182 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 



of his first reception at the Summer Palace of the Sultan, 

 in August, 1837, gives so good a picture of Zanzibar life 

 and surroundings that it cannot be omitted. 



The Consul at half-past five in the morning was rowed 

 in one of the Sultan's boats to the Residence at Matony, 

 a new sea-side Palace two miles from the city, so as to be 



the festivities, which closed some days later with a dinner at the consulate. In 

 September, 1838, the United States Ship of War "John Adams," Captain Wyman, 

 commander, visited Zanzibar, and on the fourteenth, which was Friday, the Mo- 

 hamedan sabbath, the Sultan gave a dinner at the sea side palace to Captain Wy- 

 man and fourteen of his officers, with the Consul. The next day the party visited 

 the summer palace and gardens. On Sunday, the sixteenth, divine service was 

 held on board the "John Adams," and on Monday she was inspected by the Prince, 

 when salutes were exchanged between the " John Adams" and a frigate of the 

 Sultan. 



With the American missionaries at Ceylon and Bombay, Mr. Waters kept in 

 close communication. July 2, 1839, a party of them touched at Zanzibar in the 

 brig " Waverly," Captain Ward, of and from Salem. On the national holiday, in 

 other years, the consul .had made such patriotic demonstrations as he was able, 

 and was to have given a dinner on the Fourth, but the " Waverly" brought him 

 news of the death of his brother Robert. On the Fourth of July, 1837, finding 

 none of his countrymen in port, he made guests of all the English gentlemen he 

 could find in Zanzibar and gave a dinner, at which six English officers were pres- 

 ent, their vessels honoring the day wilh a display of flags, while he saluted the 

 national colors with discharges of small arms from the roof of the consulate and 

 threw up rockets in the evening. A year later, the brig "Holla," his brother John 

 commander, at sunrise, noon and sunset fired a salute which was answered by the 

 British yacht " Sandwich" and an Arab frigate. But on July 4, 1839, the consul 

 enjoyed a celebration much more to his liking. 



Two days had passed in interchange of visits between the "Waverly" and the 

 consulate, a period of religious sympathy indeed refreshing. The morning of 

 the Fourth was spent in a visit to the plantation of Syed Sulliman, a relative of 

 His Highness and Governor of Zanzibar. The wife and daughters of the Governor 

 received the ladies of the mission with marked attention and kindness. All the 

 vessels in port were dressed out in their colors and the American, British and 

 Arab flags were flying from the consulate flagstaff. A salute was fired at sunrise 

 by the "Rolla," at noon, another by the bark "Augustus," Captain Millet, to which 

 the Sultan's frigate replied, and rockets were thrown up in the evening. The 

 Consul and Captain Ward called on the Sultan in return for a like attention from 

 his Highness and the Prince on the third. Next day the missionaries and the 

 ship-masters visited His Highness and the ladies were received by his family 

 above stairs. He presented each of the four ladies of the missionary party with 

 a cashmere shawl, which they hesitated at first to receive, but His Highness in- 

 sisted. They then, on his invitation, inspected the yacht "Prince Regent," a 

 present to the Sultan from the late King William IV of England. July seventh was 

 Sunday, and they heard the first sermon ever preached at Zanzibar. The next day 

 the party, in palanquins and on donkeys, visited the Summer Palace and enjoyed 

 a ramble amongst the groves of palm, orange, clove and nutmeg. On the day fol- 

 lowing, July 9, the ' \Vaverly" cleared for Muscat and Bombay, the Consul and 

 Captain Millet sailing in her for a few miles down the harbor, 



