30 
THE KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION. 
have set foot in his house many hours without remark¬ 
ing the arrival of an Indian gentleman in a suit of 
white clothes of half A siatic, half European cut, with 
a magnificent gold-embroidered turban, a watch-chain, 
a ring, and an umbrella. This is Pira Doji, incorrectly 
known on board the mail steamers as “ The Prime 
Minister of Zanzibar.” He is really an astute Indian 
trader, who by his capacity for business and excep¬ 
tional talents as a raconteur , has known how to obtain 
a very large share of the 66 Sultan’s ” confidence and 
esteem. Pira Doji is a most useful man to Sayyid 
Barghash. Without in reality attaining the position 
of Prime Minister or Grand Vizier (the Sayyid has no 
Ministers, and therefore rules cheaply), he has yet 
become a sort of financial adviser to the Prince of 
Zanzibar, and is at the same time head-waiter at 
State dinners, man-of-business, negotiator in delicate 
matrimonial affairs, and the picker-up and retailer 
of all the town news. If Sayyid Barghash is men¬ 
tioned in the Times , Pira forthwith goes to the 
“ Sultan ” with a copy of the passage scored round 
with red chalk. If a European resident in Zanzibar 
sprains his ankle, or beats his cook, the “ Sultan ” 
likewise hears of it through the same source. Conse¬ 
quently all new arrivals at the Consulate become 
objects of interest to Pira, as likely to furnish “ para¬ 
graphs” for his princely gossip. If ever a “ Society ” 
paper is founded in Zanzibar, it will have Pira Doji for 
its editor. 
His Highness Sayyid Barghash having then heard 
of our arrival, and as much of our disposition, 
antecedents, present intentions, and future plans as 
Pira can glean from the Consul’s household, it becomes 
incumbent on us to present ourselves, or get our 
