to be put on shore again; but he swore that I should not. I said I had
been twice amongst the Turks, yet had never seen any such usage with
them, and much less could I have expected any thing of this kind
amongst Christians. This incensed him exceedingly; and, with a volley
of oaths and imprecations, he replied, 'Christians! Damn you, you are
one of St. Paul's men; but by G----, except you have St. Paul's or St.
Peter's faith, and walk upon the water to the shore, you shall not go
out of the vessel;' which I now found was going amongst the Spaniards
towards Carthagena, where he swore he would sell me. I simply asked
him what right he had to sell me? but, without another word, he made
some of his people tie ropes round each of my ancles, and also to each
wrist, and another rope round my body, and hoisted me up without
letting my feet touch or rest upon any thing. Thus I hung, without any
crime committed, and without judge or jury; merely because I was a
free man, and could not by the law get any redress from a white person
in those parts of the world. I was in great pain from my situation,
and cried and begged very hard for some mercy; but all in vain. My
tyrant, in a great rage, brought a musquet out of the cabin, and
loaded it before me and the crew, and swore that he would shoot me if
I cried any more. I had now no alternative; I therefore remained
silent, seeing not one white man on board who said a word on my
behalf. I hung in that manner from between ten and eleven o'clock at
night till about one in the morning; when, finding my cruel abuser
fast asleep, I begged some of his slaves to slack the rope that was
round my body, that my feet might rest on something. This they did at
the risk of being cruelly used by their master, who beat some of them
severely at first for not tying me when he commanded them. Whilst I
remained in this condition, till between five and six o'clock next
morning, I trust I prayed to God to forgive this blasphemer, who cared
not what he did, but when he got up out of his sleep in the morning
was of the very same temper and disposition as when he left me at
night. When they got up the anchor, and the vessel was getting under
way, I once more cried and begged to be released; and now, being
fortunately in the way of their hoisting the sails, they released me.
When I was let down, I spoke to one Mr. Cox, a carpenter, whom I knew
on board, on the impropriety of this conduct. He also knew the doctor,
and the good opinion he ever had of me. This man then went to the
captain, and told him not to carry me away in that manner; that I was
the doctor's steward, who regarded me very highly, and would resent
this usage when he should come to know it. On which he desired a young
man to put me ashore in a small canoe I brought with me. This sound
gladdened my heart, and I got hastily into the canoe and set off,
whilst my tyrant was down in the cabin; but he soon spied me out, when
I was not above thirty or forty yards from the vessel, and, running
upon the deck with a loaded musket in his hand, he presented it at me,
and swore heavily and dreadfully, that he would shoot me that instant,
if I did not come back on board. As I knew the wretch would have done
as he said, without hesitation, I put back to the vessel again; but,
as the good Lord would have it, just as I was alongside he was abusing
the captain for letting me go from the vessel; which the captain
returned, and both of them soon got into a very great heat. The young
man that was with me now got out of the canoe; the vessel was sailing
on fast with a smooth sea: and I then thought it was neck or nothing,
so at that instant I set off again, for my life, in the canoe, towards
the shore; and fortunately the confusion was so great amongst them on
board, that I got out of the reach of the musquet shot unnoticed,
while the vessel sailed on with a fair wind a different way; so that
they could not overtake me without tacking: but even before that could
be done I should have been on shore, which I soon reached, with many
thanks to God for this unexpected deliverance. I then went and told
the other owner, who lived near that shore (with whom I had agreed for
my passage) of the usage I had met with. He was very much astonished,
and appeared very sorry for it. After treating me with kindness, he
gave me some refreshment, and three heads of roasted Indian corn, for
a voyage of about eighteen miles south, to look for another vessel. He
then directed me to an Indian chief of a district, who was also the
Musquito admiral, and had once been at our dwelling; after which I set
off with the canoe across a large lagoon alone (for I could not get
any one to assist me), though I was much jaded, and had pains in my
bowels, by means of the rope I had hung by the night before. I was
therefore at different times unable to manage the canoe, for the
paddling was very laborious. However, a little before dark I got to my
destined place, where some of the Indians knew me, and received me
kindly. I asked for the admiral; and they conducted me to his
dwelling. He was glad to see me, and refreshed me with such things as
the place afforded; and I had a hammock to sleep in. They acted
towards me more like Christians than those whites I was amongst the
last night, though they had been baptized. I told the admiral I wanted
to go to the next port to get a vessel to carry me to Jamaica; and
requested him to send the canoe back which I then had, for which I was
to pay him. He agreed with me, and sent five able Indians with a large
canoe to carry my things to my intended place, about fifty miles; and
we set off the next morning. When we got out of the lagoon and went
along shore, the sea was so high that the canoe was oftentimes very
near being filled with water. We were obliged to go ashore and drag
across different necks of land; we were also two nights in the swamps,
which swarmed with musquito flies, and they proved troublesome to us.
This tiresome journey of land and water ended, however, on the third
day, to my great joy; and I got on board of a sloop commanded by one
Captain Jenning. She was then partly loaded, and he told me he was
expecting daily to sail for Jamaica; and having agreed with me to work
my passage, I went to work accordingly. I was not many days on board
before we sailed; but to my sorrow and disappointment, though used to
such tricks, we went to the southward along the Musquito shore,
instead of steering for Jamaica. I was compelled to assist in cutting
