'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎259] (436/524)

TOUR IN COUNTRIES AROUND ZANZIBAR, &C. 259
double-storied buildings, in excellent preservation,many of them superior
to the best at Zanzibar. The public buildings are equally good, espe
cially the palace of the Governor General, once the Jesuit college of San
Paulo, which may fairly claim to possess a certain amount of magnificence.
16. There is no good water on the island, but many of the houses
are provided with large subterranean reservoirs, which are filled by the
rain water collected on the flat terraced roofs. These cisterns are 42 in
number, and are capable of containing from one to 53 thousand cubic
feet of water.
17. There is a large fort on the north point of the island (San
Sebastian) the construction of which is attributed to Don Joao de Castro.
* »
It has four faces, two of which command the approach to the harbour,
and two the length of the island. It contains some very curious old
brass ordnance. Its walls, though impregnable to a native attack,
would soon crumble beneath the fire of modern artillery.
18. There are two other smaller works, intended to command the
passage between the south end of the island and the main, but they are
small and rather intended for police purposes than for defence.
19. The garrison of the city is small, the military force of the pro
vince being distributed in numerous detachments along the littoral and
in the interior. It consists both of Native and European troops, the
latter being exclusively deserters and incorrigibles from the European
army.
20. The population of the island is under 5,000, of whom not more
than 80 are Europeans, and two hundred country-born, soldiers not
included.
21. The island is quite sterile, and it is with difficulty that a few
stunted Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. trees are grown, hut on the mainland theie are seieia
villas surrounded by plantations where manioc, cereals, cocoan
fruit are produced in considerable abundance. At present teg
is dry and parched, and the only crop in season is the cas lew n ,
the fruit of which large quantities of spirit are produced.
22. All affairs connected with the semi-independent
conducted through the medium of an Officer calle t ie ap ai
of the mainland, whom only the natives recognize, but emi i p ^
over them is very limited, and it appears to me that ie