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Identified as “the notorious Edward Jousiffe, who has so often been denounced to His Majesty’s Government as a trafficker in Slaves in the Rio Pongas on the Coast of Africa,” (Temple 1836: 11) he was the target of at least several raids to the region in British efforts to shut down slave factories. In one such account, Alex Findlay describes Lieutenant Smithers attempt to capture the slaver. “[…] He proceeded up the River to Joseph’s factory, with a view to seize him; but, as Lieutenant Smithers was going in at the door, Joseph made his escape at the back-window, and got into the bush; when Mr. Smithers found he had no chance of laying hold of him, he set fire to his house, which destroyed the greater part of his property” (Findlay 1831: 582-583). Such raids were not infrequent among trading establishments throughout the region, in the hopes that destroying property, in the event that the slave traders themselves are not able to be caught, will be sufficient incentive to cease participation in the trade. As seen with Nyara Belli above, however, this move did not incite Jousiffe to leave his lucrative business participating in the exportation of slaves from Guinea.

Described by British officers as particularly malicious and elusive, Jousiffe, a “short man in stature, a white man” (Jeffcott 1830a: 156-157) was a major target among the Rio Pongo traders for at least five years. He was particularly despised by the British navy, who noted, “We cannot conceal from your Lordship our indignation against Jousiffe. He has long been suspected of being deeply engaged in slaving pursuits” (Findlay and Smith 1830: 281-285). He was seemingly vicious to the slaves he purchased and sold, and had a reputation for violence among local communities. In a December 1830 deposition given by liberated Africans who had been aboard the La Caroline at the time of its capture. George, who had been sold by Jousiffe to Captain Daniel of La Caroline, recounts:
Mandingo man took him to the Rio Pongos, and sold him to Jonsiffe or Joseph ; Joseph kept him for 3 moons (months) in chains; was kept with both hands and lick his food off the ground, not being able to use his hands, being tied behind his back; Joseph has 2 houses, one a large house, as big as the ship ("Conflict") he lives in one house, keeps the other for his slaves, and is building a third, a new house, for himself to live in ; he has 4 women living with him, one is named Mary, another Sacchra; Jousiffe and Captain Daniel were very intimate; Jousiffe sold Captain Daniel 5 slaves, viz. George (deponent), John, who ran away ; third, Buthen ; fourth, Tamaguoy, a Temaimee; and, fifth, Laha ; one run away from him ; the run-away slave was called John ; he was a Sierra Leone boy, who had been in a man-of-war; John knew too much (i.e. a good deal) ; was a sailor; ran away into the bush; was brought back, and now lives with Jousiffe. Witness also ran away from Joseph ; was retaken and flogged, by Joseph's order, by 3 men ; still bears the marks of the punishment; Jonsiffe was constantly flogging his slaves. (Jeffcott 1830b: 159)
Depositions from other liberated Africans present similar accounts, confirming Jousiffe’s
harsh treatment and violent nature.

Much of what we know about this character is provided in THAT DIABOLICAL TRAFFIC: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
SLAVE TRADE IN COASTAL GUINEA,by Katherine Goldberg. and in the Adventures of an African slaver : being a true account of the life of Captain Theodore Canot, trader in gold, ivory & slaves on the coast of Guinea / his own story as told in the year 1854 to Brantz Mayer & now edited with an introduction by Malcolm Cowley ; by Canot, Theodore, 1804-1860, Edward Jousiffe's long-time friend and business partner, viz.

1. Edward was born of continental parents, and came to Sierra Leone with Governor Turner, and for a time enjoyed the post of harbour master.

2. His first visit to the Rio Pongo was in the capacity of supercargo of a small coasting craft, laden with valuable merchandise. Joseph succeeded in disposing of his wares, but was not equally fortunate in collecting their avails. It was, perhaps, an ill-judged act of the supercargo, but he declined to face his creditors with a deficient balance-sheet; and quitting Sierra Leone for ever, accepted service with Ormond, a slave trader based in Gambia.

