6 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOURNALS. [Chap. I. 



To His Excellency the Governor of Bombay. 

 [After compliments.] 



" . . . . The end of my desire is to know ever that your 

 Excellency's health is good. As for me — your friend — I 

 am very well. 



"Your honoured letter borne by Dr. Livingstone duly 

 reached me, and all that you said about him I understood. 



" I will show him respect, give him honour, and help him 

 in all his affairs ; and that I have already done this, I trust 

 he will tell you. 



" I hope you will let me rest in your heart, and that you 

 will send me many letters. 



" If you need anything I shall be glad, and will give it. 

 " Your sincere friend, 



"Majid bin Said. 



"Dated 2nd Shtral, 1282 (18th February, 1866)." 



2nd March, 1866. — A northern dhow came in with slaves ; 

 when this was reported to the Sultan he ordered it to be 

 burned, and we saw this done from the window of the 

 Consulate ; but he has very little power over Northern 

 Arabs. He has shown a little vigour of late. He wished 

 to raise a revenue by a charge of 10 per cent, on all articles 

 brought into town for sale, but this is clearly contrary to 

 treaty, which provides that no monopoly shall be permitted, 

 and no dues save that of 5 per cent, import duty. The 

 French Consul bullies him: indeed the French system of 

 dealing with the natives is well expressed by that word ;. 

 no wonder they cannot gain influence among them : the 

 greatest power they exercise is by lending their flag to 

 slaving dhows, so that it covers that nefarious traffic. 



The stench arising from a mile and a half or two square 

 miles of exposed sea beach, which is the general depository 

 of the filth of the town, is quite horrible. At night it is 



