Page 688 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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SLAVE TRADE.
for by all the members of the several treaties which have been ent
into touching this trade ; therefore no interference with the native
vessels
in the Gulf having slaves on board existed
on our Part, excepting in
eases where it could be proved that these had been kidnapped bv
the
crews, or their carrying Somalees for sale. The difficulty attending the
production of proof touching the former exception (unless by the aid of
qualified Agents at Zanzibar, and on the African Coast) is fully admit-
ted; but there is no possibility of passing an individual of the Somalee"
Tribe for a Negro, and therefore a thorough search of the vessel sus­
pected of having any on board must always tend to their discovery.
Little prospect exists of persuading the Arabian Chiefs to resign of
their own accord a practice consonant to their social and religious habits
and at the same time uniting profit with convenience. So long as the
Shaikhs on the coast are satisfied they are not likely to incur a positive
injury or loss from us, in consequence of their continuing the existing
traffic in slaves, they will not consent to any arrangements having in
view its abolition ; but were a declaration on the part of the British
Government made, intimating its being considered expedient and right
that the purchase and sale of human beings by the independent Mari­
time Chiefs of Arabia should cease after a certain period, and that any
infractions of such a prohibition would be punished, it would probably
be submitted to without opposition, although rather as an act of autho-
rity it were useless to attempt to oppose or contend against than from
any conviction of the justice or propriety of the demand.
Next to such a measure as the above, a great check, if not a total
stop might be put to the traffic in slaves, on the part of the independent
chiefs on the Arabian Coast of this Gulf, were advantage to be taken of
the declaration made by His Highness the Imaum regarding the irre-
gular proceedings of the Joasmees on their coasts, to obtain from His
Highness a notification prohibiting these boats from visiting his
African possessions on any pretext whatever, and giving authority to
our vessels of war to seize any such boats found cruising within the
limits of his territories. So far as it can be ascertained, the only places
where slaves can be procured are within such limits, and on the coast
Somalees, all
of Berbera. As the inhabitants of the latter country are
vessels belonging to most of the Arabian Shaikhs of this Gulf are
liable to seizure if found with one individual of the latter description
the Gulf of Aden and Zanzibar are only
on board. But that part of
from this Gulf at certain seasons of the year
visited by native vessels . , , made
(from November to May), and therefore arrangements “*ht * of
by the political authority at the former port for the due
the Berbera Coast. Were it plainly notified to the indepe
time Arabian Chiefs that His Highness the Imaum had mterdicte

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