APPENDIX I. 



415 



realised. The corn measures used by the Banyans are as 

 follows : — 



2 Kubabah (each from 1-25 to l'50lbs., in fact, our "quart") =1 Kisaga. 



3 Kubabah =1 Pishi (in Khutu the Pishi=2 Kubabah). 



4 Kubabah=l Kayla (equal to 2 Man). 

 24 Kayla =1 Frasilah. 



60 Kayla =1 Jizlah, in Kisawahili Mzo. 

 20 Farasilah = 1 Kandi (candy). 



As usual in these lands, the kubabah or unit is made to be 

 arbitrary ; it is divided into two kinds, large and small. The 

 measure is usually a gourd. 



The only timber now utilised in commerce is the mukanda'a 

 or red and white mangrove, which supplies the well-known bordi 

 or " Zanzibar rafters." They are the produce of the fluviatile 

 estuaries and the marine lagoons, and attain large dimensions 

 under the influence of potent heat and copious rains. The best 

 is the red variety, which, when thrown upon the shore, stains 

 the sand ; it grows on the soft and slimy bank, and anchors 

 itself with ligneous shoots to the shifting soil. The white man- 

 grove, springing from harder ground, dispenses with these sup- 

 ports ; it is called mti wa muy tu (" wild wood "), and is quickly 

 destroyed by worms. Indeed, all the bordi at Zanzibar begin 

 to fail after the fifth year if exposed to the humid atmosphere ; 

 at Maskat it is said they will last nearly a century. The rafter 

 trade is conducted by Arab dows : the crews fell the trees, after 

 paying 2 or 3 dollars in cloth by w T ay of ada or present to the 

 diwan, who permits them to hire labourers. The korjah or 

 score of cut and trimmed red mangrove rafters formerly cost at 

 Zanzibar 1 dollar ; the price has now risen to 2 and 3 dollars. 

 This timber finds its way to Aden and the woodless lands of 

 Eastern and Western Arabia ; at Jeddah they have been known 

 to fetch 1 dollar each. 



The maritime regions also supply a small quantity of the 

 "grenadille wood," called by the people, who confound it with 

 real ebony ( Diospyros ebenus), abnus and pingu. It is not so 

 brittle as ebony ; it is harder than lignum-vitas (Gr. officinalis), 

 spoiling the common saw, and is readily recognised by its 

 weight. As it does not absorb water or grease, it is sent to 

 Europe for the mouth-pieces and flanges of instruments, and 

 for the finer parts of mills. The people use it in the interior for 

 pipe-bowls. 



The mpira or caoutchouc-tree (Ficus elastica) grows abun- 

 dantly throughout the maritime regions. A few lumps of the 

 gum were brought to Zanzibar at the request of a merchant, 



