Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters and on the eastern coast of Africa, etc

Front matter

DHOW CHASING IN ZANZIBAR WATERS. LONDON : GILBEET AND EIVINGTON, PRINTEES, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. Frontispiece.] CROSSING THE BAR IN THE " WHALER " TO RESCUE NEGROES FROM A WRECKED DHOW. [Page 150. DHOW CHASING IN ZANZIBAB WATEES AND ON THE EASTERN COAST OF AFRICA. NARRATIVE OF FIATE YEARS' EXPERIENCES IN THE SUPPRESSION OP THE SLAVE TRADE. By CAPTAIN G. L. SULIVAN, R.N. LATE COMMANDER OE H.M.3. " DAPHNE." WITS MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES TAKEN ON THE SPOT BY THE AUTHOR. HonBon : SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, LOW, & SEAELB, CROAVN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. 1S73. [All rights reserved.~\ PAGE CONTENTS. Introduction ........ 1 THE CRUISE OF THE "CASTOR."

Chapter I

The " Castor " leaves England — Arrives at the Cape —Her Boats detached— The " Dee "—St. Augustine's Bay — Natives of Madagascar — Angoxa — Slave-trade in 1850 — Boat Attack on the Forts of Angoxa — Blockade of the River — Rendezvous on Mafamale Island — Encampment on Island — Routine — A Man up a Tree . . . . . .11

Chapter II

Cruise of Boats — Quinzanza River and Natives — Brilliant Phenomena — Casuarena Island — Provisions stolen by Natives — Short allowance — Arrival of barge — Alexandre's grave — Catching a Turtle — Return to Mafamale — A grand Dinner — Foster's Illness — Bleeding a puppy — Foster's Death — Mozambique Graveyard — Mozambique Harbour — Capsized in a Canoe — Cruise among the Querimba Islands — An exciting Chase — Friendly Natives — Fittings of Dhows . . . . . .31

Chapter III

Method of conducting the Slave-trade — The " Legal Trader's Slave-trade " — Difficulty of distinguishing VI CONTENTS. PAGE 93 the Slavers — Escape of Slave Vessels in conse quence — Arab Interpreters — Chaee of a Dhow — Disguise of Negroes — Negoda's surprise at not being detained — South-West Monsoon — Stormy Weather — False Information — Overboard to avoid the rain — Beam-ends in a Squall — " The fellow wants me " — Return to the "Castor" ... 57

Chapter IV

The " Castor" at Zanzibar — A Farm-yard on Board — Efforts against the Slave-trade — Expedition against the Keonga Slave Barracoons — Native Violence towards Officers — Punishment of the Natives — Illness of the Crew — The Commodore ill — Put the helm up — The Commodore will put the helm down — An exciting Chace, " That's her " — Disappointment — Portuguese Man of War — Disappears — Return to the Cape ....... 73 THE CRUISE OF THE "PANTALOON."

Chapter V

Passage to Aden — Cairo — Suez Hotel — Passengers — The " Pantaloon " — Aden — Seychelles — Coco-de- Mer — Latham Island — Zanzibar, Agreeable Society there — Limits of Legal Slave-trade — Slave-trade is Piracy — Miserable Condition of the Slaves — Illegal Extension of Slave-trade — Jumah's Information — Dhow passes full of Slaves — Her Crew laugh at us

Chapter VI

Visit to the Sultan— Pemba Island — A Licensed Slave Dhow — Negro Infant — Island of Mohilla — Visit to the Queen — Reception — Trincomalee — Return to England CONTENTS. VII 173 THE CRUISE OF THE "DAPHNE."

Chapter VII. Page

The " Daphne " commissioned — Outward Bound — Loss of au Officer — Abyssinian Expedition — Annesley Bay — Arrival at Seychelles — Port Victoria, its Unsuitability as a Depot — Madagascar — Slave-trade in the Vicinity — Commoro Islands — Mayotte — Tour of the Island — Roman Catholic Schools — Johanna — Mohilla — Changes since former Visit — Proceedings of a Frenchman — Visit to the young King — Mozambique — Riswara River — Shooting Excursion, Appearance of the Country — Interview with Natives — Return to Zanzibar. . . .131

