YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

VI

PREFACE.

four men were on the southern shores of the Victoria
'Nyanza ; one of whom, Dr. Smith, died there.
Two, Lieut. Smith and Mr. Wilson, crossed the
Lake, and were cordially received by Mtesa on July
2nd. Subsequently the fourth, Mr. O'Neill, and
Lieut. Smith were killed by the natives of Ukerewe,
a large island in the Lake, • and Mr. Wilson was
thus left alone. He was afterwards joined by Mr.
Mackay, one of the original party, and in the mean
while a party by the Nile route had been sent to
his aid. This consisted of the Bev. Gr. Litchfield,
Mr. O..W. Pearson, Mr. E. W. Felkin, medical mis
sionary, and Mr. J. W. Hall. The latter was taken
ill at Suakim, and obliged to return to England,
but the other three reached Uganda safely in
February 1879.
A few months later the Eev. C. T. Wilson and
Mr. Felkin started for Europe, to take charge of
three ambassadors whom Mtesa, king of Uganda,
was anxious to send to England to see her Majesty
the Queen.
The following pages must not be supposed to be
an account of the Mission, but simply as intended
to give a description of the countries visited, and
especially of Uganda, where Mr. Wilson resided for
two years, and the work of the Mission will only be
alluded to so far as is necessary for the connection
of the narrative.
The Committee of the Church' Missionary Society

PREFACE.

vn

while sanctioning the publication of this book, are
not in any way responsible for it. At the same
time it will be borne in mind, that the authors were
agents of the Society ; and the work, of which the
results are embodied in the following pages, was
undertaken in addition to their ordinary labours as
Missionaries, and must be judged accordingly.
As will be seen from the title-page, the book is
the joint work of the Eev. C. T. Wilson and Mr. E.
W. Felkin. The first part of it is by the former,
with the exception of the chapters on the manners
and customs of the Waganda, in which Mr. Felkin
has given some help. The second part, in like
manner, is the work of Mr. Felkin, Mr. Wilson
having contributed a few suggestions. It is not
intended to claim literary merit for the following
pages ; the desire of the authors being to state as
simply and truthfully as possible what they ob
served in a part of the earth till now little known ;
but which, given good roads and a just and un
ambitious government, will offer a field for religious
and mercantile enterprises of the utmost importance
to the human race.

August 24th, 1881.

4>

CONTENTS.
'! '¦ REV. 0. T. WILSON'S NARRATIVE.
CHAPTER L.
i Zanzibar . ..
i i: CHAPTER II.
Bagamoyo to Mpwapwa ..
\ CHAPTER III.
| Ugogo and Iramba to Ng'uru  •
j , ¦ ' CHAPTER IV.
( Ng'uru to Kagei and Ukebewe
| ' CHAPTER V.
') Life is Uganda  CHAPTER VI.
Kagei to Tabora and back
& • ' CHAPTER VII.

l'AOB 1

27

53

76

98

126

Uganda and the Waganda ,  143
CHAPTER VIIL
Government and Language of the Waganda .. 193

CONTENTS.

¦ CHAPTER IX. <
Voyage to Kagei and Shipwreck

CHAPTER X.

Farewell to Uganda

rAGK
.. 228

257

MR. R. W. FELKIN'S NARRATIVE.
CHAPTER I.

SUAKIM TO DUFLI

DuFLI TO RUBAGA ..'

CHAPTER II.

... 285

303

APPENDIX t.
On Trade, by Rev. C. T. Wilson .. .. .. 337
APPENDIX II.
List of Plants collected by Rev. C. T. Wilson .. 346
APPENDIX III.
Itinerary of Journey from Bagamoyo to Kagei, by
Rev. C. T. Wilson ¦  349
APPENDIX IV.
Vocabularies of Luganda, Fur, Madt, and Kederu

Languages

.. 351

APPENDIX V.
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Felkin's Meteorological and
Hypsometbical Observations, _ by E. G. Raven-
stein, F.R.G.S  ¦ .. .. .. 355

•Index

.. 369

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Mtesa's Palace. By Rev. C. T. Wilson .. Frontispiece
Ng'ambo, Zanzibar  6
Mpwapwa. By Rev. C. T. Wilson  53
Kagei. By Rev. C. T. Wilson  84
Dr. Smith's Grave. By Rev. C. T. Wilson .. .. 95
Ukebewe and Vezi. By Rev. C. T. Wilson .. .. 122
Uganda Canoe and Fish-trap. By Rev. C. T. Wilson 204
IIount Mkono. By Rev, G. Litchfield .. .. .. 260
The Nile at Foweira. By Rev. C. T. Wilson .. 266
Mission House, Rubaga. By R. W. Felkin .. .. 276
Sketch Map of Albert Lake  309
^Murchison Falls. From a photograph by Buchta .. 317

' -J

UGANDA

THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

¦v-

CHAPTEE I.
ZANZLBAK.
, Welcome, welcome, ye dark blue waves !
And when you fail my sight,
Welcome, ye deserts and ye caves I
My native land — Good night ! Childe Harold.
" Land ho ! " sung' out the officer of the watch about
eleven o'clock on the morning of June 24, 1876, as
the mail steamer Putialla was ploughing her way
through the Indian Ocean-. All eyes were at once
turned eagerly to the west, where upon the distant
horizon was a dim grey line which was said to be
the island of Zanzibar. Soon the island of Pemba
was sighted, and, as the day wore on, the more
prominent features were gradually made out'; then
the cocoanut palms could be distinguished, and the
white line of surf which marked the coral reefs on
which the ocean billows break their force. An hour
a* VOL. I. b

^ r

2 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN:' I
or two later, the strait between Zanzibar and Pemba
was threaded, the island of Tumbati rounded, and
Ave were steaming along within a stone's-throw of the
coral strand of one of the loveliest' of the many lovely
islands of the Indian Ocean. The view which here
met our eyes — the first glimpse to many of us of real
tropical scenery — was one of indescribable beauty.
The shore was lined with vast groves of feathery
date and cocoanut palms, relieved here and there by
masses of the sombre foliage of the mango ; groups
of native huts were seen at intervals, surrounded' by
their gardens of oranges, pomegranates, bananas, cas
sava, and many other plants strange to an English
eye; the comparatively still waters were dotted
with picturesque little fishing-boats, and in mid-
dhannel were seen the huge white sails of one or two
dhows ; while the air was heavy with the scent of
orange-groves and clove-gardens, and musical with
the song of birds and the hum of insects.
Two hours of such scenery, the same — though ever
varying — brought us in view of the town of Zanzibar.
First, an irregular mass of white buildings was seen,
with the masts of H.M.S. London towering above
them ; then slowly the Sultan's palace, the minarets
of some mosques, the houses of the various consuls,
the saluting battery, the rows of dhows drawn up on
the beach, and the ships in the harbour, gay with
the flags of various nations, became distinctly visible.
The narrow channel into the harbour was threaded,

.'>«!"¦¦

ZANZIBAR.

the flag run up to the mast-head, two guns fired as
a salute, and the anchor went with a rattling plunge
into the blue waters, just as the glowing sun sank
behind the far-off purple hills of Africa.
A crowd, of small boats soon gathered round the
steamer, waiting for passengers ; then a man-o'-war's
boat, pulled by sturdy blue-jackets, came bounding
across the harbour, and a smart- looking officer tripped
up the gangway, and demanded the London's mail-
bag. As we were watching the lively scene, a man
informed us in broken English that " de mission boat
, was corned," and looking over the ship's side, I saw
one of the boats belonging to the Highland Lassie,
the little mission steamer, and in it two of our party
who had preceded us to Zanzibar. After some delay
we entered the boat and rowed across the harbour
to our house, which was situated in the suburb of
Gulioni, and had formerly been the residence of
Dr.Livingstone. It was quite dark when we left the
Putialla — one of those glorious starlight nights-such
as one only sees in the tropics: the Southern Cross
blazed ever over our heads, and was reflected from
the smooth surface of the sea, with but slightly
diminished brilliancy; in the north the familiar
Pleiades, Like a swarm of fire-flies tangled in'a silver braid,
shone clear and distinct ; the wake of our boat
was marked with phosphorescent light, which also
b 2

4 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
sparkled on our oars as they rose from the water.
On we glided, past curiously-built native craft, which
loomed dim and mysterious through the darkness
till, on rounding a point, a bright light shone' out
across the water ; in a few minutes more we had
set foot on the sandy shore, and had received a
hearty English welcome from our comrades who were
awaiting us. We were a merry party that night.
Those of us who had just arrived had many loving
messages from home for those who had preceded us,
and they had many things to tell about the new life
which was before us.
The island of Zanzibar is of coral formation, and
one of a chain of -islands which, like a great natural
breakwater, runs down the eastern coast of Africa
about thirty miles from the mainland. ; It is remark
able for its fertility/being a perfect garden from end
to end, and few places in the world can rival it in
the variety of fruits and vegetables which it produces.
. Limes, lemons, shaddocks, oranges of several sorts,
papaws, custard apples, guavas, jackfruit, grapes,
mangoes, pineapples, dates, cocoanuts, and a number
of other fruits whose names even are unknown to
Europeans, abound; while cassava, ginger, sugar
cane, sweet potatoes, ground-nuts, tomatoes, cloves,
nutmegs, and various other plants, are largely
cultivated by the natives.
The chief town of the island is also called Zanzi
bar, this name being a corruption of the Arabic

m p

;':[ ^ ~

ZANZIBAR.

5

words "Zang," a negro, and "barr," coast, or
mainland. This name is, however, unknown to the
natives, who invariably call itUnguja.
Oulioni, the suburb in which our house is situated,
consisted principally of a straggling bazaar, where
dealers in fruit and vegetables congregate in the
early morning. A walk through this bazaar well
repays any one who has never seen such a sight.
The market-people usually squat upon the ground
with mats spread 6ut before them on which their
goods are displayed : little heaps of limes, flanked by
rough-skinned, strong-smelling jackfruit, each one
a load for a man ; or tall baskets made of the fronds
of the cocoa-palm, filled with golden-yellow oranges,
and often ornamented with flowers ; heaps of ground
nuts, and bundles of cassava or sweet juicy sugar-
There is a woman 'with a pile of creamy

cane.

custard-apples ; and here; one with a basket of
• guavas, smelling like strawberries and cream. At
little stalls shaded by low-thatched roofs are the
vendors of cocoanuts, or of dried shark — the odour
of which informs the passer-by of its whereabouts
long before he sees it.
Leaving Gulioni, and taking our way through the .
suburb of Ng'ambo, we enter a long, narrow, wind
ing street with low, filthy houses on either side,
inhabited by Hindus, who earn a scanty living by
selling miscellaneous articles of European manu
facture, cocoanut oil, tobacco and drugs ; these shops

6 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN- SOUDAN.
are chiefly attended to by women who, with henna-
dyed nails and bejewelled noses squat on the
ground behind their wares nursing their babies.
Crowds of negroes, clad in all the colours of the rain
bow, are coming and going ; strings of pannier-laden
donkeys carrying sand or stone for building purposes

ZANZIBAR.

NG'AMBO, ZANZIBAR, FROM DR. LIVINGSTONE'S OLD HOUSE.
crawl in a dejected manner along the streets ; stal
wart hammalis or coolies, staggering under sacks of
cloves or bales of merchandise, pass at a rapid trot,
shouting to. the crowd to make way ; then a well-
dressed slave, his long shirt tucked up into his girdle
that he may run better, threads his way quickly

¦ i

~y 1-1
!¦' v

among the groups of buyers, calling out " Similla,
similla punda ! '' — " Out of the way, out of the
donkey's way ! " — and the people stand aside as a
well-to-do Arab canters past on his handsome Mus
cat donkey. Then we reach the bridge connecting
the suburb of Ng'ambo with the town itself, and
spanning the creek, which at high-tide makes the
town almost an island. Here are crowds of beggars,
dirty and disgusting in the extreme, and suffering
from all manner of loathsome diseases ; some are
seated on the ground reciting prayers, while others
hold out their hands to every passer-by, whining out
" Maskini " — " I am poor/'
Just beyond the bridge, turning down to the left,
we come to the residences of several Arab physi
cians, with their apothecaries1 shops in the basement,
showing an imposing array of medicines and long
pompous inscriptions in Arabic, setting forth that
the liakim inside has most marvellous drugs which
will cure" all the diseases under the sun ; and on ,
which the suffering crowd we have just passed forms
a keen satire. Making our way towards the centre
of the town, we pass through narrow shady streets.
with tall well-built houses on either side, from the
basements of which comes the musical .clink of the
, coppersmith's hammer fashioning the copper and
brazen vessels which are universally employed by the
Arabs and Hindus ; there also may be seen the gold
smiths at work on the delicate jewelry so much worn

8 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

ZANZIBAR.

by the Hindu women. A little beyond this the hum
of many voices strikes the ear, and we pause opposite
an Arab school ; here some thirty or forty youngsters
are squatting on the ground, reciting passages from
the Koran in a monotonous chant, swaying their
bodies to and fro as they read; while at one end a
long-bearded, spectacled Mwalimu, or dominie, pre
sides. Presently an: unlucky, urchin makes a false
quantity, and. promptly receives a dig in the chest
from the dominie's cane, and is sent sprawling on
his back, but he quickly rights himself, and proceeds
with his reading in the same dismal strain. , Thread
ing our way through the narrow winding streets,
passing the shops of the ivory dealers, where piles of
the huge tusks, which first saw the light in some
far-off forest oh the shores of the Nyahza or banks
of the Lualaba, lie waiting for shipment to Europe,
watched over by solemn-faced, placid Hindus or Ban
yans, we turn down into the soko, or market-place.
Here an animated scene meets the eye : dealers in
almost every imaginable thing that can be bought or
sold are here to be. found with their wares. The
whole of the. large open space extending from the
custom-house between the Fort and the Sultan's
palace to the centre of the town is filled with a dense
crowd, bargaining, chaffering, arguing, quarrelling,
and minding every one's business except their own.:
Eound every group of sellers a throng of people is
gathered, the greater number being merely on-

j ?-

lookers who have no intention of , buying, but, at
tracted by the chink of money, must have their say
about the bargain to be made. Carpenters, black
smiths, sandal-makers ; dealers in calico, Manchester
goods," iron, &c, retailers of food, fruit, medicine,
tobacco and various odds and ends, gun-menders,
barbers, tailors, and letter-writers — form part of the
motley crowd.
Leaving this Babel we enter the custom-house
yard, where a different, though scarcely less
animated, scene meets the view.. Two or three
steamers are lying in the harbour discharging or
embarking cargo, and half a score of dhows .left
high and dry by the receding tide are undergoing
the same operations. Heavily-laden lighters are
passing to and fro between the steamers and. the
custom-house quay, if we may dignify the primitive
landing-stage in front of the custom-house with that
name ; ' the coolies engaged in loading or emptying
these lighters chant a monotonous sort of chorus as
they move the heavy bales. Large tusks of ivory
are being unshipped from some dhows which have
just arrived from Dar-es-salaam, Bagamoyo, Sadaani
or some other of the ports on the mainland, and are
taken to one side of the custom-house, where they
are weighed and marked by the Banyan clerks who
manage the business of the place. "Within the
precincts of the . custom-house are sundry sheds
and warehouses belonging to various European

r
! i

10 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN
merchants, and here,' book in hand, may be seen
their Parsee clerks checking off the bales of goods
as they arrive from the steamers. It being now
the close of the clove harvest, in every corner of the
yard are huge piles of matting bags full of this
fragrant spice, filling the air with its aromatic
smell, in pleasing contrast to the odours from the
beach close by, which are not exactly suggestive of
the " isles of the blessed."
Turning our backs on the custom-house, and pro
ceeding along the beach, we pass under the black
muzzles of the saluting battery, where a few filthy
Balooch soldiers, clad in soiled and tattered uni
forms, are lounging about. Along the shore are
a few dhows embarking goods and passengers for
the mainland. Leaving these we pass the various
consulates, the English consul-general's house being
the most imposing and having the best situation;
then we reach Shangani Point, which is slowly
disappearing beneath the waves of the Indian
Ocean. Beyond Shangani Point, is another har
bour, or rather roadstead, where powder-ships lie
when discharging their cargoes. Turning into the
town at this place, we pass through one of the
quarters inhabited 'by negroes. The houses here
are of wattle-and-daub, with sloping thatched roofs,
which are very inflammable, and fires are of fre
quent occurrence among them; the houses stand
close together, with crooked, filthy lanes between,

ZANZIBAR.

11

Leaving the negro quarter we enter the better-built
.part of the town. On turning a corner the sound of
singing comes from the roof of a house, accompanied
by a regular, stamping sound somewhat resembling
that made by a troop of soldiers on the march;
and on looking up we see a crowd of girls on the
roof of a newly-built house treading and stamping
the cement with which it is covered with wooden
rammers, the blows keeping time to a chorus they
are singing. This process is continued for three
days, to consolidate the newly-made roofs and to
prevent their cracking while drying. In this part of
the town we pass a shop kept by a Goanese where
all kind of European goods can be purchased, and
where Crosse and Blackwell's pickles, Huntley and
Palmer's biscuits, somebody else's tooth-paste, and
patent medicines are advertised; but the genuineness
of aught save the labels is rather doubtful. Bearing
round to the left, a short distance brings us again to
the bridge by which we entered the town, and we make
our way home again through Ng'ambo to Gulioni.
The island of Zanzibar, which is growing in
importance year by year as its trade increases and
the attention of Europe is turned to the opening-
up and civilisation of those districts of Central
Africa which are best reached from the East Coast,
comprises an area of about 400,000 acres, and
its population in 1871 was estimated at 150,000,
the chief town being Zanzibar, containing 80,000

12 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
inhabitants. The town of Zanzibar with its suburbs
is comprised in a very small area, the people being
crowded closely together. There are no good streets,-
but in the best parts of the town are some well-
built stone houses of two and three stories in height,
inhabited by Europeans and the more wealthy
Indian and Arab traders. The houses of the poorer
class of Indians and the wattle-and-daub huts of
the negro population have already been mentioned.
The town and suburbs of Zanzibar are divided-
into numerous mita or quarters, having each its
own name, which is frequently derived from some
particular feature connected with it : e.g. Forthani,
" at the custom house ; " Gerazani, " at the fort ; "
Mnazi moja, " the.one cocbanut palm ;" Mzambarauni,
" at the mzambarau tree," and so on.
The population of Zanzibar is composed of repre
sentatives of a considerable variety of nationali
ties— Arabs, Hindus, Banyans, Persians, Negroes,
Waswahili, Malagasies, Europeans, Americans and
Goanese. . <
' The most important class are the Arabs, as to
them the island belongs, and many of them are large
landed proprietors, possessing extensive mashamba
or plantations, and great numbers of slaves. They
are also the principal traders with the interior of'
the continent of Africa, and 'considerable numbers
of them leave Zanzibar every year for the mainland
with large caravans and a numerous retinue, and,

ZANZIBAR.

13

V

settling down at Unyanyembe, Ujiji, or other1 trade
centres of the interior, send out their principal
slaves to buy ivory and slaves, which they gradually
collect at their headquarters, returning after a lapse
of several years to Zanzibar to dispose of their mer
chandise and to lay in a fresh stock of goods with
which to renew their trading. It not unfrequently
happens that the head slaves who are sent in this
way to, trade by the Arab merchants, squander or
lose' the goods entrusted to them, and being afraid,
under such circumstances, to return to their master's
house or to Zanzibar, they settle down in the
country where they happen to be, and form small
colonies, keeping to a great extent aloof from the
natives of the country. Such colonies may be found
in Karagwe, Uganda, and all the more distant coun
tries to which the Arab traders have penetrated,
and have been useful in preparing the way for the
explorer and -the missionary by disseminating the
knowledge of the Swahili language. The most
wealthy class" in Zanzibar is that of the Banyans :
they are the bankers and money-lenders of the
place, and advance money to the Arab merchants at
enormous rates of interest to purchase the goods
with which they trade. The Hindus are a consider
able body as far as numbers go, and may gene
rally be found in the coast towns of the mainland,
where they are usually engaged in buying bees'-
wax, orchilla weed, indi.arubber, copal, etc., from

14 UGANDA AND THE. EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
the natives, who collect these articles ; in Zanzibar
they are for the most shopkeepers or hucksters, and
but rarely amass any wealth. Both Banyans and
Hindus are British subjects, and consequently are
not allowed to keep slaves.
The negroes are by far the most numerous body in
the island, forming fully two-thirds of the entire
population. The greater number of, them are slaves,
only a comparatively small percentage having be
come free by the death of their masters or in some
other way. It is from the ranks of these negroes
that the so-called Wang'uana or Seedees are drawn,
who form an indispensable part of the caravan
of every traveller in East Central Africa, and to
whom frequent reference will be made hereafter.
The word Wang'uana means gentlemen, and has
been appropriated by these negroes to distinguish
themselves from the slaves who work on the
mashamba or plantations. These Wang'uana are
not, as a rule, natives of Zanzibar, . but slaves who
have been brought from the interior when young,
and have become to a great extent naturalised, and
who have learnt Kiswahili (the language of Zanzibar).
A few of them have obtained their freedom, but the
majority are still slaves, allowed by their owners, on
condition of their receiving a part of their wages,
to engage in the service of European travellers.
They are all professedly Mohammedans, having been
circumcised, by their Arab masters that they may

ZANZIBAR.

15

r

v.

be " clean " to slaughter animals for food ; it being
unlawful for a Mohammedan to eat meat killed by
an "infidel." Most of them, however, have little
acquaintance with the tenets of the religion which
they profess, and rarely if ever repeat the prescribed
prayers ; I had many of them in my service for more
than two years, and never knew any of them to pray
except on one occasion, when we were overtaken by
a terrific storm on the Victoria Lake and our boat was
in imminent danger of being swamped. Although
most of them have been brought from the interior
as slaves, they look down with infinite contempt
upon their brethren of the mainland, calling them
Washenzi. or savages. The Wang'uana are as im
provident a class as it is possible to find anywhere,
and never, give a thought to the future ; conse
quently it is no punishment to them to stop their
pay for misconduct or breaches of discipline. When
a Mng'uana returns from the interior with his
pocket full of money he buys a brand-new suit of
clothes and a cane and is quite the elegant gentleman
for a short time, eating and drinking of the best, and
indulging in nightly carouses with his boon com
panions. But when his money is all gone, as it
usually is in a few weeks, he sells his clothes, and
when the proceeds have all disappeared he is reduced
to rags and is glad to engage again for another two
or three years' journey into the interior. On the
march they are always trying to shirk their work,

16 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

and are perpetually concocting dodges with the
object of obtaining more. food and drink. If any
complication arise with the natives and an attack be
feared, they are very brave and boast loudly of what
they will do as long as the enemy are at a distance,
but should fighting become imminent none are so
ready as they to show the enemy a clean pair of
heels. In the . capacity of personal servants they
are, as a rule, by no means satisfactory. The cook
has a deeply-rooted conviction, which it is impossible
to eradicate, that a little dirt rather improves the
flavour of food than otherwise, and he stares with
astonishment if you object to his wearing the table-
napkins as a loincloth ; he drinks your tea out of
the spout of the teapot, and uses the dinner-knives
as razors. The Wang'uana, moreover, have very
little regard for' truth, and their idea? . of the
difference between < meuni and tuum are often hazy
in the extreme.
¦ Still there are some noble, exceptions to the picture
which I have drawn of the Wang'uana, and I have
had splendid servants and brave and faithful followers
among them. As a rule also they are warm-hearted,
and if properly treated become much attached, to
their employer, showing their affection often in very
unexpected ways. I have known them march many
miles after a long day's journey to fetch their master
a drink of water, and if he is stricken down with
fever they will nurse him as tenderly as a. woman,

ZANZIBAR.

17

and sit up night after night to watch him and give
him food and water. It must never be forgotten that
the Wang'uana are really great children, and what
they need is gentle but firm treatment, and in
cases where punishment is considered necessary
great care should be taken to make sure that it is
justly inflicted, as they have a keen sense of unjust
chastisement and strongly resent it.
Another class found in Zanzibar, and consisting
chiefly of negroes, are the so-called mafundi, or skilled
workmen, some of whom are usually found in an
explorer's caravan. They are mostly masons, car
penters, ship-builders and blacksmiths, and we had
several of them attached to our party to assist in
building boats and houses when we arrived at our
destination in the distant interior. The rate of pay
which these men receive is decidedly high compared
with wages generally at Zanzibar, being, during
the whole of the time they are in the interior, ten
dollars per month besides their food. Some of them
are really good workmen, but the majority are idle,
careless fellows whose object is to shirk their work
as far as possible, and who consequently need con
stant supervision. The carpenters sit down to do
almost everything, and use their tools generally in
exactly the opposite way to English workmen, pull
ing the plane towards them and having the teeth
of their saws set the reverse way to ours. They
Lave as great an aversion to a straight line as nature
vol. i. 0

18 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

ZANZIBAR.

19

is usually supposed to have, and if a log is given
them to cut up into planks every one of the boards
has to be gone over carefully with the adze before
it becomes of "anything approaching a uniform
thickness throughout. In the use of -this latter
tool, the adze, the Zanzibar carpenters are wonder
fully expert, and turn out extremely neat work with
its aid. It is impossible, however, to get anything
like a real day's work out df them under ordinary
circumstances. Indeed all negroes seem incapable of
sustained exertion, and require constant watching if
anything is to be done in reasonable time.
Besides the negroes already mentioned there are
the Wahudimu flit, servants), the original inhabit
ants of Zanzibar, and who :were the possessors of
the island at the time it was conquered by the
Arabs. They are scattered about in small villages
in various parts, of the island, and speak a dialect
differing considerably from that of the town. There
are a few Goanese who have settled down in the
town of Zanzibar, and who are mostly shopkeepers
and washermen. A small number of Baluch
soldiers are kept by the Sultan as a sort of body
guard. The present Sultan of Zanzibar, Seyyid Burgash,
is a pure Arab, and, for aMohammedan.wonderfully
liberal in his views; he seems anxious to improve
his dominions , and to adopt European inventions
and customs. He has lately organised-a small body

i
-J

\,

of negro soldiers, with the aid of one of the officers
of H.M.S. London, and has armed them with breech-
loading rifles.
There is no distinctive coinage in Zanzibar, and
consequently an immense variety of coins pass
current there. In former times mtama, a species of
millet, was employed as small change, but some
thirty or forty years ago pice were introduced from
India, by one of our Consuls, and are now universally
used in the island and the towns of the coast opposite
Zanzibar. The rupee and anna are also largely
circulated in the island, besides which English,
French, and American coins are frequently met
with. English gold is always at a premium, and
when I was in Zanzibar in 1876, the sovereign was
worth about twenty-two shillings in silver. The
Maria Theresa dollar (the Abu Nuktar, Father of
dots, of Egypt), which is here called Fetha ya Sham,
is the principal coin in circulation, and is supposed
to be the standard of value, the price of goods and
servants' wages being always calculated in dollars ;
but the number of pice which will be given for one
of these coins varies according to the quantity of
pice in the market : when they are plentiful the
dollar, of course, is worth more than when they are
scarce ; the amount varying, under ordinary cir
cumstances, from 112 to 140 pice per dollar. The
•Mexican, pillar dollar is also used, and is known as
Fetha ya mzinga, or the cannon dollar, the pillar on
c 2

20 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN
the coins being supposed to resemble a cannon. The
multiplicity of coins is very puzzling at first to a
traveller, and it is often no easy matter for him to
ascertain the relative value of each.
There is, considering the size of the island, a
tolerably large trade, and one which is ever in
creasing, carried on between Zanzibar and Europe
and America. Cotton goods, prints, handkerchiefs,
beads, brass and copper wire, arms, ammunition,
and Birmingham goods are imported by the English
and American houses there. The trade in the first-
mentioned article (cotton goods) is almost entirely in
the hands of the Americans, very little of the un
bleached calico (" domestics " is, I believe, the proper
term for it) which constitutes the principal article of
barter in the interior of Africa being imported from
England ; indeed, the name by which it is universally
known is merikani, from the country where it is
manufactured. The beads, which, next to merikam,
form the most important article of barter, are for
the most part of Yenetian manufacture, and are
imported direct from Yenice. Switzerland, India,
Persia, and Muscat supply various kinds of cloth
used in the trade carried on with the interior ;
while the trade in gunpowder, which is a monopoly
of the Sultans, is carried on almost entirely with
Germany. The exports consist of cloves, which are
largely cultivated in the island, cocoanuts, cinnamon,
pepper, cocoanut oil, ivory, gum copal, orchilla weed,

J.

ZANZIBAR.

21

hides, indiarubber, and tortoiseshell. The total
value of the imports in 1871 was £429,053, while the
value of the exports in the same year amounted to
£495,789. There is also a small amount of trade carried on
with India and the Persian Gulf, by means of
native vessels called Bagala and Bedeni. These are
two-masted craft owned generally and manned by
Arabs ; they come down to Zanzibar with the north
east monsoon, making the return voyage with the
south-westerly one.
• A large local traffic is carried on between the
island of Zanzibar and the mainland, the principal
centres being Dar-es-Salaam, Bagamoyo, Sadaani,
Whindi, Lamu, Taqga and Mombasa. The whole of
this trade is conducted by means of native craft, all
the ivory, copal gum, orchilla weed and indiarubber
being thus brought to the island for shipment to
Europe. There is, too, in spite of all precautions, a con
siderable trade still carried on in slaves. There is
little doubt but that a large number of regular
slave cargoes are run by the Arab slave-dealers in
spite of the vigilance of the officers of H.M.S.
London, and the various gunboats which are
employed to stop this nefarious traffic. I believe,
however, that many more are smuggled over in the
trading dhows (of which a great number run daily
between the mainland and Zanzibar) under the

22 UGANDA AND THE -EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
guise of sailors, passengers, and servants. Certain
it is, at least, that the slave population of the island
still keeps up, though the number of births among
the slave population falls far below the deaths iu
any given period. And although large numbers of
dhows pass daily between Zanzibar and the main
land, carrying ostensibly passengers only, yet no
watch seems ever to be exercised over them, or any
means employed to ascertain whether they are bona
fids passengers or only slaves in disguise. As will
bo seen also in the sequel, large gangs of slaves are
still sent from the interior to the coast; so that,
putting these various facts together, the conclusion
is inevitable, even if there were no direct proof in
support of it, that there is still a very considerable
trade in slaves carried on between Zanzibar and the
East Coast of Africa.
There are two missions established at Zanzibar,
one English and the other French. The English is
under the auspices of the Universities' Mission,
Bishop Steere having the general direction. There
is a large school for freed slaves who have been
rescued by Her Majesty's cruisers, under the
management of this Mission, and the missionaries
also act as chaplains to the English church, which
has been built on the site of the old slave market,
but they do not profess to work amongst the
people of Zanzibar, their mission being to the
continent of Africa. The French mission belongs

;t

ZANZIBAR.

23

to a Eomish fraternity, and is managed by a number
of priests with freres and nuns who teach in the
schools, instruct the freed slaves entrusted to them
in various trades, and tend the sick. They have a
hospital in the town of Zanzibar, and capital work
shops, while at Bagamoyo they have a large estate
which they have purchased, and where a number
of the boys are employed in tilling the ground.
Our party was now all gathered at Zanzibar, and
preparations for the start were vigorously pushed
on. Our instructions were to establish a station
at a place called Mpwapwa, on the western side of
the Usagara Mountains, one of our number taking
charge of this post while the rest proceeded to the
Victoria Lake with the view of taking up stations in
the countries of Karagwe and Uganda. It had been
suggested by Stanley and others that the Wamf
river, which rises in the Usagara Mountains, might
prove a useful waterway to the interior, and in hopes
that this might be so, we were ordered to explore
the Wami river, and should it not turn out tn be
navigable, to try the Kingani, another river which
falls into the Indian Ocean opposite to the island of
Zanzibar, and which takes its rise from the same
district as the Wami. The former of these rivers
was explored for a short distance from its mouth by
Lieutenant Smith, the leader of our party, and Mr.
Mackay ; and the latter by Mr. Mackay accompanied
by Yice-Consul Holmwood, who, during the whole

24 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
of our stay in the island, showed us the greatest
kindness. Both rivers, however, proved useless as
waterways, being excessively winding, and only to
be navigated during the close of the rains, and then,
owing to the force of the current, only by a power
ful steam-launch.
When it became known in Zanzibar that our
party was going up into the interior, we received
visits and applications from various Arab and Hindu
merchants who, knowing that we should require a
considerable amount of barter goods, were anxious
to secure our custom. We obtained tenders from
these men for the goods we required, and chose
that of a Hindu named Isa Sulimani. The piles of
domestics, kaniki (a thin indigo-blue material from
India), prints, coloured cottons and gorgeous gold-
fringed cloths from Muscat and the Persian Gulf,
wore brought to our house by a large body of coolies,
and stacked in huge piles in the outhouses opening
into the courtyard. Then ensued a busy scene.
The packers, sent by the merchant, laying on the
ground a piece of stout calico, which was to form
a covering for the bale of cloth, placed on it a bolt
of American sheeting, then pieces of kaniki, prints,
etc., then more sheeting, and again kaniki and
cloths, another bolt of merikani concluding the pile ;
this when fastened up forming a bale of the regula
tion weight, viz., about seventy pounds, and of the
size of a stout bolster. The outer cloth was then

ZANZIBAR.

25

folded over the whole, and a long rope of cocoanut
fibre wound tightly round* it at frequent intervals. .
Then one of the packers taking the first coil of the
rope in his hands and steadying -the bale with his
feet, pulls hard at it while another man beats the
bale rapidly with a heavy piece of wood ; the slackened
rope is pulled tight, and the next coil treated in a
similar manner. By this means the whole bale is
powerfully compressed, and becomes as hard and
rigid as a board, and will stand an immense amount
of knocking about without becoming unfastened ;
moreover, should a shower of rain come on at any
time during the march, the wet does not penetrate
to any depth. The bales are then sewn up in
matting bags, and are then numbered and lettered,
after which they are ready to be handed over to
the porters who have to carry them.
We had at first intended to form one large
caravan, and that the whole of our party should
proceed together to the interior, but by the time
that I had reached Zanzibar the height of the
travelling season was come, and it was found to be
impossible to collect at one time or place the number
of porters we required. So after consideration it
was decided to despatch a number of small caravans,
as porters could be procured, under one or two of
our number, and to meet at some convenient place
in the interior. O'Neill was selected as the leader of
the first caravan, and about July 10th he left for the

26 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
. town of Bagamoyo, Lieutenant Smith accompanying
him to that place to assist in the work of hiring
porters and getting the caravan ready. In a few
days more O'Neill got fairly off, having about sixty
men in all with him.
It was decided that I was to have charge of the
second caravan; so immediately on O'Neill's de
parture I began preparing for a start, and for a
fortnight Dr. Smith and I were busily employed
unpacking tho goods brought from England and
repacking them in suitable loads for transport into
the interior.

( 27 )

CHAPTEE II.

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

On July 22nd, .all preparations on the island of
Zanzibar being finished, I bid adieu to my various
friends and took my place on board a dhow which
was bound for Bagamoyo and now lay anchored off.
the custom house. The hold of the dhow was nearly
filled with my goods, boxes of clothes, books and
other personal property; bundles of iron rods and
steam piping.; sacks of nails, screws and bolts,
packages of tools, anvils, grindstones, portions of
¦ lathes, cases of ammunition and miscellaneous goods,
and last, but not least, a good riding donkey.
The dhow was a clumsy craft of some thirty tons
measurement, with a "shetri," or small poop, at the
stern, on which a motley group of passengers, Arabs,
Hindus, Banyans, Negroes, half-breeds, and a soli
tary European (myself) were huddled ; the hold was
covered with a sloping thatched roof, and a small
platform, or deck, in the bows accommodated the two
or three sailors who .worked the huge calico sail.
The timbers of this singular-looking craft were
sewn together and caulked with a chunam of lime

28 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
and fat, which not being in the best possible con
dition, combined with the straining of the dhow,
caused her to leak considerably, and gave constant
employment to two men in baling out the water.
The mast was placed very far forward, and carried
one large square sail, but no jib. The cargo was
badly stowed, and the vessel had a considerable list
to starboard, which, however,- did not appear to inter
fere with her speed. Just as we were about to start,
a venerable-looking Hindu with a magnificent white
beard brought a woman and three little children on
board, and requested me to look after them as far as
Bagamoyo, which, of course, I consented to do. At
length, after waiting some three hours doing nothing,
the captain, who was also owner, quartermaster,
supercargo, and steward all in one, came on board,
the order to hoist sail, " Tweka tanga," was given,
the sailors replied with " Ewala, e wala," the anchor
was hauled, up, the huge yard went creaking and
groaning up the mast, and we were at last fairly on
our way towards the continent of Africa. There
was a strong breeze blowing, and the town and
island of Zanzibar faded rapidly from our view, as
we flew over the reefs, whose snowy masses of coral
were distinctly visible several fathoms below, with
shoals of rainbow-hued fishes swimming in the clear,
cool depths. We bounded merrily on over the blue
waters, the coast of Africa, which' at starting had
been but a grey line on the horizon, grew clearer

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA. 29'
and clearer till the belt of feathery cocoanut palms
which fringes the shore could be plainly distin
guished, broken here and there with the sombre
foliage of the mango, and relieved by the white walls
and straggling streets of Bagamoyo.
The sun was low in the west when, the dhow
grounded on the coral shore of Africa, the run of
over thirty miles having been accomplished in a
little less than four hours.
The town of Bagamoyo consists of two or three
irregular streets of low white stone houses running
parallel to the beach, interpersed with cocoanut
palms and mango trees, and here and there on the
outskirts a large baobab (Adansonia digitata) with
its gouty-looking limbs, now bare of leaves, but
hung with large green bottle-shaped fruit. There
is a dirty little bazaar with a few shops kept by
Hindus, a few good stone houses belonging to Arab
merchants, and some wretched little huts, hardly as
large as an English pigstye, where whole families of
negroes live, or rather exist.
In a tolerably good stone house in the centre of
the town I found Lieutenant Smith busily engaged
in hiring wapagazi or porters, assisted by an Arab
interpreter and a dirty little Hindu, who, perpetu
ally chewing betel nut and tobacco, was measur
ing out calico and other materials for the hire
of Wanyamwezi porters, a crowd of whom were
squatted at the lower end of the room watching

30 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

with interest the doings of the strange man with the
pale face. In the courtyard at the back of the
house some donkeys and a fine sheep were tethered,
the latter being a present from the Wali or Gover
nor of Bagamoyo ; a few Wanyamwezi porters were
cooking their evening meal of beans or mtama
(millet) in little earthenware pots, placed on three
stones over a small fire of sticks, and others were
tying up goods into the long sausage-shaped bundles
which are the favourite form for loads. In front of
the house a motley group of Arabs, Wanyamwezi,
coast Negroes (Wamerima), and a few dirty Beluch
soldiers blocked up the narrow street.
After the day's work was over we strolled round
the town, passing the neat grounds of the French
mission, where a troop of boys returning home from
their day's work passed us with a polite " Bon soir,
messieurs." Then on to the beach, alive with
burrowing crabs, and when the tide was out
showing a large expanse of mud and, sand strewn
with shells and haunted by curlews, sandpipers,
and other wading birds. Towards the mouth of
the Kingani, a mile or two from the town, dense
masses of mangrove shrubs are found growing in
the water, while here and there a stranded dhow
left by the receding tide lay high and dry out of
water. Then, as the sun has set and the grey
twilight is rapidly stealing over all, and the white
line of breakers on the coral reefs out at sea grows

\fe.:;-'

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

31

dim, the stars como twinkling out in the deep blue
sky, the bats flit about with their sharp, ear-piercing
" tweet, tweet," the goat-sucker floats by on silent
wings, and the murmur of the waves on the coral
strand is borne softly to our ears, we turn our steps
homewards, and our first day on African soil is over.
A week of constant toil followed, repacking loads,
breaking in refractory donkeys, hiring porters,
teaching our servants to pitch tents, paying and
receiving visits, and getting all ready for the long
march into the interior, and finally writing letters
for the monthly mail which was about to leave for
England. At length oh July 28th the last loads were packed,
the runaways collected, and Smith and I set off
for Shamba Gonera, the first camp from Bagamoyo,
but distant only three miles. I was delayed, at
Shamba Gonera, till August 14th, when my Mswahili
interpreter having arrived, I moved on, bidding a
long farewell to civilisation and taking a last look
at the ocean. We only succeeded in crossing the
Kingani river that day, our donkeys being terribly
hindered by the numerous swamps, and encamped
on a low sandy clearing on its northern bank. The
Kingani is at this point a tidal river, and swarms
with hippopotami and crocodiles. I tried a few shots
unsuccessfully at the hippopotami^Sut next morning
I got some good rifle practice at the crocodiles
as they lay asleep on a sandbank on the opposite

32 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
side of the river, though it was impossible, to secure
any of them, as, owing to the remarkable tenacity
of life for which these creatures are celebrated,
they always managed to get into the water, and
were swept away by the rapid current to the sea.
Leaving our camp, we kept for some distance
along the banks of the Kingani, among noble forest
trees, through large fields of sugarcane just ready
to cut, and over treacherous black swamps. Then
we crossed undulating ground covered with open
jungle consisting of thorny acacias, candelabra,
euphorbise, aloes and other tropical plants, till the
village of Kekoka was reached. This was a
straggling hamlet of a few huts scattered about
a small clearing in the jungle. Large flocks of
parrots and pigeons frequented the gardens, and as
no meat was to be obtained here, I had resort to my
gun, and in a couple of hours had bagged a sufficient
number of pigeons to make several, good meals.
Six marches from Kekoka in a W.N.W. direction
brought us to the Pongwe hills. The country was
for the most part open forest or jungle with grassy
valleys at intervals, and now and then villages,
which were generally surrounded by dense thorny
hedges as a protection against enemies and wild
beasts ; one of the prettiest of these villages being
Eosako, two days from Kekoka. Streams were
tolerably frequent, the water being sometimes
brackish, and on their banks Indian corn, tobacco,

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

33

J

ground-nuts (Arachis hypogiea), sweet potatoes, and
a few bananas were grown. There were no cattle
to be found, goats and a few sheep being the only
domestic animals seen, so that meat was scarce and
very dear, and we had to depend largely on our
guns for our supplies of food. The country between
the Kingani and the Pongwe hills was undulating,
and more or less densely covered with forest, any
distant view revealing nothing but a waving sea of
foliage broken here and there by a few low hills.
The country around the Pongwe hills is more open ;
the soil is a tenacious red clay, which is used by the
natives to plaster the walls of their houses, the flat
roofs being formed of the same material, a thick
layer of it being laid upon a foundation of mtama
stalks. Enormous quantities of the castor-oil tree,
(Rieinus communis) are found here; the natives
collect the seeds, dry them in the sun, and after
pounding them in a mortar, boil them in water and
skim off the oil which comes to the top. This oil
they use for anointing their persons, and as it soon
becomes rancid, the odour of a crowd of natives who
have been indulging in its use is better imagined
than described. The two P6ngwe peaks were fine
bold hills rising several hundred feet' above the sea-
level, and formed useful landmarks for a considerable
distance ; they were for the most part covered with
trees, and were said to be infested by lions.
¦ On this part of the journey small-pox broke out
VOL. I. D

34 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN . SOUDAN.
in my caravan, and in spite of all precautions, seven
Wanyamwezi porters fell victims to it before, it
could be eradicated.
Three days1 journey from Pongwe brought us to
the valley of the Wami. On the first day we
stopped at a village called Funi, situated on the
banks of a considerable stream of the same name
which flowed to the Wami. Here we were delayed
several days by sickness, and did not reach the latter
river till August 21st. The Wami at this point
certainly looked like a river which could be navi
gated by small steamers of light draught, though it
had not proved so nearer its mouth. It was here
some eighty yards wide, muddy, and with, a strong
current of about two miles an hour; its depth I
could not ascertain, but as it was not fordable, it
must be at least five feet.' The scenery here was
quite different to any we had hitherto passed
through. There was a broad grassy valley with a
scanty growth of thorny acacias, while on the rivei>
bank the constant supply of water produced a dense
growth of tropical vegetation. Gigantic trees up
wards of one hundred feet in height, festooned
with huge rope-like creepers, overhung the stream
and dipped their branches in its waters ; a species of
white jasmine filled the air with its sweet scent;
large black kingfishers, looking as if carved out;
of ebony, sat motionless, watching for their prey ;
here and there little islands covered with tall grass

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

35

/

\
\

h

and bright green palms, broke the monotony of the
stream; now and then a solitary. crane would fly
slowly by, doves cooed in the thick shade, while in
the evening the red rays of the setting sun as it
sank behind the purple mountains of Ng'uru formed
a picture of surpassing beauty. One tree in the
Wami valley struck me particularly; it had a large
white-barked trunk, which grew straight as an
arrow to a height of eighty or ninety feet without
throwing out a single branch, till it ended in a large
dome-shaped head of dark-green foliage. For three
days we followed the valley of the Wami in a N.W.
direction, occasionally leaving its banks and plung
ing into the forest, when the river made a detour to
the N., and on the third day we reached the village
of Kwedibago, about a quarter of a mile from the
river-bank. This village was conspicuous from
some large fig-trees which grew near it, and which,
though bare of leaves, were covered with small figs
which were just ripe, and attracted large flocks of
pigeons and parrots.
At this point the Wami had to be crossed, and on
August 26th we accomplished this feat. At an early
hour the caravan had reached a spot on the banks of
the river where a bridge had been constructed. The
banks here were about fifteen feet high, and two
stout creepers had been carried across and secured
to trees on either side; strong cross-pieces were
fastened to these at intervals, and on them long poles
D 2

•"•>>;.

