Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-07-04
KIMBERLEY, SOUTH AFRl-
CA, TO MO. VALLEY, Ia.
An Interesting Letter by A
j Laurie

u Ldurl0
Our next port OF call was Zan-
zibar, where We remained 4S
hours, at which port we arrived on
the 23rd. This gave us ample
time to investigate, but even with
all this time at our disposal l
doubt if we seen half there was to
be seen. 1t was a grand sight
coming into the bay, small islands
all around us upon which there
were light houses and forts. This
is the island England annexed five
or six years ago. The natives
were quarreling among them
selves. England stepped in with
out an invitation as referee, SO |
am told. The Sultan objected, SO
John Bull turned his guns on his
palace and after two or three hours
of British moral suasion in which
the Sultan's fleet was sunk and his
palace blown to pieces, and the
town damaged more or lcse, the
Sultan came to terms, and now
they call it an English protecto-
rate. That is, the Sultan cannot
do anything without saying please
good Mr. John, can | do this or
that. The Sultan's gunboat lies
at the bottom of the harbor, her
masts projecting about fifteen or
twenty feet above the water. OF
course the Sultan does not need
his war ship any more. If he
should need one England will
kindly oblige if John secs fit, if
not the Sultan must be satisfied.
Another case Of the strong against
the weak, just the same Us in South
Africa. the only difference being
the Bores did not submit as easily
as our nibs, the Sultan. Well, |
could not help but sympathise
with the Sultan, although not
personally acquainted with him,
so when we landed went to his
palace to tell him he had my SYM
pathy, but when l arrived at the
palace personal friend of his
with Winchester at his elbow"
told me the gentleman in question
was resting, which l was quite
convinced was the case for this
reason: It was now about IL a m
but the Sultan's clock registered
something after Z, 80 l took it for
granted that the old boy had been
enjoying himself the night before
and had forgotten to wind his
clock, and was now peacefully
sleeping off the bad effects of
shampagney water. Such people
sometime drink this vile decoction
without discretion. But then he
was not expecting me SO | there
fore decided not to disturb him,
and as unfortunately had left all
my cards-of which l always carry
pack OF 52-on board the boat, |
could not leave ono and as the
man with the gun could not read
English l quietly withdrew, keep
ing my eye on the gun.
Well, when we saw Mozambique
thought we had seen something
in the way of crooked streets, mar
row street and high, dingy old
buildings, but l must confess that
they are not in it with Zanzibar.
Here no street exceeded ten feet
in width, from that down to lust
room enough for a person to walk.
1t you chance to meet another Pc
destrian you have to get your back
up against the wall and stand that
way until he passes. There is no
lodging across the street to avoid
any one that you might not care
to meet. OF course there is ONLY
one street that l was in that was
this way. This one particular
street is known by the familiar
name of Bazaar street. Just imag-
inc passing down this street 3, 4,
feet wide with buildings on eth.
or side or 5 stories high, with
dark dingy stores on either side
with all kinds of vegetables, some
quite fresh, others in a state of
decomposition. The stencil is
enough to paralyze your bronchial
tubes. When you emerge from
this street into one 10 feet vide
you almost imagine that you are
in Broadway, New York.
(To be continued, }