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THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



East Africa generally, it is impossible to form the re- 

 motest idea of the number of families, or of the total of 

 population. The Wazaramo number many sub-tribes, 

 the principal of which are the Wakamba and the Wa- 

 p'hangara. 



These negroids are able-bodied men, tall and straight, 

 compared with the Coast-clans, but they are inferior in 

 development to most of the inner tribes. The com- 

 plexion, as usual, varies greatly. The chiefs are often 

 coal-black, and but few are of light colour. This arises 

 from the country being a slave-importer rather than 

 exporter ; and here, as among the Arabs, black skins 

 are greatly preferred. The Mzaramo never circumcises, 

 except when becoming a " Mhaji," or Moslem convert ; 

 nor does this tribe generally tattoo, though some adorn 

 the face with three long cicatrized cuts, like the Mashali 

 of Mecca, extending down each cheek from the ear-lobes 

 to the corners of the mouth. Their distinctive mark is 

 the peculiarity of dressing their hair. The thick wool 

 is plastered over with a cap -like coating of ochreish and 

 micaceous clay, brought from the hills, and mixed to 

 the consistency of honey with the oil of the sesamum 

 or the castor-bean. The pomatum, before drying, is 

 pulled out with the fingers to the ends of many little 

 twists, which circle the head horizontally, and the mass is 

 separated into a single or a double line of knobs, the 

 upper being above, and the lower below, the ears, both look 

 stiff and matted, as if affected with a bad plica polonica. 

 The contrast bet ween these garlands of small red dilberries 

 and the glossy black skin is, however, effective. The 

 clay, when dry, is washed out with great trouble by 

 means of warm water — soap has yet to be invented — and 

 by persevering combing with the fingers. Women wear 

 the hair-thatch like men ; there are, however, several 



