The RMS Caronia is due to arrive at Mombasa at approximately 7.00am on Monday, February 20th.
Round Africa Souvenir Book Cover
MOMBASA, the principal port of Kenya Colony, is an Island three miles long by two wide and five and a half square
miles in extent. It is connected with the Mainland, on the north side, by means of the Nyali Bridge, built on pontoons.
Across the Bridge, on the Mainland, is an area which is expected to develop into a flourishing community.
There is good bathing at Nyali Beach, four miles from Mombasa.
The principal harbour, Kilindini (“the deep place”) is on the west side of the Island, and its
seven berths can accommodate ocean-going vessels of a maximum draft of 32 feet. The anchorage is landlocked and
provides the finest harbour on the East Coast of Africa.
Mombasa “Old” Harbour, on the North-East of the Island, faces the town and is used by Arab d'hows, trading
vessels, between East African ports, Persia, India and Madagascar.
Mombasa is 2,025 miles from Durban, 1,611 miles from Aden and 3,074 miles from Port Said. The estimated population in
1947 was: Mainland and Island combined…
Excursion
An excursion will be operated in Mombasa and all particulars can be obtained from the Cruise Office.
MANOR Salim Road, facing R.C. Church
PALACE centrally situated
TUDOR HOUSE beautiful position facing Port Tudor Reach, three miles from Kilindini Harbour or Mombasa)
PORT REITZ overlooking Port Reitz Reach
NEWSPAPERS
“Mombasa Times” and “Kenya Daily Mail”
Public Transport
Motor buses operate frequently between Kilindini and the centre of the town. Motor cars are also available at 1.50
shillings per mile for two passengers. The distance from Kilindini to Mombasa Railway Station is about a mile.
The train service between Mombasa and Nairobi (320 miles) leaves Mombasa daily at 4.30pm and arrives at Nairobi
the following morning at 8 o'clock. There is a post office close to the quay.
Air Travel
Mombasa is connected by air with Zanzibar, Nairobi, Durban, Khartoum and Cairo (via Nairobi).
Currency
The unit of currency in Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar, collectively designated as East Africa, is the
East African shilling, which is approximately equivalent to the English shilling (about 14 cents, U.S.)
Language
Swahili is the official native language of the East African territories, but English is, of course, widely spoken
and understood.
and the Hindu shops, which sell various kinds of merchandise, including ivories and curios
Deep sea fishing off Mombasa is particularly good. At certain times of the year sail-fishing is a popular pastime
with anglers.
Tuesday
21 February 1950
Zanzibar Island
The RMS Caronia is due to arrive at Zanzibar at approximately 7.00am on Tuesday, 21 February.
ZANZIBAR is 22 miles from the East African mainland and 155 miles south of Mombasa. An important trade centre it had,
in 1946, an estimated population of 50,000 persons. The harbour is well protected and affords extensive sheltered
anchorage.
There is probably not another island in the World where white, black, brown and yellow humanity are to be found in
such a colourful array. Exotic Zanzibar, with its sister-island Pemba, a short sail to the north, grows 80% of the
World's supply of cloves. Those dried, spicy buds, which adorn baked hams, give pep to pickled meats, lend exoticism
to perfumes; or, reduced to vanillin crystals, help flavour American vanilla ice cream.
The introduction of motor cars and electricity cannot change the old-world tempo and fascination of colourful,
cosmopolitan and charming Zanzibar.
Nearly all the sects of India are represented among Zanzibar's teeming Indian population - Hindus, Parsees, Coans
and Mohammedans. A large proportion of the population is comprised of Swahili natives. Arabs are found in all grades
of Zanzibar society. Chief of Arab chieftains is the Sultan of Zanzibar, - Seyyid Khalifa bin Harub.
From the Sultan, who was born in Muscat, the thriving port of Oman in South-East Arabia, Great Britain has leased
Zanzibar and the strip of the African coast that includes Dar Es Salaam (Tanganyika) and Mombasa. The Sultan lives
in a small but elegant palace on the sea front. The correct designation of Zanzibar is a British Protectorate.
Zanzibar, white-walled and red-roofed, in the pre-war era, was a Mecca for tourists, who roamed the narrow streets
seeking ivories, jewellery and silks in the Hindu and Cingalese bazaars, or gazed admiringly at its richly-studded
and massive doors. These doors, with their rich carvings and beauty, grip the imagination and fascinate the eye.
