The San Francisco call., 1908-07-19

I ERE on. his .ewel Of the sea, In
ii which until a few .Nsars ago the
United States had ons-third in
terest is the headquarters of all those
who seek game on the mainland, as It
was for centuries the starting point for
the Arab-and some Yankee-raiders
who transported hundreds of thousands
Of slaves. Here, while his agents are
obtaining the porters, the headmen, the
boxes OF food and the thousand articles
that are needed in an invasion of the
mainland. Mr. Roosevelt will have the
opportunity TO study the sultan's do
main, an island which may be compared
with mosaic Of the Tzost fantastic and
bizarre description, in which all ma
tions, customs and epochs are repre-
sented-a living museum Of all imag-
Unable phases of existence of refine
ment and degeneracy, of civilization
and barbarism, Of knowledge and dens-
est ignorance, Of paganism. Buddhism,
Christianity and Mohammedanism. 1t
is midway hetween the darkness and
heathenism Of Africa and the fanat-
icism and enlightenment of the east;
II is the receptacle for the human flot-
sam and jctsem OF the Indian ocean
undeniably il is the most interesting
Is square miles IN the world.
While his agents are haggling with
ceive two or 50 rupees wages a month
or whether the successor of the late la
mented Tippo Tih shall have his de-
mands for baksheesh satisfied. Mr..
Roosevelt may be On the way TO re-
ception in his honor in the palace of
the sultan, one Of the few proud Arab
potentates in the world who takes his
orders from western government
AS he gees through the narrow
streets be will be forced to dodge
through an interminable, raveled and
twisted string of men. women and
beasts of burden, of pedestrians, riders
and carriages of every description. He
VIII meet small caravans of slave
women. most gaudil% attired bearing
upon their heads heavy building stone
or baskets of tropical fruits. and chant
ing a low. mOurnful tune as thew bus
the wall to let him pass IN marked
contrast he VIII find the Arab woman
VINO drives by in her carriage attended
BY eunuchs. she is of tlfe weeF+l,iar
class. wells her face up to her eves n,itb
thin gauze and flashes with enough
Jewels to supply an entire tier of
women at the metropolitan opera house
London relieving the sultan of the
arouous necessity of governing his peo-
PIE, he Is able 10 devote much of his
time TO social affairs. and In the plan
nlng OF state receptions which are
usually followed by fancy dress balls.
he combines the talent of a theatrical
producer and the art of a painter. of
pageants. At the nocturnal dance under
the giant palms in the palace gardens
the American visitor Will see staid old
Mohammedans who have laid aside for
the evening their turbans and flowing
skirts and appear in the fantastic cos
tunes of another civilization. The
wives of American businessmen and
English admiralty officers will look
beautiful as sultanas, their faces thinly
veiled, their limbs pantalooned and
wearing gorgeous keffiyehs upon their
heads. There will be Little Bo-Peep
and Aladdin with his lamp, an Eskimo
and an American Indian, Chinese and
a Russian, laughing Japanese girls and
staid old Quaker women. The arrival
OF his highness, in gorgeous gold bro
caded waistcoat, white silk skirt and
great white turban, will cause the two
bands to go into paroxysms over the
national air, hundreds of the sultan's
red flags will be unveiled Simultaneous
~ and the guests will fall on their
knees singing the national anthem as
the naughty young potentate comes
from the palace to lead the dancing of
his thousand guests
Dancing, interspersed with feasting
and drinking, will continue until from
hundred roof tops the peacocks salute
the rising sun and from the minarets
of the mosques the priests call the
faithful to their devotions. AS the
dhows deep laden with the goods and
chattels and the expedition depart for
the mainland the sun will be rising out
of the water and the fishermen. return
ing from the channel, will be dropping
sails and singing merrily typical bal
lad of Zanzibar. Then will the depart
ing visitor, dreaming of the splendors
of the island. realize why the Arabs
gave it their name for paradise.
r ROM the moment the leader in the
expedition sets his foot on the con-
tinent he will need to have in requi-
sifion every ounce of tact and dinInrnacv