in to Pernambuca for Intelligence, to enable me for the Purſuit: The Dread of Pyrates keeps every one off, till you have firſt ſent an Officer, with the proper Compliments to the Governor, who immediately gives Leave for your buying every Neceſſary you are in want of, provided it be with Money, and not an Exchange of Merchandize, which is againſt the Laws of the Country.
On this firſt time of going on Shore, depends the ſucceſs of the whole Affair, and requires a cautious and diſcreet Management in the Perſon entruſted: He will be immediately ſurrounded at landing with the great and the ſmall Rabble, to enquire who? and whence he comeſ? and whether bound? &c. and the Men are taught to anſwer, from Guiney, denying any thing of a Slave on Board, which are under Hatches, and make no Shew; nor need they, for thoſe who have Money to lay out will conclude on that themſelves.
By that time the Compliment is paid to the Governor, the News has ſpread all round the Town, and ſome Merchant addreſſes you, as a Stranger, to the Civility of his Houſe, but privately deſires to know what Negroes he can have, and what Price. A Governor may poſſibly uſe an Inſtrument in ſifting this, but the Appearance of the Gentleman, and the Circumſtance of being ſo ſoon engaged after leaving the other, will go a great way in forming a Man’s Judgment, and leaves him no room for the Suſpicion of ſuch a Snare; however, to have a due Guard, Intimations will ſuffice, and bring him, and Friends enough to carry off the beſt Part of a Cargo in two Nights time, from 20 to 30 Moidors a Boy, and from 30 to 40 a Man Slave. The Hazard is leſs at Rio Janeiro.
There has been another Method attempted, of ſettling a Correſpondence with ſome Portugueze Merchant or two, who, as they may be certain within a