Chapter VIII

Slave Dhows in Zanzibar Harbour — Important Information — Departure from Zanzibar — Domestic Slaves — Chase of a Dhow— Capture of a Dhow — Chase of another Dhow — Dhow stranded — Slaves in the Water — Rescue of Children in Life-boat — Another Slave Dhow stranded — Perilous Positiou of the Cutter — Capture of more Dhows — Another wrecked — Dreadful Condition of Slaves — Cruel Treatment on Board the Dhows — Arrival of "Star" — Departure from the Coast — Slaves on Board — Becalmed and drifting . . . . . .153

Chapter IX

Negro Tribes — Gallas — Naming the Negroes — Marlborough — Negroes feeding — Several die — Small-pox breaks out — Examination of Negroes — Then- Stories — Mary Careesey — First Lieutenant's Employment and Patience — Peggy — Native Languages — Arrival at Seychelles — Put iu Quarantine — Negroes Landed — Several marry — Arrival at Bombay CONTENTS. VIII

Chapter X. Page

Number of Captures in 1868 — Departure from Bombay — Cruise on Arabian Coast — Chace of Dhows — A Slave Dhow slips away — Maculla — Visit to the Sheik — Capture of two Dhows— Stories of Slaves on Board — Aden — Condemnation of Dhows — Departure for Seychelles — Capture of Slaver with fifty-two Slaves — Arrival at Seychelles — -Visit to old Acquaintance . . . . ... .197

Chapter XI

Zanzibar — French Charlie's Shop, his Promptness — Trip to Dana Salaam — Our Party — The Town — Shooting Hippopotami — Mafamale Strangers — Fish Hawks — Mayotta — Marguerite . . . 207 PORTUGUESE POSSESSIONS.

Chapter XII

Portuguese Possessions, their Claims — Population of Mozambique — Full of Slaves — Ibo — Cape Delgado — Quillimane — No other Portuguese Settlements — The Arabs in real Possession — Conducia — The Portuguese Slave-trade — Free Negroes — A Portuguese Schooner with Slaves in her — Defeat of Portuguese Forces — Their Power confined to one Island 219

Chapter XIII

Condition of Slaves in Portuguese Territory — Cruelty — A Slave flogged to Death — Slaves escape to "Daphne" — Slaves or " Free Negroes "—Refusal to give them up — Correspondence with the Governor — The " Star " in sight — My Promotion — Fernando Veloso Bay — An Interview with the Natives — Their Curiosity — A Mystery — The Rivers of Africa CONTENTS. IX

Chapter XIV. Page

Jumah's Death — Visit to his Widow — Arab Mourners —Time of Mourning — Prospect of being married again — The Slave-market — Wretched Scenes — Disgusting Conduct of Dealers — A Farewell to Zanzibar and its various Inhabitants, &c. . . . 247

Chapter XV

Immense Number of Slaves released — Misconception of the term " Domestic Slaves " — Many Slaves conveyed under that Name — Distinction quite clear — What are Domestic Slaves and what are not — What has become of liberated Africans — Tariff of Wages — Efforts to improve their Condition — Missions — The Jesuits ........ 257

Chapter XVI

Aden — Negroes worse off — Somallie Boys at Aden — A good Field for Missionaries — Bombay a worse Place for them — Duty of England to instruct them — Depot necessary on Mainland — Placiug them on Islands an Injustice — Zanzibar the worst Place for them — Johanna preferable, but Mainland only suitable — Possibility of returning to tlieir own Country 269

Chapter XVII

A Bulwark on the Coast necessary — British Stations — Abolition of existing Treaties — Basis of future Treaty — Future Treatment of liberated Africans — Darra Salaam — Indian Garrison — Road to Interior — Intrenched Stations — Instruction, &c, of Negroes — Cost of undertaking a Company— Practicability of Scheme ......... 281 a CONTENTS. X

Appendix

. PAGE Extracts from Evidence taken before the Select Committee of the House of Commons . . . 297 Madagascar. The Chief Secretary of State to Consul Pakenham . 381 Extract of Annual Report from Commandant Heath to Secretary ofthe Admiralty Jan. 22, 1870. . . 382 La Traite des Negres de l'Afrique Centrale . . 384 Translation of the annexed Extract from the Moniteur Universel, of Paris, of the 10th December, 1872 . 385 Germany. Mr. Gordon to the Earl of Clarendon . . . 387 Mr. Cope to Mr. Gordon 388 Baron Von FreyJorf to Mr. Cope .... 389 Memorandum by Dr. W. Schimpfer relative to East African Slave-trade . . . . . .391 The Earl of Clareudou to Mr. Gordon . . . 414 Interior of Africa. Dr. Livingstone to the Earl of Clarendon . . . 414 Extract of Letter from Dr. Livingstone to Dr. Kirk . 428 The Slave-trade on the East Coast of Africa . . 429 Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to inquire into the whole question of the Slave-trade on the East Coast of Africa, &c. ........

