412 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



the N.yassa Lake, and carried to Kilwa by the Wabisa, the 

 Wahiao, the Wangindo, the Wamakua, and other clans. The 

 (( Bisha ivory " formerly found its way to the Mozambique, but 

 the barbarians have now learned to prefer Zanzibar ; and the 

 citizens welcome them, as they sell their stores more cheaply 

 than the Wahiao, who have become adepts in coast arts. The 

 ivory of the Wabisa, though white and soft, is generally small, 

 the full length of a tusk being 7 feet. The price of the et bab 

 kalasi" — scrivellos or small tusks, under 20 lbs. — is from 24 to 

 25 dollars ; and the value increases at the rate of somewhat less 

 than 1 dollar per lb. The " bab gujrati or kashshi," the bab 

 kashshi, is that intended for the Cutch market. The tusk must 

 be of middling size, little bent, very bluff at the point as it is 

 intended for rings and armlets ; the girth must be a short span 

 and three fingers, the bamboo shallow and not longer than a 

 hand. Ivory fulfilling all these conditions will sell as high as 

 70 dollars per frasilah, — medium size of 20 to 45 lbs. — fetches 

 56 to 60 dollars. The "bab wilaiti," or te foreign sort," is that 

 purchased in European and American markets. The largest size 

 is preferred, which ranging from 45 to 100 lbs,, may be pur- 

 chased for 52 dollars per frasilah. 



The third and least valued quality is the western ivory, the 

 Gendai, and other varieties imported from Usagara, Uhehe, 

 Urorij Unyamwezi, and its neighbourhood. The price varies 

 according to size, form, and weight, from 45 to 56 dollars per 

 frasilah. 



The transport of ivory to the coast, and the profits derived by 

 the maritime settlers, Arab and Indian, have been described. 

 When all fees have been paid, the tusk, guarded against 

 smuggling by the custom-house stamp, is sent to Zanzibar. On 

 the island scrivellos under 6 lbs. in weight are not registered. 

 According to the late Lieutenant-Colonel Hamerton, the annual 

 average of large tusks is not less than 20,000. The people of 

 the country make the weight range between 17,000 and 25,000 

 frasilah. The tusk is larger at Zanzibar than elsewhere. At 

 Mozambique, for instance, 60 lbs. would be considered a good 

 average for a lot. Monster tusks are spoken of. Specimens of 

 5 farasilah are not very rare, and the people have traditions that 

 these wonderful armatures have extended to 227 lbs., and even 

 to 280 lbs. each. 



Amongst the minor articles of export from the interior, hip- 

 popotamus teeth have been enumerated. Beyond the coast, 

 however, they form but a slender item in the caravan load. In 

 the inner regions they are bought in retail ; the price ranges 