36 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

37

were tied ; a third layer of short sticks were placed
transversely over these, and formed the floor of the
bridge. Substantial stakes were driven into the bed
of the river on either side of the bridge, and fastened
to the two creepers to steady and strengthen the whole,
and finally two other long creepers had been passed
over the branches of trees on either side to serve as
handrails and give additional support. As originally
designed, it showed no small amount of ingenuity
and skill, and must, when new, have been strong
and reliable ; but now it was old, the sticks of the
floor were smooth and polished by the naked feet of
countless passengers, many of the supports were
broken, and there were great gaps in it here and there
which told the traveller plainly that a false step must
send him into the boiling water beneath, while the
whole structure shook and vibrated to such a degree
that one had to hold on firmly to keep one's balance.
At length, however, all were safely over with the
exception of the donkeys, and how were they to
be transported across ? They certainly could not
walk over the bridge, and the river lay deep in its
banks, which were very steep, and was foaming along
with a powerful stream ; also there were probably
crocodiles, though the wapagazi made noise enough
to have frightened away any ordinary crocodile
within several miles of us. The river being the only
alternative, ropes were procured, tied together, and
passed across the stream ; one of the donkeys was then

S

>

caught and the rope fastened round him, and he was
pushed and dragged down the bank ; when, however,
he was halfway down he lost his footing and* rolled
over into the wator ; the rope getting unfastened in
the fall, he was swept away by the stream, and I
thought he would have been drowned ; but he was
carried to the opposite bank, and was hauled out by
the tail and ears by a number of the porters on the
other side, who were howling like madmen. It was
evident that this place would not do, and further
search revealed a sloping spot a little lower down
the stream. The approach, however, was blocked up
by a fallen tree, but an axe was sent for, and as I
made it a rule that a felling axe, hatchet, and cross
cut saw should always form part of the donkeys1
loads, it was ready to hand at a moment's notice : a
road was quickly cleared, and the four remaining
donkeys were soon hauled over. Leaving the bank
of the river, we entered a large flat grassy plain,
which extended right up to the foot of the Usagara
Mountains, several miles away, and encamped a few
hundred yards from the belt of forest which fringes
the river, the crossing of the Wami having taken
nearly four hours. A herd of giraffes was feeding at
the edge of the plain as the caravan emerged on to it,
and made off with their rapid swinging trot before I
could get a shot at them.
Leaving the Wami valley, we continued for a whole
day's march along the plain which was under water

38 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

to a great extent, and where large herds of buffaloes
and various species of antelopes were seen, and
encamped in the evening in a forest near the foot of
the Usagara Mountains. On this march we passed
an old camp, where in a hut lay the body of a man
who had died of small-pox. At . this part of the
journey numerous old bomas or ring fences of camps
were found, as many as fourteen and fifteen being
passed in a single day's march.
The water at this camp in the forest was horrible.
On first reaching it none could be found, so the
Wanyamwezi porters began digging holes in a slight
hollow by loosening the earth with their spears and
scoping it out with their hands to a depth of two or
three feet, and into the holes so formed a liquid
drained, closely resembling soap-suds both in taste
and appearance.
For two days more our road lay through the plains
at the foot of the Usagara Mountains, passing large
villages with extensive fields of mtama, pumpkins,
tobacco, sweet potatoes, etc., with small quantities
of ground-nuts, rice and bananas. Pigeons were
abundant, and were a great boon to us, as meat was
not to be had, except at a prohibitive price. On
August 30th, our last, night in the plains, the first
death from small-pox occurred in the caravan. On
August 31st we entered the mountains. Our road
on leaving the camp was nearly due west for a mile
' or two, then we struck off in a northerly direction,

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

39

crossing a , steep stony ridge covered with open
jungle, consisting mainly of ebony trees, into a
beautiful valley with bright green grass, luxuriant
vegetation, and the same tall white-stemmed tree
which I had seen in the Wami valley. Soon after
wards we reached the Mkiindi river, a broad shallow
stream flowing over a clean sandy bottom, and along
its bed we waded for a mile or more, when we en
camped on the farther side on some rising ground,
from which we had a glorious view of the Usagara
Mountains, which rose, peak after peak and range
after range, to a distant purple mass behind which
Mpwapwa was said to lie. Two more days' march
through magnificent mountain scenery brought us
to the district of Magubika, containing a number of
villages and plenty of cultivation. The next three
days' marches were very hard ones, and the pack-
donkeys gave us much trouble. The road lay over
steep forest-clad ridges and through deep gullies and
ravines. At the top of one of the latter one of the
donkeys lost his footing and fell, rolling over and over
to the bottom, a depth of 200 feet. I thought he was
killed, but he got up, shook himself, and walked off
apparently none the worse. Many of these ravines
were very beautiful. Streams of clear cool water mur
mured along the stony bottom or fell in miniature
cascades from masses of rocks ; the steep banks were
adorned with a variety of ferns and rich velvety clumps
of dark-green moss ; overhead tall graceful bamboos

40 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

bent, swaying to and fro with every breeze, while high
over all the boughs of the forest trees intermingled,
forming a perfect arch, and shutting out the burning
rays of the midday sun : flocks of bright-coloured
parrots darted past, and troops of monkeys chattered
and screamed among the boughs.
Towards the end of the third day's march the
forest grew thinner, till at last it disappeared al
together, and we emerged on to the edge of a broad
valley with wide expanses of grassland scorched to a
dazzling whiteness by the fierce glare of a tropical
sun, and looking like desert sand in the distance.
Bed-walled tembes were visible here and there, and,
pleasantest sight of all, herds of cattle were roam
ing about or lay sleepily chewing the cud under
the scanty shade of some mimosas. We descended
rapidly, passing one or two large villages, and pitched
our camp by the dry bed of a stream about the centre
of the valley. We soon had crowds of natives round
us, attracted by the Waziingu (white men), bringing
mtama, beans, pumpkins, goats, fowls, eggs, and, last
but not least, milk both fresh and sour. This sour,
or, rather, curdled milk is generally preferred by
negroes to fresh, and is much the same as curds -and-
whey, and if the watery part is poured off, the solid
residue forms a nice dish with sugar or some flavour
ing matter. At this place, which is called Kitange,
we made the acquaintance of the Wahiimba, a sub-
tribe of the Masai. The great Masdi tribe occupy

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

41

nearly the whole of the territory lying between the
Victoria Lake and the East Coast of Africa, extending
as far as is known from the equator to about the
seventh parallel of south latitude. The Wahiimba
' are the most southerly division of the Masai, and
must be carefully distinguished from the Wahuma,
who will be met with farther inland. These
Wahiimba are much dreaded by the Arab traders and
the tribes who live near them, as they are very brave
and warlike, and often make raids on their neigh
bours, and on passing caravans if insufficiently armed.
They are also great hunters, and use bows and
poisoned arrows hideously barbed, and carry long
shields of buffalo hides. Their women used fre
quently to visit our camp at Kitange, bringing milk
for sale, in long narrow cylindrical gourds closely
resembling German sausages in appearance; they
wore huge coils of thick brass wire on their arms,
extending up to the elbow, and large flat coils of the
same material round their necks.
The view from our camp at Kitange was a very
fine one, the valley at this point being a large basin
with a perfect panorama of hills, through which
there was no apparent outlet. Some of the hills
were barren, or covered only with short grass and a
few stunted shrubs, while others were clothed to
their summits with forest, consisting chiefly of a kind
of ebony. We were delayed at Kitange nearly a
week by the sickness of some of our porters, five or

42 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
six of them being* down with small-pox. Provisions
were very cheap here, and I purohased eleven fowls
and a large basket of beans for a doti (four yards)
of merikani or unbleached calico.
Before, however, going any further it will be well
to describe more minutely the mode of travelling in
this part of Africa, and the system of barter. The
travelling had almost entirely to be done on foot, on
account of the existence in many districts between
the East Coast and the Victoria Lake of the terrible
tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans), whose bite is fatal to
horses, camels, mules, and oxen, so that none of these
animals can be used as beasts of burden ; donkeys
are more or less employed, as they are hardier than
the others, but sooner or later they almost invariably
fall victims to the tsetse. The wapagazi or' porters,
who are almost the only means of transport
in Central Africa, come chiefly from a large tribe,
called Wanyamwezi, who inhabit a country called
Unyamwezi, to the south of the Victoria Lake.
Every year thousands of these people come down to
the coast, either carrying the ivory of Arab traders,
or on their own account, to engage as porters in up-
going caravans. They come in parties of ten, twenty
and upwards from the various districts and towns, ,
each being under a niampara (lit. grandfather)
or local chief, through whom they are engaged, and
who receives the food allowance for his gang of men,
every day when on the march. Most of these porters

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

43

are young men who undertake the journey in order
to get sufficient cloth to buy a wife and begin house
keeping ; and very often they change their names
as a memorial of their visit to the coast. They are
paid in cloths, guns and ammunition, and the hire
for the journey from the East Coast to Dnyanyembe,
Uyui or Ng'uru is about fifty shillings. When the
caravan is made up, one of their number, generally a
niampara, is chosen as kilangozi or guide, and if the
caravan is a large one there are often two or more
vilangozi.' My caravan consisted of 120 Wanyamwezi
porters, besides other personal attendants, and I had
only one kilangozi. The post of kilangozi is con
sidered an honourable one: he of course leads the
way, and carries the heaviest load in the caravan, in
order to make the pace, which, over fair ground,
averages two and a half miles an hour. If. those who
carried the lighter loads were allowed to go first, they
would walk faster than the rest, the caravan would
get scattered over the country, the porters would
fall a prey to the robbers or lose themselves in the
trackless forests. The kilangozi, too, is often em
ployed in negotiations with native chiefs about hongo,
and he receives twice as much posho (food allowance)
as the other porters. When a caravan is made up
and the full number of porters engaged, the loads
are distributed among them. The Wanyamwezi
wapagazi invariably carry on the shoulder, and con
sequently prefer long narrow loads which can be

44 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
easily shifted from one shoulder to another. Square
boxes are much disliked, and it is often difficult to
get men to carry them ; and therefore all trunks for
clothing and other personal property should bo long
and narrow — 36 inches by 15, and a foot deep, is
about the best size. The cloth for barter, hongo, and
presents is always packed by the trader from whom
it is purchased, in long sausage-shaped bales, which
are covered with matting. Small heavy loads, such
as nails, bolts, tools, and even books, should be made
up into two equal weights and secured to each end
of a pole, to be carried on the shoulder. Loads
which require two men to carry them are also much
disliked by the porters, and I have known a man
choose to carry a shaft of 110 lbs. weight alone rather
than share it with another man; the reason being
that in going up or down steep hills and in crossing
swamps a double load is extremely awkward, and if
one man should stumble it throws a terrible strain
on the other. The average load which a Mnyamwezi
porter will carry is two frasila, or 70 lbs., the frasila
being 35 lbs. ; to this, however, they add their cooking
pots, arms, ammunition, cloth, which they have re
ceived as hire, and any other property they may have
with them, so that the total weight they carry is little
short of 100 lbs. The Wang'uana porters however,
who have been previously mentioned, will rarely
carry more than 45 or '50 lbs.
The order of a day's march is generally as follows.

M i

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

45

Early in the morning, i.e. about five o'clock, one gets ^
up, the cook having risen earlier to prepare break
fast. While despatching this meal the servants are
packing bods, bedding, and other things which may
have been used ; then the Europeans of the party go
out and see that the porters are getting their loads,
look after the saddling of the donkeys, pack up the
scientific instruments, and despatch the sick, who
should always start before the caravan, that they may
not be left on the road. Meanwhile the servants have
taken down and packed up the tents, and all being'
ready, the word is given to the kilang6zi, who
generally carries an antelope's horn, which he blows
as a signal to start ; he then shoulders his load, takes
up the flag, and the caravan sets off in single file
across the country. If there are two or more
Europeans of the party, one should go in front of the
main body to secure any game that may be seen
before it is frightened away by the cries of the
porters, who beguile the tedium of the way by songs
and shouting. One or two of the Europeans should
remain till the last, to see all safely out of camp and
to make sure that nothing has been forgotten or
left behind. If the march be a short one, no halt is
made till the next camp is reached, but if it is a long
one a rest is generally taken after three hours1 jour
ney, a large rock, a shady tree, or a stream of water
being selected as the stopping-place. After a rest of
an hour or two, which the Europeans of the party

46 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
usually employ in getting a second breakfast, and
the negroes in smoking, the march is resumed ; and
unless an unusually long one, no • further halt is
made till the camp is reached. Arrived at the place
where it is intended to pass the night, a spot is chosen
near the water supply, tents are pitched, the goods
are piled under a tree or in the property tent, and, if
in a district where wild beasts are common, a boma
or ring fence of thorns is Constructed round the camp.
As soon as this is completed, the niamparas of the
caravan collect round the tent with the cry of
" Posho, Bwana" (" Eations, master"), a bale, of calico
is brought, and the quantities of cloth, or beads, if in a
district where these are used, are measured out. A
book is kept in which are entered the names of the
niamparas of the caravan, with the number of men
each has under him, and the cloth is issued accord
ingly. The cloth used for purchasing food is of three
kinds, merikani or unbleached calico sheeting ; satini,
an inferior quality of the same material, and kaniki,
a flimsy blue material made in India. The cloth is
generally measured by the length of the forearm
from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger ; a
rather unfair and arbitrary mode of measuring, as
the length of the arm varies considerably in different
people, and I have known natives' when selling cattle
and other things to bring some " big brother " with
an abnormally long arm to measure their cloth for
them. Each of these arms or cubits is called a

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

47

V

mk6no ; four • mik6no make a shuka or upandc, and
two shiika make a doti, which is about four yards,
and is. the standard by which the value of cattle,
slaves, and ivory is reckoned. The bolt or piece of
thirty yards is called a jura. The average allow
ance of cloth for Wanyamwezi porters is one doti
per diem for sixteen men; the Wang'uana require
rather more, or one doti for twelve men. These
figures also Yary somewhat in different districts
and at different times. Near the coast food is
dearer, or rather cloth is of less value than in the
interior, and in times of scarcity food is dearer
than in times of plenty. Other kinds of cloth have
to be taken as presents to chiefs or for hongo ;
e.g. Barasati, Dubwani, Sahari, Kikoi, Joho, and
Subaya, with prints, coloured pocket-handker
chiefs, etc..
Beads are used in some districts instead of cloth,
the sorts most valued being merikani and sami-
sami : the former are small opaque white beads
and the latter small transparent red beads with
an opaque centre ; but besides these, small blue,
green, pink, black, and transparent white beads,
large blue, amber, and opaque, white beads, and
ringbeads of blue, green, amber, and transparent
white are required. The beads are bought in large
bundles or bunches: each string is called a timba;
two matimba make a kete, and ten makete a fiindo.
The ordinary allowance is one kete of the small

48 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
sorts per man per diem. But beads are a very unsatis
factory medium of barter, as the fashion is always
changing, and what is in the fashion one year may
not be another; and negroes are as obstinate and un
reasoning about their fashions as civilised nations.
Brass wire of the thickness of a small goose-quill is
also used for barter, chiefly in the countries round the
Victoria Lake, whilo in Uganda and Unyoro, cowries,
which are brought from Zanzibar, are extensively
circulated. But to resume our journey. Some of the sick
men being better, we were able to proceed on
September 13th, our course being now about west-
south-west, following the bed of the stream, beside
which we had encamped, for a mile or two ; then
we rapidly ascended a high ridge, from which a
fine view was obtained of the mountains round -us.
The valley which we had just left' was filled with
mist, out of which the mountain-peaks rose like
islands, red and gold with the rays of the rising
sun. Leaving this ridge, we crossed a narrow
valley or ravine, and began toiling up the steep
mountain-side along a winding stony path which
gave our donkeys a good deal of trouble, and on
gaining the summit our aneroids showed that we
had risen. 1200 feet above our camp in the Kitange
valley. Instead,. however, of finding, ourselves on a
ridge, we discovered that we were on the edge of
a broad' plateau which extended to the south-west

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

49

\ i
\ S

I
I S

as far as the eye could reach, broken only on the
distant horizon by some low conical hills. . Leaving
the edge of the plateau, we gently descended and,
finally encamped at the foot of a small grassy hill
near a spring of beautiful clear water. We were
now in an uninhabited district, consisting of a high
table-land with short grass, and having a broad belt
of forest on its most westerly side, where it again
became mountainous, some of the peaks probably
reaching a height of from 6000 to 7000 feet above
the sea. We were here in a veritable hunter's
paradise. Soon after reaching our camp a herd of
wild donkeys was . seen about a mile and a half
distant, and the interpreter, who was a good shot,
went after them, but could not get within range
because of the open nature of the ground. As seen
through a telescope, they appeared larger than our
English donkeys, and of a reddish-brown . colour.
Early next morning we were on the move, as we had
a long march before us, there being no water for
six hours1 journey ; the wiud was bitterly cold, and
we set off at a brisk pace. . We soon became aware
of the quantities of game in this district ; herds of
antelopes of various species were seen, and the soil
of the plain was full of the foot-prints of giraffes,
rhinoceroses, buffaloes, and other large game. Later
on in the day I saw three elephants, the first I had
seen in Africa, and at night the roaring of lions,
the sharp bark of foxes, and the melancholy howl
VOL. i. e

50 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
of the hyama formed a weird lullaby, quite in keep
ing with our other surroundings. Ostriches are
numerous on this plain but we did not ' happen to
see any. Five hours' march brought us to an open
forest of. mimosas, and . near this we met some
messengers from O'Neill, who with the first caravan
had safely reached Mpwapwa, the first stage of the
journey. Another hour brought us to a beautiful
wooded valley with a clear stream flowing down it,
the swampy ground along its edge being full of
holes punched by the huge feet of the elephants,
which were in the habit of coming here to drink,
while bones and skulls of elephants and buffaloes
lay bleaching in. the grass. Here we halted for some
time, and then another two hours' march through
fine forest, among glorious mountain scenery,
brought us to an open glade, where we pitched our
tents close by a mountain torrent, and under the
shade of some fine acacias. Next morning we were
on the move again, and climbed a rocky path which
wound along through the forest between well-
timbered mountain-peaks.. On emerging from the
pass on the summit of a steep ridge, We saw before
us the Tubugwe valley, with corn-fields and red-
walled villages scattered about. A steep winding
path led us down into the valley, and. we pitched
our camp by the side of a stream whioh ran, down
its centre, under the shade of a magnificent mimosa.
After my work was over I went for a bathe in the

BAGAMOYO TO MPWAPWA.

51

! '

little stream, which presented a most fairylike
spectacle. It had cut a deep channel for itself in
the soft alluvial soil of the valley. This miniature
- ravine was completely arched over by a dense
growth of reeds and bushes, and its sides were
clothed with luxuriant masses of pale green maiden
hair fern, relieved by the dark fronds of another
species of Adiantum. We remained two days at
Tubugwe, and left on September 18th. The road,
after leaving the camp, led past some villages and
wound through an open jungle of stunted acacias to
the top of a pass 800 feet above our camp. The
summit of the pass was densely wooded, and we
halted for a short time after our sharp climb, and,
while resting, a hare ran through the caravan and
was speedily knocked on the head; it was much
like an English hare, only a good deal smaller. On
resuming the march we followed the course of a
long valley filled with magnificent forest, and at its
lower end we got a glimpse of a small lake some
distance below us. Then turning northwards, we
crossed a very steep ridge and entered a valley with
the dry sandy bed of a large stream winding down
it, and soon after met some men sent by O'Neill to
show us the way. Continuing our journey down the
river-bed, where a small stream of water appeared
and disappeared again at intervals, we at length
emerged from the hills, and found ourselves on the

edge of a broad plain stretching

g away to the

¦¦ J'1""*")

e 2

52 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN

westward, and dotted with villages, which are all
included under the general name Mpwapwa. Then
skirting the edge of this plain, we made our way
to the village of Luk61e, one of the sub-chiefs of the
district, where O'Neill was then staying.

( 53 )

CHAPTEE III.
UGOGO AND IBAMBA TO NG'UKU. .
Mpwapwa is a district lying on the most westerly
slopes of the Usagara Mountains and on the edge

S^jTt'

if

wSfk
Wm

K

mmSEfP

kp

k&: wm

MPWAPWA FBOM THE MISSION HOUSE.

of " the forest region which separates that country
from the plateau of Ugogo. There are many tembes
or small villages scattered about the plain, and

54 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

these contain a tolerably large population, which is
occupied in tilling the ground and rearing cattle.
The principal crops are mtama or millet (Arabic
dhurra), mhindi or Indian corn (Arabic esh er rif),
mwere, a small grain growing on a head like a
bulrush (Arabic dachan), and pumpkins. The
people live in tembes> which are houses made of
a framework of poles plastered with' clay, the walls
being generally only about seven feet high; the
roofs are flat, with a thick layer of clay to keep the
water out, but. in the wet season they generally
leak terribly. These tembes are usually built in
the form of a hollow square, enclosing a courtyard
where the cattle are housed, at night; as a rule
there are only one or two' openings in the outer
wall to give access to the courtyard in the'interior,
and these are generally closed with strong wooden
doors ; the different rooms or houses open only into
the court, in order to give greater security against
the attacks of enemies and wild beasts, and in many
districts the outer walls are pierced with holes
for muskets. These tembes are horrible ; places,
especially in wet weather, damp, close and foul;
the goats and sheep too are often kept in the
same parts as , the family inhabit, and in the
rains the. floor is. often ankle-deep in filth. The
roofs of these tembes are frequently used as
store places, and in harvest time heaps of ears of
corn and rows of yellow pumpkins may be seen

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU. 55

laid out to dry, or a huge box of bark called a
"kalindo," like a. gigantic bandbox, and used to
store grain in.
The district of Mpwapwa being a borderland, the
people are of a somewhat mixed race, or rather
representatives of a number of tribes, Wagogo,
Wasagara, Makua, and others.
The people here eat a species of field-mouse, and
the little boys may be seen coming home in the
evening with numbers of them strung, like red
herrings, on a stick.
The view from the spot where our tents were
pitched was a very fine one. In the foreground the
land sloped rapidly down to the river-bed, then for
the most part dry ; beyond, towards the west, for
many miles stretched a broad plain, bounded on
the horizon by a low range of hills, behind which
the sun used to set in a sea of red and gold.. The
northern part of this plain was dotted with tembes,
and, here and there, a huge baobab rose above the
fields of waving corn; the southern half was
covered with sombre forests of mimosa and acacia,
where .herds of buffalo, brindled gnu, and various
species of antelopes roamed about. A mass of forest-
clad hills formed the northern boundary of the
plains, and was the home of numerous wild beasts,
which paid nightly visits to the plain in hopes of
picking up a stray lamb or kid ; and far away in
the south, the huge outline of the Eubeho Mountains

56 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

towered into the sky, the summits being often lost
in a veil of clouds.
Leopards were numerous here, and one evening,
while sitting chatting and smoking in one of our
tents, one of these creatures came to a tembe about
fifty yards off, and getting its paw through a hole
in the wall, seized a goat by the throat, and was
attempting to drag it out when the approach of
some men frightened it off. After this every one
was on the qui vive for leopards, and one of my
donkeys which had broken out of camp one fine
night, and was indulging in the luxury of a roll in
the sandy soil, nearly lost his life at the hands of
one of my companions, who in the uncertain light
mistook him for a leopard; he missed his mark,
however, and the astonished donkey springing to
his feet revealed his true character. Another don
key having broken loose on another occasion, came
back with his flanks all torn and bleeding from
the claws of a lion or leopard.
The ' local chief, Lukole, was very civil to us, and
used to send us fresh milk twice a day ; he was,
however, a dirty little fellow, and much addicted to
" sitting on pombe " (i.e. getting drunk), of which
there was a great brew once a week. We remained
at Mpwapwa till October 9th, waiting for the native
masons who were building a house for Clark, who
was to be permanently stationed here. About a
week after my arrival at Mpwapwa another of our

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

57

caravans under a chief, Mganga by name, arrived,
and on October 3rd Lieutenant Smith turned up
unexpectedly.'' He had left the other two caravans,
some distance from the coast, to follow him under
the guidance of Dr. Smith and Mr. Mackay, and
had come, with only a few attendants, by forced.
marches, in .order to bring us the September mails.
On October 7th the three • first caravans, under
O'Neill and myself, set off for the far west, Lieutenant
Smith waiting for the remaining caravans. We
camped on the night of the 7th at Chunyo, about
twelve miles from Mpwapwa, where were a few
huts and the springs of bitter water which give
their name, Marenga Mkali (Bitter water), to the
inhospitable forest tract which lies between that
place and.Ugogo. This Marenga Mkali is aflat
jungle-covered plain between thirty and forty miles
wide, without a drop of water or a single human
habitation ; game however is tolerably abundant, and
robbers are sometimes met who attack the stragglers
from the caravans. On account of the scarcity
of water the Marenga Mkali is usually crossed in
a single march. We began on the 8th with a
" tereke'za," or afternoon march, and kept on, with
one or two . halts, during the night, and at last
reached the village of Debwe in Ugogo, a few miles
beyond the jungle, in the afternoon of the 9th.
Here we rested two days, and went on to Mvumi on
the 12th. Mviimi is the largest district in this

58 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
part of Ugogo, and here we had our first experience
of that irritating system of robbery known as hongo.
This hongo or blackmail is levied by the various
local chiefs on all caravans passing through their
country, and forms one of the largest items in the
cost of an expedition to this part of Africa. This
abominable practice has entirely arisen through the
folly of the Arabs, who have no idea of combining
together for trade purposes, and who submitted to
this imposition rather than run the slightest risk of
having their property seized by the natives. And
from small beginnings this tax has so enormously
increased, as,. in some cases, to amount in the course
of a few. days' journey to from twenty to twenty-five
per cent, of the total property of a caravan. The
various chiefs are supposed to levy the tax at so
much for every bale of barter goods, but there is no
check upon them, and they can demand what they
like, and as, in case of any conflict with the natives,
the porters, who naturally prefer to keep a whole
skin, would . desert, one has no resource, after one
has exhausted all that diplomacy can do but to grin
and bear it. The mode of settling the hongo is as
follows : the day after a caravan arrives at the
place where the hongo has to be paid, two. or three
niamparas, accompanied by some one who can speak
Kigogo, go to the chiefs tembe, taking some cloths,
considerably fewer in number than the quantity he
is likely to demand. The chief takes these and

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

59

then demands a good many more, whereupon ensues
a vast amount of talk, which may take two or three
days, and which is rarely, if ever, concluded in less
than one day. When the envoy has reduced the
chief's demands as low as he can, he comes back and
says the chief " is sitting on pombe and won't hear
reason,," or " his head has got big since the white
man came," or " the white man is a great sultan in
his own country, and must pay a big hongo," and
"he must have twenty or thirty or forty cloths," as
the case may be; so one measures out the cloth,
only too thankful that another of the vexatious
delays is over. The hongo having been paid, the
big drum of the village is beaten as a sign that the
caravan is at liberty to proceed, and generally a
return present of a goat or bullock is made by the
chief. At Mviimi an instance occurred of the wanton
rascality of the Arab traders in trying to injure
European travellers. An Arab on his way from
Unyanyembe to the coast pitched his camp near us,
and having called on us, was treated with great
civility ; and after our hongo was settled we wrote"
a letter to Lieutenant Smith telling him what we
had paid, that it might be a guide to him, and sent
it up to the Sultan of Mviimi, requesting him kindly
to give it to our . " brother " whom we expected
shortly to follow us ; he agreed to do so, and took the
letter. Just then in came our Arab friend, and on

60 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
hearing what the Sultan had done, told him our
story was all a lie, and that the letter was " medicine"
to kill him ; which so frightened the Sultan that he
refused to keep it.
The first two marches in Ugogo were through
open level country with huge masses of igneous
rock scattered about, and many adansonias (baobabs)
growing among the corn, with here and there a little
scanty thorny jungle. 'The land was. furrowed by
watercourses, which, though now dry, showed that an
immense volume of water must find its way from
here to the Indian Ocean during the rainy season.
At Matambiiru, the second place where we had to
pay hongo, we experienced our first thunderstorm,
the forerunner of the Masika or rainy season. From
here to Bihawana, a march of twelve miles, the
country was covered with forest. At some distance
from our camp at the latter place was a fine baobab,
the trunk of which was eighty feet in circumference
about two feet from the ground. The chief of this
district, which consisted of but three villages, was a
very old man, rejoicing in the euphonious name of
Minyitangaru. I went to see him at his particular
request, and he professed himself so much pleased
with me that he wished us to become brothers for
ever after, and as a pledge of this relationship we
were to exchange names, he henceforth passing by
the name of Wilson, and I by that of Minyitangaru.
Our next march was a short one to a wretched little

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO 'NG'URU. 61
village, Kididimo, where we left the Unyanyembe
road, striking in a W.N.W. direction through a
dense jungle of small shrubs, now for the most part
bare and leafless ; tracks of buffalo, rhinoceros, and
elephant were numerous, and we saw many pitfalls
dug for. the latter. We encamped at night near a
picturesque group of metamorphic rocks, with some
pools .of clear cold water close at hand. Four hours'
march the following morning (October 21st) brought
us to the district of Kitararu, and we pitched our
tents in a picturesque grove of fan-palms (Borassus
fiabelliformis) near the chief's tembe. Crowds of
natives. came to stare at us, probably the first white
man they had ever seen. We were now on the edge
of the great salt-plain from which the Wagogo get
the salt which forms with them an important article
of trade. This plain, over which we travelled for
several days, has very much the appearance of having
formerly been the bed of a shallow lake, and I more
than once detected on the sides of some low hills
what looked like the remains of an old beach. The
water on this plain is procured from deep wells, and
is very brackish. At the time when we crossed it,
viz., the end of October, it was as bare and dreary-
looking as the desert, but judging from the enormous
herds of cattle which were seen on every march, and
from the large tracts of land under cultivation, it
must be covered with an emerald mantle of vegetation
in the rainy season, though then the only green

62 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
things to be seen were the olive-coloured leaves of
the fan-palms, and.it was difficult to see how the
cattle could possibly pick up enough to sustain \iie. '.
The heat, too, was intense, the thermometer standing
at 110° Fahr. in the shade for several hours in the
day, while the fierce glare from the bare soil, and
the phantom waters of the mirage, sparkling in the
sunlight and looking, only looking, so refreshing
and cool, increased one's discomfort. This plain is
evidently flooded during the rainy season, as all the
tembes were built on artificial mounds or had banks
round them to protect them from the water. At a
village called Mbahi, about the middle of this plain,
we got some fresh fish of the silurus genus, and on
_ inquiring where they came from were informed that
they were caught in a large piece of water at no
great distance, but the natives would not tell us the
exact locality of this lake. About Mbahi and the
district of Unyamguira, two marches west of Mbahi,
were a few dry watercourses, but they were so
winding, and the altitudes of the different villages as
shown by our aneriods varied so little, that it was
impossible to say in which direction the country
was drained.
On November 1st we crossed the bed of the
Unyamgogo, and were not sorry to leave behind the
yelling hordes of Wagogq adorned with red paint
and redolent of rancid castor-oil. But before bidding
a long farewell to this irritating people it may be

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

63

'¦¦ -v,

well to give a list of the places where our caravan paid
hongo, and the amounts. Mviimi, 27 cloths, 2 coils
of brass wire, 2 bunches of amber .beads = about
$50; Matambiiru, 16 cloths, 2 coils of wire = about
$30 ; Bihawana, 6 cloths = $6 ; Kididimo, 6 cloths =
$6; Kitararu, 10 cloths = $12; Mbahi, 15 cloths =
$20 ; Puna, 15 cloths = $20; Unyamguira, 15 cloths
=' $20 ; total $164.
On November 3rd we were again on the move,
and quitting our camp by the side of the Unyam
gogo, we soon entered jungle, through which we
travelled by a winding path for several hours, till
we reached the foot of some precipitous cliffs, up
which we slowly climbed by a zigzag path between
huge boulders, over fallen trees and through dense
masses of. underwood. When we reached the sum
mit of the cliffs the view amply repaid us for the
climb : just beneath us, hundreds of feet below, was
an undulating sea of foliage of every possible tint
of green ; farther on was the winding bed of the.
Unyamgogo, its serpentine course marked out by
the detached pools of water which sparkled in the
sunlight ; along its banks here and there were the
familiar tembes ; still farther, away, till lost in the
blue haze which obscured the distant horizon,
stretched the bare burning plain of Ugogo, the-
brown.barren expanse being relieved only by an occa
sional palm grove. Leaving the edge of the plateau,
which we had just gained, we kept on through the

64 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
forest, gradually rising, and finally halted for the
night, at a height of 1100 feet above our camp
in the plains. The next day we reached Gange,
a large . village on the edge of the forest region,
which lies between Ugogo and Unyamwezi ; and
here we found two or three small caravans wait
ing for us. They had heard of us on the road, and,
knowing that we were well armed, were anxious
to travel with us through the jungle, and thus be
safer from the attacks of the Wataturu and Euga
Euga. Early on the morning of the 6th we started
for our eight days1 march through an unbroken
forest. We soon reached the bottom of a cliff
similar to, though not so high as that which we had
scaled on leaving Ugogo, and on reaching the top at
once plunged into the forest in a W.N.W. direction.
The forest contmued during the whole day's march,
with the exception of a small plain about a mile
wide, where we came upon some of the nomadic
Wataturu, a ' small warlike tribe who inhabit this
jungle; they have no villages, but wander about
from place to place with their cattle. For the first
two days water was met with pretty frequently in
shallow pools and pits. At one of the former, near
the end of the second day's march, a dead elephant
was found, and the porters at once threw down their
loads and set to work to cut off the flesh. Our
caravan was the leading one, and it was our men
who found the elephant, but on the arrival of the

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU. 65

other caravans, their porters also flew upon the
carcase, and a furious row ensued.' A quarrel took
place between Mganga, the chief niampara of my
caravan, and Terekeza (lit. the cook), the leader of
another party, as to who should have the elephant's
tusks ; swords were drawn, guns loaded, and a free
fight ensued, the bullets whistling through the
bushes in all directions : happily, however, no one
was hit, and the fray subsided as quickly as it had
begun. On the morning of the third day we were
told that there would be no water, after leaving our
camp, for a distance equal to two days1 journey, and
that we must accomplish the march, if possible,
before next morning. We set off about 8.30 a.m.,
the road being, as before, through open jungle of
small trees, or rather bushes, which were for the
most part leafless, and gave little or no shelter from
the blazing sun ; here and there were tracts of dried
mud, swamps during the rains, seamed with gaping
cracks, and full of holes made by the elephants,
which abound in this forest region. We continued
our march, with one or two halts for cooking and
rest, till 8.30 p.ax., when O'Neill was seized" with
fever, and we had to stop. He and I with a few
attendants were some distance behind the main
body, so we lighted fires and lay down to rest.
About half-past two in the morning, O'Neill being
better, we were off again, and plodded silently on in
the darkness, till at length dawn appeared, when
VOL. i. f

66 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU. 67

we found that we had entered denser jungle, with
larger trees and more of them in leaf, all signs that
we were approaching water ; and about eight o'clock
we reached the banks of a dried-up river, called the
Mvumbu, and pitched our tents in a fine grove of fan-
palms, the huge round fruit of which, with its sweet
orange-coloured pulp, was very refreshing to us,
who had been for many weeks without fresh fruit of
any kind. We obtained a plentiful supply of good
water from holes dug in the sandy bed of the
Mvumbu. The following march was a long and
trying one ; the jungle was very scanty except near
a river-bed, which we crossed, where was a large
grove of the. Mahama palms (Borassus). Our
kilang6zi told us that we should reach a pool
of water at night ; so when at length, about eight
o'clock, we arrived at the camp, I sent my servant
for some water, but he . soon returned with the
dismal news that there was none; the pool had
dried up. The two next marches were shorter than
any of the previous ones, and each night we had
thunderstorms with heavy rain. Near ' our last
camp in the jungle were three remarkable detached
rocks, which looked as though they had formerly
been one, the softer strata having weathered away.
At length on November 13th we emerged from the
forest and pitched our camp near the village of
Usuri in the district of Iramba ; the journey
though the forest region having thus taken eight

to

days. After leaving Gange the country rose steadily
till near the end of the second day's journey,
when the aneroids showed a height of 4880 feet
above the sea-level; from this point the land
gradually sloped towards the west. The whole
country was more or less covered with forest, the
open spaces being few and far between. Elephants,
buffaloes, rhinoceroses and giraffes were apparently
numerous, with various species of antelopes, and
large flocks of guinea-fowl and partridges were
frequently met with, and at night lions, leopards,
and hyamas used to prowl round the camp.
From Usuri (the Mgongo Tembo of Stanley) we
went to Ushuri. Here lived Mganga, the head
niampara of our caravan, and as we approached the
village the women came rushing out to meet us,
uttering shrill cries of welcome similar to those
known as zaggareet in Egypt. At the gate of the
village, which was fortified by a strong palisade of
poles ornamented with human t,nd other skulls,
Mganga's father, a white-haired venerable-looking
old man, met us, and greeted us most affectionately ;
then he and another member of the family took a
live fowl and held it over the threshold of the gate,
and all were asked to step over it, after which it was
killed ; the ceremony being supposed to bring " good
luck." .
The next four or five days' march would be, we
were told, through a similar jungle to that which
r 2

.68 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

we had just left, and a halt of two or three days was
required to lay in provisions for the journey. We
reached Ushuri on November 15th, and hoped to be
off in two or three days; but day after day passed
and the men would not stir, the reason being that
Mganga was doing a little . business on his own
account, and would not start till it was finished, and
the other niamparas would not move without him.
On the morning of the 29th a man arrived with a
letter from Lieut. Smith, saying that he and Dr.
Smith, with the remaining caravan, were in the great
pori, or jungle, several days' march from Iramba,
and that their food was nearly exhausted, and they
begged us to send them 300 rations at once. The
note further said that Mackay had returned to
Mpwapwa sick. . No time was to be lost, so leaving
O'Neill with the caravan, I set off at once for the
jungle, taking a guide and two or three Wang'uana
with me. We reached Mgongo Teinbo about half-
past twelve, having travelled very fast, and there
spent three hours in buying grain and engaging men
to carry it. The sun was low in the western sky
when we again set off, and except for a five minutes'
halt at Ulala, on the very verge of the jungle,' in
order to fill up our water bottles, we did not stop
till we were far away in the depths of the forest,
having travelled nearly thirty miles. We lighted
huge fires, for fear of the lions, and stretching our
selves out beside them, were soon fast asleep. Early

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

69

next morning we were off again, and tramped on for
more than three hours, when a halt was called at the
head of a gully to look for water, and just then the
van of Smith's caravan was seen appearing through
the forest. The food was distributed among the
hungry porters as soon as all had arrived ; the two
Smiths came up with the last of the men, so we took
advantage of the delay to get breakfast, to hear and
tell the news, and to discuss our plans. Breakfast
over, we started again, and camped that night at
Ulala, on the edge of the forest. Some thieves
attempted to get at our goods in the property tent,
under cover of the darkness, but were discovered
by one of the Wang'uana, who fired at them, and
severely wounded one of their number, who however
contrived to make his escape. The next day we
went to Usuri, and there learnt that on the previous
day (Nov. 30th) O'Neill had left for Ng'uru with his
caravan. The chief of the district, Penzwa by name,
called on us, and as it had now been discovered that
the thieves who had entered our camp that previous
night belonged to his territory, he sent us a present
of a bullock, and begged us to say nothing about
the attempted robbery, as it would deter travellers
from using that route. On the 4th we went to
Ushuri; and stayed a day there to lay in provisions
for the long jungle. This district of Iramba was a
very fertile one, and corn seemed to be plentiful, and
was certainly cheap. Cattle were dear, but goats,

70 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

fowls, and eggs could easily be obtained ; the country
was well watered, and the population a largo one.
There were two. or three steep ranges of forest-
clad hills where large flocks of guinea-fowl were
found, and troops of monkeys. The villages were
many of them very prettily situated by running
streams, and all were strongly fortified with high
fences, or palisades, of stout poles. Near most of
the villages were groves of the mahama palms, as
' their fruit is much prized by the natives.
We left Ushuri on the 6th, as the Masika, or wet .
season, was fast approaching, and we had received
several warnings already, in the shape of thunder
storms, during the fortnight we were there; and
we were anxious to get as far north as possible
before we were stopped by the rains. The first day's
journey took us past numerous villages, for .about
two hours' march, and then we entered fine forest in
which were numbers of adansonias. Then crossing a
sort of pass, we entered a well-wooded valley, which
gradually widened as we proceeded down it. Early
in the second day's march the valley opened out into
a wide plain with a low range of hills on either side,
the forest rapidly disappeared, and at last we found
ourselves in a flat plain stretching in a N.N.W. direc
tion as far as the eye could reach; the soil was
a rich black loam, with a dense growth, in most
places, of strong coarse grass, which had been burnt
over large areas, leaving nothing but .blackened

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU. 71

stubble. Trees were few and far between, except
along the course of some streams, where there were
often dense forests. The whole plain bore evident
marks of being one vast swamp during the rainy
season. The drainage was undoubtedly in a north
erly direction, as we found from the marks on the
banks of the river-beds, which we crossed, though in
a distance of thirty miles the aneroids showed such a
slight difference in altitude, that it would have beeu
impossible to ascertain from that alone in what
direction the country sloped, and I am inclined to
think that this is the Nyakun swamp of Cameron, or
at least is connected with it, and that it has been
connected with the Nyanza ; it may be the bed of
a lake which has silted up, or has been drained
owing to some gradual alteration in the level of the
country. The second day's march was marked by a
most terrific squall. We had halted as usual in the
middle of the day, and had allowed the caravan to
get a good start of us before proceeding. Distant
thunder had been heard all the morning, but as it
seemed to get no nearer, we paid little attention to
it ; soon, however, after resuming the march, dark
clouds were seen gathering rapidly over the eastern
range of hills, bright flashes of lightning were
visible, the thunder grew louder and louder, the
sky became dark, and there was an ominous calm
all around ; flocks of green parrots flew screaming
past as if to escape the coming tempest, and nature

72 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
seemed to be holding her breath in expectation of
the blast. Nearer and nearer came the storm, its
approach being marked by clouds of sand, grass,
leaves, and twigs which were whirled along by the
gale ; darker and darker grew the sky, while, strangest
sight of all, a beautiful rainbow spanned the gloomy
storm-clouds from which the lightning flashed
vividly and the thunder pealed incessantly. We
hurried on, hoping to find some shelter, but not a
tree was to be seen for miles, and scarcely a bush
which could afford the smallest hope of protection
from the storm. At last the tempest burst upon us
a furious blast of wind, a blinding cloud of sand,
a few heavy drops of rain, and then a torrent as if
the flood-gates of heaven had been opened. The
wind was so tremendous that the rain came almost
horizontally, and it was with difficulty that we could
keep our feet. We were wet through almost in
stantly, being quite unprepared for such a deluge.
The face of the plain, which had been as dry as the
desert, in a few minutes became a gigantic swamp,
and we struggled on ankle-deep in mud and water,
drenched by the rain, blinded by the lightning, and
almost carried off our feet by the .wind, till we reached
a solitary bush which somewhat broke the force of
the tempest ; here we stood shivering till the storm
abated a little, and then we set off again, and came
up with the caravan, halting by the side of a small
ravine, the_ porters looking as miserable as only

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

73'

negroes can look when they have to endure, what is
to them the acme of discomfort, a thorough wetting.
It was useless to think of proceeding any farther
that day; so tents were pitched, and, after many
vain attempts, a fire was at length lighted, and we
were able to partially dry our saturated clothes.
The next morning rose fair and bright, and we
were off at an early hour, the only trace of
yesterday's storm being the muddiness of the plain
for a short distance (for our camp was near the
edge of the track of the storm) and the freshness in
the air. The greater part of this day's journey was
over a flat, almost treeless tract, covered with short
fresh green grass and with large masses of a bulbous
plant with a spike of white blossoms (Chlorophytum
affine). Large herds of buffaloes, zebra, wild donkeys
and various species of antelopes were seen at in
tervals during the day, but the march was much
too long a one to allow. us to go after any of them.
Early in the day we crossed the channel of a con
siderable stream, and in the evening came to open
swampy jungle, where many wading birds were
seen, and we camped in a grove of baobab trees,
which had a strange, weird look at night when their
giant forms were lighted up with the ruddy glow
of the camp fires. The next day (December 9th)
we had . a very long march. About two hours
brought us to a low range of hills, and crossing
these, we found ourselves in hilly wooded country

74 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

through which the road wound for many miles;
then we entered another plain, crossing late in the
day the Eiver Nange, a stream about eighty yards
wide, with a uniform depth of three feet, and
camped on its western bank. December 10th was
our last day in the jungle. We were on the move
before daylight, and for the first three hours made
very slow progress. There had been heavy rains
the previous day, and the soil, which was a tenacious
loam, had become a soft sticky mass into which we
sank ankle-deep at every step. After a time, how
ever, the ground got harder, and we marched on
more briskly; soon the jungle began to get less, and
the trees disappeared, only underwood being left, a
sure sign of the proximity of man : and at last'
we emerged on the site of a ruined village, of which
no trace remained except a gigantic hedge of a
species of euphorbia (E. antiquorum), which had
once surrounded the village. Two or three miles
more brought us to a small collection of tembes.
called Hambu. Here our whole caravan of Wan
yamwezi porters took leave of us, this being the
point to which they had engaged to come. They
arrayed themselves in their best,- coloured pocket-
handkerchiefs, large-patterned prints and scarlet
blankets, and having bid us most affectionate adieux,
left us. ".'-,'
On inquiring for O'Neill we found that he was
at another village some three miles from there,

UGOGO AND IRAMBA TO NG'URU.

75

called Ng'uru, and we sent off a man with a note to
tell him of our arrival. The news, however, had
already reached him, and a man soon appeared with
a note from him and some clothes for me, which
O'Neill had thoughtfully sent over, for all my
property being of course with the first caravan, I
had not so much as a change of clothes with me.
The first thing to be done was to get all our
property together and overhaul it, and for that
purpose we went over to Ng'uru and took up our
abode there, and then transported all the goods of
the second caravan in relays by means of our
Wang'uana servants and the donkeys.

76 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

CHAPTEE IV.
ng'uku to kagei and ukebewe.
After looking through some of our stores, we found
that we had only a small supply left of the cloths
most used for barter, and Lieutenant Smith decided to
go to Unyanyembe, or Tabora, the well-known Arab
trading depot, which was distant about 100 miles,
and purchase a fresh stock, and on December 12th
he set off with a few Wang'uana, hoping to be back
in ten days or a fortnight.
The work of hiring porters for the next stage
of our journey had now to be undertaken, but at
present it was useless to attempt it, for, the first
rains having fallen, the whole population was em
ployed in preparing the ground for sowing, and
until all the seed was sown no men would engage
as porters. Lieutenant Smith hoped to bring back
a hundred men with him from Unyanyembe. Mean
time we were busily engaged, in repacking the
loads, taking stock of all our property, cleaning
tools and machinery, mending tents, saddles, etc.,
and getting all ready for the journey, as soon as
we should get men.

i :¦':':,

NG'URU TO KAGEI AND .UKEBEWE. 77

We heard no news of Lieutenant Smith till the
24th, Christmas Eve, when a man arrived bringing
a letter from him, and two baskets of mangoes and
bananas, which formed a pleasant addition to our
Christmas dinner; the letter said that Smith had
been much hindered by sickness and other delays,
and did not expect to be able to reach Ng'uru for
another week at least ; so, as the sowing was nearly
over and several gangs of men had offered themselves
as porters, it was decided that O'Neill and I should
make up a small caravan and go. on to the Lake, to
select a suitable spot for a permanent encampment,
and build huts if necessary.
Christmas Day was passed quietly, the only events
to break the monotony of the day being an attack on
the village by Euga Euga, or highwaymen, and a good
dinner, the former of which ended in an ignominious
flight on the part of the Euga Euga without any
more mischief being done than a little corn stolen ;
the latter was prepared by" the Doctor, who super-
' intended the commissariat department. We tried
hard the previous day to procure a bullock, that we
might have the traditional roast beef, but none was
to be found, and we fell back on some tinned beef
brought out from England ; we had also a famous
plum-pudding given us in England to take out to
Africa, with cheese, fruit, and coffee to conclude.
The next few days were busily employed in
preparing for the journey, and after one or two

78 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

delays we got off on December 30th, having a
caravan of between forty and fifty men and twelve
donkeys. Two or three miles from Ng'uru brought
us to the top of some rising ground from which we
had a magnificent view of a fine bold rugged range
of hills to the N.N.W., reminding me much of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains in Southern Spain. The
first day's march, which, as is always the case, was
a short one, brought us to a prettily situated group
of villages called Masimbo, or "The Springs."
There was a great deal of land here under cultiva
tion, and round the villages were quantities of
cotton bushes, which looked extremely pretty with
their snowy masses of seed and large bright yellow
blossoms. Leaving Masimbo, we crossed a steep
ridge and plunged at once into a dense jungle, where
thick creepers climbed from tree to tree, and the
boughs, meeting overhead, shut out the burning
rays of the sun, making it deliciously cool, and
rendering travelling very pleasant. This jungle
swarms with wild animals; elephants, giraffes,
rhinoceroses, buffaloes, zebras, various species of
antelopes, baboons, monkeys, lions, leopards, &c,
were either seen or heard.
After some hours, we emerged on to an open
plain, and here we met "a caravan of grain going to
the south ; several of the porters were men who
had come with O'Neill and myself from the coast,
and they stopped and shook hands with us, and

V

'"..'' NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEBEWE. 79
seemed much pleased to see us. The northern side
of this plain was bounded by a range of wooded hills,
and, crossing the western end of them, we proceeded
along their base for some distance Here, not far
from the road, we saw a number of baboons, great
hairy creatures which walked on all fours, but on
noticing us sat up on their haunches and barked
like dogs. Another hour brought us to the Mon-
ungu, a stream about thirty yards wide, fifteen
feet deep in its banks, and with about two feet of
water in it. We crossed this river without any
difficulty, and encamped in the jungle on the
opposite bank. . Next day we reached Semfa or
Semwi, a populous district lying at the foot of the
Usanda range of hills; those which we had first
seen on leaving Ng'uru. We had made the ac
quaintance of the chief of the village at which
we stayed, on our way up, and he now welcomed us
cordially. He had a common wooden chair which
he displayed to us with great glee, and a few tin
mugs brought with the chair from Zanzibar. The
country here is thickly dotted with large adan-
sonias, from the bark of which the natives make a
very strong soft rope, which we afterwards found
very useful for running rigging. Two days from
Semwi brought us to the Liviimbu or Liwumbu, a
considerable stream flowing in an easterly direction
as indeed all the streams did in this part of the
country. The people about here were very primi-

¦ ta

80 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
tive; all the younger portion of the community
dispensed with clothing altogether, and the married
women contented themselves with a kilt of skin.
After crossing the Liviimbu we entered a forest
district, well watered, and with a few villages
scattered about in clearings in the jungle. Three
marches through this region brought us into the
district of Usmao, a flat open table-land, well
cultivated, and possessing large herds of cattle.
The people seemed very warlike, and they need to
be so, for they lived in constant dread of attacks by
the Euga Euga of Mirambo, this renowned warrior
and freebooter, whose capital was- some 300 miles
distant, having occasionally made> raids into this
country and carried off the cattle as spoil. Every
one here went about well armed, the cattle were
sent out to graze under a strong escort, the hus
bandman hoed up his fields with his spear stuck
in the ground beside him, and even the women went
in parties to draw water accompanied by armed
warriors. Here is the northern limit in this part
of Africa of the baobab (Adansonia digitata), and I
did not meet with it again till north of the Bahr-el-
Gha'zal, in lat. 12° N.
From this point the character of the country
changed; the forest disappeared, and it became
more open, with broad grassy plains or valleys,
separated from one another by low ridges, crowned
with fantastic masses of igneous rocks, looking* at

|( NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEBEWE. 81

a distance like the grey ruins of ancient .castles.
Stunted jungle or scrub of a species of thorny
acacia was sometimes met with, and there large
herds , of brindled gnu, zebras, and antelopes were
found. On Jan. 17th we came to the Eiver Wami
(not the Wami of Usagara), a tolerably large stream,
which we crossed twice more, and which, after wind
ing about in every possible direction, as many
African rivers do, seems to find its way to Jordan's
Nullah. We spent three days, the 19 th, 20th, and
21st, at a large village called Wama, which was
governed by a woman, a very rare occurrence in
Africa, as the women are, as a rule, much looked
down upon. Here, too, we found that the natives
grew rice, a grain which is rarely found south of
the Equator, except where Arab or half-breed
settlers have introduced it, as the natives of the
interior, will hurdly ever eat it. Leaving this vil
lage, we crossed the Wami for the third and last
time, and the country soon became more hilly, or
rather, the rocky ridges became hills, the plains
between still being extensive, and over them roamed
flocks of bustards and a few ostriches. On January
26th, soon after starting, we saw a number of men
coming to meet us, who turned out to be a deputa
tion sent by Kadiima, chief of Kagei (or as Stanley
spells it, Kagehyi), to invite us to settle at his vil
lage on the shores of the lake ; he had heard of our
coming, and fearing lest we should go to Mwanza.
VOL. I.