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Map of the East Coast of Africa. Crossing the Bar in the Whaler to rescue Negroes from a wrecked Dhow (p. 159) Frontispiece Badane of the Arabian Coast ...... 102 Bugala, or Dhow il,. Matapa Boat of the Northern Rivers . • . . . ib. The Island of Mahe 105 Section of Vessel, showing the manner of stowing Slaves on board 114 A Street in Seychelles 135 Zanzibar Harbour, and Fleet of Dhows .... 153 Fac-simile of the Condition of one of the Slaves taken out of a Dhow captured by the " Daphne " 161 Group of Negro Men and Boys taken out of captured Dhow in a state of Starvation 168 Group of 322 liberated Africans on the Deck of the "Daphne" .171 Group of Galla Women liberated by H. M.S. " Daphne " . 175 Group of Negro Women of different Tribes . . . 176 Lumpy Keboko . . . 178 Group of Slave Children on board the " Daphne " . . 180 Panoramic View of Darra Salaam DHOW-CHASING.

Introduction

. A FTER a few years' lull in the anti-slavery storm, "the old fever," as the Bishop of "Winchester calls it, has broken out again : not that it had ever entirely subsided, for there have always been solitary spots where the English flag has not prevailed, and this so-called fever has existed, just as there are solitary spots or unfrequented localities where typhoid or other zymotic diseases lurk, and Avhich only become epidemic by some unexpected or sudden meteorological disturbance or atmo spheric change. The immediate cause of the r,

INTRODUCTION.

. appearance of the fever in this case was, as often happens in such outbreaks, local, and may be attributed in no small degree to the renewed efforts of officers employed in the suppression of the slave-trade on the east coast of Africa. They, being eye-witnesses of what was going on, could only conclude that the trade, instead of being diminished by all the costly efforts of England, was rapidly in creasing, and that those efforts were indirectly aiding the traffic by enhancing the value of the slaves, and thus making the trade more lucrative. A flame is extinguished by a violent puff of wind, but a slight draught will only make it burn fiercer. It became well-known to many officers on the east coast that those fine points in the treaties with the petty sultans and puny potentates, acknowledging a " legal slave-trade" and " domestic slavery," have acted as an impassable barrier against the abolition of this iniquitous trade; they were aware of the fact that from want of acquaintance with the actual condition of things England had become drowsy and unconcerned, and they

INTRODUCTION.

. 3 could but view with alarm the tendency that appeared in India to allow those clauses in the treaties to be stretched almost to any extent in interpretation. Further, they learnt, with astonishment, that this trade was being openly carried on by British subjects (of India), and, moreover, that in case of any interference with their interests these people possessed the power of arousing dangerous agitation in public opinion in India. These officers found that by giving offence to any of the petty local sovereigns, by increased firmness and decision on their part in draAving the line as distinctly as it is portrayed in the treaties, that they were regarded as affecting the political interests of India and endangering the relations between that country and the parasites surrounding it. As an in stance of this, I may mention that an officer connected with one of our Admiralty Courts in India once said to me, at a dinnertable, " If we go on condemning these vessels for having only a few slaves on board, we shall be having our supplies cut off again from the interior." The result of this state of things has been b

INTRODUCTION.

. that, instead of the horrible traffic being reduced or suppressed, there are at this present time in Zanzibar alone nearly three times the number of slaves imported and exported than there were twenty years ago, and England, though she might have justly expected by this time to reduce her fleets and expenditure, has now, after all her previous costly efforts, to begin again. Yes, whilst these vile cesspools remained undisturbed, though they might have increased in size and number, the fever was only local; now they have been disturbed the fever has extended, and it is with no little pleasure that I say that the clearing out and exposure of these hidden spots by legal sanitary measures, zealously and ably conducted by the officers employed in that service, have in no small degree contributed to the fresh outbreak of this anti-slavery fever.

Under the circum stances above stated, I have been induced to publish a brief narrative of my own experience when employed on the east coast of Africa, first as a midshipman, twenty-three years ago, in order to point out how little really was

INTRODUCTION.

