1775-Sept.-04: A captive man branded with “LSM” on his right chest died at the Ouidah (Juda) roadstead after suffering from a sudden and uncontrollable sickn…

1775-Sept.-04: A captive man branded with “LSM” on his right chest died at the Ouidah (Juda) roadstead after suffering from a sudden and uncontrollable sickness. The ship’s surgeon noted that the illness caused a violent dissolution of the blood, leading to a rapid death within 24 hours of the first symptoms. This individual was among the captives held aboard the ship Susanne Marguerite, which was actively trafficking in people on the West African coast. The detailed journal entry reflects the constant and unpredictable mortality that faced both the captives and the crew during the Middle Passage.