23rd, Saturday, 7 A.M. Weighed and stood along the western side of the island (the Sylph leading), in from 5 to 15 fathoms, and at 11 anchored in the harbour in 7 fathoms, mud. The town of Zanzibar, then S.W. by S., distant three-quarters of a mile. Each vessel saluted the fort with three guns, which was not returned. In course of the afternoon sent the boat ashore with the Interpreter to acquaint the Hakim of our arrival. Moderate northerly winds and fair weather.
24th, Sunday. Accompanied the commanders on a visit to the Governor, or Hakim, as he is titled. He received us with great civility, and made many professions of friendship and assistance, which, however, in the sequel we did not find him disposed to act up to. We were saluted on landing and coming off by the fort and a ketch in the harbour. Thermometer 82½. Fair weather. ([Note 15].)
Proceedings at Zanzibar, from the 25th February to the 9th April, 1811, with some account of the island.
Zanzibar, situated between the 6th and 7th of S. lat. and 39th and 40th of E. long., is an island of considerable extent, being nearly 50 miles in length, and 20 in breadth; its distance from the east coast of the African Continent, along which it stretches in a N.-easterly and S.-westerly direction, may be about 15 or 16 leagues;[[117]] between the Continent and it, however, there is no passage for large vessels, except through the harbour, as a reef runs obliquely across from the African shore to the small islands which lie close to the western side of Zanzibar.[[118]] These islets, which stand considerably nearer to the south than the north ([Note 16]) extreme of the island,[[119]] are all, except one, covered with wood, and help to form the harbour. They run in a semi-circle, the concave side of which is towards Zanzibar, and are connected together by reefs of rocks, which, in blowy weather, break the swell, and render the port remarkably smooth and safe. The entrances into it are from the north and south; both lead between the small islet at the extremity of the semi-circle and the western shore of Zanzibar. The northern entrance, which leads within the small woody isle, called Frenchman’s Island,[[120]] is very narrow and crooked, in consequence of sand-banks, which run out from opposite shores, crossing each other. On the shallowest part (which will be known by bringing three northern woody isles in one) the depth is not more than three or four fathoms. The southern passes between a sandy isle ([Note 17]), and the point on which the town of Zanzibar stands is broader than the other, and has 7 or 8 fathoms water in it. The depth within the harbour is from 7 to 9 fathoms, with a tolerably good bottom: the rise of water during spring is nearly three fathoms.[[121]] Immediately adjoining the north end of the town is an extensive creek or inlet, which runs a little way in, and turns up behind the town. Here vessels of all descriptions are hauled up in security during the virulence of the S.W. Monsoon. With a very little care it might be converted into an excellent dock, and deepened, so as to admit with ease ships of at least five or six hundred tons.
The appearance of the island is extremely delightful. It is in general low, especially at the extremities, where it is thickly covered with a jungle and brushwood; but towards the middle the land rises into hills and gentle eminences, which are cultivated, and clothed with cocoa-nut trees. Besides the periodical rains which fall here from the month of March to September, the island itself is well-watered with a variety of springs, which unite and form a number of delightful streams, that flow during the dry season, and keep up that appearance of fertility and beauty, which it exhibits throughout the whole year. None of these streams are large: that at which the ships water[[122]] is situated about 1½ mile north of the town, where it flows into the sea, at the north entrance of the harbour. The water when first taken up is good, but from the quantity of putrid vegetable matter in suspension, upon keeping a short time it becomes very offensive both in taste and smell; in a few weeks, however, it regains its original sweetness. Ships ought always to fill at low water, else they will have it brackish. The climate of Zanzibar is similar to that of India, only the Monsoon, or rainy season, sets in sooner. From September to March the season is dry and warm; the rest of the months are rainy and tempestuous. During our stay the thermometer ranged from 80½ to 87½° at noon; and from the date of our arrival to the 5th of March, the weather was dry, cloudy, and warm, with northerly winds. From that, till our departure, it was in general cloudy, with frequent violent squalls of wind, and rain from the S.W., attended with much thunder and lightning.