. known at that time of the slave-trade as it then existed, and how small the means were for suppressing it ; and subsequently and recently, when, in command of H.M. ships the " Pan taloon" and "Daphne," I was enabled to judge of the vast increase of the trade during the interval, and when, in the years 1868 and 1869, I was fortunate enough, Avith other com manders, to assist in liberating no less than 2179 negroes. Among the great difficulties which officers meet with in the execution of this duty at first, is the want of personal experience and the absence of any document or record of the experience of others who have preceded them ; and it is partly to meet this want, so much dwelt on in the evidence given before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, that I have been induced thus to record my own experience ; in doing which I have, in the first place, confined myself as much as possible to a simple narrative of facts, subsequently dwelling more fully on the slave-trade as it now exists on that coast, and especially on that part of it claimed by the

INTRODUCTION.

. Portuguese. A vast branch of this nefarious trade (that in so-called "free negroes") — which has been almost lost sight of through the apparently sincere profession of the Portuguese Government to abolish it, and through the absence of any European Consul to watch it — is still going on, though in a far more subtle way, to as great an extent as ever, and with greater cruelties than any practised by the Arabs. I have also endeavoured to point out, that whilst little benefit has hitherto accrued to the trifling percentage of negroes liberated and placed on small islands for the rest of their lives, still less has* fallen to the lot of those who have been thrown into the midst of the Hindoos of India with a doubtful liberty and, to some, certain bondage of a worse kind than slavery — uncared for and unthought of afterwards.

I have also ventured to suggest a remedy for such a state of things in acknowledging our duty and responsibility to do more for these negroes, and, if possible, to open up their own country and enable them to return to it. The accompanying engravings, with one or

INTRODUCTION.

. two exceptions, are from photographs which I was enabled to take at various times when employed on the coast, but not with any idea then of their appearing before the public in their present form. G. L. S. February, 1873. THE CEITISE OF THE "CASTOR" "CASTOR."

Chapter I

The " Castor " leaves England — Arrives at the Cape — Her boats detached — The "Dee" — St. Augustine's Bay — Natives of Madagascar — Angoxa — Slave-trade in 1 850 — Boat Attack on the Forts of Angoxa — Blockade of the River — Rendezvous on Mafamale Island — Encampment on Island — Routine — A Man up a Tree. TN May, 1849, I joined H.M.S. "Castor," commissioned by the late Admiral Wyvil, then a captain, appointed as Commodore of tho Cape of Good Hope and East Coast of Africa as far as the fourth parallel of south latitude. On Friday, the 15th June of the same year, we sailed from Sheerness, the superstition attached to that day by sailors having long ceased to exist. If it ever really existed, it originated probably about the time when Queen Elizabeth, with the view of creating a reserve DHOW-CHASING. for her navy and of increasing the number of fishermen in her dominions for that purpose, directed that fish should be eaten on all fast days, or, at any rate, at a time when Mr. Forster's Education Bill would have been treated as sacrilege by a superstitious people who would have trembled at the sight of a magpie and turned pale if the salt-cellar had been overturned.

Towed by the " Sampson " steamer, we reached Plymouth on Sunday, the 17th, and finally sailed for the Cape of Good Hope on Saturday, 23rd June, where we arrived on the 29th August, 1849. The " Castor " being detained at the Cape on account rf the convict dispute in that colony, her boats were detached, under escort of H. M.S. " Dee," to cruise in the Mozambique Channel for the suppression of the slave-trade. The boats consisted of the ship's pinnace and a barge, a private boat of the commodore, given him by the Imaum of Muscat, when previously on that station in command of the " Cleopatra." With these boats hoisted inboard, " CASTOR.' 13 the " Dee," under the temporary command of Lieut. Crowder, sailed from Simons Bay, on the 1st October, for the Mozambique Channel and east coast of Africa.

We arrived, after a fortnight's passage, at St. Augustine's Bay, remaining there for two days for the purpose of watering the ship. It may not be out of place here to give some description of the inhabitants of this part of Madagascar, situated in the south-west of the island, which is, in round numbers, about 700 miles long by 300 broad ; St. Augustine's Bay is about 250 miles from the capital. It can hardly be said that it is under the laws or government of the king, for the natives of the villages within a few miles of each other are continually fighting amongst themselves upon the smallest provocation, or to obtain plunder ; and so warlike is this copper-coloured race that it has been found too dangerous, indeed almost impossible, to make slaves of them. Intellectually, they are as far superior to the ordinary African negro as are the Sornaulies or Gallas in the north of Africa, neither of DHOW-CHASING. whom are classed as negroes by the Arabs; and so dangerously treacherous are they, that when ever the ship visited this place for provisions or water, in the boats, we could not enter the river without being armed, the arms being, however, concealed under the thwarts, lest the sight of them should provoke the natives to hostilities.

