furnished me with letters of introduction to his agents, his chief men, and representatives in the interior, and in many other ways had shown himself well disposed

towards me.

The palace is a large, roomy, lofty, square house close to the fort, built of coral, and plastered thickly with lime mortar. In appearance it is half Arabic and half Italian. The shutters are Venetian blinds painted a vivid green, and presenting a striking contrast to the whitewashed walls. Before the great, lofty, wide door were ranged in two crescents several Baluch and Persian mercenaries, armed with curved swords and targes of rhinoceros hide. Their dress was a muddy-white cotton shirt, reaching to the ancles, girdled with a leather belt thickly studded with silver bosses.

As we came in sight a signal was passed to some person inside the entrance. When within twenty yards of the door, the Sultan, who was standing waiting, came down the steps, and, passing through the ranks, advanced toward us, with his right hand stretched out, and a genial smile of welcome on his face. On our side we raised our hats, and shook hands with him, after which, doing according as he bade us, we passed forward, and arrived on the highest step near the entrance door. He pointed forward; we bowed, and arrived at the foot of an unpainted and narrow staircase to turn once more to the Sultan. "Go on," he said, and we ascended the stairs with my feelings greatly shocked, for the Sultan coming immediately after me, was placed in a most ignominious position for a sovereign prince. The Consul, I perceived, was ascending sideways, a mode of progression which I saw was intended for a compromise with decency and dignity; I imitated him as well

as I was able, but I nevertheless thought my position rather peculiar. At the top of the stairs we waited, with our faces towards the up-coming Prince. Again we were waved magnanimously forward, for before us was the reception hall and throne-room. I noticed, as I marched forward to the furthest end, that the room was high, and painted in the Arabic style, that the carpet was thick and of Persian fabric, that the furniture consisted of a dozen gilt chairs and a chandelier.

We were seated; Ludha Damji, the Banyan collector of customs, a venerable-looking old man, with a shrewd intelligent face, sat on the right of the Sultan; next to him was the great Mohammedan merchant, Tarya Topan, who had come to be present at the interview, not only because he was one of the councillors of His Highness, but because he also took a lively interest in this American Expedition. Opposite to Ludha sat Capt. Webb, and next to him I was seated, opposite Tarya Topan. The Sultan sat in a gilt chair between the Americans and the councillors. Johari the dragoman stood humbly before the Sultan, expectant and ready to interpret what we had to communicate to the Prince.

The Sultan, so far as dress goes, might be taken for a Mingrelian gentleman, excepting, indeed, for the turban, whose ample folds in alternate colours of red, yellow, brown, and white, encircled his head. His long robe was of dark cloth, cinctured round the waist with his rich sword-belt, from which was suspended a gold-hilted scimitar, encased in a scabbard also enriched with gold. His legs and feet were bare, and had a ponderous look about them, since he suffered from that strange curse of Zanzibar elephantiasis. His feet were slipped into a pair of watta (Arabic for slippers), with thick

soles, and a strong leathern band over the instep. His light complexion and his correct features, which are intelligent and regular, bespeak the Arab patrician. They indicate, however, nothing except his high descent and blood; no traits of character are visible unless there is just a trace of amiability, and perfect contentment with himself and all around.

Such is Prince, or Seyd Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar and Pemba, and the East coast of Africa, from Somali Land to the Mozambique, as he appeared to me. Coffee was served in cups supported by golden finjans, also some cocoa-nut milk, and rich sweet sherbet. The conversation began with the question addressed to the Consul,

"Are you well?”

Consul." Yes, thank you. How is His Highness?" Highness.-"Quite well!"

Highness to me." Are you well?”

Answer."Quite well, thanks!"

The Consul now introduces business; and questions about my travels follow from His Highness

"How do you like Persia?"

"Have you seen Kerbela, Bagdad, Masr, Stamboul?' soldiers?"

"Have the Turks many

"How many has Persia?" "Is Persia fertile ?"

"How do you like Zanzibar ?"

Having answered each question to his Highness' satisfaction, he handed me letters of introduction to his officers at Bagamoyo and Kaole, and a general introductory letter to all Arab merchants whom I might meet on the road, and concluded his remarks to me, with the expressed hope, that on whatever mission I was bound, I should be perfectly successful.

We bowed ourselves out of his presence in much the same manner that we had bowed ourselves in, he accompanying us to the great entrance door.

Mr. Goodhue of Salem, an American merchant long resident in Zanzibar, presented me, as I gave him my adieu, with a blooded bay horse, imported from the Cape of Good Hope, and worth, at least at Zanzibar, $500.

Feb. 4.-By the 4th of February, twenty-eight days from the date of my arrival at Zanzibar, the organization and equipment of the "New York Herald Expedition' was complete; tents and saddles had been manufactured, boats and sails were ready. The donkeys brayed, and the horses neighed impatiently for the road.

Etiquette demanded that I should once more present my card to the European and American Consuls at Zanzibar, and the word "farewell" was said to everybody.

On the fifth day, four dhows were anchored before the American Consulate. Into one were lifted the two horses, into two others the donkeys, into the fourth, the largest, the black escort, and bulky moneys of the Expedition.

When about to give the order to sail, the two white men, Farquhar and Shaw, were absent. They were found, after a vigorous hunt, among the liquor shops, surrounded by about a dozen boon companions, holding forth upon the greatness of the art of African exploration, trying to stave off with the aid of whisky the dread presentiments that would insidiously now and then obtrude themselves into their minds, warning them that though new lands were about to be revealed to them, with all the fantastic scenes credited to the new country, there might be something in these strange parts that might-" well, what ?"

"Get into the dhows at once, men. This is rather a bad beginning after signing contracts," I said, as I saw them reeling to the beach in company of Bombay, and four or five of the newly-enlisted escort.

"If you please, sir, may I ask if-if-if you think I have done quite right in promising to go with you to Afriky?" asked Shaw, in a most hesitating and dolorous tone.

"Have you not received your advance? Have you not signed the contract?" I asked; "and do you now wish to withdraw? Get into the boat, man, at once. We are all in for it now, sink or swim, live or die— none can desert his duty."

A little before noon we set sail. The American flag, a present to the Expedition by that kind-hearted lady, Mrs. Webb, was raised to the mast-head; the Consul, his lady, and exuberant little children, Mary and Charley, were on the housetop waving the starry banner, hats, and handkerchiefs, a token of farewell to me and mine. Happy people, and good! may their course and ours be prosperous, and may God's blessing rest on us all!