Darren Humphery

Life on a Slave Ship

In the year 1694, the British slave ship "The Hannibal" embarked on a perilous voyage across the vast Atlantic Ocean, carrying 692 enslaved individuals who had been acquired from African slave owners. These unfortunate souls were destined for the New World, where they would be subjected to brutal labor under oppressive conditions. The journey was marked by tragedy as scores of slaves succumbed to dysentery, some chose deliberate starvation, and others sought escape through desperate acts like jumping overboard. The loss of human lives during the voyage was not merely a tragedy but also a financial setback for the British, who intended to sell the slaves upon reaching the Americas. In response, some slaves faced beatings and forceful restraint.