On two occasions I witnessed the readiness to refer their disputes to their spears. The first was when visiting it on this occasion, and being at one of their villages in the pinnace, at a place where the river was very narrow, not more than a few yards across, and very deep. As Campbell was skylarking with them, and practising at throwing the assagi or spear, it accidentally went into the river : this enraged the owner, who, by his angry tones, collected a crowd round him that seemed almost equally annoyed ; and in vain Campbell offered to pay for the lost weapon. At last matters became so serious that one of our party dived into the river and recovered it, to the astonishment of the natives, who, though expert swimmers themselves, as a rule, looked unusually serious, " CASTOR." 15 and their exclamations of astonishment were so great that we could not understand the cause, until told by a French merchant resident there that the river was so full of alligators at that part that no one ever ventured into it, and that only a few days previously a child had been taken off the bank by one of these reptiles.

Another instance was when subsequently there in the " Castor." The boats were stationed off the beach, as a guard over a party from the ship which was employed filling casks with water, to protect the men against any attempt to attack them on the part of the natives. A negro in a canoe came alongside the boat I was in, and offered some fruit and calavancies for sale in a small grass or reed basket : these, together with the basket, were purchased by some one in the boat, who received it out of the canoe. He then shoved off, but returned soon after and demanded the basket back, saying it was not part of the bargain ; when, on its being refused him, he shoved the canoe off a few yards, exclaiming, " Then me fight for it!" at the same time lifting his spear, which, had it been thrown, DHOW-CHASING. would have been a signal to the rest of the native canoes for a general attack on the white men, and we should have had a similar occur rence to that which took place two years previously a few miles to the north of this bay, when a boat's crew belonging to the " Cleo patra," commanded at the time by our com modore, and consisting of Lieut. Molesworth and ten or twelve men, were attacked and massacred within a few yards of the ship, while laying out an anchor, the whole of the canoes escaping to the shore before the " Cleopatra " could get a gun to bear or fire a single shot at them.

This occurred at a place on the west coast of this island that has since been known by the name of Murderers' Bay; and, seeing the serious consequences that must have ensued, the basket was returned to the man, who appeared to be greatly pleased at having got what I suppose he thought the best of the bargain. We sailed from St. Augustine's Bay for Angoxa (pronounced Angoza) on the 9th November, and anchored off that river on the CRUISE OP THE " CASTOE's " BOATS. 17 morning of the 15th, when the boats were hoisted out, manned, and armed, in preparation for exploring the river the next day. It will be remembered that at this time slavery had not been abolished in the United States, South America, Portugal, or the Spanish settlements, therefore there was a large trade going on with these countries from the east coast of Africa, which, being considered safer than the west coast for the slavers, owing to the number of cruisers on the latter station, although the distance was greater, was for a long time the favourite coast for shipping the slaves, both with the Spanish and American traders.

These vessels were generally disguised as whalers until a fitting opportunity presented itself, and when they thought the road was clear they would anchor at the entrance of a river and, aided by the dhows, in one night would take in cargoes of several hundreds of slaves, and be far off the coast the next morning. At that time there were so few cruisers in this part, ***-*-*; and the slavers were kept so well informed as to their movements, that capture was improc DHOW-CHASING. babie.

It was -usual for the men-of-war to remain on the south part of the coast, and in doing so it was impossible to keep a check on the vast coasting-trade then, and still, going on from Quillimane to Mozambique, from Mo zambique to Zanzibar, from Zanzibar to the Persian Gulf, &c. The Portuguese settlement, Quillimane, is about the most southern slave depot, and at Mozambique, their principal fortress on the coast, the largest slave-market was held, not even excepting that of Zanzibar, which is another great source of that great human " Nile " which continually increases in magnitude as it runs north and empties itself into the slave oceans of Persia, Arabia, and Egypt ; but with this difference in the case of the two rivers, that whereas the sources of the great liquid river are replenished and supplied again from the ocean, the sources ot this human river are being exhausted and dried up from the want of fresh supplies; for the children, being considered of even greater value than the adults, are kidnapped from the country in great numbers, and the population " CASTOR'S " BOATS. 19 is thus being reduced at the rate of upwards of ] 80,000 a-year, not more than a third of which, however, reach the chief markets on the coast, as numbers are either killed or die of disease before their march of three or four hundred miles from the interior is over.

