Some years ago two Yankee whalers
came in. One of them obtained provisions to the amount of two hundred
and fifty dollars, telling the people he was too poor to pay for them in
money, but that he would give them a bill on the Consul at Zanzibar. To
this they assented; the skipper then ran off with his ship in the night,
without giving the bill. They seized the other Captain and took him on
shore, to keep him as a hostage while his ship should go in pursuit of
the runaway and get the promised bill. But they thought better of it in
a few hours, and released him. The Dale came the next season and
demanded twenty-five thousand dollars, threatening to burn the town if
the money was not paid. They could not pay them, there being probably
not so much money in the island. The Yankees then set fire to one end of
the town, cannonaded the fort, doing some damage, and withdrew. This is
about the usual origin of Yankee shipmasters' complaints to their
government. I made a present of a captured Yankee clock to each of the
princes, and gave them a package of writing-paper. They seemed anxious
to get some finery for their wives, but I told them we were not in that
line, like Yankee whalers.
_Saturday, February 13th_.--Visited the town again to-day. Called at the
houses of a couple of the princes, in which I found everything dirty,
with an attempt at tawdry finery. A black _houri_ was set to fan me.
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