Both Rowlandson and Equiano were sold to a series of owners. Rowlandson was sold to various “husbands” while Equiano was sold to a chain of owners taking him from his home to the West Indies. Describing his physical confrontation with multiple overseers, Olaudah Equiano writes, “These overseers are indeed for the most part persons of the worst character of any denomination of men in the West Indies. Unfortunately, many humane gentlemen, by not residing on their estates, are obliged to leave the management of them in the hands of these human butchers, who cut and mangle the slaves in a shocking manner on the most trifling occasions, and altogether treat them in every respect like brutes”(709). Here Equiano is describing how many slaves were
