How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
…the cross-legged figures of six other blacks; each with a rusty hatchet in his hand, which, with a bit of brick and a rag, he was engaged like a scullion in scoring…" (3.17)
This should be a red flag for Delano right away; the slaves are sharpening axes? But he can't believe that black people could control a ship, or control a white captain, so he's like, huh, I guess that's cool. Racism: it makes you dumb.
Quote #2
"…don't speak of me; Babo is nothing; what Babo has done was but duty." "Faithful fellow!" cried Captain Delano. "Don Benito, I envy you such a friend; slave I cannot call him." (3.47-48)
Babo is doing his duty—to his own people. The idea that Babo's duty is to his slaveholder is really racist; why should he feel loyalty to the people who robbed him of his freedom?
Quote #3
Suddenly, one of the black boys, enraged at a word dropped by one of his white companions, seized a knife, and..struck the lad over the head, inflicting a gash from which blood flowed. (3.60)
This scene, and Delano's reaction, points to the ways that different racist tropes can work together, or sometimes against each other. The idea that black people are violent or dangerous seems to be at play here, as the black boy attacks the white one for (what seems like) no reason. At the same time, Delano can't believe anything is amiss, because Don Benito says it isn't, and he's white, and therefore in control.
Quote #4
"…but poor Babo here, in his own land, was only a poor slave; a black man's slave was Babo, who now is the white's." (3.107)
Is this true? We don't actually know enough about Babo to be sure whether he was a slave in his home or not. This is perhaps one sign that Melville was, in fact, on the side of the slavers—you never really learn very much about Babo or his background. The story seems as little interested in him as a person as Delano does.
Quote #5
There's naked nature, now; pure tenderness and love, thought Captain Delano, well pleased.
This incident prompted him to remark the other negresses more particularly than before. He was gratified with their manners: like most uncivilized women, they seemed at once tender of heart and tough of constitution, equally ready to die for their infants or fight for them. (3.183)
Delano says that the black women are ready to die or fight for their infants—but he doesn't consider that those infants are in danger of being sold away into slavery. He's telling himself why the black women would be willing to kill him, but he's too dense (and racist) to realize it.
Quote #6
But if the whites had dark secrets concerning Don Benito, could then Don Benito be any way in complicity with the blacks? But they were too stupid. Besides, who ever heard of a white so far a renegade as to apostatize from his very species almost, by leaguing in against it with negroes? (3.191)
Here's a point where Melville seems anti-racist. Delano explicitly says that black people are stupid, and too dumb to plot against him. But that's false, as you learn in the story. Black people aren't stupid; they're certainly, in this story, much smarter than Delano.
Quote #7
There is something in the negro which, in a peculiar way, fit him for avocations about one's person. Most negroes are natural valets and hair-dressers; taking to the comb and brush as congenially as to the castinets…. (3.250)
Again, this is Delano's racism talking here; he thinks black people are naturally made to be servants. And he's completely, idiotically wrong; Babo isn't made to be anybody's servant. In fact, he's so little suited to being a servant that he's willing to kill, and to die, in order to avoid being one.
Quote #8
"This is an uncommonly intelligent fellow of yours, Don Benito, whispered Captain Delano across the table. (3.297)
Almost by accident, Delano stumbles on the truth. He's still racist (he thinks it's surprising that a black person can be intelligent) but he's managed to figure out that Babo is, in fact smart.
Quote #9
…he had determined to kill his master, Don Alexandro Aranda, both because he and his companions could not otherwise be sure of their liberty, and that to keep the seamen in subjection, he wanted to prepare a warning…(3.403)
Babo kills Aranda because he wants to make sure that Aranda won't be able to enslave them again. That seems like a reasonable solution to a reasonable fear. It's not clear whether you're supposed to sympathize with Aranda or not…but remember he's a slaveholder. Is his fate really unjust?
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.