ZANZIBAR 



gold. One of these shops sells excellently carved 

 ebony and ivory animals, chiefly the favourite ele- 

 phant, but also crabs, rhinos and pigs. Of course 

 there are a number of Goanese stores, where they 

 sell grocery, haberdashery, drapery and most 

 things (more or less ; that is everything but the one 

 thing you want ! ) all in one small shop. They are 

 very dear, but as they always get their stores out 

 through shipping and landing agents resident in 

 Zanzibar, the buyer obtains his article after a good 

 many other people have taken their profit. The 

 Goanese have sometimes not the ready cash to pay 

 for their stores at once to the English firm, whereas 

 the agents will give credit, so the agents get their 

 custom and grow fat, while the poor Goanese (some- 

 times) have a struggle, owing to the competition, to 

 get along. Their prices are generally according to 

 what they think their customers will pay, and 

 many things I found in Zanzibar more expensive 

 than in Nairobi, although to the latter place there 

 was the heavy railway freight to pay. 



There are two fairly good hotels, better than 

 any others I have stayed in in Africa ; but ladies 

 are at a disadvantage, as they do not provide public 

 sitting-rooms, and it is not always nice to sit with 

 the strange assortment of beer, and whisky-drink- 

 ing men. 



The daily bill of fare is a problem difficult to 

 solve, as the food is of scant variety, and meat dear 



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