Sometimes, too, the slave might have been the political enemy of the ruler or of some other powerful person.
The slaves were then marched to trading stations along the coast where a European agent, who resided at the station, inspected them and negotiated their purchase.

The inspection was humiliating and degrading procedure.
Men, women, and children usually appeared stark naked and underwent the close scrutiny of the agent and sometimes a physician.

After the trauma of capture and the shame of inspection, the slaves were regimented into crowded quarters at the trading station or "factory" to wait for the next shipment to leave.

They had to be supervised very closely as many tried to escape and others tried to commit suicide.
When a ship was ready to sail, the slaves were chained together and marched down to the shore.

There they were bundled into large canoes and were paddled through the crashing breakers to where the slave ship was waiting.