THE KUHONGA, OR BLACKMAIL. 



253 



to travel unless each chief is satisfied ; and when a 

 quarrel arises they throw down their packs and run 

 away. Ugogo, since the closing of the northern line 

 through the Wahumba and the Wamasai tribes, and the 

 devastation of the southern regions by the Warori, is the 

 only open line, and the sultans have presumed upon 

 their power of stopping the way. There is no regular 

 tariff of taxes : the sum is fixed by the traveller's 

 dignity and outfit, which, by means of his slaves, are as 

 well known to every sultan as to himself. Properly 

 speaking, the exaction should be confined to the up- 

 caravans ; from those returning a head or two of cattle, 

 a few hoes, or some similar trifle, are considered ample. 

 Such, however, was not the experience of the Expedi- 

 tion. When first travelling through the country the 

 " Wazungu " were sometimes mulcted to the extent of 

 fifty cloths by a single chief, and the Arabs congratu- 

 lated them upon having escaped so easily. On their down- 

 ward march they pleaded against a second demand as 

 exorbitant as the first, adducing the custom of caravans, 

 who are seldom mulcted in more than two cows or a pair 

 of jembe, or iron hoes; the chiefs, however, replied that 

 as they never expected to see white faces again, it was 

 their painful duty to make the most from them. 



The kuhonga, however, is not unjust. In these regions 

 it forms the customs-dues of the government : the sultan 

 receives it nominally, but he must distribute the greater 

 part amongst his family and councillors, his elders and 

 attendants. It takes the place of the fees expected by 

 the Balderabba of the Abyssinians, the Mogasa of the 

 Gallas, the Abban of the Somal, and the Ghafir and 

 Rafik amongst the Bedouin Arabs, which are virtually 

 assertions of supremacy upon their own ground. These 

 people have not the idea which seems prevalent in the 



