New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-08
DIR. SCH WEINFURTHS TRAVELS,
HIS VISIT TO THE ISLAND OF SOCOTRA.
From The London Jy,ues

From The London Times
The following interesting letter has been
forwarded to the Secretary of the British and Foreign
Antisavery Society by tho weknown traveller and bot
anis Dr. Schweinfurth, author of the Heart Africa:
CAIRO, July 1, 1881.
having written You. Although enjoyed exceilen D
fined few days with Slight fever '0eh con-
left 1% h W ssve learnt arr by my letter from Alden that
manned by twenty five Strong easterly winds and
to S9cotra stopped at Sughra Bolhaf and I'll Harn
on the south coast of Arabia and made excursions from
soeotra being pressed for time the approach the
Alden impossible We could not lose moment in ' avail IL
nag ourselves of the wonderful fertility the island
Of plants that had time writing more than my
Ro the @ w ws 9 bs as I yG@ sa In The
Professor Baliour, OF Glasgow had spent weeks
had corrospondod with that gentleman before my depart
nGe IRON AdHn ana am indebted to him for valuable
lection as Mr.. Balfour and have the good fortune
forth we viii nne o work %G in "rSsT nc Hence
botany of the island What splendid vegetation there is
coasts Africa and Asia oncfoarh of the nora mav
a2 curious siScnehs whch nave nothing to do with
only on May IL that embarked in the last vessel
island fearing the monsoon WoniJ sci n Iei me
l2th Of June thanks to the kindness and hospitality OF
the good captain of the Dragon. found myself once
inc nfst night or my arrival had half an hours
yersation with COLONEL Gordon was on board one OF
the Messageres Martmes steamers and left next day
accidentally placed face face with the man whom
adore From him learnt the sad fate OF poor Gessi.
Now you nave the history of In order In
explore the Island OF sOcera for weeks it cost me
with the results and with my collections but am dis.
treHsed at the immense loss OF time incurred
I hays ,[1de nappi as Eeards the G9 Of Alden,
me that the ranice has diminished in the southern
part OF the Red sea- / have visited south coast
to be able to state that slavery does not exist
There on large scale, ana that the traffic. either
% use Is ot ReiGeht'ne, ana as proof may
aiding the ports belonging to the Sultan of Makaiiah
snaychcd Ac We're stopped and carefully
allah or were on their way TO Muscat, came from
3ise Gelther ana they exhibit the least signs being
large vessels OF from 80 TO $50 tons in the early
rLey ye,oad IRON Zanzosf on their way to Mnscat
bllsh trade with the socorians the seashorc at Tam
narid There were no slaves board OF these vessels
none sold, mono offered for sale. avn pretty well in
we're sS on "s RTa Upon qairng why no slaves
would RISK doing so, because the moyements ~
and the penalty is severe The result is that Soth ="
ZshziDsr and Mscat the slave trade really Suppressed
ports al Socotra escapes observation, for ths island il
80 c1petey re- TO lse that up TO 1879, when a new
only 3hipwrecked persons had visited it, once a year
Whch Is at Alden visits the island to dispIav
inc British nag also used 10y the Sultan of Sorora1 3
10 pay the 800 which are due to the sultan This year
unfortunately the dispatch vessel could not go cre
anu N,t7 lhe cause OF our pcIplcNiy about rerniug
on perceive mat Socora mi t DO very conVenient
Paec or ayetraalng but that it is not So Slaves are
almost unknown III the island. There are some -,
ever IN The small villages the coast whicn ara ",
1t ny AltDs, Whie the Mountains peohed bv a
Pccuii lilG' nous race neither Arab, SOunali nor
negro, nor amy thing else are i'm these
6Ic"t hummer OF negroes llte or manumited by their
masters III HthHlDar or III hu,cat. These haro
already reached the second third geucration onr
nave recently come from Muscat oo., but ali of en
enjoy perfect liberty. SocDtrn snrt ~, Vuin
these people Inc Red Sea Is the very rcyersr WHIT a
shameful state OF things there ia AT rho very tos 90
Aden! Unfortunately, thc local governor has NOT su0
OF the slave trade Generally there are ONLY n ,i,n
boat ana dispatch vessel stationed there asso sa
Always plying between Perrin and Alden, Berbcra AMI
huen etc ana lately the petty soutj,
Arabia has occupied them entirely To nut dn1r1 ~
save-tIade In the Red Sea effectively it woud re"mirn o
sh't meet OF steam cutters constantly cruising aong
vessel without exception. The assistant resident ~
Alden Captain Hunte told that the chief -, a..
DC experienced Ia hs measures against the savetrade
coslSIcu' l. III every movement OF the cruisers heinz
signalled to the slavers long before their anproos
enabling the slave vessel to escape in the cruiser MOI
pelng allowed To land her men pursue the fgitivne
ana, s. that between Great Britain and TlIrkev H.
made with Egypt. There is the iIltention my 'n d
matter neglected Hodeidah Hodeidah r imip3rant
Ater an the evidence we have, il Ii there that Mi efnr
gwen, Her Hajestys ship Dragon WAS cxnresaI, 30
10 ompay TO put down the slave trade In the Red Sea-
tAt Ade there are only the Arab and Dagmar boiS
neing engaged on the Arabian with the DragnnI
On our arrival at Alden last March the Dragon receia2
eouatel-orders to arrange the dispute Between fbn
Slltans of Makaah and Shehr, she had ,o
rms petty war between Arabs is of very @
portahce, ana the English would do better n NOT mai
uihg WIN tnese private icuds between chefs ,
are bound TO thcm by treaty, who in any caae 1.
"lhhgD yeid TO The wishes OF the Government ~