TROUBLES AT ZANZIBAR, 



381 



foreign merchants lost heavily, and no less than eighty 

 native vessels were still at the end of the season due 

 from Bombay and the north. To confuse confusion, 

 several ships collecting negro "emigrants" and "free 

 labourers," per fas et nefas, even kidnapping them 

 when necessary, were reported by the Arab local autho- 

 rities to be anchored and to be cruising off the coast of 

 Zanzibar, 



After a fortnight of excitement and suspense, during 

 which the wildest rumours flew through the mouths of 

 men, it was officially reported that H. M.'s steamer 

 Punjaub, Captain Fullerton, H.M. I. N., commanding, 

 had, under orders received from the government of 

 Bombay, met his Highness the Sayyid Suwayni off the 

 eastern coast of Africa and had persuaded him to 

 return. 



Congratulations were exchanged, salutes were fired, a 

 -few Buggalows belonging to the enemy's fleet, which was 

 said to have been dispersed by a storm, dropped in and 

 were duly captured, the negroes drank, sang, and 

 danced for a consecutive week, and with the least delay 

 armed men poured in crowded boats from the island 

 towards their several stations on the mainland. But 

 the blow had been struck, the commercial prosperity of 

 Zanzibar could not be retrieved during the brief 

 remnant of the season, and the impression that a re- 

 newal of the attempt would at no distant time ensure 

 similar disasters seemed to be uppermost in every man's 

 mind. 



His Highness the Sayyid Majid had honoured me 

 with an expression of desire that I should remain 

 until the expected hostilities might be brought to a 

 close. I did so willingly in gratitude to a prince 

 to whose good-will my success was mainly indebted. 

 But the consulate was no longer what it was be- 

 fore. I felt myself too conversant with local politics, 



