Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-13
A TERRIBLE STORY.
capl.rs Of Jan Ea.. African shaver.

| Capture Oh AN EssI Al-lca- ?.
A correspondent writing to the Pali
Mall Gazette from Zanzibar, on March
1.-THE Daphne has just arrived from
Madagascar, having had the good luck
to capture the finest prize that has been
made for several years. 1t appears that
on March l3, while cruising in the vlcin.
ity of Cape st. Andrew, she sighted a
dhow standing in for the land, and efter
an exciting chase of more than three
hours, she succeeded in bringing her to,
but not until eight or ten shots had been
fired, the last two of which struck the
water within a few feet of her. She
proved to be large dhow of upward of
200 tons, and at the time of capture had
230 slaves and forty others, consisting OF
the guard, crew and slave-owners, on
board. She had sailed from town within
twenty miles of Mozambique eight days
previously, and, having lost thirty slaves
on the passage, she must have had no
less than three hundred souls on board
at the time of her departure. 1t is easy
to see that, though a large dhow, the
crowding must have been terrible, and
in consequence the sufferings of the
wretched victims understandable. 1t is
said that papers found in the dhow
clearly prove that the slaves were
destined for Nos Beh, where, under the
designation of engages, they would be
employed by the French sugar planters
on that almost the latest French an
nexation, and learn not only the mean
ing, but the beauty of the legend,
liberte, Egalite, Fraternite.
Another Zanzibar correspondent,
writing to the same paper on the I'd Of
April, sends an account of this capture,
which only differs from the foregoing in
few minor points. He goes on to say
But what seems so extraordinary is
that, after making so fac a-seizure, she
did not at once proceed to Seychelles
and land the poor emaciated wretches,
where everything is always in readiness.
for their reception; moreover, from the
place of capture to the Seychelles was
only five days run in the southeast
trade, with fine weather all the way. |
have it on good authority that, had this
course been adopted not more than five
slaves would have died. Instead OF this,
Notwithstanding that it was VIGOROUSLY
the bad weather season, the Daphne first
of all went to Mozambique and had bad
weather all the way, but still only one
slave was lost. Then from Mozambique
she returned to Madagascar, and on the
way encountered a cyclone. The
result may be guessed; more than
two hundred slaves, naked, weak and
i'll, unused to the sea, we're forced
to rough it out on the upper deck
through the storm and pitiless rain. /
would willingly draw veil over the rest
of this sad story, but publicity is the
only safeguard against such a mistake
being allowed to take place o second
time. / have tried to get at the exact
number, bnt have not been quite success
full. However, am on the right side
when | tell you that one-tenth of the
whole we're dead within four days of the
cyclone-they at any rate have been
emancipated. Twenty have died since
that; SO fancy the survivors would tell
a strange strory Of capture and recap
ture if ever they returned to their me-
tive country