Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-27
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GAL one carpentera Letter

1Ai4 RNt NhiUtultNH lNAltI
~ ANzIBAR. you ever heard
Of Judge Riley OF Virginia
y He was one Of the not
ed figures in Washington dur
ing the administrations OF Grant
Hayes, Arthur, and GARFIELD. car
pet-b bag official at the close OF the war
he came in for one Of tho foreign APP
poIntments which were given by the
northern presidents TO the Republicans
of the south. lie was first sent as min
ister or consul general TO one OF the
little South American republics ana
after that was given the consulship to
Zanzibar Before leaving Washington
for the latter post he treated all his
friends, dllating the while on the
splendors Of the court OF the sultan
and his hurem and the black'eyed
houris whom he expected TO see He
then left; but at the end Of six months
came back weary and worn and sad.
When asked how he liked Zanzibar
he replied
"zanzibarl Zanzibar Where in the
blank Is Zanzibari have been cruis-
ing over the world for the past six
months and. for the life Of me, can't
find zanzibar"
have been more successful than
Judge Riley. for I have found Zanzibar
and have seen its young sultan, though
MOI HIS harem. For our consuls Of the
future would say that Zanzibar Is
a coral island about one sixth as large
as Porto Rico, situated In the indian
ocean. 800 or 400 miles below the
equator and from Is to 30 miles from
the coast Of German East Africa 1t
can now be reached by half dozen
steamship lines. and the fare from here
to washington Is something like $500
There are four lines which connect the
island with Europe. and the German
East Africa ships go regularly from
here to Bombay, in India, and to RAN
COON, In Burma. There are also ships
which have regular sailings to the Per-
sian gulf and Madagascar. so that the
island can be easily reached.
THE ISLAND OF CLOVES,
In coming here from Tanga we
steamed along the Zanzibar coast for
about 40 miles. and there are 20 or
moro miles yet below us Zanzibar
is about so miles long and 20 miles
wide, and it would make altogether
about 400 one thousands acre farms.
As you look at 1t from the sea the land
IN low and its shores are fringed with
cocoanut trees loaded with nuts, The
island has a dense Vegetation. 1t Is In
the heart Of the tropics and is noted
for the fertility of fits soil. 1t is the
chief Glove island of the world, and the
cakes and pickles OF the universe are
favored by It. Throughout Europe and |
the United States there are millions |
OF secret drinkers who hide their |
whisky breath from the knowledge of |
their deluded wives by the aroma OF |
Zanzibar cloves. The island produced |
last year over 26 million pounds of
these spices. This Is enough to
smother the scent of all the liquors
raised by man and leave some 10 spare.
During my stay / have ridden out TO |
some of the plantations. Cloves come
from trees which are set out in or
chards and cultivated. At the age of |
six years the trees begin TO bear bios |
sons and il is these blossoms which |
form the cloves of commerce. They are |
bright red in color and are full of
perfume. They are picked when they
are In fun bloom and then smoked
they turn from red to brown.