MANGROVES. 



241 



slaves on the Mainland, and are brought over by 

 Arabs and other vessels. The material is the 

 useful mangrove, of which we here find the 

 normal two species ; the Arabs call both c Gur- 

 um,' and prefer the Makancla, or red kind. At 

 Zanzibar the posts which become worm-eaten, 

 and are reduced to powder by white ants, must 

 be changed every five years. In arid Maskat 

 they will last out the century, and they find 

 their way to Aden, to Jeddah, and even to 

 Meccah. The usual price in the Island is 82 to 

 $3 per c Korjah,' or score. 



The Mti wa Muytu (wild wood), or white 

 mangrove, is found growing not in brackish water, 

 and upon the mud, like the red variety, but 

 chiefly upon the higher sandy levels. The wood 

 is small, it shrinks when dried, it splits easily, 

 and snaps ; it is worm-eaten at once, and its 

 porous nature causes it easily to absorb water. 

 In Zanzibar it is used for fuel in lime-burning, 

 and it makes a hot and lasting fire ; the people 

 also turn it into caulking mallets, which do not 

 crack or spread out. The usual price (1857) is 

 half a German crown per Korjah. 



Vegetables are little prized at Zanzibar : the 

 list is rather of what might be than of what 

 exists. A local difficulty is the half-starved 



VOL. I. 16 



