But it had got into use in this trade.

On asking the seller of the instruments, on what occasion it was used there, he replied, that the slaves were frequently so sulky, as to shut their mouths against all sustenance, and this with a determination to die; and that it was necessary their mouths should be forced open to throw in nutriment, that they who had purchased them might incur no loss by their death.
The town's talk of Liverpool was much of the same nature as that at Bristol on the subject of this trade.

Horrible facts concerning it were in every body's mouth.

But they were more numerous, as was likely to be the case, where eighty vessels were employed from one port, and only eighteen from the other.

The people too at Liverpool seemed to be more hardened, or they related them with more coldness or less feeling.