Europeans on the Coast, and does not make payment at the time
appointed, the European is authorized, by the laws of the country, to
seize upon the debtor himself, if he can find him; or if he cannot be
found, on any person of his family; or in the last resort, on any
native of the same kingdom. The person thus seized on is detained
while his friends are sent in quest of the debtor. When he is found,
a meeting is called of the chief people of the place, and the debtor
is compelled to ransom his friend by fulfilling his engagements. If
he is unable to do this, his person is immediately secured and sent
down to the Coast, and the other released. If the debtor cannot be
found, the person seized on is obliged to pay double the amount of
the debt, or is himself sold into slavery. I was given to understand,
however, that this part of the law is seldom enforced.

The fourth cause above enumerated, is _the commission of crimes, on which
the laws of the country affix slavery as a punishment_. In Africa, the
only offences of this class are murder, adultery, and witchcraft; and I
am happy to say, that they did not appear to me to be common. In cases of
murder, I was informed, that the nearest relation of the deceased had it
in his power, after conviction, either to kill the offender with his own
hand, or sell him into slavery. When adultery occurs, it is generally
left to the option of the person injured, either to sell the culprit, or
accept such a ransom for him as he may think equivalent to the injury he
has sustained. By witchcraft is meant pretended magic, by which the lives
or health of persons are affected; in other words, it is the
administering of poison. No trial for this offence, however, came under
my observation while I was in Africa, and I therefore suppose that the
crime, and its punishment, occur but very seldom.

When a freeman has become a slave by any one of the causes before