EPL L - Henrietta Marie An Introduction to the First Slaver Studied in the New World " By David D. Moore ";:: rJVIE remains of a small mer­ J. chant-slaver were located in the Florida Keys during the summer of 1972 by Armada i~ Research, Inc., a wholly-owned . ~ subsidiary of Treasure Salvors, Inc., of Key West. The group found. the wreck on New GroUlld Reef approximately 12 miles northwest of the Mar-, quesas Keys, while searching for remnants of the sunken Spanish galleon Nuestra Se­ nora de Atocha. Under the ex­ ploration lease issued by the state of Florida, the company was only allowed to investigate the site visually until a salvage lease could be obtained. Initial Examination Although examination of various artifacts indicated that >­ the wreck was probably ofEng­ - .c <, .~ ... lish origin rather than Span­ . ,..~ .: :. ~~~']?r-- ' ~;~ .:/ ::;~~;;~ -.!:':1_ ~ ~ . : ~ .' ~- ~~~~ : ..... ' t. ish, Armada Research re­ Bronze bell recovered from the Henrietta Marie. turned the following summer with the proper lease and exca­ shackles. In fact, research has That date coincided perfectly vated the site for approximate­ indicated that the recovered wi th the dated pewterware and ly two weeks recovering nu­ i terns of pewterware were actu­ more importantly the ship­ merous artifacts. Among these · ally cargo and originally des­ wreck now had an identity. artifacts were large amounts of tined to be traded for slaves on Historical research ' under­ pewterware. Some of this pew­ the Guinea coast of Mrica. taken in England shortly ter, including large bowls, tan­ Work Resumed thereafter did indeed indicate kards, bottles, and spoons, had The slaver lay virtually un­ a vessel by the name Henrietta maker's touchmarks stamped disturbed and largely forgotten Marie engaged in the African on them which have been for a decade. Then Neptune Ex­ slave trade. Hired by Taylor. traced to several artisans in plorations, an historical re­ English historian and re­ London, England, and dating search and underwater explo­ searcher Peter Earle searched between 1694 and 1702. This ration group under the numerous sources before locat­ tentatively identified the ves­ direction of Henry M. Taylor, ing the vessel in the Jamaican sel as being of English origin Ill, subcontracted with Treas­ shipping returns. The Henriet­ and probably sailing during ure Salvors, Inc., and resumed ta Marie had left London in the late Seventeenth Century. work on the site in June, 1983. September, 1699, traded her Furthermore, and of even On the third trip to the site, cargo for slaves in Africa, and greater interest, the vesseJ had the ship's bronze bell was locat­ sailed to J amaica. She was now been engaged in the African ed and recovered. The light homeward bound for England slave trade. This was indicated marine growth and calcareous in June, 1700, with a cargo of 0: by the recovery of several ivory concretions encrusting the bell sugar, indigo, cotton, and log­ tusks or "elephant teeth," were carefully removed reveal­ wood. thousands of trade beads, and ing a startling sight: "THE The date on the bell would numerous sets of leg and arm HENRIETTA MARIE 1699". seem to indicate that this w a ~ I~ ~J L?) S EAF A RERS, V OL. I 199 jIii her maiden voyage. However, more recent historical research tells us that the Henrietta Ma­ Tie made at least one earlier voyage through Barbados in July, 1698, suggesting that her bell had been replaced, and possibly lending evidence of a refit or overhaul of the vessel. Neptune Explorations opted not to undertake any addition: al work on the site the follow­ ::.. ing summer and the site was again left to the elements. However, during the fall of _ 1,984, Joseph Anton "Tony" Kopp, a Swiss-born salvor, be­ came interested in the Henri­ etta Marie and subcontracted with Treasure Salvors, Inc., to continue the archaeological salvage and recovery oper­ ations that were initiated the year before. Kopp's group worked on the site for approxi­ mately two months revealing a second cannon and large sec­ tions of articulated ship's structure. Both the cannon and hull structure, while originally View of the Henrietta Marie stem remains, include the sternpost (foreground) located in 1973, had eluded the and rising keelson running forward from it. The starboard 'fashionpiece' extends 1983 expedition. right from the stempost. IPhoto by David Moore, Treasure Salvors, Inc. Cl 198" View of starboard framing compo­ nents includes one second futtock and 'fashionpiece.' The 'fashionpiece' has two notches cut to receive the first and second tran­ som timbers. 