Randy J. Sparks offers a rare glimpse into the eighteenth-century trans-Atlantic trade and slavery from an African perspective. In 1767, two members of the royal household in the Old Calabar were captured by slave traders. The “princes” Ephraim Robin John and Ancona Robin John were ambushed after being set up by fellow slave traders on the slave coasts of western Africa. Capture set precedence for an extraordinary odyssey in the hands of English Slavers. The Two Princes of Calabar provide a reincarnation of the boy’s experiences as they were transported to the Dominican Republic before being sold to a French Doctor. The princes had a right conception of language, which, coupled with elaborate interpersonal skills, helped them negotiate several escapes despite ending enslavement multiple times. They traveled the Caribbean and Virginia before settling in England, where they were freed, nonetheless after remarkably winning freedom, they went to the port of Old Calabar, where they resumed slave trade. The text offers insight into the experiences of trading communities during the slavery era, the quest for emancipation, and the role of slaves in the creation of the Atlantic world.
The first chapter of the text offers insight into the prince’s family background and events leading to their capture. The ruler of OT, Grandy King George, was a successful monarchy who was also one of the primary slave traders of the Old Calabar. Ephraim Robin John was obsessed with the English monarchy. He replicated multiple aspects of the English culture; for example, his sons relieved themselves in pewter piss pots, bathed in large brass baths, and shaved with English razors acquired during trading encounters with the English. OT had probably been developed in the mid to late 1600s. Its geography provided it with a vantage position to monitor the arrival of traders in Old Calabar, which was a leading slave export center of Western Africa (Sparks,2004). Robin Johnson and sons lived, and their lifestyle made them an object of envy, as a result of rival jealousy families planned an ambush that led to the capture of the two princes.
The second chapter explores the concept of slavery among Africans. Slaves were considered a form of currency, and most of the slaves had no means of sustenance, were captives of war, were criminals who had been banished on their own, or were born from low-income families. Parents who had too many mouths to feed had difficulties raising children; thus, they resorted to slavery. It is profound how common it was for individuals to sell themselves into slavery as a means to an end; escape war, poverty, and famine or to improve circumstances. Once an individual was sold into slavery, he or she could not buy their freedom, and the expansion of slavery led to a slave-based economy. Prices of slaves varied according to gender and age, with male slaves being the most expensive, and girl slaves were the cheapest at around seventeen to thirty coppers. Slaves were transported in Canoes, and the expeditions were between ten to twenty-one days.
“The Deplorable Condition” details the experiences of slaves during their expeditions. Unlike other captives, Robin Johns were aware of their situation, which made their journey less frightening. Familiarity with some of the white sailors on board the vessel made them feel safe as they all spoke English. On the contrary, for the majority of slavery, expeditions were frightening experiences as many slaves thought that they would be eaten; thus, they rejected meals and drinks out of fear and depression. Slaves lived in deplorable conditions as they were tightly packed( had less than five square feet of space), and the fear of death was precise and ever-present. The imminence of death was manifested by sharks trailing the canoes and the near twenty percent mortality rate of slaves (Sparks, 2004).
The fourth chapter explores the prince’s return home. They were put on the Brickdale, which was commanded by William Wood; nonetheless, they had been tricked to believing that the vessel was headed to Africa, yet it was going to Virginia. The princess wrote to Thomas and James Jones seeking help to be freed; however, it took three letters to get a reply, worse off the Jones refused to release the duo demanding eighty pounds as compensation. The 1772 Somerset case was instrumental in freeing the enslaved princes; the defendants sought a ten-day adjournment of the hearing; nonetheless, a week later, they announced a compromise. In response to the decision, the magistrate, Lord Mansfield ordered James Bivins to compensate the Virginian owners, O’neil was to go unpaid and the RJs to be freed.
The fifth and sixth chapters detail the prince’s interest in Christianity and their return to the Old Calabar. Christianity provided slaves with a sense of spiritual empowerment and release; thus, they used the Christian faith for endearment. As conversion to Christianity was considered an act of defiance and found the religion to be a language of revolt, liberation, and reform, they integrated it with traditional Africa beliefs and created a hybrid belief system. Despite interest in Christianity, the Robin Johns loved slavery, and after arrival at the Old Calabar in 177, they resumed slave trading. Slavery was central to the port; thus, it was not easy to abandon the practice, and the princes preached Christianity while participating in slavery.