a great deal of mahogany wood on the shore as we coasted along it, and
load the vessel with it, before she sailed. This fretted me much; but,
as I did not know how to help myself among these deceivers, I thought
patience was the only remedy I had left, and even that was forced.
There was much hard work and little victuals on board, except by good
luck we happened to catch turtles. On this coast there was also a
particular kind of fish called manatee, which is most excellent
eating, and the flesh is more like beef than fish; the scales are as
large as a shilling, and the skin thicker than I ever saw that of any
other fish. Within the brackish waters along shore there were likewise
vast numbers of alligators, which made the fish scarce. I was on board
this sloop sixteen days, during which, in our coasting, we came to
another place, where there was a smaller sloop called the Indian
Queen, commanded by one John Baker. He also was an Englishman, and had
been a long time along the shore trading for turtle shells and silver,
and had got a good quantity of each on board. He wanted some hands
very much; and, understanding I was a free man, and wanted to go to
Jamaica, he told me if he could get one or two, that he would sail
immediately for that island: he also pretended to me some marks of
attention and respect, and promised to give me forty-five shillings
sterling a month if I would go with him. I thought this much better
than cutting wood for nothing. I therefore told the other captain that
I wanted to go to Jamaica in the other vessel; but he would not listen
to me: and, seeing me resolved to go in a day or two, he got the
vessel to sail, intending to carry me away against my will. This
treatment mortified me extremely. I immediately, according to an
agreement I had made with the captain of the Indian Queen, called for
her boat, which was lying near us, and it came alongside; and, by the
means of a north-pole shipmate which I met with in the sloop I was in,
I got my things into the boat, and went on board of the Indian Queen,
July the 10th. A few days after I was there, we got all things ready
and sailed: but again, to my great mortification, this vessel still
went to the south, nearly as far as Carthagena, trading along the
coast, instead of going to Jamaica, as the captain had promised me:
and, what was worst of all, he was a very cruel and bloody-minded man,
and was a horrid blasphemer. Among others he had a white pilot, one
Stoker, whom he beat often as severely as he did some negroes he had
on board. One night in particular, after he had beaten this man most
cruelly, he put him into the boat, and made two negroes row him to a
desolate key, or small island; and he loaded two pistols, and swore
bitterly that he would shoot the negroes if they brought Stoker on
board again. There was not the least doubt but that he would do as he
said, and the two poor fellows were obliged to obey the cruel mandate;
but, when the captain was asleep, the two negroes took a blanket and
carried it to the unfortunate Stoker, which I believe was the means of
saving his life from the annoyance of insects. A great deal of
entreaty was used with the captain the next day, before he would
consent to let Stoker come on board; and when the poor man was brought
on board he was very ill, from his situation during the night, and he
remained so till he was drowned a little time after. As we sailed
southward we came to many uninhabited islands, which were overgrown
with fine large cocoa nuts. As I was very much in want of provisions,
I brought a boat load of them on board, which lasted me and others for
several weeks, and afforded us many a delicious repast in our
scarcity. One day, before this, I could not help observing the
providential hand of God, that ever supplies all our wants, though in
the ways and manner we know not. I had been a whole day without food,
and made signals for boats to come off, but in vain. I therefore
earnestly prayed to God for relief in my need; and at the close of the
evening I went off the deck. Just as I laid down I heard a noise on
the deck; and, not knowing what it meant, I went directly on the the
deck again, when what should I see but a fine large fish about seven
or eight pounds, which had jumped aboard! I took it, and admired, with
thanks, the good hand of God; and, what I considered as not less
extraordinary, the captain, who was very avaricious, did not attempt
to take it from me, there being only him and I on board; for the rest
were all gone ashore trading. Sometimes the people did not come off
for some days: this used to fret the captain, and then he would vent
his fury on me by beating me, or making me feel in other cruel ways.
One day especially, in his wild, wicked, and mad career, after
striking me several times with different things, and once across my
mouth, even with a red burning stick out of the fire, he got a barrel
of gunpowder on the deck, and swore that he would blow up the vessel.
I was then at my wit's end, and earnestly prayed to God to direct me.
The head was out of the barrel; and the captain took a lighted stick
out of the fire to blow himself and me up, because there was a vessel
then in sight coming in, which he supposed was a Spaniard, and he was
afraid of falling into their hands. Seeing this I got an axe,
unnoticed by him, and placed myself between him and the powder, having
resolved in myself as soon as he attempted to put the fire in the
barrel to chop him down that instant. I was more than an hour in this
situation; during which he struck me often, still keeping the fire in
his hand for this wicked purpose. I really should have thought myself
justifiable in any other part of the world if I had killed him, and
prayed to God, who gave me a mind which rested solely on himself. I
prayed for resignation, that his will might be done; and the following
two portions of his holy word, which occurred to my mind, buoyed up my
hope, and kept me from taking the life of this wicked man. 'He hath
determined the times before appointed, and set bounds to our
habitations,' Acts xvii. 26. And, 'Who is there amongst you that
feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh
in darkness and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord,
and stay upon his God,' Isaiah 1. 10. And thus by the grace of God I
was enabled to do. I found him a present help in the time of need, and
the captain's fury began to subside as the night approached: but I
found,

