Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/391

 the village, had to daub her face with clay, and silently to enduro the insults heaped upon her.

The Wazaramos do not practise circumcision, although they have in many other respects been subjected to the influence of the Mohammedans on the coust. Most of them speak Swaheli us well as their native language, and on gula days the chiefs wear the flowing robe, vest, and turban of the Arabs. The women aleo have adopted the Mussulman style of dress, but do not go veiled: The dwellings of the wealthy classes are palaces compared to the ordinary native huts, being small houses presenting almost a European aspect.

The Wakweres (Wa-Kwere), Wakami (Wa-Kami), and Wakhutus (WaKhutu),

who dwell farther west in tho hilly region about the headstreams of the Kingani, are closely related to, although fur less civilised than, the Wazaramos. They wear nothing but scanty bark clothes, and their habitations are rather dens of wild beasts than human abodes. In their country trials for witchcraft, followed by the inevitable punishment of the stake, are still terribly frequent. Much more civilized are their Wazeguha (Wa-Zeguha, Wa-Zegura) neighbours, who with-the kindred Wangurus (Wu-Nguru), inhabit the unproductive plains on the north side of the mountains traversed by the Lower Wami River. Nearly all these tribes have been converted to the Mohammedan religion through the influence of the contiguous Swaheli and Arab communities; the possession of firearms has also made them formidable slave-hunters.