Othello "Trafficking Slaves"

South Atlantic shipping routes, African segment.

The Little Hans had just passed along the coast of South Angola, sailing north with the Benguela Current and entering the waters of the Portuguese-controlled North Angola Colony.

The ship's name revealed its former ownership. A name like that meant it had once been a German state vessel. Of course, that was only in the past. Now, the Little Hans was a wooden sailing merchant ship registered under the Republic of Haiti—its official identity on paper.

"Report, Captain! A British warship has been spotted ahead!"

"Don't panic. Check everyone aboard first and see whether we've overlooked anything. Perhaps the British warship is merely passing through."

Though he said so aloud, Captain Othello had already prepared for the worst. British enforcement warships were rarely seen on this route.

Very soon, the British vessel sent a flag signal ordering the Little Hans to stop and submit to inspection.

"Captain, what do we do now?"

"Submit to the inspection!" Othello ordered.

They could not outrun it, nor could they fight it. This slave ship disguised as an armed merchantman was no match for an ironclad.

At present, the ships East Africa used to transport slaves were all relatively outdated wooden sailing merchant vessels. Many were secondhand ships East Africa had purchased from around the world.

The slave trade came with enormous risks, especially under the joint suppression of the international community. As a slave-exporting nation, East Africa could only keep a low profile. Under normal circumstances, East Africa had not encountered any obstruction in the South Atlantic, but today, trouble seemed to have found them.

Soon, the British warship drew alongside the Haitian merchant ship. Before the British vessel, the Haitian merchantman looked like a tiny speck. This was also the flaw of wooden sailing merchant ships: