CHAPTER XXI 



THE BOMBARDMENT OF ZANZIBAR 



Khaled occupies the palace — British warships arrive — the bom- 

 bardment — escape of Khaled — Hamoud's reiga — the present 

 Sultan — the Sultana. 



Immediately after the news of Seyyid Hamid's 

 death, Khaled rushed with some of his followers 

 and took possession of the palace. Sir Lloyd 

 Matthews and Mr. Basil Cave, then Acting British 

 Agent and Consul-General, tried to persuade him to 

 give it up, but that he would not do. In great ex- 

 citement the Europeans flocked to the English 

 Club, from the roof of which they could see how 

 affairs were progressing. At that time there 

 were only two British warships, the Thrush and 

 Philmnel, in Zanzibar harbour. But later these 

 two, happily, were joined by another one, H.M.S. 

 Sparroiv. 



Naturally business was at a standstill ; everybody 

 was awaiting the course of events. The European 

 ladies betook themselves to the Consulate where 

 Mrs. Cave looked after them, everybody's cook ran 

 away, but happily Mrs. Cave's was an exception to 



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