Having heard by accident, that the inhabitants of the town of Bridgewater had sent a petition to the House of Commons, in the year 1785, for the abolition of the Slave-trade, as has been related in a former part of the work, I determined, while my feelings were warm, to go there, and to try to find out those who had been concerned in it, and to confer with them as the tried friends of the cause.  The time seemed to me to be approaching, when the public voice should be raised against this enormous evil.  I was sure that it was only necessary for the inhabitants of this favoured island to know it, to feel a just indignation against it.  Accordingly I set off.  My friend George Fisher, who was before mentioned to have been of the religions society of the Quakers, gave me an introduction to the respectable family of Ball, which was of the same religious persuasion.  I called upon Mr. Sealey, Anstice, Crandon, Chubb, and others.  I laid open to those, whom I saw, the discoveries I had made relative to the loss and ill treatment of seamen; at which they seemed to be much moved; and it was agreed, that, if it should be thought a proper measure, (of which I would inform them when I had consulted the commitee,) a second petition should be sent to Parliament from the inhabitants, praying for the abolition of the Slave-trade.  With this view I left them several of my Summary Views, before mentioned, to distribute, that the inhabitants might know more particularly the nature of the evil, against which they were going to complain.  On my return to Bristol, I determined to inquire into the truth of the reports that seamen had an aversion to enter, and that they were inveigled, if not often forced, into this hateful employment.  For this purpose I was introduced to a landlord of the name of Thompson, who kept a public-house called the Seven Stars.  He was a very intelligent man, was accustomed to receive sailors, when discharged at the end of their voyages, and to board them till their vessels went out again, or to find them births in others.  He avoided however all connection with the Slave-trade, declaring that the credit of his house would be ruined, if he were known to send those, who put themselves under his care, into it.

From him I collected the truth of all that had been stated to me on this subject.  But I told him I should not be satisfied until I had beheld those scenes myself, which he had described to me; and I entreated him to take me into them, saying that I would reward him for all his time and trouble, and that I would never forget him while I lived.  To this he consented; and as three or four slave-vessels at this time were preparing for their voyages, it was time that we should begin our rounds.  At about twelve at night we generally set out, and were employed till two and sometimes three in the morning.  He led me from one of those public-houses to another, which the mates of the slave-vessels used to frequent to pick up their hands.  These houses were in