Yesterday the Dutch slaver The Unity, was off the coast of Berbice and due to enter the river on Sunday, according to the online reconstruction of its voyage from 1761 to 1763, done by the Zeeland Archives in the Netherlands. The vessel belonged to the MCC, an eighteenth century trading company, whose archives are held by Zeeland.
Below follows a translation of the first mate’s logbook for July 2, which indicates that twenty-six of the enslaved 319 men and women on board had died so far on the voyage.
First mate’s logbook
(Picture courtesy of the Zeeland Archives)
The wind came from E in the morning. At dawn we raised anchors and set sail. During the forenoon an average topgallant sail breeze came from ENE and we had good weather. Today a male slave passed away, No.26. At noon we saw a corner to SW by W of us, and when 8 glasses in the afternoon had run out we had the corner to S of us. We saw 2 big river mouths that came together. We set sail for WNW and got to a depth of 3 fathoms. A stiff topsail breeze came from NE and it was stormy. We sprayed lime juice on the ’tween decks and on the quarterdeck. At dusk we anchored at 4½ feet of sticky ground. Later at night a gentle breeze came from NE and we had good weather until morning.
(Courtesy of the Zeeland Archives)
