FRENCHMEN. 



319 



copal, ivory, and gold dust, and the French 

 merchants resolved by concurrence to drive the 

 Americans out of the field. Messrs Yidal freres 

 of Marseille despatched accordingly to Zanzi- 

 bar Messrs Bauzan, Wellesley, and Peronnet, 

 and appointed M. Mass their second agent at 

 Lamu. They were opposed by Messrs Eabaud 

 freres, also of Marseilles, a house from whom we 

 received especial kindness : their Zanzibar man- 

 ager was M. Hannibal Berard, and M. Terassin 

 was sent to the ' bone of contention,' Lamu. 

 These firms choose their employes amongst their 

 captains, who act supercargoes as well as com- 

 manders ; they are estimable men, sober and 

 skilful, but painfully lax in dealing with c les 

 negres.' Their Consul publicly declared that it 

 was his duty to curb the merchants, as well as 

 to protect the commerce of France. 



The specialty of the French houses is oil. 

 They export the cocoa-nut in various forms, 

 sesamum and other oleaginous grains, which 

 Provence converts with such energy and success 

 into huile d'olives. The sesamum is a compara- 

 tively new article of commerce, yet the Periplus 

 (chap, xiv.) numbers Elason Sesaminon (oil of 

 sesamum) amongst the imports from India. 

 Now it is supplied chiefly by Lamu. Vast 



