Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-23
Slave Hunting on the East African Coast.

Writing from Zanzibar on the 10Th
of December, the correspondent of the
Western Morning Neus describes adj
ventures which, to say the least, are Of
an unusual character. He says that
one of H. M. S. Lo7ado'o's boats engaged
in cruising after slavers had got into
serious difficulties. Her officer (Lieut.
Matthews) had received information
that a dhow engaged in the slave trade
was lying at Tangata, and he proceeded
there and found the dhow. No one
was on board, and as it was necessary
to get hold Of some of the crew to prove
that she had been engaged in conveying
slaves, Lieutenant Matthews and one or
two men went to the village and a man
was pointed out as captain of the dhow.
To get him down to the beach was the
next object, and this was effected by
persuading him to carry some fowls
down with promise of payment for so
doing. On arrival he was assisted into
the boat and made a prisoner, and this
the natives resented and let fly show
er of arrows, but luckily did no harm,
and few shots from the rifles of the
boats crew drove them into the bush.
The following day the steam pinnace
was taken up the river, the banks of
which were lined with archers, who
sent their shafts at the crew. This was
allowed to go on for some time, but at
last the rifles were brought to bear on
the bush whence the arrows came. A
few shots were sufficient, and the ma
tives retreated. The captain of the
London referred the matter to the Con-
sui General, who in turn laid the
case before the Sultan. His
Highness said we might send
force and demand the head men of two
villages to be given up, i'll order to be
dealt with by himself If this were not
done the villages were to be burned
and the dhow destroyed. The Sultan
lent little yacht of his own to carry
the officers and men across. The ex-
petition was commanded by Lieuten-
ant Annesley, of the London, but un-
fortunately on nearing Maizena, Island,
about twelve miles from Tangata, the
yacht got on reef. This was at nine
o'clock at night, and as there was a
considerable serf on, and the vessel was
likely to become total wreck, Lieu
tenant Annesley ordered all the Eng
lishmen under his command to get
into the boat and they did so. The
Arab crew had left with them a skif,
which they assert would carry even in
smooth water only about one-sixth
Of the number on board The next
morning it was found that the vessel
had not gone to pieces, but was lying
at anchor, the Arab Captain having
succeeded in getting an anchor out on
some spars and hauling her off, but not
before she knocked hole in the bot
tom. The English were not welcomed
on their return, the crew at first re-
fusing to hold any communication
with them. Our party proceeded to
Tangata, and after spending two days
in fruitless endeavors to induce the two
head men to give themselves up, an
immense quantity of ammunition in
the way Of shells and rockets was ex-
pended, and landing was then effect
ed and the two villages were burned.
No living creature was found, and no
dead bodies were discovered. As for
the capture Of dhows or slaves, there
has been nothing done Of late except
by the LO1adOn's boats, which have cap
tured since the last mail 800 tons. The
Thetis has done nothing since the cap
tare of large dhow, with $50 on
board, about three months ago, and the
Flying Fish has been away over four
months and has taken nothing.