SIR JOHN KIRK AT HOME. 
27 
then lines of dans all drawn up along the shore of 
white sand, with busy crowds of men working round 
and about them, some 
unloading, some re¬ 
pairing, some looking 
idly on, others strip¬ 
ping for a bathe and 
playing at a peculiar 
game in the water, 
round the hulls of 
the half-floated daus, 
which consists in turn¬ 
ing a somersault and 
bringing your legs 
down with a smack 
on your companions’ 
backs. Indeed, the 
absence of all social restraint on the shore at Zanzibar 
might occasionally ruffle the sensibilities of those of our 
weaker sex who are supposed to be shocked at seeing 
life under somewhat primitive conditions. There are 
no “ bathing regulations ” at Zanzibar, and the 
beach immediately below the Consular windows is the 
favourite resort of “ natives,” who in complete nudity 
gaily chase each other along the silver strand, or 
plunge into the tiny billows and the black ooze of the 
nether shore. Indeed, the number of Indians who 
seem to choose the purlieus of the British Consulate 
for performing their ablutions (doubtless because they 
look upon it as a right of British subjects to bathe 
under their Consul’s eye) render it necessary some¬ 
times to despatch a Sikari for the purpose of driving 
the nude Hindoos to remoter shores, for should the 
Consul be entertaining the lady residents of Zanzibar 
f ' 
1 
i_ 
J 
Fig 8.—A Saracenic Doorway. 