82 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
another village not far from Kagei, and with which
he was at war, he had sent these men to secure
us. We were delighted to see them, as for several
days past our guide had kept saying "To-morrow,
Inshallah! we should see the Nyanza." But the
farther we went the farther off the Nyanza seemed
to be. That evening we stopped at a large village
called Wambwa, and were taken to the enclosure
belonging to the chief of the place, and, he being
away, we pitched our tent near a large tree under
which were some old pots. Soon after the chief
arrived, and when he saw where our tent was placed,
got into a terrible state of excitement, as these pots
proved to be his " medicine," for making rain, and
he feared that the close proximity of the " white
devils" would spoil his medicine. The chiefs in
this part of Africa are always the rain-makers of
the tribe, and keep up their authority by their
supposed skill in this matter, and if they lose that
skill they lose their position,. and consequently are
very jealous about anything that, as they think,
will injure or lessen their supposed power. Some
time afterwards, when living at Kagei, 1 put out
my rain-gauge at the commencement of the rains,
and the chief Kadiima came and entreated me to
take it in again, as white man's medicine was
stronger than black men's, and he was . afraid I
should stop the rain.
On Saturday, Jan. 27th, we got our first glimpse

NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEBEWE. 83

of the great lake ; after the march was over and the
tent pitched, we walked out to some rising ground
from which,' we were told, the Nyanza could be
seen, and there, far away on the dim horizon, was
the shadowy outline of a large mountain, and at its
foot a grey line, which was the long-looked-for
Victoria Nyanza. ,The next day's march led through
swampy valleys, between rocky barren ridges, and
past large villages, whose dusky inhabitants poured
out in crowds to see the strange white men, and we
camped out at night under the shade of an enormous
fig , tree. Before daylight next morning all were
astir, in a state of great excitement, for to-day our
long six months' journey was to end, and before
another sun set we should stand on the shores of
that great inland sea and bathe in its cool waters.
Our men arrayed themselves in their best clothes,
and loaded their guns ready for a salute when we
should see the great lake. We trudged merrily on
through a long swampy valley, and climbed a steep
hill from which we were to see the village of Kagei.
All were on the tiptoe of expectation, when on turn
ing a corner in the road a glorious view burst upon
us. There, 300 or 400 feet below us, stretched the
wide expanse . of deep blue water sparkling in the
rays of the morning sun ; far away on the horizon
was the graceful outline of the island of Ukerewej
and on the east the bold mass of the Majita moun
tain ; two or three small islands with some large
G 2

S4 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
white rocks broke the monotony of its azure surface ;
from our feet the ground sloped rapidly down to the
shore, clothed with a brilliant emerald carpet of
young corn ; fringing the lake was a belt of banana
plants, and large fig trees, from which the conical
roofs of houses peeped out, and their wreaths of
blue smoke curling up into the calm air showed the

KAOEI rBOM BEHIND THE VILLAGE.
presence of man ; the murmur of the waves on the
strand stole softly to our ears, and over all was a
sky, the deep rich blue of which Italy could scarcely
equal. Our approach was soon made known to the
villagers by firing, blowing of horns, and all man
ner ot unearthly noises, and they turned out in
. crowds to meet us. On nearing the village the
chief Kaduma, a tall and rather good-looking man,

NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEBEWE. 85

though clad in most filthy clothes, came to greet
us, and bade us welcome to his village, followed by
Songoro, a negro trader who had ah establishment
here, and who was dressed in a clean white robe,
looking cool and comfortable. After the usual com
pliments had been exchanged and flowery speeches
made, Kaduma took us to one end of the village
which he had set apart for our use, and showed
us a large roomy hut which he had destined for
the Wazungu ; however O'Neil*" and I preferred
to remain in our tent, which we 'pitched beside it,
and stored most of our goods in the hut. Then
we strolled down to the beach and had a most
refreshing bathe in the cool waters of the Nyanza,
and at night we lay down to rest with hearts full
of thankfulness to Almighty God who had brought
us thus far on our journey, and were soon soothed to
sleep by the lullaby of the waves breaking on the
rocky shore.
I had thus been exactly six months from Baga
moyo to Kagei, including all the various delays
on the road. The actual number of marches was
seventy-four, and the whole distance travelled about
eight hundred miles, thus giving an average of
nearly eleven miles a day.
The first thing we did, after getting matters a
little settled, was to' write letters to England,
telling our friends of our arrival, and to the Smiths,
whom we expected to follow us very soon, to in-

86 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
form them where we had settled, and these were
despatched .on February 1st. On the 6th two
canoes arrived from Lukonge, king of Ukerewe,
bringing us a present of goats and sheep, and a
request that we would go over and see him ; so on
the 8th I returned with the messengers, O'Neill
remaining behind to take care of the stores, and to
receive the Smiths if they came. The canoes in
which we crossed to the island were clumsy dug
outs, which were old and cracked and leaked terribly.
The canoemen, who had no idea of keeping time, but
paddled each on his own account, beguiled the time
with songs, one of which was thus translated to me :
" Many men are dead, for them we are sorry, for
they never saw the white man ; we have seen the
white man and .are glad." They also stopped at
frequent intervals to refresh themselves with water
snuff; this is prepared by filling a small bottle
gourd with tobacco, two twigs are placed crosswise
below the neck to keep the tobacco in, the gourd is
then filled up with water, and allowed to stand some
time ; this water snuff is then drawn up into the
nostrils and retained there for several minutes, and
as those who use it are thus obliged to speak only
through the mouth, they all seem as if they had bad
colds in the head. The first day we only got as far
as the island of Vezi, a small rocky island abounding
in waterfowl ; there was one wretched little village
on it, the inhabitants of which subsist mainly by

' NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEREWE. 87
fishing, as only a small quantity of grain could be
grown there. The natives also eat a small fly like
a gnat, but with green wings; these flies travel
about in vast swarms which must contain countless
millions, looking at a distance like clouds of brown
smoke ; they are borne along by the wind for con
siderable distances, and I have often encountered
them on the Nyanza far out of sight of land. The
islanders catch these flies, as they alight on bushes and
shrubs, in a conical basket which is whirled rapidly
round by means of a handle fixed radially to the rim.
There was a storm during the night, which delayed
us for some hours, and when at last we did set off
the sea was still somewhat rough, and our clumsy
craft kept shipping water, so that I and my bedding
got thoroughly soaked. By four o'clock we had
reached the island of Ukerewe and kept close to the
shore. The, island here terminated in a fine bold
rocky coast, there being deep water close in shore,
with some picturesque rocky islets at no great
distance. A few natives were fishing, with rod and .
line, from the rocks, and stared curiously at me.
We kept along, the shore for some distance, till we
reached a spot where the cliffs receded from the
water's edge, and guiding the canoe through a fringe
of ambatch bushes, we disembarked close to a large
village. We went up to the village, and a hut
having been cleared for my use, I soon Lad an
admiring crowd round me, criticising every move-

88 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
ment I made, and every feature and article of my
dress. At night a violent storm came on, and
the roof of the hut being anything but water
tight, the rain came through upon me, and this
combined with the presence of a colony of. rats,
which kept racing over me as I lay in bed, com
pletely drove away sleep. The next day I went
over to Bukindo, the -capital of the island, which
is a large straggling village with a number of
irregular streets. Each hut stands in a- small plot
of ground where maize, millet, pumpkins, tobacco
and other plants are grown. The town has a ring-
fence all round it, access being had through gates,
which are closed by ponderous slabs of wood sus
pended from a bar, and which are so heavy that it
requires two men to open them ; and for this reason
they are usually propped up during the day, but let
down at night, when they are further secured by a
transverse bar passed through holes in the gate
posts. In the centre of the town is a large enclosure
. (formed by a high palisade of whole trees) where
the king lives : it contains the huts of his wives,
who number about thirty, the hut where the royal
drums are kept, and a large number of storehouses
for grain : these latter consist of large cylindrical
baskets plastered with clay and raised above . the
ground on poles, and covered with a thatched roof.
The king's enclosure has a gateway similar to those
which give access to the town, and just outside is

NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEBEWE.

89

the court-house, a large circular building with open •
walls and a conical thatched roof supported on a
forest of poles, where the king holds councils and
conducts trials and receives his visitors. On these
occasions he brings his throne with him, a large
stool of native manufacture, ornamented with croco
dile's teeth, lion's claws, and hippopotamus' tusks.
Lukonge, the king of Ukerewe, was young, and, for
a negro, rather a handsome-looking man, and showed
great intelligence, though his knowledge of the out
side world was limited in the extreme; and on a
subsequent occasion, when Lieut. Smith, O'Neill
and I paid him a visit, he wished to know if there
were any more white men in the world besides our
' three selves. He-expressed a wish that white men
should settle in his country and teach his people,
and asked me if I would stay with him. Near
Bukindo, the capital, the trader Songoro had an
establishment where he grew rice, onions, tomatoes,
and other vegetables foreign to the country, and
near here, too, he was building a dhow or native craft
to enable him to carry on better his trade in slaves.
The greater part of the island of Ukerewe is covered
with forest, and it is connected with the mainland by
a narrow swampy strip of land, through which are one
or two narrow channels, known as Eugeshi. Nearly
the whole of the island is under Lukonge's dominion ;
there is however a small part at the north-west of it,
called Uangara, which is governed by another chief,

\

'-.|T

90 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
who was constantly at war with Lukonge ; but since
I last visited the island the people of Uangara have
been completely exterminated by the Waganda. I
remained three days with Lukonge, and- left him on
February 12th ; that night I spent at a village near
the lake on the eastern side of the island. Here I
found some hippopotamus hunters, who showed me
the spear they used for killing these animals ; it was
a huge unwieldy weapon with a handle of heavy wood
fourteen or fifteen feet long, the blade being about
fifteen inches long, with only one barb, and just
below the head a strong rope was securely tied to the
handle. I was delayed another day on the island,
leaving early on the morning of the 14th, and ac
complished the return voyage in one day. I found
O'Neill well and jolly, but there was no news of the
Smiths. On February 19th two men arrived bring
ing, to our great delight, a packet of letters from
England, for we hadreceived no news since leaving
MpAvapwa, more than four months previously. At the
time that the men left Ng'uru both the Smiths were
still there. Two or three weeks passed without any
news, though we were . expecting every day to hear
of the approach of the second caravan. Our time
was spent mainly in writing, and working at Swahili
and the language of Kagei, Kisukuma. We had
intended, on arriving at the southern end of the lake,
to make preparations for building a boat, by cutting
timber and erecting workshops ; but on arriving at

NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKEREWE. 91

Kagei we found that there was not a stick of timber*
to be had, suitable for boat-building, within many
miles ; so that we could do nothing. At length on
March 4th a messenger arrived from Lieut. Smith
saying that he and Dr. Smith had both been very ill,
and that many of their men had deserted ; so O'Neill
and I sent off some men and donkeys to meet them
and assist them. On March 29th Dr. Smith arrived,
having been carried in a hammock, for he was so
weak he could not stand. Up to Ng'uru he had not
had an hour's illness, though the rest of us had been
down with fever repeatedly; but soon after O'Neill
. and I started he had his first attack of ague, followed
by rheumatism, which had terribly reduced him, and
he looked a mere shadow of what he had been.
Lieut. Smith arrived on April the 1st with a detach
ment of the caravan, the. first having come with Dr.
Smith, and the third being behind under the charge
of an interpreter. As soon as all the goods had
arrived, we set to work overhauling the whole of our
stores, and housing and cleaning tools and machinery.
We had brought with us a small cedar boat in sec
tions; she was built by Messenger of Teddington,
and was intended to be used on the Wami or Kingani
in keeping up communication between Zanzibar and
Mpwapwa. But those rivers proving unnavigable,
Lieut. Smith decided to take her up country : she had
been built in sections in order that she might be
easily carried by men if there were occasion ; these

Ml

92 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
sections, however, proved to be much too heavy to be
carried, even by four men, and had to be further sub
divided. This boat, the Daisy, was intended foL1
a steam-launch, and was fitted with twin screws, but
her boiler was too heavy to transport, with the
limited number of men at our disposal, and so it was
left at Bagamoyo.
As might be expected after an overland journey
of eight hundred miles, the sections of the Daisy
arrived at Kagei in a somewhat battered condition,
and when we first came to examine her it seemed
an almost hopeless task to make her seaworthy ;
however there was no alternative except to build a
new boat altogether, so the native carpenters were
set to work under O'Neill's direction, and in a few-
weeks the little craft seemed in a fair way to
become a sound, useful boat. As originally built,
she was forty-three feet long over all, six feet wide,
and four feet deep, and had three sections, but we
cut six feet out of the middle section, for, as sent
out, she was too long and narrow to encounter the
stormy seas of the Nyanza ; we also added another
six inches of height to her gunwale, and fitted
her with three lug-sails. It soon, however, became
clear that, however well the Daisy might do for
light work, she would never be strong enough to
carry cargo of any weight ; so it was proposed that
we should buy the dhow which Songoro was
building at Ukerewe, and which he was willing to

NG'.URU TO KAGEI AND UKEREWE. 93
sell, as it would answer our purpose and save us
the trouble of building another boat. Accordingly,
Lieutenant Smith went over to Ukerewe to inspect
the dhow, and on his return on May 3rd decided
to buy her. That same day, Dr. Smith was seized
with dysentery; he had been rapidly improving
since he reached Kagei, and though still far from
strong, yet was beginning to look more like himself.
But this terrible disease took a firm hold of him,
and spite of all efforts he gradually sank. On the
morning of May 11th he seemed decidedly better,
and when breakfast was ready we left him quietly
sleeping ; after breakfast, Lieutenant Smith went
into the hut to see how he was, and- immediately
after called O'Neill and me. "I am afraid he is
going," he whispered, but it needed no one to- tell
us so, death was plainly written on his face ; and
in a few minutes more he passed away, calmly,
peacefully, like' a child hushed to sleep in its
mother's arms : a death strangely in contrast to
that which, ere that year closed, was to overtake
two of those standing round his bed. We laid
him "to rest that evening close by the shore of the
lake, while the dusky forms of those for whose sake
he gave up all, stood reverently by and wondered
not to see the white men weep. * We turned our
steps homewards, sorrowful and silent. Few words
were spoken that night, and the thought uppermost
in our minds was " Who will next be called ? "

94 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

We raised a mound of stones over the grave, and
cut a short inscription on a block of granite, which
we placed above all. And there he sleeps within
sound of the waves of that glorious inland sea,'
another of that noble band of' Christian heroes who
have died for Africa.
The Daisy progressed slowly, and it was not
till the beginning of June that she was ready to be
launched. Before our expedition left England
letters had been sent to Mtesa, king of Uganda,
and to Eumanika, king of Karagwe, telling them
of our wish to settle in their country, and asking
them to send word to us if they were willing to
receive us, but up to this time we had received
no answer from either of these monarchs, and
thinking it best to wait a little longer for news,
we settled to go over to Ukerewe and complete the
dhow which we had bought. Accordingly, on June'
15th, we left Kagei with a large cargo of goods and
a number of passengers; some of the Wang'uana
remained at Kagei to take care; of the, stores, of
which the greater part was left there. We weighed ¦
anchor at half-past six, and having a strong breeze,
made a rapid run, reaching the entrance to the
Eugeshi straits in three, and' a half hours. The
water channel through the straits. was choked
with grass, papyrus, water-lilies, and other aquatic.
plants, and it took us a long, time to get the
Daisy through, for, being heavily loaded, she

."' NG'URU TO , KAGEI AND UKEREWE. 97
was rather deep in the water. At length, about
half-past two, we reached Bukindo, and pitched our
tent on a sandy strip of ground on the borders of
the jungle, and near the place where the dhow was
being built. The next few days were occupied in
making a camp, while Lieutenant Smith returned
to Kagei for another cargo of stores. At last, on
June 22nd, news came from Uganda. I had been
away in the forest all day with the carpenters,-
cutting timber for the dhow, and as I was returning
in the evening O'Neill met me with the good news
that canoes had arrived from Uganda, bringing
letters of invitation from Mtesa. So, after . reading
the letters and talking over the matter, it was finally
settled that Smith and I should go on in a few days
to Uganda and see how the land lay, and whether
Mtesa was really anxious for us to settle in his
country ; and if this were so, that I should remain
in Uganda, and that Smith should return to Ukerewe
to O'Neill, who, meantime, was to stay on the island
and complete the dhow. Next day some more
canoes arrived from Uganda, bringing another letter
from Mtesa, begging us to come at once ; so it was
arranged that Smith and I should leave on the
25th, and all hands were set to work preparing the
Daisy for the voyage, and collecting provisions,
for we expected to be several days at sea. Songoro,
who had been to Uganda several times, prophesied
that we should be a fortnight on the way.
vol. i. • h

98 UGANDA' AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

CHAPTEE V.

LIFE IN UGANDA.

The morning of the 25th of June rose bright
and sunny, with a strong breeze blowing from the
south-east. A good supply of fresh meat, fowls,
sweet potatoes and flour was put on board the Daisy,
and a perfect stack of firewood. All were on board,
including two of the Waganda sent by Mtesa to act
as pilots, and, by half-past . nine, the boat was
pushed off, the sails hoisted, the flag unfurled, and
we had started on our voyage across the unknown
waters. The breeze blew fresh, and, with all sail
set, we flew through the water, past villages, banana
groves, hills and capes. The island of Ukerewe was
soon passed, and in less than an hour we were off the
strait that separates it from Ukara. Smith wished
to land on this island to take bearings in order to
fix its position, and we ran along within a short
distance of the shore to look for a suitable landing-
place. The general appearance of the island was
bleak and barren; there were large tracts of dry
brown grass, through which wandered a few

LIFE IN UGANDA.

99

wretched-looking cattle; two conical hills rose to
a height of 200 or 300 feet above the lake, in the
centre of the island, but they were rugged and
stony, with only a few stunted bushes scattered
thinly over their sides ; nearer the shore, however,
the land seemed more fertile, as villages of grass
huts were visible, surrounded by gardens and groves
of bananas. The coast-line was irregular, narrow
bays alternating with bold rocky promontories,
where some of the natives were fishing, and we
were much struck by their diminutive size as they
sat perched up on the rocks, looking more like
monkeys than men. We coasted along the whole
of the eastern side of the island before finding a
landing-place ; but' at the extreme north-east corner
we discovered a deep narrow inlet, with high rocky
shores and a sandy beach at the farther end, where
a number of canoes were drawn up. There were
two villages of small grass huts on the rocks, and
crowds of natives assembled to watch us, all of them
being armed with bows and arrows, spears or slings.
We were able now to judge better of their size,
which was decidedly small, and I should think
that the average height of the 200 or 300 natives
gathered there was under five feet; they seemed
about the same size as the Akkas' or Tikitikis, of
whom I afterwards saw a specimen at Eumbek in
the Bahr-el-Ghazal provmce. As we went up the
bay the crowd raised a loud musical shout, which
h 2

100 UGANDA .AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
, . . -
proved to be their war-cry, though we did not take
it to be such, so different was it to any war-cry we
had hitherto heard. We went up the creek at a great
rate, intending to run the boat on the beach, but
in order to do this we had to make two tacks across
the creek, and this happily checked her speed. As
We neared the beach the order was given to lower
the sails, and at this instant the man on the look-out
called " Eocks on the port bow," so the boat was
brought sharply round and ran broadside on to the
beach. As the keel grounded on the sand we were
greeted with a volley of arrows, stones, and spears,
and the whole of the crew,' who were stowing the
main and mizen sails, threw themselves down in the
boat, with the exception of one man, who seized an
oar and pushed her bows out. Not a moment was
to be lost if we were to escape with our lives, for the
natives were running up, and would have speared
the crew as they lay in the bottom of the boat ; so I
snatched up an oar, jumped up on the stern sheets,
and with a vigorous push sent the Daisy out into
the water. Just at that moment, a man standing
about thirty yards off fired an arrow at me, which
struck me on the upper part of the left arm, and
remained in the wound. I threw down the oar and
pulled out the arrow, which proved to be a poisoned
one. I turned round to tell Smith, and for the first
time saw that he had been wounded too, for the
blood was pouring down his face from a wound over

LIFE IN UGANDA.

101

the eye, caused by a sling stone. Wo had a medicine •
chest handy, and our wounds were speedily dressed,
Smith himself, though in great pain, sucking the
wound in my arm. Two of the crew were hurt; one
had a scratched finger and the other a slight wound
on the arm, and both were crying like babies. The
fore sail had never been lowered, so the boat was
soon carried out of reach of missiles ; when the crew
discovered this they got up, suddenly becoming very
brave, and expressed great anxiety to return and
fight the natives, but were not allowed to put their
valour to the test, and were much astonished that
we would not let them fire on our assailants.
Our forbearance, however, bore good fruit, for the
Wakara were so much surprised that we did not
retaliate, that they subsequently visited our camp
at Ukerewe, and apologised for having attacked us ;
they had taken us for slave-traders ! As soon as we
found ourselves in the open sea, we shaped our course
for Uganda. Contrary to our expectation, the breeze
kept up the whole day and during the night also,
so that we attained an average speed of between
five and six knots an hour. Lieutenant Smith
was in such pain that he was disabled, and I had
consequently to take the management of the boat.
About seven o'clock the next morning (26th), we
came in sight of land, which our pilots declared to
be the coast of Uganda, but it proved to be only
some rocky uninhabited islands. In about two

102 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

hours more we entered what looked like the mouth
of a large river, but which we found to be only a
narrow channel between some islands. Our two
pilots were quite at a loss to know where they were,
so, seeing some people who had come to the beach
to stare at the strange craft, we put them ashore to
make inquiries. The scenery here was superb, as
most of the land was lofty, with steep banks or
precipitous cliffs, clothed with a wealth of vegeta
tion for which I was quite unprepared. Indeed, no
traveller in Africa can form any just estimate of
the fertility and luxuriance of the vegetation within
the rainy belt, unless he has actually visited it, for
the forests outside this zone, even in the river
valleys, are poor when compared with those within
the region of perpetual rain. When our guides
returned, having obtained some idea of our position,
we resumed our voyage, and during the rest of the day
we were occupied in threading our way through the
winding channels between groups of lovely islands.
Night fell, and found us still some way from the
mainland ; at last, however, about eight o'clock, we
cast anchor off a large village, and our guides, who
told us we had now really reached Uganda, left us
to convey the intelligence to Mtesa.
Next day we were visited by the chiefs of the
neighbouring villages, who brought us presents of
milk, fruit, meat, and vegetables, and our Wang'uana
brought wonderful accounts of the beauty of the

LIFE IN UGANDA.

103

land and the marvellous abundance of provisions
On the' 28th a chief named Simbuzi arrived with
a present of goats and cattle from Mtesa, and a
request that we would come on at once ; so we
disembarked, and having discharged all the cargo,
had the Daisy dragged up high and dry out of the
reach of the waves. The following day we started
for the capital with a large escort and a number of
men carrying our property. The village at which
we had landed, by name Ntebbi, was just at the
entrance to Murchison Bay, and, on leaving this
place, we got a fine view of the greater part of it.
Our road led past several large hamlets surrounded
by extensive groves of plantains, and with stately
mpafu trees' casting a deep cool shadow. We skirted
along the shores of the bay in a northerly direction,
passing through magnificent forest glades, dim and
cool, with a luxuriant undergrowth of ferns. In the
middle of the day we halted at a small village, and,
on resuming the march, turned in an easterly
direction, sthe road leading along a high ridge from
which magnificent views of the lake were obtained,
and a glorious panorama of hill and dale, diversified
with splendid forest. We spent that night at a
large village, and' the following day .went On to
Eubaga, Mtesa's capital, which we reached on
June 30th. We were taken to a group of huts set
apart for our use, in sight of the palace.
July 2nd was the day fixed for our first inter-

104 UGANDA AND THE '¦' EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Yiew with Mtesa. From an early hour numbers of
natives, dressed in the picturesque costume of the
country, had been seen hurrying past our compound
towards the palace. About eight o'clock Simbuzi '
and another chief, Serute by name, attended by a
few soldiers, came to fetch us, and we set off dressed
in our best, accompanied by some of our servants
bearing the presents for the king. About 150 yards
through a narrow lane with gardens on either side,
brought us into a magnificent road some eighty
yards wide, leading straight up to the palace, which
stood on the top of a hill about three-quarters of a
mile distant. At the farther end of this road, out
side the palace gates, was a vast crowd of natives, as
noisy and inquisitive as any London mob, but much
better behaved. As we drew near the palace en
closure, a sliding door was thrown open and a file
of soldiers, dressed in white uniforms and armed
with guns, came out to meet us, and then, turning
round, marched before us. The palace itself is
approached through a number of courts, separated
from each other by high fences with sliding doors
between, and, in each of these courts, two files of
soldiers were drawn up, who presented arms as we
. approached. On entering the last court a number
of drummers beat a most deafening salute, and a
bugle rang out the call to dinner. Hat in hand, we
entered the hall of the palace, a fine room about
seventy feet long. All the great chiefs of the

LIFE IN UGANDA.

105

¦r

country were here seated along the walls on wooden
stools ; they were dressed in Arab chogas of various
colours, and presented a brilliant spectacle. All
rose as we entered, and we made our way up to the
farther end, where stood Mtesa, dressed in Turkish
costume and wearing a handsome sword ; he shook
hands with us and motioned us to two seats, and we
had time, while the drums were beating, to survey
the scene and make mental observations on the
king and his court. Mtesa at that time was a very
fine-looking man, tall and slender, with a Coptic type
of features, delicate hands, and large expressive
eyes. Silenee having been ordered, our guide was
called, and narrated his adventures, his finding us
at Ukerewe and the return journey to Uganda ;
then our letters of introduction were read and our
presents produced. Smith apologised for the small
number of the latter, some having been stolen on
the road, and Mtesa remarked " Great rivers swallow
up small ones, and now that I have seen your faces
I do" not think of anything else." Soon after our
interview terminated, and we returned to our house
favourably impressed with all that we had seen.
In the afternoon we had another interview with
Mtesa, and explained fully to him the object of our
coming to his country ; we also asked him to give us
land to build on, permission to hold services in his
palace on Sundays, and to teach his people. He
gave us land at once, and promised to send men to

, ' •./,-

106 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

I

.v»:-,

help in building a house. We wished to build a brick"
house with two storeys, but he would not consent to
that; so we agreed that he should build us a house
in native fashion, but according to our plans, with
doors and windows, and this was at once begun.
The next Sunday, according to our agreement, I
held a service at the palace, about 100 persons being
present, including Mtesa himself. The service was
conducted in Swahili, for Mtesa understood, that
language perfectly, and many of the chiefs spoke it
moro or less.
The new house, which was situated in a large
garden or plantation of about two and a half or
three acres in extent, progressed but slowly, and
it was three w^e'eks before the roof was on. Mean
time one or other of us was constantly up at the
palace, talking with Mtesa or speaking to his people.
At first Smith was unable to get out much, as he
suffered terrible pain in his wounded eye ; for, as we
afterwards discovered, a piece of glass from his
spectacles, which he was wearing at the time of the
attack, had been driven right into the eye, completely
destroying the sight.
Smith remained with me in Uganda till July
30th, when he left to return to Ukerewe, His
intention was to help O'Neill to finish the dhow,
and then to explore the Shimiyu and Buana rivers,
which both flow into Speke Gulf, to ascertain if
they were of any value as a means of approaching

LIFE IN UGANDA.

107

c',S%

^

the Nyanza, and to survey the southern part of the #
lake (a work for which, being a naval officer, he was
well fitted). This having been accomplished, he ,'
hoped to return to Uganda with O'Neill and any
other who might by that time have reached the
Lake. I walked some distance on the road towards
Ntebbi with him, ,and, on parting, he promised to
return as soon as possible. Poor fellow ! I little
thought it was the last shake of the hand I should
receive from him in this world. I walked slowly
home, realising for the first time that I was alone.
Alone as far as all human fellowship and sympathy
were concerned, but still not alone, for God was
watching over me.
About a week after Smith's departure, I moved
into the new house, which had a fine view of the
palace from the verandah, and at once began getting
the garden into order. I had a number of seedt
which I had brought from England, a good many
choice vegetables and useful plant seeds having
¦ been kindly given me by the authorities at Kew,
through .Professor Thiseltpn Dyer; only a few!
however, of these came up, and among them the
Eucalyptus globulus, which for a time did well and
grew rapidly, then suddenly all the young plants
died in a few days, probably from my ignorance of
how to treat them or to regulate the amount of
moisture. I also sowed a quantity of wheat and
onions, which both did very well, and planted

108 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
cassava and sugarcane ; and later on, when the
rains began, I cleared a piece of swamp at the
bottom of my garden, and sowed it with rice, which
throve astonishingly. Near the house I sowed a
few flower seeds, and when the plants came into
blossom, they made the place look quite bright.
These flowers were a great puzzle to the natives;
when they began to blossom, they were much
struck by them, and wanted to know what they
were. "Were they food?" "No." "Were they
medicine ? " " No." " What were they, then ? ''
" Oh, only to look at." But that they would not
believe; that a man should be such a fool as to
take the trouble of cultivating plants only to look
at was more than ' they could credit, and so at last
some one who had seen me out sketching with my
colour-box came to the sagacious conclusion that
they must -be " paint."
Meantime I was busy working at Kiganda and
forming a vocabulary by the help of Mufta (the
young negro left here in 1875 by Stanley), and of
Simbuzi, the chief already mentioned, and who used
to come and see me nearly every day. I was con
stantly up at the palace, and had frequent interviews
with Mtesa, generally at his luchiko, a council
which was held almost daily, and which was attended
by the principal chiefs of the country. Frequent
opportunities presented themselves for religious
discussions, in which Mtesa showed an immense

LIFE IN UGANDA.

109

amount of shrewdness. Things went on thusf %
quietly for some time, there being but few incidents
to break the monotony of the weeks. One some- .
what alarming event happened, however, .and that ¦
was the discovery of a huge python or boa constrictor
in my. garden. I had a few goats which had been
given me as presents by Mtesa and his chiefs, and
these were allowed to graze in a waste piece of
ground at the bottom of my garden. Two or three
of these goats had disappeared since I came to the
new house in a most mysterious manner ; they could
not well have been stolen, for they disappeared
during the day while my men were with them, and
at night they were. kept in a hut where one of the
servants slept. I was greatly puzzled to know
what had become of them, till one afternoon, when
I was sitting in my verandah reading, one of my
servants came rushing up to the house exclaiming
that they had found a python ; so I fetched a rifle,
and, slipping in a couple of cartridges, went to look
for it. At the bottom of the garden I found all my
men standing round a clump of bushes in which
they said the reptile was lying, and they pointed
to an opening where they said I could see it. I
looked and looked again, but could perceive nothing
but what I thought to be some withered leaves ; at
last, however, I saw that these brown and yellow
leaves were the markings of the head of an immense
snake, and taking careful aim at it, I fired. The

110 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

smoke hung so thick about the ground for some
seconds that we could see nothing, and when it
cleared away, the reptile was gone. This was
alarming ; I must have missed it, and the creature,,
roused from its torpor by the report, might any
minute fasten on one of us. My men however
declared that it was hit, and began searching care
fully in the rank grass, which was about five feet
high, and soon we saw some reeds a few yards off
moving. The men at once began beating these
down, and one of -them, catching sight of the python,
threw a spear at it and wounded it ; this brought it
struggling and writhing out of the grass, and getting
a good view of it, I put a bullet into the thickest
part of its body, and broke its spine, thus rendering
it perfectly helpless. A rope was then fetched and
tied round it, and it was dragged up to the house
for examination., On measurement it proved to be
about fourteen feet' three inches long, and thirty
inches in circumference at the thickest part of the
body. We then found that my first bullet had
passed, right through the head, but without touch
ing the brain. These reptiles are very common in
Uganda, and just about the time that I had killed
this one, one of Mtesa's numerous wives was swal
lowed by one.
For some time after Smith's departure, Mtesa
was extremely friendly, and supplied me pretty
liberally with food, but afterwards he became very

LIFE IN UGANDA.

Ill

remiss in this respect, and left me for weeks at a
time without any. Smith also, thinking, that the
supplies from the palace would be kept up with the
same liberality as at first, had left me comparatively
few cloths and beads, and I was often very much
puzzled how to get a meal. Mtesa, too, began to
bully me, to try and get me to promise him arms
and ammunition ; when we first came he broached
this subject, and seemed .much disappointed at our
refusal to have anything to do with the matter, and
for a long time he never referred to it again. But
after Smith left, hoping, I suppose, to find me
more compliant now that I was alone, he was per
petually bringing up the subject and laying traps
for me, to try and get me to promise to make him
guns, or at least to assist him in procuring arms.
'Both these things, of course, I persistently refused
¦to do, and in consequence I was in his black books
for some time. One of the ways in which he showed
his displeasure was by turning me out of the house
he had given us. As I afterwards found, this was
at the suggestion of one Hamis, an Arab employe of
Said bin Salim, governor of Unyanyembe, and Bur
ton's and Speke's former Eas Kafilah. Mtesa wanted
at. first to send me into some wretched little huts as
bad as could be, but I absolutely refused to stir till
he built me a decent house, and this he at last
consented to do. I had tried hard to buy land when
we first settled in' Uganda, and had begged Mtesa to

t.

112 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

let me give him something for that on which the
house was built, as that would have given uS a right
to it, which the natives would have respected, but
Mtesa could never be induced to sell in any way.
When Smith left Uganda, he said he hoped to
be back there by the end of October, but I heard
nothing about him till November the 11th, when I
received a budget of letters from England, which
Smith had sent on by an Arab. I had not had a line
from England since February, and it may well be
imagined what a delight it was to get these letters
and papers, though they were most of them fifteen
months old. A letter from Smith said that the
mail had been brought with a caravan of stores by
an Englishman named Morton, who had left again
for the coast, that the dhow was nearly finished, and
that when that was done and he had explored the
Shimiyu, he and O'Neill hoped to come on to. Uganda.
Another month had passed away, I had moved into
my new house, and matters were going on much as
before, when one morning, as I was walking up to
the palace, I was overtaken by a negro trader
named Sungura, or the Babbit,' who lived in Uganda,
and he told me that a white man had arrived in
Uganda from the North, that his name was Abdul
Amini, and that he was sent by Colonel Gordon to
see Mtesa. Of course I was anxious to see this
" Mzungu," but he was ill for some time after he got
to the capital, and Mtesa, who did not wish me to

S< k

LIFE IN UGANDA.

113

see him, put all possible ohstacles in my way. At
last, however,' on December 27th, I met him at
Mtesa's court, and he proved to be Dr. Emin
Effendi (how Bey), who had been sent by Colonel
Gordon on a diplomatic errand to Mtesa. Dr. Emin
seemed much surprised to see me, and asked if I
had just arrived in Uganda, and was immensely
astonished when I told him that I had been there
six months. He had known of our mission, and
had expected to have heard of our arrival, and
on entering Uganda had repeatedly inquired if
there were any nows of us, but was always told
that there was none; and when he asked Mtesa
himself, he received the same answer, that nothing
had been heard of us. The Doctor, who spoke good
English, gave me all the. latest European news,
which was some nine months more recent than
any I had, and kindly offered to do anything for me
that he could. On leaving the palace we walked
together down the hill, followed by a large crowd,
and on reaching the turning down to my house, I '
invited Dr. Emin to return home with me, and we
both proceeded towards it, but had not got far when
three or four chiefs came rushing after us, and in
sisted on the Doctor returning to his own quarters.
The next day 1 went up to the palace again,
hoping either to see Dr. Emin or to get permission
to visit him, but without success. Mtesa, however,
told me that he had heard that O'Neill had reached
vol. i. T

114 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Ntebbi, and would be at Eubaga in a day or two ; of
Smith he said there was no news, but I concluded
that O'Neill had had charge of the Daisy,- that she,
being the better sailer, had arrived first, and that
Smith would shortly follow in the dhow. So I re
turned home with a glad heart to prepare to receive
them. I heard nothing more, however, that week,
and on the morning of Sunday, 30th, I went up to
the palace to hold the usual service. There was an
unusually large attendance, and during the service
a man came and told me that Hassani, our inter
preter, who had been with Smith and O'Neill, had
come, and wished to speak to me, and I told him to
wait till service was over. After service I was pre
paring to leave, when Hassani suddenly appeared
with two or three other men, and kneeling down
before Mtesa, said in Swahili, " Seyidi, bwana Smith
bwana O'Neilli na Wang'uana wao wote pia wame-
. kufa ; Lukonge wamewaua." (" Your majesty, Mr-
Smith and Mr. O'Neill and all their Wang'uana are
dead ; Lukonge has killed them.")
I could hardly believe my ears ; the blow was so
sudden and so severe, that it almost took away my
breath. So, after putting a few questions to Hassani,
I told Mtesa that I must go home and think about
it. When I got home I cross-questioned Hassani,
but could not get much out of him beyond the fact
that the dhow had been wrecked, and that, some
dispute having arisen about her, between Lukonge

:

LIFE IN UGANDA.

115

and Smith, the Wakerewe had attacked and •
murdered Smith, O'Neill, and their men, and also
Songoro the trader, from whom the dhow was
purchased, and -who happened to be with them at
the time. I thought over the matter, and decided
that at all risks I must go down to Kagei, or if
necessary to Ukerewe, to inquire into it. In the
evening I went up to speak to Mtesa about it, and
on my way met one of the principal chiefs, Cham-
balango by name, who said Mtesa was very angry
Lukerewe had killed his " guests," and that he
talked about sending a thousand canoes to punish
him. I told Mtesa that I had made up my mind
to go to Kagei and find out all I could about the
murder of Smith and O'Neill, and asked him to do
nothing till we returned. He quite approved of my
going, and said he did not think Lukonge would
have dared to kill white men, and his (Mtesa's)
guests too, and might be only detaining them as
prisoners in order to extort a heavy ransom. He
offered also to send two or three men with me, and
to this I agreed.
Before leaving, however, I was anxious to see
Dr. Emin, and get him to forward letters for me to
England : so, the following morning, I went up to'
the palace, and asked Mtesa to let me go to see the
Doctor ; after some hesitation he consented, but said
I must go at once ; and selected several men to go
with me. I suspected that Mtesa's objection to my
i 2

¦>"¦

116 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
visiting Dr. Emin was the fear that I should send
letters through him to Colonel Gordon, and this I
afterwards found was the ' case, and the reason of
hurrying me off in this way was to prevent me
returning home to get any letters which I might
have written. However, I was prepared for this,
and having written my letters the previous evening,
had brought them with me. I found Dr. Emin living
in a nice hut on the road to Nabulagalla, Mtesa's
other capital, and about two miles from Eubaga. He
welcomed me very warmly, and I spent the greater
part of the day with him, exchanging notes with
him and receiving much valuable information. On
leaving, Dr. Emin gave me a number of medicines
of which I was in great need, for the small stock
which I had brought with me from Kagei had long
been exhausted under the frequent demands made
upon it by the natives ; he also gave me a quantity
of tea, soup, spices and other good things, andJast,
but not least, a bundle of English newspapers. I in
return gave him some objects of natural history and
a copy of my meteorological observations during the
six months I had been in Uganda. I also entrusted
a packet of letters to the Doctor, choosing a moment
when all Mtesa's men had left the hut to slip them
into a box. I had made it a rule always to have two
or three letters begun, so that should an opportunity
of sending a mail occur, I might- have something
ready to send at a moment's notice.

LIFE IN UGANDA.

117

The following day was spent in waiting for Mtesa's
men who were to accompany me, but who did not
turn up till evening. I left Eubaga on January 2nd,
1878, and reached Ntebbi at noon the following day,
the remainder of that day being spent in getting the
Daisy ready for sea, and collecting provisions. We
got off early in the morning of the 4th, with a light
breeze from the N.E., and kept among the islands all
day. At night the wind died completely away, so
we anchored near an island, intending to wait for
daylight to go on ; but, about midnight, a violent
storm broke on us, and the men, fearing that the
Daisy would drag her anchor (as the bottom was a
bad one), begged me to go farther out, which I did,
but in the darkness got on the top of a sandbank
with only a few feet of water on it, and where
there was a terrific swell : fearing, however, that
we should get on the rocks, I anchored there, and
spent the rest of the night tossing about in a most
violent manner.
The storm left a good breeze behind it, and as soon
as the east was grey, we weighed anchor and ran
rapidly on for three or four hours. About noon we
got clear of the islands, and then the breeze died
suddenly away, a dead calm ensuing," relieved only
by occasional puffs of wind ; and this continued all
night, so that when we woke up on the morning of
the 6th, we found that we had only made about four
miles since the previous evening. There was not a

118 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
breath of wind the whole day, the sea being as
smooth as glass, without a ripple to break the calm
surface, and our boat lay like
. A painted ship upon a painted ocean,
with a scorching sun overhead and a fierce glare
from the water. At night I got the men to row for
some hours by promising them a bullock when we
reached Kagei, and we made pretty good progress,
so that in the morning an island was just visible on
the southern horizon. A breeze sprang up too, and
we made about three knots an hour. Before long,
however, storm-clouds began to gather in the S.E.
and N.W., and about ten o'clock the wind shifted to
the S.E. ; we tried tacking, but did not make much
progress. It soon became clear that we were be
tween two storms, and that if possible we must get
out of their track, so, having noticed what I thought
to be a low barren island to the west at no great
distance, I turned the Daisy's head in that direction.
This supposed island proved afterwards to be the
hilly coast of Uzongora, distant some thirty miles.
The wind had begun to freshen now, the lightning
gleamed more brightly, and the thunder rolled
nearer. With every stitch of canvas spread, we
raced over, the waters ; there was a man at every
rope and sheet, and not a word was spoken. The
wind grew stronger, and the waves began to be
crested with foam ; the crew were getting nervous,
. but we kept on with all sail spread, till at last the

LIFE IN UGANDA.

119

water began to come in over the lee rail ; then the
order was given to shorten sail, and as the gale in
creased, the sails were furled, till we were running
with only a double-reefed foresail and jib. At last,
¦ with a blinding flash of lightning and a terrific
crash of thunder, the storm was on us, and there
was nothing left for us to do but turn the boat's
head round- and run before the gale to meet the
other storm. We soOn met it, and the sea which
was raised by the conflicting forces was terrific;
the Daisy was tossed about by the waves like a cork,
and every minute I thought she must be swamped.
The crew were perfectly panic-stricken ; some cried
like children, others began saying their prayers, the
only occasion, during the whole time they were with
me, on which I ever knew them to pray, though they
professed to be strict Moslems. Only one of them
retained his senses, and with his aid, I got the boat's
head round, and we flew along with the gale, which
carried us in a southerly direction. When at length
the storm cleared off, we found ourselves close to the
island which we had sighted in the morning, and
which proved to be Stanley's Alice Island. We
made for this place, and anchored for the night in a
fine, almost land-locked bay on the N.E. side. We
had more rough weather after leaving Alice Island,
and on one occasion I was rather alarmed by seeing
three waterspouts at the same time, all within a
short distance of the Daisy. On the 10th we sighted

120 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
land again, and in the afternoon passed the island of
Kome, and fan along the coast of Uzinja, finally
reaching Kagei about noon on January 12th, having
thus been nine days at sea.
On going up to our quarters in the village, almost
the first person to greet me was one of our carpenters,
a man of the name of Sisamani, who had been with
Smith, and was supposed to have been -killed. As
soon as 1 saw him I thought there was some chance
of. the report of the murders being false, and I at
once demanded his story, but it only confirmed the
news which Hassani had brought, and proved beyond
a doubt that both my poor comrades had indeed fallen.
I began at once to collect all the information! could
get about the massacre from the Wang'uana and
others, and also from a young Msukuma chief called
Nunda, who had been over to Ukerewe with Smith,
and had escaped from the fight.
It was very difficult indeed to get anything
approaching to a connected account of the sad
affair, and there are many details of it which are.
still obscure, and which probably will never be
cleared up in this world ; but the following is the
story which I think is nearest the truth.
After the purchase of the dhow (which, it must be
understood, we were told was free of all claims on
the part of Lukonge) and Smith's and my departure
for Uganda, things went on very smoothly for a
time, till O'Neill caught a negro, Hamis by name, a

LIFE IN UGANDA.

121

slave of Songoro's, trying to cheat him in some oil
which he had agreed to buy, and O'Neill refused to
deal with him. This greatly enraged Hamis, and
in order to revenge himself he told Lukonge not to
let the dhow go, and assured him that Smith had
never paid for her. So when the dhow was launched
the king, one fine morning, made a raid upon our
building-yard, and carried off the dhow's mast,
rudder, and anchor. Smith, who had now returned to
Ukerewe, of course expostulated, and then it turned
out that Songoro, contrary to his representations,
had never paid Lukonge a farthing for the timber of
the dhow, and had besides appropriated twenty-five
dollars' worth of property which Smith had sent
by him as a present for that monarch. Songoro at
first denied this, but it having been conclusively
proved after a three days' discussion in Lukonge's
presence, the latter professed himself thoroughly
satisfied that Smith had acted fairly by him, and
returned the mast, &c, saying, however, that
Songoro must pay him three frasila (105 lbs.) of
ivory for the wood which he had cut. To this
Songoro was obliged to agree, and left some slaves
and other property as a pledge with Lukonge. The
dhow was then rigged and departed, with everything
on board, for Kagei: but on nearing that place a
storm came on, and the bottom being bad, she
dragged her anchor, drifted on to the rocks and
became a total wreck. Some time was lost in fish-

i

122 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
ing up the cargo of the dhow and breaking her up,
and then Smith and O'Neill started for Uganda in
the Daisy, towing a small dingy behind. But the
wind was fresh, and the strain of the dingy proving
too great for the Daisy to stand safely, they were
obliged to put back. Meantime Songoro had col
lected the requisite amount of ivory, and Smith said

LIFE IN UGANDA..

123

fgS-Kfti

TIKEBEWE AND THE ISLAND OF VEZI FHOM MY TENT AT KAOEI.
he would go over to Ukerewe, and see fair play be
tween him and Lukonge. He and O'Neill accord
ingly went over in the Daisy with several servants,
independently of the boat's crew. All went round
in the Daisy to Bukindo, and stayed at • Songoro's
establishment. The ivory was paid and the pledges
restored. Then it seems that Lukonge meditated
treachery against Smith, O'Neill and Songoro, and

Songoro suspecting this, asked Smith to allow him
to send some of his wives and children over to Kagei
in the Daisy. Smith seems to have expected an
attack, and begged O'Neill to go round in the Daisy,
so that he at least might be safe; but O'Neill
refused, saying, if there was any danger he would
share it with Smith. Smith consented to Songoro's
proposal, and ordered Hassani to take the boat
round through the Eugeshi Strait to Nasso, a large
village on the southern side of the island of Ukerewe,
and there to wait for orders. Some of Songoro's
wives and children were sent off at once overland to
Nasso, and arrived there about the same time as the
Daisy. Hassani, who had been privately warned
about Lukonge's intentions, got the women on
board, and saying that he was not going to stop and
be killed, set sail for Kagei. They had not got far
from land when the party arrived at Nasso, and at
once made signals to Hassani to return, but he
refused, although implored to do so by the women
on board. Smith and O'Neill, with their servants,
the chief Nunda, two Waganda, Songoro and his
party stayed at Nasso, hoping no doubt that the
Daisy would ere long return ; but, either that same
evening (December 13th, probably) or the next
morning, they were attacked by Lukonge's men,
and after a brave resistance were nearly all
massacred, only two or three saving themselves by
flight. O'Neill shot thirty of his assailants dead,

124 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
and wounded many more, before he fell from an
arrow which struck him in the head; Smith was
almost the last who fell, and was said by some to
have been writing-in a book nearly the whole time
of the fight. Some of the Wang'uana tried to
escape by swimming, but were hunted down by
the Wakerewe in canoes, and speared in the water.
Among those who were killed was Hamis, Songoro's
slave, and the originator of all the trouble. After
all was over, Lukonge cutoff the heads of Smith,
O'Neill, and Songoro, and hung them up in his
principal hut ; the bodies he threw into the Lake.
Sisamani, the carpenter,. was taken prisoner, and after
being kept in captivity eight days was released and
sent back to Kagei.
The news of the fight and massacre was ' soon
brought over to Kagei by the runaways, and Hassani
sent men down to Unyanyembe to meet Mackay, who
was supposed to be on his way to the Lake, to tell
him what had happened, and then, after waiting some
days longer, came over in the Daisy to Uganda to
tell me. The immediate cause of my companions'
death was Hassani's desertion; for, had he obeyed
orders and waited at Nasso, it would have been
possible to have transported the whole party by
relays to one of the nearer islands in a very
short time, and as the Wakerewe are badly pro
vided with canoes, they would have been safe
there. Besides that, had the Daisy been at hand,

LIFE IN UGANDA.

