Being one of the first book of Shame & Glory Saga by Jerrold Mundis, “Slave Ship” is a story of horror and graphic violence regarding slave trade common in 18th century West coast of Africa. This story focus on voyage of such a slave ship called “Jubilation”, the ship where the men of different colour and flat noses are considered just a “valuable piece of merchandise”.
At the start an African tribe called Fanti enslave their own brother tribe called Ashanti Story’s main character Adoko and his whole tribe called Ashanti are captivated by their own brother tribe called Fanti. Fantis sell Adoko’s tribe to slave traders who are destined to transport them to United States. This issue reminded me of a quotation by Will Durrant where he has stated "A great civilisation is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within”.
The novel primarily consists of three parts. The first part introduces the main characters, sub-characters and sets out the story. Main characters are Adoko, the commander of Ashanti tribe; Horneby, the ship captain and a cruel man; Mr. Wilkes, the chief surgeon; and Virgil Dunbar, a brilliant journalist disguised as a newly inducted seaman. Dunbar wants to write a first-hand account of the slave trade.
Second part of this historical fiction addresses the voyage and the treatment of slaves by captain and other seamen. This part is interesting as well gory because the portrayal of slaves is so explicit that a faint-hearted will shed tears of blood. The enslaved are kept in inhuman conditions even worse than animals. The slaves also attempt resistance to this unjust and treacherous treatment but fail. Rebels are punished severely for this act but their brother fight for survival even in captivity. The slaves do not want to lose their identity, freedom, dignity.
There are two incidents in part two which are worthy of consideration. Firstly, the Captain buys five white girls from Mount Celestial and intends to sell them. On surgeon’s concern about white girls being sold to the negros the Captain replies “…..they are not going to the niggers. As you well know, you can’t even give a white woman to a black merchant, let alone sell her.” This sentence of the Captain shows the sense of superiority of white men over the colour of skin of other human beings. During trade of those girls to a Moorish trader, such a tragic incident happen which leaves a deep scar on the heart of sensitive Dr. Wilkes. Eventually, he cannot bear this guilt any longer and commits suicide.
Secondly, a slave girl named Leana thinks, “The whites were not human. It was senseless trying to understand them”. This a sentence is worth of hundred thousand dollars is a question mark over humanity. It shows what an enslaved human being thinks about her captivators. Such an evil behaviour makes a slave think like this about the white men. So a human beings skin colour does not determine of his being a civilized. His attitude decided this.
Third part brings story closer to the conclusion, which is quite unexpected. I will not add any spoiler regarding conclusion. Some novels carry two characters. This story carries many characters of different sort with it. All those characters are connected to the main theme and concluded in a justified manner.
There is no place for a sensitive person on a slave ship. Spread ofplague of blindness among slaves and masters on board becomes another issue while the ship is steering to its destination.
This novel is a powerful story of love, deception, slavery, betrayal, guilt and hatred. It is an equally powerful portrayal of an ugly and unbearable face of racism and oppression in the shape of transatlantic slave trade pervasive in 18th century with thought-provoking themes. However, this novel is a part of Shame and Glory Saga but there is more shame than glory in it.
