How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
…he exultingly informs the negro, that henceforth he is to work for him, and be his slave, and that his treatment would entirely depend on his future conduct. (5.185)
The nasty hermit Oberlus tries to kidnap a black man in "The Encantadas", but the man manages to escape. Oberlus seems in part to have gone for this man in particular because he wants a slave, and sees black people as slaves. The story portrays Oberlus as clearly the bad guy; he's a robber and a jerk. You could see this as a sneer at slaveholders if you squint, in which case it might suggest that Melville's sympathies in "Benito Cereno" are with the slaves. It's hard to say though; the incident isn't dwelt on, and so Melville's exact opinions remain difficult to pin down.