Those of the first description (born slaves) are by far the most numerous; for prisoners taken in war are generally of this class. The comparatively small proportion of free people to the enslaved, throughout Africa, has been already noticed; and it must be observed, that men of free condition have many advantages over slaves even in war-time. They are in general better armed, and well mounted, and can either fight or escape with some hopes of success; but [the slaves, who have only their spears‘ and bows, and great numbers of whom are loaded with baggage, become an easy prey. Thus when Mansong, King of Bambarra, made war upon Kaarta, he took in one day ‘nine hundred prisoners, of whom only seventy were freemen. Again, when a freeman is taken prisoner, his friends will sometimes ransom him, by two slaves in exchange; but when a slave is taken, he has no hopes of such redemption. To these disadvantages it is to be added, that the slatees, who purchase slaves in the interior countries, and carry them down to the coast for sale, constantly prefer such as have been in that condition of life from their infancy; well knowing that these have been accustomed to hunger and fatigue, and are better able to sustain the hardships of a long and painful journey than freemen. And on reaching the coast, if no opportunity offers of selling them to advantage, they can easily be made to maintain themselves by their labor: neither are they so apt to attempt to make their escape as those who have once tasted the blessings of freedom."
The writer then proceeds to give an account of the manner in which the second class of slaves, or those
