Note 2 — Chapter III · PASTORAL TRIBES.

It might, however, be that the non-existence of slavery in our negative cases were due to a special, external cause, viz. that these tribes were so inclosed between more powerful nations as not to be able to procure slaves, though slaves would be of much use to them. A brief survey of the political state of these tribes shows that they are not all in this position. The Kazak Kirghiz, in Levchine’s time, kidnapped slaves whom they sold abroad. The Massai are very warlike and adopt captives. The Turkomans are “the intermediate agents for carrying on the slave-trade”2. The Ama-Xosa and Ama-Zulu are also very warlike3. We see that there are some pastoral tribes that, though able to procure slaves, do not keep any. The non-existence of slavery among them must be due to other, more internal, causes.