Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Shekaru shida, "Philomel" ya yi aiki a tashar, yana hana 'yan kasuwa bayi a bakin tekun Afirka. A shekara ta 1896, ta shiga cikin Yaƙin Anglo-Zanzibar
, a lokacin da 'yan tawaye suka kashe Sarkin Zanzibar kuma suka kwace fadarsa. Tare da jiragen ruwa guda uku da kuma, ta yi ruwan bama-bamai a sansanin sarauta da kuma jirgin ruwa na Zanzibar Navy,. Wannan aikin ya ɗauki ƙasa da sa'a ɗaya kuma ya haifar da fatattakar 'yan tawaye. A shekara mai zuwa, "Philomel" an canza shi zuwa ɓangaren Yammacin Afirka na Cape of Good Hope Station kuma ya shiga cikin Benin Expedition.