XXIII.] PECULIAEITY RESPECTING NAMES. 301 



to the value of his services. As it was improbable, according October, 

 to his statement, that he would move for at least a month, I de- ^^'^*- 

 cided to explore such portion of the neighborhood as might be 

 possible in that time, going, in the first place, to Lake Mohrya 

 to see its lake-dwellings. 



Before starting on this cruise it behooved jne to call on Fume 

 a Kenna, and to return the visit of Alvez, and on this errand I 

 went the next day with Jumah Merikani and some of our men. 

 We first proceeded to Kasongo's settlement, or mussumba, which 

 was six hundred yards long by two hundred wide, and surround- 

 ed by a neat fence of sticks five feet high, lined with grass, and 

 having only one door. 



On entry, we found a large clear space, in the centre of 

 which, about a hundred yards from the door-way, stood Kason- 

 go's dwelling ; and a little farther along were three small com- 

 pounds inclosing huts, in which Fume a Kenna and some other 

 principal wives lived. On each side of the quadrangle ran a 

 triple row of smaller huts, the residences of m iroWaL of the 

 harem. 



When we were ushered into Fume a Kenna's compound, her 

 ladies in waiting entered her hut to announce our arrival, and 

 spread a fine lion's skin on the ground for her to sit upon. She 

 soon appeared, dressed in a smart tartan shawl, and, seating her- 

 self on the skin, at once began the conversation. She inquired 

 whence I had come, where I was going, and put a variety of 

 questions to me, and then became curious as to whether I was 

 white all over. 



With much laughter, she insisted on my boots and stockings 

 being taken off in order that she might examine my feet, and, 

 when satisfied with this inspection, looked at my gun and pis- 

 tols, and had them explained to her. After some time I asked 

 her name, being unaware that I was thereby transgressing the 

 rules of etiquette. She replied, " Mke Kasongo," which may 

 be translated, Mrs. Kasongo, as no Warua dare tell their own 

 names. They are also extremely shy about giving those of any 

 person who may be present, though they have not the slightest 

 objection with respect to people who are absent. But, unlike 

 some tribes in South America, they do not object to be accosted 

 by name. 



