1T6 ACROSS AFEICA. [Chap. 



February, Uguhha, Uvira, Uriiiidi, and many tribes dwelling on the shores 

 i8'^4. of the lake. 



Tlie AVagnhha are easily distinguished by the elaborate man- 

 ner in which both sexes dress their hair, and the fanciful and 

 extensive tattooing of the women ; while the "Warundi may be 

 known by their being smeared with red earth and oil, giving 

 their bodies a bright bronze color. They are called by the 

 Arab traders a " red people," meaning light-colored. 



"Women of Kawele and surrounding hamlets bring baskets of 

 flour, sweet-potatoes, yams, fruit of the oil palm — which is here 

 seen for the first time — bananas, tobacco, tomatoes, encumbers, 

 and a great variety of vegetable products, besides pottery, and 

 huge gourds of pombe and 2:)alm-wine. The men sell fish — 

 both dried and fresh — meat, goats, sugar-canes, nets, baskets, 

 spear and bow staves, and bark-cloth. 



The AVarundi principally deal in corn and canoe-paddles, and 

 from the island of Ubwari is brought a species of hemp used by 

 the Wagogo in making their nets; while Uvira furnishes pot- 

 tery and iron-work ; Uvinza, salt ; and various other places, large 

 gourds of palm-oil. Each vender takes up the same position 

 daily, and many build small arbors of palm fronds to shelter 

 them from the burning rays of the sun. 



Among the crowd of buyers and sellers there circulate parties 

 who have traveled, from a distance to this central mart to en- 

 deavor to dispose of their slaves and ivory ; and the whole of 

 the bargaining being carried on at the top of the voice, the 

 noise is almost deafening. 



A curious currency is in vogue here, every thing being priced 

 in beads called sofi, something in appearance like small pieces 

 of broken pipe-stem. At the commencement of the market, 

 "men with wallets full of these beads deal them out in exchange 

 for others to people desirous of makijig purchases ; and, when 

 the mart is closed, they receive them again from the market- 

 people, and make a profit on both transactions, after the manner 

 usual among money-changers. 



To obtain boats to proceed on my Tanganyika cruise was my 

 first consideration ; but the owners of two promised me by Said 

 ibn Salim at Unyanyembe \verc away, and tlierefore I could 

 not procure them. I discovered a good one, hoM-ever, belong- 



