have a free pardon, and to be sent back to their
homes.
We had now a great deal to do in preparing for a
three years’ journey, in taking observations and working
them out. For the benefit of photographers, I
may mention that the “ developer ” succeeded. It was
given me by Mr Apothecary Frost, E.I.C.S.
The Sultan very kindly ordered that we should proceed
across to the mainland of Africa (only forty miles)
in his corvette, the Secundra Shah, commanded by
Captain Mahomed Camese. We sailed on the anniversary
of Havelock’s entry into Lucknow, the 25th
September. The wind was ahead; our crew, a rough
set of African lads; sandbanks were about; and after
splitting our maintop-sail, and many oaths (strange to
say, in English) from the native commander, trying to
put things to rights, we put back for the night, anchoring
close to where we started. The commodore,
an Arab gentleman, came on board to see what accident
had happened. He remained in charge, and early
next morning, taking us as far as Choomba Island,
returned in an open boat. The passage to the seaport
of Bagomoyo was made in ten hours, but before we
could land there was a row of three miles’ shallow
water, near the end of which two fine stout fellows
came splashing through the water, shouldered me from
the boat, and bore me like a child, nolens volens, in
triumph over to the dry shore. These were our own
“ Seedee boys,” or Africans, and they gave us a warm
greeting. Everything was reported by Sheikh, the
Arab in native charge, as ready for a start. We
tried to march on the 1st October, but the trashy
bazaar—all its flints, fish, rice, grog, and sixpenny
accordions, not worth more than ten pounds—had
too many attractions for our men; and we did not
get away till the following day, after having drunk
success to the expedition in a bottle of Colonel
Bigby’s champagne, and seen our kind host into his
boat on his return to Zanzibar.