CHAPTER VI.Arrive at Natal—The Bar—Proposed Harbour of Refuge—Wharves in the St. Lawrence—Railroad at Natal—D’Urban—Port Natal Harbour—Verulam—Pieter-Maritzburg—Slave Ship off Port Natal—The Havannah Slavers—Chamber of Commerce—Natal Waggon—“Daft Jemmy.â€
Arrive at Natal—The Bar—Proposed Harbour of Refuge—Wharves in the St. Lawrence—Railroad at Natal—D’Urban—Port Natal Harbour—Verulam—Pieter-Maritzburg—Slave Ship off Port Natal—The Havannah Slavers—Chamber of Commerce—Natal Waggon—“Daft Jemmy.â€
After a remarkably fine passage of five days from Simon’s Town, the “Hermes†anchored off Port Natal on Wednesday, the 1st July, 1857.
In consequence of its having blown fresh from the northward and the eastward, the Bar was impassable, and we had no communication with the shore on that day, excepting by telegraph from the ship to the signal station on the Bluff; by means of which we informed the Natalians that there was an officer and thirty-three soldiers on board,and requested the authorities to send off boats to land this small party as soon as the Bar was practicable.
On Thursday the port boat, built as a life-boat, came alongside, but the Coxswain of her declined taking any passengers in consequence of the unsettled state of the Bar.
During Friday and Saturday the Bar was still impassable; and I was pleased to have a fair opportunity of seeing the outside of it and the coast-line at a time when the Bar was pronounced to be in a worse state than it had been in for many years.
The line of coast to the northward of Port Natal lies nearly N.E. and S.W. Along this coast-line the gulf stream sets about S.W., at a rate of from one mile and a half to four miles per hour, according as the stream is retarded or accelerated by the wind.
When the wind is anything to the southward of east, the southern terminus of the entrance of the harbour, which is a steep bluff, about a mile in extent, and running to the N.E., in a line nearly with the coast, effectually shelters the harbour; and the Bar at the entrance, having from eight toeleven feet of water on it, is passable, and the sea at such times does not break on the Bar.
As the wind draws more to the southward, it meets with the usual set of the current, and deflects it to the eastward from the mouth of the harbour, so that any detritus in solution is not at such times deposited at the mouth of the harbour.
On the other hand, when the wind is in that quarter of the compass from north to east, which it frequently is at Natal, the wind increases the velocity of the current, sometimes to as much as four miles per hour, and this accelerated current, setting down the coast, is arrested by the Bluff already referred to. The consequence is, that to the northward of this Bluff—which is the direct entrance into the harbour—all the detritus in solution, carried down by the stream, is deposited there; and, as the current passes along a sandy shore immediately before arriving at the Bluff, a great deposit of sand is the natural consequence; and the filling up of the entrance of the harbour of Port Natal would be the result. This is prevented by the scoure which takes place on the ebbing of the tide, augmented by thewater of the river Umlas, which runs into Port Natal.
On the northern shore of the entrance of the harbour a pier has been commenced, extending seawards, and running somewhat parallel with the opposite shore of the entrance, which is the inner side of the Bluff. The object of this pier is to confine the channel, by which means it is hoped to increase the power of the scourage, and, with the assistance of a steam dredge, to keep the Bar clear; so as to have on it at all times twelve feet of water, while at high tides it is expected that there will be twenty-two feet.
At the time of our visit, Mr. Pilkington, the Engineer of the Cape colony, and Mr. Skeade, R.N., an able marine surveyor, were at Natal, examining the Bar and Harbour. What the nature of their report has been I do not know; but with the harbour before me, and the best admiralty chart, I came to the conclusion that to make Port Natal what it ought to be, the following plan should be adopted:—
From Fort Farewell, in a line with the pier now building, run out a breakwater into four fathoms of water to the eastward, until in a linewith the eastern extreme of the Bluff, after which, curve the breakwater to the southward and eastward, and continue the Bluff, by means of a similar pier, leaving a sufficient opening for vessels under canvas to enter in foul weather. This would form a large horse-shoe Harbour of Refuge outside of the Bar, having at its entrance, which should face the south-east, from five to six fathoms of water.
Increase the scoure in Port Natal harbour, by leading into it the river Umgani in addition to the Umlas, and not only would twenty-two feet of water be found on the Bar, but in the course of time the sand now forming the Bar would be washed away and the Bar would entirely disappear, and the Breakwater to the northward would prevent its ever forming again.
