Africa . nsible,and would give a man leave, for the present of two or threeguns, to go and destroy as many villages, and catch as manypeople as he could for slaves. . The Portuguese are theprincipal agents in tins trade, as they are able to disposeof the slaves advantageously for ivory and other productsin many countries. The Arabs, as a rule, only buy enoughslaves to act as their porters and servants for cultivatingthe ground round the permanent camps. The people ofBihe, who work under the Portuguese, are most crueland brutal in their treatment of these unfortunatewretches. Cameron assures us
Africa . nsible,and would give a man leave, for the present of two or threeguns, to go and destroy as many villages, and catch as manypeople as he could for slaves. . The Portuguese are theprincipal agents in tins trade, as they are able to disposeof the slaves advantageously for ivory and other productsin many countries. The Arabs, as a rule, only buy enoughslaves to act as their porters and servants for cultivatingthe ground round the permanent camps. The people ofBihe, who work under the Portuguese, are most crueland brutal in their treatment of these unfortunatewretches. Cameron assures us that slaves are still ex-ported from the west coast, especially from Mossamedes. 19. The Nyassa and Shinva Lake of the vast Central African basin contain-ing the Tanganyika and the other western lakes, butseparated from them by a high water-parting, lies the greatNyassa, and nearly due south of it the smaller lake Shirwa,both lying nearer to the eastern coast, and both belonging 2 A. WEST AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE. 353 In taking a general survey of the country from theTanganyika to the west coast it is evident that it is oneof enormous natural wealth. The oil-palm nourishes allover the broad valley of the Lualaba to an elevation of2600 feet above the sea; cotton, coffee, nutmegs, pepper,tobacco, sesamum, and indiarubber, are among the vege-table products which grow wild; and wherever the Arabshave penetrated from the east coast they have successfullyintroduced the cultivation of rice, wheat, onions, andfruit-trees. Of metals there are iron and copper andcinnabar in abundance, silver and gold are also known inUrua. The blot upon this fair country is the slavetrade, which is carried on to a great extent to supplythose countries which have already had their populationdepleted by the old coast trade. The chiefs, like Ka-songo and Matayafa, are utterly and entirely irresponsible,and would give a man leave, for the present of two or threeguns, to go and destroy as many v
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Keywords: ., bookauthorkeaneaha, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1878
