Abstract: The item consists of copies and extracts of correspondence and minutes cited in, or enclosed with, a Political Letter from the Government of Bombay to the East India Company Court of Directors, dated 27 October 1853, and found at IOR/F/4/2536/147461. It is the fifth in a series of seven items about the 'slave trade' [trade in enslaved people].The item contains a letter from Henry Wilson Reeves, Bombay Civil Service, to the Government of Bombay. The letter mentions a map of the journeys made in 1850-51 by Dr David Livingstone and Mr Oswell, Madras Civil Service, in the region north of the 'Cape colony' [Cape of Good Hope] and north-east of the 'Great Ngamee Lake' [Lake Ngami]. Reeves notes that Livingstone and Oswell discovered 'slave trade' activity in the area, allegedly involving the Makololo [or Kololo] people and the 'Mambari' [word given to traders in the region], who may or may not be Portuguese. He suggests that Major Atkins Hamerton, Political Agent at Zanzebar [Zanzibar], should be asked to make enquiries about this trade and the general geography of the region, the Zambezi river in particular.The item also contains a minute by the Governor of Bombay, dated 14 September 1853, with instructions for forwarding Reeves's letter and map to Hamerton and the Government of the Cape of Good Hope.The map referred to was removed and catalogued separately at IOR/W/F/4/2536/147465.Hamerton is also referred to as HM Consul and Company Agent in the Dominions of His Highness the Imam [Imām] of Muscat.The title page of the item contains the following references: 'Bombay Political Department', Draft Number '161 1854', 'Collection', 'Vol: 5', and 'Examiner's Office'. Originally, the Collection was described as 'No. 1 of No. 102 of 1853' but this has been crossed out.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 832, and terminates at f 837, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the item also contains an original pagination sequence.