Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/402

 inhabitants into slavery. To avoid these raiders the natives, after gathering in their crops, take refuge in the islands of the river, where they are protected by the crocodiles infesting these waters. Dar-es-Salaam, lying north of the Rufiji, is the port which the Sultan of Zanzibar has selected as the chief mainland station of his fleet. Its Arab name means

"House" or "Abode of Peace," but this appears to be merely a popular etymology of the Ki-Swaheli Dari-Salama, which is its true name, and which has the sense of "Safe Roof." The harbour, which is one of the best on the whole seaboard, can be reached only through a long channel winding between coral reefs. The inner basin communicating through this channel with the sea penetrates nearly five miles farther inland, and offers to shipping an available space several square miles in superficial extent. However fiercely the storm may rage beyond the channel,