#slave ship

US                                                MARCH 17. 1846

vs

Nathaniel J. Davis                        Captain of Schooner Patuxent

                                                                Under act 10 May 1800 2 & 3

                                                                 Prohibiting carrying on slave trade

                                                                 1 Story laws 780

                                      William Chandler sworn- Is Lieutenant in U.S.N. - was attached in Sept. last to U.S.S. Yorktown - she was bound on her Southern cruise. Commander Bell was

Capt the Patuxent was first seen at Monrovia on or about the 25 Sept and was boarded by one of the Yorktown boats. She was only detained the usual time to make

the usual inquiries. I did not board her. Lt. [illegible] boarded her. She was again boarded the day afterwards at Cape Mount about 50 miles N.W. of Monrovia in the

afternoon or evening by the same officer. She was anchor close in with Cape Mount & the Yorktown at anchor near her - Comr Bell took possession of her & her paper, at about 9 A.M. of 27th Sept. I was ordered to the Patuxent about 1 P.M. to relieve Lt [illegible] & to  take command. I took her to  Monrovia the greater portion of the time in company with the Yorktown leaving Cape Mount on the 28th. I arriving at  Monrovia on 1st Oct & leaving again to meet the Yorktown & again arriving on 2 Oct. Left Monrovia on 4 Oct & arrived at N.Y. 9 March. Were compelled to pull into Bermuda twice -  Staid there 1st time one month repairing & the 2ᵈ time about 2 months during the whole time engaged in getting the vessel in a seaworthy condition. Davis the person now on examination was in command of the Patuxent when she was taken. I examined the vessel on the 29th but did not dis

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turb the cargo or rather made a personal inspection.  She was from 90 to 100 tons.  I found 5 persons on board W. T. Davis the Master -- Thos l. Shaw the mate -- and Joseph Morrell, James C. .Clark & John Smith. --  The three men are now present.  That is about the usual number for a vessel of that size in the mercht service.  The men were very capable men & good seamen--

[left margin] Provisions [/left margin]I found a large quantity of provisions on board, beef, pork & bread.  There was quite enough to 15 men for 35 days and more than enough beef.  Some of the beef is yet unused.  I had been serving on the Yorktown about two months previous to the seizure--  Whilst on the station I have met with individuals who seemed to have a very good knowledge of the manner in which the slave trade was carried on.  I have principally derived my information from American Officers.  I should think 250 slaves might have been carried from Africa to Cuba in the Patuxent-- 25 days would be rather a long voyage than a short one-- I dont know how many men would be required to take charge of a cargo of that number of slaves.  8 or 10 persons more would have been quite sufficient.

[left margin]  do. Rice [/left margin]  We counted 71 bags of rice on board -- sacks of old canvass.  They averaged about 100 lbs apiece and over.  There was a tierce of 8 barrels of rice. full.  The barrels were common sized flour barrels.  The allowance for each slave is generally about a pound or pint of rice apiece.  A cargo of 250 slaves could have been subsisted 30 odd days on the amt of rice on board--  Rice & water is the usual food given the slaves.  It was African rice a good deal

[left margin] Water [/left margin] mixed with gravel & dirt.  There were 10 casks of water & 1 butt containing or capable of containing in all 1500 gallons.  In that hot climate a gallon a day to a man would be a liberal allowance for drinking, cooking & washing.  A pint is usually, as I have understood allowed per day

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to each slave.  There were no other water casks in the vessel to my Knowledge.  I judge that 1500 galls of water is sufficient for a crew of 15 persons at a gall per day each for 30 days and at the rate of 1 pint per day for each slave for 250 slaves for 30 days.  The casks could be very easily filled on the Coast of Africa in the rainy season.  I shᵈ [should] judge they might have been filled in one night by spreading an awning.  It is not usual for vessels of that size to make such preparations for water.  It is not essential to a slaver to have a slave deck.-- We found 50 pieces of plank

[left margin] Plank  [/left margin]      of various lengths from 4 to 38 or 40 feet in length, most of it long: some 10 or 12 pieces of intermediate length-- This plank might have been laid as a deck in a very few minutes without either hatchet or saw without the slightest difficulty.  The plank was new deck plank about six inches wide & 3 inches thick  

[left margin] Stauncheons [/left margin]    The Stauncheons which we found on board the vessel were not all up and such as were up were not fixtures as is usual on board of vessels carrying cargo  This would afford a facility in laying a deck with planks -- Such a deck as this plank would make would be very useful in transporting a cargo of slaves,

[left margin] Arch of deck [/left margin]     more so than a permanent deck.  The beams of the deck were slightly arched so that the deck would be

[left margin] Deck frame [/left margin]      supported even without the stauncheons.  The deck frame seemed sounder than the rest of the vessel and from that I judged that it had been put in since the vessel was built-- Under the deck plank, I found a large quantity

[left margin] Pine plank [/left margin]       of pitch pine plank stowed  & billetted up so as to be level so that it would form a foundation for the deck plank on which it might have been laid by a few hands in a very few minutes-- I found also on board some six or seven tons of stone ballast stowed abaft the mainmast between that & the Cabin Bulkhead.

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I found some pieces of chain in the holds. One piece about 8 fathoms & one about 5 fathoms. a small pair of chain [illegible] and a large number of assorted bolts such as come out of ships timbers rather larger than would come out of the Patuxent. a ring & bolt. some iron hooks also. a chest of old tools good for nothing. A number of spare pars ^4 spare sails ^ were found The deck could have been laid with the cargo she then had on board leaving a flush space of 4 1/2 or 5 feet under the deck. The slaves are stowed sitting, one within the legs of the other and 4 1/2 feet would have been ample. When the Patuxent was taken she was anchored about a mile from the shore.

(The Logbook of the Patuxent produced identified IS. Clark Master from June 19 1844 to 12 May 1845. Hiatus to 23 June 1845 when N. T. Davis is master. in the port of New York 26th June crew came on board. Captain, passengers & pilot went on shore Heading from N.Y. towards Coast of Africa 2 Augt. 1845. 7 a.m. made Cape Mount. 11 furled sails. Captain & passengers went on shore.

19 Augt. 1845 to 22 August Vessel lies at Cape Mount 22nd. Took in 3 passengers at Sulima for Sierra Leone. 24th at Sierra Leone. Capt. & 2 passengers went on shore.

Log Book of Brig Atalanta found on board identified 18 July 1844 commences. Johnston Martee. Heading from N.Y. to W. Coast of Africa. Arrived on coast & sailed up & down until Dec 24th 1844 Capt. told crew that vessel was sold to Capt. Canot of Cape Mount.

This last entry is in Capt. Davis's handwriting. There are other entries in the Book in his handwriting.