Dr Alexander Falconbridge describes a slave market:
As soon as the hour agreed on arrived, the doors of the yard were suddenly thrown open, and in rushed a considerable number of purchasers, with all the ferocity of beasts... Some instantly seized such of the Negroes as they could conveniently lay hold of with their hands. Others, being prepared with several handkerchiefs tied together, encircled with these as many as they were able...
The signal being given, the buyers rushed in, as usual, to seize their prey; then the negroes appeared extremely terrified, and near thirty of them jumped into the sea. But they were all soon retaken...
Account of the Slave Trade (1788)