T o s la y a solitary Mtuta is considered b y an
Arab as meritorious, and far more necessary
than killing a snake. T o guard against these
sable freebooters, the traveller, while passing near
their haunts, has need o f all his skill, coolness,
and prudence. T he settler in their neighbourhood
has need to defend his village with impregnable
fences, and to have look-outs night and day:
his women and children require to be guarded,
and fuel can only be procured b y strong parties,
while the ground has to b e cultivated spear in
hand, so constant is the fear o f the restless and
daring tribe o f bandits.
The Watuta, b y whose lands we are now
about to travel, are a lost tribe o f the Mafitte,
and became separated from the latter b y an
advance towards the north in search o f plunder
and cattle. This event occurred some thirty years
ago. On their incursion they encountered the
Warori, who possessed countless herds o f cattle.
T h e y fought with them for two months at one
place, and three months at another; and at last,
perceiving that the Warori were too strong for
them— many o f them having been slain in the
war and a large number o f them (now known
as the Wahehe, and settled near U g o g o j having
been cut o ff from the main b ody— the Watuta
skirted Urori, and advanced north-west through
Ukonongo and Kawendi to Ujiji. It is in the
memory o f the old Arab residents at Ujiji how
the Watuta suddenly appeared and drove them
and the Wajiji to take refuge upon Bangwe
Island.
Not glutted with conquest b y their triumph at
Ujiji, they attacked Urundi; but here th ey met
different foes altogether from the negroes of
the south. T h e y next invaded Uhha, but the
races which occupy the intra-lake regions had
competent and worthy champions in the Wahha.
Baffled at Uhha and Urundi, th ey fought their
devastating path across Uvinza, and entered
Unyamwezi, penetrated Usumbwa, Utambara,
Urangwa, Uyofu, and so through Uzinja to the
Victoria Nyanza, where th ey rested for some
years after their daring exploit. But the lands
about the lake were not suited to their tastes,
and they retraced their steps as far as Utambara.
Kututwa, king o f Utambara, from policy, wooed
the daughter o f the chief o f the Watuta, and as
a dower his land was returned to him, while
the Watuta moving south occupied the neighbouring
country o f Ugomba, situate between
Uhha and Unyamwezi. It is a well-watered and
a rich grazing country, therefore w ell adapted
to their habits and modes o f life. T he Kinya-
mwezi kings o f Serombo, Ubagwe, Ureweh, Ren-
zeweh, and kings Mirambo and Phunze have contracted
alliances with influential chiefs, and are
on tolerably good terms with them; but stubborn
old Myonga still holds a loof from the Watuta.