APPENDIX I. 



403 



spent by the stranger who would engage in the task of retail- 

 buying in the interior. 



The principal article of export from the Zanzibar coast is 

 copal, from the interior ivory. The minor items are hippopot- 

 amus teeth, rhinoceros horns, cattle, skins, hides, and horns, the 

 cereals, timbers, and cowries. Concerning the slaves, who in 

 East Africa still form a considerable item of export, details 

 have been given in the preceding pages. The articles which 

 might be exploited, were means of carriage supplied to the 

 people, are wax and honey, orchella-weed, fibrous substances, 

 and a variety of gums. 



The copal of Zanzibar, which differs materially from that of 

 the Western Coast of Mexico and the cowaee (Australian 

 dammar?) of New Zealand, is the only article convertible into 

 the fine varnishes now so extensively used throughout the 

 civilised world. 



As the attention of the Expedition was particularly directed 

 to the supplies of copal in East Africa by Dr. Gr. Buist, LL.D., 

 Secretary to the Bombay branch of the R. G. Society, many 

 inquiries and visits to the copal diggings were made. In the 

 early part of 1857 specimens of the soils and subsoils, and of the 

 tree itself, were forwarded to the Society. 



The copal- tree is called by the Arabs shajar el sandarus, from 

 the Hindostani chhandarus ; by the Wasawahili msandarusi ; 

 and by the Wazaramo and other maritime races mnangu. The 

 tree still lingers on the island and the mainland of Zanzibar. 

 It was observed at Mombasah, Saadani, Muhonyera, and 

 Mzegera of Uzaramo; and was heard of at Bagamoyo, Mbuamaji, 

 and Kilwa. It is by no means, as some have supposed, a shrubby 

 thorn ; its towering bole has formed canoes 60 feet long, and a 

 single tree has sufficed for the kelson of a brig. The average 

 size, however, is about half that height, with from 3 to 6 feet 

 girth near the ground ; the bark is smooth, the lower branches 

 are often within reach of a man's hand, and the tree frequently 

 emerges from a natural ring-fence of dense vegetation. The 

 trunk is of a yellow-whitish tinge, rendering the tree conspicuous 

 amid the dark African jungle-growths; it is dotted with exuda- 

 tions of raw gum, which is found scattered in bits about the 

 base ; and it is infested by ants, especially by a long ginger- 

 coloured and semi-transparent variety, called by the people 

 maji-m'oto, or " boiling water," from its fiery bite. The copal 

 wood is yellow tinted, and the saw collects from it large flakes ; 

 when dried and polished it darkens to a honey-brown, and, 

 being well veined, it is used for the panels of doors. The small 



