116
APPENDIX TO REPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE
Appendix, No. 7. become a ^reat article of export, were the Portuguese to put a stop to the export of slaves
Natives of India, who have resided many years at Kilwa, the chief slave, mart on the
coast, state, that it is only within the last 10 or 12 years that the Arabs «ro into the
interior with large numbers of armed followers on purpose to procure slaves, and that
whole districts are systematically dmnted to jirocure them, tiie cupidity of the native
“ chiefs being excited by the muskets, guns, powder, and cotton cloth, they receive from
‘ the Arabs in payment. They also state, that districts near Kilwa, ex tend inn- to 10 or
“ 12 days’ journey, which a few years ago were thickly populated, are now entirely unin-“
habited ; and an Arab, who has lately returned from Lake Nyassa, informed nie that
“ he travelled for 17 days through a country covered with ruined towns and villao-es
“ which a few years ago were inhabited by the Mijana and Mijan tribes, and where now
no living soul is seen.”
26. It would be an easy task to depict, from such facts, the atrocities which must be
perpctraied in the mtirior by the slave hunters, and the cruelties and indignities su he red
by llitir unwarlike and inoffensive prey. Such, indeed, appears to be the almost universal
testimony to their character, and from personal observations at Zanzibar, I believe there
can be no doubt on the subji ct. Unfortunately the miseries of the wretched negroes do
not cea^e with their ca[)ture, and the trader is deemed lucky who succeeds in reaching»- the
coast witli only the luss of one-third of his booty. G'donel Rigby thus describes the
arrival of a cargo of slaves at Zanzibar, and it may fairly be inferred that their treatment
while detained on the coast, is equally cruel and repulsive. Premising that the slaves of both
sexes on first arrival are in a state of almost com pie le naditv, Coioi.el Rigby writes- “ It is
“ impossible to conceive a more revolting sight Iban the landing of the slaves comimr from
‘ Kilwa ; they are brought in open boats, packed so closely that they are exposed dav
‘ ami night to sun, wind, and ram, with only sufficient grain to keep them from starvation
It the boats meet with contrary winds, they generally run short of water, and thirst is
added to (he other miseries which these poor creatures endure. On arrivino- at Zanzibar
‘ they are frequently in the last stage of lingering starvation, and are unable to%tand - some
dro]) dead in the custom-house and in the streets, and others who are not likely to recover
are left on board to die, in order that the master may avoid paying the duty which is
levied on those landed. After being brought on the shore the slavesTare kept some time
in the dealers houses until they gain flesh and strength, when they are sold by auction in
the slave market. The Arab regards the slaves as cattle; not the slightest attention is
paid to their sufferings ; they are too clieap and numerous to be cared for. This year
“ slaves have been sold in tire interior for half a dollar a head, or five slaves ciyen in ex
" ? ■o«' bullo, k.” It Is true that the slaves on the island plan'tations lead"
a comparatively easy life, and that once in the possession of masters whose interest it is to
caie (or them, they are for the most part humanely treated ; but much as ilie after condiiion
of slaves in Mahomeijan countries has been vaunted of when compared with the lot of such
as are taken to America, the aniecedents and concomitants of the trade are as barbarous in
the one case as in the other, and the degrading results to those who engage in it, anti its
ruinous consequences in retarding the civilisation of this part of the African continent are
not one whit behind the worst phases of West African slavery. *
27. Turning in (lie next place lo a consideration of the besi remedy for this deplorable
slate of tilings, I beg to observe at the outset, ti.at at present i he traffii is carried on with
out any restriction whatever. 1 he provisions of the Treaty whereby his late Highness
engaged to prohibit, nil,ter the severest |,enaltles, the export of slaves from his African
dominions, and their import into his possessions in Asia, and to issue orders to his officers
to suppress such trade, are a dead letter, as the foregoing facts have abundantly proved
Moreover [ am unable to perceive the most distant prospect for the better without some
radical »eiorm in the system of the native Government, or without a more decided policy on
V to a man are more or less mixed up with the traffic ; his Hio-hness’s
chief adnsers draw a profit from it ; his own household, police, and army, are recruited
principally from the same source ; and the banyan, who farms the entire customs of the
Zanzibar and African territories, deriving as he does two dollars per head on every imported
slave, must be interesled in the prosperity of the trade. Educated as he has been it is not
surprising that his Highness Synd Majeed cannot view the subject of slavery in any other
light than that of a time-honoured institution, profitable in its immediate results, and permitted,
if not actually sanctioned, by the precepts of his religion. Nevertheless, I have reason
to believe Ins Highness, from political motives, is by no means personally indisposed tn
co-opeiale in suppressing the traffic, at all events to the extent contemplated by the Tren tv
and Colonel Rigby has never had to complain of any reticency on his part when cnIW
upon to interfere in isolated cases of infraction brought to his notice. But with an I '
tion to govern wholly devoted to the trade, and an executive equally involved in it
Majetd may be said to hold the reins of power by sufferance, and is therefore absolute^
unable, without extraneous support, to carry out the provisions of the existin'^ Treaty If
his officials on the coast connive at the exportation of slaves to foreign narts he eannr>f
superse(3e them by others who would not follow their example; and even at Zanzibar
untie, ins immediate inspection, the same couise is pureued, almost will, impniiitv, tiesnité
S’f Si"?} Wy of'sôldifÍt%
tt koitllem Ä Whdet“ga7d on dnlj. '^lidren to
28, Nevertheless,
