The New York herald., 1872-11-05
THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE EAST COAST
OF AFRICA.

The Times OF IndiG gives stirring account Oh
the capture OF slave dhow near Ras-elbad, in the
Gulf OF Persia, by the boats OF Her Majesty's ship
vulture. When the capture was completed it was
found that the crew and passengers, including the
slave merchants, comprised thirty-sx Arabs, oil
heavily armed 1.-THE number Of slaves 1t was Inn.
possible at the time to estimate. So crowded
on deck and In the hold below was tho
dhow that it seemed, but for the aspect
OF misery, very nest or ants. The hold
from which an intolerable stencil proceeded
was several inches deep in the fouest bige water
and refuse. Down below there were numbers Of
children and wretched beings In the most
loathsome stages OF smallpox and scr0fula
OF every description. more disgusting
and degrading spectacle Of humanity could
hardly be seen, while the founess or the dhow was
such that the sailors could hardly endure 1t. When
the slaves were transferred to the vulture the
DOOR, wretched creatures were so dreadfully ema-
ciated and weak that many had TO be carried on
board and lifted for every movement. How 1t was
that so many had survived such hardships was a
source OF wonder to all that belonged to the Vu.
that there were less than thirty-hve cases Of
smallpox In various stages, and from the time OF
Butchers Island, Bombay, fifteen died out OF the
whole number OF 169, and since then there have
most most @ atrocous piece Of cruelty OF the Arabs was was
heard afterwards from the slaves themselves
viz, that at the nrSt discovery OF smallpox among
them by the Arabs all the infected slaves were at
once thrown overheard, and this was con-
tinued day by day UNTIL they said, forty
had perished In this manner. When they found
that the disease could not be checked, they simply
left them to take their chance and die. Many OF
the children were OF the tenderest years, scarcely
more than three years old, and most o. them bear
ing marks or the brutality OF the Arabs in half
healed scars and bruises indicted from the lash and
stick"
correspondent OF London Journal writing In
confirmation OF recent reports OF the slave trade
carried on from the higher parts OF the Nile, says
that at a point on the White Nile above khartouIn,
the slave dealers diverge towards Matamma, on the
of their plumber to resident Dealers who In turn,
march the poor wretches to Massowah aud Soua-
kim, on the coast. l was at Massowah for some
time In 1862 and can attest that each little vessel
carried living freight out OF the place. myself
embarked at Mass0wah in small Arab trader bound
to G0ufdah and Gedda. On leaving the port the
number on board appeared to be four OF q crew,
three resident Moslems OF MassOwah on Pilgrim
age to Mecca, and myself en- route for SueZ Buc
shortly after leaving is, when we were q few
their appearance from underneath the cargo; like
wise five little girls, OF ages ranging from ten to
fifteen, were slowed In small space at the stern
Of the vessel. All these were the property oil
on board in charge OF them. His cruelty was be-
y0nd description. Hardly q word OF Arabic could
the little ones speak, yet he forced upon them
Islam with an impatience that made them wrthe
u allah savdnd MohaDsed Rdssoos AdR could be
heard, except at intervals loud scream Indicated
that the scOOrbag' was being used unmerc1fuly.
On arriving at Gaundah two rather unlntellgent
males were taken on shore anu paraIed through
the streets for sale, one OF whom was actually sold
in my presence for O sum equivalent TO ZIG. The
rest were taken to Gedda, and on arrival landed,
with myself and the other three passengcrs.n