Chapter II: Geographical Distribution of Slavery (5)

The Mucassequere, according to Serpa Pinto, sell the captives they make in their wars as slaves to the Ambuella, who transmit them to Bihé caravans [774]. We may therefore suppose that they do not keep slaves.

Result. Negative cases: Bushmen,
Akkas,
Mucassequere.
No conclusion: Namaqua,
Griqua,
Korana,
Colonial Hottentots,
Abongos.

§ 18. Africa. D. Hamitic peoples.

Munzinger, in his excellent books, describes several of these tribes, all of which keep slaves: Beduan [775], Takue [776], Marea [777], Beni Amer [778], Barea and Kunama [779], Bogos [780].

The Gallas practise slavery to a great extent [781].

The Somal and Danakil also have slaves, though not so many as the Gallas [782].

Amongst the Massai slavery is unknown [783].

Kannenberg, in his short notes on his journey through the country of the Warangi, remarks that captives are made slaves. But in Baumstark’s elaborate description of this tribe no mention is made of slavery [784]. We may therefore conclude, that the Warangi do not keep slaves. If Kannenberg’s statement is correct, the prisoners certainly become victims of the slave trade, which in his time was carried on to a great extent in German East Africa [785].

The Wandorobo have been described by several authors [786], who do not make any mention of slaves. They are themselves subjected to the Massai [787]. We may safely conclude that they have no slaves [788].

The Wakwafi also probably have no slaves; for none of their describers [789] say a word about slavery.

Result. Positive cases: Beduan,
Takue,
Marea,
Beni Amer,
Barea and Kunama,
Bogos,
Gallas,
Somal,
Danakil.
Negative cases: Massai,
Warangi,
Wandorobo,
Wakwafi.

Several North-African peoples, such as the Fulbe, the Tuareg, the Kabyls, etc., being semi-civilized rather than savages, have been excluded here [790].

§ 19. Recapitulation.

In the preceding paragraphs we have tried to find, which savage tribes have, and which have not, slaves. But we suppose that our enumeration of positive and negative cases has not yet given the reader a clear idea of the occurrence of slavery in the several geographical districts; probably he does not see the wood for trees. So we shall take here a short survey, serving, so to speak, as a map and showing in which parts of the globe slave-keeping savage tribes are found.

In North America slavery exists along the Pacific Coast from Behring Strait to the Northern boundary of California (15 clear positive cases). Beyond this district it seems to be unknown (42 clear negative cases).

In Central and South America we find 9 positive and 17 negative cases [791]. The positive cases are scattered over the whole continent; there are no large positive or negative districts. Such, at least, is the result we arrive at with the aid of our rather incomplete literature; a better literature would perhaps show that such districts exist.

In Australia slavery is unknown (30 negative cases).

In Oceania, i.e. Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, slaves are only found in New Zealand, the North-Western Solomon Islands, the Gazelle Peninsula of Neu Pommern and the Western part of New Guinea (altogether 8 pos. cases). In the rest of this group (except a few uncertain cases) slavery does not exist (30 neg. cases).

In the Malay Archipelago slavery very frequently occurs (69 pos. cases). The 8 negative cases are scattered over the group.

India and the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, taken together, afford 13 positive and 11 negative cases, the former being found in the Northern parts of both groups.

In Central Asia and Siberia slavery seems to be unknown, except among the Kamchadales (in Central Asia 4 neg. cases, in Siberia 1 pos. case and 7 neg. cases).

The Caucasus yields 3 positive cases, 1 negative case, and several doubtful cases. Our literature on this group is rather scanty.

The Arabian Aeneze Bedouins, as well as the Arabian Larbas who live in North Africa, keep slaves (2 positive and no negative cases).

As for Africa, the Northern part of this continent, being inhabited by semi-civilized peoples, is excluded from our survey. Among the savage Africans slavery very frequently occurs. There are only two districts, in which scarcely any clear positive cases are found, viz. South Africa to the South of the Zambesi, and the country about the Upper Nile, to the South-West of Abyssinia. Large agglomerations of slave-keeping tribes are found on the Coast of Guinea, and in the district formed by Lower Guinea and the territories bordering the Congo. A few negative cases, however, are interspersed among the members of both groups, especially of the latter. There are altogether 90 pos. and 31 neg. cases in Africa.

All over the globe, there are, among the savage tribes on which we are sufficiently informed, 210 with slaves and 181 without slaves.