125

they would have been able to hold their own
against the natives, as nearly all the ammunition
was on board, and it was not until all the cartridges
were expended that the Wakerewe were able "to
close with them.
It was not till months after my visit to Kagei, and
subsequent to Hassani's dismissal, that I found all
this out. This further evidence was obtained chiefly
from the accounts of the two Waganda who were
with Smith, and who were the most trustworthy
witnesses of all, as they had no special bias in favour
either of Lukonge or the Wang'uana and Hassani
. which would influence their evidence. Had I known
this earlier, Hassani would certainly not have escaped
scot-free as he did.

126 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

CHAPTEE VI.
KAGEI TO TABOBA AND BACK.
After collecting all the information about Smith
and O'Neill's death, I began overhauling all the
stores and taking stock of what was left. I soon
found that there was very little cloth, and that I
could not go on much longer without supplies. On
January 16th men arrived from the coast bringing
a batch of letters, which contained, amongst other
news, the pleasant intelligence that two more men
had been sent out with orders to join Mackay, who
had recruited his health, and was intending to come
on to the Lake, He had constructed a road from
Sadaani #to Mpwapwa, and at the time the mail
runners left the coast had formed a caravan of
bullock waggons, and was about to start with his two
companions. As it was extremely doubtful when
this caravan would arrive at the Lake, I decided to
go myself, with a few men, to Unyanyembe, and buy
a sufficient quantity of cloth to last me for some
time. I engaged twelve men of Kadiima's, the chief
of Kagei, to go with me and bring back my supplies,

KAGEI TO TAB ORA AND BACK.

127

and with these men, three servants, and the two
mail runners, I left Kagei on January 19th. I
followed pretty much the same route as that which
O'Neill and I took on our journey up the previous
year. The caravan was small, and the men lightly
laden, so we travelled rapidly, spite of very wet
weather, and reached Semwi on the 28th, thus doing
in nine days a distance which occupied twenty-five
days on my previous journey. I rested one day at
Semwi, being delayed by the flooded state of the
river Monungu. When I arrived at the village the
chief was making up a caravan to go down to the
coast, and I was witness to the ceremony of " doctor
ing" it, to make it "lucky." The intending travel
lers having been collected in the open square of
the village ,to the sound of a drum, were inspected
by a haggard old mganga, or sorcerer, who had been
making " medicine " for them. This medicine was
a dirty white liquid contained in a calabash, and of
which he took a good mouthful and squirted it over
each of the party ; whereupon the women of the
place, who had assembled to watch the operation,
set up a loud yell, and then began marching about
the village singing and howling, a performance
which they kept up, to my great discomfort, for
several hours. Next morning there was an exciting
leopard hunt close by. During the night a leopard
had got into a neighbouring village, and all the
people had turned out to try and kill it. The

128 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
village consisted of a group of tembes with, a tall
hedge of euphorbise round it, and having a consider
able space, between the hedge and the huts, covered
with high grass, in which the leopard had taken
refuge. On hearing about it, I took my rifle and
went over to the place with some of my men. A
large crowd was collected outside the boma, or fence,
armed with guns, spears, and clubs. All were afraid
to venture near the spot where the creature was
said to be concealed, and contented themselves by
firing random shots into the bushes, at far greater
risk to the villagers than to the leopard. On the
arrival of my men they plucked up courage, and
two of my servants with some others began beating
the grass, and soon made the leopard show himself ;
he tried to bolt, but finding himself surrounded,
sprang right on the top of two of my men, knocking
them down and scratching them badly ; so I took
them back to the village to dress their wounds,
and handing my rifle to one of the mail men,
told him to be more careful ; but I had not been
back long, and had scarcely finished dressing the
others' wounds, when he came in, his face streaming
with blood and one ear completely torn off. It
seems they had driven the leopard into a corner of
the hedge, and this man was peeping in to see where •
it Was, when the beast sprang out on top of him and
tore the ear away. Ultimately the creature was
killed, but not before it had badly wounded six more

KAGEI TO TAB ORA AND BACK.

129

men. Next day, the 30th, we continued our journey. •
An hour's march brought us to the valley of the
Monungu, which was flooded : we entered the water
about a mile from the river, and it got gradually
deeper, till, near the northern bank, it was up to my
armpits. On reaching the actual banks of the
river, which were a little higher and had only about
three feet of water above them, we found that the
bridge was completely washed away. Men were
sent into the jungle to cut creepers, and with these
we formed a handrail which was fastened to trees on
either side, and then we crossed by holding on to the
rail and feeling for the logs, which had formed the
bridge, with our feet. This was such a long opera
tion that it was far on in the afternoon before we
were all across, and we had to encamp in the jungle
on the opposite side on the first dry spot we could
find. At night, some lions, attracted by two or
three cows we had with us, kept up a concert round
our camp. The following day we reached Masimbo,
the point at which O'Neill and I had struck the
Unyanyembe route when on our way to the Nyanza
the previous year. We left Masimbo on February
2nd, our road lying through cultivated country
during the whole march. I went on in advance of.
' the caravan, and, while halting under a tree for the
men to come up, saw a man rushing along the road
after us with a red blanket on his shoulders streaming
in the wind ; he came up to two of my servants and
vol. i. K

130 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

greeted them most affectionately, and then rushing
up to me, almost embraced me in his eagerness. I
was the man who had acted as O'Neill's and my
kilangozi from' Mpwapwa to Ng'uru ; he was chief of
a village near, and hearing that I was passing, came
out to meet me. He expressed great sorrow that we
had not camped the previous night at his village, as
he "would have given us something to eat," and
begged me to pay him a visit when I returned from
Unyanyembe. Soon after parting from our demon
strative friend we narrowly escaped a fight. As we
were passing through a field, an old woman who
was hoeing corn took fright, and, thinking us Euga
Euga (highwaymen), rushed off to the village scream
ing, and soon a crowd of men, armed with guns,
bows, and spears, came rushing down towards us. I
walked slowly to meet them, and as they got near
shouted their ordinary salutations. They stopped,
evidently astonished at hearing a white man address
them in their own language ; we entered into con
versation with them, and the affair ended in a hearty
laugh at the fright they had received, and in plen
tiful abuse of the old woman who had raised the
alarm. From there we went on to the village of a
chief called Mtinginya, a man of great authority in
this part of the country as he had made blood
brotherhood with Mirambo, the renowned African
Buonaparte, also because he possessed a' large
number of guns. He had the character of being

KAGEI TO TAB OB A AND BACK.

131

well-disposed towards Englishmen, and my men
were looking forward to a good feast. As soon as
we were seen from the village a number of men
came rushing out to meet us, yelling and brandish
ing their arms, and a stranger to African, modes of
welcome would have thought that we were all going
to bo murdered on the spot. Mtinginya received me
very courteously, and I was soon surrounded by a
curious throng watching my every movement. They
were much exercised about a swinging lamp that I
had, and could not for a long time make out what it
was, but finally came to the conclusion that it must
be a hat. At this village I saw the first attempt at
carving Avhich I had ever observed among negroes,
vizi, the figure of a woman, life-size, on the gate of
the village. The idea could scarcely have been
copied from the Arabs, as Mohammedans consider it
a sin to make any figure or image of human beings.
Just as we were starting, the following morning,
two men, sent by Said bin Salim, the Governor of
Unyanyembe, to make inquiries about the massacre
at Ukerewe, arrived; and, among other news, told
me that Mackay and his party had reached Ugogo
some three weeks previously, and would soon be at
Unyanyembe. The two succeeding marches took us
through jungle with clearings at intervals and large
well-fortified tembes. On emerging from the jungle
on February 4th we entered a plain with numerous
tembes scattered about it ; to our surprise we heard
k 2

132 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN. .
heavy firing at no great distance, and on turning a
corner came in full view of a brisk fight which was
taking place between 300 or 400 of Mirambo's Euga
Euga and the people of a large village about half a
mile from the road. We quickened our steps on see
ing this, as we were not anxious to be drawn into the
row. At every village sentries were stationed, and
challenged us as we passed ; and once a fine-looking
chief came running out and advised us not to stop
in that district, but told us of a' village where we
might safely stay the night. On February 7th I
reached Uyui, a large village in a district of the
same name, about twenty-five miles N.E. of Tabora.
I had not been many minutes in the village when I
was informed that a white man was encamped not
far off, and wanted to see me. . I wondered who it
could be, as it was hardly possible for Mackay's
party to have arrived so soon ; so I at once set off,
and soon reached the camp, when I found the
" Mzungu " to be an Englishman, Morton by name,
who has been already mentioned as having brought
up some stores for us to the Lake. He had been
paying a visit to Mirambo, and was now on his way
to the coast. He told me that there had been a
rebellion at Unyanyembe, headed by an Arab,
Abdullah bin Nasibe, surnamed by the Wanyam
wezi, Kisesa, or the Valiant, from the courage
which he had displayed in the wars between Mirambo
and the Arabs. Said bin Salim the governor had

KAGEI TO TABORA AND BACK.

133

been driven out and Kisesa had usurped his post.
This rather upset my plans, as Morton said- it would '
not be safe for me to go to Tabora just yet, and
there was no news of Mackay, the story told by
Said bin Salim's men being an utter falsehood; so I
decided to wait a few days here to see how matters
turned out, and to write home accounts of the events
of the last few weeks. On February 11th, news
having come that Tabora was quiet again, I went
over there, and was hospitably received by Kisesa
and his brother, Sheik bin Nasib, at their comfort
able house in Kwihara, where I remained until the
15th. I may mention here that the name Kazeh,
given by Speke and Grant to Tabora, and which
has puzzled some travellers, was the name of Musa
Mzuri's house; most of the Arab houses having
distinctive names. Sheik bin Nasib had been a
long time at Unyanyembe, and I had several con
versations with him about Livingstone, Burton
(Haji Abdullah, as he is called), and other travellers,
more especially Speke, who is undoubtedly the most
popular of all the European explorers in this part oIl
Africa. Sheik bin Nasib had also, in his younger
days, been to Karagwe and Uganda, and told me
long stories about Dagera and Suna, the fathers of
Eumanika and Mtesa. Suna he represented as an
intensely nervous man, who was in constant dread
of assassination, and who would, on that account,
never sleep in his own house, but waited till it was

134 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
quite dark, and then used to sneak out to the house
of one of his favourites and spend the night there.
I found that the Arabs here had a curious idea that
the rocks, of which there are many round Tabora,
produce fever. On asking Sheik bin -Nasib how it
was there was so much ague at Tabora, " Don't you
see those ? " he said, pointing to the rocks ; " those
are the cause of it." I believe Humboldt speaks
of a similar idea being entertained by the South
Americans. On the evening previous to my departure, Kisesa
had asked me if I should be willing to conduct to
Uyui some of Said bin Salim's wives and children,
who had been left behind when the ex-governor
had to flee, and of course I consented. So in the
morning I went out to a Bmall village on the edge
of the forest, which lies between Unyanyembe and
Uyui, and there I found the women and children
with a number of servants. The women were not
in a condition to ride, and wished to make the long
march at night, to avoid the heat of the day, and
accordingly we started about six o'clock p.m. and
marched on slowly for several hours, but finally
were compelled by a violent thunderstorm to halt.
We reached Uyui about half-past nine the follow
ing morning, receiving a most enthusiastic welcome
from Said bin Salim's people, who had thoughtfully
prepared for us an excellent breakfast. The king
of Uyui, Majemba Gana, gave me a good tembe

'¦,

KAGEI TO TABORA AND BACK.

135

inside the Kwikuru, or capital, and supplied me
liberally with food during my stay. Said bin
Salim also frequently sent me presents of fowls,
curry and rice, so that I lived in clover.
Uyui is a large town for Africa, and consists of
a collection of well-built tembes closely packed
together, with winding streets shaded by large
fig trees. It is strongly fortified with a palisade
of high poles and a deep ditch, and, if provided
with a good stock of water and provisions, could
hold its own for a long time against a besieging
enemy. There is a dense population in and around
the capital, so that it offers a good field for mission
ary operations, and the Church Missionary Society
has now (1881) a prosperous station there. The
king, whose real name I never heard, goes by the
pseudonym of .Majemba Gana, or " The hundred
hoes," the origin of which is said to be the following
circumstance. Some years ago, when Mirambo was
less powerful than he is now, he had made a raid to
the east of Uyui, and had obtained a large amount
of booty; being anxious to return home by the
shortest route, which lay through Majemba Gana's
territory, and not knowing how the latter was
disposed towards him, Mirambo sent a deputation
to him with a hundred hoes and a hundred bullets,
with the following message, " If you desire peace
take the hoes to till your fields; if you desire
war take the bullets, for you will need them all."

:-S}

136 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Majemba Gana took the hoes, and has ever since
been on friendly terms with Mirambo.
I remained a few days more at Uyui, hoping to
get news of reinforcements, but none came ; so, after
having sent letters after. Morton, who had left for
the coast during my absence at Tabora, I started
for the north on February 21st. The rainy season
was now at its height, and large tracts of country
were under water, making marching very un
pleasant., However, we pushed on fast, for, as the
porters were going home, they needed no other
inducement to travel well, and after spending a
day with Mtinginya reached the Monungu again
on March 4th. We found this river even fuller
than it had been on the journey down, six weeks
previously, and it was only crossed after many
hours' work, up to our waists in water the whole
time. We stayed a day at Semwi to rest, and here
I found that Said bin Salim's two men, whom I
had met at Mtinginya's, had played me a mean
trick. Some of Songoro's people who had been at
Kagei at the time of the Ukerewe massacre had
left for Unyanyembe, on hearing of their master's
death, with a quantity of property which had been
advanced to Songoro by Said bin Salim to trade
with. This property they had left at Semwi in the
chiefs care, promising him a present if he would
look after it. On the governor's men arriving here,
they heard about this property, and, having ascer-

KAGEITO TABORA AND BACK.

137

tained that the chief was a friend of mine, repre- 9
sented to him that it was my property and that I
wanted it in a great hurry, and would give him a
good present when I returned ; whereupon the chief
foolishly gave up the goods, and on my arrival
came and asked for his present. Of course I knew
nothing about it, but it took nearly a whole day to
convince the chief that it was no concern of mine.
After leaving Semwi we made very rapid marches,
the weather being finer and the country generally
drier. On March 8th, as we were passing through
some jungle, and when approaching the district of
Usmao, I was much surprised by the appearance of
Hassani, and about a dozen of the Wang'uana whom
I had left at Kagei. On seeing me they fired off
their guns, an insane custom, which they observe on
all possible occasions. I asked what they meant by
disobeying my orders and leaving Kagei, and learnt
that they had all run away in a panic upon hearing
some absurd story about the intention of Lukonge ¦
to come and attack our depot. This was a most
improbable tale, as, though Smith and O'Neill had
been killed, yet the Wakerewe had been far too
severely punished in the fight to willingly face fire
arms again. These gallant fellows (the same who
lay down in the boat when we were attacked at
Ukara) hoped to frighten me, by this means, into
returning to Zanzibar. However I kept on, and on
emerging from the jungle we saw a number of men

138 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

coming to. meet us, decked out in their war costume.
A party of natives from this district had attached
themselves to my caravan, and I thought this de
monstration must be to welcome them home ; but, as
we advanced, I saw armed men rushing towards us
from every direction, and noticed some cattle being
driven off in hot haste towards the villages : this
and the total absence of women (always a bad sign)
showed me that a fight was imminent. Still I
marched on steadily, telling the Wang'uana to keep
together and be quiet. I tried to get into conversa
tion with one or two niamparas, but they only
answered my "Wanga ruka?" (How are you?) and
" Shiza" (Good morning) with surly grunts. Matters
grew worse, the crowd around us thickened every
moment, and at last a great burly fellow knocked
the kilangozi down and snatched the flag from him ;
one of the Wang'uana flew upon him and recovered
the flag. I thought a fight must ensue then, for,
though the Kagei men behaved admirably, and were
as cool as possible, the Wang'uana were beside them
selves with fear, and it was all I could do to restrain
them, for I was determined, if there must be a battle,
Jwould not begin it. I had, however, no doubt that we
should have overpowered them, as, though far out
numbered by the crowd, we were much better armed,
and I had with me several Waganda who were on
their way from Zanzibar with 80 lbs. of gunpowder
for Mtesa. Just at this moment an old niampara

KAGEI TO TABORA AND BACK.

139

who had travelled with me before, and with whom I
had been on friendly terms, elbowed his way through
the crowd, and sending them to the right-about
with a big stick, came up to me and greeted me
very affectionately. He then walked at the head of
the caravan to the chiefs village, while another
niampara walked behind and kept guard in the
rear. On making inquiries, I found that the report
of the Wang'uana's guns had been heard, and they
concluded that it must be Mirambo and his Euga
Euga about to make a raid oh the district.
Next morning, when preparing to start, a number
of the Wang'uana came and said, if I persisted in re
turning to Kagei they must leave me. So I told them
they were a lot of cowards, that I was not going to
turn back for their tales, that they were welcome to
go, as not one of them was worth his salt, and
reminded them that by thus breaking their contracts
they would forfeit every farthing of pay. Well,
they said, they must go, but begged that I would
give them a letter to the English Consul at Zanzibar.
" Oh, with pleasure," I said, " and you will all be put
in prison when you get there," and with that I gave
the order to march. That same evening, about an
hour after I reached the next camp, they all arrived,
the imaginary dangers of Kagei having vanished be
fore the prospect of imprisonment. On March 15th
our eyes were gladdened once more by the sight of the
Nyanza, and that same evening we reached Kagei,

140 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN' SOUDAN.

having made about seventy miles in the last three
days. Having now safely arrived at Kagei, I made
preparations for returning to Uganda. I first set
the carpenters to work overhauling the Daisy and
getting her ready for sea. Then I looked through
all the stores and repacked them, as I wished to take
with me as large a cargo of goods as possible,
especially of those things which' the Wang'uana were
most likely to steal. I then intended that the
Daisy should return and bring a second cargo to
Uganda, leaving at Kagei only the heavy tools and
machinery, which would have to wait for an engineer
to be turned to account. The Daisy was more out
of repair than I had supposed, and I did not get off
till March 22nd. We had a good run across the
Lake, reaching Ntebbi early in the morning of the
25th. Here I met an Mganda chief, who was just
starting for Kagei to meet me, bearing a letter from
Mtesa, in which he begged me to return as speedily
as possible ; so I sent word to the king of my arrival,
and requested that men might be sent to transport
my goods up to the capital. On the 28th I sent
the Daisy back to Kagei for a 'second cargo. One
of the crew, Baraka bin Asman (who was precisely
the reverse of what his first name signified, viz.,
" a blessing "), wanted to stay in Uganda, but as the
Daisy was short of hands I refused, and on his
persisting, I told him if he did not obey orders I

KAGEI TO TABORA AND BACK.

141

should punish him, whereupon he burst into tears
and wept like a child. This man was an inveterate
opium-eater, and when he could get his darling
drug was in a chronic state of maudlin Stupor. I
reached Eubaga on March 31st, and the following
day had an interview with Mtesa, who seemed much
pleased to have me back again; and I heard an
amusing story of the discomfiture of a mandwa, or
sorcerer, who, one day, just after Mtesa had sent to
meet me, appeared at court and assured him that I
should never return to Uganda. Next day came the
news that I had arrived at Ntebbi ; so Mtesa sent
for the mandwa, and asked him if he had heard
that this prophecy had been nullified. " Oh," was his
reply, " the Mzungu has reached Ntebbi, but he will
never reach Eubaga." " Do you mean that I am to
kill my guest?" said Mtesa. "No, you are a liar,
and your prophecies are untrue : you shall go to
prison;" and the man was put in the stocks there
and then. I found, on inquiring, that Dr. Emin
had been nearly three months in Uganda and had
left only a short time before my return.
On April 30th two mail runners arrived from
Ntebbi, bringing a large batch of letters, newspapers,
. and periodicals. They had come over in the Daisy,
which was then lying at Ntebbi. Among other
letters was one from Mackay, in which he said
he was then (January 11th) about to despatch a
caravan under the care of an Arab, to Kagei, and he

142 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
himself hoped to follow later on. On May 5th the
Wang'uana arrived from Ntebbi with most of the
goods which they had brought over, and for the next
three or four days I was very busy writing letters
for England and making out discharge notes for
the Wang'uana ; for I had decided to dismiss them
all, as I was thoroughly disgusted with them, for
they were, as a lot, lazy, dishonest, and insubordi
nate, besides being a considerable expense. The
Wang'uana all left on the 12th of May, and I got
two Waganda boys for servants.

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

143

CHAPTEE VH.

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.
The country of Uganda is situated on the north,
north-west, and west of the Nyanza or Victoria
Lake. Its boundaries are, approximately, the
Kagera, or Kitangule, river on the south, the thirty-
first parallel of east longitude on the west, the first
parallel of north latitude on the north, and the Nile
on the east. The western frontier of the country
is very ill-defined, and may be found to extend
considerably beyond the limit here assigned to it.
The Equator, as will be seen from a glance at the
map, divides the country into two tolerably equal
parts. Three provinces are included under the general
name Uganda : viz. Uddu in the south between the
Kagera and Katonga rivers, Singo in the west, and
Chagwe in the east. To these must be added the
group of islands (probably about 400 in number)
known as Sesse.
The physical features of the country vary con
siderably in different districts, and for the purpose

144 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
of description may, roughly speaking, be divided into
the coast portion and the interior portion. Along
the shore of the Nyanza, and for some distance
inland, the country is mountainous, especially at the
extreme north-west corner of the Lake, where
ranges of flat-topped hills occur, intersected by
deep swampy valleys. Down these valleys sluggish
streams make their way to the Nyanza, their beds
choked by dense masses of reeds, papyrus, and
grass ; while their sides are clothed with magnifi
cent forest and a rich undergrowth of ferns, of
which I collected some fifty species ; long rope-like
creepers hang from every tree; troops of grey
monkeys swing from bough to bough, and make the
woods ring with their discordant shrieks ; flocks of
large grey parrots fly screaming about ; delicate
little honey-birds, their plumage glowing in the
sun like living rubies or emeralds, hover over the
bright-coloured flowers on the forest's edge, and
in the open glades countless butterflies, of all the
hues of the rainbow, flit about. As the traveller
gets farther from the Lake the valleys widen, the
hills lessen, the forest trees are gradually supplanted
by the wild date palm, and rank grasses take the
place of the ferns. Near the northern boundary
the hills, with one or two exceptions, disappear, and
the country becomes a plain intersected at long
intervals by huge rush drains, and covered with
open forest or jungle, where the eland and other

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

145

antelopes, herds of elephants, buffaloes, zebras,
rhinoceroses, and wild boar find a home.
The eastern part, of Uganda, between Eubaga
and the Nile, consists of undulating country, the
ridges running in a N.N.E. — S.S.W. direction, and
intersected by deep, narrow valleys. The steep sides
of these ravines are dotted with splendid forest trees,
whose foliage is so dense as to create a perpetual
twilight, even at noon, while festoons of graceful
creepers and feathery ferns overhang rapidly flowing
streams whose clear cold waters reach to the knees,
the whole scene being one of weird beauty, and an
almost perfect realisation of one's childish dreams
of fairyland.
The coast region of Uganda is the most fertile
district •' that I have seen in Africa. There, as
everywhere through the Equatorial belt, the banana
flourishes ; every village and every hut is surrounded
by vast groves of this plant, and on climbing some
mountain in the more densely populated districts
the traveller sees all round him these broad tracts
of pale green, reaching far up the sides of the hills,
and extending in every direction as far as the eye
can penetrate. The extreme fertility of the country
is owing to the abundant supply of moisture ; for,
lying, as it does, within the belt of perpetual rain,
there are showers during every month in the year.
The two periods of maximum rainfall are March,
April and May, and . September, October and
VOL. i. i

146 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
November. During these months rain, falls nearly
every day, usually accompanying" thunderstorms
which recur at almost the same hour each day with
remarkable regularity. The mean annual rainfall
is not however very great, and will probably be
found to be about 50 inches. The climate of Ugan
da is a remarkably mild one, and the temperature
is very uniform all the year round, owing, doubtless,
to the great elevation of the country (viz. from
5000 to 6000 feet) and the proximity of the vast
bodies of water in the Victoria and Albert lakes.
During the whole of my residence there the tem
perature never rose above 90 degrees Fahrenheit
in the shade, and rarely fell below 50 degrees at
night, while during the middle of the day there
was generally a pleasant breeze. There is however a
good deal of ague, especially in the swampy districts
near the capital, though this will doubtless become
much rarer among Europeans as better houses are
built. ' ¦
There being two periods of maximum rainfall in
the year, there are two crops of cereals in the twelve
months, consequently the natives of Uganda reckon
each period of six months as a year. The year and
the month being their only divisions of time. The
first month of each of these years is called " the
month of sowing food," and the other months those
" of eating food."
One feature which strikes the traveller in this

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

147

:.-¦.'¦, '?.¦

country, and which shows the superiority of the
Waganda over the surrounding nations, is the won
derful roads which connect the principal villages
with one another and with the capital. These roads
often lead straight as an arrow over hill and dale,
through forests and across swamps, and, even in the
more thinly peopled districts, are kept wonder
fully clean and free from weeds. Across the larger
swamps causeways are carried, with bridges, formed
of trunks of trees, at intervals to give free passage
to the streams which filter through them. One very
large morass between Eubaga and Murchison Bay
had a regular corduroy road formed across it by
trunks of the wild date palm, which were laid side
by side on the treacherous surface of the floating
vegetation, and formed a secure and permanent road.
The mineral products of the country so far seem
to be of little value. The geological formation of
most of the rocks is igneous or metamorphic. The
surface soil for a depth of a few feet is a rich black
alluvium : under this is a bed of red sandy clay
averaging probably about thirty feet in thickness,
while under this again there is in many places
a deposit of tolerably pure china clay of unknown.
thickness; a large quantity of talc is found in
some places, and at the outcrop of the meta
morphic rocks on the hillsides, . moderately good
specimens of rock crystal are procured. There is a
considerable quantity of ironstone in some districts,

148 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN 'SOUDAN.
but it is impossible to say to what depth it extends..
As far as can be ascertained, there are no sedimentary
rocks in Uganda, and no metal except, iron is known
to exist.
Several tribes are to be found in Uganda, living in
different districts or scattered through the country.
The most' important tribe, in every respect, is that
of the Waganda, with whom may be classed the
islanders (Basesse) who inhabit the islands along the
coast of Uganda, as they come of the same stock, and
speak a dialect of the same language. They are
pure Negroes, with dark chocolate-coloured skins,,
and short woolly hair. The men are rather above
the average height, well made and powerful, and the
women when young are often good-looking, with
small neat hands and feet.
The Wahuma, who come next in importance, are
a singular race; under the names of Watusi and
Wahuma, they are found scattered throughout
Eastern Central Africa, from the equator to the
seventh parallel of south latitude. As Speke has
shown, they are probably descended from the original
inhabitants of Abyssinia. They are a tall, fine race,
with handsome oval faces, thin lips, and straight
noses. Their women are particularly handsome-
looking, and are highly valued as wives by the Wa
ganda chiefs. Wherever met with, the Wahuma are
the herdsmen of the country, living chiefly on milk
and flesh, and but rarely cultivating the ground, and

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

149

consequently in Uganda, where they are despised, «
it is almost impossible to induce' a Mganda to tend
cattle. These Wahuma are a very exclusive race ;
they have a distinct language of their own, live in
out-of-the-way villages, generally on the borders of
the jungle, and rarely intermarry with the surround
ing tribes.
There are a few Wanyambo, or natives of the south
of Uddu and Karagwe, to be found in Uganda. They
are inferior in physique to both the tribes already
mentioned (though probably they have an admix
ture of Wahuma blood in their veins), and speak a
different language. They are generally cowherds.
The last tribe which claims our attention is that of
the Wasoga, who come from the country of Usoga to
the east of Uganda. They are a brave, warlike race ;
but have been gradually subdued by the Waganda,
a large part of Usoga being under Mtesa's sway.
They are a good deal darker than the Waganda,
and generally wear their hair long. They are consi-
.dered good musicians, and there are many of them
in Mtesa's bands; and also a number of Wasoga
women are scattered about the country in the
harems of the various chiefs; these are mostly
prisoners taken in war and given as presents by
Mtesa to his officers.
Albinos are often met with in Uganda, being
apparently commoner there than among any other
tribe I have seen. They are looked upon as

150 UGANDA AND THE E-GYPTIAN SOUDAN.
curiosities, and are kept in the establishments of the
king and great chiefs. Their hair is straw-coloured,
their skin, which is rough and coarse, is of a pinkish-
white colour, and their eyes are very sensitive to
light. No clue can be got from the natives about
the origin of these monstrosities. The. assertion
which has been made that they are the offspring of
the union of brothers and sisters, all, even Mtesa
himself, absolutely deny. They say that the parents
sometimes have one or two normal children, then an
albino, and then another normal child ; and they
further assert that albinos have been known to inter
marry, and to have perfectly normal children.
There are a few dwarfs to be seen about the court,
where they are privileged nuisances, like the jesters
of the Middle Ages, and like them, they are petted
and indulged, and often become possessed of large
herds of cattle, goats and sheep.
The total population of Uganda, after. very careful
calculations, I estimate at five millions. Of ¦ course
this estimate can only be an approximation, but I
believe it will be found to be in the main correct.
The female population is largely in excess of the
male, the. proportion being about three and a half to
one. This excessive preponderance of the females
over the males is due to three causes.
1. Careful observation has established the fact that
there are a good many more female births than male,
and on taking the groups of children playing by the

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

151

roadside there will always be found to be more girls ^
than boys.
2. The Waganda are constantly at war with one
or other of the nations round them, and their battles,
being hand-to-hand encounters, are fearfully de
structive. In one engagement which came under
my immediate notice, fifty per cent, of the Waganda
warriors were killed, and, as they gained the day,
the loss of their opponents must have been even.
greater. 3. The rule with the Waganda, when they have
taken a town or district, is to put all the full-grown
men to death, and to take the children and women
prisoners, and as the Waganda are almost always at
war, there is a constant influx of women, who are
distributed among the chiefs and successful warriors.
The above estimate, if correct, would show the total
male population of Uganda to be about 1,400,000,
and as every man who can handle a spear and shield
is a soldier, the total military strength of the country
would be probably from 500,000 to 600,000 men. It ¦
is not likely, however, that (at the most) ..more than
a third of this number would ever be available at
one time for war.
The Waganda are distinguished from all the
neighbouring nations by their, dress, as with the
exception of the Wanyoro they are (as far as is
known) the only tribe in Central Africa who clothe
themselves from head to foot. The laws about dress

152 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

are very strict, and it is death for a man or woman
¦ to be found in the public roads without proper
clothing. When in their houses they are not so
particular, and the younger women often dispense
with it altogether. When going into battle, too,
the men divest themselves of all their garments,
with the exception of a loin-cloth, in order to give
greater freedom to their limbs. The national
costume is the mbugu, or bark cloth, which is worn
by the men as a loose flowing robe tied in a knot
over the shoulder, leaving both arms bare, and .
coming down to the feet ; while the women fasten
it tightly round the body, just under the armpits.
Sandals made out of buffalo hide are often worn, and
fantastic head-dresses or turbans of calico or coloured
pocket-handkerchiefs. Over the mbugu a robe of
beautifully dressed skin is sometimes worn by the
chiefs. These robes are made either of a whole
bullock-skin with the hair on, or of two or three
goat-skins sewn together ; but the one which is most
highly prized consists of from twenty to forty skins
of the " ntalaganya," a diminutive antelope, about
the size of a hare, which has a beautifully glossy
coat of a rich dark brown colour.
. Foreign dress, however, is gradually making its
way among the people, and Mtesa himself has quite
discarded the native mbugu in favour of Arab and
Turkish costume. The commonest article of foreign
dress is the kanzu, or shirt of calico, which reaches

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

153

down to the heels, and is secured round the waist
by a sash or girdle. Kuftans or chogas, embroidered
gowns of woollen stuff, and of various colours, are
worn by the king and richer chiefs, while trousers,
stockings, red shoes, and fezes have been introduced,
and are gradually spreading through the country.
The arms of the Waganda are spears, which are
generally very well made ; the head is about fifteen
inches long, the blade being about two-thirds of that
length; the shaft is ordinarily about seven feet
long, and beautifully turned. They also carry a large
oval shield which covers the greater part of their
bodies. These shields are made of a light wood, and
slope backwards at a slight angle, and are covered
with open basket-work made of thin strips from the
stem of a creeper. There is a boss in the centre,
and the inside is hollowed out to reduce the weight ;
a wicker handle, frequently made in the shape of
a lizard or some other creature, is fastened inside.
The Wahuma use bows and arrows in addition to
spears. The bows, which are rather large, are un
usually stiff; the arrows are about three feet long,
and often hideously barbed, and sometimes poisoned ;
but owing to the extreme stiffness of the bows they
seem unable to discharge an arrow effectively to a
greater distance than forty yards.
The Waganda, besides their native weapons, possess
a tolerable number of guns, the total number in
the country being probably about 2000. These

154 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

include almost every kind of fire-arm, from the
primitive matchlock up to modern breach-loading
and repeating rifles. The commonest kinds are flint
locks and smooth-bore percussion guns, which are
mostly cheap and inferior weapons manufactured
in Belgium, and their bursting causes numerous
accidents. Owing, however, to the scarcity of
ammunition, they are not much used in war, though
some of the Waganda are excellent marksmen.
Mtesa has also four small cannon, such as are
used on board ships for signalling ; of these he is
very proud, and thinks they are capable of performing
wonders if used in the field.
These weapons are all imported from Zanzibar,
as the Egyptian government absolutely forbids trade
in arms and ammunition with negro tribes.
The Waganda, in common with many negro tribes,
are a decidedly musical race, and have a tolerable
variety of musical instruments. The most important
of these is the nanga or harp. It consists of a stout
hemispherical framework of wood, over which the
skin of some animal is tightly fastened to form a
sounding-box, the skin of a large species of water-
lizard (Varanus niloticus?) being the one usually
employed. From six to eight strings, made of the
twisted intestines of the goat or sheep, are secured to a
rib which runs along the centre of this box, and are
then stretched to pegs inserted in holes bored in a
curved bow which rises from the box. By these

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

155

pegs the strings can be tightened or relaxed as in
our violins, the bow being bound tightly round,
between the pegs, to prevent its splitting. The
strings are struck with the fingers as in the European
harp. Drums, ng'oma, are largely used by the
. Waganda, and are of various shapes and sizes. The
larger drums are conical in shape, and are formed of
a block of hard sonorous wood, carefully hollowed
out. The head is made of a large ox-hide, which is
carefully fitted to the shape of the drum, and
secured by numerous strips of skin to another hide
fastened round the bottom, and can be tightened, if
required, by twisting the connecting bands. These
drums are generally placed on the ground, or sus
pended round the neck of the performer, and beaten,
on the upper side only, with two drumsticks. There
are also long narrow cylindrical drums, of which the .
head only is covered with skin, generally that of the
water-lizard or a large snake, the bottom being left
open. These are usually carried under the arm and
beaten with the palm of the hand.
There are several large drums, of unusually fine
tone, which belong to Mtesa, some of them having
been made by former kings. They have each a dis
tinctive name, and are kept carefully guarded, being
only used on grand occasions.
'¦-. The harmonicon, "madinda," has the greatest
compass of any of the musical instruments of the
Waganda. It consists of a number of pieces of a

156 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
hard resonant wood, thick at the two ends, and
scooped out in the middle, which are laid side by
side across two logs, and struck at either end by two
drumsticks. There are from twelve to twenty of
these pieces, and they are often played on by two
performers at once, one on each side, so that a chord
of four notes can be struck.
None of these musical instruments have sharps
or1 flats, but only whole tones ; though this does
not arise from the inability, of the native ear to
appreciate semitones, for when taught European
music they can distinguish them readily enough.
The Waganda have two sorts of wind instruments,
flutes and horns. The former, " ndelle," are made of
a large reed or the hollow stalks of an umbelliferous
plant, and have from two to four holes which can be
closed with the fingers. They are blown from the
top like a clarionet.
The horns, ng'ombe, are the horns of cattle and
antelopes, and are blown at the side. Some of
them have the tip cut off, leaving both ends open,
the smaller aperture being closed with the finger at
pleasure, and so producing two notes. These are used
both as musical instruments and to convey orders
. from the chiefs on the march and in battle. Besides
these instruments, they have small iron bells which
are tied to the wrists and ankles, and are used to keep.
time with to the music They make also rattles,
which consist of bottle-gourds, filled with dried peas,

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

.157

the necks being then stopped up. They are used
for the same purpose as the bells, and generally form
part of the stock-in-trade of the medicine-men, who
employ them in their incantations. The Waganda
have a considerable variety of tunes, and those to
which they dance are quite distinct in style from the
songs. It need hardly be said that they have no
written music, all tunes being played by ear.
The tools used by the natives of Uganda are
comparatively few and simple. The hoe, nkumbe,
which is the universal implement for tilling the
ground, is heart-shaped, with a long tang or pro
jection, from the broad end, which is firmly tied
to a hook-shaped wooden handle about three feet
long. They have two forms of axe, the one a rude
wedge-shaped piece of iron, which is inserted in a
heavy wooden handle, and is used for felling trees
and splitting up firewood ; the other is a much more
elegant instrument, with a broad thin blade almost
. crescent-shaped, and is fastened like a knife in the
end of a long well-balanced handle of wood.
The knives are always curved, the blade being
about nine inches long, and very thin. The iron,
which is all obtained from native ore, is hard, of fairly
good quality, and takes a tolerably keen edge. The
flat part of the blades, both of the knives and axes, is
covered with a thin film of black oxide of iron (except
just along the cutting edge), which prevents them
from rusting. They are also sometimes painted with

158 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
red oxide of iron, procured from' an ore resembling
haematite. The tools used by the blacksmiths in making these
implements are generally of the rudest possible de
scription ; oblong stones serve as hammers, and large
flat ones as anvils, the tongs being often merely
pieces of green wood with a cleft in them. How
ever a few iron hammers and tongs have been
imported from Zanzibar, and some of the native
smiths are skilful in the use of the file, which has
also been introduced. The bellows which supply the
blast for their charcoal fire3 consist of two earthen
pots firmly bedded in the ground ; over the mouths of
these a pliable skin is fastened, while to the centre
of this sticks are tied, which a boy, holding one.
in each hand, works rapidly up and down alternately,
thus giving a constant blast. There is a hole near
the bottom of each pot, on the side facing the fire,
and through this the blast passes to a clay tube
which conducts it to the hearth.
The food of the Waganda, especially of the lower
classes, is chiefly vegetable ; the principal article
being the banana. As already mentioned, this grows
everywhere in Uganda, and requires little or no
cultivation. There are several varieties of this
plant, which shows that its introduction, assuming
that it is -not indigenous, dates back a considerable.
period. These varieties are used for different
purposes, some being boiled, others roasted, and

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

159

others again made into wine, and each has a dis
tinctive name. The usual mode of preparing the
banana is to cut it from the plant while green, to
peel and then boil it, when it closely resembles
mashed potatoes in appearance. It is also cut in
slices and dried in the sun, in which state it can be
kept for an indefinite period against times of scarcity
or for use on a journey ; as so prepared it is pounded
to a coarse flour in a wooden mortar, and either
boiled to a pudding or made into cakes.
The sweet potato forms, next to the banana, the
main article of food, and is the chief vegetable
cultivated by the natives.
In addition to these" plants, the Waganda also
grow Golocasia antiquorum, Selmia bulbifera, yams,
several species of beans, two or three kinds of
pumpkins, a species of solanum, sugarcane, a kind
of red spinach, cassava, maize, millet, tullaboon,
end sesamum. The coffee-tree is extensively culti
vated, but the' berry is very small. The wild
edible fruits are not very numerous, the principal
being the matungru, mpafu, nsale, mzabibu, and a
fruit like a custard-apple. The matungru is a species
of amomum. . The mpafu is a fruit like a damson, with
an intensely hard stone and a sweet nut-like kernel*
The tree which produces it is the finest in Uganda,
attaining a height of from 100 to 200 feet, with
huge branching arms, and a trunk often five feet in
diameter. It has pinnate leaves, and the bark

160 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
when wounded -yields a white, opaque, sweet-scented
gum resin which is highly prized by the natives.
Uzongora, on the west of the Victoria Lake, is the
only other , country where , I have seen it, but
Cameron mentions a tree of the same name as having
been met with by him near the Tanganyika Lake.
Besides these native fruits and vegetables, the
Arab traders from Zanzibar grow wheat and rice ;
onions, tomatoes, guavas, pomegranates and papaws
have also been introduced by them, and are
gradually spreading through the country; while
from Egypt have come radishes, and the Hibiscus
esculmtus (Arabic baumian). Meat is eaten by
all who can obtain it, but with most it is a
luxury rarely indulged in. The beef is tough and
insipid, and usually utterly devoid of fat. Sheep are
comparatively scarce, and the best meat is goat's
flesh, which when young is tender and well-flavoured.
Fowls and' eggs are but seldom eaten. Near the
Nyanza and on the islands fish is largely consumed,
there being a great variety in the Lake, from the
diminutive "mukeni," about the size of whitebait,
up to the huge "kambari," which often weighs 100
lbs. and upwards. Some kinds of fish are dried and
sent inland, being exchanged for coffee and other;
products. The modes of cooking in vogue among the
Waganda are comparatively few, but some of them
show a considerable amount of ingenuity. The pots-

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

161

used for most culinary operations are large globular
earthen vessels holding about two gallons. For
the purpose of boiling bananas a large leaf of the
same plant is laid carefully in the pot, and the
peeled fruit having been placed in it, water is
poured into the pot, underneath the leaf, so as not to
touch the bananas, which are thus steamed only. If
meat- or fish have to be boiled, a young banana-leaf
is taken and the greater part of the mid rib re
moved, it is then held for a few seconds over the
fire, thus rendering it tough, so that it will bend
without breaking ; the meat, etc. is then tightly tied
up in it and placed on the top of' the bananas, and
the whole cooked together. By this means the
meat is rendered tender, while all the gravy is
retained in the leaf, and can be served up with it.
Meat is also baked in these pots, two or three sticks
being placed across the bottom to prevent the. meat
touching it and getting burnt. Smaller pieces are
skewered on sticks and roasted over the hot ashes.
Some kinds of bananas and the ears of maize are
roasted in the ashes.
The chiefs and upper classes of people generally
eat with their families and head slaves. The meals
are served up in a large hut, the floor in the middle
-of the room being covered with a layer of banana-
leaves ; on these the food is placed, and every one
gathers round in a circle. The hands are first
washed, either with water or with circular napkins,
vol. i. M

162 UGANDA AND TEE. EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
the size of small plates, cut out of the succulent
stem of the banana ; these napkins contain so much
sap that no water is required. Then all fall to
with their fingers, a slave cutting pieces of meat off
the joints for the party, with a knife or sharp
splinter from a reed. If the host wishes to show
particular attention to a guest he pulls off pieces of
fat or other choice morsels and hands them to him,
or he may produce a little salt. Good salt is a
great rarity in Uganda, most of what is commonly
used being of a dirty grey colour, and intensely
bitter. The best is said to be brought through
Unyoro, from the west of the Luta Nzige or Albert
Lake. The .meal over, the hands are again washed,
coffee is handed round, and pipes produced. The
coffee is invariably chewed by the Waganda, and
never made , into a beverage. The berries are
gathered before they are ripe, boiled, and then dried
in the sun. When chewed they have a pleasant
aromatic taste, and tinge the saliva green. Every
one in Uganda with any pretensions to being called
a gentleman carries some of these berries with him,
which he offers to his acquaintances when he meets
them. The Waganda never drink during meals, but
at the conclusion take huge draughts _of water or
plantain-wine. The plantain-wine, or " mwengi," is made from
the ripe fruit ; this is peeled and mashed up in a
trough with fine grass, water is added, and the

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

163

A

liquor thus obtained is squeezed through a strainer
into large bottle-gourds. When first prepared it
is sweet and non-intoxicating, and is then called
" mubisi " ; but when allowed to stand it ferments,
and becomes sour and intoxicating, and is then
called " mwengi." Boiled millet is sometimes added,
and it is then called " malwa." Mlamba is a weaker
beer prepared in a similar manner. The Arabs
have introduced the manufacture of spirits from
this mwengi, and distil a most intoxicating liquor
from it, containing a high percentage of alcohol.
Milk is used to a considerable extent by the
Waganda, though some of them will never touch it.
It is almost always used in the curdled state, for the
majority of the cattle are in the hands of the
Wahuma, near the great forests, often two or three
days' journey from the capital, so that it is impossible
for the milk to arrive in its normal condition.
The domestic animals of Uganda are cattle, sheep,
goats, dogs, and cats. As already mentioned, the
Wahuma are the principal, owners of the cattle,
which are large-made animals, either altogether
hornless, or having only very short horns, the
prevailing colour being brown or iron-grey, though
cattle of all the ordinary colours are to be seen.
They are bad milkers, giving only from half a pint
to a pint and a half at each meal ; for they will not
give any milk unless the calf is sucking at the same
time, and should the calf die they become dry
M 2

164 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
altogether. A curious custom prevails with regard
to milking the cattle. Men only are allowed to
perform this operation, women being absolutely
forbidden to* touch the cows' udders. The sheep
belong to the Somali breed, and are wretched-looking
creatures ; but comparatively few are kept by the
natives. The goats are in many respects the most
useful of the domestic animals, as they will eat
almost anything, fatten quickly, and are very prolific ;
but they are very mischievous, and if they get into
a garden soon make dire havoc among the trees and
plants. Dogs are kept, but not nearly to the same
extent as in Speke's time, those now found in the
country being mostly used for hunting antelopes.
They more nearly resemble a smooth English terrier
than any other dog, and are generally of a tan-colour.
As a rule they are miserable curs, and seem to be
in a chronic state of alarm, with their tails always
between their legs. A few cats are to be found, but
they are useless for rat or mouse-catching, and are
very noisy at night.
Fowls are kept by the Waganda, but they are
very lean, as they are never fed, but live on what
they can find. They are rather a nuisance about a
house, as they bring foxes and leopards to the place.
Mtesa has a menagerie at Nebulagalla, where he
has a lion, and one or two other animals, but though
his hunters frequently bring young buffaloes, ante
lopes, leopards, and other animals, they never live

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

165

long, and his menagerie never seems to increase. He
had a young elephant when I first went to Uganda,
but it did not live ¦ many months. He had also a
tame tiger-cat for two years, which used to roam
about the palace at pleasure. ¦
The Waganda are great hunters, and have a
regular system of catching the smaller antelopes.
Elephant-hunting is a regular occupation with
many of them, and they display great coolness and
courage in boldly attacking this animal with their
spears. For this purpose they always go in parties,
three or four of them attacking an elephant simul
taneously, dividing the creature's attention, and
thus lessening the risk, but spite of all precautions
many fall victims in this perilous pursuit. The
elephant is also caught in pitfalls, which are dug
near the ponds which it frequents, or in its accus
tomed haunts ; they are about seven feet deep, and
taper to a point at the -bottom, so that the unfortu
nate animal which steps on one of these artfully
concealed traps gets its feet jammed in the narrow
hole, and is completely at the mercy of' the hunters,
who quickly despatch it with their spears.
Buffaloes are caught by a wreath composed of the
branches of a thorny bush, so contrived that the
thorns all point inwards ; this, is secured by a rope
to a heavy log of wood, and placed in spots which
the buffaloes frequent. When the animal steps on
the ring its foot goes through it, and the thorns '

166 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
acting like the barb of a hook prevent its being shaken
off, and the heavy log which is attached so impedes
the creature's movements, that it is powerless to
escape from the hunters.
The smaller antelopes are captured by means of
nets. These nets are made of thick cord, and are
about four feet high ; they are supported on stout
stakes, and placed in the open runs in the forest.
A whole village often joins in the sport, each family
contributing one or two nets ; watchers are concealed
near to turn the animals towards them and to kill
them when entangled in the meshes, while the rest
of the party, accompanied by their dogs, drive the
game into the trap.
Lions and leopards are caught in traps made of
heavy logs of wood ; the animal in entering to get
at the bait displaces the logs, which falling on him
crush him to death.
On the shoreB of the Nyanza, the wild geese are
often snared by a thin cord which is fastened to the
bent bough of a tree, or a wand planted in the
ground, on the gravelly or shingly beach where the
geese come to search for worms and insects ; a noose
is formed at the free end of the cord and lightly
secured to a peg or stone. The bird while searching
for its food puts its head through the noose, and
setting the cord free, the bough springs back and
draws it tight, the struggles of the captive only
serving to tighten it.

