Question

Read the excerpt and answer the question that follows. When I recovered a little I found some black people about me, who I believed were some of those who brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay; they talked to me in order to cheer me, but all in vain. I asked them if we were not to be eaten by those white men with horrible looks, red faces, and loose hair. They told me I was not; and one of the crew brought me a small portion of spirituous liquor in a wine glass; but, being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to me, and I took a little down my palate, which, instead of reviving me, as they thought it would, threw me into the greatest consternation at the strange feeling it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before. Soon after this, the blacks who brought me on board went off, and left me abandoned to despair. What role do you think the black people on the slave ship had that Equiano refers to in this excerpt?

Answer 1

The black people who had brought Equiano on the slave ship were African slave traders. They would capture and kidnap people from villages and bring them to the European trade outposts along the coast. When a slave ship anchored on these coasts, they sold these captured and kidnapped men, women, and children to the European slave ship owners for a high price.

Answer 2

The black people who had brought Equiano on the slave ship were African slave traders. They would capture and kidnap people from villages and bring them to the European trade outposts along the coast. When a slave ship anchored on these coasts, they sold these captured and kidnapped men, women, and children to the European slave ship owners for a high price.

Step-by-step explanation: