They Live Near The N'yanza - Where It Is Connected By A
Strait With A Salt Lake, And Drained By A River To The Northward-
-In Comfortable Houses, Built Like The Tembes Of Unyamuezi.
When
killing a cow, they kneel down in an attitude of prayer, with
both hands together, held palm upwards, and utter Zu, a word the
meaning of which he did not know.
I questioned him to try if the
word had any trace of a Christian meaning - for instance, a
corruption of Jesu - but without success. Circumcision is not
known amongst them, neither have they any knowledge of God or a
soul. A tribe called Wakuavi, who are white, and described as
not unlike myself, often came over the water and made raids on
their cattle, using the double-edged sime as their chief weapon
of war. These attacks were as often resented, and sometimes led
the Wamara in pursuit a long way into their enemy's country,
where, at a place called Kisiguisi, they found men robed in red
cloths. Beads were imported, he thought, both from the east and
from Ukidi. Associated with the countries Masau or Masai, and
Usamburu, which he knew, there was a large mountain, the exact
position of which he could not describe.
I took down many words of his language, and found they
corresponded with the North African dialects, as spoken by the
people of Kidi, Gani, and Madi. The southerners, speaking of
these, would call them Wakidi, Wagani, and Wamadi, but among
themselves the syllable was is not prefixed, as in the southern
dialects, to signify people. Rumanika, who appeared immensely
delighted as he assisted me in putting the questions I wanted,
and saw me note them down in my book, was more confirmed than
ever in the truth of my stories that I came from the north, and
thought as the beads came to Amara, so should I be able to open
the road and bring him more visitors. This he knew was his only
chance of ever seeing me more, for I swore I would never go back
through Usui, so greatly did I feel the indignities imposed on me
by Suwarora.
18th. - To keep the king in good-humour, I now took a table-knife,
spoon, and fork to the palace, which, after their several uses
were explained, were consigned to his curiosity-box. Still
Rumanika could not understand how it was I spent so much and
travelled so far, or how it happened such a great country as ours
could be ruled by a woman. He asked the Queen's name, how many
children she had, and the mode of succession; then, when fully
satisfied, led the way to show me what his father Dagara had done
when wishing to know of what the centre of the earth was
composed. At the back of the palace a deep ditch was cut,
several yards long, the end of which was carried by a
subterranean passage into the palace, where it was ended off with
a cavern led into by a very small aperture.
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