Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

CRUISE OF THE " CASTOR's " BOATS. 21
in the world could stand such a constant drain
on its population? and must not the evil of
thus rendering that great continent agriculturally
barren, checking all
trade and produce,
be felt throughout the world, perhaps for
centuries ? The immense wealth of Africa
which now lies buried and dormant is yet, I
believe, destined to be brought to the surface,
when its trade will take the place of the
present iniquitous slave traffic
and be a benefit
to all the other nations of the world, while that
which at present is carried on only feeds the
lust and avarice of a few uncivilized Arabs, and
is a curse to mankind.
On the morning of the 16th November the
boats of the " Castor " and " Dee " were manned
and armed and proceeded up the river Angoxa.
It was known that for several years this river
had been entirely in possession of the Arabs,
who had a large fortified town of the same
name which was a great slave depot on this
part of the coast. The strength of the Arabs
on the coast, and the utter inability of the Portuguese
to cope with them, may be judged by