nds, had found
means to make prizes of those vessels from some Europeans upon the coast
of Guinea, and tasting the sweets of luxury, had formed colonies in
several new discovered islands near the South Pole, where they had a
variety of plantations of such matters as would only grow in the coldest
climates. As the black inhabitants of Guinea were unsuited to the
climate and excessive cold of the country, they formed the diabolical
project of getting Christian slaves to work for them. For this purpose
they sent vessels every year to the coast of Scotland, the northern
parts of Ireland, and Wales, and were even sometimes seen off the coast
of Cornwall. And having purchased, or entrapped by fraud or violence,
a great number of men, women, and children, they proceeded with their
cargoes of human flesh to the other end of the world, and sold them to
their planters, where they were flogged into obedience, and made to work
like horses all the rest of their lives.

My blood ran cold at the idea, while every one on the island also
expressed his horror that such an iniquitous traffic should be suffered
to exist. But, except by open violence, it was found impossible to
destroy the trade, on account of a barbarous prejudice, entertained of
late by the negroes, that the white people have no souls! However, we
were determined to attack them, and steering down our island upon them,
soon overwhelmed them: we saved as many of the white people as possible,
but pushed all the blacks into the water again. The poor creatures
we saved from slavery were so overjoyed, that they wept aloud through
gratitude, and we experienced every delightful sensation to think
what happiness we should shower upon their parents, their brothers and
sisters and children, by bringing them home safe, redeemed from slavery,
to the bosom of their native country.

Having happily arrived in England, I immediately laid a statement of
my voyage, &c., before the Privy Council, and entreated an immediate
assistance to travel into Africa, and, if possible, refit my former
machine, and take it along with the rest. Everything was instantly
granted to my satisfaction, and I received orders to get myself ready
for departure as soon as possible.

As the Emperor of China had sent a most curious animal as a present
to Europe, which was kept in the Tower, and it being of an enormous
stature, and capable of performing the voyage with _eclat_, she was
ordered to attend me. She was