GLIMPSES OF EAST AFRICA AND ZANZIBAR 



The transition stage was not a comfortable one, 

 as freed slaves felt disinclined to work, and people 

 who paid them for their services naturally expected 

 some degree of return ; but it is difficult always to 

 get much regular work out of a native, he so much 

 prefers sleeping and gossiping. 



Of course it goes without saying that the Govern- 

 ment was often swindled ; natives would make an ar- 

 rangement whereby they deceived the Government, 

 by one claiming the other as a slave, who applied for 

 his freedom, and the owner the compensation, after 

 which they divided the spoil. 



When General Matthews became First Minister 

 General Hatch took over the Sultan's soldiers, of 

 whom there were 860 not including a police force 

 which was raised. The Sultan's troops provided 

 guards for the palaces, and escort when he drove 

 out in his wonderful carriage. 



When Seyyid Ali died in 1893 Hamid bin 

 Thuwaini of Muscat was the next ruler, after a 

 struggle with Khaled bin Barghash, who wanted to 

 be Sultan in his place. Three cousins all claimed 

 the Sultanate, sons of Seyyid Said's sons. Hamid 

 reigned till his death in 1896, then the third claimant, 

 Hamoud bin Mohammed, succeeded him, after an- 

 other more fierce struggle on the part of his cousin 

 Khaled. As a matter of fact there still was another 

 of Said's sons living in Bombay, the one already re- 

 ferred to, but none thought of making him ruler. 



248 



