The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-01-27
AN AFRICAN CITY.
Peculiarities and Characteristics of Zan-
Zibar,

ZlUdr.
Like nearly all Oriental towns, Zanzibar
looks immensely better from the sea than
1t does upon close inspection. Com
ing from the south, the vessel has to wind
slowly through among numerous little coral
islands, green with stunted trees and bush.
where, even with man in the chains the
navlgations is difficult, not to say perilous.
Once inside, however, and you cast anchor
IN as beautiful road-stead as ever ship was
moored in. Very imposing too is the front
OF Zanzibar, which faces you The waters
OF the bay are pellucid and clear, and rip
pie on sands as white as snow Along the
beach are the warehouses aud dwellings of
the wealthy English-speaking merchants,
the palatial homes Of the wealthier citizens.
the houses of all the different foreign con-
suits-each with its own flag futtering gaiy
IN the breeze, and in the centre topped by
the blood red ensign of Arabia, is the proud
palace Of the Seyyid Burgash.
When you land the first thing that will
strike you, if a stranger, is the extraordi-
nary number Of negro boys, with little more
dress than m; rmaid, that will request, in
to!erable English, the honor of being your
guide for the day. The next thing that
will strike you is that it is much warmer on
shore than on board, and you will naturally
put up your umbrella as you saunter after
your youthful guide. Some Of the streets,
you Will be surprised to find, have neither
doors nor windows, for the best dwelling
houses are built around an open court, the
windows, are rather air holes, opening on
to that. They are built on the heat-resist-
ing principle, the walls being many feet
thick and of solid masonry Every floor,
even, is of great thickness and composed of
wood and stones and lime and the roof is
fiat, and forms a delightful retreat in the
cool of the day, when the sun is getting
low in the horizon, and the cleaning breeze
begins to blow
The shops are mere open sheds, where,
amid his wares, squats the Hindoo or
Bantam merchant, calmly chewing opium
or smoking his hubble-bubble If you need
refreshment you can have it at the fruit
stalls ;pineapples, mangoes, citrons, oranges,
pomuies, guaves, green cocanuts anything
In fact, except apples and gooseberries. The
streets are narrow, winding and quaint
and some Of them, the bazarr for instance,
very picturesque. They are crowded to
excess with Arabs, Banians, Hindoos, Per-
slams, SOmall Indians and slaves of every
sort and shade but the atmosphere is not
such as that which hovers around Rimmcrs
shop in the Straud, especially near the fish
market, which is devoted principally to
sharks and blue-bottle flies. There is many
and many strange sight to be seen every
thing, in fact, tells you that you are in the
midst of "a savage though peaceful people.
1t is treat to watch the goldsmith at
work, or the sandal markers, or toy manu-
ficturers and it is a great treat to see
Parsee school. The school-room is raised
open shed the scholars, to the number of
forty, fifty, or more, all squat on the floor,
each holding a camel's shoulder-blade by
way of slate then they are such sweetly
pretty children, dressed in little jackets and
trowsers ofred yellow and green silk, with
long, dark hair and loving eyes, that, you
cannot help but to stop and admire them.