78 



MOMBASAH PEOPLE. 



Lufu, the Upper Pangani river, and so forth. 

 The T also assumes the cerebral sound of the 

 Sanskrit and that which renders the English 

 dentals so hard to foreigners. 



We found unexpectedly at Mvita — the ' Mom- 

 bas Mission ' having been kindly received — a 

 reception which could not be called friendly. 

 Small communities are rarely remarkable for 

 amiability, and these citizens are taxed by the 

 rest of the coast-people with overweening pride, 

 insolence of manner, bigotry and evil speaking, 

 turbulence and treachery. They cannot forget 

 their ancient glories, their hereditary chiefs who 

 ruled like kings with Wazirs, Shayhks of tribes 

 and Amirs or chief captains commanding hosts of 

 savage warriors. Of course they regret the Ma- 

 zara whom they themselves were the first to betray 

 — they would betray them again and regret them 

 again to-morrow. Like all ' civilized ' Africans, 

 they are not only treacherous and turbulent, but 

 also inveterate thieves and pilferers : few travel- 

 lers have failed to miss some valuable in the 

 boat that lands them. Lies were plentiful as pro- 

 nouns. Whilst some for their own purposes 

 made very light of travel in the interior, others 

 studiously exaggerated the expense, the difficulty, 

 and the danger; and recounted the evils which 



