Chap. XIX. HORRORS OF THE SLAVE-TRADE. 



391 



barter. Some ivory was offered for sale ; but the chief 

 traffic was in human chattels. Would that we could give a 

 comprehensive account of the horrors of the slave-trade, 

 with an approximation to the number of lives it yearly 

 destroys ! for we feel sure that were even half the truth told 

 and recognised, the feelings of men would be so thoroughly 

 roused, that this devilish traffic in human flesh would be put 

 down at all risks ; but neither we, nor any one else, have the 

 statistics necessary for a work of this kind. Let us state 

 what we do know of one portion of Africa, and then every 

 reader who believes our tale, can apply the ratio of the 

 known misery to find out the unknown. We were informed 

 by Colonel Eigby, late H.M. Political Agent, and Consul at 

 Zanzibar, that 19,000 slaves from this Nyassa country alone 

 pass annually through the Custom-house of that island. This 

 is exclusive of course of those sent to Portuguese slave-ports. 

 Let it not be supposed for an instant that this number, 

 19,000, represents all the victims. Those taken out of the 

 country are but a very small section of the sufferers. We 

 never realized the atrocious nature of the traffic, until we 

 saw it at the fountain-head. There truly "Satan has his 

 seat." Besides those actually captured, thousands are killed 



and been forgotten. Major Sicard 

 protested against being thus placed 

 over a nest of slave-dealers, from 

 ■which it is scarcely possible for any 

 Portuguese to escape with untarnished 

 honour ; and naturally feared that the 

 position he had acquired by receiving 

 the thanks of the English Government 

 would be seriously affected by such 

 questionable promotion. His remon- 

 strances were all in vain, for the 

 Governor-General insisted, and as a sol- 

 dier our friend had nothing left but to 

 obey. When Captain Stirling landed, 



Major Sicard was so much taken 

 aback by his own false position and 

 the crowd of slaves ready for exporta- 

 tion, that he could scarcely articulate, 

 and, forgetting his usual prompt po- 

 liteness, did not even ask his visitor to 

 sit down. It is scarcely possible to 

 conceive the force of temptation which 

 must assail officers in a place like 

 Iboe, which exists only by its ex- 

 tensive trade in slaves, and where any 

 man who might feel squeamish as to 

 the profits would be universally es- 

 teemed a fool. 