"That he who cannot stem his anger's tide
Doth a wild horse without a bridle ride."

The next morning we discovered that the vessel which had caused such a
fury in the captain was an English sloop. They soon came to an anchor
where we were, and, to my no small surprise, I learned that Doctor
Irving was on board of her on his way from the Musquito shore to
Jamaica. I was for going immediately to see this old master and
friend, but the captain would not suffer me to leave the vessel. I
then informed the doctor, by letter, how I was treated, and begged
that he would take me out of the sloop: but he informed me that it was
not in his power, as he was a passenger himself; but he sent me some
rum and sugar for my own use. I now learned that after I had left the
estate which I managed for this gentleman on the Musquito shore,
during which the slaves were well fed and comfortable, a white
overseer had supplied my place: this man, through inhumanity and
ill-judged avarice, beat and cut the poor slaves most unmercifully;
and the consequence was, that every one got into a large Puriogua
canoe, and endeavoured to escape; but not knowing where to go, or how
to manage the canoe, they were all drowned; in consequence of which
the doctor's plantation was left uncultivated, and he was now
returning to Jamaica to purchase more slaves and stock it again. On
the 14th of October the Indian Queen arrived at Kingston in Jamaica.
When we were unloaded I demanded my wages, which amounted to eight
pounds and five shillings sterling; but Captain Baker refused to give
me one farthing, although it was the hardest-earned money I ever
worked for in my life. I found out Doctor Irving upon this, and
acquainted him of the captain's knavery. He did all he could to help
me to get my money; and we went to every magistrate in Kingston (and
there were nine), but they all refused to do any thing for me, and
said my oath could not be admitted against a white man. Nor was this
all; for Baker threatened that he would beat me severely if he could
catch me for attempting to demand my money; and this he would have
done, but that I got, by means of Dr. Irving, under the protection of
Captain Douglas of the Squirrel man of war. I thought this exceedingly
hard usage; though indeed I found it to be too much the practice there
to pay free men for their labour in this manner. One day I went with a
free negroe taylor, named Joe Diamond, to one Mr. Cochran, who was
indebted to him some trifling sum; and the man, not being able to get
his money, began to murmur. The other immediately took a horse-whip to
pay him with it; but, by the help of a good pair of heels, the taylor
got off. Such oppressions as these made me seek for a vessel to get
off the island as fast as I could; and by the mercy of God I found a
ship in November bound for England, when I embarked with a convoy,
after having taken a last farewell of Doctor Irving. When I left
Jamaica he was employed in refining sugars; and some months after my
arrival in England I learned, with much sorrow, that this my amiable
friend was dead, owing to his having eaten some poisoned fish. We had
many very heavy gales of wind in our passage; in the course of which
no material incident occurred, except that an American privateer,
falling in with the fleet, was captured and set fire to by his
Majesty's ship the Squirrel. On January the seventh, 1777, we arrived
at Plymouth. I was happy once more to tread upon English ground; and,
after passing some little time at Plymouth and Exeter among some pious
friends, whom I was happy to see, I went to London with a heart
replete with thanks to God for all past mercies.