To give some idea of the number of negroes that are shipped or exported from the coast annually, the lowest estimate from Zanzibar territory alone has been 20,000 a-year, allowing the tax to be 11. per head ; giving the Sultan an income of 20,0007, a-year derived from this trade. That this estimate is far below the actual number ex ported is, however, proved by the fact that the highest tax on any slaves amounts only to sixteen shillings per head (four dollars); therefore the Sultan's income of 20,000?., said to be derived from this tax, would represent 25,000 slaves; but his income in 1867-68 amounted to about 56,000?,, or 270,000 dollars (see the Hon. C. Vivian's evidence before the Select Committee, q. 23). If the former sum of 20,000.. may be taken as representing the number of slaves exported in 1860 (Majorc DHOW-CHASING.

General Rigby, in his evidence before the Select Committee, gives 19,0007. for that year) the latter sum of 56,0007. may be fairly taken as the Sultan's income from the same source in 1870, and will enable us to form a just estimate of the increase in the trade to Zanzibar since that year. But these figures do not represent more than one-half of the trade in slaves on the east coast, for they do not include either that great branch of this human traffic carried on by the Portuguese to the Commoro Islands and Madagascar — and sometimes, too, under the French flag — nor does it represent that portion of it that passes the Zanzibar dominions as it proceeds north by the coast to Arabia, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea, without touching at these markets or paying any tax to the Sultan. But, in addition to all this, on the east coast there is an extensive slave-trade being carried on from Abyssinia, through the Red Sea, to Egypt, for an account of which we refer the reader to the memorandum of Dr. W. Schimpher relative to the East African slave-trade, in the Appendix.

What country "CASTOR's" BOATS. 21 in the world could stand such a constant drain on its population? and must not the evil of thus rendering that great continent agricul turally barren, checking all trade and produce, be felt throughout the world, perhaps for centuries ? The immense wealth of Africa which now lies buried and dormant is yet, I believe, destined to be brought to the surface, when its trade will take the place of the present iniquitous slave traffic and be a benefit to all the other nations of the world, while that which at present is carried on only feeds the lust and avarice of a few uncivilized Arabs, and is a curse to mankind. On the morning of the 16th November the boats of the " Castor " and " Dee " were manned and armed and proceeded up the river Angoxa. It was known that for several years this river had been entirely in possession of the Arabs, who had a large fortified town of the same name which was a great slave depot on this part of the coast.

The strength of the Arabs on the coast, and the utter inability of the Por tuguese to cope with them, may be judged by DHOW-CHASING. the fact that although some years previously one or two Portuguese regiments, assisted by the boats' crews of the "President" and " Eurydice," endeavoured to take the place, they were repulsed with heavy loss, the " President " and " Eurydice " having several men killed and wounded, and, notwithstanding the lapse of time, this so-called Portuguese territory was still in the hands of the Arabs, who, as was subsequently proved, would have been willing to enter into a treaty with England which at that time would have been considered an advantage, and, although they would not have consented to suppress the slave-trade entirely, such a treaty would have gone far to curtail it in that locality and have facilitated the operations of the cruisers on that part of the coast.

Our little fleet consisted of the following boats : — " Castor's " pinnace, Lieut. Campbell, myself, mid., and twenty men, with one 121b. gun; barge, second-master C. Albert, Pat terson, mid., and fifteen men, with one 31b. gun ; " Dees' " first paddle-box boat, J. T. Jones, " CASTOR'S " BOATS. 23 second master, a mid., and about eighteen men, with one 18 pounder; "Dees'" second paddle box boat, Dyer, master's assistant, and about eighteen men, with one 18 pounder ; gig, Lieut. Crowder, commanding expedition; cutter, Dr. Evans. We proceeded up the river to ascertain if any slavers were in it or under the piratical slave fort of Angoxa, where the barracoons were continually kept full of slaves ready for ship ment. We never thought of landing to destroy these barracoons, as was sometimes done on other parts of the coast, for it would have been out of the question with so small a force.