''Aurore'' (along with the ''

Duc du Maine This is a list of counts and dukes of Maine. The capital of Maine was Le Mans. In the thirteenth century it was annexed by France to the royal domain. Dukes of Maine (''duces Cenomannici'') * Charivius (fl. 723) – appears as ''dux'' in a docum ...

''), was a slave ship that brought the first African

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

to Louisiana on 6 June 1719, from

Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...

.theusgenweb.org "Immigrants to Colonial Louisiana".
The ship could carry approximately 600 slaves.

Voyage

Captain Herpin sailed ''Aurore'' from Saint-Malo in July 1718, bound for the

Bight of Benin The Bight of Benin or Bay of Benin is a bight in the Gulf of Guinea area on the western African coast that derives its name from the historical Kingdom of Benin. Geography It extends eastward for about from Cape St. Paul to the Nun outlet of t ...

. She arrived off the coast of Africa on 28 August. Herpin first gathered slaves at Whydah ( Ouidah) and then at Cape Lahou. He sailed from Africa on 30 November, and arrived at Louisiana on 6 June 1719. Herpin had embarked 201 slaves and despite the length of the voyage, disembarked 200 slaves. By contrast, 11 crew members died on the journey. ''Aurore'' arrived back in France, at Lorient, on 4 October.Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database.
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Information

Sketches from a later ''Aurore'' illustrate some aspects of the practices of the slave trade. The slaves on ships such as ''Aurore'' (1719), were packed in a tight spoon-like position in order to be able to carry as many slaves as possible. The slaves wore leg shackles to reduce the risk of an uprising.

Voyage

Information

References

See also