Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

260 DUOW-OHASING.
before!" but officers in the position of commanders
of sliips do not require to have their
instructions reiterated or interpreted for them,
therefore there must be something else imphed,
and on looking at the case again we find that
there is something not quite clear ; there is no
reference to the place of capture, or whether it
was within the limit of any treaty, and judging
from the circumstances alluded to and from the
facts that we have since learned about this
capture by the " Star," we are led to infer that
the Government in Council implied that when
there are ilot more than six slaves in addition
to the crew, they are to be considered as
" domestic slaves." If such be the case I not
only differ from such an opinion, but I assert
that any officer who should take that view of
the case and act upon it, would be neglecting
his duty.
There seems to be an impression that the
crews of these dhows are " domestic slaves,"
and in one sense such may be the case, but
there are no men practically more free, many of
them are actually so, than those composing the