The town of Zanzibar is situated on the west side of the island on a tongue of land formed by the above-mentioned creek, and faces the small sandy isle which constitutes the southern boundary of the harbour. It is large and populous, and is composed chiefly of cajan huts, all neatly constructed with sloping roofs. There are, however, a good number of stone buildings in it belonging to the Arabs and merchants; and in the centre, close to the beach, stands a fort, seemingly partly of Arab, partly of Portuguese, construction. It is square with a tower at each corner, and a battery or outwork towards the sea, in which I observed four or five guns of French manufacture remarkable for their length. In the middle of the town we observed a tree[[123]] of uncommon size: its height was about 8 or 10 feet, and from a rude measurement which we took, its circumference could not, I think, be less than 36 or 40 ([Note 18]). Zanzibar according to our observations stands in lat. 6° 6′ S., and long. 39° 15′ E.[[124]] ([Note 19].) It is the only assemblage of habitations on the island that deserves the name of town or even village; for the principal part of the inhabitants without the town being slaves of landholders, are scattered over their respective owners’ estates. The sovereignty of the island belongs to the Imaum of Muscat,[[125]] who appoints the Hakim or governor, and to whom the revenue derived from its commerce and land-tenures devolves. This revenue is said to amount to 60,000 crowns annually, though I have reason to believe it to be much more. His whole establishment consists of the Hakim, an assistant or councillor, and three Arab officers, to command the garrison. The present Hakim is a slave of his own whose history is somewhat curious: he is named Yacoud,[[126]] and was originally from Abyssinia: he belonged to the Imaum’s uncle and predecessor, who, detecting him in some familiarities with one of his young female slaves, caused him to be emasculated. Since his former master’s death he has become a great favourite of the present one, who promoted him to this distant and lucrative government,—perhaps considering that, as he had lost all relish for the only pleasure that can induce an Arab to dissipate his own or his master’s money, he would likely turn out a faithful and valuable servant; nor has he been disappointed. Yacoud’s ruling passion is the love of power, to attain which he himself lives like a beggar, and tyrannically extorts from the inhabitants large sums, which, with his own savings, he faithfully transmits as the price of his continuance in the government. The people, however, who live under his sway, detest and despise him. The revenue, as already stated, arises from land-tenures and customs; and though there is no regular land-tax levied, yet it is sometimes resorted to to raise a supply, an instance of which happened while we were there. One of the Imaum’s ships arrived from Muscat with a demand for 25,000 crowns to assist him in opposing the Wahabees, though I sincerely believe it was to defray the repairs of the very ship which brought the demand, and which was going to Bengal for that purpose. As this sum was not in the Hakim’s possession, he immediately imposed a kind of land-tax, so much to be raised in each district, the chief man of which was ordered to collect it and be answerable for its payment at a stated time, in default of which he was to be imprisoned. The other source from whence the revenue proceeds is a custom of 5 per cent. allowed by the Imaum to be gathered on all imports. This, however, is often very unjustly collected, and few, I believe, except Arabs, ever pay so little on their goods as the lawful sum. The Imaum maintains no kind of military force. The Hakim’s slaves, amounting to 400 or 500 men, are armed to serve as soldiers under the above three Arab officers. There are no imports or exports, though we were told the French pay voluntarily a premium of 10 dollars each for the slaves they take, to secure the good-will of the governor; they are in consequence great favourites, and from this circumstance we may easily account for his subsequent coolness to us, which was not lessened by his hearing of the surrender of the Isle of France while we were there, and on which occasion both vessels fired a royal salute. The principal articles of export are slaves and ivory, also a small quantity of drugs ([Note 20]). The number of slaves annually sent to Muscat, India, and the Isle of France, &c., are estimated at not less than from 6000 to 10,000. The quantity of ivory is also very great, and is sent principally to Surat. Of imports the following are the chief: Surat and Dungaree cloth from Cutch; iron, sugar, and rice from Bombay, rice from Pemba, dates from the Gulf of Persia; slaves, ivory, and drugs from Magadosho, Brava, Ganu, Mombas, and other towns along the African coast ([Note 21]). The number of trading vessels, including those from Semap and Cutch, amounted at the time we left the island to upwards of 50. I could not procure accurate information as to the quantity of the above articles annually imported; but from the amount of the custom, the value cannot be under £300,000. We were told that the demand for European goods on the continent was very great; and if the natives had any returns to make besides ivory and slaves,[[127]] I have little doubt but we might here find an extensive and lucrative vent for numerous articles of our manufacture.
