Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/898

* ZANTHOXYLTTM. 760 ZAPOTEC. on the Gulf coast in Florida, Texas, Mexico, and in South America. ZANZIBAR, zlin'zl-bar' or zan'zl-bilr. A sultanate and British protectorate of East Africa. It consists of the two islands of Zanzi- bar and Pemba (the latter 30 miles northeast of the former). The island of Zanzibar is traversed by the parallel of 6° S. (Map: Africa, J 5). Their combined area is 1020 square miles; their population in 1902 was estimated at 200,000. (See PEMB.i.) The island of Zanzibar, situ- ated about 25 miles east of the coast, is of oblong form and 52 miles long, with an area of 613 square miles and an estimated population of 150,000. The east coast is steep, forbidding, and difficult of access. The region to the west is gen- erally flat and arid, poorly covered with trees, presenting a Karst formation, and characterized by coral stone. West of this portion is the rich, cultivated part of the island, with rows of hills diversified in sections by swamps. It is well ■watered with flowing streams. The fertile and alluvial soil is composed of coral lime. The west coast is easy of approach. It is supplied with bays with deep water near the shores, which are fringed by islands. The climate is generally fa- vorable, fevers threatening only in the interior. The mean annual temperature is 79.7° F. The flora is equatorial, but not well knowTi. Among the fauna are the civet cat, python, chameleon, and iguana. The fisheries are productive. Agri- culture and trade are the leading pursuits. Sugar cane and manioc are raised. Sorghum and red pepper figure prominently. In the clove in- dustry the protectorate leads the world. The cocoa palm flourishes and contributes largely to the exports. Donkeys are raised. Good roads have been constructed. The town of Zanzibar •was declared a free port in 1802, and its com- merce has steadily risen. It is mostly with Great Britain. In 1902 the port was visited by vessels ■with a tonnage of nearly 350,000. The exports are largely cloves, rubber, ivory, and copra : the imports, rice, piece goods, and coal. The British administer justice and all other branches of authority, only a shadow of power being left to the Sultan. The army numbers about 1000 men, under British leadership. Zanzibar is the capital. Mohammedanism is the leading re- ligious faith. Christian missionary work is ac- tively progressing. There are only about 200 Europeans on the island of Zanzibar. There is a small and active population from India. Over half of the inhabitants are former slaves from the adjacent coast, who till the fields and do the domestic .service. The ancient race is the Moham- medan Wahadimu, who have been forced back into the forbidding coral districts. The sul- tanate was formerly extensive, comprising other islands and portions of the adjacent mainland. The area was gradually reduced until in 1800 the present limits were settled upon. In that year the British protectorate was declared under treaties between Great Britain, France, and Germany. There is a British Prime Jlinister, under whom" the Sultan stands practically as a Crown pensioner. Slavery was done aw'ay with by cnmpenHalion in 1897. Consult: Newman., The Transition from ftlnverfi to Freedom in Zandhar and I'emha (London, 1898) ; Fitzgerald, Travels on the Coastlands of British East Africa (ib., 1898). ZAPARO, sa-pa'ro. An important group of tribes in Ecuador, constituting a distinct lin- guistic stock, and occupying the country between the Upper Napo and Pastasa, frequently com- ing down to the Maranon (Amazon). Their various tribes are continually at war with one an- other, but unite against a common enemy. They are described as indolent, good-tempered, and hospitable, very hardy, dexterous in throwing the lance, and daring boatmen. The women are pleasing in features and gentle in disposition. They live under roofs raised upon posts and with- out any other furniture than the hammocks in which they sleep. A few tribes occupy perma- nent villages and cultivate the ground. Their weapons are the club, lance, and blowpipe with poisoned arrows. Their priests get their inspira- tion in delirious trances brought on by drinking a sacred liquor. Their language, of which con- siderable material has been collected, is agree- able in sound and simple in construction. They are variouslv estimated to number from 10.000 to 20,000. ZAPOLYA, zii'polyo. An Hungarian royal family of Slavic descent. — Stephen ZApolt., Voivode of Transylvania, was one of the generals of Matthias Corvinus. He took part in the eon- quest of the Archduchy of Austria, and was made its Governor. He died in 1400. — His son, .JoHX Zapolya (c. 1487-1540). Voivode of Transylvania, as elected King of Hungary by the National Party after the death of Louis II. at ilolu'ics in 1520. His rival was Ferdinand of Austria. The claimants to the throne waged war against each other at intervals for several years, .John ZApolya being supported by the Sultan Solyman the Magnificent. In 1538 the Treaty of Gross- wardein was made, by which the kingdom was di- vided between them. .John Sigismund ZApolta, son of .John Z.lpolya ( 1540-71 ), was recognized by Sultan Solyman as King of Hungary, but had to be satisfied with Transylv,ani<a and Eastern Hungary. His subjects joined the reformed re- ligion. He was succeeded by Stephen Bflthory. ZAPOTEC, BJi'po-tek'. An important ancient cultured nation of Southern Mexico, occupying the greater portion of the present State of Oaxaca, where their descendants still number more than a quarter of a million. With the Mixtec (q.v. ), Mazatec fq.v.), and several other tribes they constitute the Zapotccan linguistic stock. They formed an independent State, as highly advanced in civilization as the Aztec, and ■were sedentary and agricultural, living in villages and cities with houses built of sfone and mortar. The great ruins of Mitla (q.v.), among the most remarkable on the American continent, are ascribed to the Zapotec, and according to their own tradition were originally sepulchral in purpose. Their records were kept by means of a hieroglyphic calendar, upon the general plan of that in use among the neighboring nations. The modern Z:ipotec are intelligent, industrious, and progressive, and have furnished ilexico some of lier best leaders, soldiers, and artisans. They still hold (o many of tlu'ir ancient beliefs and rites, among whieli are the liuilding of memorial cairns and the burial of money with the dead.