The Slave Ship Fredensborg

The Slave Ship Fredensborg Leif Svalesen The best documented account to date of a working slave ship fully illustrated. "Svalesen has turned up quite an amazing depth of sources on this ship! They allow him to reconstruct the tenor of the voyage in engaging vivid detail even to develop aspects of some of the personalities on board. It reads when the sources are rich enough to bring it alive in these terms like a dramatic narrative of the sea.... the illustrations are often new mostly well integrated into the text.... They are a significant attraction in the published book...." Joseph C. Miller University of Virginia second quote still to come The Slave Ship Fredensborg presents the richly illustrated story of a typical slave ship and its last voyage on the triangular trade between DenmarkNorway the Gold Coast in Africa and the Caribbean islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix. The wreck of the Fredensborg was discovered off the coast of Norway in 1974 more than 200 years after it sank. By examining the wreckage and surviving written sources (including the captains log which was recovered from the sea) Leif Svalesen diver and author has reconstructed the Fredensborgs journey in fascinating detail. He recreates day-by-day what life was like for captain crew and the newly enslaved. Svalesen documents the ships provisioningfrom the number of nails to kegs of water and winethe litany of illness the number and type of armaments the treatment of the slaves the intricacies of trade and the goods carried on the return voyage to Denmark. The triangular trade is made specific and personal through records and artifacts salvaged from the Fredensborg the most meticulously documented slave vessel yet discovered. The book includes an account of Svalesens discovery of the wreck which led to his desire to learn the Fredensborgs full story and to retrace its final voyage. The Slave Ship Fredensborg is a marvelous account of history and discovery for scholar and general reader alike. From the ships log upon arrival at St. Croix: 123 male slaves Remaining on the ship for the time being: 19 boy slaves 5 male slaves for work on board 73 female and girl slaves 7 ditto who are sick 4 freight slaves 8 ditto female slaves 1 ditto boy slave 1 freight slave 219 slaves in all 22 slaves in all A total of 18 male slaves and 6 female slaves died 24 slaves Brought ashore 215 slaves and for Mr. Reimers 4 slaves Remaining on board 22 slaves - A total of 265 assorted slaves which is the number we received at the Danish Fort Christiansborg Leif Svalesen grew up on Tromoya Island off the coast of Arendal in Norway an area known for its rich shipping traditions. He is a member of the Norwegian Maritime Museums Council and a Board member of UNESCOs International Scientific Committee for the Slave Routes Project. 240 pages over 200 illustrations