Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

APPENDIX. 377
"— district ? " Yes, if there was anytliing like
peace."
982. Sir B. Anstruther.] "With regard to the
probabihty of the depopulated district becoming
again inhabited, the fertility of the soil, and the
salubrity of the climate, which induced people
to go there, and cultivate the soil in time past,
would operate as inducements to people to go
there again, would they not?"— "Yes ; this part
of the country is full of little streams ; in fact,
it was some time before I knew what the native
word for thirst was, though you may hear the
word for hunger from morning to night. I
never saw a better watered country in
my life
(when you get on the low lands, in fact, you
have too much water), and where you have
water, you are sure to have plenty of cultivation.
We hear of African deserts, but that
term only applies to the extreme south and the
extreme north of Africa; there is not an
approach to a desert in the interior at all, it is
a very fertile country throughout."
983. Mr. Kinnaird.'] " You referred just now
to the suggestion that a European settlement
might be established at some point near the
coast
— ?" "I referred to a suggestion in a letter I
recently received from Dr. Kirk ; he found 'it
necessary to make a journey for one or two
days into the interior of the country to push on
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