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The Nineteenth Century --- The Slave Trade
Out of Print
It is 1840. The slave trade is now illegal but slaves are still taken from Africa and transported across the Atlantic to America. But a section of the British Navy, the Slave Patrol, sail up and down the West Coast of Africa and do what they can to stop this evil trade in human beings. This is a story of some of the brave men who risked their lives in the Slave Patrol.
When he is orphaned fifteen-year-old John Spencer is accepted as a gentleman volunteer by a navy captain. John joins the crew of the HMS Sentinel which is to form part of the Slave Patrol on the west coast of Africa.
At first John is miserable. He suffers agonies from seasickness and when he finally recovers he falls foul of the First Lieutenant, Mr Brooke. But things gradually improve. John starts to learn seamanship and James Murray, the Master and Commander watches him approvingly and considers that he has a promising career in the Navy ahead of him.
The Sentinel reaches Freetown and Mr Murray receives his orders. The Sentinel is to sail up and down the coast looking for slavers. The longboat is sent to explore some of the inland creeks and John is sent with it in order to gain experience. They discover a secret lagoon where a slaver is hiding. The Sentinel lies in wait and the Phantom is captured. A prize crew is put aboard to sail the captured ship to Freetown. There should be a commissioned officer on board. But the Sentinel does not have an officer to spare. John is made acting midshipman and put in charge, with an experienced bosun to help him.
On the way back there is a fight with another slaver and the crew of the Phantom escape from their confinement and retake the ship. John is thrown overboard but manages to scramble into the jolly-boat which is being towed behind. One of the negro slaves has also managed to get into the boat. They cut the tow rope and John manages to navigate to the mainland. They finally find themselves on a deserted stretch of coast. The negro, Lyapo, shows John how to survive - how to build a shelter, find yams for food, and how to make a fire, and John teaches Lyapo English, while they both hope for rescue from a passing ship.
This book shows the difficulty the small number of British navy ships had in patrolling such a vast stretch of ocean. Their difficulties were increased by the strict regulations of what they were empowered to do if they did come across a slave ship. There are also detailed descriptions of life aboard a ship.
Through the character of Lyapo the African side of the slave trade is also explored. We are shown what happened to Lyapo right from from his capture outside his village by two Dahomeys.
There is also a short part showing how the freed slaves were resettled in Sierra Leone, and the compound King's Yard where they stayed before resettlement.
The Sentinels is a thrilling story which illuminates the work of the Slave Patrol -- which is something which deserves to be better known.
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