MS. LOST. 



21 



good to appear a dupe. It is wise, when your enemies 

 determine you to be that manner of sable or ermine 

 contrivance into which ladies insert their fair hands, to 

 favour the hypothesis. I engaged the men, I paid the 

 men, and mentally I chronicled a vow that Kamji should 

 in the long run change places with me. 



Presently Mr. Frost with brow severe and official 

 manner, informed me that the state of Lieut. -Colonel 

 Hamerton's health forbade a longer stay near the coast. 

 To this there was no reply : I contented myself with 

 remarking once more' that morphia appeared a curious 

 cure for a confirmed liver complaint, and I made pre- 

 parations for landing at once. Mr. Frost replied that 

 the doses of morphia were very "little ones/' — an excuse 

 which, according to Capt. Marryat, has been urged under 

 somewhat dissimilar circumstances by the frail ancilla. 

 I confided to Mr. Frost's care two MSS. addressed 

 through the Foreign Office, one to Mr. John Blackwood, 

 the other to Dr. Norton Shaw, of the Royal Geographi- 

 cal Society. As the former arrived in safety, whilst the 

 latter,— a detailed report concerning the commerce and 

 capabilities of Zanzibar,- — was lost, I cannot help suspect- 

 ing that it came somehow to an untimely end. Lieu- 

 tenant-Colonel Hamerton had repeatedly warned me 

 that by making inquiries into the details of profit I was 

 exciting the jealousy of the natives and the foreigners 

 of Zanzibar. According to him the mercantile commu- 

 nity was adopting the plan which had secured the foul 

 murder of M. Maizan : the Christians had time and op- 

 portunity to alarm the Banyans, and the latter were 

 able to work upon the Wasawahili population. These 

 short-sighted men dreaded that from throwing open the 

 country, competition might result : Oriental-like, think- 

 ing only of the moment, of themselves, they could not 



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