The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

THE SLAVE TEADE. 31tionised during the last few years. For the three centuries following theoccupation of the land, the factories along the coast between the Congo andCunene rivers traded exclusively in slaves. These stations were mere depotsfor the wretched captives destined for the Brazilian plantations, and mostlypurchased in the interior by the traders of Sam Thome, descendants of the Jewsbanished to that island towards the end of the fifteenth century. The Africancoastlands having thus been depopulated for the benefit of the Now "World, it isnot surprising that Angola has been so greatlj' distanced in material progress bythe vast Brazilian empire. The number of blacks transported from Angola sincethe beginning of the sixteenth centm-y has been estimated at about one millionat least ; and to procure this multitude of slaves, the dealers in human fleshprobably caused the destruction of three or four times as many in the slavehuntingexpeditions and the terrible forced marches to the coast. No doubtthe black cargoes received the apostolic benediction when setting sail, and atthe time of Bastian's visit the stone seat was still shown at Loanda from whichthe bishop stretched forth his hands towards the parting hulks in order to bestowhis episcopal blessing on their living freights. But it may be doubted whetherthe horrors of the middle passage were perceptibly abated for all this unctuousmummer_y. When, however, the trafiic was checked, and at last abolished altogether,about the middle of the present century, the broad Angolan uplands hadceased to be a hunting-ground for human quarry. But although the land nowbegan to be slowly repeopled, the old trade in slaves was still continued fromplantation to plantation, just as it flourishes at the present time throughout theNegro kingdoms of the interior beyond the Kwango river. The whole system ofcultivation, as well as the colonial administration in general, depended on theforced labour of the serfs employed on the largo domains ceded by the state toenterprising speculators.At last slavery was completelj- abolished in 1878 throughout the Portuguesepossessions, where no native is any longer compelled to till a sqiiare yard of landwhich he cannot call his own. But the tenure of the land itself has not undergonea corresj)onding change. Small freeholds, which tend so greatly to fosterthe self-respect and promote the well-being of the peasant, have not been substitutedfor the extensive domains on which is based the ascendancy of a powerfullanded aristocracy. Nevertheless such a radical change as the emancipation ofthe Negro cannot fail eventually to bring about a corresponding revolution inthe prevalent system of manual labour. So also the ever-increasing importanceof Angola, in the social economy of the African world, must necessarily ere longentitle this region to a larger share of local self-government, and to a fundamentalmodification of the present system of complete dependence on the crownauthorities resident in Lisbon.ToPOGRAPHV.Although recognised by solemn international treaties as sole masters of theleft bank of the Lower Congo, from Noki to Cape Padrilo, the Portuguese possess