476 



LIEUT.-COL. HAMERTON. 



and to the Balock Jemadars, commanding the 

 several garrisons. On the other hand, Ladha 

 Damha of Mandavie, the Banyan Collector of 

 Customs, provided me with orders upon the 

 Hindu coast-merchants, to raise the requisite 

 moneys, without which our reception would 

 have been of the coolest. The horizon now 

 began to clear, and even to look bright, as it 

 generally will when the explorer has time and 

 patience to await the change of weather. 



If we travellers in transit had reason to be 

 proud of our countryman's influence at Zanzibar, 

 the resident foreigners should have been truly 

 thankful for it. When Lieut-Colonel Ilamerton 

 first made this Island his head-quarters (1811), 

 he found that for nine years it had not been 

 visited by a British cruiser, and that interested 

 reports had been spread, representing us to be no 

 longer masters of the Indian Seas. Slavery was 

 everywhere rampant. Bozals, green or wild slaves, 

 here called Baghams were thrown over- 



board when sick, to avoid paying duty ; and the 

 sea-beach of the city, which acts Marine Parade, 

 as well as the plantations, presented horrible spec- 

 tacles of dogs and birds of prey devouring swollen 

 and spotted human carcases— the remnants of 



