Slavery…hmm…such a nasty term for kept, unpaid workers! 

If you haven’t figured it out – that is what I decided to do with the captured natives once they were restored back to health. I needed the native man power if the colony was to be constructed. Besides, their chief was killed, and my actions seemed to provide some direction to the natives. It was as if they could not think on their own. The chief made all of the decisions for them.  Without him…they appeared to be lost. 

But now he was gone. Gone, disposed somewhere in the ocean. Absolutely lifeless! 

My men and I released the natives from the building where we had kept them captive, letting them know that if they tried to escape, they’d be shot or burned. They lingered around us after we let them out of the nets and shop.  I guess they got the message loud and clear – try to escape and be shot, or stay put and remain alive. 

We gave the natives all jobs. They did jobs such as build shops, mills, and houses to live in. In the end, everyone had a job, and the colony was growing. We fed the slaves once a day and they drank water from the lake. I feel we treated the slaves (natives) very well, although if one were to ask the natives, I’m sure they would think differently. At least they got to stay and live in their native land!  

Soon, we caught even more natives and we didn’t even need our men to work as much.  My men could be used for other jobs. Basically, the Portuguese sat back and relaxed while the natives worked non-stop on our colony. It was rising fast. The shops were more than halfway completed – we only had a few more to build – and same with the houses. The mill was going well nearly completed too. The construction of the colony was moving along quickly, thanks to the help from the native people. All that was needed to complete the colony was people.  I have to come up with a plan to fill the colony with people! The natives wouldn’t be free, though. They’d be assigned to people to be their slaves instead of ours. 

Life is good. 

Francisco de Almeida

 Our African slaves.