XIX.] FISH-TKAPS. '251 



CHAPTEE XIX. 



The Luama. — Fisherwomen. — Shooting Hippopotami. — Open-air Graiiario?. — Iron. — 

 A Burning Country. — Shameful Behavior of Traders. — A Suspension-bridge. — The 

 Natives turn upon the Traders. — Contemplated Attaek on the Caravan. — Two 

 Chiefs treacherously shot. — Villages burned. — Women and Children captured. — 

 I plead for Peace. — Influence as an Englishman. — A Palaver. — The Captives are 

 liberated. — My Views are not appreciated. — Foundries. — Smithies. — Manyara 

 Dress. — A Drum-major. — The Slaving System. — The Mighty Lualaba. — Going with 

 the Stream. — ^Xyangw4 is reached. 



The Luama is a large and important affluent of the Lnalaba, July, 

 and rises in the mountains of Ugoma, a short distance from the 1S74. 

 Tanganyika, and not far from the sources of the Lngumba " 



and Lnbumba. The hitter, after a considerable detour, nnites 

 with the Lnama about thirty miles above the point at which we 

 crossed. The river has a very meandering course, with many 

 affluents and backwaters, in which large numbei's of fish are 

 caught by the women. At this time — in the middle of the dry 

 season — it was perfectly navigable for large steam launches. 



Across each small stream or backwater dams ai-e built of hur- 

 dle-work, with conical openings at intervals, something like the 

 entrance to a wire rat-trap. "When the waters begin to subside, 

 the "fish endeavor to pass through these dams to the perennial 

 streams. 



The women then go fishing in the following manner : Doff- 

 ing their grass -cloth aprons, and replacing them with leaves, 

 they take enormous baskets — some seven feet long, two feet six 

 inches deep, and two feet wide in the middle — made of close 

 mat-like work of spht cane. These they set under the openings 

 in the dams, which are then unfastened, while some of the dark 

 sportswomen go into the stream and drive the terrified fish to- 

 ward the dam. The fish, seeing no chance of escape save by 

 these holes, jump through into the baskets ready for their re- 

 ception. The fisherwomen seemed to think it great fun, and 



