C H A P T E R YI.
UZINZA.
THE POLITICS OE UZINZA— THE WAHtjMA— "THE PIG’s ” TRICK
—FIRST TASTE OE UStJl TAXATION — PILLAGED BY MFtjMBI
— PILLAGED BY MAKAKA— PILLAGED BY LljMERiSI— GRANT
STRIPPED BY M’YONGA— STRIPPED AGAIN BY ROHE— TERRORS
AND DEFECTIONS IN THE CAMP—DRIVEN BACK TO KAZE WITH
NEW TRIBULATIONS AND IMPEDIMENTS.
U z in z a , which we now entered, is ruled by two Wahtuna
* chieftains of foreign blood, descended from Cross Unyamiiezi «' • ,
frontier, km, the Abyssinian stock, of whom we saw speci- and enter Uzinza. - _ T _ . mens scattered all oyer Unyamuezi, and who
extended even down south as far as Fipa. Travellers see
very little, however, of these Wahiima, because, being pastorals,
they roam about with their flocks and build huts as
far away as they can from cultivation. Most of the small
district, chiefs, too, are the descendants of those who ruled
in the same places before the country was invaded, and
with them travellers put up and have their dealings. The
dress of the Wahuma is very simple, composed chiefly of
cow-hide tanned black y a few magic ornaments and
charms, brass or copper bracelets, and immense numbers
of sambo for stockings, which looked very awkward on
their long legs. They smear themselves with rancid
butter instead of macassar, and are, in consequence, very
offensive to all but the negro, who seems, rather than
otherwise, to enjoy a good sharp nose-tickler. For arms,
they carry both bow and spear; more generally the latter.
The Wazinza in the southern parts are so much like the
Wanyamuezi, as not to require
any especial notice; but
in the north, where the country
is more hilly, they are
much more energetic and actively
built. All alike live
in grass-hut villages, fenced
round by bomas in the south,
but open in the north. Their
country rises in high rolls,
increasing in altitude as it approaches
the Mountains of the
Moon, and is generally well
cultivated, being subjected to
more of the periodical rains
than the regions we have left, CHf " HI |Hflf
though springs are not so
abundant, I believe, as they are in the Land of the Moon,
where they ooze out by the flanks of the little granitic
hills.
After tracking through several miles of low bush-
jungle, we came1 to the sites of some old bomas that had
been destroyed by the Watuta not long since. Farther
on, as we wished to enter a newly-constructed boma, the
chief of which was Mafumbii Wantii (a Mr Balls), we felt
the effects of those ruthless marauders; for the villagers,
thinking us Watuta in disguise, would not let us in; for
those savages, they said, had once tricked them by entering
their village, pretending to be traders carrying ivory
and merchandise, whilst they were actually spies. This
was fortunate for me, however, as Mr Balls, like M’yonga,
was noted for his extortions on travellers. We then went
on and put up in the first large village of Bogue, where I
wished to get porters and return for Grant, as the place