UNYANYEMBE. 



325 



was a middle-aged man with somewhat of the Quixotic 

 appearance, high-featured, sharp and sunken-eyed, 

 almost beardless, light-coloured, tall, gaunt, and large- 

 limbed. He had read much, and, like an oriental, for 

 improvement, not only for amusement : he had a won- 

 derful memory, fine perceptions and passing power of 

 language. Finally, he was the stuiF of which friends 

 are made ; brave as all his race, prudent withal, ready 

 to perish for the " Pundonor," and, — such is not often 

 the case in the East, — he was as honest as he was 

 honourable. 



Before proceeding with the thread of my narrative, 

 the reader is requested to bear with the following few 

 lines upon the subject of Unyanyembe. 



Unyanyembe, the central and principal province of 

 Unyamwezi, is, like Zungomero in Khutu, the great 

 Bandari or meeting-place of merchants, and the point of 

 departure for caravans which thence radiate into the 

 interior of Central Intertropical Africa. Here the Arab 

 merchant from Zanzibar meets his compatriot returning 

 from the Tanganyika Lake and from Uruwwa. North- 

 wards well-travelled lines diverge to the Nyanza Lake, 

 and the powerful kingdoms of Karagwah, Uganda, and 

 Unyoro ; from the south Urori and Ubena, Usanga and 

 Usenga, send their ivory and slaves; and from the south- 

 west the Eukwa Water, K'hokoro, Ufipa, and Marungu 

 must barter their valuables for cottons, wires, and beads. 

 The central position and the comparative safety of Un- 

 yanyembe have made it the head-quarters of the Omani 

 or pure Arabs, who, in many cases, settle here for years, 

 remaining in charge of their depots, whilst their factors 

 and slaves travel about the country and collect the 

 items of traffic. At Unyanyembe the merchants ex- 

 pect some delay. The porters, whether hired upon 



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