At that time slavers had to wait many months at a time for a human freight, and a certain sum per head was paid to the government for all that were exported.

The duties derived from the exportation of slaves far exceeded those from other commerce, and, by agreeing to the suppression of this profitable traffic, the government actually sacrificed the chief part of the export revenue.

Since that period, however, the revenue from lawful commerce has very much exceeded that on slaves.

The intentions of the home Portuguese government, however good, can not be fully carried out under the present system.

The pay of the officers is so very small that they are nearly all obliged to engage in trade; and, owing to the lucrative nature of the slave-trade, the temptation to engage in it is so powerful, that the philanthropic statesmen of Lisbon need hardly expect to have their humane and enlightened views carried out.