CHAP. XII.

_Different transactions of the author's life till the
present time--His application to the late Bishop of London
to be appointed a missionary to Africa--Some account of his
share in the conduct of the late expedition to Sierra
Leona--Petition to the Queen--Conclusion._


Such were the various scenes which I was a witness to, and the fortune
I experienced until the year 1777. Since that period my life has been
more uniform, and the incidents of it fewer, than in any other equal
number of years preceding; I therefore hasten to the conclusion of a
narrative, which I fear the reader may think already sufficiently
tedious.

I had suffered so many impositions in my commercial transactions in
different parts of the world, that I became heartily disgusted with
the sea-faring life, and I was determined not to return to it, at
least for some time. I therefore once more engaged in service shortly
after my return, and continued for the most part in this situation
until 1784.

Soon after my arrival in London, I saw a remarkable circumstance
relative to African complexion, which I thought so extraordinary, that
I beg leave just to mention it: A white negro woman, that I had
formerly seen in London and other parts, had married a white man, by
whom she had three boys, and they were every one mulattoes, and yet
they had fine light hair. In 1779 I served Governor Macnamara, who had
been a considerable time on the coast of Africa. In the time of my
service, I used to ask frequently other servants to join me in family
prayers; but this only excited their mockery. However, the Governor,
understanding that I was of a religious turn, wished to know of what
religion I was; I told him I was a protestant of the church of
England, agreeable to the thirty-nine articles of that church, and
that whomsoever I found to preach according to that doctrine, those I
would hear. A few days after this, we had some more discourse on the
same subject: the Governor spoke to me on it again, and said that he
would, if I chose, as he thought I might be of service in converting
my countrymen to the Gospel faith, get me sent out as a missionary to
Africa. I at first refused going, and told him how I had been served
on a like occasion by some white people the last voyage I went to
Jamaica, when I attempted (if it were the will of God) to be the means
of converting the Indian prince; and I said I supposed they would
serve me worse than Alexander the coppersmith did St. Paul, if I
should attempt to go amongst them in Africa. He told me not to fear,
for he would apply to the Bishop of London to get me ordained. On
these terms I consented to the Governor's proposal to go to Africa, in
hope of doing good if possible amongst my countrymen; so, in order to
have me sent out properly, we immediately wrote the following letters
to the late Bishop of London:

_To the Right Reverend Father in God_,
ROBERT, _Lord Bishop of London_:
The MEMORIAL of Gustavus Vassa

Sheweth,

That your memorialist is a native of Africa, and has a
knowledge of the manners and customs of the inhabitants of
that country.

That your memorialist has resided in different parts of
Europe for twenty-two years last past, and embraced the
Christian faith in the year 1759.

