The slaves were then marched to trading stations along the coast
where a European agent, who resided at the station, inspected
them and negotiated their purchase. The inspection was
humiliating and degrading procedure. Men, women, and children
usually appeared stark naked and underwent the close
scrutiny of the agent and sometimes a physician. After the
trauma of capture and the shame of inspection, the slaves were
regimented into crowded quarters at the trading station or
"factory" to wait for the next shipment to leave. They had to be
supervised very closely as many tried to escape and others tried
to commit suicide.
When a ship was ready to sail, the slaves were chained together
and marched down to the shore. There they were bundled into large
canoes and were paddled through the crashing breakers to where
the slave ship was waiting. Slaves have told how they began the
voyage in trepidation, being frightened by the sight of the
"white devils" who, they had heard, liked to eat Africans. Then
the long voyage commenced. Conditions here were even
more crowded than at the "factory.
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