K AH AG WE AND ITS GENTLE KING. 
311 
of middle age, of an almost light Arab complexion, with 
very large brilliant eyes. Her son, the prince, a boy of 
about eighteen, had some years ago committed suicide 
by drinking a poisonous potion, because his mother had 
cast some sharp cutting reproaches upon him, which 
had so wounded his sensitive spirit that, he said, 
“ nothing but death would relieve him.” 
Hamed is of the belief that these members of the 
imperial family are descendants of some light-coloured 
people to the north, possibly Arabs ; “ for how,” asked 
lie, “could the king of Kishakka possess an Arab 
scimitar, which is a venerated heirloom of the royal 
family, and the sword of the founder of that kingdom ?” 
“ All these people,” said lie, “ about here are as 
different from the ordinary Washensi — pagans — as I am 
different from them. I would as soon marry a woman of 
Ruanda as I would a female of Muscat. When you go to 
see Rumanika, you will see some Wanya-Ruanda, and 
you may then judge for yourself. The people of that 
country are not cowards. Mashallah ! they have taken 
Kishakka, Muvari, and have lately conquered Mpororo. 
The Waganda measured their strength with them, and 
were obliged to retreat. The Wanya-Ruanda are a 
great people, but they are covetous, malignant, treache- 
rous, and utterly untrustworthy. They have never yet 
allowed an Arab to trade in their country, which proves 
them to lie a bad lot. There is plenty of ivory there, 
and during the last eight years Khamis bin Abdullah, 
Tippu-Tib, Sayid bin Habib, and I myself have attempted 
frequently to enter there, but none of us has ever 
succeeded. Even Rumanika’s people are not allowed to 
penetrate far, though he permits everybody to come 
into his country, and he is a man of their own blood 
and their own race, and speaks with little difference 
their own language.” 
Hamed Ibrahim was not opening out very brilliant 
prospects before me, nevertheless I resolved to search 
out in person some known road to this strange country 
that I might make a direct course to Nyangwe. 
On the third day after arrival, the king having been 
