THE MTEPE. 



73 



from Madagascar, Mozambique, the minor islands 

 of the Indian Ocean, Bombay and Guzerat, the 

 Somali coast, the Red Sea, Maskat, and the 

 Persian Gulf. Numbering 60 to 70, they anchor 

 close in shore — Semites and Hamites, won- 

 drously apathetic ! — where the least sea would 

 bump them to bits. About half a mile outside 

 the ' country shipping,' ride, in 5 to 6 fathoms, 

 half a dozen square-rigged merchantmen — 

 Americans, French, and Hamburgers ; Eng- 

 land is not represented. What with bad water, 

 and worse liquor, the Briton finds it hard to 

 live at Zanzibar. All are awaiting cargoes of 

 copal and ivory, of hides, and of the cowries 

 which we used to call 4 blackamoor's teeth.' 



The quaintest and freshest local build is to 

 us the Mtepe, which the Arabs call Muntafiyah. 1 

 This lineal descendant of the Ploaria Miapta 

 (Xaviculae Consutse, Periplus, chap. 16), that 

 floated upon these seas 20 centuries ago, is a 

 favourite from Lamu to Kilwa. The shell has 

 a beam one-third of its length, and swims the 

 tide buoyantly as a sea-bird. This breadth, com- 

 bined with elasticity, enables it to stand any 



1 It is written Mutaifiyah in the Arab Chronicle of Momb- 

 asah History, translated and included in Captain Owen's work 

 (Voyages to Africa, vol. i. 416, Arabia, etc., London, Bentley, 

 1833). 



