I 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



II 



and goods upon small native dhows, and transported 

 them to a village called Mkonumbi, twenty-three miles 

 from Lamoo and its dangerous allurements. Here we 

 pitched our first camp. 



We had already ascertained that it was possible to 

 buy camels at Kismayu, a little over loo miles north 

 of Lamoo. Shortly after our arrival at Mkonumbi, 

 Lieutenant von Hohnel, attended by four of our Somah, 

 set out by steamer for Kismayu in order to procure the 

 camels. During his absence I devoted my time to put- 

 ting the camp in order, and arranging everything for 

 our departure into the interior. 



Mkonumbi, till within a few years of our arrival, had 

 been a portion of the Sultanate of Witu. The Sultan- 

 ate of Witu consisted of the territory lying between the 

 Tana River and the town of Lamoo. Its autonomy 

 was not recognized by the Sultan of Zanzibar, who had 

 at many different times sent expeditions thither for its 

 subjugation ; none of which, however, proved successful. 

 In 1886 the Germans established a protectorate over 

 this sultanate ; and, following upon the protectorate, a 

 number of Germans settled in the neighbourhood of 

 Witu as colonists. In 1889, eleven of these settlers 

 were murdered at the instigation of the Sultan, Fumo 

 Omari by name. 



By treaty, dated 1890, Witu was transferred by the 

 Germans to the British, who at once sent an expedition 

 for the punishment of the natives who had murdered the 

 eleven Europeans. This expedition was crowned with 

 the usual success of such undertakings. The town of 

 Witu was totally destroyed, and the Sultan, Fumo 

 Omari, together with most of his followers, fled to the 



