Observations on the slave trade and a description of some part of the coast of Guinea, during a voyage, made in 1787, and 1788, in company with Doctor A. Sparrman and Captain Arrehenius

A Swedish official, traveling along the Gulf of Guinea in 1787‑88 with a noted naturalist and a seasoned captain, records his journey with a keen eye for detail. He sketches the coastline’s geography, the bustling ports, and the everyday life of the coastal peoples, while also bearing witness to the grim realities of the slave market that thrived there. The narrative blends vivid description with an unsettling glimpse of how captured Africans were treated as merchandise by European traders.

Beyond mere observation, the author uses his experience to question the moral foundations of a commerce that has turned humans into cargo. He argues that the continent’s fertile lands could support a different, more humane economy, suggesting agricultural development as a path toward lasting improvement. The work invites listeners to reflect on the clash between profit and compassion, offering a rare eighteenth‑century perspective on a tragedy that still resonates today.