370 
THE EASTERN COAST. 
though this might arise from none of their nation 
being seen except traders* 
In 1812, Quiloa was visited by Captain Beaver.* 
This ancient capital of Eastern Africa retained no 
traces of its former splendour. It was reduced to 
a number of scattered huts, and the export of slaves 
had fallen from ten thousand to a few hundreds. 
The Imaum of Muskat maintains here a fort mount- 
ing three guns, and defended by half a dozen sol- 
diers, with which he keeps the king of Quiloa in 
awe, and levies a considerable tribute. By a simi- 
lar display of force, he holds in subjection the neigh- 
bouring islands of Pemba, Zanzibar, and Monfia. 
The coast of Africa, from Cape Guardafui to 
the Straits of Babelmandel, was found by Lord Va- 
lentia and Mr Salt to be inhabited by the tribes of 
the Somauli, who are an uncommonly active, indus- 
trious, and commercial race. Berbera is a large 
town situated upon this coast, where an extensive 
fair is annually held, and resorted to by caravans 
from a great distance in the interior. Lord Valen- 
tia saw some who came from the country in which 
the Bahr-el- Abiad takes its rise, and conceives that 
this would be the best channel for exploring the 
source of that great river. Gum arabic, myrrh, and 
frankincense, are the principal exports from this 
coast. 
* Quart, Rev. July 1815. 
