Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/557

 chiefly by the Vua-Ma-Nyema, or "Eaters of Flesh," who were till recently much dreaded by their western neighbours owing to their pronounced cannibalism.

Yet such repulsive tastes do not prevent the Ma-Nyema from surpassing most of the surrounding peoples in kindliness and even gentle dispositions. They are also noted for their physical beauty, the women especially being sought after by the Arabs for their graceful carriage and regular features. The men wear antelope skins, while many of the chiefs have adopted the flowing white toga of the Arabs. Their arms are a heavy, sharp-pointed spear, and a short sword worn in a wooden sheath ornamented with little bells. Their artistic skill is also displayed in the manufacture of stout vegetable materials dyed with fast colours, and in the erection of well-timbered and plastered houses of the rectangular form, common to the Vua-Regga and all the inhabitants of the Congo proper. By means of creepers they also construct suspension bridges, strong and firm enough easily to bear the weight of foot traffic.

West of the Upper Congo affluents and in the region of the water-parting dwell other populations, distinct in appearance and usages from the MaNyema. Such are the Vua-Iliya, distinguished by their filed teeth and irregular tattoo marks; the VuaVinza, apparently of different origin from their namesakes east of Tanganyika; and the Bua-Bujwe, Cameron's Bujwas, of like speech and probably of the same stock as the Vua-Rua. Amongst all these Upper Congo populations are scattered small groups of Bush Negroes, a timid folk, who rarely venture to approach the market-places of their more civilised neighbours. Most of these Vua-Twa, or Ba-Twa, as they are collectively called, are of dwarfish stature, with large paunch and spindle legs. Some are true pigmies, smaller even than the Akkas of the Monbuttu country, according to Dr. Wolff not execeding 4 feet 3 inches in height.

Before Stanley's memorable expedition across the Continent, the Oman and Zanzibari Arabs had already trading settlements on the banks of the Congo, and their caravans traverse many districts not yet visited by Europeans. Their religious and social influence is dominant among the natives, and every Arab is surrounded by hundreds of more or less assimilated followers, speaking a few words of the language, and practising some of the rites of Islam. Their southernmost station in the upper basin is Kassongo, a little west of the river and not far from the falls at the head of the navigation. This healthy and picturesque place has been chosen as the seat of his "kingdom," by Hamed-ben-Mohammed (Tippo-Tip), heir to a former Negro kinglet, who has left his name to the town of