The slaves on board

In the Middle Passage between Africa and the Caribbean, The Fredensborg also followed the system of prevailing winds and currents. Aboard Fredensborg everyone lived in fear of their unknown fate, and a crew much reduced by death, lived in fear of how they, who were so few, could control so many slaves. Starting to cross the Middle passage Captain Ferentz had a serious problem. 12 of the crew had already died, and many of the others were sick. To handle this stressed situation they used 9 of the slaves as so-called deck slaves. They worked for the Company without pay.

Below deck some of the slaves planned a revolt to take over the ship. They belonged to the Akwamu people. But their fight for freedom was stopped before it started, because the African crew member, Aye, reported the plan to the captain.

Many of the slaves died, and Captain Ferentz registered this in the margin of his logbook.

The journey took 78 days. The Middle Passage took a toll of 24 Africans and 3 crew members. The Europeans were sewn into their hammocks, together with a cannon ball, and lowered into the sea, accompanied by prayers and psalms. The slaves who died were thrown overboard without any ceremony.

The Fredensborg had to wait for seven months in the road of Fort Christiansborg before the fort could deliver enough slaves to fill the hold. During that period the ship was re-fitted for transport of slaves. Fortification were built as protection against possible revolt, an extra stove was placed on the slave deck for the preparation of their food; extra shelves were built in the hold, to carry more slaves.

The slaves from the Fredensborg ended up in many places on St. Croix.

Some were also sold to St. Thomas and Puerto Rico. Three of the slaves were sold to an unknown purchaser in Copenhagen. One of them died crossing the Atlantic and the two others were on board when the Fredensborg was wrecked. A total of 30 of the 265 enslaved Africans on board the Fredensborg died. On this map the specific plantations have been indicated.

The slaves, who made up the live cargo, were burdened by grief and desperation. Many had probably been sold several times before ending up in the fort's dungeons or barracoons, but their introduction to a large slave ship was even more terrifying than the journey to the coast and the fort.
At midnight, 23 April 1768, The Fredensborg set sail with a cargo of 265 enslaved Africans, 928 kilograms of ivory and 1.25 kilograms of gold. In order to prevent revolt the slaves were chained together two by two, using foot shackles.

THE HUMAN CARGO
158 MALE SLAVES
78 FEMALE SLAVES
9 GIRL SLAVES
20 BOY SLAVES
265 ENSLAVED AFRICANS

The sale

From the sale of the slaves from Fredensborg, there still exists a protocol containing precise information on the names of the buyers.
A poster was set up to announce the sale of slaves from Fredensborg:

SIR
I TAKE THE LIBERTY TO INFORM YOU
THAT ON MONDAY NEXT AT NINE
O'CLOCK I SHALL BEGIN TO DISPOSE
OF/BY PRIVATE SALE, THE CARGO OF
GOLD COAST SLAVES I HAVE LATELY
IMPORTED; UNDER THE FOLLOWING
CONDITIONS. THOSE WHO PURCHASE
UNDER TEN SLAVES ARE TO PAY THE
WHOLE IN SIX WEEKS & THE REMAINDER
ON OR BEFORE THE 10TH OF APRIL NEXT
YEAR.
THE FURTHER PARTICULARS TO BE IN
AGREEMENT WITH THE OBLIGATIONS
IN THE ALREADY PRINTED STANDARD
CONTRACT, WHICH ARE IN FORCE WITH
EACH PURCHASE. IF PAYMENT IS NOT
IMMEDIATELY FORTHCOMING THE
BUYER SHALL PROVIDE A WRITTEN
GUARANTEE. SUGAR SHALL BE
ACCEPTABLE AS SECURITY

C. Thalbitzer