312 THE ZANZIBAR! 



of the caravan. I was always teasing the men about their 

 fastidiousness in food, and they repHed by jeering at my 

 readiness to eat anything. As Mohammedans they were 

 extremely particular, and would rather die than indulge in 

 cannibalism. When members of a cannibal tribe such as the 

 Manyema join a caravan, they are constantly chaffed about 

 their food, and are nicknamed " Kulu-watu " (Those who eat 

 people). My offer of myself as food for the hungry was 

 perfectly safe therefore, and was received as a splendid joke. 

 The men went off doubled up with laughter, stammering out 

 to their comrades, " The master says when we get to Kikuyu 

 and have nothing else to eat, we may eat him." When the 

 wit of the camp objected that I was too thin, the laughter was 

 redoubled ; the difficulties ahead were all forgotten, and no 

 more was said about the approaching starvation of the caravan. 

 Many other instances might be given of a funny answer (or 

 what was deemed such) turning away wrath. 



The quick sense of humour of the Zanzibar! can not only 

 be used to soothe, but also to inspirit them. When the Masai 

 couched their demand for our trade goods as toll, in a request 

 for payment for their hongo dance, the porters were alarmed 

 and urged that the tax should be paid. I went forward and 

 did a dance of my own, mimicking that of the Masai to the 

 intense amusement of my men. I then put in a claim for 

 hongo for my dance, and said the two claims would neutralise 

 one another. The novelty of this proceeding so revived the 

 spirits of my men that they decided we must not pay, and 

 were perfectly ready to fight. 



Besides appreciating my feeble attempts at humour, the 

 Zanzibar! could supply wits of their own. One of the most 

 useful of my party was a Mdoa named Mwini Mharo, a man 

 of very varied antecedents and a record by no means spotless. 

 He had once been a headman and had been degraded. He had 

 had a bitter quarrel with Lugard and deserted. After this 

 he had been sent up to Uganda in the chain-gang. On 

 his return, he had enlisted in the expedition with which 

 I started. There he had mainly distinguished himself by 

 being involved in an act of theft, which could not be absolutely 

 proved against him, though the evidence was very strong. 

 After his journey with me, he went inland again with an 



