LAKE NYASSA

"The Lake slave trade was terrible. Two enterprising Arabs had built a dhow, and were running her, crowded with slaves, regularly across the Lake. We were told that she had 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 the vile market; but the greater number of slaves go to Kilwa... Let us state what we do know of this portion of Africa, and then every reader who believes our tale, can supply the ratio of the unknown 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 through Portuguese ports. Let it be supposed that 19,000 represents all the victims . Those taken out of the country are but a very small section of all the sufferers ... Besides those actually captured, thousands are killed and die of their wounds and famine, driven from their villages by the slave trade proper. Thousands perish in internecine war waged for slaves with their own clansmen and neighbors, slain by the lust of gain, which is stimulated, be it remembered always, by the slave purchasers of Cuba and elsewhere... We would ask our country men to believe us when we say, as we conscientiously can, that it is our deliberate opinion from what we know and have seen, that not one-fifth of the victims of the slave trade ever become slaves . Taking the Shire Valley as an average we should say not even one-tenth arrive at their destination... A small armed steamer on Lake Nyassa, could easily, by exercising a control , and furnishing goods in exchange for ivory and other products, break the neck of this infamous traffic in that quarter; for nearly all must cross the Lake and the Upper Shire." P. 310-311, "Return to Lake Nyassa," NARRATIVE OF AN EXPEDITION TO THE ZAMBESI by David and Charles Livingstone (1865)