Report from the Select Committee on Slave Trade (East Coast of Africa); together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, appendix and index

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 832922498

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-79587

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report from the Select Committee on Slave Trade (East Coast of Africa); together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, appendix and index

Place of publication:: [London]

Publisher:: [The House of Commons]

Year of publication:: 1871

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (XXIV, 242 S.)

Collection:: Economics Books

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ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 115 consul in warning her of the presence of Her Majesty’s ship Lyra;” otherwise it is more Appendix, No. 7. than probable that she would have been captured by the “ Lyra,” in the same manner that " another vessel, also under Spanish colours, was taken by her a few days atter off the Island of Monfea.' In this latter case, likewise, the charterparty found on board was signed by Mass, who engaged to supply the vessel with a cargo of slaves. 20. Mr. Mass and his coadjutor have quitted Zanzibar, but it is reported that the former has proceeded to Lamoo to carry on his slave speculations there, and it is rumoured that no less than five foreign slavers consigned to him are expected to visit this coast during the approaching season. 21. The foregoing facts will suffice to convey to the Government a tolerably correct idea of the extent to which the foreign slave trade is being prosecuted within the territories dependent on Zanzibar. Independently of the energetic exertions of Colonel Rigby to arrest it, there are absolutely no restrictions whatever on the infamous traffic; and it is much to be regretted that instead of co-operating with him in his praiseworthy endeavours, the representatives of France at Zanzibar have hitherto seemed disposed to countenance, if not to protect, the foreign agents engaged in the inhuman trade. 22. I proceed, in the next place, to lay before Government several details regarding what may be called the do nestic slavery of Zanzibar and its African dependencies. The evident scope of the treaty made with the late Imam Syud Saeed, was to confine the slave trade within certain limits. The facts recorded in the foregoing remarks prove incontestibly that the provisions of the treaty in that respect are a dead letter ; and, further, that the limits within which domestic slavery was still permitted have become the principal source of an extensive supply of slaves for foreign exportation. 23. Colonel Rigby reckons the annual import of slaves into Zanzibar, ostensibly for the supply of the domestic market, at 19,U00. His Highness Syud Majeed estimates the number at between 25,000 and 30,000. Add to this 4,000 sent direct from the coast towards Arabia and the Persian Gulf, and as many more from the same quarter to South America and other foreign ports, either direct or through the Portuguese territories, and the result will give a yearly average export of no less than 30,000 slaves from tlie African ter ri lories dependent on Zanzibar, the principal places of export being Lamoo on the north, and Kilwa on the south. 24. So great has been the demand of late years that the slave resources on the coast have been quite exfiausted, ami regular forays are made into the interior by armed bands of Arabs and Sowabilis to collect supplies, and the tribes are bribed to co-operate witli them against each other. Dr. Krapf, tfie eminent African missionary, thus describes the process : “To t!ie south of the Pangani is the territory of tfie heathen Wasegua tribe, and the great “ centre of the si ive trade. The Arabs of Zanzibar come here and promise the Wasegua “ chief's a number of muskets and shot for a certain number of slaves ; so when a chief has “ entered into the contract, he suddenly falls on a hostile village, sets it on fire, and carries “ ofi the inhabitants. Among these tribes the slave trade has hitherto flourished to a “ frightful extent, chiefly owing to the encouragement of the Arabs of Zanzibar. From “ 10,000 to 12,000 slaves are said to pass yearly through Kilwa on tfieir way to the “ various ports of the Sowahili coast and to Arabia, and we saw many gangs of from six to “ ten slaves chained to each other, and obliged to carry burdens on their heads.” Later still, Captain Burton writes that the slaves from the interior “ are collected like ivories “ tlirougfiout the length and breadth of the land. They are driven down from the principal “ depots to the coast by the Arab and Wasawahili merchants, who afterwards sell them “ in retail at the great mart of Zanzibar.” The Rev. Mr. Rebmann, also, whom 1 had an opportunity of consulting on the voyage from Zanzibar, spoke of slavery as a curse which was fast depopulating that side of the continent, barbarizing the residents on the coast, car rying de-olation and death far into the interior, and effectually neutralising every attempt to introduce Christianity into the country. An isolated residence of 14 years among the natives of the main land gives the weight of experience to Mr. Rebmann’s opinions, and his conviction is, that whilst slavery continues to be so profitable a speculation to the ruling party, and such a fell scourge to the aboriginal tribes, the civilisation of Eastern Africa is impossible. Mr. Rebmann’s readiness to supply me with any information on the state of uflairs in that quarter calls for my sincere thanks, and 1 gladly avail myself of the same opportunity of testifying to the great respect with which his exemplary and self-denying character was spoken of, as well by his Highness Syud Majeed, as by all classes oí the native population. 25. These statements are fully confirmed by the reports of Colonel Righy^ spared no pains to collect the most authentic inrormaiion on the subject. Writing in March last, he says; “ It appears that the tribes near the coast have been seized and sold to such “ an extent that the supply is exhausted. The M’do tribe, which some years ago lui nished “ most of the slaves brought to Zanzibar, is said to be quite extinct. Ihe slave trade is “ every year being carried further into the interior amongst tribes where it had been pre- “ viously unknown. The great Mizan tribe, which occupied a vast extent of rich country, “ producing cotton in abundance, is now nearly exhausted ; and districts which a few years “ ago were populous and productive, are now entirely destitute oí inhabitants. This traffic “ is now carried on even beyond the Lake of Nyassa, and is depopulating the rich valleys “ inhabited by the Manganza tribe, where cotton is so abundant that it might soon 0.116. p2 «become

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