Analysis of a Primary Document The Slaving Voyage of the...

Analysis of a Primary Document: â€Å"The Slaving Voyage of the Albion-Frigate† 1. Who wrote the document? The author of this document was Jacques Barbot. He was born into a Protestant family around 1650 in Saint-Martin, France. Barbot’s family business was maritime trade, so he was bound to continue the family name in commerce. Barbot and his younger brother were both involved in commercial trade when they were young, his brother being a part of the African slave trade. The Barbots moved to England in 1685, after the religious tolerance of Protestantism in France was ended. In England, both brothers opened up a commercial firm. After the shipwreck of their first slave-trading voyage, the Barbots bought the Albion-Frigate in 1698 and went on†¦show more content†¦Even though Barbot writes about how well the slaves were kept in his ship, he also talks about how the slaves rebelled. He also states that the slaves were given knives a couple of days before, but they were not expected to behave like that. Barbot states â€Å"Thus armed they suddenly fell upon our men and stabb ed one of the stoutest†¦Next they assaulted our boatswain and cut one of his legs†¦ others cut the cook’s throat to the windpipe and yet others wounded three of the sailors and threw one of them overboard† (83). After the slaves rebelled, Barbot writes that in order to prevent a reoccurrence, â€Å"We had as many of our men as convenient to lie in the quarter-deck, and gun-room, and our principal officers in the great cabin, where we kept all our small arms in readiness with sentinels constantly at the door and avenues to it, being thus ready to disappoint any further attempts our slaves might make on a sudden† (83). This tells the future travelers how to deal with the slaves when they start revolting regardless of the treatment. 7. What material is believable? Is there any material that you find unbelievable? Why? The part in which he talks about the trading of materials for slaves is believable because the King would require much goods and money for the economy. The part about treating the slaves in a proper war seems a little unbelievable because when compared to Equiano’s narrative, it seems like Barbot makes everything