During this time the most strenuous endeavours were used to get the slaves in my employment away, but we made the Banyans stick to the agreement, which was in writing, and by that means got the consulate provisioned.
We could not get the Portuguese to sell us any flour, but we hoped to get some from vessels coming in. In this we were disappointed, for Mr. Duncan was only able to get 12lbs. of flour from a German brig, and this had to be obtained through the Portuguese custom-house officer on board of her.
Soon after the arrival of the survivors of the crew of the British cutter “Herald” at Mozambique, I succeeded in obtaining the house of Señhor José Vincente de Gama, at the yearly rental of 400 dollars; and now that there were a few more Englishmen in the port, the Governor-general was pleased to furnish me with a guard consisting of four native policemen belonging to the city of Mozambique, under the command of a Portuguese sergeant from His Excellency’s body-guard.
The slaves of the neighbouring slave-dealers were not allowed to insult me; the natives were permitted to approach the house and furnish us with supplies; and the Banyans were persuaded to allow their slaves to come and serve in my house. All this was in consequence of the presence of a few Englishmen, and the persevering energy of Mr. Duncan, who thought he could not do too much for the consul of his nation, to enable him to maintain his post against the slave-dealers. Loud were the complaints among all classes of the shameful desertion of H. M. Consul and the Governor-general by the British frigate “Castor,” and by no party at Mozambique was the captain of that vessel more thoroughly despised and abused than the very slave-dealers who had been assisted by the absence of a British ship of war.
Mr. Duncan and his mate, Mr. Charles Hilliard, both resided in my house, while the remainder of the crew of the “Herald” lived in the city of Mozambique.
Mr. Duncan gave the Portuguese very clearly to understand that their treatment of the British consul should be made known to the world; and as they already were aware that he had exposed slaving practices at Lourenço Marques, by his letter in the “Natal Mercury,” they were afraid of him, and consequently hated him intensely. I cautioned him at all times to avoid eating or drinking with them when he had occasion to visit the city of Mozambique to look after his crew. But having escaped the poison cup at Lourenço Marques, he said that he felt he would live to expose the infamy of these people to the world. Among other good offices which he rendered us, he induced a Portuguese lady in the city of Mozambique to allow her slaves to wash our linen; and thus my wife and poor Rosa were relieved from labour which was absolutely killing them, with the approaching sickly season before us.
Everybody spoke of the fearful season which was approaching; that it was the seventh year since the awful hurricane and fatal season of 1851, and that it was sure to be most destructive of life. Constant inquiries were made relative to the health of the British consul and his family as the season advanced, but Providence wonderfully protected us, as will be seen in the following pages.
For a brief space after getting into our new house we had peace, and we made the best use of our time by putting everything in order, and laying in a good stock of supplies; we were successful in obtaining all we stood in need of, excepting flour; but as we were able to buy bread at Mozambique, after the arrival of the crew of the “Herald,” we hoped that we would be able to hold out until the dhows began to come over from Bombay.
The slave-dealers at Mozambique remonstrated with the Governor-general for giving me a guard of police from Mozambique. His Excellency explained that all the trustworthy men of the garrison were sick, and that it was useless his sending men to guard me, who would give as much trouble as the negroes who were sent to persecute me; and that, as he was compelled to protect me, he could but furnish me with a police guard.
The Governor-general of Mozambique is entirely in the hands of the Finance Committee, and they are governed by slave-trade interests. Finding that remonstrance was useless, the Finance Committee informed the Governor-general that they, from motives of economy, had disbanded the police force, and, of course, next morning my guard vanished.