ZANZEBAR. 
91 
island, which renders the climate tolerably healthy, notwith- 
standing its vicinity to the equator. 
The inhabitants are Mahomedans of Arab extraction, under the 
rule of a Sheik,appointed by the Imaum of Muscat, to whom the 
jurisdiction of the island belongs, which was said in the years 
1807-8 to have yielded a revenue of from thirty to forty thousand 
Spanish dollars per annum, arising almost entirely from an exten- 
sive trade carried on with the Isles of France, Madagascar, and the 
Arabian Gulph. The exports consisted of slaves, gums, ivory, 
antimony, blue vitriol, and senna ; and in return, the French 
supplied Zanzebar with arms, gunpowder, cutlery, coarse Indian 
cloths, and Spanish dollars. Dows or grabs of two hundred 
tons burthen are built on the island, which is well calculated for 
a small naval station, as the ebb and flow of the tide in the 
harbour exceeds twelve feet. 
The Sheik has under his command about one hundred native 
troops, chiefly employed in the regulation of the police ; but the 
island is said to be in a very defenceless state. It is well wooded, 
plentifully supplied with water, and abounds in excellent pas- 
turage. The only grains cultivated are juwarry and rice, which, 
as in Arabia, form the principal food of the inhabitants. Other 
provisions are very abundant : an ox sells for only five dollars, 
a sheep for half a dollar, fowls are extremely reasonable, and 
a constant suppTy of fish is found in the market. Captain 
Bissell remarks in his Journal: Here you can obtain many 
kinds of refreshments, but, as the governor or chief made a 
monopoly of the sale of all kinds of articles, we paid exorbitantly 
dear for them ; the inhabitants sell their things much cheaper. 