That your memorialist is desirous of returning to Africa as
a missionary, if encouraged by your Lordship, in hopes of
being able to prevail upon his countrymen to become
Christians; and your memorialist is the more induced to
undertake the same, from the success that has attended the
like undertakings when encouraged by the Portuguese through
their different settlements on the coast of Africa, and also
by the Dutch: both governments encouraging the blacks, who,
by their education are qualified to undertake the same, and
are found more proper than European clergymen, unacquainted
with the language and customs of the country.

Your memorialist's only motive for soliciting the office of
a missionary is, that he may be a means, under God, of
reforming his countrymen and persuading them to embrace the
Christian religion. Therefore your memorialist humbly prays
your Lordship's encouragement and support in the
undertaking.

GUSTAVUS VASSA.

At Mr. Guthrie's, taylor,
No. 17, Hedge-lane.


My Lord,

I have resided near seven years on the coast of Africa, for
most part of the time as commanding officer. From the
knowledge I have of the country and its inhabitants, I am
inclined to think that the within plan will be attended with
great success, if countenanced by your Lordship. I beg leave
further to represent to your Lordship, that the like
attempts, when encouraged by other governments, have met
with uncommon success; and at this very time I know a very
respectable character a black priest at Cape Coast Castle. I
know the within named Gustavus Vassa, and believe him a
moral good man.

I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's
Humble and obedient servant,
MATT. MACNAMARA.

Grove, 11th March 1779.

This letter was also accompanied by the following from Doctor Wallace,
who had resided in Africa for many years, and whose sentiments on the
subject of an African mission were the same with Governor Macnamara's.

_March 13, 1779_.

My Lord,

I have resided near five years on Senegambia on the coast of
Africa, and have had the honour of filling very considerable
employments in that province. I do approve of the within
plan, and think the undertaking very laudable and proper,
and that it deserves your Lordship's protection and
encouragement, in which case it must be attended with the
intended success.

I am,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's
Humble and obedient servant,
THOMAS WALLACE.

With these letters, I waited on the Bishop by the Governor's desire,
and presented them to his Lordship. He received me with much
condescension and politeness; but, from some certain scruples of
delicacy, declined to ordain me.

My sole motive for thus dwelling on this transaction, or inserting
these papers, is the opinion which gentlemen of sense and education,
who are acquainted with Africa, entertain of the probability of
converting the inhabitants of it to the faith of Jesus Christ, if the
attempt were countenanced by the legislature.

Shortly after this I left the Governor, and served a nobleman in the
Devonshire militia, with whom I was encamped at Coxheath for some
time; but the operations there were too minute and uninteresting to
make a detail of.

In the year 1783 I visited eight counties in Wales, from motives of
curiosity. While I was in that part of the country I was led to go
down into a coal-pit in Shropshire, but my curiosity nearly cost me my
life; for while I was in the pit the coals fell in, and buried one
poor man, who was not far from me: upon this I got out as fast as I
could, thinking the surface of the earth the safest part of it.

In the spring 1784 I thought of visiting old ocean again. In
consequence of this I embarked as steward on board a fine new ship
called the London, commanded by Martin Hopkin, and sailed for
New-York. I admired this city very much; it is large and well-built,
and abounds with provisions of all kinds. While we lay here a
circumstance happened which I thought extremely singular:--One day a
malefactor was to be executed on a gallows; but with a condition that
if any woman, having nothing on but her shift, married the man under
the gallows, his life was to be saved. This extraordinary privilege
was claimed; a woman presented herself; and the marriage ceremony was
performed. Our ship having got laden we returned to London in January
1785. When she was ready again for another voyage, the captain being
an agreeable man, I sailed with him from hence in the spring, March
1785, for Philadelphia. On the fifth of April we took our departure
from the Land's-end, with a pleasant gale; and about nine o'clock that
night the moon shone bright, and the sea was smooth, while our ship
was going free by the wind, at the rate of about four or five miles an
hour. At this time another ship was going nearly as fast as we on the
opposite point, meeting us right in the teeth, yet none on board
observed either ship until we struck each other forcibly head and
head, to the astonishment and consternation of both crews. She did us
much damage, but I believe we did her more; for when we passed by each
other, which we did very quickly, they called to us to bring to, and
hoist out our boat, but we had enough to do to mind ourselves; and in
about eight minutes we saw no more of her. We refitted as well as we
could the next day, and proceeded on our voyage, and in May arrived at
Philadelphia. I was very glad to see this favourite old town once
more; and my pleasure was much increased in seeing the worthy quakers
freeing and easing the burthens of many of my oppressed African
brethren. It rejoiced my heart when one of these friendly people took
me to see a free-school they had erected for every denomination of
black people, whose minds are cultivated here and forwarded to virtue;
and thus they are made useful members of the community. Does not the
success of this practice say loudly to the planters in the language of
scripture--"Go ye and do likewise?"

