1753: Insurrection aboard the African, bound for St. Kitts (voyage 90418)

On a slaving voyage that ended at St. Kitts in 1753, the people aboard the African rose against the crew. They had been taken at Windward Coast.

The record gives the numbers as: 207 people were embarked; 167 were landed; 40 died on the crossing.

Captain: Newton, John. Flag: Great Britain. Recorded outcome, in the database’s words: “voyage completed as intended.”

Resistance is recorded only where a surviving document mentions it. The 571 such acts in the record are a floor. Silence in that column is silence in the archive. It says nothing about calm on the ship.