Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1859 — Drowning of Six Hundred Slaves. [ARTICLE]

Drowning of Six Hundred Slaves.

■A HURKtI-.1.E SCENE. In the year 1840, there was hiovering on tho Alriean coast a large clipper-brig called the Bri liante, commanded by a desperado named Hone.ns. Homans was an Englishman by birth, and was known along the whole coast and in (Euba, as the most successful slaver of hik day. The brig was owned by two men residing in Havana, erne an Englishman, t-he ot 'er a Spaniard. She was built to carry six hundred negroes, and in her Homans had maeff ten successful voyages, actually landing in Cuba five thousand negroes. The brig carried ten guns; had liirty sweeps, and a crew of sixty Spaniards, the most, of them old pirates, and as desperate as their commander. An English brig-ol'-war which had attacked her was so cutup in the hull and rigging, that she was abandoned and soon sunk; an English sloop-of-war attempted to carry the Brilliante with boats,whi h were bea en ofl’withgreatslau-h----ter. Now it was known that Homans was again on the coast, and it was resolved to make another attempt to take him* with the evidence of his guilt, on board. The arrangements for this purpose were made. He was allowed to take in his cargo of negroes and set sail. The Brilliante had not lost sight of the coast when the q ickened eye of the c<>mmartder discovered that he was entrapped. Four cruisers, three of them English and one American, had been lying in wait for him. and escape was hopeless. In running away from one he would come within reach of itu ther. Night was coming on, and Horn ms was silently regarding his pursuers, when suddenly the huge sails of the brig flapped id y —the wind died away, and the sliver was motionless on the w ter. ‘‘This will not. do,’’ Homans muttered, knock'itg away the ashes from his cigar—“their boats will be down upon me before I am ready for the visit,’’ and as he said.this his stern face lit up with a smile, the expression of which was diabolical. It was (evident enough that he meditated some desperate plan. A dozen sweeps were got out, and the ves-ei moved slowly through the water. Meantime, the darkness having deepened. Homans proceeded to ca ry out his designs. The cable attached to the heaviest anchor was taken outside the hawse hole, and carried around the rail of the brig, extending from the bow aft, round the stern and then forward on the other side. The hatches were then taken off aud the negroes passed up, each securely ironed by the wrists. As the miserable wretches came up from the hot hole into the fresh air, the expression of gratitude would have softened the heart of any but the fiend in whose power they were. Without a word they were led to the side, ~nn<l made to bend over the rail, outside of which the chain ran. The iron Which clasped their wrists were fastened Ly smaller chains to the links of the cable. It was slow vvork, but at the end of four hours, six hundred Africans, male and female, were bending

oxer the rail of the brig, in a painful position, holding by their chained hands the huge cable, which was to a heavy anchor, suspended by a single sling from the bow. Homans himself examined the fastenings, to see that every negro was stroi.gly bond to the chain. This done, he ordered the pen work of the hold to be broken up, bound up in matting well leaded with shot, and thrown overbo rd. 7’he work was finished an hour before daybreak, and now the only witnesses of Homans’ guilt were att. < hod to that fatal chain. Hom ins turned to the m ite, and, with asmilejull of meaning, said in Spanish: ‘‘Harro, take the axe and go forward. The wind will coms off to us soon. Listen to the word, and when you hear it, cut tiie sling;’’ the man went forward, and II nnans turned and in vain endeavored to penetrate the darkness. "I don’t want to oose -the niggers,” he said, speaking aloud, “and yet I dare not wait until daylight. I wish I knew where the hounds are?’ At. that instant the report of a gfin reached his ear, then another, and anbth r, and another, in diflernt directions. Thecruisers were firing sign- Is. ‘ That’s enough,” exclaimed Homans, “I know where you are:” and then, raising his voice, lie cried,-‘Harro, are you ready! the wind will reach us soon.” “Ay ay, sir,” was the response. In a few minutes the sails began to fill, and the vessel moved slowly through the water. “How much water do you suppose we have here?” asked Homans, turning to the man at oie wheel. ••F;--’ I .thorns at least,” was the reply. “That m tl do.” the slaver muttered, and he walked forward, and examined carefully the ‘chain-gang? as he brutally termed bis diabolicu 1 invention. The negroes sent up piteous groans. For many hours they had been bent over in thiunnatural position, by which t’ney were suffering the keenest torture. The breeze strengthened, and the Brill‘ante dashed like a racer over the deep. Homans hailed from the qu irter deck, while his men, collected in groups, witnessed unmoved the consummation of his plan. ‘ Are you ready, Harro!” “Ay, ay, sir.” Homans looked around and out into the darkness, which was fust giving away to the morn, th n he thundered out—- “ Strike!” There was the sound of a single blow, a heavy plunge, and as the cal le fell off the side, a crash, above which rose one terrible shriek— was the last cry of the murdered Africans. One moment more and all was still. Six hundred human beings had gone down with that anchor and chain into the depths of the ocean. Two hours after da; break the Briliante was overhauled, tiiere was no evidence that she was a slaver, and her captors were obliged to let her pass. The instruct ions to cruisers at that time did not allow a vessel to be captured, unless negroes were found on board.