There was one circumstance of peculiar importance, but quite new to me, which I collected from the information which Mr. Falconbridge had given me.  This was, that many of the seamen, who left the slave-ships in the West Indies, were in such a weak, ulcerated, and otherwise diseased state, that they perished there.  Several, also, of those who came home with the vessels were in the same deplorable condition.  This was the case, Mr. Falconbridge said, with some who returned in the Alexander.  It was the case, also, with many others; for he had been a pupil for twelve months in the Bristol Infirmary, and had had ample means of knowing the fact.  The greatest number of seamen, at almost all times, who were there, were from the slave-vessels.  These, too, were usually there on account of disease, whereas those from other ships were usually there on account of accidents.  The health of some of the former was so far destroyed, that they were never wholly to be restored.  This information was of great importance; for it showed that they who were reported dead upon the muster-rolls, were not all that were lost to the country by the prosecution of this wicked trade.  Indeed, it was of so much importance, that in all my future interviews with others, which were for the purpose of collecting evidence, I never forgot to make it a subject of inquiry.

I can hardly say how precious I considered the facts with which Mr. Falconbridge had furnished me from his own experience, relative to the different branches of this commerce.  They were so precious, that I began now to be troubled lest I should lose them.  For, though he had thus privately unbosomed himself to me, it did not follow that he would come forward as a public evidence.  I was not a little uneasy on this account.  I was fearful lest, when I should put this question to him, his future plan of life, or some little narrow consideration of future interest, would prevent him from giving his testimony, and I delayed asking him for many days.  During this time, however, I frequently visited him; and at length, when I thought I was better acquainted, and probably in some little estimation, with him, I ventured to open my wishes on this subject.  He answered me boldly, and at once, that he had left the trade upon principle, and that he would state all he knew concerning it, either publicly or privately, and at any time when he should be called upon to do it.  This answer produced such an effect upon me, after all my former disappointments, that I felt it all over my frame.  It operated like a sudden shock, which often disables the impressed person for a time.  So the joy I felt rendered me quite useless, as to business, for the remainder of the day.