The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death | Page 8

they cannot gain influence among them: the greatest power they
exercise is by lending their flag to slaving dhows, so that it covers that
nefarious traffic.
The stench arising from a mile and a half or two square miles of
exposed sea beach, which is the general depository of the filth of the
town, is quite horrible. At night it is so gross or crass one might cut out

a slice and manure a garden with it: it might be called Stinkibar rather
than Zanzibar. No one can long enjoy good health here.
On visiting the slave-market I found about 300 slaves exposed for sale,
the greater part of whom came from Lake Nyassa and the Shiré River; I
am so familiar with the peculiar faces and markings or tattooings, that I
expect them to recognize me. Indeed one woman said that she had
heard of our passing up Lake Nyassa in a boat, but she did not see me:
others came from Chipéta, S.W. of the Lake. All who have grown up
seem ashamed at being hawked about for sale. The teeth are examined,
the cloth lifted up to examine the lower limbs, and a stick is thrown for
the slave to bring, and thus exhibit his paces. Some are dragged through
the crowd by the hand, and the price called out incessantly: most of the
purchasers were Northern Arabs and Persians. This is the period when
the Sultan's people may not carry slaves coastwise; but they simply
cannot, for the wind is against them. Many of the dhows leave for
Madagascar, and thence come back to complete their cargoes.
The Arabs are said to treat their slaves kindly, and this also may be said
of native masters; the reason is, master and slave partake of the general
indolence, but the lot of the slave does not improve with the general
progress in civilization. While no great disparity of rank exists, his
energies are little tasked, but when society advances, wants multiply;
and to supply these the slave's lot grows harder. The distance between
master and man increases as the lust of gain is developed, hence we can
hope for no improvement in the slave's condition, unless the master
returns to or remains in barbarism.
_6th March, 1866._--Rains have begun now that the sun is overhead.
We expect the Penguin daily to come from Johanna, and take us to the
Rovuma. It is an unwholesome place; six of my men have fever; few
retain health long, and considering the lowness of the island, and the
absence of sanitary regulations in the town, it is not to be wondered at.
The Sultan has little power, being only the successor to the captain of
the horde of Arabs who came down and overran the island and
maritime coasts of the adjacent continent. He is called only Said or
Syed, never Sultan; and they can boast of choosing a new one if he

does not suit them. Some coins were found in digging here which have
Cufic inscriptions, and are about 900 years old. The island is low; the
highest parts may not be more than 150 feet above the sea; it is of a
coral formation, with sandstone conglomerate. Most of the plants are
African, but clove-trees, mangoes, and cocoa-nut groves give a
luxuriant South Sea Island look to the whole scenery.
We visited an old man to-day, the richest in Zanzibar, who is to give
me letters to his friends at Tanganyika, and I am trying to get a depôt of
goods for provisions formed there, so that when I reach it I may not be
destitute.
_18th March, 1866._--I have arranged with Koorje, a Banian, who
farms the custom-house revenue here, to send a supply of beads, cloth,
flour, tea, coffee, and sugar, to Ujiji, on Lake Tanganyika. The Arab
there, with whom one of Koorje's people will remain in charge of the
goods, is called Thani bin Suelim.
Yesterday we went to take leave of the Sultan, and to thank him for all
his kindness to me and my men, which has indeed been very great. He
offered me men to go with me, and another letter if I wished it. He
looks very ill.
I have received very great kindness during my stay from Dr. and Mrs.
Seward. They have done everything for me in their power: may God
Almighty return it all abundantly into their bosoms, in the way that He
best can. Dr. Seward's views of the policy pursued here I have no doubt
are the right ones; in fact, the only ones which can be looked back to
with satisfaction, or that have probability of success among a race of
Pariah Arabs.
The Penguin came a few days ago, and Lieutenant Garforth in
command agrees to