Statement by Mejbura., August 16, 1873

Statement by Mejbura.

I, the undersigned Mejbura, a free negro woman, without a husband, born in Mecca, declare and under my oath affirm that two weeks ago Lueschi, janissary of this Consulate of America, invited me to follow him to Malta, in order to see whether there were slaves on board the Trabulus Gharb. I accepted the proposal, and both of us took passage on board said steamer.

During the journey I noticed that there were about fifteen black women, and one by one I let them know that my persuasion was that they were all slaves. They denied it was so; but I made the remark that if they were free, they would have in their possession the certificate of freedom, while I asked them in vain to show me that document.

One of those women, who was a wet-nurse in the family of the Pasha of Fezzan, and had along with her her own son of about two years of age, confessed that she was a slave, and declared that she was unwilling to follow her masters; but wished to stay in Malta, in order to be sent back to Tripoli, should she even be cut to pieces for making such a declaration.

When we arrived in Malta a police-officer came on board, and after the examination of six or seven of the black women, all of whom declared that they were free and willing to follow their masters, came the turn of the aforesaid black nurse, who frankly answered that she was a slave, and wished to stay in Maltato be sent back to Tripoli.

Upon that declaration the police-officer, though there were about seven other women to examine, concluded his inspection and went away. In the course of about half of an hour all the black people were landed, by virtue of an order, and we all went to the same inn. It was then about 8 o’clock p.m. In that inn the nurse’s owners commenced to frighten her, telling her that should she stay in Malta the inhabitants would make a Christian of her, and would give her pork to eat; but, on the other hand, if she consented to go to Constantinople, they would not let her be deprived of anything, and from that moment she was free, and no longer a slave. And thus persuading her, they offered her a rich silk dress, which she put on with marks of contentment.

In the mean time the other slaves would comfort themselves by repeating that, if it were written in Heaven that they were to be made free in Malta, they would be freed; but if it were written that they were to be liberated in Constantinople, they would be emancipated there; and also, if it were written that they had to live slaves forever, nobody could help it.

Toward half-past two o’clock p.m. the man of the police came to the inn, and began to examine the black women, and this time they all answered that they were not slaves, but willing to follow their masters. During that time I was more than once pushed back by the owners of the slave, as they supposed that my presence might encourage her to tell the truth.

When the police people had withdrawn, and all was made smooth, the owners of that slave began to jostle me in a very rough manner, saying that I had come to Malta expressly to dissuade the black women from following their masters. On the next day all the people left for Constantinople on board an English steamer, without the nurse having ever received the certificate of freedom promised her by her owners.