Even if near the coast of Africa, the negroes could not be released by the simple process of landing them at the nearest point, for the land was filled with savage tribes, the captives were commonly from the interior, and would merely have been murdered or sold anew into slavery, had they been thus abandoned.

In time the custom grew up of taking them to Liberia, the free negro state established in Africa under the protection of the United States.

But it can hardly be said that much advantage resulted to the individual negroes rescued by even this method, for the Liberians were not hospitable, slave traders camped upon the borders of their state, and it was not uncommon for a freed slave to find himself in a very few weeks back again in the noisome hold of the slaver.

Even under the humane care of the navy officers who were put in command of captured slavers the human cattle suffered grievously.

Brought on deck at early dawn, they so crowded the ships that it was almost impossible for the sailors to perform the tasks of navigation.