THE MOMBASA ROUTE SELECTED. 
9 
The arrangements for our start for the interior were 
chiefly entrusted to Martin, who declared our armoury of 
sixty-five rifles to be insufficient, so we increased it by a 
few more Snider carbines and about fifty muzzle-loaders. 
Of course there were endless discussions about the 
route we should take, though there were only two which 
we could choose between. One was from Pangani 
just opposite Zanzibar, and the other from Mombasa. 
The first was supposed to be too swampy, and the 
second too dry, so it appeared to be a choice of evils 
at best. We were, however, assured that at this time 
of year the Mombasa route would be fairly well watered, 
and as it offered the attraction of being the shorter we 
decided to take it. 
During our stay at Zanzibar we purchased numerous 
swords and daggers of beautiful workmanship in silver, 
gold, and ivory ; several were ancient specimens, pro¬ 
bably brought over by the Imam of Muscat, when he 
conquered the island in 1784. 
The housetops are the favourite living places, with 
the Zanzibaris, during the intervals of sunshine be¬ 
tween the frequent and heavy showers of rain ; and 
here one young black lady used to perform her 
daily toilet just opposite my window : the chief, and 
certainly the most laborious, part of the operation 
consisted in arranging her very thick hair, by the aid 
of a comb with only two prongs. 
We made an early visit one morning, in a boat 
kindly lent to us by the Sultan, to Grave Island, 
which is just opposite Zanzibar and so named on 
