XI 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



485 



The Wakamba at this place appear to be a fine, 

 hardy race. They are not particularly well built, but 

 seem capable of undergoing severest fatigue. Their 

 weapons are bows and arrows. The manners of 

 the Wakamba among themselves are almost polite, 

 particularly in the courtesies which pass between the 

 men and women. Among them the women seem to 

 occupy a much higher position than in other tribes 

 of East Africa. When a young man met a young 

 woman, he invariably made a wide detour in passing, 

 to avoid blocking her way. 



On the road I met an old man, who related to me 

 a strange story. He said that eight years before, 120 

 men started after ivory, and after reaching Lake Ru- 

 dolph they continued their march for three months 

 beyond it ; when all at once they came in sight of 

 a large lake with an island in its centre. On the 

 island was a town composed of stone houses, such 

 as those at the coast; and at sight of the Wakamba 

 many canoes set out from the island to meet them. 



The canoes were filled with people who wore gar- 

 ments made of a rough cloth used by the Galla, and 

 wore long hair. They spoke the Swahili language, 

 and at once asked for news of their brethren at the 

 coast. There was plenty of ivory in the country, 

 and the people were most friendly. They carried long 

 guns. Near that village lived a tribe of Wakamba, 

 with similar language and customs to the Wakamba 

 in these parts. 



My informant told me that these people were the 

 remains of a large expedition, which many years before 

 had set out from the coast, and had become so thinned 



