submodule 7

Olaudah Equiano Describes the Middle Passage, 1789

  • Olaudah Equiano's description details the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.
  • He eventually bought his freedom and became an abolitionist in London.

The Ship's Cargo and Conditions Below Deck

  • After loading the cargo, the enslaved people were forced below deck amidst "fearful noises."
  • The stench in the hold was initially dangerous, but became "absolutely pestilential" once the ship was full.
  • Overcrowding led to extreme discomfort and suffocation, with people scarcely able to move.
  • "Copious perspirations" and "loathsome smells" made the air unfit to breathe, leading to sickness and death.
  • Many enslaved people died due to the "improvident avarice" of the purchasers.
  • Chains chafed the skin, adding to the misery, and the "necessary tubs" (likely latrines) were a hazard, especially for children who sometimes fell in and almost suffocated.
  • The sounds of the women's shrieks and the dying people's groans created an "inconceivable" scene of horror.

Equiano's Experience and Observations

  • Equiano was allowed on deck frequently due to his poor health; his youth spared him from wearing fetters.
  • He hoped for death to end his misery, envying the freedom of sea creatures.
  • The cruelty of the white crew intensified his suffering.
  • Fish were caught but, instead of being shared with the starving captives, the extra fish were thrown back into the sea.
  • Enslaved people who tried to take fish were severely flogged.
  • Two countrymen, preferring death, jumped into the sea and drowned; another was caught and flogged for the same attempt.

Hardships During the Voyage

  • The enslaved endured many hardships, including frequent suffocation from lack of fresh air.
  • The stench from the latrines contributed to the deaths.
  • Equiano saw flying fish for the first time, which greatly surprised him.
  • He also saw mariners using a quadrant and was curious about it.
  • A mariner showed him the quadrant, and the clouds appeared as land, increasing his belief that he was in another world and that everything was magic.

Arrival at Barbadoes

  • The ship arrived at Barbadoes, prompting shouts of joy from the white crew.

Source

  • Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, written by Himself (London: 1790), 51-54. via Internet Archive.