120 



THE WASEGEJU. 



between Kilwa and Mombasah. After destroying 

 Kilwa, where they are reported to have killed 

 and eaten 3000 Moors, men and women, they 

 appeared upon the seaboard opposite Mombasah, 

 whilst Thom(5 de' Souza Continho was attacking 

 the rebellious city in which the Corsair Ali 

 Bey had taken refuge. The savages sided with 

 the Portuguese, crossed the ford, and fell upon 

 the townspeople with assegai and arrow. The 

 citizens fled, preferring to face the sword and 

 the musket of the Christian invader. After 

 this the Zimbas marched upon Melinde, and 

 threatened it with the fate of Kilwa and Mom- 

 basah. But the firmness of the Sultan and 

 the courage of Mattheus Mendes de Vasconcellos 

 were equal to the occasion : they reinforced 

 themselves with a host of 3000 Wasegeju, and 

 they succeeded in annihilating the cannibals. In 

 1592 the Wasegeju, again summoned to the 

 assistance of Melinde, slew its enemy, the Shaykh 

 of Kilifi. The last Shirazi Sultan of Mombasah, 

 determining to avenge the death of his kinsmen, 

 assembled 5000 wild men from the neighbouring 

 hills to attack Melinde. The Wasegeju, how- 

 ever, not only defeated and slew him, with three 

 of his sons, and many of the chief Moslems 

 who accompanied him ; they also captured Mom- 



