ligence of Mr. Wilson. He had scant means at his
disposal, but the force of his individual efforts added
to these has changed what was in former years one
of the most disagreeable and difficult marches in
Africa, to a journey which can be accomplished with
perfect ease by a woman. I found that he, too, excessively
disliked to use negroes as porters, and as a
means of obviating it had begun to use bullocks and
donkeys as a means of transport. Although he had
lost several by fly, nevertheless he had been successful
enough to satisfy himself that it was not only,
possible, but also cheaper, to do without porters.
On Saturday, February 10, at noon, just thirty days
from Daitcho, we arrived at Mombasa. Of the thirty
days, five had been spent in resting upon the road;
so that the distance (450 miles) had been accomplished
in twenty-five days. To my surprise, upon
reaching Mombasa, I found that the runaways had
not been detained, but had been sent to Zanzibar at
my expense by dhow. The authorities at Mombasa
seemed somewhat chagrined at my surprise, and said
they could have done nothing else. In this connection
I will say that their behaviour was entirely without
precedent. Hamidi and the deserters had reached
Mombasa without letters of any sort from me; yet
the authorities had seen fit to accept his statements,
and treat him and the men not as deserters, but as
people worthy of every consideration and assistance.
I waited at Mombasa five days for a steamer, then
left for Zanzibar.
Upon reaching Zanzibar, I found that no steps
had been taken to arrest my men; but, on the contrary,
they had been sent to my agent by General
Sir Lloyd Matthews, who directed him to supply the
men with food at my expense until the time I should
arrive. I rented a comfortable Arab stone house just
off the main street of the town, and therein established
myself with such of my followers as had remained
faithful to me.
I found that the American Consul, Mr. Jones, who
had been in charge of the interests of the United States
in 1892, had left Zanzibar, and that Mr. Allen was
at that time acting Consul. Mr. Allen had been
less than two years in Zanzibar, during which time
he was in charge, of the mercantile house of Arnold,
Cheny & Co., of New York. Prior to his arrival
there he had had no experience in diplomacy or consular
matters; but throughout the time I remained
in Zanzibar he showed himself thoroughly equipped
for such work, and did all in his power to look after
the interests of his Government, and to prevent my
being treated with injustice.
. A short time after reaching Zanzibar I paid a visit
to General Sir Lloyd Matthews, who was Prime
Minister to the Sultan’s government. During my
absence up-country Great Britain had declared a protectorate
over the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba;
and, as an easy mode of ruling these islands, had made
use of the machinery of the native government, which
was controlled and directed by means of General Matthews,
the Sultan’s Prime Minister, who in turn was
controlled by the British Agent and Consul-General.
Unfortunately for me, Mr. Rennell Rodd, who had
succeeded to the post of British Agent and Consul