St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-02-23
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

The slave trade, with all the iniqui-
tous conditions attending it, is all
the time rapidly increasing in Cen
tra Africa. The Arab slave hunter
after gaining wealth does not retire.
On the contrary, with the profit of
each new venture he buys more guns
and ammunition and hires fresh bands
Of pillaging followers so that he may
enlarge the sphere OF his murderOus
exploits.
Veritable armies of Zanzibaris and
Mangemas, Differed by Arabs, are
constantly engaged in the capture of
the natives and the robbery OF their
ivory.
The villagers OF the interior, dread
INC always a visit from some horde
o.raiders, hide away their elephant
,a,k> in the junglcs and the swamps.
The Arabs make no pretence to
legitimate commerce; with their SUI
prrilr weapons and overwhelming
numbers they can without difficulty
overcome the poorly armed natives.
Actually the slave traffic is subser-
Went to the acquisition of ivory, for
the Arabs capture the natives and
then ransom them for ivory.
One big tusk weighing 60 pounds
q will grant the release of one slave.
The Arabs remain in such camp
Fl ,ll the district is drained of its ivory,
n Then the slaves who have not been
n purchased are loaded down with
B IVORY, and the merciless pillagers
move along to a new hunting
4 ground.
The chart of Central Africa is con-
stantly changing Today some
traveller maps down a fourishing
settlement as yet untouched by
proving slavers. The villagers are
friendly and industrious, and well
kept plantations of grain and fruits
flank the long rows OF neatly built
nuts few weeks hence the woods
around it will echo back the ring of
musket shots and the dying groans
of those who dared TO defend their
homes, and naught will remain of
that happy settlement but charred
embers and few decaying bodies,
silently explaining in CHASTITY elo-
4 quence the reason of the change.
Many of the tribes who were liv-
ing near the rivers no longer dwell
on shore; they have scooped out
monster canoes, which are rooted
with mating. The natives occupy
these all the year through, and by
keeplng a careful lookout for the
Arabs advance they can avoid him
n by flight down stream.
The cunning Arabs purposelv keep
me native tribes at enmity among
q Themselves by employing some as
'IIIeS against the neighboring settle
ment' In the cannibal regions the
payment tor such service is meat"
or to be more explicit, the dead
bodies OF those cruelty slain in the
'"ldS These Arabs encourage the
most brutal aud barbarous customs
among the interior tribes. Ceremo-
mes involving human sacrifice and
'"NnIoaI orgies create demand tor
saves, which the Arab will supply
"1gn the payment is ivory.
he Arab Slavers are not merely
Jew brlgand tribes scattered over
Ioe land, but a powerful, well organ
lcu system occupying the heart of
area From the numerous slave
uePotS large bands of hired robbers
are constantly going and coming
starting out with their muskets and
" lew loads of ammunition and re-
'ornlng with slaves and ivory OBJ
'alned by theft and murder.
nc ivory eventually reaches Fan
Noar, on the east coast. When a
soodIy pile has been COLLECTED" at
o"e Oh the strongholds a caravan of
save gangs carries it to the Indian
ocean Every tusk, already foully
purchased by innocent lives, de-
m9ndS still more sacrifice before the
DvIcate substance, daintily carved,
s'aces some boudoir, where, amid
's rehned surroundings it's bloody
history is buried.
II has been frequently said by
travellers who have followed the
.iade OF the SLAYER that, so Uttered is
' ,"e way with grinning skull and
mul'ened skeleton, should you lose
your bearings these grim relics
"0uId guide you to the coast.
~ AZ Stanley Falls in 1889, Tippu
Up Up mad 10000 pounds of ivory
mnlch had been collected" by his
numerous bands in about ten
lsnns' To carry this to the coast
1 4ooD men would be required. The
T tH:1 themselves admit that two
, "'IuS who start with such a cara
W never reach their destination.
i; MIItaKened already by hunger and
b, .Lea tment, many succumb to the
,n,,"'uSh'ps of the 5000 mile journey;
t;I I" ,t ana women staggering along
M M 'ney TALL from sheer exhaustion.
G many OF the women have babies
sbo S'ue theirload OF ivory, and if they
cb 4% signs of tagging behind the
to n', LUIS IS Snatched from them and left
nrs ptIish on the wayside, so that the
P'tClOuS fuel, ...a- III l. l..,o