Buildings of Interest
The SULTAN'S PALACE, on the sea front, flying the Royal red flag. Near it stands BEIT-EL-AJAIB
(the “House of Wonders” ), formerly the Sultan's palace, but now the Government Offices.
Another nearby building of interest is an ARAB FORT, now restored. Near it are the PUBLIC GARDENS, the premises of
Messrs. Smith Mackenzie, which once housed David Livingstone, and the CABLE & WIRELESS OFFICES.
The SHOPS on the main streets, mostly owned by Hindus, are usually well stocked with Indian merchandise. The BAZAAR,
behind the Post Office, with one of the most cosmopolitan populations to be found anywhere, is well worth a visit.
The Beit-El-Amani (House of Peace) Museum, Zanzibar Image: 1957 Great World Cruise Souvenir Book
Another interesting building is the MUSEUM, Beit-el-Amani (the “House of Peace”), which houses
many interesting historical items, including original letters of Livingstone, Speke, Burton and Stanley.
The UNIVERSITIES MISSION CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST also merits a visit. It was built between 1874 and 1879 on the
site of the old slave market. The altar is actually where the whipping post stood and the crucifix over the pulpit
is made from the wood of the tree at Lake Bangweulu, under which Livingstone's heart was buried.
There is no organised shore programme for Zanzibar, but motor cars and rickshaws are available. The Island, which is
53 miles long by 24 miles wide, is provided with excellent roads, which allow of several picturesque and interesting
circular drives by automobile through clove and coconut groves.
THE ISLAND OF ZANZIBAR
As it may have been presented by a
Seventeenth Century Cruise Director
THIS island, called Zanzibar, has a circumference of 2,000 miles: it has its own King and separate language;
the inhabitants worship false gods; they are big men and they are as strong as four of our men and eat as much as
five of them.
They go all naked and are all black and mis-shapen, with big long ears, broad mouths, dreadful eyes and hands
four times bigger than the hands of our men. And their women are as ugly as are their men. These people live on dates,
rice, milk and meat. There is much trade in ambergris and elephant tusks. Many elephants, lions and leopards are found
here as well as giraffes and dogs and many other animals.
The country is affirmed to be low and fenny and very much overflown with unruly rivers; and withal so full of
woods and forests, that for want of passage for the wind, the air is generally exceedingly pestilent.
Mombasa is the name of another of these minor kingdoms of the same nature for the temper of the soil and people.
The isle and city is said to have some resemblance unto Rhodes. The town is about a league in circuit, environed with
a wall and fortified with a castle, the streets thereof very narrow but well built, most of the houses being brick and
the mosques capacious.
The King hereof is a Mahometan, as are most of his subjects, and a bitter enemy of the Christians. For which
cause and upon some discourtesies received from them, the town was taken by Vasques de Gama, Anno 1500, but abandoned
again by reason of the unhealthy air not well agreeing with the constitution of the Portugals.
The town was again taken and ruinated by Catigno, sent thither in 1589 by the Portugal Viceroy residing at
Goa; there being taken at that time (besides the spoil of the city) all the Turkish galleys and in them 23 greater
and as many lesser pieces of ordnance.
Such of the Turks and citizens as escaped the slaughter and had the opportunity of coming to them, yielded
themselves into their power to avoid the fury of the Imbians, a man-eating people, who had before besieged the city;
and gathering up such gleanings as were left by the Portugals, devoured the King and as many of the principal citizens
as they could get into their hands.
New Tour Through Italy Announced
New facilities for travel across Italy during the stay of RMS Caronia at Naples have now been arranged for all
passengers not already booked on optional tours at the Cruise Office.
TOUR O-41A will leave Naples on the evening of March 12, spending two days and three nights in Rome, and a day and a
night in Florence. One night will be spent at Rapallo, on the Italian Riviera. The final day will consist of a drive
along the Riviera by de luxe motor coach, with lunch served at San Remo, arriving at Villefranche in the afternoon of
March 17, where the R.M.S. “CARONIA” is rejoined.
This tour, five days long, is priced at $140 and includes hotel accommodation, all transportation, meals, and baggage
charges.
Ask for details at the Cruise Office, Prom. Deck, Aft of the Theatre. No bookings can be accepted after Friday,
24 February, so please notify the Cruise Office at once.
