PROSPECTS OF E. EQUATORIAL AFRICA . 
539 
the mountains and mountain-ranges by Bantu people. 
These latter evidently occupied the land prior to the 
incursion of the Masai from the north, and existed in 
former times in greater numbers than at the present 
day. Of late, however, their fortunes have begun to 
revive. Forced, during their struggle for existence, 
to take to the highlands that were difficult of access 
to an invader, they have become a more hardy, in¬ 
dependent race than their relations on the coast, and 
have also, in their wish to turn their mountain soil to 
the best advantage, become skilful and laborious 
agriculturists. Now their relations with the Masai 
are becoming sensibly improved, the Masai raids have 
ceased before the rude fortifications of the hill tribes, 
and both parties are able to trade on equal terms. 
The inhabitants of the mountains bring their honey 
and vegetables, their smiths 5 work, and dressed skins, 
and exchange them against the ivory, rhinoceros horns, 
and natron salt that are collected by the rovers of the 
plains. These two distinct races, whose contact was 
formerly so provocative of bloodshed and rapine, are 
now exchanging peaceably their products, but also 
their ideas, manners, and customs. The Bantu of 
Kilima-njaro and Taveita loves to copy the Masai 
costume and mode of fighting, he incorporates many 
Masai words and salutations into his own tongue, 
while the once nomadic and restless Masai are in¬ 
creasingly taking to agriculture in the vicinity of 
Bantu settlements, and are changing from lawless 
robbers into quiet and honest tillers of the soil. 
Around the Victoria Nyanza lake, the population 
becomes very dense, and probably the littoral people 
alone may be estimated at from ten to twelve millions. 
With one small exception they are Bantu, and speak 
