Page 695 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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SLAVE TRADE. 651

“ So far as I can learn, the manner in which slaves arc introduced into
our Indian possessions is by the males being classed on board the Arab
i
i vessels on which they are embarked as part of the crew, while the
females arc passed off as their wives. As a large portion of the crew
of native boats is frequently composed of Negroes, it must of course be
extremely difficult, if not impossible, for any examining officer to ascer­
tain whether the Africans on board are bond fide seamen, or brought
for sale. I am told, moreover, that so little repuguance is in general
entertained by the Negroes themselves to be sold out of the vessels
bringing them, that both males and females readily join in the decep­
tion, and, if interrogated, seldom if ever fail to corroborate the statement
of the Nakhoda or commander as to their composing part of the
equipage of the vessel or boat.
“ It was at the same time admitted that great difficulty was experi­
enced in kidnapping and embarking Indians ; that few only were
obtained annually, and these only by stealth.
“ The Agent further stated that a great number of Negro and Abyssini­
an slaves were yearly landed in Bombay, the females being dressed up
as men ; while others, he asserted, were passed through the guards by
means of bribes.
“ The purchasers of such slaves are said to be generally from Luck­
now and the Deccan.
“ The country craft which trade between the Gulf and Bombay and
the Malabar Coast almost all touch at the principal ports within the
Gulf, and at Muskat and Soor, either to take in water or goods, before
they strike across the Arabian and Indian Seas. Some of these belong
no doubt to chiefs with whom we have treaties; but by far the greater
number of this description of boats on that line are the property of
horse-dealers and other merchants of Bussora, Koweit (or Grane),
Bushire, Bahrein, and other smaller places on these shores, and of
Bombay, &c.
“ The temptation presented to these traders of taking a few slaves
to India is very obvious, for the risk, at present at least, is next to no­
thing. The market being shut, the contraband importation of slaves
must yield something, though but little beyond the usual profit, to those
who venture on it. The facility with which slaves can be purchased
in Lingah, Kishm, Muskat, Soor, and other ports, and secretly con-
veyed on board, is not greater than that with which they can be landed
on the coast of India. There is no effective arrangement in operation
for searching such vessels as carry these slaves, either at sea by our
cruisers, or on arriving at Bombay or elsewhere ; and even if a very
expensive establishment were maintained at sea, and in all the bays
and landing-places along the whole coast of Western India, for inspect-