* 



CHUMBI. 



71 



Turtle, has caused many a wreck. These mis- 

 haps are not always accidental. One day Lieut. - 

 Colonel Hamerton saw, through his glass, the 

 master of a Frenchman deliberately stow himself 

 and his luggage in the gig, put off, and leave his 

 ship to run her nose upon the nearest reef. 



These islands form the well-known c Passes,' 

 channels intricate with lithodom-reefs and mol- 

 lusk-beds. They number four, namely, the 

 northern or English Pass, between Champani 

 and Zanzibar; the X. W. or Prench Pass, between 

 Kibondiko and Changu ; the great or middle, be- 

 tween Changu and Bawi ; and the western, 

 south of Bawi. The principal entrance was 

 buoyed by the late Sayyid, but these precautions 

 soon disappeared. Within the line of break- 

 waters is the anchorage, which may be pro- 

 nounced excellent; ships ride close to shore in 

 7 to 8 fathoms, and the area between the islets and 

 the island may be set down at 3 8 square miles. 

 It presents an animated scene. Mosquito fleets 

 of 'ngarawa' or monoxyles cut the wavelets 

 like flying proas, under the nice conduct of the 

 sable fishermen, who take advantage of the calm 

 weather. The northerners from about Brava 

 have retained the broad-brimmed straw hat, 

 big as an average parasol. Like that of Mala- 



