THE NEGRO RACE. 



189 



placed the "coming of the Portuguese, about a century earlier." As 

 to the predecessors of the Portuguese, he was uncertain ; but others 

 spoke of the " Debully people; who were straight-haired;" and who 

 perhaps belonged to Northwestern India. 



An old fortification forms a conspicuous object at the city of Zan- 

 zibar, and like similar ones along the coast, it has been commonly 

 attributed to the Portuguese. Besides the presence of plastering on 

 the outer walls, a little attention to other details, will show that these 

 constructions have no reference to the use of artillery ; and they 

 thus reveal one secret of the successes of Europeans in this quarter 

 of the globe. I have seen similar fortresses, having the like round 

 towers, in the Interior of Hindoostan ; and all such, may be referred to 

 the early Muslims, or in a general w-ay, to the time of the Caliphs. 

 Indeed, the Soahili have preserved a tradition, that one of the " Ha- 

 leefeh, sent out, as it were missionaries, to convert Eastern Africa." 



Notices of Eastern Africa have been found, of a date anterior to 

 the time of the Caliphs; and particularly, I believe, an account by 

 Arrian, which I have not consulted. With respect to "Agizymba, 

 the most distant country known to Ptolemy," I have been struck with 

 the similarity of the word to ' Kissimkazy, Kissimbany,' and other 

 local names which occur in the island of Zanzibar. The ' Cazembe,' 

 a shadowy personage who figures in some Portuguese accounts of 

 the Interior of East Africa, may also have a connexion with the same 

 island. 



The city of Zanzibar, does not present any striking variation from 

 other Arab towns; unless in the greater number of Negroes. There 

 seemed, however, to be more than the usual proportion of ancient 

 Hebrew and ancient Egyptian customs. Amulets, composed of a 

 variety of articles strung together, are tied around the heads of in- 

 fants; and a Soahili at once recognised the purpose of an ancient 

 Egyptian amulet, which I happened to have in my possession. In- 

 dependently of the regular slave trade, child-stealing is practised by 

 adventurers from the outer coast of Arabia; and on much the same 

 footing as formerly, according to Homer's description, by the Phoeni- 

 cians. The visiter will again be reminded of early Greece, in the 

 attitude and costume of various individuals walking with spears: and 

 some particulars in the construction of these weapons, will be found 

 to correspond with the Mosaic regulations. 



One article of Zanzibar manufacture, is exported in great quantities 



48 



