Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

124 DHOW-CHASING.
and liow much longer, it is impossible to say,
and some of the men wore military hats of a
time not in the memory of the present or the past
generation, more like bishop's mitres than anything
else, while about half a dozen others had
those broad brim oilskin caps, that may be
seen on the soldiers in all the pictures of
Peninsular battles; one or two had comparatively
modern shakos, and the remainder wore
turbans : all, however, had the red coat over
either trousers with the red cord, of as great
antiquity as the coats, judging by the patches^
or over their Arab garments. Let me add that
although the coats had once been scarlet, that
was evident, yet the different shades produced
by greascj vinegar, or what not, had made them
coats of many colours ; some of them were too
bio:, and some too small for the wearers—some
would have gone round the man's body twice
and some would scarcely reach half-way round*
Nothing could be more comic in appearance.
" All the forces " were headed by three or
four cracked fifes and several " tom-toms.'*
The men having obeyed the last orders as well