Wané
Rosari.
agreed upon, by which full lordship over the isles and
the left mainland was ceded, with proprietory rights
to all unoccupied territory. As the lands were common
property belonging to the tribe, over £160 worth of
goods were placed upon the ground to be distributed
by the chiefs themselves, according to rank and power,
which I need not say occasioned many bursts of wordy
violence.
Meantime, in the intervals of these palavers, I had
explored, in the whale-boat, both shores, and my choice
rested on the isle of "Wane Rusari for the station. I
was guided to this determination by its extent, its
fertility of soil, and the convenience of the access to
the right bank, whence provisions could be obtained.
We proceeded to mark out a site at the lower end
of the island, which was covered with a dense bush,
wherein, while we cleared, we discovered relics of
former inhabitants. At the upper end, at the distance
of 1200 yards from the station, were the villages of
the tribe, wherein we had experienced a slight struggle
in 1877.
Although we had completed all negotiations with
the Wenya in a far more successful way than any one
could have predicted, it behoved us to provide for the
sustenance of the station, and our guide, accompanied
by a few of our own men, was sent to Siwa-Siwa, the
chief of the Bakumu, who, hearing how happy the
Wenya had been made by the white strangers, advanced
from the interior, a distance of five miles, with
thirty natives, each weighted with cassava, bananas,