In October 1785 I was accompanied by some of the Africans, and
presented this address of thanks to the gentlemen called Friends or
Quakers, in Gracechurch-Court Lombard-Street:

Gentlemen,

By reading your book, entitled a Caution to Great Britain
and her Colonies, concerning the Calamitous State of the
enslaved Negroes: We the poor, oppressed, needy, and
much-degraded negroes, desire to approach you with this
address of thanks, with our inmost love and warmest
acknowledgment; and with the deepest sense of your
benevolence, unwearied labour, and kind interposition,
towards breaking the yoke of slavery, and to administer a
little comfort and ease to thousands and tens of thousands
of very grievously afflicted, and too heavy burthened
negroes.

Gentlemen, could you, by perseverance, at last be enabled,
under God, to lighten in any degree the heavy burthen of the
afflicted, no doubt it would, in some measure, be the
possible means, under God, of saving the souls of many of
the oppressors; and, if so, sure we are that the God, whose
eyes are ever upon all his creatures, and always rewards
every true act of virtue, and regards the prayers of the
oppressed, will give to you and yours those blessings which
it is not in our power to express or conceive, but which we,
as a part of those captived, oppressed, and afflicted
people, most earnestly wish and pray for.

These gentlemen received us very kindly, with a promise to exert
themselves on behalf of the oppressed Africans, and we parted.

While in town I chanced once to be invited to a quaker's wedding. The
simple and yet expressive mode used at their solemnizations is worthy
of note. The following is the true form of it:

After the company have met they have seasonable exhortations by
several of the members; the bride and bridegroom stand up, and, taking
each other by the hand in a solemn manner, the man audily declares to
this purpose:

"Friends, in the fear of the Lord, and in the presence of this
assembly, whom I desire to be my witnesses, I take this my friend,
M.N. to be my wife; promising, through divine assistance, to be unto
her a loving and faithful husband till death separate us:" and the
woman makes the like declaration. Then the two first sign their names
to the record, and as many more witnesses as have a mind. I had the
honour to subscribe mine to a register in Gracechurch-Court,
Lombard-Street.

We returned to London in August; and our ship not going immediately to
sea, I shipped as a steward in an American ship called the Harmony,
Captain John Willet, and left London in March 1786, bound to
Philadelphia. Eleven days after sailing we carried our foremast away.
We had a nine weeks passage, which caused our trip not to succeed
well, the market for our goods proving bad; and, to make it worse, my
commander began to play me the like tricks as others too often
practise on free negroes in the West Indies. But I thank God I found
many friends here, who in some measure prevented him. On my return to
London in August I was very agreeably surprised to find that the
benevolence of government had adopted the plan of some philanthropic
individuals to send the Africans from hence to their native quarter;
and that some vessels were then engaged to carry them to Sierra Leone;
an act which redounded to the honour of all concerned in its
promotion, and filled me with prayers and much rejoicing. There was
then in the city a select committee of gentlemen for the black poor,
to some of whom I had the honour of being known; and, as soon as they
heard of my arrival they sent for me to the committee. When I came
there they informed me of the intention of government; and as they
seemed to think me qualified to superintend part of the undertaking,
they asked me to go with the black poor to Africa. I pointed out to
them many objections to my going; and particularly I expressed some
difficulties on the account of the slave dealers, as I would certainly
oppose their traffic in the human species by every means in my power.
However these objections were over-ruled by the gentlemen of the
committee, who prevailed on me to go, and recommended me to the
honourable Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy as a proper person to
act as commissary for government in the intended expedition; and they
accordingly appointed me in November 1786 to that office, and gave me
sufficient power to act for the government in the capacity of
commissary, having received my warrant and the following order.

