1. Slave deck of the Albaroz, Prize to the Albatross, 1845 - Meynell
This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable; and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable.
Slave deck of the Albaroz, Prize to the Albatross, Meynell
Amazing grace
Pencil and watercolor by Lt. Francis Meynell, "Slave deck of the Albaroz, Prize to the Albatross, 1845", shows liberated Africans. The Albaroz (or, possibly, Alboroz) was a Portuguese/Brazilian vessel, bound for Brazil, captured by the Royal Navy ship, Albatross, off the mouth of the Congo River in 1845; 300 Africans were on board. Meynell was mate on the Albatross. A detailed account of this incident is published in The Illustrated London News, May 10, According to the NMM records, the Albatross was commissioned in 1842 and cruised African waters until See also image E028 on this website.
Titled simply "Navire Negrier" (Slave Ship), this image gives several perspectives of a slaving vessel, particularly cross-sectional views of the decks holding the enslaved. The image appears in a booklet published by a French society against the slave trade but was derived from the well-known image of the British slave ship, Brookes (see E014; also Wad-1). However, at the left of this illustration, there is a hand-written description of the extraordinarily cramped conditions on the ship, perhaps written by someone who had observed such conditions first-hand. Examining the illustration closely, one can notice that in the male compartments (lower deck right side; middle deck right side), men are shown manacled by the wrists as well as the ankles. The description reads as follows (we loosely translate): "The Negroes are chained two by two, the right leg of one to the left leg of the other. They fill up the hold, the deck, the between decks, as well as the platforms specially built between the decks. The enslaved lay nude on planks, without being able to change their position, and so cramped that sometimes they have to lie on their side. The motion of the vessel chafes their bodies and the irons tear their legs when they are permitted to come on the top decks for a few moments, a long chain is passed through their irons so that they don't attack the ship's crew or throw themselves into the sea. But when bad weather forces the hatchways to be closed, then the suffering of the Blacks, deprived of air in the hold and the between decks, becomes horrible. The vapors issuing from their bodies seem to come out of a scorching furnace; many among them are brought half dead; or are entirely suffocated on the deck. Insurrections, suicides, depression, the foul smell, the lack of air, and the barbarous treatment they receive combine to increase mortality to a frightening degree. It has been calculated that for 7084 negroes exported under those conditions from Africa, 2053, one out of four, died during the ocean crossing."
Is not the slave trade entirely a war with the heart of man? Such a tendency has the slave trade to debauch men’s minds and harden them to every feeling of humanity! For I will not suppose that the dealers in slaves are born worse than other men….it corrupts the milk of human kindness and turns it into gall. Surely this traffic cannot be good, which spreads like a pestilence and taints what it touches!

2. African, Slave, American,
How does Equiano use rhetoric to persuade his reader?
How important are the questions of his birth in terms of
what his Narrative accomplished?
Olaudah Equiano
Likely NOT Equiano, as he never spoke of sitting for such a portrait
Discuss Passive vs. Active voice (done to vs doing)
Check Amazing Grace movie – includes Equiano as a character and advisor to Wilberforce (sp?) main character see clips
– John Newton (Amazing Grace) and Wilberforce (MP)
1745 – 1797
African, Slave, American,
Sailor, Englishman,
Writer, Abolitionist

3. Olaudah Equiano Slave Narrative
autobiographical account of life as a slave
uniquely American literary genre
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudha Equiano
Published 1789

4. Olaudah Equiano Equiano born to powerful tribal leader in West Africa
Name means “well-spoken leader” in Ibo
Purchased his freedom for ￡40 in 1766 at age 21
Supported effort to relocate poor blacks to Sierra Leon
Moved to England where he advocated for abolition of slavery

5. Equiano’s travels

6. Olaudah Equiano Narrative documents his experience
Taken with his sister at age 11
Shipped along the infamous
“Middle Passage”
Between West Africa and Barbados
Nearly 15 million Africans
Nearly 2 million died enroute
Six to ten week journey
“Passengers” confined below deck
I now wished for the last friend, Death, to relieve me.
- Equiano

7. Olaudah Equiano
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudha Equiano
Described daily life of those enslaved in 1700s
Author’s purpose: to persuade the public against slavery
Voice is not objective
POV contributes to rhetorical power
Author uses strong emotional appeal to strengthen its impact
Uses rhetoric to ally predominately Anglo audience with African victims
Avoids pity and emphasizes universal qualities
Web Equiano resource