[Fordim Hedgethistle]

I thought this might be interesting to put up in light of the debate over conditions on the slave vessel:

The Huguenots In France and America by Hannah F. Lee
Originally Published Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1843. Pages 132-164

Chapter XXXI, A Huguenot In France Condemned To the Galleys


The description of a galley will be new to many. "Ours was a hundred and fifty feet long and fifty broad, with but one deck, which covered the hold. The deck rises about a foot in the middle, and slopes toward the edges to let the water run off more easily; for when a galley is loaded it seems to swim under the water, and the sea continually rushes over it. To prevent the sea from entering the hold, where the masts are placed, a long case of boards, called the coursier, is fixed in the middle, running from one end of the galley to the other. The slaves, who are the rowers, have each a board raised from the deck under which the water passes, which serves them for a footstool, otherwise their feet would be constantly in the water. A galley has fifty benches for rowers, twenty-five on each side; each bench is ten feet long, one end fixed in the coursier, that runs through the boat, the other in the band or side of the boat; the benches are half a foot thick, and placed at four feet distance from each other, and are covered with sackcloth, stuffed with flock, and a cowhide thrown over them, which, reaching to the footstool, gives them the appearance of large trunks. To these the galley-slaves are chained, six to a bench. The [145] oars are fifty feet long, and are poized in equilibrio upon the apostic, or piece of timber for this purpose. They are constructed so, that the thirteen feet of the oar, that go into the boat, are equal in weight to the thirty-seven which go into the water. It would be impossible for the slaves to grasp them, and handles are affixed for rowing.

"The master or comite stands always at the stern, near the captain, to receive his orders. There are sous-comites, one in the middle and one near the prow, each with a whip of cords to exercise as they see fit on the slaves. The comite blows a silver whistle, which hangs from his neck; the slaves have their oars in readiness and strike all at once, and keep time so exactly, that the hundred and fifty oars seem to make but one movement. There is an absolute necessity for thus rowing together, for, should one be lifted up or fall too soon, those before would strike the oar with the back part of their heads. Any mistake of this kind is followed by blows given with merciless fury. The labor of a galley-slave has become a proverb; it is the greatest fatigue that a man can bear. Six men are chained to each bench on both sides of the coursier wholly naked, sitting with one foot on a block of timber, the other resting on the bench before them, holding in their hands an enormous oar. Imagine them lengthening their bodies, their arms stretched out [146] to push the oar over the backs of those before them; they then plunge the oar into the sea, and fall back into the hollow below, to repeat again and again the same muscular action. The fatigue and misery of their labor seems to be without parallel. They often faint, and are brought to life by the lash. Sometimes a bit of bread dipped in wine is put into their mouths, when their labor cannot for a moment be spared. Sometimes, when they faint, they are thrown into the sea, and another takes the place."

Not nice. The article goes on to describe how slaves would be chained to their oars night and day, and only unchained for the occasional turn of exercise above decks, but usually not even for that.

So I think we need to figure out what's more important to us here: historical accuracy, which would have the slaves in chains all the time, or gaming freedom, which will allow us to have the slaves unchained and at their liberty from time to time so that we can interact with one another a bit more easily.

I think, however, that the idea of "shifts" and "slave quarters" is just not tenable. Aboard a small vessel like the F and F there just is not room for food, water and housing for two crews of slaves.

I would suggest that Perky and Aman decide how they want the ship to be run, and then let us slaves know!