Slave Trader

The Slave Traders

I feel this day is the first day of my life as a man for I have taken my fathers old boat and resumed the family business. Today I begin my life as a slave trader. I know much from my father, but I still have much to learn through trial and error on the sea.

A few weeks pass and i have found myself finally reaching West Africa. My father did not lie when he told me of the power the Portuguese have over the slave trade and it shows greatly here. I have met with a man who knew my father, he says he can help me to find some good slaves. My first attempt at the trade and I can already sense the riches that my future will hold.

After about a month I have managed to nearly fill my boat with slaves. My greed is a curse for I now feel that I could have fit more slaves onto my craft before departure. It is too late now, when I look back all I see is the shimmering blue ocean reflecting the light of the stars.

I have made my way to the Americas after quite a long and painful month. Storms have set us off course and we have spent too many a day on the ocean. I now i fear that i myself may starve. Many of the slaves have already starved to death and they have made quite a stench. I now more than ever look forward to seeing green on the horizon, signaling that i have found the land of the new world.

I feel that i made a decent deal with the colonists, but when i tell my stories to other traders many laugh in my face. It seems the plantation owners took advantage of me and i feel like a fool. I guess there is still much for me to learn about the rules of the slave trade.

As i travel from Africa to the Americas a storm rolls us over. A large wave crashes and weakens the restraints of many of the slaves and fighting has broken out atop the deck. I hear screaming as the revolting slaves and many of my men as well are taken by the ocean to never breath air again. I write this knowing fully well that i will most likely never see land again.