Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-10-04
SLAVERY AT MOZAMBIQUE.

On going through the streets of MoZam-
bique we see nearly all the slaves disfg-
ured in some way or another, according to
taste. One little girl, about six years old
has brass headed nail through her nose
and makes kind of cribbage-board of
her ears; her face is barbarously gashed
and in the grooves kind of yellow dust
is inserted. These gashes, extending
from each eye round the cheek to the
chin, form crescent on the forehead,
with Il vertical line down the nose. The
pattern differs but slightly in different in
dividuals. About ten o'clock 2. NJ,
slave emerges from the sea alongside,
having clamored into the dingy astern,
over the taffrail on board, and there he
stands, naked shivering and supplicating,
evidently in an extremity Of fear for his
poor life we see his case at once, it is an
everyday occurrence. He is runaway
and must have swan at least two miles to
get beneath our me-honored bunting.
A cup of hot tea and bread, &C., are
eagerly devoured by him. then he begins
to explain himself. By drawing his fin
ger across his throat he illustrates some
act attempted or to be attempted by his
cruel master. We keep him ON board un-
til the captain arrives with the little par
son the former humanely puts his name
on our books as one of our crew, thereby
giving the protection sought; the latter
runs down below and shortly appears
with a Baltic shirt and trowsers, which he
puts over the shivering limbs of the poor
darkey, who can scarcely realize his po-
sition, and when sent forward slows him.
self away in some dark corner of the ship
and cannot be found even at meal hours.
20th July-During the day we have
another case of this kind. Our steam is
blowing off, and we are in the usual man
of-war fever to get away, but fortunately
the captains clothes are at the washer
woman's, which is some guarantee that
we shall not lose our linen, which the dis
honest Arabs keep back in hopes of the
ship sailing without it. | hasten on shore
and scramble through dirty huts and wig
wams and at last manage to collect about
POO pieces of the missing gear belonging
to our fellows, and with my prize hurry
back. Getting on board the anchor is
weighed and we are moving. The pilot,
an Arab, is just leaving us, when one Of
his boats crew, slave, smuggles himself
on board, and clings to the guns tackle
with desperation. With his fingers he i'm
itates a terrible hogging, occasionally ut
tering doletul, wretched cries. and point
ing to his master as the instrument of tor
ture who glares savagely the while. The
captain orders him to be removed to his
masters boat, but that is easier said than
done; the black clings most tenaciously,
nor could he be dragged away, unless by
force, which was not used. In the mean
time the slave howls horribly, and the Capt.
told the owner to take his slave into his boat
The task too is much for him. and at last the
poor creature is left with us. He rushes
forward and meets his brother, the runa-
way of last night, they shake hands to-
gether, then run aft, and wave their hands
triumphantly at the almost maddened
master dropping astern. cannot help
sentimentalising when l see these black
fellows waving their hands, the blue en-
sign floating over their heads, and the
masters savage look. The whole was
pantomime scarcely describable. AS our
paddle wheels revolve once more, we turn
and loathingly look at the Portuguese flag
floating insultingly over multitudes Of
these poor wretches.