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

167

4

Fishing is largely carried on by the islanders, and
the Waganda living near tho shores of the Lake.
The ordinary mode of fishing is with the rod and
line. The hooks are generally small, and without
barbs, and are made of native iron. The lines, which
are very fine and strong, are manufactured from the
fibres of a species of aloe. A light reed or cane
about ten feet long forms the rod, and fish of from
one to four pounds are easily landed with this tackle.
The bait used is earth-worms and fresh-water
shrimps. Night lines are also employed, the main
cord being from 200 to 400 feet in length, with short'
lines at intervals of about ten feet ; the hooks used
for . these lines are much larger than those used in
rod-fishing, and are curved outwards. Large stones
are fastened to the main cord to sink it, and floats
of ambatch-wood are attached for the purpose of
recovering it. These lines are set from canoes at
some distance from shore. Two kinds of fish-traps
are employed by the Waganda ; the first consists of
large conical wicker baskets about four feet high,
and containing near the bottom a ring of twigs
radiating inwards, so as to allow the fish to pass
in without difficulty, but closing up tight with
pressure from within. These baskets, to the number
of eight or ten, are tied side by side, and taken out
to sea and sunk with stones so placed that the
baskets lie on their sides, their mouths facing the
shore. After a time they are hauled to land by long

368 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

ropes, to which boughs are fastened for a little dis
tance from the baskets to prevent the fish escaping
as they feel the water shoaling.- Large quantities of
fish are caught in this manner. The Waganda also
employ fish-baskets exactly like our lobster- traps,
and in the same manner.
Nearly all the wild animals which are peculiar to
Africa are found in Uganda, and many parts of that
country are a veritable hunter's, paradise. The
elephant frequents the vast forests on the northern
^ frontier, and herds of them occasionally make raids
on the banana-groves, among which they commit
terrible havoc. Buffaloes abound in some districts,
and are much dreaded by the natives, who rarely
attack them. Like the elephants, they sometimes
make dreadful ravages among the banana plantations.
Ehinoceros and zebra are fairly common, the skins of
the latter being highly prized. There is a great
variety of antelopes to .be met with in the forests,
from the huge striped , eland (Oreas Livingstonii)
down to the diminutive ntallaganya, about the size
of a hare; there being in all about a dozen species.
There are a good many lions, although they are rarely
seen. Leopards are numerous, and often come into
the villages, attracted by the fowls. Chimpanzees
and several species of monkeys are found in the
forests, as are jackals, foxes and hyaenas, but hares
are rarely met with. In the Nyanza great numbers
of hippopotami are found, while a large otter, much

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

169

valued on account of its beautiful fur, frequents its
shores. Eats abound, and crocodiles are numerous *
in the Lake, and much dreaded by the natives, but
they have an inveterate foe in the shape of a large
water-lizard, which digs up and destroys their eggs.
Snakes are very abundant in Uganda, many of them
being venomous ; a harmless species, of a bright green,
gives its name to that colour. Boa constrictors are
not unfrequently met with, and in my garden at
Eubaga I shot one fourteen feet long.
Among birds the most noticeable are the parrots,
vultures, kites, and fish-eagles. There are two
species of the former; one being the grey parrot,
famed for its powers of talking, the other a small
yellow and. green bird. The first of these parrots
is very common among the forests on the shores of
the Lake, and is often seen in flocks of two or three
hundred. The vultures are the scavengers of the
towns and large villages, and there are always great
numbers of them about the capital, where they, feed
on the victims of the executioners. Kites abound
everywhere, and are very destructive to the chickens.
The finest bird in Uganda is undoubtedly the white-
headed fish-eagle {Maliaetus vocifer), which is found
on the Nyanza, and the various streams where fish
exist. Guinea-fowl are numerous in the jungle, and
afford good sport, in addition to which their flesh
is excellent eating, but they require heavy shot to
bring them down ; No. 2 is best. On the Lake vast

170 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

UGANDA AND TEE WAGANDA.

171

quantities of water -fowl are met with — ducks,
geese, storks, cranes, the sacred and glossy ibis,
darters, herons, gulls, and the gorgeous scarlet
flamingo. Mosquitoes swarm in Uganda, and constitute at
times a veritable plague. White ants are numerous,
and very destructive, and quickly destroy the poles
used' to support the native huts. Some kinds of
timber, however, they do not touch, notably the
stems of the wild date palm, which are consequently
largely used in house-building. In the months of
August and September they emerge in the perfect
or winged state from their nests, and are then caught
by the natives in vast numbers for food ; they usually
come out in the evening, and the Waganda erect
small huts over their nests to catch them, as at first
they are very feeble' on the wing and are easily
caught. At this season groups of children may often
be seen seated by the roadside, round one of these
nests, picking up the insects as fast as they appear,
and putting them into their mouths.' They are
generally fried, and when properly cooked are by no
means to be despised.
Locusts are also eaten by the Waganda, and
resemble fried shrimps when cooked.
The driver ant come/3 occasionally in swarms into
the houses, and drives out everything, taking posses
sion of the whole place. Their bite is like the prick
of a redrhot needle, and no one who has ever been

/ ^

attacked by them will willingly run the risk of ^
another visitation.
The occupations of the Waganda, generally speak
ing, may be said to be husbandry, house-building,
and fighting. The cultivation of the ground is
chiefly carried on by the women, house-building and
fighting being the only occupations which are con
sidered worthy of men. The gardens of the Waganda
are as a rule extremely neat, and are separated from
one another and from the road by high fences of
the tiger-grass, or by hedges of euphorbia and other
bushes. The hoe is universally used both for turning
up the earth and for removing weeds. The different
plants, sweet potatoes, beans, sesamum, etc., are sown
in separate plots, divided by paths, and kept carefully
free of weeds. In making fresh beds for any plant
. the soil is generally turned up to a depth of about
nine inches. The principal objects of cultivation,
beyond those already enumerated under the articles
of food, are tobacco and the bottle-gourd. The
tobacco is usually sown pretty thickly in small beds,
and when the seedlings are sufficiently la>rge they
are planted out in rows. The bottle-gourds are
generally grown over a framework of sticks, or are
trained over the huts, the object of this being to ¦
allow the fruit to grow suspended in the air, that
. it may preserve its shape, for if it is allowed to rest
on the ground the lower side becomes flattened.
The banana or plantain is generally grown alone, as

172 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

where they are tolerably thickly planted the shade
they cast is too deep to allow other plants to thrive
under it. These groves are well kept, the dead
leaves and rubbish being, periodically removed, and
sometimes, together with the weeds from the other
parts of the garden, piled round the roots of the
bananas, this being the only, attempt made by the
Waganda to manure the ground. Immediately
round their houses the Waganda have small gardens,
divided from one another by high grass fences, and
in which a few large banana-plants and a variety of
vegetables are grown.
In house-building the natives of Uganda are
superior to any of the negro tribes of Africa that
I have seen, the houses of the upper classes being
neat, clean, and roomy. The establishments of the
principal chiefs are very large, sometimes covering
several acres, and comprising a large number of
huts. The whole area is surrounded by a high
fence of grass, the supporting poles being generally
trees, a species of Ficus, which furnishes the mbugu
or bark cloth, being the most common ; these trees
throw out a large crown of branches, which afford a
pleasant shade. There is usually only one gateway,
which gives access from the highroad into a small.
courtyard enclosed by high fences, and in this yard
is a small hut or porter's lodge. The whole area is
subdivided by fences into a number of courts or
gardens, shady with bananas and fig-trees. In each

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

173

of these courts one or more houses are built, those
in the inner courts being occupied by the owner
and his harem, while those in the outer ones are
tenanted by the slaves. All the chiefs of high
rank have such establishments in the country as'
well as their town house at the capital. The houses
of the bakopi, or peasants, in the villages have
generally only one court in front of the house, and
many have no courts at all, but stand singly here
and there among the vast banana-groves which
surround each village. The houses are usually
circular or dome-shaped in form, and being thatched
down to the ground, look like huge bee-hives. The
material employed is the stout stems of the tall
tiger-grass, which attains a height of from fifteen to
twenty feet. ¦ A ring of fine grass, closely bound
round with the fibrous outer part of the banana stem,
is laid on the ground, and a number of the tiger-
grass stems securely tied to it with strips of papyrus ;
then a second and third ring are added at intervals
of about fifteen inches. The framework so formed
is now raised on poles on the site of the intended
house, and more rings are added, fresh tiger-grass
ribs being worked in as the structure widens. At
length, when the curvature of the rings becomes
sufficiently slight to allow of these same stems being
bent without breaking, the rings are formed of
them instead of the fine grass employed at first, the
whole umbrella-shaped frame being gradually raised

174 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
as the work proceeds," till the required height is
attained. Then sufficient poles are left inside to
support the whole, the ends of the ribs are trimmed
off, and the doorway is cut out. A bank of earth
is afterwards made all round, and consolidated by
wetting and stamping it, in order to prevent the
water soaking into the .house during the heavy
rains. Bundles of long grass are now tied on to the
ribs to form the thatch, beginning of course from
the bottom, and finally a peak formed of a large
sheaf of grass very tightly bound together is added,
the edges of the thatch over the doorway .. ar6
trimmed, and the house is complete outside. Porches
are generally added, and the floor having been
levelled and the partitions, of the same ubiquitous
tiger-grass, having been erected, the building is
finished. When newly built these houses are re
markably clean and neat-looking, but as there are
no windows, and no outlet for the smoke except the
doorway, they are very dark, and soon get discoloured
with soot.
In making the holes for the supporting pillars,
should the ground be hard, water is poured over it,
or else the watery tissue of the banana is squeezed
on it, to soften it so that the soil can be readily
loosened with the spear or pointed stick which is
usually employed for this work.
In the houses of the poorer classes a partition
is generally made across the centre of the hut,

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

175

facing the door, the front part being the living-room,
and the back the kitchen, for, owing to the rainy
climate of Uganda, cooking operations are not carried
on so much in the open air as they are in many
parts of Africa. The sides of the hut are often
separated from the body of it by curtains of mbugu,
behind which are the sleeping-places of the family.
But in the establishments of the chiefs separate
huts are assigned for these different purposes.
The floors of the huts are strewn with soft, fine
grass, which is carefully laid down ; first a small
bundle of even length is placed on the ground, and
then another at right angles to that, and partially
overlapping it, then a third at right angles to. the
second, and so on, forming a series of squares, till the
whole floor is covered. A few houses may be seen
occasionally with gable roofs and vertical walls, but
they have probably been copied from foreigners, and
do not need description ; Mtesa's palace at Eubaga
being the only one which merits any notice. This
was a lofty, building, some ninety' feet long and
supported on huge pillars, each being formed of a
large tree. A fine hall occupied about two-thirds
of the total length of the building, and on, either
side were two long, narrow rooms where the court
or baraza was occasionally held. At the back were
a number of smaller square, rooms, through, which
access was gained to the interior of the palace
grounds.

#-

176 ' UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Mtesa has several times changed the site of his
palace, and consequently of his capital, for the houses
of the katikiro or lord chancellor and principal
chiefs are always built round that of the king, and
consequently, when a fresh spot is chosen for the
palace, a small town of houses springs up round it,
and the old ones are deserted and soon fall to pieces
or are pulled down. The old capital of Banda, where
Speke and Grant saw Mtesa, has totally disappeared,
and not a single house is to be seen on its site ; and
one or two other towns have shared the same fate.
At present Mtesa has two capitals, Eubaga and
Nabulagalla, and lives sometimes at one and some
times at the other ; but during the two years I was
in Uganda he was living at Eubaga. Shortly before
I left the country he changed the position of his
palace, because he thought the place where it then
stood was unhealthy : in this case he only moved a
few hundred yards away, but even then the katikiro
had to move his whole establishment, and to build
new houses for himself within the orthodox distance
from the palace.
The Waganda are very particular about their
houses, and I have known a whole house pulled down
and rebuilt for some trifling flaw or fault.
Cattle-breeding, which is the only other occupation
to be noticed, is confined almost entirely, as already
mentioned, to the Wahuma.
The manufactures of the Waganda are, for an

r-;.'V

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

Ill

'uncivilised race, rather varied, and may be classed
under pottery, bark cloths, basketwork, mat-
making, metal-work, .woodwork, leather-making
and dyeing.
The pottery of the Waganda is of two kinds, coarse
and fine. The coarse kind comprises the large jars
used for carrying water in and for cooking; the
former are globular, with a narrow neck, and contain
from one to two gallons, while the latter have very
wide, shallow necks, or are open hemispherical vessels
with no necks. The finer kinds of pottery are the
black drinking-bowls and tobacco-pipes. These are
made of a fine clay- containing a large amount of
mica, and which is procured from the beds of streams,
and is probably formed from the detritus of igneous
rocks. The pipes and bowls made of this clay are
very thin, and beautifully finished and smoothed, but
as no flux or glaze is employed, they are very brittle.
When first burnt these articles are of a light grey
colour, but after being suspended in the smoke of a
wood-fire they become a permanent black. Two
shapes of pipes are used, one with a round bowl,
and containing a very small amount of tobacco,
and the other with a conical bowl which will hold
half an ounce or more ; both kinds of pipes and the
drinking-bowls are often tastefully ornamented with
patterns, which are sometimes coloured with red
oxide of iron and white clay.
The bark cloth, or mbugu, is procured from a
VOL. I. jj

178 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
species of fig — Ficus ludia — which grows abundantly
throughout Uganda. When at its full size, it is
about sixty feet high, and four or five feet in girth,
but it is from the younger trees that the bark is
usually taken. Two incisions are made round the
trunk, and a third vertically joining the other two.
The cylinder of bark is then stripped off, the outer
surface is carefully removed, and the bark is laid on
a smooth square block of wood, and rapidly beaten
with heavy wooden mallets. These mallets have
circular grooved heads, which give to the bark a
ribbed appearance like corduroy, and under their
blows the bark quickly extends, like gold under the
gold-beater's hammer, becoming, of course, at the
same time thinner. When it has been beaten out
to the requisite. thinness, which is generally a day's
work, the bark is hung up to dry, and afterwards
any holes which may have been produced in the
beating are neatly patched with the trimmings from
the edges. These mbugu, when new, are of a yellow-
brown tint, closely resembling freshly tanned leather ;
some of the finer sorts, however, are of a dull brick-
red colour. They vary much in quality, some of
the better kinds being beautifully soft, and these are
procured chiefly from the Sesse group of islands.
The principal fault of this cloth is that it soon
decays if it gets wet, but owing to the extreme
abundance of it in the country, this is of small
consequence. When old and worn, it makes excellent

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

179

:<<f:t,v.

tinder, and I have frequently seen it used by the
Waganda (and have also used it myself) for this
purpose. They twist it tightly into a rope, and
carry it with them on a journey to light their pipes
with, as in this state it will smoulder for hours.
The tree from which the bark has been removed is
not killed by the operation. The wound is covered
with banana-leaves, which are bound closely round it,
a sort of skin forms over it, and in process of time
new bark grows.
In common with most negros, the Waganda are
very skilful in basketwork. The materials generally
employed are grass, and' the leaflets of the wild date
palm. Of the former they make large shallow,
circular baskets, which are used as dishes to convey
food in ; to form these, a continuous ring of fine grass,
bound closely round with plantain-fibre, is coiled on
itself in a wide spiral, the individual rings being
sewn strongly together with the same fibre ; and so
carefully and. tightly are these baskets made, that
they are perfectly watertight. Small baskets, with
lids, are made of the leaflets of the date palm for
carrying the indispensable coffee-berries. The fish-
traps and basketwork on their shields have already
been mentioned.
They make beautiful tubes for drinking their native
beer through. A hollow curved stick is taken and
covered with close-fitting basketwork of the date
palm leaflets' dyed various colours, while at the
n 2

180 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
bottom is a strainer made of various coloured grasses,
terminating in a " crown" knot.
The mats, which are an invariable article of
furniture in every respectable family, are made of
strips of the young leaflets of the wild date palm.
These leaflets are dried and bleached in the sun,
and then cut carefully into strips and plaited into
large mats, elegant patterns being often made by
working in blue, red, or black strips. These mats
are very pliable, and will roll up without cracking
or splitting.
In metal- work, the blacksmiths of Uganda . are
very superior to their neighbours. They obtain their
iron from ore found in the country, and though
rather short, it is of good quality. Steel, except as
imported, is unknown to them. Their spears, knives,
etc., have already been mentioned. They also make
various articles, such as spears, bells, and rings, of
the brass and copper imported from Zanzibar ; and
Mtesa once showed me some brass cartridge-cases
made by his smiths, which, though only cast, were
wonderfully true and smooth. ' The Waganda are
very clever at imitating articles of European manu
facture, and frequently convert flint-lock muskets
into percussion guns.
The only noticeable articles of woodwork are their
walking-sticks and milk-pots. . Walking-sticks are
carried by all the aristocracy of Uganda, and are
made out of a hard white wood, and are beautifully

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

181

turned and polished. The milk-bowls are made by
the Wahuma out of a solid block of wood. They are
pear-shaped, containing about a quart, and are very
neatly formed and very true.
The work in which the Waganda most excel is the
dressing of skins. The hides, after being dried in the
sun, are stretched tightly in a frame, and the inner
surface is carefully removed with a knife. Then they
are rubbed over with a stone, which produces a fine
grain, and butter or oil having been worked in, they
are again exposed to the sun. This process makes the
skins as soft and pliant as kid-leather, and preserves
them perfectly. Sometimes the hair is also removed,
but more commonly it is left on. Small. skins of
antelopes and other animals are often dressed in
this way, and sewed together form robes which are
highly prized by the Waganda.
Stout sandals, sometimes tastefully ornamented,
are made of buffalo-hide. The Waganda also dye
their mbugu in various patterns, the most common
; pattern being diamonds, which are printed or dyed
in black. The black dye appears to be the soot of a
sweet-scented wood. It is mixed with oil, and applied
to the mbugu. They also obtain a yellowish orange
dye from a tree called mulilila, resembling our
lauristinus. It is a gum, and exudes from the bark
in small drops or lumps.
A whole volume might bo written- on the customs
of the Waganda, but the limits of this book will

182 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

183

only allow of a slight sketch of their manners and
customs. The salutations of the Waganda are very varied ;
on meeting an equal, the ordinary salutation is
Kulungi to which the bther responds with Kuliingi ;
Otia and Otiano are also frequent salutations, to
which the same word is given in reply ; but often a
much more elaborate performance is gone through, ¦
somewhat as follows : —Otia ! otia; Otiano! otiano;
Eradi! eradi; Nyogi! nyogi ; Mam! mam. Then
ensues a series of grunts, such as one might fancy a
couple of pigs would greet each other with. When
an inferior salutes a superior, he either kneels down
or bends forward, leaning on his stick or spear, and
says Otia sebbo or Kulungi sebbo (sir), to which the
superior replies E. When two friends meet after, a
long separation they embrace one another, laying the
head first on one shoulder and then on the other,
uttering at the same time a series of grunts. The
chiefs, on entering the baraza or court, salute the
king by stooping or kneeling before him and touch
ing his outstretched hand between the palms of both
han ds, and then raising their hands to their lips. The
recipient of a favour from the king or chief expresses
his gratitude by kneeling down and putting both
hands together, moves them up and down several
times, uttering the word Nyanzige, or shortly
Nyanzig — I thank (you) ; the plural of which is
Twanzig— we thank (you). Or he snatches up a

couple' of sticks or spears, and dancing about and ,
charging towards the king or chief, declares his
loyalty and fidelity, and boasts of what he will do
in return for tho favour shown him.
One thing which strikes the traveller on first see
ing the Waganda is the utter absence of all tattoo
marks, and of any disfigurement of their persons,
such as the enormously distended lobes of the ear, so
common among the Wagogo and other tribes south
of the Nyanza ; all such practices being absolutely
forbidden by their laws. Nor do they extract or
file any of their teeth, a custom almost universal
among negros. Mutilations, except as a punish
ment, are prohibited, and are punishable by death.
The diseases to which the Waganda are subject
make a formidable list, and include most of the
principal diseases known to European physicians.
Small-pox is one of the most fatal, coming at inter
vals in epidemics, and carrying off thousands of
victims; it is of a very virulent type (confluent),
consequently so few of those attacked by it ever
recover, that it is rare to find a person, in Uganda,
marked with it ; which at first might lead a traveller
to supppose that it was almost unknown. It is
probably brought by traders and others from the
East Coast, where it is chronic. Syphilis is extremely
common, especially among the men, in all its forms,
and is a frequent complication in other diseases.
Dropsy, measles, rheumatism, ague, bronchitis, oph-

.!!*..

384 UGANDA .AND THE EGYPTIAN' SOUDAN.

thalmia, cholera, and a form of leprosy, are all to
be found: of the latter, leprosy, I never saw a case,
but, judging from the descriptions given by the
natives, it certainly is known in Uganda. Temporary
madness is pretty common, and generally lasts for
three or four days; but persons thus afflicted do not
become very violent.
Many, especially women, suffer from epileptic fits,
and girls who have this complaint are difficult to
' dispose of, and are often married without being paid
for. No medicine is used in either of- these illnesses.
Persons are often observed with white patches on
their hands, faces, and legs ; there is no disease in the
skin, but merely an absence of pigment.
The Waganda are very clean in their habits, wash
ing frequently, and never smearing their persons
with fat, which is such a common practice among
negros ; the fact of their being entirely clothed
obviates the necessity of this.
The Waganda are not bo particular about their
hair as many tribes, as they rarely dress it in any
way, and generally shave the head bare. A larger
number of them, however, have beards than any
negro race I have seen except the Wanyamwezi.
They are a drunken race, though happily it cannot
be said in their case that it has been acquired from
their intercourse with Europeans. Owing to the ex
treme ease with which the banana-wine, "mwengi,"
can be obtained, even the poorest can indulge in it,

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

185

and when not at 'work they sit sucking it through
straws or the ornamented tubes already mentioned,
consequently in the evening a considerable percentage
of the men, of what maybe called the upper classes,
are in a state of semi-intoxication. It is, however,
rare to see them helplessly drunk; nor does the
mwengi seem to produce headache and sickness as
most European liquors do, and as is the case with
the grain-produced pombe of Usukuma and Unyam-
wezi, and the merissa of the Soudan. This I attribute
to the absence of the higher alcohols, known com
monly as fusel-oil, consequent on the alcohol of the
mwengi being derived from sugar, and not from
starch, as is the case where grain is employed.
Gluttony is also a common vice with the Waganda,
and I have had men pointed out to me, who were
said to have eaten a whole goat at one sitting. They
sometimes gorge themselves to such an extent that
they are unable to move, and appear just as if
intoxicated. They are also great smokers, the women being as
much addicted to smoking as the men, but they
never use tobacco in the shape of snuff, nor do they
chew it. The tobacco of Uganda is of very good
quality, and is always used pure, without any
mixture of foreign substances ; it varies very much
in strength, some being comparatively mild, but
most of it is very strong ; it is not made up into
cakes, but used in the whole leaf. Most of the

186 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
tobacco plants are not allowed to seed, the flower-
buds being picked off before they open.
The servants in Uganda are all slaves, the majority
being born in slavery, and a tolerable percentage are
prisoners, children mostly, taken in war. They are,
as a rule, fairly well off, and are not often badly
treated ; but of course they "are liable to be sold to
the Arab and half-breed traders for guns, ammuni
tion, cloth, etc. They often live on terms of familiar
intercourse with their masters, and are treated as
part of the family. Their condition more closely
resembles that of the Eussian serfs before their
emancipation than that of the slaves at Zanzibar
and dn the East Coast. One of the principal evils
resulting from slavery in Uganda is that it causes
• all manual labour to be looked upon as derogatory
to the dignity of a free man, /and this is one of the
most formidable obstacles which the missionary and
philanthropist encounter on trying to elevate the
• people' and introduce legitimate trade and commerce.
Polygamy is' universal in Uganda, from Mtesa, who
is said to have seven thousand so-called wives, down
to the poorest mkopi, or peasant, who can scrape
together enough to buy a couple. As a natural *
result immorality is frightfully common, and all the
more so owing to the vast harems of the king and
chiefs absorbing a large part of the female popula
tion, so that many of the lower orders cannot get
wives. The marriage bond is a very loose one, and

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

187

is a purely business arrangement. The ordinary -
price of a wife is either three or four bullocks, six
sewing needles, or a small box of percussion caps, '
and I have often been offered one in exchange for a
coat or a pair of shoes. There are no laws forbid
ding the marriage of near relations, and they fre
quently do marry ; indeed on the death of any man
the eldest son inherits all his father's wives, with
the exception of his own mother. The women
rarely have more than two or three children, and
the law is that when a woman has borne a child she
must live apart from her husband for two years, at
which age the children are weaned; and -the king
and principal chiefs have .establishments in the
country where their wives are sent for that period.
In the case of the birth of twins great rejoicings
take place. On the fifth or sixth day after .the birth
all the villagers assemble outside the hut where the
mother and children are living; the women dress
themselves with a girdle of banana -leaves, and dance,
or rather sidle, in a circle round a couple of drums
(which are vigorously beaten for several hours by
relays of men) singing a monotonous sort of chant ;
the men squat about and watch the dancing, or
amuse themselves by wrestling, which is one of their
favourite amusements. The happy father, dressed '
in all his finery, meantime wanders about from group
to group, receiving the congratulations of his friends.
The navel cord is preserved, and in the case of

188 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

chiefs is covered with beads and other ornaments
and attached to a stand, the whole looking like a
huge horse-shoe magnet with its keeper attached.
In the case of the king's there is a chief of high
rank whose duty is to take care of it, and bring it to
court on certain occasions.
When a chief dies he is buried in a wooden coffin.
Slaves are not buried, but their bodies are thrown
into the jungle. Criminals who have been executed
are generally left just where they fell, sometimes
even in the highway, no one daring to remove them,
and are devoured by the hysenas and vultures.
When a man dies possessed of property it is
divided amongst' his sons, the wives, as already
mentioned, going to the eldest son, though he may,
if he likes, share, them with the other children.
The Waganda have a great variety of names, but
as a rule each person has only one, though the
kings and some of the chiefs have more. Some
names are special favourites with them, e.g. Mukassa,
the name of the lubari of the Nyanza, for they see
nothing improper in assuming the names of their
gods ; names of animals and insects are also given
to people. Many names have definite meanings ;
thus, Mtesa means one who tries or decides causes ;
- Mkavia or Mukavia, another of Mtesa's names,
means " he who makes to weep," being derived, by
a process very common in the Bantu languages,
from the verb " kavia," " to make to cry," which

'L I
i ¦

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

189

+' i

¦Si-

again is the causative form of the verb "kava" or
" kawa," " to cry, howl, or bark." This name was
taken by Mtesa on the occasion of a great victory
gained by his troops over the Wasoga.
.There are no special days in the year, as far as
can be. ascertained, and no special seasons of rejoic
ing or festivals, with the exception of the day on
which the new moon is first seen ; then guns are
fired and drums beaten; but this is probably a
custom introduced by the Arabs, as it is only
observed at the capital.
The only trade of any importance carried on with
Uganda is entirely in the hands of the Arab and
half-breed merchants, from Zanzibar. These men
bring guns, ammunition, cloth, beads, and a few
other articles, which they barter for slaves and
ivory. Uganda is the most northerly station of the
Zanzibar traders, for though they penetrate to
Unyoro, yet their depot is at Eubaga and there
they collect their goods and form their caravans to
go south to Unyanyembe. A pretty brisk trade in
slaves is still carried on from and through Uganda,
and I met on one occasion as many as 200 going
down the Lake, in canoes furnished by Mtesa, to
Kagei in Usukuma ; and old Kaduma, the monungwa
or chief of Kagei, asserts that at least a thousand
slaves frOm Uganda come down every year to that
port, and many more go by the Karagwe route.
The Waganda have advanced far enough on the

190 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

road towards civilisation for a number of wants to
be created by the introduction of articles of foreign
manufacture which can only be supplied from
external sources. They require cloth, beads, guns,
powder, shot, brass wire, etc., which can only be
procured from the Arab traders, and the only two
things with which they can purchase them are ivory
and slaves : the supply of ivory is limited, and is
steadily on the decrease, as the elephants are
killed off, and so they sell their slaves. These
causes will also operate to increase the slave traffic
unless some external check is put upon it, for the
wants of the people increase year by year, and the
Arabs are always glad, to take slaves, as they are
more profitable than other kinds of merchandise.
Consequently there is a continual drain on the slave
population, which is already beginning to make itself
felt. And if the bad policy of the traffic is repre
sented to the Waganda in this light, they acknow
ledge it at once, but reply " We must have guns
and gunpowder and cloth, and we have no ivory to
buy with, so we must sell our slaves." The only
hope of really checking this nefarious trade is by
introducing legitimate commerce, and as in this the
Arabs cannot successfully compete with Europeans
they would soon be starved out of the country.
The principal of these Arab traders is one Moham
med bin Ibrahim, who has been some twenty years
in Uganda. Said bin Salem, the governor of Unyan-

UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA.

101

yembe— Speke and Burton's old Eas Kafilah— used
to send some of his head slaves up to Uganda to
trade, and the 200 slaves which I have just men
tioned belonged to him.
The bulk of the ivory taken in Uganda comes
into Mtesa's hands, and also a good deal from Usoga,
chiefly as tribute ; this is all sold to the Arab traders
for cloth and guns, and ultimately finds its way to
Zanzibar. There was formerly a small trade with
the Soudan, coffee, tobacco, mbugu, and cattle being
exchanged for fezes, calico, and red slippers. But
sin6e the evacuation of Mruli by the Egyptian
troops all communication with the North is at an
end. There exists a small amount of internal trade in.
salt, mbugu, dried fish, and the various articles of
native manufacture, but it is of very slight import
ance, and does not. of course, add in any way to the
wealth or prosperity of the country.
As will have been gathered from what has been
already mentioned, trade is carried on by means of
barter, and money, strictly speaking, is never used ;
still there is a recognised standard of value to which
everything is referred, and that is the d6ti, four
yards or eight cubits, of unbleached calico. Two
doti are the price of a cow, and a shuka, or half a
doti, of a goat or sheep. Cowries, which are brought
from the East Coast, are the small change of Uganda.
They are used in strings of one hundred each, ten

j - 4 .

192 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

strings, or one thousand cowries, being equal to one
doti. Beads of various kinds and brass wire are
also employed as money, but not nearly to the same
extent as cloth and cowries. The cheapest way of
buying food, especially for a small party, is to pur
chase a bullock, and having killed it exchange small
portions of the meat for bananas, sweet potatoes,
fowls, eggs, and other provisions which will keep.
For meat being a rarity among the bakopi (peasants)
they are glad to get it, and a much larger quantity
of food can be obtained in this manner than by
buying it directly for cloth or cowries.

( 193 )

CHAPTEE.VIII.
GOVEENMENT AND LANGUAGE Of THE WAGANDA.
The government of Uganda is a very perfect form
of the feudal system.' The king is theoretically
owner of all the land, but this has become, to a
great extent, a legal fiction, and the three leading
chiefs of the country are practically the owners.
The Waganda may be roughly divided into four
great classes, viz. : slaves; bakopi, or peasants, who
form the bulk of the population; batongoli, or chiefs
of the second rank, and baktingu, or chiefs of the
first rank. The bak6pi are in many respects the
most important class, partly on account of their
numbers,, partly because they supply the soldiers
who have made the name of the Waganda to be
feared and hated in all the neighbouring countries.
It is from their ranks also that the second order of
chiefs, the batongoli, is recruited, and the sons of
batongoli, their rank not being hereditary, become
again bak6pi. It. is also, I believe, among these
peasants that the efforts of the missionary will be
most successful, and that here again, as in number
less instances, history will repeat itself, and that the
VOL. I.

194 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
earliest and sincerest converts will be drawn from
among the. poor of the country. The batongoli, or
second order of chiefs, govern districts under the
bakungu, and in time of war have to furnish a
certain number of men as soldiers. Their position
is frequently bestowed upon them as a reward for
distinguished bravery in battle, and is tenable only
for life, not being hereditary. The term batongoli,
however, is a vague one to a certain extent, and
there is often a wide difference between the members
of this class, some ranking very high at court,
while others are but little removed from the bakopi.
The bakungu, or highest -order of chiefs, like the
batongoli, vary a good deal in. actual position. They
form the bulk of the great council of the nation.,
and the three leading bakungu are hereditary, the
present representatives of the three families, in their
order of precedence, being Mkwenda (or Gabunga),
Sakibobo, and Kangao. The chief officer of the
kingdom under the sovereign is the Katikiro, or
lord chancellor ; he is appointed by the king, and
holds his office for life, or during the king's pleasure,
and takes precedence of all other nobles, sitting next
the king in council. He need not be of good birth,
and may even be, as the present katikiro is, the son
of a mk6pi, or peasant. All these chiefs are, . in
virtue of their position, magistrates or judges, and
decide civil and criminal causes which occur in their
respective districts, though all the more serious

GOYEBNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

195

1

cases have to come before the leading bakungu, the
katikiro, or even the king himself; and the accused
has always the right of appeal from a lower to a
higher authority. There is, of course, no written law
by which cases are decided, but there are certain
principles of equity, in accordance with which
decisions are given. Both plaintiff and defendant
plead their own cause, and call witnesses, but cross-
examination of witnesses excepting by the judge is
not allowed. The decisions given often display a
vast amount of shrewdness and knowledge of
character. Besides those already mentioned there
are two persons of great importance about the
court, and these are the chief brewer and head cook.
They hold a high position at court, sit near the
king, and take part in the great council.
The Luchiko, or council, is the real governing
body of the nation. It consist of the king, katikiro,
bakungu, and leading batongoli, together with the
chief cook, brewer, and one or two other sycophants.
Under ordinary circumstances this council meets
every day, and spends some" hours in discussing
the affairs of the nation. It is usually summoned
and dismissed at the king's pleasure,, but on special
occasions the chiefs have the right to demand
that it be assembled if they think fit. In minor
points the king can act as he pleases, but in all
important affairs he is bound to consult the council,
which is largely influenced by the three leading
o 2

396 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
bakungu already mentioned ; and if they agree in
requiring anything, no king would dare to oppose
them, as they would undoubtedly depose him, and
place another monarch on. the throne. From this it
will be seen that Mtesa is by no means the absolute
monarch he has been represented by many travellers.
The katikiro, the three bakungu, and one or two
others, favourites of the king, form a sort of privy
council, to which all matters of paramount im
portance are first referred. ' Sometimes during a
general council these men are called aside by Mtesa
to consult on important points ; they gather closely
round the king, talking in whispers, while one of
the harp-players, who are always in attendance at
court, plays and sings to drown the sound of their
conversation. All the chiefs are expected to be in
attendance1 on the king for three months consecu
tively, and then are allowed to be nine months at
their country establishments. However, most of
the bakungu,' and some of the leading bantongoli ,
live at the capital, unless absent at war.
The royal family of Uganda is of a different
nationality to the Waganda, and belongs to the
Wahuma tribe, to which reference has already been
made. Mtesa, through the admixture of Negro blood,
has lost the pure "Minima features, but still retains
- enough of the peculiar characteristics of that tribe
to stamp him as belonging to a distinct race from
his subjects. He professes to trace back his descent,

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

197

through an unbroken line of between thirty and
forty kings, to Kintu or Ham, the founder, of his
dynasty. The following list of kings was given
me by Mtesa himself, but whether the different
sovereigns are distinct persons or not is a very
doubtful matter ; many of the names being probably
those of the same person, for it is the custom of the
kings of Uganda to take additional names on their
accession or in remembrance of any great event.
Thus Suna, Mtesa's father, had four- names, and
Mtesa himself has six. And this supposition is
made more probable from the fact that the Waganda
have mentioned to me other names of kings than
those given in Mtesa's list. The kings, arranged
chronologically are : Ham or Kintu, Chwa, Kalemela,
Kimela, Eumaansi, Tembo, Kigala, Wampamba,
Kaima, Nachibinge, Mrondo, Sekamanya, Jemba,
Suna I., Chimbugwe, Katarega, Mtebe, Juko,
Kaemba, Tibandeke, Ndaula, Kagiira, Chikurwe,
Mawaanda, Msanjej Namgaba, Chabagu, Junju,
Wasaja, Kamanya, Suna II., Mtesa.
Besides these names I have had Semakokilo and
Sematimba given me as kings of Uganda.
Mtesa, the present . monarch of Uganda, is now
about forty-five1 years of age, and when I first knew
him was tall, slender, active, and graceful in his
movements, but he has now aged a good deal,
and become broken by long illness. He is shrewd
and| intelligent, having .learnt to read and write

198 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Arabic, and he can also speak several African
languages besides his own. He has a keen eye for
the main chance, and will never lose, for want of
begging. His great aim and object is self-aggran
disement. He wishes to make Uganda the greatest
country, in the world, and himself the mightiest
monarch, and he thinks that the presence of
Europeans at his court will add to his prestige and
increase his wealth. He is always glad to welcome a
traveller, because he is another pigeon to be plucked.
He quite understands that Europeans are acquainted
with many things of which he is ignorant, and he
wishes to acquire as much of this knowledge as
possible, and also to employ their skill in procuring
arms and ammunition, believing that the secret of a
nation's greatness consists in the amount of. the
munitions of war which it possesses : and with this
view he bullies all European travellers, to try and
induce them to give, make, or procure these objects
of his desire for him. It is this also that has made
him wish to have Europeans settle in the country.
He is a thorough man of the world, and when he
pleases can be as courteous and gentlemanly as
any of our own aristocracy. He takes an intel
ligent interest in a wide range of subjects, and
will discuss for hours abstruse points in theology,
political economy, or philosophy. He is intensely
fickle, and never knows his own mind for two days
together, and like a spoilt child is always wanting a

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

199

new toy. This trait of Mtesa's character accounts
for his changes of religious profession. He is crafty,
and knows well how to swim with the stream of
popular opinion. He is very superstitious, and if he
dreams of any of the gods of the country, he takes
it as an omen of ill, and immediately offers human
sacrifices, sometimes to the number of several
hundreds, to appease the anger of the offended
deity. He is, however, too shrewd and intelligent
to believe in many of the grosser superstitions
which find credit among his people.
He has great veneration for the memory of Capt.
Speke, who left behind him a high character for
manliness and integrity, of which subsequent
travellers have enjoyed the benefits. Mtesa labours
however, under the great disadvantage of being
surrounded by a crowd of worthless sycophants, who
pay him the most fulsome flattery, but who would
depose him without the least compunction if they
could gain anything by it. In his younger days
he proved himself brave and warlike, and, spite of
his many cruelties, seems to have a strong hold on
the affections of the lower classes.
His treatment of individual Europeans depends
very largely on their treatment of him ; a firm yet
courteous demeanour he always respects, and any
traveller who will behave in this way to him, and
who will not unnecessarily obtrude his differences of
opinion, nor insist on them too strongly, and above

200 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN, SOUDAN.
all who is perfectly truthful and honest with him,
will obtain a great amount of influence. For my
own part, during my two years' stay in Uganda, I
never had any serious personal difference with him,
and the same can bo said by more than one other
European who has stayed at his court. Mr. Felkin
in particular can bear me out in this remark..
The laws relating to the succession to the throne \
are peculiar. When a king dies, his successor is !
chosen from among the deceased monarch's children |
by the three hereditary bakungu, with whom alone
the choice rests. A child is always elected, and '
during his minority the boy's mother, if living, acts
as queen regent, and with the aid of these; three
nobles, governs the country, the young king being
meanwhile trained up in the traditions of his
ancestors. Should, however, the three chiefs not
agree in the choice of a successor, they go to war
about it, and the victor places his nominee on the
throne. , The reason of this singular law is, no doubt,
to prevent, intrigues during the king's lifetime. The
brothers of the king elect are kept in confinement
during his minority, and when he comes of age all
are burnt, with the exception of two or three who are
preserved to keep up the succession, in case the young
sovereign should die childless. ; The children of the
king have no rank or status on account of their birth,
and the princesses are not as a rule allowed to marry,
only a few of Mtesa's numerous daughters having

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

201

.been given as wives to neighbouring kings or to the
great nobles of Uganda.
The administration of justice has already been
described. The punishments which are inflicted are
imprisonment in the stocks, mutilation, and death.
The stocks consist of a heavy block of wood with a
hole in it through which the foot is placed, and a
peg is driven in which prevents it being withdrawn.
This is a punishment confined to small offences, such
as petty thefts and insubordination on the part of
wives or slaves. Theft is punished frequently by
cutting off the hands, .ears, or nose. Adultery is pun
ished invariably by death, and murder occasionally,
but more often only by a fine. The Waganda have.
a variety of modes of execution, some of them being
horribly barbarous. Beheading and strangling are
those commonly employed, and human sacrifices are
always beheaded. For the worst offences the victim
is bled slowly to death by gashing the body with
sharp splinters, of a reed, care being taken to avoid
the larger arteries and veins. A small army of exe
cutioners is kept in Mtesa's employment, and some
of them are always in attendance at court. They
wear ropes round their heads, or a hideous fringe of
grass, which adds to the ferocity of their looks.
The prestige of the Waganda as a nation rests
m'ainly upon their • warlike character, which tinges
the whole of their life and government. As already
mentioned, every man who can handle a spear and

202 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
shield is a soldier, and the rapidity with which an
army can be collected is astonishing. When the
king and council have decided on a campaign, the
great war-drum is beaten, and the following morning
vast crowds of warriors assemble outside the palace
attired as if for battle, their ordinary clothes being
laid aside, and" only a loin cloth being worn, their
faces whitened with ashes to give them a ghastly
appearance and strike terror into the hearts of the
enemy. The king stands outside the palace gate
holding a shield and two copper spears, which may
be carried only by the king and the principal chiefs.
Bound him are his nobles, similarly armed. Every
body of warriors as it approaches, dancing and
yelling,, comes up to the king, and, going through
the motions of attacking, vows fidelity to Mtesa and
vengeance on his enemies ; then they retire to the
side, and a vast crowd gradually forms round the
monarch, a lane being kept clear in the middle, up
which fresh groups of warriors come to perform
the ceremony of swearing fidelity. Meantime, the
great drums of the palace boom out the war signal,
which can be heard for miles around. When the
greater number of the warriors in the immediate
neighbourhood of the palace have collected, the
king calls out the chiefs who are to have command
of the forces, and gives them their commissions,
and afterwards the vast assembly disperses. The
commanders then send for the various batongoli

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

203

4.

\

who are to furnish the men, the numbers each is to"
bring are settled, and the time and place of rendez
vous agreed upon, and then gradually the army
departs for the scene of conflict. In battle each man
carries two or three spears ; they advance in open
order towards the enemy, dancing about and yelling';
when they get within range they hurl one or two
spears, and then close with the remaining one, the
conflict then becoming a hand-to-hand engagement,
and consequently fearfully fatal. Should the com
manding chief be killed, the whole body take to
flight. \f
The Waganda are nearly as successful in naval
engagements as they are upon land, and possess a
large fleet of war canoes. These are mostly dis
tributed among the numerous islands off the coast
of Uganda, the chief of each island having two or
more canoes under his charge. Many of these war
canoes will hold forty men, and are splendidly made
vessels. A finer sight can scarcely be imagined than
a fleet of two or three hundred of these graceful
vessels threading their way among the wooded
islands of the Nyanza, their paddles keeping time to
the rhythmical beats of the war-drums. Each canoe
carries a certain number of fighting men, the pro
portion of these to the paddlers being about two to
one. The paddlers are protected by shields, and in
case the enemy are pursued to shore, they remain in
the canoes close at hand, lest the enemy should prove

204 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
victorious and a retreat become necessary. The
canoes are apportioned out to various chiefs, under
whose command they fight, the whole being under
the chief admiral of Uganda, The present admiral
is called Gabunga, and has a magnificent establish
ment on the mainland between Murchison Bay and
the Katonga river. The canoes are made in the

^-^S''^bii/S=^. -

UGANDA CANOE AND FISH-TRAP.

following manner : A long straight trunk of a tree
is taken and adzed to the shape of the bottom of
the vessel, and then carefully hollowed out down the
middle ; it is tapered off at both ends, and at the bow
a sort of horn is formed which projects some three or
four feet beyond the cutwater when the canoe ,is
finished, and a number of small holes are bored with

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

205

Jk

a red-hot iron along each side. Then two long
planks, hewn with the axe out of the solid trunks of
trees, are taken, and a number of holes having been
bored to correspond with those in the bottom log,
the two are tied together with the root-fibres of
various plants, curved boards being added at either
end where the canoe narrows ; then two other planks
are added and secured in a similar manner : the first
row of planks are sloped outwards at an angle of
about 60 degrees, thus giving additional breadth to
this canoe, the second row being vertical. Large
holes are made along the lower edge of the second
row of planks to receive the thwarts, and at the
bow a large piece of wood is fastened, projecting like
horns some three feet on either side of the gunwale,
by which the canoe is drawn up on land. When com
pleted thus far, the outside of the vessel is painted
a light red, with iron oxide obtained by burning '
an ore resembling hamiatite, and then the seams
are all caulked by thrusting in plantain-fibre, which
has been steeped in water, from the outside. Then
' a curved prow called '" nsanda " is added, the top
being ornamented with a pair of antelope's horns)
and from this to the bow a fringe of grass is fastened
to give additional ornament. This prow is loose,
and is usually removed \Vhen the canoe is drawn up
on land. The canoes are steered by the two last
paddlers in the stern, and, except in the largest
ones, only one paddler sits on each thwart.

