Page 323 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

VISIT TO ZANZIBAR. 281

docs not appear to have met with much better success, expecting to be
here two or three months collecting a freight. Their return cargoes
consist almost totally of copal and gum ; but since the Englishman has
been here, and they have seen him buying ivory, they have commenced
doing the same. The English brig is a great annoyance to them : it is
her first voyage to this coast, and she brought out a cargo of goods, the
whole of which she has disposed of, and is now about to return with a
full cargo of copal, gum, ivory, and drugs, with a little gold dust and
tortoiseshell. The latter, the Master gave me to understand, the Ame­
ricans knew nothing about, and that he expected to clear for his
owners 170 per cent. The Americans and this man (who is a clever,
industrious, active, close-handed fellow, and understands perfectly
what he is about) arc upon perfect good terms with each other, though
it is evident they are very jealous of him, and it is only his extreme
good humour that prevents their quarrelling. Copal, gum, and ivory
are the only return cargoes ; they are therefore all looking out for the
same thing.
This trade has been known only to one or two houses in America:
the Americans now here said there were not ten people in their country
who knew where Zanzibar was, or ever heard of it. Last year the
Imaum sent a letter by one of these American Captains, to be published
in America, inviting the citizens of the United States to come and trade ;
but the owners said—“No, Mr. Waters (the Master of the Old Salem
brig) ; if we allow this to be published, everybody will hear of the
place, and we shall lose our trade.”
The Englishman is certainly a great favourite with the Imaum, and
he has already given him orders to the amount of 30,000 dollars,
chiefly for naval stores, to be brought out next year, and has been
endeavouring to persuade this man to bring out his family, and live at
Zanzibar.
There was no possibility of ascertaining any actual account of the
number of the inhabitants at Zanzibar; some said there were 50,000, and
others 200,000 : a gentleman who had been there some time told me he
always found the same unsatisfactory answer, but there was no doubt
that the island was full of inhabitants. There is no European settled
here, nor in any part of His Highness’ dominions.
The revenue of the island of Zanzibar is said to be 150,000 dollars
yearly. Previous to His Highness’ visit last year, he only received
about 30,000 or 40,000 dollars.
The Imaum has only about two or three hundred troops, which he
brought from Muskat, but there appear to be a great number of police,
armed with spears.
The only place on the island of Zanzibar where there are any guns