JEALOUSY OF THE WAZARAMO. 



61 



diameter, rising from the same roots ; the long tapering 

 branches stood out stiffly at right angles from the bole ; 

 and the leaves, instead of forming masses of foliage, were 

 sparsely scattered in small dense growth. The Msukulio, 

 unknown to the people of Zanzibar, was a pile of dark ver- 

 dure, which dwarfed the finest oaks and elms of an Eng- 

 lish park. No traces of game appeared in the likeliest 

 of places ; perhaps it preferred lurking in the tall gross 

 grass, which was not yet in a fit state to burn. 



At Kiranga-Ranga the weather began to be unpropi- 

 tious. The Mcho'o, the heavy showers which fall be- 

 tween the Masika or vernal, and the Vuli or autumnal 

 rains, set in with regularity, and accompanied us during 

 the transit of the maritime plain. I therefore refused to 

 halt more than one day, although the P'hazi or chiefs of 

 the Wazaramo showed, by sending presents of goats and 

 grain, great civility — a civility purchased, however, 

 by Said bin Salim at the price of giving to each 

 man whatever he demanded ; even women were never 

 allowed to leave the camp unpropitiated. I was not 

 permitted in this part to enter the villages, although the 

 Wazaramo do not usually exclude strangers who ven- 

 ture upon their dangerous hospitality. Girls are ap- 

 pointed to attend upon them, and in case of sickness or 

 accident happening to any one in the settlement, they 

 are severely interrogated concerning the morality of the 

 guest, and an unfavourable account of it leads to ex- 

 tortion and violence. The Wazaramo, like the Wagogo, 

 and unlike the other East African tribes, are jealous of 

 their women ; still " damages " will act, as they have 

 acted in other lands, as salve to wounded honour and 

 broken heart. 



On the 5th of July we set out betimes, and traversing 

 the fields around Kiranga-Ranga, struck through a 