206 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

The religion of the Waganda is in some respects
a more intelligent one than that of many Negro
nations. Idolatry, properly so-called, is unknown ;
they have no images, nor any outward symbol of
their gods. They believe in a Supreme Being who
made the world and mankind, and whom they call
Katonda, or the Creator, but they offer no worship
to him, as they consider him too exalted to pay
any regard to mankind. Their principal objects of
worship are inferior gods or devils called lubari.
These demons are supposed to inhabit certain places
or- localities, and to exercise special powers over
various objects. The principal of these gods, and
the most generally feared and worshipped by the
Waganda, is Mukusa, the god or lubari of the Nyanza.
This deity is a sort of Neptune, who is supposed to
live in the Lake and to control its waters, and also
to exercise a considerable influence over the whole
country of Uganda. From time to time he enters
into some person, either man or woman (at the
present time it is a woman), who thenceforth be
comes the oracle of the god, and who is supposed to
possess, in consequence, supernatural powers, to be
able to cure diseases, to withhold the rain, bring wars,
famines, pestilences, etc., on the land, and to foretell
events. This person who is the .representative or
personification of the god has an enormous influence
over the minds of the people and chiefs, and thus
indirectly exercises an important control over the

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

207

government of the country. When about to make a
voyage, the Waganda always make offerings to this «
spirit, to propitiate it. The canoes are gathered
together some distance from shore, and the chief in
charge of them, standing up, places some bananas
or other food on a paddle, and, holding it over the
water, prays to the god to give them a prosperous
voyage and to bring them safely back to their homes ;
then he throws the fruit into the water, begging the
god to come and take it.
Others of the demons are Chiwuka and Nenda ; they
are gods of war, and are supposed to inhabit certain
trees in various parts of the country. At these
trees the Waganda, before going to 'battle, pray and
make offerings to the deities, the offerings consisting
of live animals, goats, sheep, and cattle, which must
invariably be black, which are given to the guardians
of these trees, who receive them on behalf of the
god. Another lubari is called Ndaula, and appears to
be identical with one of the former kings of Uganda ;
he is supposed to reside on the summit of Mount
Gambaragara (Mount Gordon Bennett of Stanley),
and is said to bring small-pox, and is worshipped as
the personification of that disease. Thunder is also
worshipped, and on the spot where lightning is seen
to strike the ground either an arch is erected, under
which no foreigner is allowed to pass, or a small hut
is built, covering the place ; the hut is not repaired,
but allowed gradually to fall to pieces, and when it

,208 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN . SOUDAN.
. has disappeared the ground is common again. There.
are also river 'goto in different parts of the country,
to which human sacrifices are sometimes offered.
The former kings of the country appear also to be ,
regarded as domi-gods, and their graves are kept
with religious caro, and houses are erected over
them, which are under the constant supervision
of one of the principal chiefs of the country, and
where human sacrifices are also occasionally offered.
The Waganda are extremely superstitious, and have
a great belief in charms which are manufactured
by their medicine-men. These charms are made of
curiously shaped pieces of wood, horns and similar
rubbish, and are supposed to ward off disease and
to protect the wearer from the bites' of venomous
snakes, which are very common in Uganda, and
much dreaded by the natives. These medicine-men,
mandwa, have immense influence over the people,
and are consulted by them on all manner of subjects!
They profess to be able to foretell events, recover
lost or stolen property, and to make rain and wind.
They also practise as regular doctors, using herbs and
the roots and bark of various trees, and are tolerably
successful. They- have two or three remedies for
ague, but whether these will be found to be of any
real value' in the hands of European practitioners
remains to be proved.
Foreign. religions have so far made but little
impression upon the' Waganda. Although the"

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

209

Mohammedan traders have been settled in the
country for at least sixty years, they have made no
converts, for Mtesa's so-called conversion to Mo
hammedanism was merely nominal, and even the
Arabs themselves do not claim him as a convert..
He. would never submit to circumcision, and one
hundred boys and youths who had submitted to
that rite believing that Islamism would become the
national creed, were all burnt by Mtesa's orders.
This rite, which is a sine qua non with Moham
medans, seems to have been the great stumbling-
block in the way of the acceptance of that creed by
the Waganda, and that has been the chief objection
which has always been alleged by them against
Islamism whenever I have mentioned the subject.
With regard to Christianity, I believe that it will
be readily accepted by the lower classes, but the
majority of the chiefs, than whom would be
difficult to find a prouder class of men, will, I fear,
strenuously oppose its introduction into their
Country. The visits of travellers to Uganda, and the pre
sence of foreigners there, are beginning to produce a
decided impression on the country and people, and
though at present confined mainly to the court
and neighbourhood of the capital, it is extending
gradually through the land. All foreigners are
supposed to be the king's guests, and during their
stay in the country, to be lodged and fed at his
vol. i. „

210 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
expense. When a traveller reaches Uganda he must
send word to the king of his arrival, and request
permission to proceed to the capital; this is
generally graciously accorded, and a chief, with a
body of men to act as porters, is sent to escort the
traveller and his goods. While on the journey this .
chief and his followers live on the people whose
villages they pass through.
On arriving at the place where it is intended to
spend the night, the party takes possession of the
villagers1 huts, eating their provisions and stealing
their goats and fowls, and, as a rule, no resistance is
offered to this abominable treatment. Occasionally,
however, if the party is small and the village large,
the people refuse the required accommodation, and a
fight ensues.
On reaching the capital, the traveller will have a
compound allotted to him, with huts for himself and
servants, and there he is expected to live during his
stay in the country ; and permission has never been
accorded to any European to live in any other part
of the country than the capital. At first, after the
arrival of a traveller in Uganda, he will be liberally
supplied with food, especially if Mtesa thinks he
will get a good present ; but after a time it will
rapidly diminish, and he will be obliged to purchase
provisions. The Arab and half-breed traders from Zanzibar
live mostly in the villages near the town of Na

ff OVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

211

bulagalla (Stanley's Ulagalla), where there is quite
a little colony of them. They are either agents of
large Arab traders in Unyanyembe, or men who have
run away from their masters on account of debt, and
who are afraid to return. There are also a few Sou-
danis and Dongolowis, deserters from the Egyptian
troops at Mruli. .They are chiefly in Mtesa's body
guard, and have taught their comrades something
of drill.
The Waganda have a high idea of what is due to
strangers or guests, and it is said that no foreigner
has ever been murdered there — which, in Central
Africa, is saying a good deal. Many of the chiefs,
however, are very jealous of foreign influence, and
some of them once told me that if they had had
their way neither Speke nor Grant, nor any other
European, should ever have . set foot on the soil of.
Uganda. They are especially jealous of Egypt, and
look with great fear on any extension of its territory
in the direction of their country.
Foreigners are allowed to be present at the luchiko
or council, already mentioned, and are often appealed
to for advice on various social and political questions,
but they are rigidly excluded from taking any part
in any matter connected with the succession to the
throne ; and indeed, under all circumstances, it is bv
far the best plan to keep out of all local politics ;
interference in these matters rarely does any good
and frequently seriously compromises the traveller.
p 2

212 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
In case of a civil war occurring in connection with
the succession, all foreigners are taken to one place,
where they are placed under the care of a chief, who
has to provido them with food and shelter, and who
is responsible for their safety so long as they remain
there ; but if they go beyond the appointed limits,
they do so at their own risk.
As already mentioned, foreigners are beginning
to exercise a certain amount of influence oyer the
people, and this increases year by year, and we are
able to see a considerable advance in this respect
since Speke's time. The Arabs, having been longest
in the country, naturally have hitherto made the
greatest impression on the people, though this has
not been so great as might have been expected from
the quickness with which the Waganda pick up and
imitate anything new. The most marked change
produced by foreign influence is in the matter of
dress. In Speke's time mbugu were universally worn,
and no person, except members of the royal family,
was allowed to possess cloth ; now all that is' changed.
Mtesa has quite abandoned the use of the native
bark cloth, and the majority of the chiefs rarely wear
it ; and instead of its being considered a crime for a
commoner to possess cloth, many even of the bakopi
wear it. Fire-arms are yearly increasing in num
bers, and will, no doubt, in time change, the mode of
warfare. Foreign fruits and vegetables have been
introduced, and are being spread through the

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

213

country. Since Speke's time chairs and stools have
been introduced, and are used by many of the chiefs,
whereas formerly all sat upon the ground. The few
European tools, such as files and screw plates, which
have found their way to Uganda have been adopted,
and are skilfully used by the native workmen.
And if good stone or brick houses were built, there
is no doubt hut that they would be imitated by the
Waganda. We built a square house in the mission
grounds at Eubaga, with vertical walls and a gable
roof, dispensing with the forest of poles which the
native huts require to support the roof, and very
soon some of the chiefs began to build similar ones
on a smaller scale.
In some respects, the most useful result of the
intercourse of the traders from Zanzibar with the
Waganda is the introduction of the Swahili language,
for though the people generally do not understand
it, yet in most large villages two or three natives
will be found who can converse in it ; while at court
it is widely spoken. Mtesa knows it as well as his
own language, and most of the leading chiefs under
stand something of it, so that the traveller who
comes to Uganda from the East Coast will find
himself able • to communicate directly with the
people. The Waganda have a considerable variety of games
and amusements, such as dancing, singing, and
wrestling.

214 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
In dancing the men and women keep separate.
There are two sorts of dances, one of which consists
of a shuffle performed singly, or in groups by boys.
The feet are never raised off the ground, and the
performer advances or, recedes, shuffling along, the
knees slightly bent and holding the arms stiffly by
the sides, with the hands stretched out, the palms
being held downwards, while the whole body is
writhed about, every muscle being brought into
action. It is a most disgusting performance, as the
dancer looks exactly as if in an epileptic fit. It is
excessively exhausting, and cannot be kept up for
more than two or three minutes consecutively. The
other manner of dancing is more like the European
style, for although the performers dance singly, and
not in couples, there are regular steps, and there is a
musical accompaniment.
The Waganda are very fond of singing, which is
generally accompanied on the nanga or harp. The^re
are regular professional singers, like the minstrels of
the Middle Ages, who are' retained by the king and
chiefs, and who are always in attendance at the court.
When singing they frequently extemporise, their
language being specially suitable for this purpose,
bringing in allusions to passing events or to persons
who may be present. Their songs are of several de
scriptions, some being in praise of the king or 'great
chiefs, others war-songs, and others again dirges or
laments for dead chiefs and warriors. I give two

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

215

specimens, the first being in praise of Mtesa, and the
second a lamentation over some dead chiefs :
I.
Thy feet are hammers,
Son of the forest*
Great is the fear of thee ;
Great is thy wrath. ;
Great is thy peace ;
Great is thy power.
II.
Oh, separator 1 f .
Oh, Sematimba I
They tied goats ;
They tied goats for him in vain.
Son of a king,
He has no pride.
He freely gives plantain wine.
Ltibinga I Lubinga 1 .
Him of whom I speak,
He has no pride.
For he freely gives plantain (vine.
Mkwenda! Mkwenda!
,' ¦"'¦;' -¦;.;, '¦;¦¦' Whose home is Chikongi.J
Him of whom I speak,
He has no pride, •
For he freely gives plantain wine.
I have just referred to the fondness of the Waganda
for music. They have regular bands, which belong
mostly to the king, each band being under a leader,
who performs the same functions as a European
* A synonym for tho lion, which is the emblom of royalty.
t A synonym for death.
% Chikongi is the place where he is buried.

216 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

bandmaster. These bands are either string bands or
composed of wind instruments and drums. In the
case of the string bands, the performers are generally
Wasoga, who aro considered the best harpists in that
part of Africa. Mtesa also possesses what may bo
called a military band, consisting of two or three
brass bugles and some brass drums. The drums and
one of the bugles have been made by the king's
smiths. These instruments are played on by boys
who have learnt one or two military calls and the
roll on the drum from a coast negro, a Malagasy,
Toli or Tori by name, who, was formerly cabin-boy in
a French vessel, and who has been in France, and
seen something of European civilisation.
The young men of Uganda are very fond of
wrestling, in which they show great skill. They
commence each bout by taking hold with the right
hand only, the left being held behind the back, but
when they have got a good grip the left hand is
brought into use. The throw generally employed
seems to be that from the hip..
The boys also frequently engage in kicking
matches, such as are in vogue, or used to be, in some
parts of France. The only game, properly so called,
which the Waganda know, is that called mweso, for
which they use a board containing thirty-two holes,
in four rows of eight each. It is played by. two
people ; each player has a certain number of stones,
which he places in his two rows of holes, and the

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

217

game, which is a very complicated one, and-requir-
ing a considerable amount of calculation, consists in
trying to get all the stones of the opposite player.
They redistribute their stones in turn, and on stop
ping at a hole may, under certain conditions, take
their opponent's stones out of the two holes opposite.
It is a most fascinating game, and the Waganda will
sit for hours over the mwesb board. It is probably
not a native game, but introduced from the East
Coast, where a somewhat similar game, called " bao,"
is played by the Arabs and Waswahili.
The children in Uganda, as everywhere in the
world, may be seen playing games in imitation of
the doings of their elders, and making mud-pies by
the roadside.
The language of Uganda, or Luganda, as it is
called by the natives of the country, belongs to, what
Dr. Bleek calls, the Zangian genus of the middle
branch of the Bantu languages. By the term Bantu
is meant that great family of African languages,
extending from the Cape of Good Hope, where it is
represented by the Kafir tongue and its dialects,
through Eastern and Central Africa to the Equator
and to the West Coast near Sierra Leone, where the
Bullom and Timneh languages are allied to the Kafir.
Next, to the South African members of the great
family, the best-studied language is the Kiswahili,
spoken on the East Coast about Zanzibar from the
Somali coast almost to Natal. This Kiswahili is the

218 UGANDA AND THE -EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
trade language of Zanzibar and Eastern Central
Africa, and is spoken a little in Uganda. ',. \
The chief characteristic of this class of languages
is that all the changes (with scarcely an exception)
required to form the grammatical inflexions take
place at the beginning of the words. Consequently
the learner is at first greatly puzzled by what
seems the extreme uncertainty of the words. And
especially is this the case with the adjectives and
possessive pronouns. For in Luganda and the cog
nate languages, the forms of these parts of speech
are regulated by the class ,of nouns to which the
adjective or pronoun has reference, and there are in
these languages from seven to ten, or perhaps even
more, classes of nouns, most of which have a dis
tinctive prefix both for the singular and the plural.
E.g. in Luganda, lungi means good, and muntu
mulungi, a good man ; bantu balungi, good men ; mti
mulungi, a good tree; miti milungi, good trees;.
nyumba nungi, a good . house or houses ; kintu
kilungi, a good think ; bintu bilungi, good things ;
lusogi lulungi, a good hill ; nsogi nungi, good hills ;
toki dungi, a good banana ; matoki malungi, good
bananas; wantu walungi, a good place or places,
and so on.
Again with the verbs, prefixes are added to pre
fixes representing person, tense, relative, subject and
object, the verb root coming last, so that often what
would be the greater part or the whole of a sentence

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

219

'A

in English, is represented in the Bantu language
by a single word. The following instance from the
Swahili language will serve to make my meaning
clearer : He who will give him the knife, atakaye-
kimpa kisu : here, a = he, taka = will, ye = who, ki =
it, m=him, pa = give, kisu = knife.
It need scarcely be said that the Waganda have
no written language, and until the establishment of
our mission in the country the language had never
been studied, and no attempt had been made to
reduce it to writing. Now, however, a considerable
insight has been obtained into the language, a large
number of words have been collected, and the transla
tion of the Bible has been commenced. In reducing
Luganda to writing we have adopted the Soman
character, as, apart from other reasons, it proves to
be well suited to the genius of the language, and by
a few simple rules of pronunciation can be made to
represent all the sounds found in it, as well as any
characters could be expected to do. Only twenty-
four letters are used, neither X nor Q being
required: the former sound is absolutely wanting,
and the latter, though found, is more correctly
represented by kw- or ku-.
The Waganda have a number of tales which they
relate about the former monarchs of Uganda, many
of whom are semi-mythical persons. The hero of
most of these stories is Ham or Kintu, the first king
of Uganda. The following legend will serve as a

220 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

specimen. 'Kintu, when he first settled in Uganda,
was a great hunter, and also possessed large herds .
of cattle. He was, moreover, of a very merciful
disposition, and the animals which he caught in his
traps used frequently to beg to be let off, saying to
him, "You be kind to us in the sunshine (i.e. when
you are well off), and we will be kind to you in the
rain (i.e. when you are in trouble); and so he
would often give them their freedom. On one
occasion the pursuit of some wild animals had led
him to a greater distance from home than usual,
and when he returned he found all his cattle gone.
After searching in vain for them for some time, he
met a man, who asked him what he was looking for,
and Kintu replied that he was seeking his cattle.
"Oh, you need not look here for them," was the
man's answer, " for the gods came down from heaven
and stole them all." So Kintu went up to heaven,
and after gaining admittance, demanded his cattle,
but was informed by the gods that before he could
recover them he must perform certain deeds. He '
professed his willingness to try, and a large basket
of food, enough to satisfy fifty or sixty men, was
brought, and he was told that he must eat it all.
This was impossible; and while Kintu was wonder
ing how he should accomplish such a feat, a large
number of rats whose lives he had spared on earth
appeared and ate up the food. So Kintu returned
with the empty basket to the gods, hoping to receive

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE. 221

L

his cattle. But the gods took him to a deep well,
..and, giving him an empty pitcher without a rope,
informed him that he must fill it with water from
that well. Kintu was again nonplussed, as he had
no possible means of procuring or making a rope ;
but when almost in despair, a flock of swallows, to
whom he had formerly shown mercy, flew to him,
and taking tho pitcher from him, descended the well
with it, and brought it up again full of water ; so
Kintu bore it joyfully to the gods. Then he was
conducted to a vast plain, where immense herds of
cattle were grazing, and was told that his oxen were
amongst them, and that if he could pick out his own
cattle from among them without making a single
mistake he should be allowed to take them, but if he
made one slip he should forfeit the whole. Kintu,
who could not distinguish his own oxen, was sorely
puzzled ; he did not like to try for fear of making a
mistake, and yet did not feel inclined to give up
after all the trouble he had gone through ; when in
the midst of his perplexity a large bee, to which he
had been kind on a former occasion, came to him
and said, " I know which are your cattle, and I will
go before and hover over each of your oxen." The
bee. did so, and Kintu picked out all his own cattle
without a single mistake, and returned with them to
earth in triumph.
Besides these legends of Kintu and other kings,
the Waganda have many stories about animals,

222 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

similar to iEsop's fables, of which the following
is an instance. Once upon a time the hare and the
crocodile made a treaty of friendship, and when
the ceremony was concluded the hare said to the
crocodile, " Take me to ybur house, my friend, that
I may see it." So they crossed over to the other
side of the island, and when they reached the place
the crocodile said to the hare, " Go into the house
while I seek for a present, and let my wife and
children come and pay their respects to you."
So the hare went in, and the crocodile's wife came
with her children and saluted him. Then the wife
went into the garden to cut bananas, leaving the
children in the house. When she was gone the hare
noticed, the children under the eaves of the house,
and seized and ate them. Then, fearing lest he
should be caught, he called to the wife, " Oh, my
friend, call your husband, that he may take me to
the mainland, for the houses on the other side of the
island are on fire." So she called her husband, who
took the hare on his shoulders and plunged into the
lake. When he was halfway across, the wife came
running to the shore, calling out, " Crocodile ! croco
dile ! ! crocodile ! ! ! " But her husband, who was
making a great splashing in the water, did not hear
clearly what she said, and asked the hare, " What
does my wife say ? " " She says," replied the latter,
" that you are to make haste, for the houses are all
on fire." So the crocodile swam to the mainland, and

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

223

the hare ran off into the forest. But when the croco
dile got back his wife saluted him with "You fool! I
called to you that our. guest had eaten the children."
There are also nursery tales, so to speak, of which
I give an example in the original with a literal
translation. This and similar tales are told to the
children on their fingers, like the well-known story
of the Five Little Pigs. Wachakusu ! Owe. Uvao
wa ? Mvao kulya mpafu. Zengeddi ? Magu magu.
Lailao. Semakokilo. Wamlabba ? Mpulida biogerri.
Parrot ! Yes. Where are you coming from ? I
come from eating mpafu (a fruit of, which parrots
are very fond). Are they ripe ? Eipe, ripe (quite
ripe). Swear (so). (Yes by) Semakokilo (a former
king of Uganda). Have you seen him ? I hear talk
(of him).
The Waganda are, in many respects, mentally
and physically superior, but morally inferior to
most of the negro tribes I have seen. Indeed,
morality among negroes seems to be in inverse
ratio to the amount of clothing they wear, and the "
most naked tribes, when uncontaminated by external
influence, are the most moral, and the best clothed,
the most immoral. Where polygamy is the rule,
as in Uganda, woman of course holds an inferior
position, being looked upon principally as property,
and the more wives a man has the richer he is, for
he can have more ground under cultivation. This
tends to encourage immorality, which is further

*\ .M

224 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

increased by the fact, that spite of the large excess
of females existing, many of the lower classes
cannot obtain wives. In common with all savage
tribes, truth is held in very low estimation, and it is
never considered wrong to tell lies ; indeed, a suc
cessful liar is considered a smart, clever fellow,
and rather admired. Consequently they judge all
travellers by their own standard, and if anything is
told them which appears astounding, their reply is
"Ulimba!""Whatalie!" The same applies to theft. The distinctions
between meum and tuum are very ill-defined ; and
indeed all sin is only relative, the crime consisting
in being detected. The average Mganda, while
dreadfully 4 shocked, if any one steals from him, or
murders any of his friends, does not hesitate to
do the like if there be a moderate chance of his
escaping discovery. Human life is held at a very
low estimate, and murder is very common. The
following incident will show this. A young, page
of Mtesa's, son of a subordinate chief, was fre
quently employed to bring me messages from the
palace, and one morning came down to my house,
and informed me with great glee that he had just
killed his father. I inquired why he had done this,
and he said that he was tired of being merely a
servant, and wished to become a chief, and said so
to Mtesa, who replied, "Oh, kill your father, and
you will become a chief; " and the boy did so. •

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE. 225

/¦'-.

The Waganda put great reliance in charms and
"medicine" to make rain, or wind, to make their
guns shoot straight, and to protect them in war.
They are a brave, warlike race, but excessively
indolent, this . being due, no doubt, in a great
measure, to the ease with which they can obtain all
the necessaries of life. If a gang of men are set to
build a house,. mend a fence, or do any other manual
labour, one or two will work while the rest look on
smoking, or " chaffing " each other. The women do
the greater part of the hard work, tilling the
ground, fetching water, cooking, etc.
The disposition of the Waganda, particularly of
the women, is very kindly, and they- often take
trouble to do a kindness to a traveller, especially if
well treated. They generally bring him food on his
arrival at a village, and will even light a fire, also
offering any delicacies which they think may prove
acceptable. The following incident, which happened
to my fellow-traveller, Mr. Felkin, will illustrate this.
¦On one occasion he had gathered a number of botanical
specimens on the march, and on stopping at a village,
some of the women noticed these, and at once went
out and brought him a large quantity of flowers;
and I have myself had many similar experiences.
They are, 'moreover, very affectionate, and if pro
perly treated become strongly attached to Europeans,
and make very good servants, as they are quick at
adopting foreign customs ; they soon learn to cook
VOL. I. q

226 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
in European style, to wait at table and perform
other household duties. " ¦ i
Their skill in imitating articles of European
manufacture has already been alluded to. In all
kinds of instruction they show remarkable quick
ness, rapidly picking .up a language when they go
to a foreign country. They learn to read in a very
short time. A large number of boys and young
men were under instruction at our mission house in
Eubaga, and learnt to read Swahili, and their own
language in the Eoman .character, astonishingly
quickly. The Eev. G. Litchfield, one of the Church
Missionary Society's missionaries in Uganda, formed
a singing class, instructing his pupils by the tonic
sol-fa system, and in two or three months they were
able to sing any simple tune at sight.
The Waganda have also a high idea of figures.
They have native names for all numbers up to
thousands, and it is a curious fact that the root of
the names of all numbers which are multiples of
ten, is the word ten ; e.g. kurni- is ten ; makumi
abili (two tens) is twenty ; kikumi is one hundred,
and lukumi is one thousand. The Waganda are
very fond of counting, and whenever they get hold
of a book, the. first thing they do is to count the
leaves. The game of mweso, which has been
already mentioned, is one which requires a con
siderable amount of calculation.
Thus it will be seen the Waganda are by no means

GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE.

227

low down in the scalo of intellect, and offer a pro
mising field for educational work. Nor is there the
fear, which exists with regard to many savage na
tions, of " improving them off the face of the earth."
They have all the vices and most of the diseases of
Europeans, and they, in common with the whole
Negro race, must possess an enormous amount of
vitality to have survived under the constant drain of
the iniquitous slave traffic and the fearful losses from
constant war. A great future is before the people
of Uganda, and from the physical advantages and
central position of that country, it is well fitted to
be the centre of light and civilisation to the sur
rounding nations.

Q 2

228 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

CHAPTER IX.
VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK.
But to resume the narrative. I remained in
Uganda, working at the language, which I was now
beginning to speak well, until the beginning of June,
when, having heard no furthor news from the South,
and calculating that the caravan which Mackay
had talked of sending up to Kagei ought soon to
be reaching that place, I decided to go and meet it.
The Daisy was at Kagei, having been taken there
by the Wang'uana when they left me, so I was obliged
to have recourse to the native mode of travelling.
Accordingly, having obtained a man from Mtesa to
procure canoes for me, I left Eubaga on June 14th.
Various delays occurred, and we did not reach the
Lake till the 19th, when we crossed over to the island
of Busu, which is situated near the entrance to
Murchison Bay.
While waiting on the shores of the Lake for the
canoes which were to convey me and my party to the
island, I saw the most extraordinary swarms of
butterflies that I have ever met with. The spot was
an open glade in the forest, which here came down

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SEIPWRECK. 229
to the water's edge. Countless butterflies of all
' sizes . and every hue of the rainbow were flitting
about, and on a marshy spot were what I took to be
a number of yellow flowers, but, on approaching
them, to my astonishment they rose into the air, a
perfect cloud of these insects.
On arriving at Busu, I was taken to one of the
villages, and a hut was being prepared for my use,
when one of the people came and advised me not to
stay in it. " Why ? " I asked. " Oh ! because it has a
bad disease in it," was the reply. "What sort of a
disease is it ? " " It makes a person's fingers and
toes drop off." Further inquiry showed that it was
a sort of leprosy, and the natives assured me that I
should probably catch it by sleeping in the infected
hut. This may throw some light on the much-
disputed fact mentioned in Leviticus of the leprosy
in the house.
This island, in common with most' of those form
ing the Sesse group, was beautifully timbered, and
abounded in monkeys and parrots.
The next three weeks were spent in going about
from island to island, and occasionally to the main
land, in order to get canoes for the journey. All the
different chiefs tried to evade having to provide me
with them, as the voyage along the southern shores
of the Nyanza is considered a very dangerous one,
and is much dreaded by the Waganda canoemen.
When at length we obtained the first instalment

230' UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

for the journey, the. chief of the island from which
they were procured came to see us off, followed by a
crowd of curious natives. After we had pushed off, he
harangued the crews from the beach, bidding them
be careful, and exhorting them to avoid the storms,
which had shipwrecked so many of their comrades';
he concluded his speech with the ominous words,
"Lumbi, lumbi, lumbi." ("Death, death, death.")
The men promised'obedience, and we started, followed
by a ringing cheer from the crowd on shore.
The scenery among these islands was of the most
fairy-like description. Each island was, for the most
part, covered with a dense mass of forest trees,
there being frequently a ridge of hills running down
its centre. Coasting along (as is the custom of the
Waganda) within a short distance of the land', I had
ample opportunities of studying the lovely views con
stantly presented to the eye. The shore was often
lined with a thick fringe of the graceful papyrus,
like fairy palms, with a beautiful purple convolvolus
twining in out amongst the stems ; a mass of
gigantic forest trees formed a magnificent back
ground to the picture, relieved by occasional openings
revealing glimpses of plantain groves and picturesque
villages. The water was dotted with pink and blue
water-lilies, while in the creeks thick beds of the
curious Pistia stratiotes were anchored, or drifted
about in miniature islands ; vast numbers . of water
fowl perched in the ambatch bushes or flew swiftly

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 231

''over our heads; the hippos boldly poked up their
ugly brown heads to stare at the passing canoes ;
here and there a crocodile lay basking on the surface
of tho water, while, perched on some lofty tree, the
• beautiful black-and-white eagle (Malimtus voci/er)
calmly surveyed the animated scene below. At
other times the shore was clothed for miles with
low, dense jungle, having open grassy spots where
the crocodiles were wont to lay their eggs, and on the
sloping sandy beach the waves of the great Lake
broke with ceaseless murmur.
The beginning of July found me only a short
distance from the island of Busu, owing to the
almost interminable delays which were caused by
the various local chiefs who had to furnish the
rest of the canoes. These ca'noes, which are used in
war and for travelling, are scattered about among
the numerous islands off Uganda, and when the
traveller wishes to collect ten or twelve in which to
convey his goods and servants, he has to go from
island to island, getting one here and another there,
till he has made up the requisite number. Most of
these canoes are brought from the Archipelago of
Sesse, which, according to Mtesa, contains about
four hundred islands, varying in size from a couple
of acres to several square miles, some of the largest
being from ten to fifteen miles in length, and three
or four in breadth ; most of them are inhabited. I
have myself seen between fifty and sixty of this

232 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

group, and a long list of the names of the islands
belonging to Sesse was given me by one of the
natives. These delays, though very vexatious, gave me
many opportunities of observing the inhabitants of
the country under very favourable circumstances.
During the whole time I stayed in their villages
I was able to mix freely with them, being un
fettered by the restrictions which are in force at
the capital, and, as it was my practice to take long
walks in search of game and botanical specimens,
I obtained a much more accurate estimate of the
population of the country, and gained a far better
acquaintance with the manners and customs of the
people, in these few weeks, than could have been
possible in years spent exclusively at the capital.
The people also, being at a distance from the dread
army of executioners who hover around the court,
were not afraid to visit me, and, when sitting under
the shade of a tree, reading or writing, I generally
had a crowd of women and children watching all my
actions. The village chiefs, moreover, used frequently
to beg me to protect them from the depredations of
the Waganda who, by Mtesa's orders, accompanied
me, and who, according to their custom on arriving
at a village, began to plunder the huts. On one
occasion a chief came to me, complaining that my
rascally escort had seized one of the villagers, had
bound him, and then imprisoned him in a hut,

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 233

without food, in order to mako the rest of the
villagers procure some meat for them, which they
were too lazy even to steal for themselves. I at
once interfered, but in vain, and a bullock had to be
given' them before he was released. On another
occasion a chief, who had received orders to provide
us with a canoe, went off without doing so, where
upon my escort seized his favourite wife, and took
her to our next halting-place, remarking that her
husband was sure to come after her, and that then
they could get him and compel him to send for the
canoe. As we proceeded southwards, the country was
more thinly peopled, and there were often long
stretches of jungle without a single village. The
land, too, became more level, with flat sandy beaches,
where the crocodiles were in the habit of basking in
the hot sun. On halting once at an open place in
the jungle, the canoemen found a crocodile's nest
containing eighty-two eggs. This was the largest
number I ever saw in one nest, those I have seen
generally containing from forty to sixty. The eggs
of the crocodile are white, very long in proportion
to their breadth, and having thick rough shells ;
they are about the size of a swan's egg, and are,
when fresh, by no means bad eating, having a slight
musky favour.
On July 13th we reached Dumo, a fine well-
wooded promontory extending some distance into

234 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
the Lake, and having several large villages. Here I
saw some curious rafts, formed of the leaf-stalks
of a large palm, which grows abundantly in this
locality. These stalks are about nine feet long, and
are extremely light. The rafts are made of a double
layer of. stalks fastened side by side by means of
cross pieces of wood which are driven through them
horizontally, all the broad ends being together so
that at one end the raft tapers almost to a point.
Two or three more stalks are secured on either side,
one above the other, to form a sort of gunwale to
protect the fisherman from the waves, the broad end
being left open. These rafts are extremely buoyant,
and are employed by the boatmen to carry their fish-
baskets out to the spots where they are sunk.
We left Uganda on July 17th, and, having
crossed the mouth of the Kagera river, camped in
the country of Uzongoro. After passing this river
a wonderful change took place in the scenery.
' North of the Kagera the country was generally low,
and densely clothed with forest, while the shore
was often fringed with papyrus; now it consisted
of high downs, rising often to an altitude of 800
and 900 feet above the Lake, and ending in abrupt
precipices 300 to 400 feet in height. These hills
sometimes came sheer down to the water, occa-:
sionally having a strip of alluvial land along their
base, where herds of long-horned cattle grazed,
and large villages were found, their level beaches of

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SEIPWRECK. 235
dazzling white sand affording easy landing-places
to my canoes.
We stopped on the night of July 17th, in the
district of Keioza. Crowds of people came down to
our camp, bringing plenty of provisions for sale.
These Wazongora were decidedly inferior to the
Waganda in appearance, and were not so well
clothed, the men and women wearing dirty skins
or grass kilts, while the unmarried girls and boys
•were nearly naked. Their language was very simi
lar to that of Uganda, and I could understand many
of their words.
The following day we continued our voyage, the
coast being of the same description, only that the
downs were higher, and the capes and headlands
bolder. Passing Makongo, where Stanley narrowly
escaped a fight with the natives, and where, later on
in the same year, I spent two months, we landed on
a lofty uninhabited island, whose northern face came
precipitously down into the Lake. It was on a
sloping piece of open ground, on the western side
of this island, that we landed, and made a camp,
while some of the canoes went over to the mainland
to get food. After seeing all my property safely
landed, I climbed to the top of the island, hoping
to have a good view of the Lake, but found this
impossible, as the denseness of the jungle with
which the island was clothed almost shut out the
daylight. One peculiar feature of this jungle

im &

2m^uaANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN,
was the enormous quantities of sp^rTwhichTt
contained; they were mostly a very large black
species, beautifully marked with red and yellow-
their webs festooned every tree and bush, and one
was obliged to stop every few yards to remove the
masses of silky fibre from one's face. While
climbing along a ledge of rock I came upon several
human skeletons lying in a heap. A few steps more
revealed other skeletons, and a small cave close by
was full of human skulls and bones; judging from
the appearance of the teeth and skulls, they were
the remains of persons in the prime of life, but
whether they had been killed in battle, or were the
victims of some of those nameless deeds of blood of
which Africa can tell so many, I cannot say.
Our camp was formed On the edge of the forest •
three or four large acacias with graceful pinnate
leaves stretched their huge arms overhead; in a
semicircle facing the Lake were our huts of green
boughs and grass ; fires were lighted before them on
the sward, the blue smoke curling up into the calm
evening air, and round them were gathered in
picturesque groups the dusky forms of the canoe-
men. Flocks of ducks and geese flew by to their
roostmg-pkces, hawks and eagles hovered overhead
a solitary crocodile was lazily floating on the surface
of the water, while the sun setting behind the
purple hills of Uzongora left a broad track of blood-
red light across the Lake.

\ ¦-,"

VOYAGE TO KA GEI AND SEIPWRECK. 237
Leaving this place, we pitched our camp on the
mainland, on the shore of a magnificent bay opposite
the island of Kishaka. We were now in a different
district of Uzongora, this part being under the rule
of Keitaba. The people were darker than those in
the district of Keioza, and the dialect spoken by
them varied somewhat from that of the latter
province, and had fewer words in common with the
Uganda language. The ordinary salutation of the
people of Keioza was Kilembe, while here it was
Smalige. We were detained here several days by adverse
winds, and left finally on July 30th. ' We passed
along the western side. of the island of Bumbire,
which rises in the centre to a height of several
hundred feet above the Nyanza, and appeared, from
the Lake, bare and barren. That night was spent
on the uninhabited island of Maiga, and the follow
ing day the island of Lubili (also uninhabited) was
reached. Here we remained a whole day, being detained by
a storm, and I spent some time in exploring the place
A high ridge runs down its centre, rising almost
perpendicularly from the water on the southern side
to an altitude of about 150 feet ; it is covered with
a dense forest and a luxuriant undergrowth of ferns
and lycopodia. An open spot on the edge of the
precipice afforded a glorious view of vast extent
Immediately below, the tops of the forest trees

238 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

formed a waving sea of foliage of every shade of
green; beyond stretched the blue waters of the
Nyanza for many miles, the southern horizon being
bounded by the purple hills of Uzinja, while far away
on the south-east the summits of two islets of the
Kome group were just discernible. The roar of the
surf on the rocky shore raised by the morning's storm
reached the ear as a faint murmur, the air was filled
with' the song of birds and the musical hum of
countless insects, and occasionally a white-headed
eagle startled the echoes with its harsh cry.
Next day, seven and a half hours' good pulling,
brought us to the Kome group, a cluster of some
twenty islands in the south-west corner of the
Nyanza. They are of different sizes, and most of
them uninhabited, the people who formerly lived
there having been almost annihilated by the
Waganda. One of the smallest of these islands
is a great breeding-place of the water-fowl which
frequent the Lake ; it was covered with low bushes,
which were filled with the nests of cranes, darters,
ibis, and other birds, while on the ground ducks,
geese, kingfishers, etc., laid their eggs. When I
was there the young birds were mostly about to leave
the nest, and the uproar made by the vast flocks of
old birds hovering about and the cries of the fledg
lings for food was perfectly deafening, and could be
heard at a great distance.. Our canoemen landed
and secured a large number of the young darters,

'VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 239

which they consider great delicacies, but they had
such a powerful odour that I could not bring myself
to eat them. '
The next two or three days were spent among the
Kome group, going from island to island, passing
here and there low ridges of rock rising up Out of
the Lake, often far away from land.
On August 8th we stopped the night on a small
island at the entrance to Jordan's Nullah,. off the
coast of Uzinja. The following day we started
early, wishing to reach Kagei before night. It was
very foggy, and we lost our way, finding ourselves
at length off the coast of Urima, far down Jordan's
Nullah. However, turning the canoes in the right
direction, we kept along close in shore, passing
Great and Little Mwanza. At the latter place the
Waganda, attracted by the herds of cattle grazing
near the beach, wanted to land and seize some of
them, and it was with the utmost difficulty that I
prevented them. At' length, just as the sun was
setting, we came in sight of the familiar Palm Tree
Point. The men were tired, and we made but slow
progress, so that it was quite dark when we rounded
the point, but, guided by the lights in the villages
of Kagei, we made for the little cove where we were
accustomed to land. These men were new to the
place, and, the entrance being difficult to find, I took
a seat in the stern, and, paddle in hand, directed the
leading canoe, for I knew from long experience every

240 UGANDA AND' TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.'
rock and bush about the place. Nearing the village
two shots were fired to announce our approach, and
a crowd rapidly gathored on the beach. I sprang
ashore as the canoe grounded, and inquired of the
first man who greeted mo if there were any news
of the Wazungu (white men). Yes, Mackay had
come, and in another minute I had grasped his
hand, more than two years! having elapsed since I
had said good-bye to him at Bagamoyo.
We walked up to the village together, and, after
supper, I opened the letters he" had brought me.
There was much to tell one another ; Mackay had
his troubles and travels to relate, also how, of the
two men who had been sent out to his aid, one had
fallen and the other been obliged to return. I had
my story to tell of the death of Dr. Smith, the
murder of Smith and O'Neill, my work in Uganda,
and my voyage to meet him. Time flew by unheeded,
and the cocks began to crow, and the first pale flush
appeared in the grey east before we retired to
rest. Mackay had started early in the year, with a
caravan, for the Lake, and on getting some two-
hundred miles from the coast, received the news of
the murder of Smith and O'Neill. Leaving the
caravan under the charge of one of his companions,
he came on rapidly to Kagei, with only a few atten
dants, and arrived there in June. He had thus been
nearly two months at that place when I arrived,

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SEIPWRECK. 241

having been delayed by sickness and the large
amount of repairs, required by the Daisy: these
were now nearly finished, and he was preparing to
proceed to Uganda to join me;
A fortnight's work saw our little boat ready for the
voyage, and on August 23rd I set off, accompanied
by Mackay, for my fifth voyage across the Nyanza,
hoping to reach Uganda in three or four days. But
we were destined to be disappointed. We made but
slow progress the first day, and, the wind having
completely died away, we anchored at night off the
island of Ukerewe. Next morning we set sail with
a strong S.E. breeze, and ran rapidly up the strait
between Wiru and Ukerewe. This channel is usually
a dangerous one, as there is a bar at its' eastern
entrance, but as the Lake was unusually high, being
at least three feet above its normal level, there was
water enough on this bar for us to cross it easily.
We had a very heavy cargo on board, and being
short-handed, I decided not to steer directly for
Murchison Bay, as I had hitherto done, but to make
for the' coast of Uzongora. I intended to fetch the
land a little south of the Kagera river, and then run
up the coast, so as to escape the heavy seas which
are often met with in mid-lake, and which we were
especially likely to encounter at this season, as the
rains were coming on, and frequent storms were to
be expected. Accordingly, on rounding the western
side of Ukerewe, we steered N.W. by W., and on
VOL. I. R

242 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

the morning of the 25th sighted Alice Island, and
anchored at night in the fine land-locked bay on its
N.E. side. We remained there the following day,
leaving with a S.E. breeze on the 27th. The wind
died away towards evening,- and we took to our
oars, steering due west for the coast of Uzongora,
through a nasty " choppy " sea. Night fell,- but we
rowed on hour after hour, Mackay arid I alternately
rowing and steering ; but the land seemed as far off
as ever. At length some fishermen's fires were seen,
and guided by these, we at last reached the coast,
and cast anchor in a fine sandy bay about four
o'clock in the morning. We were so tired that we
lay down and slept for some hours, unconscious of a
violent thunderstorm,, which burst on us just after
we had anchored. The sun Was high in the heavens
when we awoke, and I found that we were off the
village of Makongo., Our food being finished, some
of the men offered to go and buy some bananas, if we
would go nearer the shore ; so, taking up the anchor,
we went as near as we dared to the beach, but. as it
was we ran into too shallow water, and among the
breakers raised by the storm of the preceeding night.
We were not strong enough to row the boat out of
the surf, so cast anchor at once, hoping that the sea
would calm down, and,- having rigged up a . breast
work of awning stanchions and sails, prepared to
wait. For a short time the boat rode the waves well ;
then the wind shifted, and we had -great work to

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 243

keep her head to the breakers; at last, as an
unusually large one swept past, the Daisy dipped her
.bowsprit under the anchor cable, and on her rising
again, the bowsprit with its supports and several
feet of gunwale on the port bow were carried away,
so that the water poured in through the gap with
every billow. The Waganda whom we had on board
were panic-stricken, and, instead of helping to bale
out the water, began crying out that they should
be drowned. It was no good to remain where we
were, the Daisy was fast filling, and must soon have
foundered ; so, getting up the anchor, we ran her
on shore, leaping out when the water shoaled, and
dragging her up as far as we could. But the beach
was steep, and we could not get her out of reach of
the waves, which stove in many of the planks in the
after section, and inflicted terrible damage upon
her. We then set to work to fish up the cargo, and
recovered almost everything, excepting a splendid
botanical collection which I had made on my voyage
to Kagei, and which was irrecoverably lost: As soon
as all was got out of the Daisy, we made tents of
oars and sails, and spread out our saturated clothes
to dry. In a short time crowds of natives came from
the neighbouring villages to see us ; they helped us
to haul up the boat, and, on hearing we were hungry,
brought us several loads of bananas. Later in the
day a chief arrived, bringing a present of a fine
bullock, with a message from Keitaba, the king of
a 2

244 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
this district, saying he had heard of our misfortune,
and would send men to build huts for us to live in,
till we could procure canoes from Uganda to convey
us and our property to that country. Two days
after, a large number of men arrived, bringing
bundles of reeds, sticks and banana-leaves, and in a
few hours three huts were built within thirty yards
of the Lake. On first examining the Daisy we
thought her too much damaged ever to be made sea
worthy again, and decided to break her up, meantime
sending word to Mtesa of our mishap, and asking him
to send canoes to fetch us and our goods to Uganda ;
so, having. procured a canoe from Makongo, we sent
some of the Waganda whom we had with us with a
note to Mtesa. On second thoughts, however, we
decided to cut out the middle section of the boat, and, .
joining the two end ones together (which we found
would, with a little contrivance, be possible), use
the timbers of the discarded portion to repair the
broken planks of the rest. By this plan she would,
of course, be much shortened, and her capacity for
carrying cargo much diminished, yet, as her length
would be better proportioned to her beam, she would,
we hoped, be more seaworthy than before.
So, about a week after . the wreck took place,
Mackay and I set to work upon the boat, aided by a
native carpenter from Zanzibar, who had accompanied
Mackay as one of his servants.
The whole of September .passed,' and found the

VOYAGE TO KAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 245

Daisy far from being completed, and it was not till t
October 22nd that we were able to launch her.
During the whole of our stay in this place we
were on the best possible terms with the natives,
crowds of whom used to come down every day to
watch us at work and express their astonishment at
the various "appliances We employed. We had on
board a portable forge, lathe, grindstone, and black-
. smith's anvil, and these we fitted up. They were in ,
daily requisition, and were an unfailing source of
wonder to the Wazongora, whose constant exclama
tion was " Choma ! choma I " (" Iron ! iron ! ") the
ease . with which we worked that metal seeming
especially to excite their admiration. We had
quantities of copper wire, nails, and other things
which excite the cupidity of the negro, lying in our
tent, yet, to the credit of these natives be it said,
nothing was stolen during the whole of our stay
amongst them.
We had, of course, been quite unprepared for such
a long delay on our journey, and had with us very
little of the barter goods necessary for purchasing*
food, and often had great difficulty in devising means
whereby to procure provisions ; but we cut up an
old sail, which we exchanged for bananas, and once
were able to purchase some cowries, from some
passing Waganda, for fine calico.
Wild geese frequented the shores of the Bay of
Makongo, and a good many of them fell to our guns,

246 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
though they were very shy and difficult to approach,
owing to the total absence of cover ; wild guinea-
fowl were found in flocks on the downs, and I
occasionally bagged one or two of them. Our
greatest want was salt, which was not to be had at
any price, a deprivation which only those who have
themselves experienced it can appreciate.
The scenery of this part of the coast of Uzongora
was very fine. Our little camp was on the edge of
a flat, sandy, crescent-shaped plain, about a mile at
its greatest width, and two miles from point to-
point where the cliffs approached the water. Facing
the sea, the downs formed an amphitheatre of hills,
descending steeply some hundreds of feet to the
plain, and then rising in gentle undulations towards
the uplands of Karagwe, some of the nearer knolls
being a thousand feet above the Lake. The face
of the cliffs was seamed by deep, narrow ravines,
through which sparkling streams of clear cool water
ran with a cheerful murmur towards the Nyanza,
and fell in beautiful cascades over the steep rocks.
These valleys were filled with fine soft grass, and
the streams were shaded by fine tree-ferns (Cyaihea
Dregei). On reaching the plain these rivulets dug
for themselves deep winding channels, whose banks
were festooned with ferns, and shady with dense.
underwood. A small morass,. formed by one of these
brooks _ at the foot of the cliffs, was dotted with a
beautiful little purple-and-white orchid, and over

UZONGORA AND TEE NYANZA.

247

the bushes which grew on its margin crept the
lovely Lygodium scandens, a climbing fern which
covered the small trees and bushes with graceful,
wavy masses of pale green foliage. I clambered
once up the rugged face of the cliff, and was well
repaid for the toil. From my feet the grassy plain
stretched away to the. blue Lake, the course of a
stream being marked by a winding ribbon of
brilliant green; large herds of cattle, dwarfed by
the distance to mere specks, roamed about ; the
village of Makongo, with its picturesque huts peep
ing out of a forest of bananas, was visible fringing
the shores of the Nyanza far away on the right ;
and on the distant horizon the outline of Alice
Island could be distinguished. On either hand
stretched the undulating surface of the downs,
varied by plantain groves and patches of verdant
corn. The noise of life and the murmur of the
brook were both silenced at the height at which I
stood, and the calm was only broken by the twitter
of the gorgeous sun-birds as they flitted from flower
to flower.
This part of Uzongora is densely populated, the
people living in large villages of huts very similar
to those of the Waganda, and surrounded by immense
groves of bananas. They possess considerable herds
of long-horned cattle, and frequently brought butter
for sale to our camp, but we could never induce
them to let us have milk. In physique the Wazon-

248 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

gora are decidedly inferior to the Waganda, and, as
the nkoba, or bark-cloth tree, does not grow in their
country, they are chiefly clothed in the skins of
various' animals. They catch large quantities of
fish in baskets similar to those already described
when speaking of the Waganda. Their language
belongs to the same family as that of the Waganda,
and has some words in common with it. I collected
a small vocabulary of words in their language while
at Makongo, a selection from which will be found in
the Appendix.
Our time was spent very quietly during our stay
at Makongo. We were .chiefly occupied in repair
ing the Daisy, and the. only incidents which broke
the monotony of the days were a visit from 120
Waganda canoes en route to fight with the people
of Bumbire,* and the appearance in the bay of a
solitary bull hippo, who kept us on the qui vive for
two or three nights. For the solitary bulls have
the character among the natives of being extremely
vicious, and of wantonly destroying canoes, or any
thing else that may come in their way. Fearing
for the safety of the Daisy, we kept' our rifles loaded
and ready to hand, should our visitor appear in
clined to come to too close quarters ; but he was a
* We subsequently learnt that, in the battle which took place
between the people of Bumbire and the Waganda, the former
were completely exterminated, with the exception of a few
women and children who were-mado slaves, while the Waganda
left more than half their number dead on the field. *

UZONGORA AND THE NYANZA.

249

wary old fellow, and never gave us the chance of
a shot. On October 11th six Uganda canoes arrived,
having been sent hy Mtesa to assist us in conveying
our goods to his country. But it was not till the
24th that we succeeded in making a start north
wards. For the first few days our progress was
very slow, owing to a constant succession of head
winds, calms, and thunderstorms. On the evening
of the 26th we reached the estuary of the Kagera
river, meeting a number of Uganda canoes on their
way to Kagei, bearing 200 slaves belonging to
one Hamis, a slave of Said bin Salem, the ex-
governor of Unyanyembe. The following day we
steered for the promontory of Dumo, taking sound
ings at intervals off the mouth of the Kagera,
and found the depth to range from eight to ten
fathoms. We kept near the coast of the mainland
till some twenty or thirty miles south of the river
Katonga, and then threaded our way in a N.E.
direction, among the islands, for Ntebbi, our port
on the mainland, which we reached on November
1st; and thus ended my last voyage on the
Nyanza. Before, however, bidding a long farewell to the '
Victoria Lake, some account of it.s more prominent
features may appropriately be given.
The northern and southern limits of the Nyanza
have been determined with considerable accuracy,

250 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

being 0° 27' N., where the Victoria Nile leaves the
Lake on the north, and 2° 27' S. (the head of
Jordan's Nullah) on the south, the extreme length
thus being about 230 miles. The eastern and
western limits are not well known, but approxi
mately 30° 40' E. longitude on the west, and 34°
50' E. longitude on the easV, thus giving a total
breadth Of about 220 miles.
The name Nyanza or Nyanja means " sea " in the
various , lake dialects, and is the distinctive name of
the Victoria Lake, never being applied to any other
of the great bodies of water of Central Africa,
though it is also applied by the Waganda to the
Nile between the Victoria and Albert Lakes. This
confusion, or rather extension of the term, doubtless
gave rise to the accounts given by Musa Mzuri to
Speke, by which the northern limit of the Victoria
Lake was placed about lat 3° N. The names,
" Sea of Ukerewe," " Sea of Ukara," etc., found in
some maps, are absolutely unknown to the natives
of Central Africa, and are only used by the Arabs,
whose nomenclature is often far from trustworthy.
The physical features of the shores of the Nyanza
vary much in the different districts. Commencing
' with Uganda, to the east of Murchison Bay, we find
ranges of . flat-topped hills coming close to the
margin of the Lake. The shores are rocky and the
bottom stony, affording but indifferent anchorage,
except in some of the bays or opposite the mouths

UZONGORA AND THE NYANZA.

251

of streams, where there are patches of sand or
gravel, and where good holding ground can be
found. In some places long mud-banks or sandy
spits run far out into the Lake, having only three
or four feet of water on them, and marked by a
thick growth of water-lilies, reeds, papyrus, and
other aquatic plants. Proceeding westwards to
the Katonga, the coast-line is broken by deep bays,
forming good harbours, the largest being Murchison
Bay. South of the Katonga river the country is
less hilly, and the shores are often very flat and
swampy, with sandy beaches, and clothed with mag
nificent forest trees. The bed of the Nyanza at
. this point slopes very gradually down ; the fisher
men may be seen punting about their rafts a mile
or more from shore, and the lead shows a depth, of
only five fathoms at a distance of between two and
three miles from land. Nearing the Kagera river,
the hills recede still farther from the Lake, and
dense beds of ambatch are found, growing in from
four to six feet of water. These ambatch bushes
are the resort of numerous water-fowl, especially of
the curious darter. These birds have most mar
vellous powers of diving, but after a time their
feathers become saturated, so that they are com
paratively helpless in the water ; they then betake
themselves to these bushes, perching on the
boughs with extended wings till the moisture has
evaporated, strongly reminding one of old clothes

252 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
hung out to dry. On the approach of a canoe these
rags suddenly become animated, and plunge into the
water, to reappear fifty or sixty yards off, only the ¦
snaky head an'd neck of the bird being visible for an
instant, as it surveys the position of the intruder.
South of the Kagera river we have the high, fertile
downs of Uzongora, already described, with deep
water close in shore.
Towards the south-west corner of the Lake, barren
stony hills, with a scanty growth of stunted thorny
and long grass, take the place of the verdant up
lands, and long, bare ridges of rock raise their
heads a few feet above the surface of the Nyanza,
far away from land, forming serious obstacles to
navigation, and necessitating a most careful look-out
ahead. The southern coast is broken by bold headlands
formed of huge boulders of igneous rock, hoary and .
weather-beaten with the storms of centuries, but
beautifully variegated with patches of a brilliant
orange lichen ; between are wide, shallow bays, on
whose shores a few; villages, inhabited by nearly
naked Wazinja and surrounded by banana groves,
are to be seen. The western ' and eastern sides of
Jordan's Nullah are of much the same description,
having stony hills running down near the coast,
while on the eastern side are numerous villages,
and large herds of cattle may be seen grazing
peacefully on the level alluvial ground between the

UZONGORA AND TEE NYANZA.

