CHAPTER VII. 



A CHRONICLE OF ZANZIBAR. — THE CAREER OE THE 

 LATE 6 IMAM,' SAYYID SAID. 



'Mais, comme le livre n'est point une oeuvre de fantaisie, 

 comme il traite de questions serieuses, et qu'il s'addresse a des 

 interets durables, je me resigne, pour lui, a l'inattention du 

 moment, et j'attendrai patiemment pour que l'avenir lui ramene 

 son heure, lui refasse, pour ainsi dire, une nouvelle opportu- 

 nity. ' — M. Gtjillain. 



There is little of interest in the annals of 

 Oman and of her colonies. Pond of genealogy, 

 the modern Arabs are perhaps the most in- 

 curious of Orientals in the matter of history : 

 they ignore the past, they disregard the present, 

 and they have a superstitious aversion to speak 

 of the future. Lawless and fanatical, treacher- 

 ous, blood-thirsty and eternally restless, the 

 Omani races, whose hand is still against every 

 man, have converted their chronicles into a kind 