The expense of such an undertaking would be considerable; but the loss and damage sustained by shipping, at present, for want of a harbour, is more than the interest of a sum which would easily cover that expense; while the increased revenue from the formation of such a harbour would soon enable the colony to liquidate any liability incurred for so desirable an end.
The southern pier, from the bluff, might be built of the bluff itself; which is stone of a quality durable but not difficult to work. While the northern pier, forming the breakwater, might be constructed of timber and stone. How quickly, easily, and permanently such a breakwater might be formed, may be learned from the wharves running out into the River St. Lawrence, at Point Levi, opposite to the city of Quebec.
These wharves are built in compartments of hard durable timber. The timber compartments are floated out, and placed over the spot where they are intended to be built in, and they have planks secured in them, forming a rough bottom. The compartment is put in position by loading it with stones, when it gradually sinks to its proper place; it is then loaded with more stones, until permanently fixed. Another compartment is similarly placed, on top of the former, and piers are thus run out into forty feet of water. All these compartments are firmly secured to each other by strong logs of timber at the top, the sides, and transversely.
These piers form docks or basins along thebank of the St. Lawrence, under the shelter of, and attached to which, ships of the largest tonnage lie in security at all times, in a river with a great rise and fall, having a current with a considerable velocity. When the ice in Upper Canada breaks up, and floats down the St. Lawrence, packing up mountain on mountain of ice, and crumpling up steamers and vessels in the stream as if they were made of paper, the ships lying under shelter of the piers described escape all danger. The stream of the St. Lawrence, carrying on its bosom the materials for forming icebergs, makes no more impression on these than on the solid rock.
In proposing to build the northern pier of timber and stone combined, the objects considered have been:—Firstly, economy, which is everything in great undertakings of this nature, especially when connected with a young colony. Secondly, expedition, for the rapid development of the resources of Natal is crushed by the want of a harbour. Thirdly, the timber required for such an undertaking is to be found on the third terrace of the colony, at a distance of from fortyto sixty miles from the harbour; while procuring which, roads would have to be made, thereby providing the greatest internal want of the colony.
The people of D’Urban have already undertaken the construction of a railway from the pier now forming to D’Urban, a distance of two or more miles, and the formation of the proposed Breakwater would cause that railway to be extended along the fertile sugar, coffee, and indigo producing valleys, to the timber districts.
I have already alluded to Captain Veitch, R.E., F.R.S., the intelligent engineer to the Board of Admiralty, as the officer who planned the Harbour of Refuge at Table Bay. Since my return to England, that gentleman has done me the honour of consulting me relative to Natal harbour, and the foregoing is the substance of my communication to him. I have reason to believe that a plan, similar to that proposed by me, is now under consideration.
Sunday, the 5th of July, the bar being practicable, Mrs. M’Leod, her maid, who was an old resident at Natal, Captain Gordon, and myself,landed in the port boat at about twoP.M.Being high water, by means of a small boat we were able to ascend a creek in the harbour, leading to the house of Mr. Cato, Vice-Consul for America, Sweden, Norway, &c., and, after making the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Cato, we proceeded, on foot, to Weeden’s (late M’Donald’s) Hotel, where we were made very comfortable during our visit to D’Urban.
There were a number of small vessels in the harbour, and some of a larger tonnage than I was prepared to meet with; but I was told that the latter took advantage of the Bar at certain times, about once a fortnight, when there were 15 feet of water on it.
The Harbour of Port Natal is a vast circular pond (for, from its security, I can call it nothing else), three miles in depth, and having a breadth of about one mile and a half. In it there are three islands, easy of access at low water; and the Harbour could contain, at present, about thirty vessels, sheltered from every point of the compass. When the Harbour of Refuge, outside of the Bar, is constructed, it requires no propheticpowers to foretell the future of this port. The three islands will form the foundations of large warehouses, holding the imports and exports of the colony, and of the neighbouring Orange Free State, which has no other outlet for its commerce. The creeks, running between these three islands, will form floating-docks; while, on the sides of this extensive harbour, dry docks for repairing, and building-yards for constructing, ships, will find their natural locations. Viewing this harbour with reference to the wants of the country, there is no doubt that it will become the Liverpool of South-Eastern Africa; but when we reflect that between Europe and India, by way of the Cape of Good Hope, there is only one dry dock to repair disabled ships, and that only at Port Louis, Mauritius, in the region of hurricanes, which all are anxious to avoid, it may readily be imagined what numbers of ships will be attracted to Port Natal with its Harbour of Refuge and dry docks. Many vessels disabled by the hurricane, now obliged to put into Mauritius, however distant from it they may be, will resort to Natal, where the gulf stream,setting along South Eastern Africa, will aid them to reach this haven of safety.
