British and East African sailors rescue slaves from a dhow and allot the women slaves as wives. Wood engraving after J. Nash, 1893.

[London] : [The graphic], [1893]

1 print : wood engraving ; image 32.8 x 51 cm

A dhow episode: The capture of a slaver off the East Coast of Africa and the matrimonial agency which settled the free slaves.

Bears monogram of Joseph Nash the younger: JN

1. One day, at dusk, a mysterious personage came silently on board HMS "Catcher" -- 2. The succeeding evening, we left, and at dawn met a dhow rounding the point -- 3. We overhauled the dhow, took out the slaves, and away she flew -- 4. And the cutter, with her cargo of women and children, pulled back to the ship -- 5. Meanwhile the slavers look in vain across the sea for the expected dhow and her cargo -- 6. For the fact was that the captain of the dhow, finding the owners were not playing fair with him, had planned this little game of his own on shore -- 7. The slaves are taken on shore, and on the black battalion being told that those who desire to select wives are to take two steps forward, the whole line advances as one man -- 8. A matrimonial agency: none but the brave deserve the fair -- 9. 'The "Drippies" (Egyptian soldiers) are not forgotten: they get a few wives, but not the most youthful or lovely -- 10. One of the boys is kept on board and christened "Corney O'Dhow, Esq.''

Wellcome Library no. 37931i