Sadly, Captain Canot didn't believe that the treatment of slaves was a problem. Like most people in his time, it was common to think of slaves as only sub-humans. To Captain Canot he was just carrying regular old cargo that just so happened to be alive and breathing.
Captain Canot was a person who captured slaves to make them work for him, he gave them little privileges and had zero qualms about it.
(I wasn't able to get access to any text for a clearcut example, but essentially you're supposed to find an example in whatever text you are reading to support that he was completely ok with slavery. Like, in what ways did he explicitly imply that slavery is a good thing, or what actions and feelings do he have towards it being a thing? And then explain it.)
Answer:The figurative language used in the above stanzas is METAPHOR.
Metaphor is a comparison of two objects that are unrelated but have similarities. These similarities are used for more rhetorical effect and to catch audience's attention.
Shadow is compared to sunlight on a plate of silver.
Footsteps is compared to seeding-place of lilies
Moving hands is compared to chime of bells.
Movement of hands is compared to light of a rising sun and hopping of birds