The town of D’Urban is situated on this fine harbour, and is about a mile distant from the anchorage.
It is of recent construction, well laid out, the streets very wide, and lined with beautiful trees, which give to it a charmingly healthy and cheerful appearance. The houses are about 400 in number, built principally of wood, but giving place to stone edifices. It contains about 1,200 Europeans, mostly English, who have their Episcopalian Church and Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.
About twenty miles from Port Natal, Verulam is situated, at present a small town, but, from its being in the centre of the district where sugar, arrowroot, and indigo are grown, and from its position on the right bank of the Umbloti River, it must soon become a place of importance, although it has sprung into existence since 1850.
The capital of the colony is Pieter-Maritzburg, sometimes already abbreviated to Maritzburg,and is called after one of the martyred Dutch farmers who founded the colony, with the early history of which he is inseparably connected. It is the see of a bishop, the first of whom is the well-known author of Colenso’s “Ten Weeks in Natal.†It stands on the second terrace of the colony, is well watered, and built in the Dutch style. It is the seat of government, and contains about 1,800 Europeans.
On coming from the ship in the port boat, we heard some statements relative to a suspicious vessel seen off the port some days previous to our arrival, and which, it appears, must have slipped away just about the time we were directing our course towards the harbour.
Immediately we reached the shore, we made some inquiries about this vessel, and learned as follows:—
It appears that, on the Monday previous to our arrival, a vessel approached Port Natal and anchored far out. This vessel had been seen for two days from the signal-house on the Bluff, and the day before she anchored off the harbour, she was at anchor for some hours off the mouth of theUmlazi River, which is eight miles from Port Natal. She was believed from her build—long, low, and rakish—to be the “Jessie Macfarlane,†an iron barque, under English colours, which was expected about that time from the Cape of Good Hope.
Soon after the stranger anchored, she was boarded by the port boat, and the captain of her, who spoke English, said that he was in want of water and refreshments, that he had a cargo of rum, and was bound from Havannah to Madagascar. The vessel appeared to be very light, and some of the crew said that she was in ballast. On the Coxswain of the port boat remarking that the vessel had a large crew, the Captain replied that he had been fortunate in picking up the crew of a vessel, who had abandoned their ship when she was sinking.
The crew of the port boat were permitted to ascend her side; and the pilot who went to her in the port boat had some questions put to him which made the Natalians acquainted with the voyage upon which the stranger was bound.
It appears that a boat, with six men in her, hadleft the vessel on the previous evening, when off the Umlazi, and the captain of the Slaver was anxious to know if they would succeed in attaining the object they had gone in search of, namely, the purchase of a cargo of the natives.
No sooner was this question put to the pilot, than he became greatly alarmed; the chest lying open on the deck of the stranger immediately came to his remembrance; glancing round the cabin, he observed it full of arms, in good condition; and, hurrying on deck, he observed preparations making for placing guns in the portholes, with which the vessel was pierced.
The pilot, unfortunately for the cause of humanity, instead of using aruseto entrap the man-stealer, thought only of his personal safety, and therefore stated that there was a British sloop of war in the Harbour of Natal. This was enough to alarm the Slaver; the port boat was immediately ordered off; the sails were let fall from the topsails yards, which had been at the mast head during the whole time that she remained at anchor; and while the topsails were being sheeted home, the small warp with which she had broughtup was slipped, and, two minutes after hearing that Natal was a British colony, and that there was a vessel of war at anchor there, the stranger was off to the northward.
The port boat had hardly arrived in the harbour with the astounding intelligence that there had been a large slaver at anchor off the port, endeavouring to obtain some of the natives by purchase, when six Spaniards made their appearance in D’Urban.
