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Clarkson, Thomas, 1760-1846

"The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)"

I determined to return with them. It was now nearly two
in the afternoon. I accordingly went back, but we did not reach the
Passage-house again till nearly two the next morning.
During our journey, neither the wind nor the rain had much abated. It
was quite dark on our arrival. We found only one person, and he had been
sitting up in expectation of us. It was in vain that I asked him for a
boat to put us across the water. He said all the boatmen were in bed;
and, if they were up, he was sure that none of them would venture out.
It was thought a mercy by all of them that we were not lost last night.
Difficulties were also started about horses to take us another way.
Unable, therefore, to proceed, we took refreshment and went to bed.
We arrived at Bristol between nine and ten the next morning; but I was
so ill that I could go no further; I had been cold and shivering ever
since my first passage across the Severn; and I had now a violent sore
throat and a fever with it. All I could do was to see the witnesses off
for London, and to assign them to the care of an attorney, who should
conduct them to the trial. For this purpose I gave them a letter to a
friend of the name of Langdale.


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