Travels in Europe 161 



impossible. Portugal owed England 14,000,000 and 

 interest accumulated, since the Peninsula War. This 

 debt cancelled and a small sum in cash would have 

 settled the matter. Mr. Herbert wrote about it to Lord 

 Kimberley, who was in the country, but he did 

 nothing and then when I had taken passages to 

 return to South Africa, wrote asking me to put off 

 my departure, and to await his arrival in London, 

 but as news of the unrest in the Transvaal made me 

 anxious, I left and did not see him. George Moodie 

 also went with me once to aid in endeavouring to 

 persuade the British Government to move in this 

 matter, but as Gladstone's party was in power, they 

 would do nothing. I had previously urged this on 

 Sir Garnet Wolseley when he was in Pretoria, but 

 the British Government were too slow. Now British 

 capital has made Delagoa Bay an important seaport 

 and town, and millions would be required to do what 

 thousands would have done then. Its railway com- 

 mands a large share of Transvaal trade, while it is 

 one of the most valuable coaling harbours south of 

 the line. 



On reaching Zanzibar the S.S. "Nyansa" was 

 sold to Sultan Bargash, so we went on in a British 

 India S.S. We had some very enjoyable rides about 

 the island, the Sultan providing ponies, but we had 

 to start very early to avoid the heat. We passed 

 one morning a large traction engine buried axle- 

 deep in sand and rusting away. This had been sent 

 out by some philanthropic old ladies in England to 

 haul cocoanuts and bananas and other products to 

 Zanzibar market, as they had heard harrowing tales 

 of how the poor enslaved natives carried them on 

 their heads. I discussed with Dr. (now Sir John) 

 Kirk and Bishop Steer, the advisability of occupying 

 the fine forest-clad and snow-capped mountain 



