THE NEGRO RACE. 



195 



the coast." 1 did not inquire of him the point of arrival ; but I would 

 observe, that according to some authorities, Kilwa (Quiloa) is nearer 

 than Zanzibar to the Monomoisy country. 



In some memoranda communicated to me at Zanzibar, I find the 

 following statement of a Soahili, who " was eleven months absent on 

 a similar journey. He saw the Great Lake, which has many islands. 

 Tlie canoes carry from five to fifteen men. He did not go armed while 

 he remained among the Monomoisy. The kings fic^ht much among- 

 themselves. The Monomoisy have no money, but they are fond of 

 beads and brass." 



I learned moreover, that the Imaum has some sort of patriarchal in- 

 fluence with the Monomoisy; and that the great caravans which come 

 to Kilwa and to the coast opposite Zanzibar, "bring him a present, and 

 look to him for protection during their stay." 



Beasts of burden appear to be entirely unknown to the Monomoisy; 

 and the ponderous elephant tusks, when brought to the coast, have 

 been sometimes found to contain a little box or other article, depo- 

 sited under the fancied idea, that " it will lessen the weight." Accord- 

 ing to Sadik, "the Monomoisy trade only in ivory, and do not bring 

 slaves; but sometimes a bad fellow among them v/ill manage to sell 

 his friend." 



One of the Monomoisy caravans, reached the coast just before my 

 arrival at Zanzibar; and several individuals, attracted apparently by 

 motives of curiosity, came over to the island. They had a general 

 air of superiority over the Zanzibar Negroes; and some of them were 

 tall and manly in their bearing, and had finer countenances than I 

 have elsewhere seen in the Negro race. Their teeth were slightly 

 filed ; but there were no marks or scars upon the skin ; and the head 

 was shaved, with the exception of a small tuft on the crown. 



I had some conversation with three of them, through the medium 

 of two interpreters. "They had been a week at the coast; which 

 they were four montlis in reaching, travelling directly towards the 

 rising sun. At the coast, they obtain brass; and their armlets and 

 the beads on their ankles, were manufactured by themselves from this 

 foreign material. They carry brass to their neighbours on the oppo- 

 site side of the Lake ; who at the same time, dig brass and cast it, and 

 sell it to them. Their neighbours go to the Malungo, a four months 

 journey to the westward, but not to the sea; and procure ivory and 

 slaves, passing many nations on the route. The Malungo go to the 

 Western sea, likewise after a journey of four months; and find White 



