We Then Went To Mozambique, And Visited The Portuguese Governor,
John Travers De Almeida, Who Showed Considerable Interest In The
Prospects Of The Expedition, And Regretted That, As It Cost So
Much Money To Visit The Interior From That Place, His Officers
Were Unable To Go There.
One experimental trip only had been
accomplished by Mr Soares, who was forced to pay the Makua chiefs
120 dollars footing, to reach a small hill in view of the sea,
about twenty-five miles off.
Leaving Mozambique on the 9th August, bound for Johanna, we came
the next day, at 11.30 A.M., in sight of a slaver, ship-rigged,
bearing on us full sail, but so distant from us that her mast-
tops were only just visible. As quick as ourselves, she saw who
we were and tried to escape by retreating. This manoeuvre left
no doubt what she was, and the Brisk, all full of excitement,
gave chase at full speed, and in four hours more drew abreast of
her. A great commotion ensued on board the slaver. The sea-
pirates threw overboard their colours, bags, and numerous boxes,
but would not heave-to, although repeatedly challenged, until a
gun was fired across her bows. Our boats were then lowered, and
in a few minutes more the "prize" was taken, by her crew being
exchanged for some of our men, and we learnt all about her from
accurate reports furnished by Mr Frere, the Cape Slave
Commissioner. Cleared from Havannah as "the Sunny South,"
professing to be destined for Hong-Kong, she changed her name to
the Manuela, and came slave-hunting in these regions. The
slaver's crew consisted of a captain, doctor, and several
sailors, mostly Spaniards. The vessel was well stored with
provisions and medicines; but there was scarcely enough room in
her, though she was said to be only half freighted, for the 544
creatures they were transporting. The next morning, as we
entered Pamoni harbour by an intricate approach to the rich
little island hill Johanna, the slaver, as she followed us,
stranded, and for a while caused considerable alarm to everybody
but her late captain. He thought his luck very bad, after
escaping so often, to be taken thus; for his vessel's power of
sailing were so good, that, had she had the wind in her favour,
the Brisk, even with the assistance of steam, could not have come
up with her. On going on board her, I found the slaves to be
mostly Wahiyow. A few of them were old women, but all the rest
children. They had been captured during wars in their own
country, and sold to Arabs, who brought them to the coast, and
kept them half-starved until the slaver arrived, when they were
shipped in dhows and brought off to the slaver, where, for nearly
a week, whilst the bargains were in progress, they were kept
entirely without food. It was no wonder then, every man of the
Brisk who first looked upon them did so with a feeling of
loathing and abhorrence of such a trade. All over the vessel,
but more especially below, old women, stark naked, were dying in
the most disgusting "ferret-box" atmosphere; while all those who
had sufficient strength were pulling up the hatches, and tearing
at the salt fish they found below, like dogs in a kennel.
On the 15th the Manuela was sent to the Mauritius, and we, after
passing the Comoro Islands, arrived at our destination, Zanzibar-
- called Lunguja by the aborigines, the Wakhadim - and Unguja by
the present Wasuahili.
On the 17th, after the anchor was cast, without a moment's delay
I went off to the British Consulate to see my old friend Colonel
Rigby. He was delighted to see us; and, in anticipation of our
arrival, had prepared rooms for our reception, that both Captain
Grant and myself might enjoy his hospitality until arrangements
could be made for our final start into the interior. The town,
which I had left in so different a condition sixteen months
before, was in a state of great tranquillity, brought about by
the energy of the Bombay Government on the Muscat side, and
Colonel Rigby's exertions on this side, in preventing an
insurrection Sultan Majid's brothers had created with a view of
usurping his government.
The news of the place was as follows: - In addition to the
formerly constituted consulates - English, French, and American - a
fourth one, representing Hamburg, had been created. Dr Roscher,
who during my absence had made a successful journey to the
N'yinyezi N'yassa, or Star Lake, was afterwards murdered by some
natives in Uhiyow; and Lieutentant-Colonel Baron van der Decken,
another enterprising German, was organising an expedition with a
view to search for the relics of his countryman, and, if
possible, complete the project poor Roscher had commenced.
Slavery had received a severe blow by the sharp measures Colonel
Rigby had taken in giving tickets of emancipation to all those
slaves whom our Indian subjects the Banyans had been secretly
keeping, and by fining the masters and giving the money to the
men to set them up in life. The interior of the continent had
been greatly disturbed, owing to constant war between the natives
and Arab ivory merchants. Mguru Mfupi (or Short-legs), the chief
of Khoko in Ugogo, for instance, had been shot, and Manua Sera
(the Tippler), who succeeded the old Sultan Fundi Kira, of
Unyanyembe, on his death, shortly after the late expedition left
Kaze, was out in the field fighting the Arabs. Recent letters
from the Arabs in the interior, however, gave hopes of peace
being shortly restored. Finally, in compliance with my request -
and this was the most important item of news to myself - Colonel
Rigby had sent on, thirteen days previously, fifty-six loads of
cloth and beads, in charge of two of Ramji's men, consigned to
Musa at Kaze.
To call on the Sultan, of course, was our first duty.
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