' Stiahili-Land and the Wasuahili. 55 
apples, guavers, pomegranates, jackfruit, flourish exu- 
berantly. Sesamum is cultivated largely, and is an 
important article of commerce. These districts are 
backed by the Wanika-land, which supplies rice, indian 
corn, and millet to an almost unlimited extent. With 
these surroundings what might Mombasa not become 
in the hands of an intelligent and energetic people ! 
The people of Mombasa do a large trade with the 
interior. Their caravans visit Teita, Chaga, Ukam- 
bani, and the Masai country, as far west as to the shores 
of the Victoria Nyanza, north-west to the regions about 
Lake Baringo and the confines of Samburu. Ivory, 
rhinoceros-horn, orchella-weed, gum-copal, slaves, 
etc., are collected from all parts of the country, and 
altogether constitute a very flourishing trade. Such 
is a genera] view of the Suahili-land. We will now try 
to describe the people. 
The term Wasuahili is compounded of an Arabic 
word signifying coast," preceded by the African 
prefix "wa," denoting people, its simple meaning 
therefore being " coast people." It was originally 
applied only to the people of Lamu, Patte, and Barawa 
but in modern use its application is extended to all the 
inhabitants of the coast line we have been describing. 
The people themselves facetiously derive it from Sawa 
hila, which may be freely rendered crafty folks ; " and 
certainly, if the etymology were correct, this would 
be a very appropriate designation. They call them- 
selves Wajomba, which in Kinika becomes Ad- 
zomba. There are many local appellations in use, as, 
for instance, Wamvita, the people of Mombasa, or 
Mvita ; Wamrima, the people of Mrima about Tanga ; 
and Watu wa Rufiji, the men of the Rufiji river. 