On the morning of the following day, Tuesday, they were examined relative to the stranger. They denied all knowledge of the vessel being a slaver, but said that they shipped at Havannah on the 5th of April, the day she sailed; that they never signed or saw any articles; that they never saw the hold of the vessel, the hatches having been battened down during the whole voyage; that the Captain was an American, and the vessel a large three-masted American clipper; that they were not acquainted with the name of the Captain, nor that of the owners of the vessel; and that even the name of the vessel was unknown to them. They declared themselves to be all Spaniards;that they had been sent on shore with twenty-eight dollars, to buy provisions; and that, when landing at the mouth of the Umlazi, their boat was capsized, and with difficulty they reached the shore. They further stated that, when the Captain saw the boat was swamped, he approached the surf in another boat, and directed them to walk round to Natal, and stated that he would call for them there.
The magistrate ordered them rations and lodgings, as shipwrecked seamen, and directed the Mate to see to their good behaviour, until they could be forwarded to the Cape.
When the Mate really found that the Slaver had gone, and that there was no hope of her return, he communicated the fact that the vessel was a Slaver in ballast, from Havannah, bound to Cape Corrientes for a cargo of slaves; and having on board 70,000 dollars for the purchase of her cargo. It appears that the Captain was an American, of the name of John Ward, and that the vessel’s name was the “Minnetonka.†The Mate, who was a Spaniard, and the Captain had a quarrel on the passage, and the former imaginedthat landing him in the Umlazi was a trick to get rid of him.
By degrees it was learned that twenty-one slavers had been towed out of the Havannah, in open day, during the space of one month. These vessels left Cuba openly, with the declared intention of proceeding to Africa for cargoes of slaves. Fourteen of these vessels were going to make a run to the West Coast; and the remaining seven, being larger, were going to the East Coast, to obtain their cargoes in the Mozambique Channel, where the Emperor of the French had established the Slave Trade, under the denomination of Free Labour Emigration.
It will hereafter be shown that, by following the motions of this Slave barque “Minnetonka,†under both American and Spanish colours—for Captain Ward used both flags whenever it suited his convenience—I discovered the Slave Trade carried on by the Portuguese authorities in the Province of Mozambique, from Cape Delgado to Delagoa Bay; and was further enabled to drag to light, and lay before the world, the whole system of French free-labour emigration, as carried onby delegated authority;—a system of so-called emigration, which has caused a renewal of all the horrors perpetrated by the natives on each other, for the purpose of supplying that Slave Trade which England has, for more than half a century, been endeavouring to put an end to by a lavish expenditure of money, and the continued sacrifice of the most heroic spirits in her peerless Navy.
In confirmation of the statement of the Mate of the “Minnetonka,†that she was bound for Cape Corrientes, I learned at Natal that four full cargoes of Africans had been shipped from that locality within the two last months, while Her Majesty’s Consul for Mozambique was detained at the Cape of Good Hope; and the Mozambique Channel was left without a cruiser on the advice of Mr. João de Costa Soares, better known as “John of the Coast;â€â€”the governor of Inhambane and “John of the Coast’s†aunt supplying the slaves for those four vessels.
On the morning after landing at D’Urban, a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce of Natal did me the honour of waiting on me at Weeden’s Hotel, to lay before me the great difficultieswhich the Natal merchants had to encounter in pushing British commerce into Eastern Africa. They stated that the rates of duty charged by the Portuguese authorities were too high, and at least fifty per cent. above the tariff established by the government at Lisbon; that every conceivable difficulty was thrown in the way of legal traders, and that it was impossible to carry on legitimate commerce in those parts possessed by the Portuguese; while, on every other part of the coast, between Cape Delgado and Delagoa Bay, which did not belong to the Portuguese, they were forbidden to trade with the natives, under pain of their property being confiscated.
To this I replied:—“That the object of Her Majesty’s government in appointing a Consul to Mozambique was to establish Legitimate Trade in those parts, and at the same time to abolish the Slave Trade; and that it would be my most earnest endeavour to establish commercial relations on those terms which ought to subsist between the subjects of friendly sovereigns.â€
A member of the deputation next inquired if Icould not promote the supply of Native Labour from Mozambique to Natal, placing this British Colony on the same terms, as to labour, as the neighbouring French Colony of Réunion.
To this I replied:—“That if an application of that nature was made to the Lieutenant-governor of the Colony, no doubt it would receive an immediate and definite reply.â€
Hereupon the deputation withdrew; and Captain Gordon and myself had a good laugh at the proposal of one member of the deputation to make Her Majesty’s Consul a Delegate for obtaining free labour from Mozambique.
