COMMERCE OF THE MRIMA. 



39 



the more profitable market in this land of Zanzibar, 

 where the Wanyamwezi occupy their own quarter. 

 Arrived within two marches of the coast- town, the head 

 of the caravan calls a halt till the presents promised by 

 an escort of touters have arrived and have been approved 

 of. He then delays as long as possible, to live gratis upon 

 those with whom he proposes to deal. After a time, the 

 caravan enters in stately procession, a preliminary to the 

 usual routine of commercial operations. Having settled 

 the exorbitant claims of the village headmen and the 

 charges of the Zanzibar Government, which are usually 

 levied in duplicate by the local authorities, the barbarian 

 has recourse to the Indian Banyan. Bargains are usu- 

 ally concluded at night : to a civilised man the work 

 would be an impossible trial of patience. A lot of two 

 hundred tusks is rarely sold under four months. Each 

 article is laid upon the ground, and the purchaser begins 

 by placing handsome cloths, technically called " pil- 

 lows," under the point and bamboo of the tusk, and by 

 covering its whole length with a third ; these form the 

 first perquisites of the seller. After a few days, during 

 which rice and ghee, sugar and sweetmeats, must be 

 freely supplied, commences the chaffering for the price. 

 The Banyan becomes excited at the ridiculous demand 

 of his client, screams like a woman, pushes him out of 

 doors, and receives a return of similar treatment with 

 interest. He takes advantage of his knowledge that the 

 African in making a bargain is never satisfied with the 

 first offer, however liberal ; he begins with a quarter of 

 the worth, then he raises it to one-half, and when the 

 barbarian still hesitates he throws in some flashy article 

 which turns the scale. Any attempt at a tariff would be 

 contemptuously rejected by both parties. The African 



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