Kelly. Do you mean that no English vessels went there?—Oh, yes; English vessels passed and had some little proceedings; the Augusta, for instance, was a vessel I always suspected.
Whatever took place at that place, the Gallinas, for some years before you do not know?—I know from the statement of the natives that there was no trade.
I ask you, do you know of a vessel, called the Supply, having landed and disposed of merchandise at the Gallinas to the amount of 13,000l. or 14,000l.?—There was no such vessel there during the two years I was there; certainly not during the ten months.
This is a place to which trading of the nature to which I have referred may have taken place at a time previous to the time you mention?—The trade of the nature I describe has taken place since 1835.
I will give you the dates; I will mention the year 1837; do you know of a vessel called the Milford, having landed and disposed of goods to the amount of 6,000l. or 7,000l. at the Gallinas?—No, I was not there at the time; but that does not alter the case, for the slave trade existed there.
I do not ask you as to the existence of the slave trade, but whether there has not been lawful commerce and ships coming away in ballast?—I know that 800 tons of goods were landed during the time I was there, and that none of the vessels went away except with money or goods, and except when they were consigned for cargoes from the Havannah, which was the case in nine cases out of ten.