32 Wanderings ijz Eastern Africa. 
Sayid Majid held the reins of government till 
1870, when he died. His rule was mild and feeble. 
He was exceedingly courteous to strangers, and most 
deferential to the British Government, whose protege 
he was. He was succeeded by his brother, Sayid 
Barghash, the present ruler of Zanzibar. This prince 
had formerly been exiled to Bombay, a proceeding 
which had been deemed necessary in order to secure 
the peace and safety of his brother Majid. Tamed by 
the discipline, he was allowed after a while to return 
to Zanzibar, and for a few years previous to his bro- 
ther's death, led a quiet and unostentatious life. On 
his elevation to power, however, he exhibited a spirit 
which augured the worst things for his reign. He 
could not suppress his aversion to the English, at 
whose instance he had been exiled, and rumours 
floated in the air to the effect that he would not yield 
an inch in regard to the question of slavery. He 
disgraced his elevation to the throne by the almost 
instant sale, by auction, of his brother's concubines 
and household slaves. We remember the indignation 
which was expressed by all parties, native and foreign, 
at this shocking proceeding. We have not heard that 
he has since distinguished himself in any other way, 
either good or bad. If he has a policy, it seems to be 
that of retrenchment and economy, the very opposite 
to that of his deceased brother. It is probable, how- 
ever, that he found this to be an absolute necessity. 
The government of Zanzibar may be designated 
an absolute monarchy, but it is not really so. The 
Sultan is greatly under the influence of the aris- 
tocracy — his immediate relatives, of whom there are 
not a few — and the great families ; and he not seldom 
