CAPTURE OF A SLAVE SHIP.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1902, 21 September 1874, Page 2

CAPTURE OF A SLAVE SHIP.

The "Natal Mercury" gives the following account of the capture of a slaver by her Majesty's ship Daphne on the coast of Madagascar, and the arrival of the liberated slaves at Natal :— " The liberated slaves who arrived in the Royal Mail steamship Kaffir, were taken by her Majesty's ship Daphne, five guns, commander C E Foot. The Daphne was cruising off Boyama Bay, northwest coast of Madagascar, on the 13th of March, when at three o'clock in the afternoon a suspicious dhow was descried from the mast head. Sail was made, aDd after an hour's chase it became evident that the native. craft was running for the land. No attention was paid to three blank charges from a 68-pounder ; the Daphne increased her speed, and at 6 15 she ran alongside her prize. She was found to be crowded with slaves, and Lieutenant Henderson, with an armed boat's crew, took charge. Two hundred and twenty-five slaves, many suffering from dysentery, were starving in the hold, and had to be lifted out and at once served with water. These unfortunate wretches were shipped at the Umpizo River, a few miles south of the town of Mozambique, and were started for Madagascar with only two days' provisions on board. Light winds and calms prolonged the voyage to eight days, so that the miseries endured are indescribable. Many of the women and children were so emaciated by want and cramped in their limbs as to be unable to stand upright. Every care was taken of the slaves— who are all Makuas from the coast between Mozambique and Augoxa — on board the Daphne, and on the 14th the Daphne proceeded to Mozambique to land them in charge of the Union Company's agent, under an Arrangement made some months ago. But the acting agent for the company was indisposed to take any responsibility on his shoulders, and Captain Foot was obliged reluctantly, after filling up water and coal, to sail with all the slaves on board and pick up his boats left to guard the northwest coast of Madagascar before returning to Zanzibar. Misfortunes follow one another, for on the afternoon of tbe Daphne's departure a cyclone was encountered, the vortex of which was passed through at 8.30 pm. A quartermaster was swept overboard and drowned, and the sufferings of the unfoitunate slaves were, of course, greatly mc eased by frightful weather and long exposure. Though every care was taken of the sick and feeble', dysentery carried off victims daily, nntil the 28th, when Zanzibar wa» reached. The slaves were at once t^ken in charge hy Captain Prideaux, her Majesty's Consul-General, who a.lotted to both the English and ffrencb mission as many of the poor children as tbey were abie to receive. Many still remain under the medical charge of Dr Robb, and Captain Elton selected those who were in the best health to begin life anew in the Colony of Natal. The Makuas are highly prized as domestic slaves at Zanzibar, being considered a hard working and faithful race All are happy and contented, fully understand their future lot, which has been carefully explained in their own language to them."