20 
CROSS TO THE MAINLAND. 
have a free pardon, and to be sent back to their 
homes. 
We had now a great deal to do in preparing for a 
three years' journey, in taking observations and work- 
ing them out. For the benefit of photographers, I 
may mention that the " developer " succeeded. It was 
given me by Mr Apothecary Frost, E.I.C.S. 
The Sultan very kindly ordered that we should pro- 
ceed across to the mainland of Africa (only forty miles) 
in his corvette, the Secundra Shah, commanded by 
Captain Mahomed Camese. We sailed on the anni- 
versary of Havelock's entry into Lucknow, the 25th 
September. The wind was ahead ; our crew, a rough 
set of African lads ; sandbanks were about ; and after 
splitting our maintop-sail, and many oaths (strange to 
say, in English) from the native commander, trying to 
put things to rights, we put back for the night, an- 
choring close to where we started. The commodore, 
an Arab gentleman, came on board to see what acci- 
dent had happened. He remained in charge, and early 
next morning, taking us as far as Choomba Island, 
returned in an open boat. The passage to the seaport 
of Bagomoyo was made in ten hours, but before we 
could land there was a row of three miles' shallow 
water, near the end of which two fine stout fellows 
came splashing through the water, shouldered me from 
the boat, and bore me like a child, nolens volens, in 
triumph over to the dry shore. These were our own 
" Seedee boys," or Africans, and they gave us a warm 
greeting. Everything was reported by Sheikh, the 
Arab in native charge, as ready for a start. We 
tried to march on the 1st October, but the trashy 
