C H A P T E R Y.
UNYAMUEZI.
THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE OF U-N-YA-MÜÉZI— KAZT^ THE CAPITAL
— OLD MÜSA— THE NAKED WAKIDI— THE N’YANZA, AND THE
QUESTION OF THE RIVER RUNNING IN OR OUT— THE CONTEST
BETWEEN MOHINNA AND " SHORT-LEGS ”— FAMINE— THE ARABS
AND LOCAL WARS— THE SÜLTANA OF UNYAMBÉWA— UNGÜRÜÉ
“ THE PIG ”— PILLAGE.
U - n - y a - m u e z i— Country of Moon— must have been
one of the largest kingdoms in Africa. I t is little inferior
in size to England, and of much the same shape, though
now, instead of being united, it is cut up into petty states.
In its northern extremities it is known by the appellation
U-süküma—country north; and in the southern,
U-takama—country south. There are no historical traditions
known to the people ; neither was anything ever
written concerning their country, as far as we know, until
the Hindüs, who traded with the east coast of Africa,
opened commercial dealings with its people in slaves
and ivory, possibly some time prior to the birth of our
Saviour, when, associated with their name, Men of the
Moon, sprang into existence the Mountains of the Moon.
These Men of the Moon are hereditarily the greatest
traders in Africa, and are the only people who, for love
of barter and change, will leave their own country as
porters and go to the coast, and they do so with as much
zest as our country-folk go to a fair. As far back as we
can trace they have done this, and they still do it as here-«
tofore. The whole of their country ranges from 3000 to
Myamuezi, o r J^ativei o f U n y am u e z i.
4000 feet above the sea-level—a high plateau, studded
with little outcropping hills of granite, between which, in
the valleys, there are numerous fertilising springs of fresh
water, and rich iron ore is found in sandstone. Generally
industrious—much more so than most other nögroes—they
cultivate extensively, make cloths of cotton in their own
looms, smelt iron and work it up very expertly, build
tembes to live in over a large portion of their country,
but otherwise live in grass huts, and keep flocks and herds
of considerable extent.
The Wanyamüdzi, however, are not a very well-favoured
people in physical appearance, and are much darker than
either the Wazarämo or the Wagogo, though many of
their men are handsome and their women p re tty ; neither
are they well dressed or well armed, being wanting in
pluck and gallantry. Their women, generally, are better
dressed than the men. Cloths fastened round under
the arms are their national costume, along with a neck