Europa Hotel, Zanzibar May 5/76
My Dear Father
So far I have got on my way in health and strength I am glad to say. After leaving Malta we experienced a storm in the Mediterranean, which sent most of the passengers to their berths very sick and bad. It was rather amusing to me as I had no sickness at all during the whole voyage, and I was amused at meal times especially to see some gent look very serious all at once and rise from the table with an anxious look on his face, to be seen no more for a day or two. Going into Port Said at the entrance to the Suez Canal we ran aground. I stayed up till 1.0am to see what the entrance is like, as I heard it was very bad to make the coast being very low, but feeling very tired I turned in. At 2.00am one of my fellow passengers in our cabin came and roused me, saying “Come on deck it is such a lark”. I heard a curious running about on deck and running up the companion way saw our 120 Lascars ranged on one side of the ship, then hurr went the steam horn and away they bolted to the other side of the ship. Hurr went the horn and back again, the screw going full speed astern but no good, she was fast aground ahead, and the Pilot was quite at his wits end, so at 3.0am they stopped for the night, and at 5.0 next morning at it again. Tugs came off and after a deal of dodging she was hauled off at 8.O’clock. Port Said is a small pace. Plenty of Arabs and camels and sand. Sailing down the canal is tedious work. Two days of it. Aground first one side then the other. Nothing but desert on each side. Hyenas came alongside the canal and jackals. Saw several on the way.
Ismalia is a beautiful place, and so are the Bitten Lakes, which are some 15 miles long and 7 miles wide round which the children of Israel marched on their passage to Canaan, and most probably it was here it is here where they crossed the Red Sea. Stayed at Suez two hours from the mails, and here everyone put on their sun topes and light clothes ready for the Red Sea, which is certainly a hot place. One of the P & O Steamers had to turn back when halfway down. Her passengers were laying on the deck gasping for breath. 6 or 7 including the Captain died. I pitied the animals on board, which were gasping and panting for breath. Saw Mount Sinai one fine Saturday evening.
At Aden changed ship on to the B India steamer Punjaub. Was in Aden 3 days. Drove to the tanks which are of unknown origin and splendid workmanship, holding some million of gallons of water, and saw the camp where some 2,000 troops
Leaving Aden we found we had changed ship for the worst. The Punjaub rolled most dreadfully and most of the passengers were sick all the way. After leaving the Gulf of Aden we were going against the Monsoon, which had just set in, and tremendous sea and winds were encountered, so that it was impossible for us to sit, walk or lie down, the ship going over in all directions. One morning 4 passengers sitting in chairs were rolled right across the deck, upsetting all in the way.
We got here on the 3rd. The coasts of Zanzibar and Pemba are most beautiful being one mass of mangoes, palms, cocoa nut and other trees. The town itself is wretched. Streets some 6, some 8 feet wide and you have to be carried on men’s backs from boat to shore, but our hotel is very clean and nice. The people here are Somalis and Sevahelis with plenty of Arabs, Banzians and Hindoos. The worst thing is meeting the slave gangs. Large iron ring round the neck and chains from the rings to each other, women and all alike. The Sultan is kept by British power. He has no army or navy. A few guards comprise his retinue. This morning I went and saw his stables, but his horses are very poor creatures. He has a lot of ostriches in the stable yard.
We are going to Mombasa on the 7th or 9th by the Sultan’s yacht “Star.” I wanted some gunpowder yesterday (as there is a young German Viscount who has come out to shoot game on the Main and we are going tomorrow to shoot in the bush where there is plenty of Guinea fowl), and I had to go to the Sultan’s Palace to buy it. Having a great deal of gesticulating and pointing to make them know what I wanted. I got a keg 5lbs weight for a dollar, but expect it is middling stuff. Oranges here 160 for a shilling, cocoa nuts 2 pice each, 32 pice for a shilling, bananas to be got for asking for.
I am bothered with the mosquitoes. They keep buzzing round one, so I have had to stop many times while writing this, and have a pipe to stop them. Had a good walk yesterday in the country and saw a great deal of the place, and visited the Universities Mission at Kingani. They are extreme high church, and the English here say it has been an unfortunate mission, not having made a single convert, and suffering great loss of life among their missionaries. Three of them came on with us from Aden.
This morning went to see a large house here for the purpose of hiring it for a depot. Recommended by Dr Kirk, H M Consul. At present about 100 slaves are in it, and going in out of the fresh air the smell was dreadful, so I lit my pipe. Poor creatures, they were indeed pictures of misery and wretchedness having just been captured from a dhow and are going to be sent to Mombasa to our freed slave town. I am in good health, but rather low spirited at being from all dear to me and amongst entire strangers, but hope to have a bit of work soon, and some shooting, which will drive away dull care. I hope you are all well and hearty and will keep all right and strong. As I hope to push on with the work, and after getting established at Mesonghi, Uganda, which I hope will not take longer than two years, will then return home to see you all, as that is long enough for an Englishman at once, and with love to all. I remain
Your affectionate and loving son
George J Clark
P.S. I am told stamps are not to be had here. There is no Post Office. Letters go to the Consul. I expect some difficulty about the Wanai River being navigable. People here say it is not. Have to try and make it out for myself.
GJC
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