253

foot of the hills and the Lake. About Kagei the
hills recede • farther from the shore, diminishing
also in height as the mouth of the river Shimiyu
is approached. The beach here is rocky, and the
bottom stony, with very bad anchorage. The coast
about the mouths of the Shimiyu and Euana, at the
head of Speke Gulf, is flat, and no hills of any
magnitude are found till the bold mass of the Magu
Mountains is reached at the northern entrance to
the Gulf.
Proceding northwards from here through Eugezi
Strait along the eastern shore of the Nyanza, the
country is mountainous, the huge Majita Mountain
rising steeply from the water to a height of 2000
feet above the Lake, and separated by a magnificent
bay from Mount Magu. From this point the coast
trends in a N.E. direction, the Majita Mountain
being separated from another bold headland by a
wide and deep inlet, beyond which my personal
knowledge of the Nyanza does not extend.
The islands form an important item in an ac
count of this great inland sea. Starting again from
Uganda, we find two or three small islands off the
entrance to Murchison Bay, then comes the great
Archipelago of Sesse, of which a description has
already been given. South of this group (with the
exception of two little uninhabited islets in the
estuary of the Kagera river) we find on more till
we come to the long chain which, beginning

254 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

opposite Mkongo, and including Bumbire, Maiga,
and Lubili, extends to the south-west corner of the
Lake. Alice Island stands practically alone, rising
in solitary grandeur to a height of many hundred
feet above the Lake, far away from land.
Off the coast of Uzinja we find the well-wooded,
fertile Kome group, most of its members being
uninhabited. Then, along the southern side are
scattered at long intervals rocky, deserted, and
almost inaccessible islands, till we come to Ukerewe,
the largest of all the islands of the Victoria Lake.
It is really a peninsula or promontory, running far
out into the water and connected with the land by
a low swampy neck, through which are one or two
narrow channels. North of this is Ukara, and then
the Nyanza seems to be almost devoid of islands till
we reach Uvuma, off the coast of Usoga, and the
scene of many a bloody battle between ' its brave
inhabitants and the Waganda.
There are one or two currents in the Lake which
deserve a passing mention. The most important is
a strong westerly current, which sets across 'the
entrance to' Jordan's Nullah towards the coast of
Uzinja. Its speed, as far as I can judge, is about a
knot and a half an hour. I first noticed it in my
voyage to Kagei in the Daisy in January 1877,
when, there being no wind, my men, had hard work
to make way against it with their oars. I also
noticed it again in August of that same year, when

UZONGORA AND THE NYANZA.

255

travelling down to Usukuma in canoes, and I found, '
on looking over some papers of Lieutenant Smith
after his death, that he' too had observed it. It is
probably caused by the action of the wind, which
for the greater part of the year blows from the
S.E., on the long, narrow stretch of water extending
from the head of Speke Gulf to the end of the
island of Ukerewe. There is also a slight , cur
rent through the Eugezi Straits, which separate
Ukerewe from the mainland, setting in a southerly
direction, thus keeping the channel open.
:. Storms are frequent on the Nyanza, occurring
'principally in the months of March, April and
May, and September, October and November. They
frequently come on with extreme suddenness, and
make navigation very dangerous, especially at
night, The squalls, however, are often very limited
in area, and it is sometimes possible (as I have
proved On more than one occasion) to sail out of
their path if they are carefully watched. Water
spouts sometimes- accompany them, and I have seen
as many as three at the same moment in mid-lake,
all within a comparatively short distance of my
boat. In the shallow waters of the coast of Uddu, a
heavy surf is often raised by these storms, sweeping
over 200 miles of open water, and great care has to
be exercised in approaching the land under these
circumstances. The prevailing wind is from the
S.E., and blows freshly, as a rule, during the earlier

256 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

¦,. '? ¦

part of the day, dying away in the afternoon ; near
the coast it is often modified by the land breezes.
When close to land an on-shore breeze can almost
always be counted upon in the evening, and an
off-shore one early in the morning ; so that, what
ever the direction of , the wind may be during the
greater part of the day, the voyager can always
reckon on being able to make some progress at
those times. Any boat which is to navigate the
waters of the Nyanza in mid,-lake with tolerable
ease and certainty, in all weathers, should draw not
less than four feet of water, and ought to be com
pletely decked, and able to sail pretty near the
wind. The most rapid run I ever made across the Lake
was from Bukindo in Ukerewe to Ntebbi in Uganda,
and occupied thirty-four hours; the fastest I ac
complished from Kagei to the same place took two
days eighteen hours.
The Nyanza abounds in fish, and at least twenty
kinds are eaten by the natives on its shores. The
study of the various species would, I am sure, amply
repay the naturalist for his trouble. Hippopotami,
crocodiles, two or three species of water -lizards,
otters and large snakes are found in. its waters, and
multitudes of water-birds of great variety prey on
the finny tribes that inhabit it.
Fogs are frequent on the Nyanza,. often lasting
for weeks together.

f

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

257

CHAPTEE X.
FABEWELL TO UGANDA.
Mackay and I having reached Ntebbi on November
the 1st, we waited there two or three days while the
news was sent to Mtesa, and then set off for Eubaga,
arriving there on the 6th. I introduced Mackay at
court, and the king seemed much pleased to see us.
He handed over to me a large packet of English
newspapers which Dr. Emin had kindly sent me;
they were accompanied by a letter from the Doctor,
in which he mentioned that three more men were
on their way from England to join us. They were
coming by the Nile route, and would, he wrote, soon
be at Mi-uli, the most southerly of the Egyptian
stations, and distant by road some 180 miles from -
Eubaga. This was indeed good news for us, and I be
gan to look forward eagerly to the arrival of our new-
comrades, Messrs. Litchfield, Pearson and Felkin.
When I told the news to Mtesa, he seemed gratified,
and on my remarking that we should be the largest
party of white men ever seen in his country at one
time, he replied, " If twenty more Wazungu (Euro
peans) were coming, I should be glad."
I received a very warm welcome from my old
vol. i. s ,

258 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
friend Simbuzi (or, as Stanley spells it, Sambuzi), one
of the most intelligent of Mtesa's chiefs. He had
been one of the king's servants or pages at the time
when Speke was in Uganda, and had been in com
mand of the Waganda warriors who accompanied
Stanley on his expedition to " Beatrice Gulf."
On November 13th a report reached us that some
white men had arrived at Mruli; so, concluding
that it was the reinforcement we were expecting, I
decided to go and meet them there. Having told
Mtesa of my intention, he expressed' his willingness
for me to go, and promised to furnish me with 200
porters and an armed escort of 100 men, as part of
the road was dangerous.
On November 21st I started for Mruli. The first
three or four days' march was in a N.N.W. direc
tion, through, inhabited districts with large villages
surrounded by the inevitable banana groves, and
separated from each other by broad swampy valleys
covered with a thick growth of coarse grasses and
frequent clumps of wild 'date palms. On . the sixth
day we came to jungle, with here and there clearings
containing villages. We also passed several villages
of the Wahuma herdsmen, and saw numbers of their
fine cattle grazing in the open glades of the forest.
The huts of the Wahuma are a great contrast to the
neat dwellings of the Waganda, being badly and
untidily built. They are generally placed in a circle
enclosing a large courtyard, where the cattle are

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

'259

housed at night, and are surrounded by stout thorn
fences or hedges of a species of euphorbia. As the
Wahuma live principally on flesh, and cultivate
the ground but little, the plantain groves, which
add so much to the picturesqueness of the Waganda
villages, are wanting ; but, to compensate for this",
these hamlets are usually situated just on the edge
of the forest, and sometimes have large shady trees
growing among the huts.
On the seventh day we arrived at Sumbwi, an ex
tensive village on the edge of the forest, and here we
stayed for three days, waiting for some of our porters
and collecting food for a six days' journey through
the forest. On December 1st we were off again, and
soon entered the jungle, passing the sites of some
deserted villages ; near one of which was a large
clump of the thistle-like Echinus amplexicaulis,
with its large globular heads of rich crimson flowers,
forming a striking picture.
We spent the night at some small huts near a
group of Borassus palms. The next day's march led
us for some distance over low forest-clad ridges and
swampy grassy valleys, till, having passed the de
serted site of another village, we entered a broad,
level, swampy valley with a river, the Lugogo or
Ergugu, flowing down the farther side in a westerly
direction. This "rush drain," as Speke calls this
description of river, was about half a mile wide, it
being now the end of the rains (when I again crossed
s 2

260 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
it, two months later, it had contracted to 300 yards),
it was five and a half feet deep in the middle, choked
with grass and papyrus, and had no perceptible
current, but, judging by the marks on its banks and
the general slope of the country, I feel convined that
it drains into the Kafur.

FOURTH CAMP MOM MBTJLI, WITH THE MKONO HILLS IN THE
DISTANCE.
Two tall young fellows offered to carry me across,
and I consented ; but, the water coming up to their
mouths, I got so wet that, like the Irishman in the
sedan-chair without a bottom, I might just as well
have walked, but for the appearance of the thing.
We left the Ergugu after crossing, but struck it

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

261

again next day, and camped on its banks. At this,
our third camp in the jungle, a snake was kjlled
just outside my hut ; it was coiled up in a tuft of
grass which a boy, sat down on, and out it wriggled
to his great horror. Our journey the next day took
us along the banks of the Ergugu, which had now
widened to a huge swamp, sometimes three, miles in
breadth. This part of the country is a no-man's
land, and fightB not unfrequently take place here
between the Waganda and Wanyoro, as the road
leading from the settlements of the latter, on the east
of the Nile, to Unyoro just at this point crosses the
road from Mruli to Uganda. The forest about here
seemed alive with game ; numbers of gazelles and
larger antelopes were seen; and one, of a species
called by the Waganda "ngubbi," tried to break
through the caravan, but was speared by the porters.
The soft muddy ground was full of the tracks of
rhinoceros, buffalo, and elephant, and we crossed a
broad, Well-trodden road made by the latter in coming
down to drink; while lions, leopards and hyaenas
kept up a concert round our camp all night. On
the following march, after leaving the Ergugu, we
saw large quantities of guinea-fowl, which were,
however, very wild; I dropped one at sixty yards,
but lost it in the long grass. On nearing the camp,
I saw two elands standing under a tree not one
hundred yards from the road ; I signed to my gun-
bearer to give me my rifle, and was just raising it to

262 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN. '
.my shoulder when a stupid Mganda, noticing the
animals, set up a yell, and they vanished in an
instant. ,;
On December 6th we reached Mruli. Before.
daylight we were on the move, and soon the jungle
became thinner, and herds of gazelles were seen
scampering off through the open glades. Then we
emerged into a wide, open plain, almost treeless, and
'terribly swampy, being often knee-deep in water.
An hour's wading brought us to the banks of the
Kafur or Kafa (as the Waganda pronounce it), and
shortly after I caught sight of the Egyptian flag
marking the station of Mruli. Having collected all
our caravan together, we marched on to the station,
firing a couple of guns to announce our arrival.
Just outside the gate I found a company of soldiers
drawn up to receive me^ who presented arms as I
passed, while the bugles played the " Salaam." Of
course I at once inquired for the white men, but
there were none there ; but a letter was given me from
Pearson, asking me to come on to Foweira, another
Egyptian station on the Nile, some seventy miles
north of Mruli. I was most hospitably received by
the officers in charge of Mruli, who cleared . out the
government divan for my use, and supplied me liber
ally with food, Dr. Emin, with his usual. thoughtful
kindness, having given orders that if ever I came'
to Mruli, or any of the other stations in his province,
I was to be treated as his guest.

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

263

¦A

On December 9th I. left Mruli for Foweira, travel
ling down the Nile in native dug-out canoes. Having
embarked from the landing-stage on the bank of the
Kafur, a few hundred yards brought us to the Nile.
It was my first view of the Nile, as such. I have
sailed many hundreds of miles over the lake that
gives it birth, and know all its various moods, by. day
and by night, in cloud and in sunshine, in storm and
in calm; I. have stood on the watershed that divides
the streams which nourish its young life, from those
which roll their waters to the Indian Ocean ; I have
seen it hurl itself, foaming and roaring, through the
chasm that forms the eighth cataract ; I have seen
it winding its way through the sandy desert ; I have
watched it mingling its waters with those of its sister
stream, the Blue Nile ; I have seen it flowing past
the busy haunts of men, and the mighty Pyramids,
and at last lose itself in the blue waters of the
Mediterranean, more than 3000 miles from its
cradle : but I shall never forget my first sight of it.
The river was here half a mile wide, flowing in a
northerly direction ; the western bank was low, and
fringed with papyrus ; the eastern bank was higher,
and covered with open forest of mimosas and acacias ;
a delicate convolvulus wove its tangled meshes among
the shrubs that bent over the water ; purple water-
lilies dotted' the still creeks ; thousands of the little
cabbage-like Pistia stratiotes floated down the stream,
vast numbers of water-birds perched among the reeds,

264 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

here and there grassy islands divided the current,
and a solitary palm reared its lofty crown like a
silent sentinel watching the mighty river. Crocodiles
lay floating on the surface of the water, and the
snort of the hippopotami could be heard in the reeds
lining the shore. On we floated, hour after hour,
down the broad stream, every turn revealing new
scenes of surpassing loveliness. Night fell at length,
the full moon rising just as the sun set, and throwing
over all a soft veil of silvery light, while the tall
papyrus beds were, lit up with the. lamps of myriads
of fireflies, and a gentle breeze sprang up cool and
refreshing after the sultry heat of the day, bearing
with it the sweet scents of a thousand flowers and all
the strange sounds of insect life peculiar to night in
a tropical forest. At length, some three hours after
sunset, we suddenly heard a bugle-call about a
quarter of a mile ahead, and in a few minutes had
reached the station of Kodj, where we remained for
the night. This is a small station of the Egyp
tians, close to the village of Eionga, the brother of
Kamrasi, the former king of Unyoro, whose name
will be familiar to readers of Speke's, Grant's, and
Baker's books. He came to see me next morning,
and seemed a mild, intelligent man, and kindly
dispositioned. On the 11th I went on to Foweira,
distant some three hours' journey from Kodj. It is
well situated on the steep bank of the Nile, just at
the point where it bends away west to the Albert

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

265

Lake. I quite hoped to find my friends here, but
they had not come, nor could I get any definite in
formation as to their whereabouts. So I decided to,
wait for news, at the same timo sending off letters
to tell them of my arrival at Foweira. The officer
in charge of the station, Mohammed Aga by name,
with whom I afterwards became great friends, gave
me a very pleasant hut outside the fortifications, and
commanding a glorious view of the Nile and country
beyond. At last, on Christmas Day, according to
my reckoning (for I found afterwards that I was a
day out), letters came from Pearson and Felkin,
saying that they had been delayed by sickness, but
were now on their way to join me, via the Albert
Lake and Magungo. On January 1st, 1879, I had a
note from Pearson, saying they were again delayed
at Keroto, three days' journey from Foweira, so, tired
of the long, delay, I resolved to go and meet them.
The next morning I set out, with three porters, three
soldiers, and my servants. Our road led in a W.SW-
direction through fine forest, with a few sites of
< deserted villages, marked only by the bananas (now
fast being choked by the dense vegetation) and fig-
trees. We spent that night at a small village in the
jungle, and the next day reached the village of
Kissoona, a few hours from Keroto. I had intended to
push on to the latter place, but near Kisuna I was
met by Amfina, the chief of this district, who told
me that my brothers had left Keroto, and would be

266 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
at Kissoona that evening. Soon after three o'clock
the head of their caravan appeared emerging from the
forest, and in a few minutes I had welcomed Pearson
and Litchfield. Felkin was still at Keroto with
their dragoman, who was dying. Both Pearson and
Litchfield were suffering from fever, but we sat
up talking and smoking for many an hour. The

rtp?

jE^K^II&.i^fe?

THE NILE AT FOWEIBA.
following morning we retraced our steps towards •
Foweira, stopping at the village of the chief Amfina.
Felkin was able to join us in the evening (the drago
man having died the previous day), and I have since
travelled with him many thousands of miles by land
and by sea, and have shared many a toil and danger
with him.
On reaching Mruli in December, and -finding that

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

267

\

my companions had not arrived, I had dismissed
most of the Waganda porters, as food was scarce
there, retaining only a small number, three of whom
accompanied me to Foweira. After meeting Pearson
and Litchfield, I had at once despatched these men ,
with letters, to Mtesa, asking for porters. We
decided to await their arrival at Foweira in prefer-;
ence to Mruli, as the latter place was considered
, unhealthy. We remained a fortnight at Foweria, moving on
to the station of Kodj on January the 21st.
We saw a good deal of Eionga during the three
days we remained here. We paid him two or three
visits at his own village, where we saw a very neat
amputation of the left arm of a small boy (one of
Eionga's sons), for a compound fracture of the bones,
which had been performed by the chief himself.
On the 25th, news having come that the Waganda
porters had reached Mruli, we started in canoes
for that place. The journey up the river was a
tedious one, taking three days1 hard paddling to
accomplish. The first night we passed in a large
grove of Borassus palms on the eastern bank of the
Nile. The next day we met some canoes coming
down, and one of their crew handed us a packet of
letters, containing, among others, a most 'flowery
epistle from Mtesa^ expressing his gratification at
the prospect of the arrival of more white men in his
kingdom. . That afternoon we landed in a forest to

268 UGANDA AND THE. EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
cook, and considerable alarm was caused, on the
men setting fire to a clump of reeds and grass, by
a huge snake, which, rushing out, made its escape
into the water. On the evening of the 27th we
reached Mruli, receiving quite an ovation from the
Waganda, who rushed in crowds to the landing-
place to meet us ; and we were treated to a long
speech from one of the chiefs, who said they had
begun to fear that something had happened to me,
as I had been away so long.
The 3rd of February saw us once more on the
move, and on the 8th we entered Uganda proper,
after crossing the Ergugu. This stream had greatly
diminished in volume since the beginning of De
cember, . and was now only 300 ' yards in width,
with about three feet of water in the middle. The
road we followed was nearly the same as that which
T traversed on my way north, nearly three months
before, and so does not call for any special notice.
We arrived at last at Eubaga on February 14th, and
found Mackay in good health.
During my absence Mackay had begun a new
house, as the small one, which had been built for
me more than a year before, was not sufficient for
our increased party. The corner poles were up
when we arrived, but the work progressed but
slowly. War also 'had again broken out between the
Waganda and the Wasoga, and a portion of the Masai

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

269

i

tribe lying on the borders of Usoga: -two of the
principal chiefs, Sakibobo and Chambalango, together
with my friend Simbuzi and a number of other chiefs,
had gone into that country with a large army. ¦
Immediately after the arrival of our companions
Felkin began treating the king, and paid him fre
quent professional visits. Mtesa had been laid by
for fifteen months with a complication of diseases,
and was a- terrible contrast to the active, athletic
man he was when first I saw him : long confinement
to his house and want of exercise, together with
constant suffering, had greatly reduced him, and he
looked years older than he did in 1877. Some
curious scenes took place at first owing to the
unwillingness of the chiefs to allow a European
doctor to prescribe for their king, and the foremost
among those who opposed it was one Kauta, the
head cook, a "worthless sycophant, who did all in
his power to thwart us. A large portion of
every bottle of medicine made up for his majesty
had to be swallowed by the chiefs who were present
when Felkin paid him his professional visits, and
also by any of us who might have accompanied him ;
but after a time, when no harm happened to any one
from drinking the medicine, this practice was
gradually dropped. The Arab and half-breed traders,
however, were very much, vexed at the influence
which Felkin's successful treatment of Mtesa gave
him and us over the monarch, and they redoubled

270 UGANDA AND' THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

'% >

their efforts to poison the king's mind against
us. As the report spread of the improvement of the
king's health through the white men's medicine, in
creasing numbers of chiefs, and also of the poorer
classes, presented themselves for treatment. The
negro as a rule has great faith in European medicines,
and believes that every white man is born a doctor.
They are specially partial to strong purges and
emetics, and, as a man once told me, they like a
medicine " that scratches their throats " ; they also
consider it most wonderful that we should be able
to predict the effects of an emetic.
The Waganda have a curious idea that most
diseases are produced by the presence of a snake in
their interiors, and when a patient is asked what .is
the matter with him, his almost invariable reply is
that he has a snake inside him. But it must not be.'
supposed that negroes require large doses of medi
cine as a rule, for frequently they are very sensitive
to the action of drugs, especially of quinine. Many
cases, however, which are brought to the traveller
for treatment are chronic or long-standing diseases,
where the patient has tried in vain all the native
remedies, and come as a last resource to the
European, often, most unreasonably, expecting to be
cured with a single dose. For all non-professional
travellers, who are 'only slightly acquainted with
medical science, Dr. Livingstone's rule should cer-

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

271

\ '.'¦

tainly be,always observed, viz., never to treat a case
of which one is not pretty certain to effect a cure of
give relief. A great deal depends on keeping up
one's reputation for medical skill, and care has to be
exercised in the way of refusing cases. I rarely
directly refused to treat any ; I either gave some
simple medicine which could do no harm, or im
posed some restriction in diet which I knew was not
likely to be complied with, .making treatment con
ditional on its being observed.
Medical treatment is the best means of all for
winning the affections of the natives of Africa, and
all travellers, and especially all missionaries, should,
before leaving Europe, make themselves acquainted
with the elements of medicine and surgery, such as
bandaging, setting broken limbs, tying arteries, and
minor operations. They should also be provided
with a good stock of medicines, lint and bandages,
and should carry with them a small pocket case of
surgical instruments. At all stations where Euro
peans are likely to be permanently settled, an in
firmary should be established. Dr. Emin Bey, the
governor of the Egyptian Equatorial Provinces, who
is a skilful medical man, has one at Lado, with a
man to look after it, and two negro boys whom he
has himself trained, and who have become, really
efficient dressers.
.On February 21st, two Frenchmen arrived at
Eubaga, by namePere Lourdel and.FrereDelmonce;

272 .UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

they were members of a party of French Eomanists,
who had been sent by the Archbishop of Algiers to
begin a mission in Uganda. The party had come
via Zanzibar, and having reached Kagei in Usukuma,
these two had come on in some Uganda canoes,
which they found there, to. ask Mtesa's permission to
settle in his country, and to procure canoes to bring
on the remainder of their party and goods to
Uganda, a request which was ultimately granted
by Mtesa.
Our new house, which was situated in the same
compound as the old one, progressed but slowly, and
it was not till towards the end of April that we were
able to move into it. ,
Meanwhile most of us were busy working at
various employments! Felkin went frequently to
see, the king, and two or more of us were almost
daily at the palace. A small printing press had
been brought from England by the last party, and
we were -constantly at work with this, printing off
the vocabularies and lists of words of the Uganda
language which I had collected for the use of the
members of the mission. Almost every day, also, we
worked at the new house or in the garden, which
had been rather neglected, a certain amount of daily
manual labour being necessary to health, besides
setting a good example to the natives, who look
upon manual labour as derogatory to the dignity of
men, and fit only for women and slaves. We re-

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

273

ceived frequent visits at this time from chiefs and
others. Foremost among these was Mkwenda; his
real name was Gabunga, but, his father having beefa
a very well-known chief, the son, who was a mere
boy when I arrived in Uganda, is more frequently
called by his father's name, Mkwenda, than by. his
own. This young man is the first in rank of the
three hereditary bakungu, who have been already .
mentioned, though, owing to his youth, he did not
take the prominent part in the affairs of the nation
to Which his rank entitled him. He is a remarkably
intelligent young fellow, and always proved himself
a good friend, to us, standing by us, as far as he
dared, when the other chiefs looked coldly upon us.
From the time when Lieutenant Smith and I had
our first interview with him, Mtesa had expressed a
great wish to send some of his people to England,
to learn from their account what our country was
really like, and whether it was as great as it had
been represented to him. We had encouraged this
idea ; as, what the chiefs and people of Uganda need,
is a better knowledge of their real relation to the
outside world and of the comparative insignificance
of their own country, and nothing would convince
them so strongly of this as a visit to some European
, country. Those who went would not, probably,
have the courage to tell Mtesa all they saw, and
how much inferior he was to European potentates,
but they would freely tell those of their own rank
VOL. i. t

274 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

all they had witnessed, and it would of course be
much more readily believed when coming from them
than from a foreigner, and creating a much greater
respect in their minds towards foreigners than at
present exists, would produce a far more favourable
opinion of us in the minds of the people generally.
As already indicated, Mtesa is by no means an
absolute monarch, nor indeed could any king of
Ugand.a he so under the existing regime ; the real
power lies in the hands of the chiefs. And if a
favourable feeling were created in their minds to
ward Europeans, it would do more towards opening
up the country to civilisation than the favour of any
number of successive Icings merely. For while
Mtesa has always been, from various motives,
anxious to have Europeans in his country, the lead
ing chiefs have always been more or less opposed to
them, principally from fear that they would take
Uganda from them, a fear which was increased by
the near approach of Egypt. It was, consequently,
with a view to producing this change of feeling
towards us that we had favoured the idea, first sug
gested by Mtesa himself, of sending ambassadors to
England. This, of course, was bitterly opposed by
the Zanzibar traders, who, jealous of all European
encroachments on what they looked on as their
preserves, were determined to ..do all in their power
to thwart us.
After being several times mooted and again put

FAREWELL TO. UGANDA.

275

off, it was at last decided, in May 1879, that Mtesa
should send envoys to England. The Nile: route
was selected, after some discussion, as being, in our
estimation, safer at that time than the southern
route by Zanzibar. It was also settled that I should
accompany the envoys to England, and that Felkin,
who had been for some time in bad health, and who
was anxious to consult Dr. Emin, should go with
me' part of the way. It was necessary that we
should send word beforehand of our intention to
travel through his province to Dr. Emin Bey, so,
after discussing the matter among ourselves and with
Mtesa, it was finally decided that Felkin should go
on to Mruli first and communicate from there with
Dr. Emin, and that I should wait till the envoys
were ready, and the presents, which Mtesa intended
to send to our Queen, were prepared.
¦Accordingly. Felkin left Eubaga for Mruli on
May 17th, 1879, 1 hoping to follow him in the course
of a week or ten days. But, owing to the delays
inevitable in African travels, nearly a month elapsed
before I could get off, starting finally, with the
envoys and an escort of Waganda, on June 16th.
The route which I followed between Eubaga and
the jungle on this occasion was to the east of that 1
had taken on the two previons journeys. - On the
21st I reached one of the country establishments
of Kangao, who has been already mentioned as one
of the three hereditary bakungu ; he was renowned as
, i2

276 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
a warrior in Speke's time, but is now quite an old
man, and very feeble ; he was suffering from rheu
matism at the time of my visit, and asked me to
prescribe for him, which I did. He had always been
one of those most opposed to Europeans, and was*
a great supporter of the religious system of the

•-¦-' -

THE MISSION HOUSE, BUBAGA.

Waganda and of their medicine-men. This village of
his was a very large one, and one of the cleanest and
neatest that I have seen in Uganda, and was shaded
by fine forest trees. I stayed a day here owing to
an attack of ague, and old Kangao proved very
hospitable, sending me presents of a goat, bullock,
plantains, sugarcane, and fruit!
The next two or three days' march was through.

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

211

jungle-covered country writh villages at long in
tervals. The tracks of elephants were very numerous
about here, and in several places the gardens had
been laid waste by. them. For the elephant is a
very mischievous animal, destroying trees and plants,
apparently for the mere pleasure of doing so, and
the track of a herd of these creatures can often be
traced through the forest merely by the shrubs torn
up by the roots and the huge boughs broken off the
trees. On the 30th of June we entered the real jungle,
stopping for the night at an old camp on the edge of
the valley of the Ergugu. There were numbers of
guinea-fowl about here, and about sunset, being short
of meat, I took my gun, and in a few minutes bagged
a brace of splendid birds. Next day, July 1st, we
crossed the Ergugu, which was rather fuller than
when I last saw it in February, and the banks showed
that it had been higher a short time previously. We
were six days in getting through the jungle, follow
ing precisely the same route as before. At our last
camp, one of the porters, while gathering fire-wood,
came upon a young leopard, which he killed and
brought to camp. On July 5th I reached Mruli,
and was taken to my old quarters in the government
divan. I found letters here from Felkin, saying that
he had gone on to Foweira, and asking me to send
word on at once of my arrival, and to wait for a
reply, as he was expecting shortly to hear from Dr.

278 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
Emin Bey. So I despatched all the Waganda with
the exception of the envoys, and one' or two others
whom I kept to send back to Eubaga with letters,
as we were expecting a mail from England to
arrive shortly. Since I had been last there, Mruli
had been much improved and strengthened by a high
mound with a deep ditch outside, and was now a
really strong place, and if well provisioned could
hold its own against a vastly superior force of negros
armed only with spears or bows and arrows. The
officer in command here was Farag Aga, one of Sir
S. Baker's old soldiers, and a very smart officer.
Letters . having come from Felkin saying he had
gone on to Fatiko, I left Mruli with my party on
July 16th, and travelled down the Nile in canoes
to Foweira, where I arrived on the 17th, and
was most warmly welcomed by my old friend,
Mohammed Aga, who had suddenly become a most
devout Muslim, and who spent a large part of each
day in performing his devotions in the open space in
the centre of the station. Two days were spent here
waiting for porters, and on the 20th we started for
Fatiko. The Waganda with my baggage had been
sent across the Nile the previous evening, and after
an early breakfast I set off, receiving most affec
tionate adieux from the officers.
The greater part of the country between Foweira
and Fatiko is covered with jungle, and the dense-
ness of the undergrowth made marching very slow,

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

279

J

while in the early morning it was so heavy with dew,
that in a few hundred yards one's clothes were as
completely saturated as if one had plunged into a
river. There were enormous quantities of wild
vines in this district, and these were now heavily
laden with large bunches of grapes which were just
ripening. The fruit was small but'sweet, and of a very
good flavour, and most refreshing after a hot march.
On the second day from Foweira we met soldiers coin-
' ing from Fatiko, and they handed me a letter from
Felkin, saying he had started for Lado at Dr. Emin's
urgent request. Towards the end of the third day's
march we approached the edge of the vast plateau
along which we had been travelling, and which
here bounds the valley of the Nile, and having
descended its western face, encamped at night at
its foot.
On July 24th I reached Fatiko, a strong military
station, most charmingly situated near hills, among
vast fields of corn. I was most courteously and
hospitably received by the vakil, Abdul Aga Nimer,
a perfect negro gentleman ; and indeed in all my
journeys through the Soudan and Egypt, extending to
several thousands of miles, I always received (with
scarcely an exception) the utmost courtesy and kind
ness from the highest to the lowest of the Egyptian
officials. I stayed more than a fortnight at Fatiko, and was
charmed with the place. It possesses many natural

280 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
advantages, being healthy, and free from mosquitoes ;
while food is very abundant, and the surrounding
natives (the Shulis) are on the best possible terms
with the garrison. The neighbourhood of Fatiko is
a veritable botanist's paradise, the richness of its
flora being unsurpassed by that of any district I
have seen in Africa ; but unhappily I was debarred
from collecting here, as owing to a bad leg, caused
by a fall, I was laid up during the whole of my
stay. We left "Fatiko on August 8th, the first night
being spent in the jungle. The third day we
crossed a considerable-sized stream called Khor
Djeffi; there had been heavy rain the previous
evening, and the river, which was rising when we
reached its banks, was almost impassable. I and some
of my men got over, but the water rose so rapidly
that half my escort was left on the other bank, and
they were unable to cross till the following evening.
On the 13th we came once more to the Nile, which
we had left at Foweira, and crossed over to Dufli, a
large military station. From Dufli we marched,
through the glorious scenery of the eighth cataract, to
Lahore, and thence to Mugi and Keri. An account
of this part of the journey will be given in the second
part of the book. At Keri we obtained a boat and
rowed down the Nile to the beautiful island of Bedden,
situated among tbe cataracts of the same name.
Were we transhipped our baggage into another boat

FAREWELL TO UGANDA.

281

and proceeded to Eegiaf, and from thence to Lado,
the capital of the' Equatorial Provinces, stopping on
our way for half an hour at Gondokoro.
Below Gondokoro we had a narrow escape from an
upset, owing to the carelessness of the crew, who
allowed our boat to be carried down a narrow side
channel, where it was dashed violently against a
tree. I reached Lado on August 9th, and was
warmly welcomed by Dr. Emin Bey, the governor,
and Felkin, who had arrived some three weeks
before me.
The subsequent narrative of our journey from
Lado to the Bahr-el-Ghazel province, and thence
through the vast forest regions between Dem
Suliman and the Bahr-el-Arab ; our long camel ride
through Dafur and Kordofan ; our voyage down the
Nile to Berber, and the journey thence across the
desert to Suakim on the Eed Sea, will be detailed in
the second part of the book. So I must now bid the
reader farewell, and entrust him to other hands to be
pioneered through the regions of the Soudan, hoping
that I have been able, to add something to his know
ledge of the people and lands of the mysterious
Centre of Africa.

'4''

ME. E. "W. FELIQN'S NAEEATIVE.

SUAKIM TO DUFLI.'

285

CHAPTEE I.

SUAKIM TO DUFLI.
A short account of my journey to Uganda is neces
sary before I begin my description of our homeward
travels. I shall merely give a resume of our journey
up the Nile as far as Dufli, that portion of the
distance having already been described by other
writers. The route from Dufli to Foweira, via the
Albert Lake and Keroto, which is to a great extent
new ground to English -readers, merits a more
detailed account.
In the spring of 1878, the Church Missionary
Society received news of the loss of two of the
members of their expedition to the Victoria Nyanza ;
Lieutenant Shergold Smith and Mr. O'Neill had
been massacred by Lukonge, king of Ukerewe, and
. this disaster had left Mr. Wilson alone in Uganda.
To strengthen his hands, the Church Missionary
Society, in addition to ordering up a reinforcement
from the South, determined to send a new party by

286 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

k

IRRIGA TION— SANDSTORM.

287

way of the Nile; a route which was chosen because
Colonel Gordon, at that time the Governor-General
of the Soudan, had offered to defray the travelling
expenses of a party of missionaries, and to forward
them through the whole of the vast territory under
his rule. This party consisted of the Eev. G.
Litchfield, Messrs. Pearson and Hall, and myself.
We left England on May 8, 1878, and landed at
Suakim, a port on the Eed Sea, on June 9. At this
place Mr. Hall was taken ill, and much to his regret
was obliged to return to England.
On June 25 we started from Suakim with our
caravan of forty camels, and in fifteen days reached
Berber, where we stayed until July 21.
Our yoyage to Khartoum lasted nineteen days;
we took a longer time than is usual, for the engine
of the small steamer was out of order, and we also
tried to tow four large, heavily-laden boats ; to do
this against the strong current was too much for
the steamer, so that the engine broke down twenty-
one times in that short distance. Although the
journey was somewhat tedious, it was most interest
ing. During the enforced delays for the repairs of
the engine we were able to make a nearer acquaint
ance with the people who were at work, on the
banks of the river ; moreover, it was most instruc
tive to see the two modes of irrigation in action.
From the banks of the river gullies run in all direc
tions among the newly sown fields, and at the

river's brink there are either shadoofs or sakiyehs,
which are employed in pumping up the water. The
shadoof , is a pole weighted at one end, which is slung
over a cross-bar, while at the opposite end to the
¦stones there is a line with a bucket at the* end, and
with this rude contrivance the water is laboriously
raised to the required height and poured into the
gullies. The sakiyeh is not so often seen, and is a
fai? more complicated machine ; it is a large wheel
on which water-pots are fixed, or else the wheel is
covered by a circular band having pots attached to
it at intervals. It is turned by oxen, and being
very roughly made, it shrieks and groans in a
terrible fashion; and if perchance the steamer is
made fast near one of these machines, a sleepless
night may be safely anticipated, as the work goes
on day and night without ceasing. The reason that
the sakiyehs are not more numerous is because of
the heavy tax upon them. Instead of the people
being encouraged to cultivate as much land as
possible, a high tax on each new sakiyeh effectually
prevents more cultivation than is absolutely neces
sary for bare existence.
Between Berber and Khartoum we experienced
one of the terrible desert sand-storms; hearing a
great confusion and noise on deck, we ran up to see
what was the matter, and found that the crew were
making the steamer fast to the bank as quickly as
possible. We asked the reason for another stoppage,

288 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

and were told that a sand-storm was coming. On
looking to the north we saw on the horizon a thin
roll of sand, which soon grew larger and larger,
until the whole extent of the northern heavens
became dark with sand. A deep yellow hue covered
everything, only in the centre of the sky the clouds
were broken, and a little blue was visible. In less
than half an hour the storm was over us, enveloping
us on all sides, but just over the river there was a
slight break. The storm, lasting seven minutes,
passed over us with a terrific, roar, after which came
an awful gust of wind, followed by a torrent of
rain, which continued with unabated violence for
an hour ; the cool atmosphere afterwards was most
refreshing. We stayed for five days at Khartoum, and received
the kindest possible welcome from Colonel Gordon,
of whose generous and ready help it is almost
impossible to speak, as words are inadequate to
express all that we owe to him. Nothing could
exceed his thoughtful and considerate care for our
necessities and comforts ; everything ' that was
needful for our journey was provided ; there was no
detail too small or too trivial to be overlooked by
him. Amid all the cares and labours of his arduous
post as Governor of an immense country, he yet
found time to give us the benefit of his counsel on
all matters connected with our mission and journey,
from the best mode of dealing with King Mtesa

GORDON PASHA.

289

down to the duty of seeing that our live-stock was
properly fed on the way. Advice drawn from a
man of his wisdom and vast experience, given
to us freely on precautions in travelling, on the
manner of dealing with natives, indeed, on every
subject, could not fail to be of the utmost value to
travellers inexperienced as we were in all such
matters. And not once only, but on many occasions
have I had cause to be thankful for the few days I
spent in company with one of the noblest men this
century has yet produced.
By Colonel Gordon's orders there were provided
for us porters for our goods, and, whenever neces
sary, an escort of soldiers ; and at each Egyptian
Station houses were prepared for us. Our journey
all through Egypt, from the -day we landed at
Suakim to the day we bade farewell to our escort
at Mruli, did not cost the Missionary Society a
penny. We left Khartoum on August 8 in the Safir, a
larger steamer than the one from Berber; there
were a good number of passengers on board, and a
large cargo. We arrived on August 23 at Fashoda,
the chief town of the Shillook district; we stopped
there for a day, and it was at this place that I saw
the first native dance. The commandant of the
town, a captain, and a major came on board for us,
and after we had put on our best helmets and dresses
. to. make as imposing an impression as possible, we
VOL. I. TJ

290 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

accompanied them on shore. On entering the station
the company of soldiers presented arms and the
cannon fired a salute. We were conducted to a
raised platform before the Mudir's house, where
seats .were prepared for us, and that worthy and his
numerous attendants were assembled. On taking
our seats the drums and trumpets stationed below on
our left began to play, and although the music was
good it was rather too near to be enjoyable. A
large square was formed by soldiers, their wives,
children, and the inhabitants of the town, and soon
a noise of bells was heard and a band of Shillooks
rushed pell-mell into the square, yelling and leaping
in a most extraordinary style. At the same time
arrived their young chief, Kaykoum by name, who
came up and kissed hands and sat down with us.
He is a splendid young man, tall and well built, and
his beautiful face was unspoiled by the numerous
cuts which so generally disfigure both men and.
women. He gave me the impression of possessing
great power, both of mind and body. His interpreter
was quite a study for an artist ; he was six feet four
inches in height, with a massive face. The warriors
came up in a line to the platform and saluted by
dropping their lance-points to the ground and half
bending the right knee in a very graceful manner.
It is difficult to give an adequate description of
these men, so fantastic was their appearance.
Bound each head a band of leather was tied, into

SEILLOOK DANCE.

291

which was woven long grass, which stood out all
round the head, and waved with each movement.
Eound the left arm another leather band was tied,
to which hung a long black sheep's tail ; the ankles
and forearms were adorned with rings of copper or
brass, and small bits of metal of all shapes were
fastened just below the knee, and in some instances
bells were tied above the right elbow. The dress of
some of the performers was a' leopard-skin fastened
over one shoulder; others had a skin round the
loins ; while by others nothing ' but a belt round
the waist, was worn, to which rows of iron rings were
attached. The Shillook weapons are simple, but
very good ; a lance, seven feet long, with a broad,
sharp head, oval shields made of skins, bows, arrows
and clubs, which are carried in the hand,, being all
they possess.
A circle was formed by the performers round the
drum, and thoy danced round with a long striding
step, sinking the whole body at every stride, and at
the same time- covering it with the shield, then
making a lunge forward with the spear. Tells and
' cries as unearthly as can be- imagined were uttered
at regular intervals ; splendid time being kept to
the beats of the drum. Two parties were then
formed, attacks and repulses being interchanged,
first one party and then the other being chased from
the field. Their antics, springs, and contortions
while in action are most amusing, and the noise
u 2

292 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.-
made by the bells and jingling metal is not
unpleasant when heard from a distance; at rest
they stand leaning on the spear with one leg drawn
up. After the warriors had finished their dance,
the women performed; they were all clothed and
danced in Arab fashion, so there is nothing more
to say about them ; the dance is a jump, the women
falling down on their heels, which sent all the
prominent . muscles of the body into a quiver. It
is by no means elegant, and is accompanied by
clapping of hands and shrill cries. The enter
tainment lasted for about two hours, coffee and
sherbet being handed round at intervals ; and when
we said good-bye we gave them ten dollars as a
sign of our appreciation of their efforts for our
amusement. The journey from Fashoda to Lado, the chief
town of the Equatorial Provinces, usually occupies
twelve . or thirteen days, but we were fifty-six days
in accomplishing the voyage.; we were so much
hindered by the large number of "tawfs" or grass
islands which were floating down the Nile, and which
eventually completely blocked it, that all our wood
was exhausted, and for forty days we were held
prisoners in the pestilential marshes of this part of
the Nile. In another part of this book I give some
account of the cause of these obstructions, which are
such a serious impediment to the opening up of the
river for traffic. Here I will mention some of our

A DEAD BLOCK.

293

experiences during our enforced sojourn in such
undesirable surroundings.
Imagine then a space of clear water, a hundred
yards broad, and three hundred long, bounded on
each side by tall grass and reeds, which grow to a
height of twenty or thirty feet above the water, so
that nothing but water, grass, and sky could be
seen. The river was dark and dirty ; supposing you
• called for a glass of water, you obtained a liquid
mixture of mud and water ; if a pinch of alum was
added to clear it, the result was that about a quarter
of an inch of mud was deposited at the bottom of
the glass. The sickening smell . of tropical plants
and of the rotting vegetation oppressed us ; now and
then, dead fish floated past, or at times we saw the
decaying body of a native slowly borne down the
stream. The air was alive with mosquitoes, whose
attacks continued by day as well as by night. The
steamer was so crowded that there was no room to
walk about the deck, so that want of exercise told
upon our health, in addition to the impure water
and insufficient food ; for all our fresh meat was
soon finished, and our principal food was dhurra
pancakes, and this was nearly exhausted before wc
were released, the sailors having to be put on short
allowance long before. Nearly every day we had a
terrible storm of wind and drenching rain, and the
heat of Khartoum having warped the decks, the
cabins were not watertight ; so that in a storm the

294 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

driest place was sitting in the paddle-box, but I
usually preferred the soaking deck to the smells
and mosquitoes which congregated there. About
sunset a cold dense fog arose from the river and
hung like a palL over the steamer. Even night
brought no alleviation to our misery : owing to the
frequent storms we were obliged to sleep under
cover, and the damp, hot atmosphere below turned
the cabins into a vapour bath.. Sleep was impos
sible ; the hours passed in a semi-stupor, broken by
frightful dreams and horrid nightmare, so that
morning found us unrefreshed, and each day less
able to contemplate with stoical indifference the
outcome of our imprisonment. More than half the
crew were down with fever, and the way in which
the poor sailors had to work while trying to extri
cate the steamer was piteous in the extreme. In
order to get wood they were obliged to drag the
boat through the floating vegetation for nearly
three miles, and then work up to their waists in
water to reach the little wood procurable. One
load of wood was their daily task, and ten hours'
work was required to obtain it ; however, they never
grumbled, but when unloading the boat at night
might even be heard singing as they passed the
wood up to the steamer. At last, after many days'
hard work, our captain thought that he had enough
wood, and so we steamed on for a few hours, but
found ourselves once more at a full stop and the

ALMOST IN DESPAIR.

295

wood all burnt up. We were in a lake away from
the real water channel, and. so. sent off a few men in
a small boat to try and make their way to Shambil,
and bring assistance. The days passed wearily,
but still the men did not return,, and fears were ex- '
pressed on all sides that they were lost ; our pro
visions were almost at an end, and famine stared us
in the face. I confess that on October 4, the forty-
second day from leaving Fashoda, I was very down
hearted, and almost gave myself over to despair, all
seemed so dark and hopeless. Little was said by
any of us, but after an attempt at dinner we retired
to our cabins. There the little case containing the
photographs of my dear ones at home caught my
eye ; it was always near at hand, and in times of
difficulty the sight of their faces had often cheered
and comforted me, and so it was now, they all looked
so peaceful and calm; and especially my Father
seemed to say, "Trust in God, all will go well."
So I took courage, and went on deck in a happier
frame of mind, determined not to give up hope ; and
the reward came sooner than I could have- dared to
imagine, for very soon I heard the cry of " steamer,"
or rather " vapour ! vapour ! " What a rush with
telescopes we all made to the paddle-boxes and
bridge ! and there sure enough in the far distance
was something, hardly a steamer, but we could see
a mast ; everyone was almost wild with delight ; we
ran the flag up to the masthead, and then saw our

296 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

salute answered by the approching boat, so that at
last we dared to believe in the chance of escape.
Some of the crew began to pray, some to sing and
dance for joy, and there was a general shaking of
hands. In about an hour after its first appearance,
the boat stopped about six miles off, and we thought
that perhaps the block was there, and that we should
have still to wait a few days until a small boat
could work its way through the grass. In the
evening, as we were sitting on the bridge, clad in
armour of wraps against mosquitoes, I thought I
saw a shadow dart noiselessly across the lake to the
steamer, and then a dark figure sprang upon the
deck, followed by another and • then another. I
hastened down the ladder to see who they were, and
found to my great surprise that it was our pilot,
who had come in a native boat ; and so delighted
were the sailors to see him again that they nearly
hugged him to pieces. He was assailed by such a
torrent of questions that some time elapsed before
he Was able to make himself heard above the tumult ;
but at last he sat down cross-legged, and a circle
was formed round him while he told his tale. It
was an interesting sight to watch the group, their
eager faces, his graceful gestures, all lit up by the.
light of the moon,1 and occasionally by a bright
flash of lightning from some clouds in the back
ground. The man told us that after leaving us it
had taken three days' hard work to force the boat

RESCUED AT LAST.

297

into the channel of the river, and that then one day's
rowing landed them at Shambil. He had brought
down a large nuggar, with provisions, soldiers, and
wood, to help to extricate us. The next morning
the nuggar was able to approach to within a mile >
and a half of us ; it was decided to pull her through
the grass barrier which still separated us, and at
7 a.m. the work of bringing her through began.
The boat was about ten tons burthen and very
heavy, and the way in which the men worked was
as follows. First they trampled down the tall grass,
which is sufficiently dense and firm to bear their
weight; this was done in the direction in which
. the boat had to be pulled, and a path a little broader
than her ' beam was made. Two ropes were then
made fast to the grass fifty yards in advance, and
part of the men in the boat pulled at these ropes,
part lifted up the bow, and part pushed behind. It
took forty-five soldiers and twenty sailors to do this ;
it was fearful work for them, but by 3 p.m. they
managed to get her within two hundred yards of us,
when lines were run out from the steamer, and we
all had to help, and in about half an hour she
floated in our lake. As they worked . the men sang
a song, finishing with " He ! Ho ! ! " when a great
pull is given,- and a pause occurs between each haul
to enable them to take breath. Coffee-drinking,
hand-shaking, and praying followed the accomplish
ment of this difficult task. Early next morning, '

298 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
the wood from the nuggar having been transferred
to the steamer, steam was got up, and we started,
towing the nuggar and being piloted by four Kidj
(Kitch) natives.
The steamer could hardly make its way through
some of the passages, the channel was so narrow
and circuitous ; sometimes the way seemed quite
blocked up, but a sharp turn would suddenly bring
us into a large lake, several of which were two or
three miles across. About 10 o'clock we could see
the real river — that is, the real water channel — in
the distance ; a most tortuous narrow passage, which
we threaded with difficulty, led to it, and at length
we managed to get the bow of the steamer into the
river, but there we stack fast; a line was run out
and secured, and all hands and passengers pulled
away at it, but our efforts were of no avail, for the
rope broke. The soldiers then had to work in the
water as before, every one on board was obliged to
help, and at last the steamer surmounted the ob
struction, and the current caught her and carried
her down stream with such force that it took us
half an hour to get her round.
We steamed back to the nuggar and pulled her
into the river, and could hardly believe that we were
actually released from our forty days' captivity. On
' our arrival at Shambil there were great rejoicings,
and a large quantity of powder was burnt to cele
brate our rescue.

