M M E S U R I L. " . 
permitted to dance. The men first began to the sound of the 
tom-toms, which the women beat with sticks, while others clapped 
their hands and sung in tones by no means inharmonious. After- 
wards the women joined in with the men and danced altogether 
in a circle, beating the time very exactly with their feet, and some 
of the younger girls moving with considerable grace. 
I subsequently saw several dances of the same kind in the 
slave-yards on the island of Mosambique ; but on these occasions 
it appeared to me that the slaves were compelled to dance. I shall 
never forget the expression of one woman's countenance, who had 
lately, I understood, been brought from the interior. She was 
young, and appeared to have been a mother, and when constrain- 
ed to move in the circle, the solemn gloom that pervaded her 
features spoke more forcibly than any language the misery of her 
forlorn condition. 
If there be still a sceptic who hesitates to approve of the aboli- 
tion of the slave trade, let him visit one of these African slave- 
yards a short time before a cargo of these wretched beings is 
exported, and if he have a spark pf humanity left it will surely 
strike conviction to his mind. 
On this day seven Portuguese vessels left the harbour of Mo- 
sambique for Goa, having on board, besides a large quantity of 
gold and ivory, about five hundred slaves, who were bought at 
this place at the price of ten, fifteen and twenty dollars a head, 
that is, women and children at 9,bout the rate of three and four 
pounds a piece, and able bodied men at the price of five pounds ! 1 
I feel happy in thinking that so nefarious a traffic has in this 
quarter already received a check from British interference since 