During the course of that morning I had a visit from Mr. G. V. Duncan, who had been up to Delagoa Bay, in a small Cutter called the “Herald,†of Natal, endeavouring to establish commercial relations with the natives on the south part of that Bay, which is British territory; and he complained to me of the obstacles thrown in his way by the Portuguese authorities at Lourenço Marques, situated in that Bay, in preventing him from trading with persons who were willing to do so; and also of their preventinghim trading with the Zulus in the British territory on the south part of Delagoa Bay, unless he first paid duties to the custom-house at Lourenço Marques. To give me some further insight into the conduct of the authorities at the above-named place, he placed in my hands a copy of the following letter, which will be again referred to in these pages:—
“DELAGOA BAY AND THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE EAST AFRICAN COAST.“To the Editor of theNatal Mercury.“Sir,“During my stay at Lourenço Marques, Delagoa Bay, I usually visited, after business hours, persons there considered of high standing; and, being in quest of knowledge that might in future prove advantageous, I generally introduced such subjects as would best lead to the information I was most desirous of gaining.“Their commercial policy is not to deal in trifles. Specimens illustrative of natural history, which excite the admiration of the civilized portion of the world, have with them no charm.Ivory and Negroes appear to be the only articles of commerce to which they aspire, and they succeed in obtaining them to an astonishing extent, at comparatively small cost.“With regard to ivory, each merchant has several negro hunters, who kill a number of elephants during the season; besides which they purchase ivory in barter, on the banks of the Manakusi, or King George’s River, which river offers great advantages, being navigable for craft of light draught.“This river is monopolized by the Portuguese, who will not allow foreigners to penetrate. In proof, I need but mention that, having a strong desire to make as many discoveries as I could, for the advancement of trade and commerce, I intimated to the authorities my intention of entering the said river, but was forbidden to do so, with an earnest caution as to the consequence, which, I was told, would be the seizure of the cutter and cargo; that, though their jurisdiction did not extend so far, yet I should expose myself, if I attempted the passage of the river, both in going in and in coming out.“But there are, doubtless, other motives than those of monopoly in the ivory trade, which I will leave your readers to conjecture from the following information which I gathered as to the manner in which the abominable practice of slave dealing is carried on.“It does not unfrequently happen that irruptions take place between neighbouring tribes, with a view to the number of prisoners they may be fortunate in taking, as a means of obtaining articles of home consumption, such as beads, blankets, &c., which are obtained in exchange for the unfortunate captives. Those of the age of eighteen years are most suitable; all above that age, I was told, are put to death. The women are distributed among the conquering warriors, and the young men sold into slavery. Slaves in any number can thus be procured; the only difficulty traders have to contend with is to secure them; and, happily, that difficulty does exist, else, I imagine, it would be beyond human power to depict the misery which would ensue.“In spite of all difficulties, however, the trade is carried on with comparative impunity, andwith considerable success. Agents are established on the East Coast of Africa, by slave merchants, to purchase slaves of those who obtain them in barter. Those agents act under instructions, particularly as to signs, and signals, and places of embarkation; and also establish relations with those already engaged in the traffic, from whom and through whom large numbers of negroes are collected, and chained in small groups, some by the neck, and others by the hand, and are then marched, at the time, and to the place appointed, to await the arrival of the vessel that is to carry them to their destiny.“A trial was made, not long since, to establish a ‘legitimate’ trade, if in any way it can be called legitimate. Not many months ago, four or five vessels, carrying the French flag, called at Killimane, for the purpose of establishing a Free Emigration.“Negotiations were entered into between the Governor and the Agent. The former, it was said, was well ‘palmed,’ and offered opportunity to all large slaveholders to supply the agent with a large number of so-called ‘free emigrants.’ The system upon which it was carried out, I am told,was similar to that which is practised for procuring coolies, with this difference, that the Africans were purchased and sold into hopeless bondage. The truth of this statement can easily be ascertained by a reference to the Cabinet at Lisbon, under whose notice, I learned, the affair has been brought. Such an atrocity, practised almost within call of a British port, is horrible to contemplate, more especially when there is safe anchorage at this port for a man-of-war cruiser; besides which, from what I learn, the south side of Delagoa Bay, having been ceded to the British Government, can be made available, not only for the suppression of slavery, but for the advancement of trade and commerce. It is to all appearance very desirable, and no doubt very fertile, as considerable traffic is carried on between the Portuguese and the queen of the island, who is a tributary of our Zulu neighbour, Panda.“Direct slavery is not countenanced by the Portuguese authorities. So far they act in union with their government; but it is my belief, from information gathered, that they aid and abet all concerned in it.“It is well known that the government of Delagoa have taken negro prisoners, and sold them to persons residing in the town. Moreover, almost all Moorish sloops, trading between Delagoa Bay and the Mozambique, are slavers in a modified form. Limited numbers of slaves are occasionally shipped on board of them, to and from Mozambique, with passports as passengers, to evade detection if overhauled by a cruiser.“Considering, sir, your space valuable, I have much curtailed this subject. I could, by dwelling lengthily upon it, have established beyond a doubt the certainty of slave-trading on this coast; but forbear, hoping that you will pardon me for having already encroached at great length, and that what I have said will be sufficient to awaken those whose duty it is to notice such startling facts; and to endeavour, by all possible means, to put an end to these appalling outrages upon our common humanity.—I am, sir, your obedient servant,“G. W. Duncan.“D’Urban, June, 1857.â€
“DELAGOA BAY AND THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE EAST AFRICAN COAST.
