When A Freeman Has Become A Slave By Any One Of The Causes Before
Mentioned, He Generally Continues So For Life, And His Children (If They
Are Born Of An Enslaved Mother) Are Brought Up In The Same State Of
Servitude.
There are, however, a few instances of slaves obtaining their
freedom, and sometimes even with the consent of their
Masters; as by
performing some singular piece of service, or by going to battle, and
bringing home two slaves as a ransom; but the common way of regaining
freedom is by escape; and when slaves have once set their minds on
running away, they often succeed. Some of them will wait for years before
an opportunity presents itself, and during that period show no signs of
discontent. In general, it may be remarked, that slaves who come from a
hilly country, and have been much accustomed to hunting and travel, are
more apt to attempt their escape than such as are born in a flat country,
and have been employed in cultivating the land.
Such are the general outlines of that system of slavery which prevails in
Africa; and it is evident, from its nature and extent, that it is a
system of no modern date. It probably had its origin in the remote ages
of antiquity, before the Mahomedans explored a path across the Desert.
How far it is maintained and supported by the slave traffic, which for
two hundred years the nations of Europe have carried on with the natives
of the Coast, it is neither within my province nor in my power to
explain.
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