Chap. XLV. 
POLICY IN NEGROLAND. 
233 
siderable tribute upon them. But the vizier answered 
me, that it was only by the most violent means that 
they were able to crush these pagans, who cherished 
their independence and liberty above everything, and 
that this was the reason why he burnt all the gra- 
naries, in order to subdue them by famine ; and he 
added that even of famine they were less sensible 
than he could wish, as the water in this region 
afforded them an unlimited supply of fish. 
Slaves are the only articles which the conquerors 
want from the subjected tribes ; by carrying into 
slavery great numbers of them they force them into 
subjection, and even the tribute which they levy, after 
having subdued them, consists of slaves. All this 
will be changed as soon as a regular and legitimate 
intercourse has been opened along the river Ben u we 
into the heart of these regions, when the natural pro- 
duce of the soil will be in constant request — such as 
cotton, indigo, vegetable butter, ground-nuts, ivory, 
rhinoceros' horns, wax, hides, and many other articles. 
The vizier himself, although a strict Moslim, was 
too enlightened to lay much stress upon the spread- 
ing of Islam ; but nevertheless the idea that these 
unfortunate creatures fully deserve such treatment, in 
their character as pagans (kofar or " kerdi"), blunted 
his feelings to their sufferings, 
Further on we crossed the water where it was shal- 
lower, and, a little beyond, another meadow- water of 
greater breadth but not so deep, and then entered a 
fine undulating country, while an arm of the water 