“To the Editor of theNatal Mercury.
“Sir,
“During my stay at Lourenço Marques, Delagoa Bay, I usually visited, after business hours, persons there considered of high standing; and, being in quest of knowledge that might in future prove advantageous, I generally introduced such subjects as would best lead to the information I was most desirous of gaining.
“Their commercial policy is not to deal in trifles. Specimens illustrative of natural history, which excite the admiration of the civilized portion of the world, have with them no charm.Ivory and Negroes appear to be the only articles of commerce to which they aspire, and they succeed in obtaining them to an astonishing extent, at comparatively small cost.
“With regard to ivory, each merchant has several negro hunters, who kill a number of elephants during the season; besides which they purchase ivory in barter, on the banks of the Manakusi, or King George’s River, which river offers great advantages, being navigable for craft of light draught.
“This river is monopolized by the Portuguese, who will not allow foreigners to penetrate. In proof, I need but mention that, having a strong desire to make as many discoveries as I could, for the advancement of trade and commerce, I intimated to the authorities my intention of entering the said river, but was forbidden to do so, with an earnest caution as to the consequence, which, I was told, would be the seizure of the cutter and cargo; that, though their jurisdiction did not extend so far, yet I should expose myself, if I attempted the passage of the river, both in going in and in coming out.
“But there are, doubtless, other motives than those of monopoly in the ivory trade, which I will leave your readers to conjecture from the following information which I gathered as to the manner in which the abominable practice of slave dealing is carried on.
“It does not unfrequently happen that irruptions take place between neighbouring tribes, with a view to the number of prisoners they may be fortunate in taking, as a means of obtaining articles of home consumption, such as beads, blankets, &c., which are obtained in exchange for the unfortunate captives. Those of the age of eighteen years are most suitable; all above that age, I was told, are put to death. The women are distributed among the conquering warriors, and the young men sold into slavery. Slaves in any number can thus be procured; the only difficulty traders have to contend with is to secure them; and, happily, that difficulty does exist, else, I imagine, it would be beyond human power to depict the misery which would ensue.
“In spite of all difficulties, however, the trade is carried on with comparative impunity, andwith considerable success. Agents are established on the East Coast of Africa, by slave merchants, to purchase slaves of those who obtain them in barter. Those agents act under instructions, particularly as to signs, and signals, and places of embarkation; and also establish relations with those already engaged in the traffic, from whom and through whom large numbers of negroes are collected, and chained in small groups, some by the neck, and others by the hand, and are then marched, at the time, and to the place appointed, to await the arrival of the vessel that is to carry them to their destiny.
“A trial was made, not long since, to establish a ‘legitimate’ trade, if in any way it can be called legitimate. Not many months ago, four or five vessels, carrying the French flag, called at Killimane, for the purpose of establishing a Free Emigration.
“Negotiations were entered into between the Governor and the Agent. The former, it was said, was well ‘palmed,’ and offered opportunity to all large slaveholders to supply the agent with a large number of so-called ‘free emigrants.’ The system upon which it was carried out, I am told,was similar to that which is practised for procuring coolies, with this difference, that the Africans were purchased and sold into hopeless bondage. The truth of this statement can easily be ascertained by a reference to the Cabinet at Lisbon, under whose notice, I learned, the affair has been brought. Such an atrocity, practised almost within call of a British port, is horrible to contemplate, more especially when there is safe anchorage at this port for a man-of-war cruiser; besides which, from what I learn, the south side of Delagoa Bay, having been ceded to the British Government, can be made available, not only for the suppression of slavery, but for the advancement of trade and commerce. It is to all appearance very desirable, and no doubt very fertile, as considerable traffic is carried on between the Portuguese and the queen of the island, who is a tributary of our Zulu neighbour, Panda.
