222 



SUGAR. 



propriate industry — sugar-growing. Refiners 

 are agreed that the cane in Zanzibar and Pemba 

 is equal to that in any part of Asia. About three 

 years ago (1857) the late Sayyid established 

 a factory at his estate of Mohayra under a 

 Frenchman, M. Classun, an assistant, and 32 

 supervisors. Compelled to live in the interior, 

 they sickened, and died off, and thus Mauritius 

 lost another dangerous rival. A superior article 

 was also made by the Persians, but they all 

 caught fever, and either perished or disappeared. 

 The sugar now grown is consumed on the Is- 

 land, and there is only one steam-mill belonging 

 to the Sayyid. 



Cotton is said to thrive upon the Island, but 

 the irregular rains must often damage the crop. 

 At present a small quantity for domestic use is 

 brought from the coast, where there are plots of 

 the shrub growing almost wild. In the drier 

 parts of the Benadir, however, the material for 

 hand-made cloth must be brought from India, 

 mostly from Surat. 



The virgin soils of Zanzibar, in fact, labour 

 under only one disadvantage, — the faineantise of 

 the people, but that one is all in all, hence 

 complaints concerning the expense. In the 

 West India plantations 1 head was allowed per 



