ARAB WELL.
CH AP TER IX
TOUR IN PEMBA ISLAND
Points needing Investigation—Arrival at Weti— Arab Name for the
Island—Exuberance of the Vegetation— An Arab Proprietor— Undu-
latipg Country—Uncultivated Land—-Fine Clove Trees— Narrow
Creeks -Mohamed bin Jumah and his Shambas— Coffee Trees.
I LEFT Zanzibar on April 2, 1892, for a tour in Pemba Island,
in order to make a general report on its products and capabilities,
on behalf of the Zanzibar Government.
The steamer K ilw a- being ready to start, I sent my
porters and kit on board; General Mathews courteously
taking me later in his boat and introducing me to the Liwali
of Weti, who was also a passenger on board, and to whom I
handed my introductory letter from the Sultan. My intention
was to land a.t Weti on the northern part of the island,
and make that my head-quarters. The Liwali was an old
friend of General Mathews, and promised to give me every
help and assistance in his power.
My instructions, apart from observing the products, mode
of cultivation, and soils of the island, were more particularly
to obtain information on the following points :_
1. The reasons for the difference in value between Pemba
and Zanzibar copra, the former being inferior, and generally
of' a very black colour, and being thought to be kiln-dried,
instead of sun-dried, as stated to be.
2- T1le reason ° f the smallness of the clove crop in. the
nort 1 o Pemba this season, as compared with last year— the
crop in t e south of the island being up to the average, and
with no signs of falling off in the exports.