“Direct slavery is not countenanced by the Portuguese authorities. So far they act in union with their government; but it is my belief, from information gathered, that they aid and abet all concerned in it.
“It is well known that the government of Delagoa have taken negro prisoners, and sold them to persons residing in the town. Moreover, almost all Moorish sloops, trading between Delagoa Bay and the Mozambique, are slavers in a modified form. Limited numbers of slaves are occasionally shipped on board of them, to and from Mozambique, with passports as passengers, to evade detection if overhauled by a cruiser.
“Considering, sir, your space valuable, I have much curtailed this subject. I could, by dwelling lengthily upon it, have established beyond a doubt the certainty of slave-trading on this coast; but forbear, hoping that you will pardon me for having already encroached at great length, and that what I have said will be sufficient to awaken those whose duty it is to notice such startling facts; and to endeavour, by all possible means, to put an end to these appalling outrages upon our common humanity.—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
“G. W. Duncan.
“D’Urban, June, 1857.â€
The information obtained at Port Natal, relative to slaving carried on in the Mozambique Channel,induced Captain Gordon and myself to hasten our movements, and, by the time the deputation had retired, our party were ready to return to the harbour.
The tide being out, we proceeded along the margin of the bay in the usual conveyance employed in this colony. It consisted of a large lumbering four-wheeled waggon, drawn by eight oxen. In the waggon, chairs were placed to sit upon; and it was driven by a Zulu Kaffir, who flourished a long whip, with which at one moment he would tickle the ear of one of the leaders, and then, in quick succession, distribute his favours on the remainder of the team in such a way as to drive them furious. This Kaffir was a good type of his class, his hair being done up in the “married men style.†On a Kaffir being married, it is usual for the wife to do up the hair of her lord and master in the following manner:—A ring fitting tight on the top of the head is provided; sometimes the ring is made of iron, occasionally of brass, but more generally of some elastic climber. The hair is drawn up over this ring, and retained in its place by gum from themimosa, or any glutinous matter. In the course of time it becomes as hard as iron, and will resist, not only a severe blow, but the rays of an African sun, affording a protection against fever and the tomahawk.
Our Kaffir Jehu had a name for every one of his oxen. He appeared to be particularly down upon “Sir Harry Smith,†while “Sir George Grey†was a prime favourite. Occasionally the Kaffir would stand up, and after flourishing his whip in the air, accompanied with, to us, unintelligible jargon, he would come down with terrific violence on “Aliwal,†and then make a furious dig with the handle of his whip at “Sobraon,†who was one of the wheelers. All went pretty well until we came nearly to the end of the journey, when “Sir George Grey,†who up to this time had been deservedly, from the way in which he worked, a great favourite, happened to stumble. Down jumped the Kaffir, and laid into poor “Sir George Grey†with as much reason and sense of justice as if he had been a Colonial Minister.
After our party were seated in the port boat,an extraordinary looking individual, with a profusion of red locks oh his head, making one quite warm to look at him, presented me with a small note, requesting that “His Excellency would settle that small account before he left the harbour.†On opening the note, I found it was a formal document demanding the small amount of three pounds, five shillings, for the use of the small boat which had taken us up the creek on the previous day, after getting out of the port boat. This, of course, I refused to pay, especially as I had given what I considered a sufficient amount to the two men who had rowed us up the creek. I found the stranger was called “Daft Jemmy,†and that he obtained a living in this manner by imposing upon all persons arriving at Port Natal. I informed him that I had no intention of paying for a boat twice, and told the port boat to shove off. Nothing daunted, “Daft Jemmy†hailed the coxswain to “accept any amount which ‘His Excellency’ might think proper to offer, on account, as no doubt he would settle the balance next time he came to Natal.â€
We crossed the bar in safety; reached the “Hermes;†and I closed my dispatches for England, and wrote to the Admiral and Mr. Frere, urging them to send all the disposable steam force up the Mozambique Channel for the purpose of seizing vessels carrying on the slave trade in those waters. These matters being finished, Captain Gordon started in chase of the “Minnetonka,†now supposed to be about loading her cargo of slaves.