TIPPU TIB. 801 theupper reaches of the Nile, a great struggle had beeninprogress in the neighbouringCongo Free State. It was a conflict between the Belgians on the one hand and the Arab traders on theother for the control of the Congoregion. In the first part of the nineteenth eentury the Arabs of Zanzibar had gradually opened up a series of trade routes from the east coast to the Congo Valley. They collected ivory from the natives, secured porters to bring it to the coastby slave raiding, and at Bagamoyo, Pemba, and Zanzibar they found a market both for the tusks and for those of the slave gangs who expeditions had in many cases— indirectly and unintentionally— the unfortunate result of opening up new routes and districts for the slaveraiders. One of thesemen, HamidbenMohammed ben Juna,better known in Europe by his nickname of Tippu Tib, made himself a kind of uncrowned king in Central Africa, obtaininga considerablepart of his capital by his successful contracts with the explorers. But the Arabs were preparing their own downfall. To their dismay, they found the officers of the Congo State coming up the great river from the west coast, openingup direct trade with the natives, OLD FORT AT MOMBASA, BUILT DURING THE PORTUGUESE OCCUPATION.

(From aphotograph by SirJohn Kirk.)

and vetoing the profitable practice of slave raiding. The Belgians were working to divert to the west coast down the river the trade that had hitherto found its way by the Arab caravans eastward to Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The Arabsresolved not to give up the position they had won without a struggle.

They* were no doubt encouraged by the victories of Mahdism in the NileValley to attempt the expulsion of the white soldiers and traders from the CongoValley. After previous partial revolts the great uprising beganin1802. Major Hodister, who with several white companions had come up a week's journeybeyond Stanley-Falls to found a station, was first warned that he wouldnot be allowed to trade with the natives, and was then attacked by the Arabs and their had survived the long journey from Central Africa. Thechief trade route ran frinn Bagamoyo on the east coast, opposite the island of Zanzibar, through what is now German territory, to on Lake Tanganyika. After crossing the lake in dhows (of which the Arabs had built a small fleet on Tanganyika), the route ran ;rd to the town ot Nvangwe on the Upper Congo, from which a number of branch routes were opened up north, south, and west. It was with the help of the Arab slavers, along their trade routes, and often with porters supplied by contract from their army of slaves, that most of the European explorersmade their way into Central Africa, the usual starting-points being Bagamoyo on the toast and then Ujiji on the lake. And these 51