200 SEAFARERS, VOL. I v The artifacts recovered from the Henrietta Marie represent a wide variety and large cross­ section of late Seventeenth Century shipboard furnishings and slave trade merchandise. Many of the artifacts are indic­ ative of the different "legs" or routes taken by the vessel while engaged in the transat­ lantic triangular trade system. The first leg of the Henrietta Marie's voyage from London to Africa is aptly represented by the pewter, trade beads, and guns. These items were identi­ fied as cargo through examina­ tion of manifests and accounts of slaving vessels operating during the same period as the Henrietta Marie. Many of the Pewterware set assemblage pewter bowls were recovered {Photo by David Moorc, Treasure Salvors, Inc. ~ 198 41 still stacked (17 in one in­ stance) with remnants of paper and straw packing material be­ tween each one. Such large amounts of pew­ terware were recovered from the site that it was confusing at first. But the journal from an­ other slaver may have given us a clue as to why our vessel had so much of this cargo left after a trip to the African coast. A slaver named the Albion Frig­ ate, also from London, sailed Pewter plate touchmarks for Africa in January, 1699, ap­ {Photo by David Moore, Treasure Salvors, Inc. 0 19841 proximately eight months be­ fore the Henrietta Marie. Marie probably ran into the ing to London pewterers James Barbot, the vessel's su­ same trading conditions that George Hammond, Thomas percargo or person in charge of the Albion had earlier in the Winchcombe, and Joseph slaving operations, kept an ac­ year, perhaps explaining why Hodges. count which mentions that so much pewterware has been There have been at least two there was little demand at that recovered from the si te and not sizes (one and two quart) of particular time among the na­ so much as one manila. pewter tankards recovered tives for certain items, to wit, Pewterware with two different style lids, cc ••• objected against ... Of all the pewterware recov­ thumbpieces, and denticula­ wrought pewter ...our basons, ered from the site, the predomi­ tions, which seems to indicate tankards, yellow beads ... nant type is the bowl or "Guin­ two different artisans. Unfor­ g u green beads ... " They chose ea bason." Con temporary tunately, there are no touch­ E instead the brass or copper manifests indicate that these marks visible, only "hall­ rings called manilas that were "basons" were produced in one, marks" on the lids and these worn around the legs and two, three, and four-pound have not been positively iden­ arms. It is reasonable to as­ sizes, of which the three and tified. A few tankards in the sume that two privately owned four-pounders are represented state of Florida's possession slavers registered in the same in the Henrietta Marie's as­ were tentatively identified as port would naturally tend to semblage. Intelligible touch­ being produced by William Ed­ trade at the same locations marks on the rim bottoms of don, but this has not been sub­ along Africa's Guinea coast. It some of the better examples stantiated. would seem that the Henrietta have been identified as belong- Some of the more interesting SEAFARERS, VOL. I 201 pewter objects located on the Unfortunately the jug bears no served all of these functions. shipwreck site are bottles touchmark, but appears to be Several examples of small which bear a slight resem­ of the same style (bearing simi­ lead mirror or picture frames blance to the common dark lar concentric circles) as the have been recovered from the glass "onion" bottles dating previously described un­ site. Various manifests indi­ from this period. Though all of touched pewter bottle which cate that mirrors or "looking the pewter bottles appear to be seems to suggest the same arti­ glasses" were carried by the the same size and shape hold­ san. dozens for trading purposes ing slightly more than one The pewter plates (nine-inch and so it is probable that the quart of liquid, there are actu­ diameter) which have been re­ Henrietta Marie was also car­ ally two separate styles repre­ covered could have been cargo, rying them. sented. One style is slightly (118 but more probably belonged in Perhaps the most common , ; " inch) taller than the other, has· the captain's quarters. Both type of slave trading merchan­ , ,' no touchmark, and bears plates were well used with nu­ dise are the many styles, sizes, !.::: ;.! etched concentric circles merous knife cuts provoking and colors of beads that the Af­ I'~' around its body in various loca­ some interesting studies into rican natives prized very high­ tions. The slightly smaller ver­ the eating habits aboard ves­ ly. All slave ships carried an sions are stamped with the sels. The plates also bear both abundance of these beads and touchmark of John Emmes, an­ the "hallmarks" and the touch­ this vessel was no exception. other London pewterer. All of marks of Joseph Bodges as Several thousand trade beads the bottles recovered to date well as a "London and Crowned have been located and recov­ ha ve been empty, some Rose" secondary mark.