MAFIYAH. 



335 



are called Watu Ava Rufiji, or Eufiji folk. The 

 next niglit was passed in an open roadstead off 

 Rasi ya Ndege — Bird Point — the S. Western 

 portal of the Zanzibar channel, a well-wooded red 

 rise. We then coasted along a low and forested 

 shore sighting Ea'as Kimbizi and Point Pnna, 

 which can hardly be called Point or Cape. 

 Khwale (partridge) Island, a link in the long 

 chain of little ' inches ' ^ which rnns parallel with 

 the coast to Kilwa, showed the usual physio- 

 gnomy, coralline ledges, yellow sands, and tufted 

 verdant trees : the pretty little patch is said to 

 abound in hippos. Koma, the next inhabited 

 islet, gave us a few cocoas, but no game ; the 

 people, serviles from Kilwa, would not answer 

 our questions without bakhshish. The next day 

 saw us fighting against a strong northerly cur- 

 rent, and a sharp struggle was required to make 

 the Kisima-ni (the well of) Mafiyah.^ 



The Avatering-place lies on the westernmost 

 point of Mafiyah, in our maps Monfia, and not 

 to be pronounced with Mr Cooley ' Mofiji;' it is 



1 The okl Portuguese travellers (Eezende and others) men- 

 tion the Islets of Auxoly, Coa, and Zibondo ; I could hear no- 

 thing of these names : they are probably corruptions, Auxoly 

 for Chole, Coa for Koma, and Zibondo for Kibundo. 



2 Kisima (Arab. Tawi) is opposed to Shimo, a water-pit 

 (Arab. Hufreh). 