A GENERAL VIEW OF THE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ZANZIBAR.
| Exports. | Imports. | ||
| Slaves. | Surat cloth |  | From Cutch. |
| Ivory. | Dungaree cloth | ||
| Drugs. | Iron | | from Bombay. |
| Coir. | Sugar and rice | ||
| Cocoa-nuts. | Salt fish and Ghee, from Socotra. | ||
| Beeswax. | Cloths, cotton | | From Surat. |
| Tortoise-shell. | China ware | ||
| Earthen jars | |||
| Toys and ornaments | |||
| Rice, from Pemba. | |||
| Dates, from Gulf of Persia. | |||
| Slaves, ivory, and drugs | | From the African Coast. | |
| Beeswax and | |||
| Tortoise shell | |||
The inhabitants of Zanzibar consist of Arabs, descendants of Arabs from Souallie mothers. The Arabs are not very numerous; but the principal part of the slaves and landed property belong to them. A considerable number of Banians likewise reside in the town, many of whom appear to be wealthy, and hold the best part of the trade in their hands. The Souallies form by far the major part of the population, and are almost all slaves to the Arabs—800 or 900 of them sometimes belonging to one individual. They are in general purchased[purchased] in their native country on the opposite shores, when young, and are brought here by the slave merchants, who dispose of them either to the Arabs or to the merchants, &c., for exportation. Those are fortunate who fall into the hands of Arabs, who are justly famed for their mild treatment of their slaves. They are allowed a small habitation on their master’s estate; and not being overworked, and the fertile soil furnishing with little trouble the means for their subsistence, they seem to enjoy a considerable portion of contentment and happiness—a strong proof of which is, that they propagate freely.
All, however, are not equally well situated; and the advocates for the slave-trade ought to witness the market of Zanzibar, after which, if they possess the slightest spark of generous feeling, I will answer for an alteration in their present opinion. The show commences about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The slaves, set off to the best advantage by having their skins cleaned, and burnished with cocoa—nut oil, their faces painted with red and white stripes, which is here esteemed elegance, and the hands, noses, ears, and feet, ornamented with a profusion of bracelets of gold and silver and jewels, are ranged in a line, commencing with the youngest, and increasing to the rear according to their size and age. At the head of this file, which is composed of all sexes and ages from 6 to 60, walks the person who owns them; behind, and at each side, two or three of his domestic slaves, armed with swords and spears, serve as a guard. Thus ordered, the procession begins, and passes through the market-place and principal streets; the owner holding forth, in a kind of song, the good qualities of his slaves and the high prices that have been offered for them. When any of them strikes a spectator’s fancy the line immediately stops, and a process of examination ensues, which, for minuteness, is unequalled in any cattle market in Europe. The intending purchaser having ascertained there is no defect in the faculties of speech, hearing, &c., that there is no disease present, and that the slave does not snore in sleeping, which is counted a very great fault, next proceeds to examine the person: the mouth and teeth are first inspected, and afterwards every part of the body in succession, not even excepting the breasts, &c., of the girls, many of whom I have seen handled in the most indecent manner in the public market by their purchasers; indeed, there is every reason to believe that the slave-dealers almost universally force the young females to submit to their lust previous to their being disposed of. The slave is then made to run or walk a little way, to show there is no defect about the feet; and after which, if the price be agreed to, they are stripped of their finery and delivered over to their future master. I have frequently counted between twenty and thirty of these files in the market, some of which contained about thirty. Women with children newly-born, hanging at their breasts, and others so old they can scarcely walk, are sometimes seen dragged about in this manner. I observed they had in general a very dejected look; some groups appeared so ill-fed that their bones seemed as if ready to penetrate the skin. From such scenes one turns away with pity and indignation, and while he execrates the conductor of this infamous traffic, blushes that his country should ever have sanctioned such iniquity, and remembers with exultation the men who freed her from so great a disgrace.