CH A P T E R II.
UZARAMO.
THE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY — THE ORDER OF MARCH — THE
BEGINNING OF OUR TAXATION — SULTAN LION’S CLAW, AND
SULTAN MONKEY’S TAIL— THE KINGANI— JEALOUSIES AND DIFFICULTIES
IN THE CAMP— THE MURDERER OF M. MAIZAN.
We were now in U-zk-Ramo, which may mean the country
of Ramo, though I have never found any natives who
could enlighten me on the
derivation of this obviously
triple word. The extent of
the country, roughly speaking,
stretches from the coast
to the junction or bifurcation
of the Kingani and its upper
branch the Mgeta river, westwards
; and from the Kin-
' gani, north, to the Lufigi
river, south; though in the
southern portions several
subtribes have encroached
upon the lands. There are
no hills in Uzaramo; but
the land in the central line,
1 3 1 1 1
'w j l i
Mzaramo, or .Native of Uzaramo.
formed like a ridge between the two rivers, furrow fashion,
consists of slightly elevated flats and terraces, which, in the
rainy season, throw off their surplus waters to the north
and south by nullahs into these rivers. The country is
uniformly well covered with trees and large grasses, which,
in the rainy season, are too thick, tall, and green to be
pleasant; though in the dry season, after the grasses have
been burnt, it is agreeable enough, though not pretty,
owing to the flatness of the land. The villages are not
large or numerous, but widely spread, consisting generally
of conical grass huts, while others are gable-ended, after
the coast-fashion—a small collection of ten or twenty comprising
one village. Over these villages certain headmen,
titled PhanzA hold jurisdiction, who take black-mail from
travellers with high presumption when they can. Generally
speaking, they live upon the coast, and call themselves
, Diwans, headsmen, and subjects of the Sultan
Majid; but they no sooner hear of the march of a caravan
than they transpose their position, become sultans in
their own right, and levy taxes accordingly.
The Wazaramo are strictly agriculturists; they have
no cows, and but few goats. They are of low stature and
Wazaramo,, Pecpl© of Uzaramo.
thick set, and their nature tends to the boisterous. Expert
slave-hunters, they mostly clothe themselves by the
B