Zanzibar's 1847 Shipwreck and the Lost Indian Ocean Treasure

In 1847, a dhow carrying a cargo of cloves, ivory, and enslaved people from Zanzibar to Muscat was caught in a cyclone off the coast of Somalia. The vessel, owned by the wealthy Khoja merchant Jairam Sewji, sank with all hands—except for one survivor, a young sailor named Rashid bin Salim. This episode follows Rashid's harrowing journey to shore, his capture by Somali clans, and his eventual ransom by Sewji's agent in Berbera. Through this single shipwreck, we explore the dangers of the Indian Ocean trade routes, the role of the Khoja and Bhatia merchant networks, the mechanics of the slave trade, and the broader Busaidi economy. We also touch on how such disasters were recorded and remembered—or forgotten—in the archives of Stone Town. #Zanzibar #IndianOcean #Shipwreck #JairamSewji #KhojaMerchants #Bhatia #Busaidi #SlaveTrade #CloveTrade #IvoryTrade #Dhow #Cyclone #Somalia #Berbera #StoneTown #1847 #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo