e. The malachite was said to be dug out of
a large vein on the side of a hill near Katanga's. They knew Lake
Tanganyika well, but had not heard of the Zambesi. They spoke quite
positively, saying that the water of Lake Tanganyika flowed out by the
opposite end to that of Nyassa. As they had seen neither of the
overflows, we took it simply as a piece of Arab geography. We passed
their establishment of long sheds next day, and were satisfied that the
Arabs must be driving a good trade.

The Lake slave-trade was going on at a terrible rate. Two enterprising
Arabs had built a dhow, and were running her, crowded with slaves,
regularly across the Lake. We were told she sailed the day before we
reached their head-quarters. This establishment is in the latitude of
the Portuguese slave-exporting town of Iboe, and partly supplies that
vile market; but the greater number of the slaves go to Kilwa. We did
not see much evidence of a wish to barter. Some ivory was offered for
sale; but the chief traffic was in human chattels. Would that we could
give a comprehensive account of the horrors of the slave-trade, with an
approximation to the number of lives it yearly destroys! for we feel sure
that were even half the truth told and recognized, the feelings of men
would be so thoroughly roused, that this devilish traffic in human flesh
would be put down at all risks; but neither we, nor any one else, have
the statistics necessary for a work of this kind. Let us state what we
do know of one portion of Africa, and then every reader who believes our
tale can apply the ratio of the known misery to find out the unknown. We
were informed by Colonel Rigby, late H.M. Political Agent, and Consul at
Zanzibar, that 19,000 slaves from this Nyassa country alone pass annually
through the Custom-house of that island. This is exclusive of course of
those sent to Portuguese slave-ports. Let it not be supposed for an
instant that this number, 19,000, represents all the victims. Those
taken out of the country are but a very small section of the sufferers.
We never realized the atrocious nature of the traffic, until we saw it at
the fountain-head. There truly "Satan has his seat." Besides those
actually captured, thousands are killed and die of their wounds and
famine, driven from their villages by the slave raid proper. Thousands
perish in internecine war waged for slaves with their own clansmen and
neighbours, slain by the lust of gain, wh