Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

238 DHOW-GHASING.
At night, some of tliem not succeeding in
finding any boat, would swim to the ship, one
or two came on board every night while we
were anchored there, begging to be allowed to
remain. I questioned them as to their condition
on shore, when they would point to old and
recent lacerations on the back, which they said
were produced by the lash ; one of them had
an iron bar or ring, about an inch in diameter,
welded round his leg so tightly, that it was
with great difficulty our blacksmith cut it off,
and the pain it must have caused the poor
fellow when it was soldered
on can scarcely be
imagined. Those who swam off, there can be
no possible doubt, came from the Portuguese
town, but to those who came off in canoes, I
avoided putting many questions, as it would be
required to be proved on the part of the Portuguese,
that they had not come from the Arab
towns on the mainland, forming the opposite
side of
the harbour, over which the Portuguese
have no power or authority.
Sixteen slaves in
all came off to the ship to seek the protection
of the English flag, and it rested with me as