_By the principal Officers and Commissioners of
his Majesty's Navy_.

Whereas you were directed, by our warrant of the 4th of last
month, to receive into your charge from Mr. Irving the
surplus provisions remaining of what was provided for the
voyage, as well as the provisions for the support of the
black poor, after the landing at Sierra Leone, with the
cloathing, tools, and all other articles provided at
government's expense; and as the provisions were laid in at
the rate of two months for the voyage, and for four months
after the landing, but the number embarked being so much
less than was expected, whereby there may be a considerable
surplus of provisions, cloathing, &c. These are, in addition
to former orders, to direct and require you to appropriate
or dispose of such surplus to the best advantage you can for
the benefit of government, keeping and rendering to us a
faithful account of what you do herein. And for your
guidance in preventing any white persons going, who are not
intended to have the indulgences of being carried thither,
we send you herewith a list of those recommended by the
Committee for the black poor as proper persons to be
permitted to embark, and acquaint you that you are not to
suffer any others to go who do not produce a certificate
from the committee for the black poor, of their having their
permission for it. For which this shall be your warrant.
Dated at the Navy Office, January 16, 1787.

J. HINSLOW,
GEO. MARSH,
W. PALMER.

To Mr. Gustavus Vassa,
Commissary of Provisions and
Stores for the Black Poor
going to Sierra Leone.

I proceeded immediately to the execution of my duty on board the
vessels destined for the voyage, where I continued till the March
following.

During my continuance in the employment of government, I was struck
with the flagrant abuses committed by the agent, and endeavoured to
remedy them, but without effect. One instance, among many which I
could produce, may serve as a specimen. Government had ordered to be
provided all necessaries (slops, as they are called, included) for 750
persons; however, not being able to muster more than 426, I was
ordered to send the superfluous slops, &c. to the king's stores at
Portsmouth; but, when I demanded them for that purpose from the agent,
it appeared they had never been bought, though paid for by government.
But that was not all, government were not the only objects of
peculation; these poor people suffered infinitely more; their
accommodations were most wretched; many of them wanted beds, and many
more cloathing and other necessaries. For the truth of this, and much
more, I do not seek credit from my own assertion. I appeal to the
testimony of Capt. Thompson, of the Nautilus, who convoyed us, to whom
I applied in February 1787 for a remedy, when I had remonstrated to
the agent in vain, and even brought him to be a witness of the
injustice and oppression I complained of. I appeal also to a letter
written by these wretched people, so early as the beginning of the
preceding January, and published in the Morning Herald of the 4th of
that month, signed by twenty of their chiefs.

I could not silently suffer government to be thus cheated, and my
countrymen plundered and oppressed, and even left destitute of the
necessaries for almost their existence. I therefore informed the
Commissioners of the Navy of the agent's proceeding; but my dismission
was soon after procured, by means of a gentleman in the city, whom the
agent, conscious of his peculation, had deceived by letter, and whom,
moreover, empowered the same agent to receive on board, at the
government expense, a number of persons as passengers, contrary to the
orders I received. By this I suffered a considerable loss in my
property: however, the commissioners were satisfied with my conduct,
and wrote to Capt. Thompson, expressing their approbation of it.

Thus provided, they proceeded on their voyage; and at last, worn out
by treatment, perhaps not the most mild, and wasted by sickness,
brought on by want of medicine, cloaths, bedding, &c. they reached
Sierra Leone just at the commencement of the rains. At that season of
the year it is impossible to cultivate the lands; their provisions
therefore were exhausted before they could derive any benefit from
agriculture; and it is not surprising that many, especially the
lascars, whose constitutions are very tender, and who had been cooped
up in ships from October to June, and accommodated in the manner I
have mentioned, should be so wasted by their confinement as not long
to survive it.

Thus ended my part of the long-talked-of expedition to Sierra Leone;
an expedition which, however unfortunate in the event, was humane and
politic in its design, nor was its failure owing to government: every
thing was done on their part; but there was evidently sufficient
mismanagement attending the conduct and execution of it to defeat its
success.

