valleys opened up covered with orange-groves, sugar-cane,
cassava, and other valuable productions of the soil. The harbour was
full of dhows of all sizes, some at anchor full of slaves bound
northward, but which, having licences from the Sultan, the English
cruisers could not touch; others close to the wharves, landing or
trans-shipping ivory, brought across from the African coast, gum, copal,
spices, cocoanuts, rice, mats, and other produce of the island, besides
several German, American, French, and other foreign vessels. Here also
lay the Sultan's fleet, with blood-red ensigns floating from their
mastheads, the ships being remarkable, if for nothing else, for their
weather-beaten, sunburned appearance.

"They put me in mind of scarecrows in a garden, which the birds have
learned to look at with contempt; and so, I doubt not, do the Arab
slavers or piratical gentry who cruise in these seas laugh at these
useless ships," observed Green.

In the afternoon, Murray, accompanied by his second lieutenant and the
two midshipmen, went on shore. "We shall be after smelling the spicy
odours in full vigour," observed Desmond to Mr Mildmay, he having
overheard the conversation of the morning. They had not, however, set
foot on the shore many seconds, and commenced their walk through the
narrow streets, before the lieutenant had his handkerchief to his nose.
"Horrible! detestable!" he muttered; "never was in so vile a place in my
life."

The whitewashed houses, too, which appeared handsome palaces in the
distance, were now discovered, with few exceptions, to be sadly
dilapidated; while the streets were thronged by an ill-favoured mob of
all hues, from jet black to a sickly parchmentlike yellow. There were
shops in the dirty-looking town, filled with all sorts of goods from
Birmingham and Sheffield. Their owners were chiefly Banians, who were
seen sitting cross-legged among their wares, the men dressed in turbans
of many folds, reaching to a point, with long robes and collars of gold
or silver round their necks; the women profusely decorated with
ornaments, with rings on their fingers and toes, and golden
nose-ornaments and ear-ornaments studded with precious stones; while
many had massive silver bracelets and anklets.

In an open court under the verandah was seated a schoolmaster, with long
white beard, his pupils sprawling about on not over-clean mats, studying
a huge Koran placed on a stand before them, mumbling in mo