The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-23

Britain and Germany, began 10 take an
interest IN East Africa, with the result that
The Sultan has now no practical authort
on the coast OF tho mainland Though he
receives rent for part Of ~, while the r.
lands OF Zanzibar and Pemba constitute
British protect rate.
Thelegends and scattered historical facts
relating 10 the east coast Of Africa are
brought together by Sir Charles Eliot In
some interesting paragraphs. The region
was doubtless known to the ancient Egyp-
tians, but our author does not touch upon
this matter. except 20 say that : he traces OF
Egyptian influence are slight though an
Egyptian idol has been disc )vered At
Makdshu. and some Of the inhabitants OF
Melind assert that they are Of Egyptian
origin He recalls that the Greek
geocrapher Ptolemy (about A. d. 100
calls East Africa Azania. and speaks Of the
promontory Of Zingis. Sir Charles suggests
that these words may he connected with
the Arabic name for the coast Gang lin the
plural Zunuj, which apparently IL the same
word as the Persian Fang. meaning negro.
The old civilization Of the coast Is some
timos spoken Of as the Fang Empire, though
Il docs not appear 10 have been organized
probable enough that from very early times
there was a syst ematic migration nom
southwest Arabia TO South Africa OF
Himyarites, who worked gold mines and
built Zimbadye and the other structures Of
which ruins are found in Rhodesia. II IL
also pronounced very probable that such
localities a. the Lamu Archipelago and
Mombasa. which offer obvious advantages
"a ports, we're repeatedly occupied before
the oldest colonization Of rhich We have
any record. There Ia a fair amount Of
Oriental tradition concerning the COLOMBIA
ton OF the Fast African coast in the seventh
and following centuries Of the Christian era.
Badger, author Of 'Imams and Seyyids Of
Oman quotes from the 'Futnh-el- BuldAn'
to the effect that Said and Suleiman, chiefs
Of Oman, we're attacked in A. d. 0St by
El.Hajjaj Governor Of Irak. Being ulti-
mately defeated by him, they fed with their
adheTents to the land Of Zanj. Some Of
the coast towns are said by the chronicles
10 have been founded by Arabs; others by
Persians The presence Of true Persians on
the East African coast seems established
Burton discovered a Persian inscription
near Tanga, and Persian coins have been
discovered at Melindi Theancient mosques
in Fast Africa are said to resemble Persian
and not Arabian architecture. Makdishu
has the reputation Of being the earliest
settlement, having been built, according TO
tradition, in A. d. 9os. Then followed
Knwa about A. D. s75, and one or two
hundred years later, Mombasa, KILN,
Aslindi and the settlements in the Lamu
Archipela go. II would appear that the
East Africa shore was also visited by the
Chinese. for Chinese coins dated between
A. d. 7l3 and il03 have been found at Klva
and Makdshu, and Chinese feet Il said
70 have visited the latter town in 1850 A
family at Lamu claim descent from Chinese
or Malays. who were wrecked there.
The Zanj coast towns whether founded
by Arabs OF Persians, seem to have attained
considerable degree Of prosperity and
civilization. Ibn Batuta, the Arabic geog-
rapher who visited MakdiShu in 1928,
describes it as an exceedingly large city.
Thence he proceeded 70 Kilwa, where be
found the Inhabitants Of religious and
peaceful habits. Waco dA Cana, In his
journals, gives a like favorable impression
Of the country. OF Mombasa he says
that It is large city, seated upon an
eminenoe, washed by the sea. The port
Melindi he says that Its houses are lofty
and well whitewashed and have many
windows. On the land side are palm groves,
and all around II maize and vegetables
are cultivated In A. D. 1900 Mombasa
was sacked by Cabral, and five years later
by Francisco de Almeida. the first Portug Lese
Viceroy Of India. The Sultan now became
u tributary Of Portugal, and about the same
time the same fate befel the princes Of
Zanzibar, Kilwa, Sofala, Barawa and Lamu
These possessions were at first organized az
parts OF the Porting csc province Of Arabia
and Ethiopia, and placed under a Governor
General. Somewhat later, about 1871, the
vast Oriental empire u Portugal was divided
into three governorships, the most westerly
Of which comprised the east coast Of Africa
and was administered from Moza mbique.
Towards the end OF the sixteenth century
two new but only transitory Powers made
their appearance, and played parts in the
drama Of marrying the east coast Of Africa,
the Turks and the Zimbas. A Turkish
corsair named Ali Bey arrived in 1886 and
took tribute from Mombasa. IAmu, Faza
and Jumbo (Kismayu) in the name OF the
Ottoman Sultan. He elected the Portu.
guese from most Of their settlements and
when he returned TO the Red Sea In the
next year, Is said to have taken with him
fifty Portuguese prisoners end about
G0OO 900 worth Of plumber. The Viceroy
of India sent feet from Goa which burnt
Mombasa as a punishment for having al
lowed itself TO be pillsged by Ali Bey.
The Zimbas were tribe Of fierce warriors
who came from the region south Of the
Zambesi. Their name is possibly con-
nected with Jumbo, or with Zambesi It.
self. II Is said that Madagascar. before
the arrival Of Malays therein. was invaded
and occupied by tribe called Bazimba
who may be the same people. 1t is certain
that from A. d. 1885 to 1859 the Zimbas
overran East Africa as far north as Melindi
They began by capturing KilwA and mas
sacring the inhabitants after which they
went northward and besieged Nom
basa. While they were thus occupied
encamped at MAkup on the mainland,
All Bey and the Turks returned QSSs).
The Turks established themselves At Ras
Serini the end Of Mombasa Island which
faces the sea. and built fort there. Not
long afterward. in March, 1889, Thomas
de souza Coutinho arrived with twenty
ships, 50 that there were three rival Powers