Scenes on the coast of Africa.

Scenes on the coast of Africa. © National Maritime Museum, London

Repro ID: E9127

Description: Slave ships from Britain left ports like London for West Africa carrying trade goods. These products were exchanged for captured Africans in a series of time-consuming negotiations with African slave traders at various points along the coast. This process could take many months. With profit in mind, the captain was always anxious ensure that only the fittest Africans were boarded. This involved the painful separation of friends and families.

Creator: C. E. Wagstaff; after A. F. Biard; Leggatt

Date: 1844

Credit line: National Maritime Museum, London, Michael Graham-Stewart slavery collection