Flagellation of a female Samboe slave [graphic] / Blake sculpt.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: PicturePicturePublication details: [London: Published by J. Johnson, St. Paul's Church Yard, between 1791 and 1796]; ENGLAND. London. Description: 1 print: engraving; image 19 x 14 cm. (7.25 x 5.5 in)Notes: Plate XXXV in John Gabriel Stedman's Narrative, of a five year's expedition, against the revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America; from the year 1772 to 1777 (London: Printed for J. Johnson, St. Paul's Church Yard, & J. Edwards, Pall Mall, 1796) vol. I, facing p. 326.Local Notes: Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Punishment Scenes.Imprint: ENGLAND. London. 1796.Subject(s): Genre/Form: Online resources: In: Stedman, John Gabriel, 1744-1797. Narrative, of a five year's expedition, against the revolted Negroes of SurinamSummary: Engraving was done after one of John Gabriel Stedman's own drawings; it illustrates an incident that he witnessed during his travels in Surinam. According to Stedman's account, the image shows a beautiful Samboe girl of about eighteen, who was tied by both arms to a tree limb and flagellated by two overseers in such a manner that "she was from her neck to her ancles [sic] literally dyed over with blood." When Stedman reached her, she had already received 200 lashes, and he begged one of the overseers to let her down. At this point, however, the overseer explained that, in order to prevent strangers from interfering with his government, he had made an unalterable rule to double any slave's punishment when a stranger tried to intervene on his or her behalf. The girl thus received another 200 lashes.
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Item type Current library Call number Status Barcode
Book Library Company of Philadelphia Stacks Am 1796 Sted 755.Q v 1 p 326 Available 141988
Total holds: 0

Plate XXXV in John Gabriel Stedman's Narrative, of a five year's expedition, against the revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America; from the year 1772 to 1777 (London: Printed for J. Johnson, St. Paul's Church Yard, & J. Edwards, Pall Mall, 1796) vol. I, facing p. 326.

Engraving was done after one of John Gabriel Stedman's own drawings; it illustrates an incident that he witnessed during his travels in Surinam. According to Stedman's account, the image shows a beautiful Samboe girl of about eighteen, who was tied by both arms to a tree limb and flagellated by two overseers in such a manner that "she was from her neck to her ancles [sic] literally dyed over with blood." When Stedman reached her, she had already received 200 lashes, and he begged one of the overseers to let her down. At this point, however, the overseer explained that, in order to prevent strangers from interfering with his government, he had made an unalterable rule to double any slave's punishment when a stranger tried to intervene on his or her behalf. The girl thus received another 200 lashes.

Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Punishment Scenes.

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