3. For a year he continued in this employment; but at the end of that period, considering himself sufficiently informed of the trade and language of the river, he sent a message to his creditors at the British settlement that he could promptly pay them in full, if they would advance him capital enough to commence an independent trade. The terms were accepted by an opulent Israelite, and in a short time Edward Joseph was numbered among the successful factors of Rio Pongo.

4. Edward was possessed by Africo-mania. He admired the women, the men, the language, the cookery, the music. He would fall into philharmonic ecstasies over the discord of a bamboo tom-tom. I have reason to believe that even African barbarities had charms for the odd Englishman; but he was chiefly won by the dolce far niente of the natives, and the Oriental license of polygamy.

5. He married the daughter of a local Prince, (Prince Yungee). Coomba, was reportedly a beautiful 16-year old who bore features unlike the local inhabitants. He abaondoned her when he was ousted from Gambia. It is speculated that the marriage was nothing more than an attempt by Jousiffe to further ingratiate himself with the locals who had saved him on several occassions from arrest by the British Navy.

6. In 1833  Canot’s factory was destroyed by what seems to be intentional arson, enacted as revenge from Ormond’s brother William. Shortly thereafter he left Gambia and the Rio Pongo, and there is not current documentation that indicates if he ever returned. At some point after Canot’s departure, Edward Jousiffe returned to the area and resumes his operations at Gambia (British and Foreign State Papers 1834, House of Lords 1832).

7. Edward Jousiffe was finally captured aboard the slaver Preciosa on July 13th, 1836 off the coast of Havana by the British HMS Pincher. Throughout the investigation of the Precioca’s activities, it was determined that the ship originally left Puerto Rico for the Rio Pongo on December 4, 1835, loaded with liquors, gunpowder, guns, looking glasses, and tobacco intended to be traded in exchange for captive Africans. 

8. Ten days later, by July 23, 1836, the Havana Slave Trade Commission condemned the ship to be seized and auctioned off, all living captive Africans aboard the Preciosa were issued emancipation certificates, and those who were deemed to be in adequate health for transportation (198 men and 63 women) were resettled from Cuba to Belize39, although still weakened from the conditions suffered during the middle passage, ten more died en route. 

9. Jousiffe was transported to Freetown where he awaited the arrival of witnesses for the prosecution’s case and his own defense; he was finally brought to trial on April 25th, 1837. After hearing extended testimony from both the prosecution and the defense, Jousiffe was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years transportation.

10. After his conviction of violating the British Anti-Slave Trading Laws, but before his sentence of transportation could be carried out, it appears that Jousiffe was able to call on his connection with Canot once again to assist in a breaking out of the Freetown prison and returning to his Rio Pongo home.

11. This account corroborates similar observations made by British Commissioners John
Jeremie and Walter W. Lewis to Viscount Palmerston on December 31, 1840 as they
explain, “We have lately received intelligence, on which we can depend, that the
notorious Edward Jousiffe, who made his escape from the goal [sic] of this colony after
his conviction as a British subject for slave-dealing, died not very long since at the Rio
Pongas” (Jeremie and Lewis 1840: 7-11). Thus, Jousiffe’s time as the trader of Gambia in
the Rio Pongo came to a close, and there is no documentation that has yet been uncovered indicating any successors at the site.

12. He had arranged ro his friend and partner-in-crime, Theodore Canot to pay a substantial bribe to a government official for his escape and possibly his future safety from arrest. This bribe may have been a well-crafted decoy that included a rumour about his death. Strangely, his friend and close confidant, who describes in his book the demise of all his other associates, neglects to say anything about Edward's demise. 

 

What, indeed, happened to our namesake in the Jousiffe Family, after his escape from British justice in 1837? What do we make of his friend's assesertions that he was born of parents with distinct "continental" origins. Does this support the theory that the Joussife Family may have its origins in France from where they fled during the persecution of people who followed the Protestant Faith?