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8

CAPTURE OF A SLAVER.

having a rod of iron between their ankles. They probably were recent investments, and could not be trusted at large. But what shocked us most deeply was seeing a poor woman brutally struck across the chest by her master, a black half-caste Portuguese, for attempting to go out without leave. Such are some of the vicissitudes in the life of a slave !-submission may obtain kind treatment, but even this is not always sure.

The Portuguese troops in Fort Sebastian have Hindostanees amongst them, and they observe the pleasing (Spanish?) custom of doffing their caps during the "beat off" at sunset, and I understood from a sentry that they paid this respect also to the rising sun. The governor dined with the Admiral. He was in plain clothes, and wore a star. His crew of ten negroes had to wait in their boat during the operation of dinner. They were in man-of-war costume, and, remarkable enough, the head-dress was a black Highland bonnet with crest.

On the 10th of August a slave - vessel, Sunny South or Manuella, was captured with upwards of 500 slaves on board, 75 of whom were women. The scene they presented of nakedness, despair, disease, and hunger, was too loathsome to describe; while, to judge from the ham and preserves I saw with Long, our mule attendant, who had been sent on board and made good use of the opportunity, the captain and officers must have fared well. The crew were brought on board the Brisk for the Admiral's inspection. All came willingly, with the exception of one or two, who were a little rusty, requiring the assistance of one of our big marines to bring them

ARRIVAL AT ZANZIBAR.

9

to order. They continued smoking till stopped by the stern discipline of the ship's corporal, who received and ranged them in formal line to take their names. Eventually they dispersed over our ship, and, after some days, might be seen working quietly with the other sailors. The slaver, one of the fastest and most beautifully - proportioned vessels ever put together, went to the Mauritius, losing 105 of the poor starving creatures during the passage, and was afterwards wrecked near the point at which she was captured.

At Johannah Island (about 12° S. lat.) we stayed four days taking in coals. To a rambler or lover of picnics by clear brown mountain-streams, margined by a most luxuriant flora, I know of no such charming spot within the tropics. Its harbour, however, is a dangerous coral basin or lagoon.

On the 17th August the island of Zanzibar came in sight; also four smaller isles, looking like great arks whose bows and sterns hung bushing over the waters. The island has a low appearance. The town, running along the shore for a quarter of a mile of flat-roofed warehouse-like buildings, is not imposing, its mud fort-towers and the flags of four consulates being the only prominent objects. The bay is perfect, and we anchored close to shore in seven fathoms, this being the 108th day since we departed from England.

The greatest heat encountered—and it was felt to be excessive—was when in 16° S. lat. at Mozambique, the medium temperature in the shade being, on the 7th August, 78°. Lat. 37° S., long. 21° E., on the 22d of June, after a storm during the night, shows the lowest

10

AMUSEMENTS ON BOARD SHIP.

recorded medium temperature, namely, 46°. Many a pleasant hour was whiled away during the two voyages -shooting, band-playing, rubbers at whist, amusements with the various dogs,-Tawny, a clever collie; Ossian, a deerhound; and Lumpus, a retriever, &c.;— sketching and photographing, drying botanical specimens, and picking up daily instruction in nautical observation.

CHAPTER II.

ZANZIBAR-THE SLAVE-MARKET-CLIMATE AND PRODUCE OF THE ISLAND-TRADE AND SHIPPING-DECAPITATION OF TWO MURDERERS-OUR PARTY PROCEED TO THE MAINLAND OF AFRICA.

AFTER anchoring at Zanzibar, the Brisk had complimentary salutes from the men-of-war in the harbournamely, the Sultan's, the French, and H.M.S. Lyra. Next morning at eight the Admiral had a special salute from one of the Sultan's frigates; and again, as put his foot on shore to attend a durbar, another was given in honour of our country—our ships returning each and all.

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Colonel Rigby, an officer of the Bombay army, H.M.'s Consul, entertained us with true Indian hospitality during the thirty-nine days of our stay; and his exertions greatly contributed to our getting away so quickly. He, having passed in six languages, acted as interpreter at the durbar, where the Sultan was most affable, shaking hands with all.

Though the streets of Zanzibar are too narrow for a wheeled carriage, and the supply of water deficient, everything looked clean and neatly kept; and the shop

12

ZANZIBAR SLAVE-MARKET.

keepers, chiefly Indians, were respectful even to a painful degree, rising as we passed them. The bazaar is very abundantly supplied with vegetables, fruit, and dried fish; little butcher-meat, but liquor-shops abound, and water has to be purchased-the best quality being carried fully a mile from a hot spring, which bubbles from under rock, and tastes unpleasantly warm. Men

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in the marketplace have an odd way of hawking about their goods for sale. Goats, carved doors, beds, knives, swords, &c., are all paraded up and down, and their prices shouted out. The market for human beings is a triangular space surrounded by rickety huts, thatched with cocoa-nut leaves; and the parties of slaves (negro men and women brought originally from the interior of Africa), on being exhibited, are guarded by men with swords. Some of the unhappy groups sit calmly in the marketplace, looking very clean, well fed and dressed, but with a depressed anxious look, saying to you with their eyes, Buy me from this yoke of slavery!" It is a very striking though most humiliating sight to observe one of the Zanzibar rakish-looking crafts (felucca-rigged) arrive from Ibo, on the mainland, crammed with naked slaves for the market-all as silent as death. The Arab owners, gaily dressed, stand at the stern, and one holds the colours, in seeming defiance of the British Consulate, as he sails past. The price of slaves was low in 1860-only £3 each; and many Arabs would have taken less, as Colonel Rigby had released upwards of four thousand, who became independent, living in a newly-made part of the town, and gaining a livelihood by fetching water and selling the produce of the island.

The Sultan was most polite in sending riding-horses

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