76 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



more about them ; but now we wondered at them, 

 as strange and picturesque peoples. They im- 

 pressed us in general as being a fine lot of men, for 

 they were of good physique, carried themselves 

 well, and looked about them with a certain dignity 

 and independence, a fine free pride of carriage and 

 of step. This fact alone differentiated them from 

 our own negroes ; but, further, their features were 

 in general much finer, and their skins of a clear 

 mahogany beautiful in its satiny texture. Most 

 and these were the blackest wore long white 

 robes and fine openwork skull caps. They were 

 the local race, the Swahili, had we but known it ; 

 the original " Zanzibari " who furnished Living- 

 stone, Stanley, Speke, and the other early explor- 

 ers with their men. Others, however, were much 

 less " civilized." We saw one " Cook's tour from 

 the jungle " consisting of six savages, their hair 

 twisted into innumerable points, their ear lobes 

 stretched to hang fairly to their shoulders, wearing 

 only a rather neglectful blanket, adorned with 

 polished wire, carrying war clubs and bright 

 spears. They followed, with eyes and mouths 

 open, a very sophisticated-looking city cousin 

 in the usual white garments, swinging a 

 jaunty, light bamboo cane. The cane seems 

 to be a distinguishing mark of the leisured class. 



