National Geographic History - 11.2019 - 12.2019

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY 85

in southwestern Nigeria. For this reason, the

Clotilda cargo consisted of Yoruba-speaking

Africans as well as people from more cultur-

ally—and linguistically—diverse villages in

central Nigeria.

Once captured in the interior, captive Africans

were taken to the port city of Ouidah and ware-

housed in the village of Zoungbodji. The inland

village of Zoungbodji figured prominently in the

slave-trading protocol devised and implemented

by the Fon warriors. Like all captains seeking to

purchase African captives at Ouidah, Foster was

subject to strict protocol devised by Dahomean

officials. In adherence to the Fon’s slave-trading

procedure, Foster had to pay trade duties, un-

dergo surveillance, and negotiate the purchase

through a series of appointed officials who

represented the Dahomean king Glele. Records

show Foster paid $9,000 in gold for 125 Africans,

who were worth 20 times more in Alabama.

The Fon warriors transferred the captives

from Zoungbodji to a temporary barracoon on

the beach. From there, they were placed in ca-

noes and taken to the Clotilda anchored offshore.

The United States had employed ships in their

so-called African Squadron to patrol shores in

the region, and Captain Foster feared that they

might catch him in his illegal enterprise. Cap-

tain Foster hastily weighed anchor, leaving 15

captives behind, so the Clotilda’s human cargo

comprised just 110 Africans, primarily from

southwestern and central Nigeria, with at least

one Fon captive from Dahomey.

A federal cruiser did give chase but could not

overtake the faster schooner. The Clotilda em-

barked upon her Middle Passage voyage back

to Alabama. Owing to the schooner’s speed,

the voyage would be completed in roughly six

weeks rather than the customary three months.

The Schooner Arrives

On July 9, 1860, under the cloak of night, the

Clotilda entered the waters off Alabama. She

was hitched to a tugboat and towed upriver,

where Captain Foster off-loaded the African

captives from the ship’s dark, fetid hold. They

were hidden in a canebrake and then moved in

great secrecy until they could be distributed

Bermuda

Cape Verde Is.

Cape Palmas

Porto Praya

(Praia)

Ouidah

KINGDOM OF

DAHOMEY

(PORTUGAL)

R TH

CA

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

Mar. 17

Apr. 16

Arrived

May 15

Departed circa

May 24 with

110 captives.

EQUATOR

Route (^) to
(^) Af
ric
a
Re
tu
rn
(^) to
(^) U
.S
.
FAST AND
FURTIVE
The Clotilda was a
fast ship, and her
journey from start
to finish (above)
took precautions,
including several
stops, to avoid
detection by the
authorities.
MATTHEW CHWASTYK AND JASON TREAT, NG STAFF. SOURCE: MOBILE PUBLIC LIBRARY