116 TRADE AND COMMERCE.

the ivory, since it is supplied by his faithful subjects. Now, as soon as the Zanzibar trade spread to Unydro, cowries too were introduced as money, and were readily accepted in the market. The majority of the people, however, has still remained faithful to the system of direct barter, perhaps because the few traders who have hitherto visited Kabréga’s residence have brought a proportionately small quantity of wares, and accordingly have had to sell them at a high price. At all events, it is a good sign of the active commercial spirit of the Arabs that they have penetrated so far, while it was a serious mistake in Gordon Pasha’s administration of the equatorial provinces of Kegypt, that he did not endeavour with all his power to open up these districts to our own trade.

The transport of goods from Zanzibar to the north was naturally followed by a corresponding export trade from the districts between the lakes towards the south. An attempt was first made to take the goods which had been collected in the equatorial districts direct to Zanzibar. It was found, however, that the distance was far too great, even after it had been’ shortened by crossing the Victoria Lake to Kagé¢i, and many goods and much time were lost; consequently the centre of the whole Arab commerce with these countries was transferred to Tabora and the adjacent Uyuti. In these places Arabs have settled, having agents who travel on their behalf and take their wares to the north, where they often stay for years. The Waganda, too, go themselves to Zanzibar on behalf of their king, and there, supported by Government, they exchange their ivory chiefly for rifles and ammunition. As both Uganda and Unyoro possess plenty of saleable articles among their varied products, one would readily wish them all success in such enterprises, did not another factor come into play which weighs heavily on the other side.

As I have already mentioned, the Arabs often settle down for years in these equatorial countries, sometimes because the ruler refuses them permission to depart, and sometimes purely for the sake of gain. When visiting one of their settlements, one is struck at first sight by the number of women and girls; male slaves, often tied together in gangs of four or five, are not so numerous, because they have to be transported to a great dis-