TRAFFIC OF NYANZA. 



215 



strung with the pipe-stem bead called sofi, and 

 blackened, like India-rubber, by use ; it is fastened 

 round the waist, and depends about one foot by six or 

 seven inches in breadth. 



The Arabs who traffic in these regions generally 

 establish themselves with Sultan Machunda, and send 

 their slaves in canoes round the south-east angle of the 

 lake to trade with the coast people. 'These races are 

 successively from the south ; the Washaki, at a distance 

 of three marches, and their inland neighbours the 

 Wataturu ; then the Warudi, a wild tribe, rich in ivory, 

 lying about a fortnight's distance ; and beyond them 

 the Wahumba, or Wamasai. Commercial transactions 

 extend along the eastern shore as far as T'hiri, or 

 Ut'hiri, a district between Ururu and Uhumba. This 

 is possibly the origin of the island of Tiri or Kittiri, 

 placed in my companion's map near the north-west 

 extremity of the Nyanza Lake, off the coast of Uganda, 

 where there is a province called Kittara, peculiarly rich 

 in coffee. The explorer heard from the untrustworthy 

 country people that, after a long coasting voyage, they 

 arrived at an island where the inhabitants, a poor and 

 naked race, live on fish, and cultivate coffee for sale. 

 The information appears suspicious. The Arabs know 

 of no islands upon the Nyanza which produce coffee. 

 Moreover, if the people had any traffic, they would not 

 be without clothing. 



The savagery of the races adjacent to the Nyanza has 

 caused accidents amongst travelling traders. About 

 five years ago a large caravan from Tanga, on the 

 eastern coast, consisting of 400 or 500 guns, and led 

 by Arab merchants, at the end of a journey which had 

 lasted nearly two years, happened to quarrel with the 

 Wahumba or Wamasai near the lake. The subject was 



p 4 



