The Black Prince 1762
We know quite a lot about this voyage – and The Black Prince’s other voyages – because the Captain of the Black Prince, William Miller (the owners were James Laroche & Co) kept a meticulous daily logbook of his ship’s voyage.
The Black Prince left Bristol on 24 April 1762 bound for the West African coast, arriving at the coast on 26 June of that year – a voyage of just over 2 months. She first put to anchor at a place called St Pauls, then spent the next eight months sailing up and down the coast buying slaves. On 1 March the next year, 1763, the Black Prince left the coast of Africa bound for Antigua with 438 slaves on board. From16 May of that year, 1763, the enslaved Africans were taken on shore to be sold. Miller’s ship then loaded sugar and other goods on board, sailing on 4 July 1763 for Bristol. She arrived in Bristol on 10 August 1763. The whole triangular trip took 1 year 4 months.
The Black Prince makes ready to sail. Note: there’s some difficulty in reading this old handwriting. Things I can’t read are notated thus (?). Maybe it’ll get easier:
Wednesday 5th May: this 24 hour fresh gales and fair weather at 3 the (?) (?) the signal to unmoor at (?) got our ship unmoored at 3am hove up and brought to sail in company with the ship Rialto Sarah Hasford Indian King Bell Sauvage Amy Sterling brigg John Rainboro Charming Sally the Edward Ship (?) Hopewell Brigg Amy Ship Catherine Brislinton and (?) snow name unknown wind; at East a fresh gale at 12 (?)(?) SSW (?)(?) stowing of anchors and clearing (Image courtesy of Bristol Archives)
She arrives on the African coast:
Saturday 26 June: Saturday 26 June: This 24 hour the first very cloudy and some small rain stood along shore till (?)(?) 25 fathom at 10pm very little wind at 12 in20 fathom then almost calm at 1am came too in 10 fathom from which hard rain thunder and lightning till 8 am then hove up stood along to the east till 10 and stood about (?) Cape Mount (?)(?) 26 fathom
Monday 12th July: this 24 hours very cloudy with some showers of rain and a very strong breeze from the SW and a very great sea so much that the long boat could not come off; at 4pm a long boat belonging to the (?) snow Capt. Gillman came alongside with 5 slaves from out of the river of St Pauls the mate dead and one Dutch man run away; took the slaves out of her and the two people put her astern with two of my own people
Images courtesy of Bristol Archives
Colston's Last Journey 