CABOCEER Derived from the Portuguese cabociero, meaning headman or official, caboceers were the directly-appointed agents of coastal West African chiefs who were responsible for the actual procurement of slaves from the interior. Acting as a middleman between the chief and European (or American) trader, the caboceer would procure slaves and deliver them to coastal forts or slave-factories in preparation for the actual trading process. The slave-factories were manned by a European-in-residence called a "factor." Generally the employee of a large slave trading company, the "factor" was responsible for maintaining and caring for the slaves during the period between their delivery by the caboceer and the arrival of slave ships for transport to the western hemisphere. See also: ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE and BARRACOON.
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