In continuation Burton writes: "The Wajiji are considered by the Arabs to be the most troublesome race in these black regions. They are taught by the example of their chiefs to be rude, insolent, and extortionate; they demand beads even for pointing out the road; they will deride and imitate a stranger's speech and manner before his face; they can do nothing without a long preliminary of the fiercest scolding; they are as ready with a blow as with a word; and they may often be seen playing at 'rough and tumble,' fighting, pushing, and tearing hair, in their boats.
"A Mjiji uses his dagger or his spear upon a guest with little hesitation; he thinks twice, however, before drawing blood, if it will cause a feud.
"When the sultan appears among his people, he stands in a circle and claps his hands, to which all respond in the same way. Women curtsey to one another, bending the right knee almost to the ground. When two men meet, they clasp each other's arms with both hands, rubbing them up and down, and ejaculating for some minutes, 'Nama, sanga? nama sanga?'—Art thou well? They then pass the hands down to the forearm, exclaiming, 'Wáhke? wáhke?'—How art thou?—and finally they clap palms at each other, a token of respect which appears common to these tribes of Central Africa.
"The children have all the frowning and unprepossessing look of their parents. They reject little civilities, and seem to spend life in disputes, biting and clawing like wildcats. There seems to be little family affection in this undemonstrative race."
CHAPTER XXIII
THE MARCH TOWARDS VICTORIA NYANZA.
One of the last of Burton's explorations, before his return to his native country, was an attempt to ascertain some particulars as to the nature of the countries which lay north and south of the route he had followed. He was especially anxious to glean information of a great sea, or lake, which the Arabs told him was an immense body of water, much larger than Tanganyika, at a distance of fifteen or twenty marches to the north.
Burton saw that if he could prove the existence of such a lake, it would explain many disputed points and confirm many speculations of modern geographers. Owing to illness, Burton was obliged to give up his intention of exploring the new body of water. Speke, his companion, continued the journey, and reached the lake, which he named Victoria Nyanza.
Speke was strongly convinced that here was the long-sought source of that most mysterious of rivers, the Nile. He returned to England to render an account of his exploration to the Royal Geographical Society and proposed the forming of a new expedition party for the purpose of exploring the newly discovered lake, Victoria Nyanza, and the adjacent countries. The plan met with such favor that in the spring of the following year, with a companion named Grant, he started out with an exploring party.