CHAPTER II. 
Zanzibar—Mr. Holmwood—General Matliews—Route selected — Grave 
Island—Reception by the Sultan. 
Zanzibar, which is the object of so much political and 
commercial attention at the present time, contains a 
fair-sized town of lofty flat-roofed houses, with court¬ 
yards in their centres, chiefly built of coral. The 
narrow tortuous streets point to the buildings having 
been run up without any planned system or regularity 
of arrangement, while the sea-board is occupied by a 
remarkably ugly edifice representing the Sultan’s 
palace, in front of which stands an if possible still 
more ugly clock tower, now supporting an electric 
light introduced by the late Sultan after his visit to 
Europe. This erection also serves the useful purpose 
of a lighthouse. The larger houses are occupied by 
the well-to-do Arabs and the various consuls, who flv 
their own flags, and here and there the dazzling white¬ 
ness of the buildings is relieved by a poor palm. The 
British consulate stands alone on a promontory at the 
south end of the town and is swept by the sea breeze 
on all sides. Thither we directed our steps on landing 
and were fortunate enough to find Mr. Holmwood, the 
acting Consul General during the absence of Sir John 
Kirk, at home. lie received us with much courtesy 
