Gordon Turnbull: West Indian Slavery

Turnbull, Gordon, “An apology for Negro Slavery” West Indian Slavery, (1657-1834)
An apology for Negro slavery: it was Gordon Turnbull intention to resort of the horrid and fictitious view of the way of which the Negroes in the West Indies were treated on their arrival from their home in Africa.
When the ship docked on the shore, the master of doctor went on board to make sure all was well, and that they were fit, clean and in a jolly mood. Then they would be taken on shore at different times to meet with others from their country (Africa), and they may even meet their own relatives who were in the country before who seemed so happy they would join in with the others in dancing and singing in their own language, it was so touching and beautiful to the bystanders of the happiness of the enslaved ones. Many of them often appeared dull, afraid and sad, but the older Negroes would cheer them up, convincing them not to be afraid of the whites, that they are good people. So when the day of sales arrived they were in readiness.
Observing the practice of selling Negroes which ought to be
clothing, comfortable lodging, three square meals a day, they bathe in the river or sea twice a day. Though this time they are being observed by the manager and are not to do any work, in the evening they will meet with the other enslaved and have an enjoyable evening of singing and dancing etc. Then in a very short time they were taken in to the house of the chief, and the best disposed negroes adopted one or two into the family home to help in mild domestic work very easy for the first two to three months, then they would do simply work for a few more months, their meals would be served to them until they desire, then when the term is finished they would prefer to get the same treatment as the enslave, they would get married, have their own