THE WAHINDA. 



219 



northern water-parting of the Eastern Lunar Moun- 

 tains. 



Of the tribes dwelling about the Nyanza, the western 

 have been already described. The Washaki and the 

 Warudi are plundering races on the east, concerning 

 whom little is known. Kemain the Wahinda, a clan or 

 class alluded to in this and a former chapter, and the 

 Wataturu, an extensive and once powerful tribe, men- 

 tioned when treating of the regions about Tura. 



The Wahinda (in the singular Muhinda) are, accord- 

 ing to some Arabs, a foreign and ruling family, who 

 coming from a distant country, probably in the neighbour- 

 hood of Somaliland, conquered the lands, and became 

 Sultans. This opinion seems to rest upon physical pecu- 

 liarities, — the superiority of the Wahinda in figure, 

 stature, and complexion to their subjects suggesting a 

 difference of origin. Others explain the word Muhinda 

 to mean a cadet of royal family, and call the class Bayt 

 el Saltanah, or the Kingly House. Thus, whilst Arma- 

 nika is the Mkdmd or Sovereign of Karagwah, his 

 brother simply takes the title of Muhinda. These con- 

 flicting statements may be reconciled by the belief 

 general in the country that the families of the Sultans 

 are a foreign and a nobler race, the date of whose im- 

 migration has long fallen into oblivion. This may be 

 credited without difficulty ; the physique of the rulers 

 — approximating more to the northern races of Arica — 

 is markedly less negroid than that of their subjects, and 

 the difference is too great to be explained by the effects 

 of climate or of superior diet, comfort, and luxury. 



The Wahinda are found in the regions of Usui, 

 Karagwah, Uhha, Uvinza, Uyungu, Ujiji, and Urundi, 

 where they live in boma — stockades — and scattered 

 villages. Of this race are the Sultans Suwarora of the 



