clove-bags, boxes of merchandise, &c., from store to "go-down" and from "go-down" to the beach, singing a kind of monotone chant for the encouragement of each other, and for the guiding of their pace as they shuffle through the streets with bare feet. You may recognise these men readily, before long, as old acquaintances, by the consistency with which they sing the tunes they have adopted. Several times during a day have I heard the same couple pass beneath the windows of the Consulate, delivering themselves of the same invariable tune and words. Some might possibly deem the songs foolish and silly, but they had a certain attraction for me, and I considered that they were as useful as anything else for the purposes they were intended.

The town of Zanzibar, situate on the south-western shore of the island, contains a population of nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants; that of the island altogether I would estimate at not more than two hundred thousand inhabitants, including all races.

The greatest number of foreign vessels trading with this port are American, principally from New York and Salem. After the American come the German, then come the French and English. They arrive loaded with American sheeting, brandy, gunpowder, inuskets, beads, English cottons, brass-wire, china-ware, and other notions, and depart with ivory, gumcopal, cloves, hides, cowries, sesamum, pepper, and cocoa-nut oil.

The value of the exports from this port is estimated at $3,000,000, and the imports from all countries at $3,500,000.

The Europeans and Americans residing in the town of Zanzibar are either Government officials, independent

merchants, or agents for a few great mercantile houses in Europe and America.

The most important consulate at Zanzibar is the British. The acting British Consul and political resident, when I was at Zanzibar preparing my expedition for the African interior, was Dr. John Kirk.

I felt quite a curiosity to see this gentleman, from the fact of his name being so often coupled with the object of my search-Dr. David Livingstone.

In almost all newspapers he was mentioned as the "former companion of Dr. Livingstone." I imagined, from the tone of the articles that I saw published, and from his own letters to the Indian Government, that if I could obtain any positive information from any person regarding the whereabouts of Dr. Livingstone I should be able to procure it from Dr. Kirk.

It was with feelings of no small impatience, therefore, that I awaited the honour of an introduction to him through Capt. Webb.

On the second morning after my arrival at Zanzibar, according to the demands of Zanzibar etiquette, the American Consul and myself sallied out into the street, and in a few moments I was in the presence of this much-befamed man. To a man of rather slim figure, dressed plainly, slightly round-shouldered, hair black, face thin, cheeks rather sunk and bearded, Capt. Webb said, "Dr. Kirk, permit me to introduce Mr. Stanley, of the New York Herald.'"

I fancied at the moment that he lifted his eyelids perceptibly, disclosing the full circle of the eyes. If I were to define such a look, I would call it a broad stare. During the conversation, which ranged over several subjects, though watching his face intently, I never saw it kindle or become animated but once, and that

was while relating some of his hunting feats to us. As the subject nearest my heart was not entered upon, I promised myself I would ask him about Dr. Livingstone the next time I called upon him.

Tuesday evenings "Dr. and Mrs. Kirk are at home," Zanzibarites are informed. The pleasures of those evenings the civilised community of Zanzibar generally ignore, but the representatives of the European colony do visit them nevertheless. This special evening, there was quite a "sprinkling" of the upper-ten-dom.

As the American party of visitors arrived early, I was enabled to note how other guests entered into conversation, and I wondered to hear each and all after the first greeting inquire anxiously of the Consul and his lady, if they had been to "Nazi-Moya" that evening, to which they responded in the negative; for it happened that they had not extended their recreative walk so far as the classic grounds of Nazi-Moya that particular evening.

Oh," each guest said, in a tone of triumphal and delighted wonderment, "I thought I had not seen you there."

"Where, and what is Nazi-Moya ?" I was fain to ask of Capt. Webb.

'Nazi-Moya," said this pleasant cynic, "Nazi-Moya means in English, One Cocoa-tree;' it is a rendezvous just behind Ras Shangani (Sandy Point), whither we go on afternoons to enjoy the fresh sea-breeze. It is the usual form of opening a conversation, owing to the terrible dearth of topics just now we have to talk about."

Capt. Webb spoke truly when he said there was a "terrible dearth of topics," and subsequent experience

proved to me that the good Europeans of Zanzibar, in the absence of legitimate matter, were never slow to avail themselves of the least bit of scandal, in order to make the evenings pleasant and agreeable.

The entertainment which the British Consul and his lady provided for the visitors on their reception evening consists of a kind of mild wine and cigars; not, because they have nothing else in the house-no decoction of bohea, or hyson, with a few cakes-but I suppose because it is the normal and accustomed habit of a free Zanzibarized European to indulge in something of this sort, mixed with a little soda or seltzer-water, as a stimulant to the bits of refined gossip, generally promulgated under the vinous influence to sympathizing, interested, and eager listeners.

It was all very fine, I dare say, but I thought it was the dreariest evening I ever passed, until Dr. Kirk, pitying the wearisomeness under which I was labouring, called me aside to submit to my inspection a magnificent elephant rifle, which he said was. a present from a governor of Bombay. Then I heard eulogies upon deadly powers and its fatal accuracy; I heard anecdotes of jungle life, adventures experienced while hunting, and incidents of his travels with Livingstone.

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its

Ah, yes, Dr. Kirk," I asked carelessly, "about Livingstone-where is he, do you think, now?"

Of

"Well, really," he replied, "you know that is very difficult to answer; he may be dead; there is nothing positive whereon we can base sufficient reliance. one thing I am sure, nobody has heard anything definite of him for over two years. I should fancy, though, he must be alive. We are continually sending something up for him. There is a small expedition even now at Bagamoyo about starting shortly. I really think the

old man should come home now; he is growing old, you know, and if he died, the world would lose the benefit of his discoveries. He keeps neither notes nor journals; it is very seldom he takes observations. He simply makes a note or dot, or something, on a map, which nobody could understand but himself. Oh, yes, by all means if he is alive he should come home, and let a younger man take his place."

"What kind of a man is he to get along with, Doctor?" I asked, feeling now quite interested in his conversation.

"Well, I think he is a very difficult man to deal with generally. Personally, I have never had a quarrel with him, but I have seen him in hot water with fellows so often, and that is principally the reason, I think, he hates to have any one with him."

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"I am told he is a very modest man; is he?" I asked. Oh, he knows the value of his own discoveries; no man better. He is not quite an angel," said he, with a laugh.

"Well now, supposing I met him in my travels-I might possibly stumble across him if he travels anywhere in the direction I am going-how would he conduct himself towards me?"

"To tell you the truth," said he, "I do not think he would like it very well. I know if Burton, or Grant, or Baker, or any of those fellows were going after him, and he heard of their coming, Livingstone would put a hundred miles of swamp in a very short time between himself and them. I do, upon my word I do."

This was the tenor of the interview I held with Dr. Kirk- former companion of Livingstone-as well as my journal and memory can recall it to me.

Need I

say

this information from a gentleman known