THE WAGOGO. 



263 



use of their wells a daily source of trouble, they charged 

 us double prices, and when they brought us provisions 

 for sale, they insisted upon receiving the price of even 

 the rejected articles ; yet they did not proceed to open 

 outrage. Our timid Arab, the Baloch, the sons of 

 Eamji, and the porters humoured them in every whim. 

 Kidogo would not allow observations to be taken with 

 a bright sextant in presence of the mobility. He de- 

 clined to clear the space before the tent, as the excited 

 starers, some of whom had come from considerable dis- 

 tances, were apt under disappointment to wax violent ; 

 and though he once or twice closed the tent-flaps, 

 he would not remove the lines of men, women, and 

 children, who stretched themselves for the greater con- 

 venience of peeping and peering, lengthways upon the 

 ground. Whenever a Mnyamwezi porter interfered, he 

 was arrogantly told to begone, and he slunk away, pray- 

 ing us to remember that these men are " Wagogo." 

 Caravan after caravan had thus taught them to become 

 bullies, whereas a little manliness would soon have 

 reduced them to their proper level. They are neither 

 brave nor well-armed, and their prestige rests solely 

 upon their feat in destroying about one generation ago 

 a caravan of Wanyamwezi — an event embalmed in a 

 hundred songs and traditions. They seemed to take a 

 fancy to the Baloch, who received from the fair sex 

 many a little souvenir in the shape of a kid or a water- 

 melon. Whenever the Goanese Valentine was sent to a 

 village he was politely and hospitably welcomed, and 

 seated upon a three-legged stool by the headman ; and 

 generally the people agreed in finding fault with their 

 principal Sultans, declaring that they unwisely made the 

 country hateful to " Wakonongo," or travellers. For- 

 tunately for the Expedition several scions of the race saw 

 the light safely during our transit of Ugogo : had an 



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