I should not have been so ample in my account of this transaction, had
not the share I bore in it been made the subject of partial
animadversion, and even my dismission from my employment thought
worthy of being made by some a matter of public triumph[X]. The
motives which might influence any person to descend to a petty contest
with an obscure African, and to seek gratification by his depression,
perhaps it is not proper here to inquire into or relate, even if its
detection were necessary to my vindication; but I thank Heaven it is
not. I wish to stand by my own integrity, and not to shelter myself
under the impropriety of another; and I trust the behaviour of the
Commissioners of the Navy to me entitle me to make this assertion; for
after I had been dismissed, March 24, I drew up a memorial thus:


_To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of
his Majesty's Treasury:
The Memorial and Petition of_ Gustavus Vassa _a black Man,
late Commissary to the black Poor going to_ Africa.

HUMBLY SHEWETH,

That your Lordships' memorialist was, by the Honourable the
Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy, on the 4th of December
last, appointed to the above employment by warrant from that
board;

That he accordingly proceeded to the execution of his duty
on board of the Vernon, being one of the ships appointed to
proceed to Africa with the above poor;

That your memorialist, to his great grief and astonishment,
received a letter of dismission from the Honourable
Commissioners of the Navy, by your Lordships' orders;

That, conscious of having acted with the most perfect
fidelity and the greatest assiduity in discharging the trust
reposed in him, he is altogether at a loss to conceive the
reasons of your Lordships' having altered the favourable
opinion you were pleased to conceive of him, sensible that
your Lordships would not proceed to so severe a measure
without some apparent good cause; he therefore has every
reason to believe that his conduct has been grossly
misrepresented to your Lordships; and he is the more
confirmed in his opinion, because, by opposing measures of
others concerned in the same expedition, which tended to
defeat your Lordships' humane intentions, and to put the
government to a very considerable additional expense, he
created a number of enemies, whose misrepresentations, he
has too much reason to believe, laid the foundation of his
dismission. Unsupported by friends, and unaided by the
advantages of a liberal education, he can only hope for
redress from the justice of his cause, in addition to the
mortification of having been removed from his employment,
and the advantage which he reasonably might have expected to
have derived therefrom. He has had the misfortune to have
sunk a considerable part of his little property in fitting
himself out, and in other expenses arising out of his
situation, an account of which he here annexes. Your
memorialist will not trouble your Lordships with a
vindication of any part of his conduct, because he knows not
of what crimes he is accused; he, however, earnestly
entreats that you will be pleased to direct an inquiry into
his behaviour during the time he acted in the public
service; and, if it be found that his dismission arose from
false representations, he is confident that in your
Lordships' justice he shall find redress.

Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that your Lordships
will take his case into consideration, and that you will be
pleased to order payment of the above referred-to account,
amounting to 32l. 4s. and also the wages intended, which is
most humbly submitted.

_London, May 12, 1787._

The above petition was delivered into the hands of their Lordships,
who were kind enough, in the space of some few months afterwards,
without hearing, to order me 50l. sterling--that is, 18l. wages for
the time (upwards of four months) I acted a faithful part in their
service. Certainly the sum is more than a free negro would have had in
the western colonies!!!

*       *       *       *       *

March the 21st, 1788, I had the honour of presenting the Queen with a
petition on behalf of my African brethren, which was received most
graciously by her Majesty[Y]:

_To the_ QUEEN's _most Excellent Majesty_.

Madam,

Your Majesty's well known benevolence and humanity emboldens
me to approach your royal presence, trusting that the
obscurity of my situation will not prevent your Majesty from
attending to the sufferings for which I plead.

Yet I do not solicit your royal pity for my own distress; my
sufferings, although numerous, are in a measure forgotten. I
supplicate your Majesty's compassion for millions of my
African countrymen, who groan under the lash of tyranny in
the West Indies.

The oppression and cruelty exercised to the unhappy negroes
there, have at length reached the British legislature, and
they are now deliberating on its redress; even several
persons of property in slaves in the West Indies, have