# The age of recruitment  
The professional experience of enslaved and freed sailors was varied. Given that many were on their first voyage, they did not necessarily have years of experience in working at sea. Duarte José, for example, was a Cabo Verdean cook and a captive of the captain of the N. S. do Monte do Carmo e Senhor da Canaverde on a 1768 voyage from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro. It is known that his experience with ships began when 'he was a child', that he was 36 years old and that he did not know how to write his own name. ${ }^{7}$ Duarte's case might have been the exception, as data for men of his condition indicate that most of those enslaved tolerated the gruelling nature of the seafaring trade for two to eight consecutive years.  
All indications suggest that both enslaved and freed men had entered the world of seafaring at a young age. Most were aged between 10 and 14, although  
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[^0]:    5 Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Junta do Comércio (ANTT/JC), Livro 1 - Matrículas de Equipagens de Navios (1767-1768), fl. 31; Livro 5 das Matrículas das Equipagens dos Navios (1767-1769).
6 ANTT/JC, Relações de equipagens de navios e passageiros, Packet 1, Box 3, 'Relação dos oficiais e mais pessoas da equipagem do navio Santa Ana e São Francisco Xavier que faz viagem para Lisboa' (Pará, 1 March 1771).
7 ANTT/JC, Livro 4 - Matrícula de equipagens de navios (1767-1769).  
many joined the profession up to the age of 30 . It must not be forgotten that many freedmen had joined the trade when they were still enslaved and had bought their freedom using savings they had built up or through negotiating with their masters.  
Young people up to the age of 25 were the most coveted by the recruiters for ships covering long distances. After this age, the number of freed and enslaved men recruited for the first time would begin to decline, in view of the drop in the muscular strength required to perform jobs on board.