.ARRIVAL AT LADO.

299

On October 8 we left Shambil, and late the same
evening met a steamer from Lado, having on board
Dr. Emin Bey, the accomplished Governor of the
Equatorial Provinces, who proved a good friend
to me, and who did much for us on the journey
from Lado to Mruli, the most southern station of
his jurisdiction.
News of our difiiculities had reached Lado, and he
was on his way with a large number of men to try
and assist us; fortunately we had been already
released, and so he turned back with us, and we
arrived at Lado on October 9, 1878.
We stayed there for three weeks, the time being
occupied in arranging our loads, which should all
have been made up into 40 lb. packets before leav
ing England. We were six days in going from Lado.
to Dufli. Having had occasion to traverse this part
of the route on my return journey, in this place I
will only describe the ascent of the Bedden Eapids.
We started from Eegiaf at half-past 7 in the
morning of November 18, in two nuggars towed by
natives, who, in this district, belong to the Bari
tribe. The current was very strong, but we went at
a better rate than I had expected, and at 10 o'clock
changed the twelve natives who were pulling the
boats, the number being increased to twenty-five.
The rapids at times made the journey most exciting.
The men had to walk through the water, the banks
being all flooded ; the poor fellows were often up to

300 Uganda and tee Egyptian soudan.
their necks, and sometimes even had to swim short
• distances, in which cases part of the men held fast
the rope, until the others had regained their footing.
Two of them were carried off and drowned, and
three more would have shared the same fate, but for
the exertions of a man in our boat, who swam with
a line to them, by means of which we hauled them
in. The scenery along the banks was most beauti
ful, and the river was fringed on each side by
splendid trees. The hippopotami kept showing
their huge heads within a few yards of the boat, and
our men often came to one asleep ; who, when dis
turbed, gave a long stare at the intruders, and then
silently slipped into the water and swam away.
The natives, in spite of the hard work, laughed and
sang as they went, making merry over the mishaps
their companions might encounter, such as falls, or
knocks, or a tumble into a hole. Each batch of men
were to receivetan ox at the end of the journey, so
probably the prospect of a feast served to keep up
their spirits; As we approached each native village,
our bugle -was sounded, and a new band of natives
came down to take their share of the work ; hauling
up boats, or porterage, is the -tax which they pay
to the Government. Most of the men wore orna
ments of flowers, either, stuck into the string which
is worn round the waist, or into their earrings, or
hung in chains round the neck. At times the men
could hardly make headway against the river's

TEE BEDDEN RAPIDS.

301

force; the water rushed and foamed between the
rocks as the first rapid was entered, and for over an
hour the struggle continued, and I dare not think
of what would have happened if the rope had
snapped, which several times seemed likely enough.
Bounding the numerous rocks which impeded our
progress, was a matter of extreme difficulty ; as in
bringing the boat, broadside against the descending
torrent, she heeled over, and, continually dipping her
bow, shipped large quantities of water, and made
the risk of swamping great. The ascent of the
real Bedden rapid is very dangerous. The water
roars and foams furiously, enormous rocks jut up on
all sides, having only narrow passages between them,
through which the boat must pass; and to add to
the difficulty, the natives who were hauling the boat
had to climb up and down the rocks near the river's
edge, and the trees on the bank were also serious
obstructions. We bumped the rocks several times,
but although we shipped much water, the boat was
not quite upset ; once, just as we rounded one large
mass, the current caught us and dashed us against the
bank into the branches of a huge overhanging tree,
smashing the awning of the boat to shreds. After
sunset the scene was most exciting ; the natives lit
torches, the ruddy glare of which fell upon their
dusky forms, upon the seething water, and the
curious fantastically-shaped rocks ; while above the
roar of the river could be heard, now and again,

i.

302. UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
the straining of the cordage or the shrill cry of the
helmsman as he urged the men to extra efforts.
." Turr, turr, awafe kawam ! " (" Pull, pull quickly,
goon!") In eleven hours after leaving Eegiaf we arrived-
safely afi Bedden; an hour and a half only are
required to make the return journey.
On reaching Dufli we found that we had the
choice of two ways to Foweira, both of which I
have had the fortune to traverse. The road via,
Fatiko was the one adopted on the return journey;
on this occasion we decided to go by Magungo and
the Luta Nzige, or Dead Locust, as the Albert Lake
is called.

Wk

DUFLI.

303 *

CHAPTEE II.

DUFLI TO EUBAGA.

Dufli (lat. 3° 34' 35" N., long. 32° 20' E., Dr. E.)
is a well-built Egyptian station on the banks of the
Nile. The streets are wide and clean, and the huts
are nicely made of grass, while the Government
Houses, which are very roomy, are built of sun-
dried brick. There are large magazines made of
burnt brick, and a well-ordered boat-building yard
is a prominent feature of the place. The whole is
surrounded by an excellently constructed wood
stockade, and is defended by three field-guns.
The officials have good gardens, well stocked with
the usual Arab vegetables ; and on the east side
of the river are large tracts of country overspread
with dhurra, which is cultivated to a large extent.
The river is broad and navigable as far as the Luta
Nzige (Albert Nyanza).
Two steamers have their headquarters at this
station, the Nyanza and the Khedive, the latter
being a very strong twin-screw boat, 100 feet in
length, built by Samuda Brothers. The steamers
are kept in good condition, and in the Khedive the
passenger finds comfortable cabins, and has the

304 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
luxury of being able to indulge in a refreshing
bath. There is a road along the west side of the
river, but as the natives were not friendly, it was
not then in use; now, however, it is open, and
a new station has been formed at Wadelei, and
another at the north-west corner of the Luta
Nzige, called Mahehi. The journey by water to
Magungo, in Unyoro, takes about three days.
Unfortunately for us, about a foot of the steam-
piping of the Khedive had been lost while she was
being carried in pieces to Dufli, and it had not yet
been replaced, so we embarked on the Nyanza,
leaving Dufli on December 21, 1878. The voyage
up the Nile, which at this part forms a grand
chain of lakes,. is one which I shall never forget.
The tall papyrus, waving lazily in the soft pure
breeze, fringes the shore; beyond lie broad green
fields of fast-ripening dhurra ; while on either side,
in the far distance, are long ranges of hills, with
here and there a peak, like Mount Meto, towering
up to a height of 1200 feet, and forming sharply
defined fantastic outlines against the deep-blue
sky. Eight well we steamed along until we came to
" Arbatascha " (Fourteen), a curious rock, crowned
by a pretty village, which derives its name from
the fact that here fourteen chiefs pay in to the
Egyptian Government their tax of grain. Here we
stopped for a few hourB to lay in a fresh supply

THE STEAM WHISTLE.

305

of wood, which in these regions takes the place of
coal as fuel. The wood was carried down to the
boat by strong and well-proportioned women, who
were gaily ornamented with showy beadwork ; and
who seemed on the' best terms with the sailors,
chatting and laughing with them, and evidently
regarding their work as mere play.
Leaving Arbatascha we passed numerous vil
lages, at most of 'which a curious sight presented
itself. The natives were as yet unaccustomed to
the steamer, and were greatly frightened by its
approach, especially whenever the steam-whistle
was blown. The warriors rushed .down to the
water's edge brandishing their spears, while the
women and children, carrying as much of their
scanty property as possible, ran quickly up the
hills, seeking safety in flight.
The next station for obtaining fuel is about half
way between Dufli and Magungo, but here we
could not get near the bank, as the river was
shallow, so that the wood from the villages had to
be brought through the water for about three-
quarters of a mile. Only men and boys came,
each carrying a load, and receiving as payment
a few blue or green beads. The boys carried by
far the heaviest loads, and it was strange to see
a small child staggering under the weight of a
heavy burden, while big strong men brought only
light bundles.
Vol. i. . x

306 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

We had been led to expect that we should come
across a river of considerable size flowing into the
Nile on the west side, in the neighbourhood of
Wadelei, but, though we used every care, we failed
to discover one.
Early on December 23, before sunrise, we ap
proached the. Luta Nzige. A thick fog enshrouded
everything, completely obscuring 'the landscape, so
that we could distinguish nothing; but, to our
delight, soon after the sun rose a rapid change
took place. The fog rolled away, revealing a most
charming scene. Numerous islands, covered with
brushwood and papyrus, stud the mouth of the
Lake and the Victoria Nile, while in the distance
could be seen the ranges of mountains which guard .
its western shore. Herds of antelopes, eland (Oreas
Livingstonii) were grazing on the grassy shore, and
' forty hippopotami were counted marching in single.
file along the bank. We had been steaming steadily
up stream for some time, when' the boat began to
pitch and roll unpleasantly. In the distance the
high waves of the stormy Lake were visible, their
white foam-crowned crests reminding us of the
ocean. Neither the natives nor the Arabs enjoyed
this part of the journey, as unpleasant sensa
tions arise, and only the well-remembered cry of
" steward " was wanted to make the illusion com
plete !
After steaming for about three-quarters of an

^

FIRST SIGHT OF THE ALBERT LAKE. 307 .
hour across the northern extremity of the Lake we
turned into the river proper (the Victoria Nile),
and noticed that the current divides at one of the
islands, part flowing in a northerly direction, and
part diverging to the south-south-west, into the
Lake. For this cause Magungo has removed from
its old site, as the water is gradually washing away
the land at the north-east corner of the Lake, and
in consequence the station became so damp and
unhealthy as to make a move absolutely necessary.
This alteration in the position of Magungo has
a connection with the vexed question as to whether
or no the Albert Lake is to be regarded as one
of the sources of the Nile. This is a matter of
such interest, and importance that I may be par
doned if I make a digression at this point.
When Dr. Livingstone discovered Lake Tan
ganyika, he found at no great distance from it a
large river. He was unable to trace it to its source,
but conjectured that it was the Nile, and that it
flowed out of Lake Tanganyika.
Speke was at this time in these parts, and being
informed by some missionaries that, according to
native report, there was a lake in the centre, he
made an excursion as far as Kagei, and then first
saw the Victoria Nyanza.
Eeturningto England, he soon organised a regular
expedition for discovering the source of the Nile, and
started with Colonel Grant from the south, and pro-
x2

308 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN. -"'
ceeded to Kagei. ¦ Thence they marched round the
Victoria Nyanza, through Karague to Uganda.
They discovered that the river flowed out of the
Nyanza at the Eipon Falls ; and followed its course
up to Foweira, where they were compelled to leave
it and strike across country to Gondokoro, at which
place they met Mr. Baker (afterwards Sir Samuel
Baker) and his wife/ who were coming from the
north to aid them.
Speke and Grant had been told by the natives
that there was another lake farther weBt ; this in
formation they gave to Baker, who acted upon it,
and continued his journey with the result of dis-:
covering the Albert Lake.
Baker struck the Luta Nzige at a point called
Vacovia, and imagined that the Lake extended far
to the south. He was not able to explore the
Lake fully, and the true position of Vacovia
turns out to be nearly at the end, of the Lake,
which is only about half as long as was then
thought. v
The Nile flows from the east into the north
corner of the Lake, and flows out in a northerly
direction. (See map.) On discovering this, Baker
came to the conclusion that the Lake contributed to
the supply of water, and ought to be considered as
one of the sources of the Nile., A reference to the
accompanying map will show the Lake as Baker
gave it ; and as it really is. Some travellers have

T>

JLLLJ2/ M.JJJ1JEJJX J. J^/lJli/.

\

supposed that either the Albert and Tanganyika
were the same lake, or that they were joined by
a large river such as that seen by Livingstone.'
If this had been so, Tanganyika might have been
regarded as a source of the Nile.
At a later date Mr. Stanley, in the course, of his
travels, came upon a' lake to the north of Tan
ganyika, which he imagined- to be the Albert; but
the position . he assigns to it makes this to be im
possible, as it is much farther south than the
extreme limit of the Albert Lake. Since then the
Albert Lake has been circumnavigated on three
occasions by Gessi Pasha, Mason Bey, and Dr.
Emin Bey respectively. They found that Baker
had placed Vacovia too far east, that the southern
end of the Lake was an ambatch forest, and that
there was no large river flowing into it at its ex
tremity. Moreover, on either side of the Lake, there
are ranges of hills close at hand, so that the only
rivers flowing into it are of very small dimensions ;
and indeed the water lost by evaporation from the
- large area of the Lake's surface is greater than the
amount of water supplied from these small streams.
It is for this reason that there is a current to the
south-south-west, drawn in from the Nile. "
Nevertheless, a lake of this size must exercise a
considerable influence on the Nile, and it is that
of an immense back-water. At the time of the dry
season, there is much less water coming down from

312 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN. .
the Victoria Nyanza. It is then that the Albert
affords , water for the Nile, and, as a consequence,
the level of its surface sinks until the rains, set in
and the usual amount of water comes again from
the Victoria.
On the whole, I am inclined to think that
originally the Albert, Stanley's Lake, and Tan
ganyika were one, but that owing to volcanic or
other causes, they have been divided. Any con
jecture on this point must be qualified, until the
country between the Albert and Tanganyika has
been explored ; this need, not be a very difficult or
lengthy proceeding. I do not think that the Albert
can be regarded as one of the sources of the Nile,
but that it exercises the influence that has already
been described. As far as we know as present, the
• Victoria ¦ Nyanza must be considered as the only
source. I hear that there is a large river flowing into
the north-east corner of the • Victoria Lake ; but if
this be so, it has not yet been explored; It may
be that the waters from Mount Kilimanjaro do find
their way into the Nile ; and I shall not be surprised
if it be discovered that Lake Baringo does not exist.
Magungo ( lat. 2° 14' 42" N., long. 31° 31' 45" E.,
2109 feet above sea-level) is a clean and well-built
town, surrounded, by a strong earthwork fortifica
tion, and a moat which is ten feet in depth. One
field-gun and two rocket-tubes are placed in ad-

MURCHISON FALLS.

313

vantageous positions. In addition to the ordinary
sentries, a chain of outposts was maintained; good
guard being necessary, as the place is coveted by
that ' most treacherous king Kabrega, well known to
the readers of Baker's ' Ismalia.'
The landing-stage is in the form of a horse-shoe,
right up to which there is deep water, so that the
steamer can be run alongside. On our arrival a
body of troops was drawn up round the semicircle ;
and as we landed the soldiers presented arms, -.the
band struck up the Egyptian " Salaam," and the
colours were drooped. As the Mudir, Murjan Aga
Donesura, was absent, we were courteously received
by the second in command, Mahomet Aga, a young
man, and a good and brave soldier. The appearance
of the soldiers was excellent, and their ' spotless
white uniforms contrasted well with the gorgeous
attire of their officers. Our huts were pleasantly
situated under an immense tree, just outside the
earthworks. We were up betime the next day, December 24,
for we were to pay a visit to the Murchison Falls.
On reaching the landing-stage, we found the steamer
prepared to start.; the Vakil, Mahomet Aga, had
provided a sumptuous luncheon-basket, containing
half-a-dozen cold roast fowls, a goodly number of
hard-boiled eggs, and a couple of jars of native
beer. A large crowd had assembled to see us off, and
all being ready, we got under weigh immediately.

314 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
The sun was very hot, and a new and agreeable
feature presented itself to us, the deep blue of the
sky overhead being lightly covered with fleecy white
clouds. We were all in high spirits at the prospect of so
pleasant a day, and chatted with the captain and
other officers, who " spun long yarns " for our amuse
ment. There were quantities of ripe bananas lying
about, and this was the cause of our hearing an
interesting fact in gastronomy. It appears that
the second engineer has a weakness for this par
ticular fruit, and whenever he is at Magungo, he
indulges his taste to the utmost extent. On this
occasion, marvellous to relate, not less than a hundred
and fifty bananas were required to satisfy his apper
.tite. He was certainly a phenomenon ; but, sad to
relate, he applied to me for pills the following day.
After leaving Magungo, the river narrowed, while
the land on each side rose higher and higher, until
we entered a kind of gorge. The hills on either
side were covered with great trees, clothed with
brilliant foliage, and at each bend of the river the
eye fell on natural bowers, formed by tropical
creepers drooping in graceful festoons from the
mighty branches of huge trees, among which
monkeys (the first we had seen in Africa) sported.
and chattered. Overhead flew birds, with mag
nificent plumage, while gorgeous 'butterflies, flutter
ing about in countless swarms, added to the charm

MURCHISON FALLS.

315

of the scene. Here and there we came across sandy,
sunburnt patches, forming a striking contrast to
the rich colouring of the undergrowth, and affording
a pleasant lounge for monster crocodiles. Occasion
ally the temptation to take a shot at them was
irresistible, but whether or no we killed any, I
cannot tell, as crocodiles have a knack of falling
into the water as soon as hit. In our wake we
could see several hippopotami, one of whom,' asj
tonished doubtless at the unaccustomed sight, and
indignant at such an invasion of his- domain, charged
the steamer, and made her quiver from stem to
stern. This was not an unf cequent occurrence, and
occasionally the violent shock does much damage,
the screw of our boat having been injured more than
once. During our sail, we came near some canoes,
the occupants of. which tried to race ; but when
they found we were overtaking them, they ran their
canoes to shore, and were soon hidden in the dense
vegetation. Through breaks in the trees we could
see the natives on the hills looking down on the
strange sight of a steamer ; they rapidly disappeared
when the steam-whistle was blown.
As we passed on wo found that the hills closed in
ahead of us, shutting out the light, and soon we
could hear the roar of the falls in the distance.
The water became more and more turbulent as we
went on through the gathering gloom, till at last a
sudden turn in the river brought us into daylight

316 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN; SOUDAN. .
again. A fissure in the hills admitted the blazing
rays of the sun, which fell straight' on the fall, now
becoming visible. At first we could only perceive
the spray, which rose up in clouds and was blown
about by the wind ; .but when we approached nearer,
the magnificent fall burst upon our sight, descend
ing in an unbroken column between two rocks, into
a seething mass of water some hundred . and twenty
feet below. The spray, sparkling and flashing in
the sunlight like myriads of jewels, is tossed up
right to the top of the cliffs, and for several hundred
yards the river is a turbulent mass of stormy water.
Our captain approached to within half a mile of the
fall, the nearest point to which the steamer can with
safety be taken, owing to the tremendous force of
the current. So she was run in shore ; two men,
watching their opportunity, leaped out and made
her fast to a large tree by means of a stout rope.
We were so fascinated by the fall, the splendour
of which I cannot attempt to describe, that we were
very unwilling to quit the magnificent scene. Two of
our party landed, hoping to advance some way nearer,
but the tangled underwood was so thick that they
returned defeated, and we were reluctantly obliged
to be content with the view from the steamer.- Of
course, with such a strong current to aid our return
to Magungo, the journey down occupied far less
time than the voyage up,
At one point, while the men were getting wood,

CHRISTMAS EVE.

319

*

one of my companions and I ascended the hills on
the , banks, and were well rewarded for our toil by
gaining splendid views over woods and dales, with
fine ranges of distant hills. The view of the Mur
chison Falls is taken from a hill on the southern
bank, at a distance of about a mile, and gives but a
very slight idea of the grandeur of the scene. It
was unfortunately impossible to obtain a better
position for a photograph.
It being Christmas Eve we spent as cheerful an
evening as we. could, although so far from home, and
amid such strange surroundings. We had a large fire
;made under our tree, and sat round it, singing carols,
to the great astonishment of a motley throng who
formed a ring round us and listened with evident
delight to our amateur concert. Of course many a
thought was sent across land and sea to our far-
distant English homes, where we pictured our friends
spending a very different evening.
On Christmas morning the officers of the station
called to wish us the customary " El eed Mabarak,"
s or " May you have a blessed feast."
After our Christmas service we repaired to the
house of the Mudir, whose head wife Zenab gave us
a capital dinner, of which the following were the
chief courses : soup, Irish stew, roast fowl, plum-
pudding (which we had brought with us from Eng
land), and sweets made of honey, butter, ground- "
nuts and semsem seeds. There was also plantain

,Vi

320 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

wine; and tea and coffee followed 'after dinner.
Such excellent cooking we had only onoe in Africa.
After dinner Zenab asked us to stay and. see the
Mudir's other wives ; we accepted the invitation,
and they were called in. Three of them were black
beauties, and the fourth was a lovely Abyssinian
girl of a lighter tint, with expressive gazelle-like
eyes. They were neatly and simply attired in print
dresses ; but Zenab's gaudy colours would have
greatly shocked those aesthetic gentlemen who de
light in olive-greens and sickly blues, and worship
Mr. Whistler's " Harmonies." They sat down on
the ground, while Zenab stood and gave us an
account of their history.
The next two days were engaged in finding
porters, which was a matter of some difficulty, for
Kabrega had heard of our journey, and had given
strict'injunctions to his people not to carry any of
our goods. But Mahomet Aga himself went and
procured us porters by holding out to them great
promises of reward, > and . perhaps adding ' a few
judicious threats.
At Magungo we were to bid farewell to the
steamer and begin marching. It is a great tribute
to British enterprise that a traveller can penetrate
so far inland in a steamer. The first suggestion for
placing one here was made by Sir Samuel Baker,'
and though many difficulties had to be encountered
before his idea could be carried out, Colonel Gordon

A CONTRETEMPS.

321

succeeded in surmounting them, and steamers have
been safely transported and reconstructed here, and
will doubtless prove to be a great assistance to. the
work of civilisation in these regions.
On the morning of December 28 we prepared for
a start onwards. We were provided with three
donkeys. Before receiving the " salaam " I mounted
my animal, but, alas, he proved refractory ; in spite
of my efforts, the beast bolted with me right past
the soldiers, who were drawn up in line. I pulled
at the bridle, and my legs being too long my feet
trailed on the ground, and I presented a most un
dignified spectacle; the donkey would not stop
until seized by two officers who had started in
pursuit ! They would not let me dismount, but led
me ignominiously past the line of troops to receive
the parting salaam. After this contretemps we
finally made our departure, carrying with us most
agreeable remembrances of the kind attentions and
hospitality of the officials at Magungo.
Three long days' march brought us to Keroto.
On the first day the road was for the most part
exceedingly bad ; the tall tiger-grass and deep
underwood impeded the way, and made our progress
very slow. It was here that we came for the first
time to the banaha groves, which were certainly
very pleasant and shady, and rested our eyes, which
• had been much tried by the glare of the sun. We
found the Wanyoro porters a wretched set Of men,
VOL. I. v

322 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

hut we were escorted by a large body, of regular
troops, who gave valuable assistance. Just before
sunset our advance guard was attacked by Kabrega's
people. He had not expected such a strong party,
so that his men speedily had to retire, leaving one
man on the field, upon which our escort advanced
and took possession of a small village, where we en
camped for the night. The natives showed in force
several times, but the sharp fire of the soldiers soon
cleared the . woods round the village. We found
the huts so full of vermin that we were obliged to
sleep in the open air. At about 11 o'clock we were
aroused from our slumbers by a loud clap of thunder,
and a minute or two later a tropical storm broke
over us, the like of which I have rarely seen. The
rain came pouring down in torrents, soon extin
guishing our fires ; flash after flash of vivid lighte
ning lit up the dreary scene, and we were almost
deafened by the continuous roll of the crashing
thunder, which seemed to shake the earth to its
very foundations. The storm having made the
night as uncomfortable as it well could, we were not
sorry to break camp next morning at half-past 5.
The road was worse than ever, and we had to' cross
two streams. The second of these, Khor El Pasha,
is a very rapid torrent, which we reached about
mid-day. We had to cross it by springing from
stone to stone, the natives catching us as we landed
on each rock. It was a matter of some danger, for

KEROTO.

323

if a slip had sent us into the rapid stream, no human
power could have saved us. After a tiring march--
of twelve hours we pitched our camp on a hill near
another rocky stream, and a second violent storm
coming on, we passed another sleepless and miserable
. night. It may be well to mention that, when in camp, no
one is permitted to go beyond the line of sentries
without a firebrand. Any one who is so reckless
as to disobey this regulation stands a good chance
of getting an ounce of lead from one of the sentries
on his return.
We were glad to arrive at Keroto, and to be under
the protection of its strong stockade, for all along
the route the signals of the hostile natives, such as
shrill cries, whistles, blowing of horns, and the war-
drum, had kept us continually on the alert.
Exposure to the rain during the past two nights
had prostrated my two companions with fever, and
was " the last straw " in the case of our poor Syrian
dragoman, Nicola, who had been ill for some time,
and he died at this place in the course of a few days.
Poor fellow ! He little thought that this journey
would cost him his life.
Keroto (lat. 4° 18' 10" N, long. 31° 40' 28" E.,
3451 feet above sea-level) has generally been placed
on maps too far east. ' The above position will, I
believe, be found accurate; the altitude has not
before been determined. A more picturesque spot
V 2

324 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

can hardly be imagined. There is a large clearing
in an immense forest, in the centre of which stands
the town; an open space of about 200 yards
being left all round to prevent an enemy finding
shelter near the stockade. As the garrison is not
large enough for the purpose of working as well as
mounting guard, and as there are no friendly natives
here, it is a matter of some difficulty to obtain the
necessary amount of provisions. Kabrega is con
stantly harassing the station. It is to be regretted
that an end had not been put to his tyrannical rule,
as would have happened some time ago but for the
strong opposition excited in England by some people
Avho look with jealous eyes at the extension south
wards of Egyptian territory ; but I can confidently
state that in those parts of the country which are
under Egyptian rule, and where the government is
conducted as it is by the present Governor of the
Equatorial Provinces, the natives are in far better
circumstances than under their own despotic and
brutal kings.
To my thinking, those who know so little of the
facts of the case would effect more good by keeping,
silence, which we have high authority for knowing
to be at times " golden," than by dogmatising con
cerning matters of which they can have .but an im
perfect and scanty knowledge ; whilst those who are
in a position to practically assist the cause, are
hampered and often thwarted in their self-sacrificing

.

HC|V

AMFINA.

325

efforts to raise the people by the ignorance and folly
of sentimentalists. There is unfortunately in Eu
rope a class of philanthropists who are wise in their
own conceit, who have a number of pot theories,
which are well adapted for board-rooms and news
paper articles, but, when put to the test of prac
tical experience, are found to be utterly worthless.
It would be well if some of them were to pay a
flying visit to Central Africa. They would probably
learn a few lessons which would well repay the
cost of the journey; and would confer a great
boon on thousands, who in those far regions are
to this day suffering from the' force of the " fixed
ideas " which these well-intentioned but misguided
gentlemen, having once originated on insufficient
data, so obstinately maintain.
At Keroto wo saw Amfina, one of Kabrega's
cousins, who had come to meet us. His pedigree
may prove a matter of some interest :
Isaanca.

Kwambo (Ninntukera).

Sagira BlONOA
Kamiawa.

Kaloliupe

Furoka (dead)

Amfina.

Mugcsnge. Kamrasi
Kabrega.

This table, which shows the relationship of Kabrega,
Eionga, and Amfina, all of whom will be frequently
mentioned, was kindly given to me by Dr. Emin

326 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

"'!

PANYATOLE.

327

Bey, and as my own inquiries confirm its accuracy,
I can repeat it with every confidence.
It was at this station that we saw the curious
Wanyoro dance. I was sitting in my hut at night,
when a messenger came from Amfina asking me to
go over to see him. I was very glad to accept his
invitation, and followed the guide, I found Amfina
sitting in front of his hut, surrounded by three' or
"four of his heafl men, with a huge bowl of merissa
(native beer) in front of him. He told me that
his people had made friends with our porters, and
as they had a good brew of merissa, they were in
tending to make a night of it and have a dance ; so
he thought I might like to see it. I thanked him,
sat down, and lit my pipe. He gave me some
merissa, a sour, muddy compound, not a very agree
able beverage, and entered into conversation with
me about the manners and customs of his people.
After which, at my request, they danced their war-
dance to the accompaniment of drums and the clap
ping of hands. Seizing their spears with their
right hand and their shields with their left, they
advanced with a crouching kind of spring in a zigzag.
towards Amfina, and then retired, uttering their,
war-cry. Those who have seen the performance of
the friendly Zulus will be able to form a good idea
of this dance, which is very similar. They then, for
their own pleasure, danced the peculiar dance of
the tribe, which is a wonderful performance, but

so indecent that a description of it cannot be
given. The next day, January 4, a long and rapid march
brought mo to Amfina's residence, Panyatole, pass
ing en route the village Kissuna. The road from
Keroto first descends and then winds up hill for a
long way, the land rising and falling, thus forming
several ridges, one above the other, until Panyatole
is reached. From each of these elevations there
are most picturesque views. The eye wanders down
the glades of the forest ; and among the trees,
herds of graceful antelopes may. be seen lying down
or grazing at will. As we neared Panyatole, the
birds flew hither and thither, telling us, by their
shrill screams, that a storm was at hand, even if the
heavy masses of cloud and the growing darkness
had not already warned us. Our pace quickened ;
the soldiers and boys broke into a jog-trot, as they
did not relish the idea of a drenching. Our pro
gress was all the faster as Amfina had caused the
grass along the road to be cut down. But our
efforts were in vain. The storm broke over us, and
before we reached shelter, we had a thorough soak
ing. During this march one of my boys fell ill, and
I gave orders for him to be carried on an angereb.
My men made great objections, for though they are
willing to carry a white man, they draw the line at
those of their own colour. They wanted the boy to
be left behind, to catch us up on recovery, if he

328 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

UNYORO.

329

could, and they seemed quite unable to understand
my anxiety for "a mere boy.
It was at Amfina's that I had the pleasure of
meeting the Eev. Mr. Wilson, who had come from
Uganda to meet our party, and who has been my
companion and friend through many a danger, and
many a long month of wearisome travel.
All the villages here are well fortified by a thick
thorn fence, partly as protection against Kabrega,
and partly to prevent the entrance of leopards.
There is only one gateway, just wide enough for a
cow to get through; and it is closed at night by a .
massive door, which slides between the walls and
two upright posts, thus forming an impassable
barrier. The way in which the Wanyoro build their
houses is as follows : a long stout pole is fixed into
the ground'; around this, at the distance of some
ten feet, is placed a circle of saplings, which are
bent over and securely fastened to the centre pole,
thus forming a dome. The whole, is thatched with
grass ; a doorway and porch are made, and the hut
is finished as far as its externals are concerned.
Inside there are two partitions, dividing the hut
into three parts, as shown in the diagram. In one
of these is the fire, in another the beds, while the
third is used as a sitting-room.
There is no arrangement made to permit the
smoke to escape, and so the huts are not very

comfortable for Europeans, who find that a very
little smoke goes a long way. In addition to this
discomfort, the traveller who is particular on these
little points may have rather a strong objection to
the fleas which find their way into the hut in the
grass that bestrews the floor. The sanitary arrange
ments in Unyoro are not so good as in Uganda,
where the people are most particular about such
matters. In Unyoro, it is the custom for the near relatives
of the late king to fight for the throne ; this has
caused much bloodshed; and now a continual suc
cession of small raids goes on between Kabrega,
Eionga, and Amfina. The two latter certainly do
not bear any brotherly feeling to the former ; indeed,
Amfina begged us to help him to fight for what he
considers his own land.
Amfina has a remarkably intelligent face, a fine
soldierly bearing, and is a thoroughly polished man.
Doubtless he has learnt much from the Arabs,
though, unlike Mtesa, he does not speak their lan
guage well. He was very friendly, and gave us
plenty of provisions; but, like all the natives, he—
alieni appetens— wanted us to make him presents of
all we possessed. As in Cairo, so in these parts,
there is a continual cry of backsheesh — back
sheesh ! His reception of us was very pleasing ;
; the divan was overspread with Turkish carpets,
the seats and bolsters being covered with spotless

A

330 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

linen. Coffee and cigarettes were gravely handed
round in the most decorous style by smartly dressed
boys. The chief's old mother came to see us ; but
she was quite thrown into the shade by hor ton
daughters-in-law, Amfina's wives, such a bevy of
beauty as one does not often see. They, were all
modestly dressed in robes made either of skins, or
of the native bark-cloth. They were very pleased
at being allowed to inspect our clothes, stockings,
and boots, and asked as an especial favour to see
our hair. Their wonder and admiration at Mr.
Wilson's hair, which happened to be rather long,
knew no bounds, and only after considerable pulling
from their fair — no, I am forgetting — their dusky
hands, would they believe that it was real and would
not come off. Of course we were asked - the usual
stock of questions : they were very much surprised
and disgusted to find that we had no wives, but
Amfina offered to supply the deficiency in any
quantity we might desire. It is hardly necessary
to say that we refused on this, as on all such
occasions ; but it is well to state, that it is a great
disadvantage to be unmarried in Africa ; bachelors
at once lose caste with the natives, who cannot
understand it. All missionaries would do well to
remember this, and to bring out a wife each with
them; for I feel persuaded that the fact of their
being unmarried does much to set the natives against
religion. In Africa, as elsewhere, the example of

ROAD TO FOWEIRA.

331

the life led by the professors of Christianity is the
thing which teaches most; and how can a man
inveigh against the evils of polygamy unless he
can show to the natives the possibility of living
with one wife ?
After spending a pleasant hour and a half with
Amfina we retired at sunset 'to our huts, hoping to
prepare ourselves by a long night's rest for the
march to Foweira. We were cheated out of this by
the natives making such frightful noises, that sleep
was an impossibility.
From Amfina's seriba the road to Foweira was
through a dense jungle ; the high reeds and the thick
tiger-grass made marching exceedingly difficult and
fatiguing. Dead trunks of trees lay rotting across
the path, and we often got our feet entangled- in the
creepers which grow so luxuriantly, and give great
trouble to the unsuspecting traveller. In Africa it
is needful to be always on the look-out, and to walk
warily, for danger lurks onfall sides. It is out of
the question to ride ; the venturesome wight who at
tempts this daring feat soon finds that his donkey
has a knack of stumbling among the many impedi
ments ; and while the rider, to his great disgust,
finds himseK and his saddle in an inglorious posi
tion on the ground, the donkey wanders on, usually
away from the path, and probably gets stuck in a
swamp. The rescue of the animal, and. the raising
up of the bruised and indignant rider, of course,

332 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.
hinder the caravan for some time. Nevertheless we
persevered through all these little annoyances, and
at night camped out in the forest. The soldiers
built huts for themselves, and offered to do the same
for us, but we foolishly refused. Next morning we
discovered that it is best in Africa to take advice ;
for as we had only our mosquito curtains to protect
us, we were drenched to the skin by the heavy dew
that had fallen. This jungle is the resort of herds
of wild animals, among which are plenty of wart-
hogs (Ghoiropotamus Africanus). As this animal is
unclean according to the law of the Prophet, we had
some difficulty in getting it cooked, for no Moslem
will dare to touch it. And indeed, when cooked, we
did not find the flesh at all good.
In course of time we arrived at Foweira, a town
situated on a high bank, at a curve in the river,
which thus forms a natural protection on two sides.
The Nile here is 850 yards broad, and is deep, so
that it could be navigated by steamers of consider
able draught as far as Urondogani; after that.
place there are rapids which bar the way into the
Victoria Nyanza. Between Foweira and Magungo
porterage would be always necessary, as the river
falls 700 feet in its course between these places.
Just opposite Foweira, a small river, the Kubuli,
flows into the Nile from the east, then turning
north I was told it is navigable for small boats
for a good many miles inland.

MRULI.

333

The natives here catch a great quantity of fish,
chiefly the large-headed silurus, though there is a
kind of carp, weighing from one to three pounds,
which is very palatable. The way they catch fish
is by means of a basketwork trap as in the picture.
We left Foweira in native canoes, and after six
days arrived at Mruli on January 27, 1879.
Mruli (lat. 1° 37' 43" N., long. 32° 19' 49" E.;
3513 ' feet above sea-level) was at that time the
most southern of the Egyptian stations. Since we
were there, the garrisons both from this place and
from Keroto have been withdrawn, and now Foweira,
Magungo, and a new station on the Nile exactly
north of Panyatole, form the southern boundary of
Egyptian territory.
At Mruli our Egyptian escort left us ; we parted
from such faithful attendants with much regret,
and felt as we bid them good-bye that we were
saying farewell to civilisation.
Mtesa had sent an escort of 1500 men in addition
to 400 porters, and we left Mruli on February 3 ;
in five days afterwards we crossed the Ergugu, the
most northern boundary of Uganda, and arrived in
Eubaga, Mtesa's capital, on February 14 ; a curious
valentine for him !
We had such a large escort from Mruli to Eubaga,
for the following reason. Just north of the Ergugu,
between Uganda and Mruli, there is a strip of land,
about thirty miles broad, which belongs to Kabrega,

334 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

and along this there are two roads from east to west
which are used by his men; the road leading to
Uganda crossing these at different points. The
first batch of porters who had been sent for our
goods, had been attacked in this border-land ; and
Mtesa heard from Kabrega of his intention to try
and capture us, his former attempt to do so between
Magungo and Keroto having been unsuccessful.
I shall not soon forget our march across this piece
of country. We were encamped in a forest, and
soon after midnight the drums began to beat and
we were told we must start again. Being wearied
with the previous day's journey we refused, but it
was useless to try to sleep longer, the noise was- too ¦
great. Drums were beating, horns were blowing,
men were shouting and crying, so we made a virtue
of necessity, and prepared to start. On coming
out of our huts we saw a strange scene ; the whole
wood was lit up by the bright moonlight and the
lurid glare of many huts whioh had been fired to
give sufficient light to the porters who. were col
lecting the goods and arranging themselves into
different bands, while the soldiers of each' chief
rallied to his standard. At last all was ready, and
the drums of the head chief gave the signal to march.
The other chiefs took up positions to see their men
pass, and as each warrior went by he saluted his
chief by brandishing his spear and shield, uttering
at the same time a fierce yell, and then vanished into

A MIDNIGET MARCE.

335

the darkness. Some 200 men thus rushed forward
as the advance guard, and the others fell into three
long lines and proceeded. If there had been nqise
and confusion before, all was quiet now, hardly a
sound broke the stillness of the night as we silently
threaded our way along the circuitous path. Now
and then there was a whispered word, or slight blow
of a stick on a stump, as the man in front gave us
warning of a branch of a tree or hole in the ground.
This precaution was most, necessary, for there were
many obstructions, and the light of the moon was
not powerful enough to penetrate through the trees
and dense undergrowth. The moon shone brightly
as we marched through the sombre, silent forest,
casting' long deep shadows from every tree, while
millions of dewdrops sparkled like diamonds on every
tree and bush, or fell in silver rain as the dusky
forms glided weirdly beneath them. At last the
faint line of dawn became visible on the horizon,
and presently the sun burst forth in all his power,
dispelling darkness, but his fierce rays made us
regret the refreshing coolness of the night.
It was only then that we understood all the pre
cautions which had been taken to prevent a surprise.
On each side of the path, at the distance of about
half a mile, were chains of sentries moving parallel
to our column ; whilst on each ant-hill, or other high
ground, some men were placed as sentries, having
with them a drummer to give the alarm should the

336 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

enemy appear ; as soon as the body of the caravan
passed, these men rushed forward to the front to
attain some fresh point of vantage. No Wanyoro
were seen, and we crossed the no-man's land in
safety. These arrangements are very interesting,
as they show the high state of efficiency of the
Waganda army.
We were heartily welcomed by Mr. Mackay, who
had reached Uganda from the south, and for three
months had been alone in Eubaga. The king sent
down messengers with presents of food to bid us
welcome. Before we left England many ridiculed the idea
of the possibility of our reaching Uganda by the
Nile route ; indeed Mr. Stanley assured us that we
should not get half our goods to the Lake. From
Suakim to Eubaga we lost none of our party, except
ing our dragoman, and not a single load or package ;
I doubt whether any travellers from Zanzibar to the
Victoria Nyanza have been so fortunate.

( 337 )

APPENDIX I.
By Bkv; 0. T. WILSON".

The question of opening up commerco with the tribes inhabiting
Central Africa is becoming every year of greater importance to
Great Britain ; as in many markets where our merchants had
formerly a monopoly, formidable rivals have entered into com
petition with us, and as somo countries which used to bo large
consumers of our manufactures are now manufacturing for
themselves, it is manifest that new markets and fresh fields
for commerce must be sought if we are to have a continuance
of the commercial prosperity which our country has formerly
enjoyed. No region of our earth presents so virgin a field for
enterprise of this sort as Central Africa, with its vast lakes,
fertile soil, and teeming population.
Several projects have been set on foot with the object of
establishing trading stations in, and opening up trade with,
the interior of Africa ; notably one promoted by the late Mr.
J. Bradshaw, of Manchester ; but his scheme was far too vast
and visionary, and he asked much too large a capital
(10,000,000?.) to start the undertaking. Central Africa is no
El Dorado, as some people seem to imagine, where gold is to be
had in unlimited quantities for the trouble of picking it up.
Yet a properly organised company, under the guidance of men
possessing the ordinary qualities necessary for commercial
success, prudence, a willingness to learn, and not to stick by
preconceived notions, and not in too great a hurry to become
rich, would in a few years get a fair return for the money
invested, and would do moro (by promoting lawful trade) than
a score of gunboats towards suppressing the horrible trade in
human beings still unhappily carried on to a large extent.
But one great obstacle has to be encountered at the very
outset of the enterprise, viz. the difficulty of transport from the
great lakes to the sea. No one who has studied the question
VOL. I. z

338

APPENDIX I.

APPENDIX I.

339

of trade-routes to the groat lakes would select the Nile for that
purpose. The eight cataracts which are found in its course
from the Albert Lake to the Mediterranean, the- liability of the
narrow channels in the great marsh-land between Bohr and the
Sobat to be blocked by the tawfs, the floating islands of grass
which have so often proved such terrible obstacles to navigation,
and the ever-shifting sandbanks, upon which even the light-
draughted native boats frequently get' stranded during the dry
season, present engineering difficulties which are practically
insurmountable for the purpose in, hand; not to mention the
Murchison Falls, where the Nile springs at one leap over a
ledge of rock 120 feet in perpendicular height, or the long suc
cession of rapids between these falls and Foweira, where in
some thirty miles tho river falls more than 800 feet. Another
serious difficulty has to be encountered in using the Nile as
a great waterway for steamers, and that is the question of fuel.
For hundreds of miles. south of Khartoum trees are scarcely to
be met with in the valley of the Nile, and fuel is already
becoming scarce under the demands of the scanty traffic now
carried on by the government of the Soudan; while if any
considerable increase in the traffic should occur, it would have
to be brought from increasing distances, till it would be as costly
as coal brought from Europe, unless- that mineral should be
discovered anywhere within a reasonable distance of the Nile
Valley, of which however there is little hope.
The unsuitability of the Nile route for trade purposes being
granted, the alternative route from the East Coast naturally
suggests itself.
The great obstacle here has always been the difficulty of trans
port. There is no largo navigable river ; the presence of the
tsetse fly (Glossina morsitaiis) prevents the employment of the
system of bullock- waggons in vogue in South Africa, and renders
the use of pack-horses impossible. The country is quite unsuited
for camels (oven if they were proof against the tsetse, which they
are not), and the African elephant, not having been yet trained
like his Indian brother, the sole method of transport hitherto
has been by means of the Wapagazi, or negro porters. This
system is, however, slow, cumbrous, and .costly, and utterly
inadequate to any extension of trade.

Aa already mentioned, the ordinary baggage animals are
useless on account of the tsetse fly, though, it is true, it has
been suggested that possibly a line of country might be found
north of tho 7th parallel of S. latitude where this fly would not
be met with ; but this is far too vague an hypothesis on which
to found any project.
The only alternative, then, seems to be some kind of railway ;
and I feel, for my own part, convinced that Central Africa can
only be o'pened up by steam-power. It would be premature for
any one to say that any particular kind of railway was the one for
Central Africa ; but of all those I have seen or read of, that
described by Mr. J. B. Fell, in a paper read before the Society
of Arts, on April 29th, 1879, seems to mo the best suited for
Africa. One of its great advantages is that it obviates the
necessity of having large embankments or deep cuttings, the
rails being carried over the inequalities of the ground on viaducts
of wood or iron, much, I imagine, like the American trestle
bridges. Such a railway, which would cost only a small amount per
mile for construction, which could be laid with tolerable
rapidity, and which would admit of moderately heavy trains
running at a speed of from twelve to twenty miles an hour,
would do wonders towards opening up these regions to com
merce. In laying the line of rail tho neighbourhood of large rivers
. should be avoided as much as possible, as they change their beds
and alter their course so frequently and with such rapidity
. during the rain, that they would carry away the track com
pletely on either side of their beds, and thus necessitate the
relaying of large portions of it after each rainy season, besides
suspending communication altogether for a considerable period.
The route for such a lino should also be, as far as com
patible with directness and slight gradients, through an
inhabited district, so that trade might at once be begun with
the natives. For my own feeling is that it would be very
unwise to attempt to carry the line of rail at first as far as the
Victoria Lake. A line of 100 miles or so in length would
connect the East Coast range of mountains with the seaboard,
would open up a considerable area of country to commerce, and
z 2

'*¦

340

APPENDIX I.

afford the Europeans of Zanzibar an easy moans of retreat to the
healthy uplands of Usugara during the more trying parts of
tho year. Its terminus, moreover, would form an advantageous
•point de depart for the'traveller, the trader, and the missionary ;
the long delays in the deadly coast region, which has proved so
fatal to many a travollcr, being thus obviated.
The experience also which would be gained' by a modest
enterprise such as this would be invaluable when the time came
for extending the line, and penetrating into the remoter regions
of the interior.
If such a line were laid down, trading dep6ts should be formed
at intervals of twenty or thirty miles, or even less in thickly
populated districts, where two or more Europeans should reside
for the purpose of encouraging trade with the natives. For it must
never bo forgotten that, if a line is over to pay, trade must be
made. The average African negro has hardly a want now
which he cannot himself satisfy ; , his land produces grain
enough to supply him and his family with food, or his bow and
arrows or spear kills a sufficiency of- wild aaimals to furnish
him with meat. He manufactures his own weapons, and his
hoes, axes, and knives, from iron obtained from native ores ; he
moulds and bakes his own cooking-pots and tobacco-pipes, while
the bottle-gourd, which he trains over his hut, supplies him
with all else he needs in the way of domestic utensils. Tobacco
(his sole luxury) he either grows himself, or, as in the case of
the Wagogo, obtains it by barter from neighbouring tribes.
He either discards clothing altogether, walking about in primi-
tive nakedness, or the. jungle grasses or the skins of wild
animals furnish him with a scanty kilt. Should he, however,
have made such an advance towards civilisation as to require
cloth, he can obtain a sufficieiif.y, in exchange for grain,- from
passing caravans, or for the tusks of the elephants he has killed
for food.
That it is possible to create wants, and thus stimulate trade,
may be seen in the case of th<) Waganda, who have had
a- variety of wants created through contact with Arabs
Egyptians, and Europeans, and with whom, consequently,
a considerable trade (as such things are reckoned in Africa) is
carried on by the Arabs and half-breed traders from Zanzibar.

APPENDIX I.

341

In the case of Uganda, ivory and slaves are the only products
obtainable, as nothing else at present pays for transport to
Zanzibar; but many things, even under tho present costly
system of porterage, might be made to pay in districts within
200 miles of the coast, as the cost of transport increases with
the distance in almost geometrical progression. When the negro
has had a fresh want created he will be found ready enough to
exert himself to supply it. Slaves and ivory come most readily
to hand at first, but trade in the former being prohibited, and
the supply of the latter being not only limited, but even on the
decrease, he will soon turn his attention to other articles which
may be exchanged for cloth or whatever else he may need.
Consequently the most important work which a pioneer trading
enterprise has to accomplish is to discover what native products,
or other articles obtainable or capable of being produced in the
various countries, are most likely to bring a fair profit, and to
induce the natives to bring or produce these things for sale.
Nor will the natives be found slow in taking advantage of such
discoveries, when once the need of articles of foreign manu
facture is felt. Thus in Ugogo a large trade might be done in
beeswax, if once the Wagogo became aware of its value. In
the regions lying nearer the coast, cotton cultivation might be
advantageously promoted. While in Uganda vast quantities of
rice might be grown in its swampy valleys, and on tho hill-
slopes chinchona and the tea-plant would probably flourish.
Indiarubber, gum-arabic, hides, and possibly other natural pro
ducts as yet unknown to Europeans, would, in many districts,
form important articles of commerce. Tho natives, however,
in almost every case, must bo taught the value of these things,
and then they themselves, with their interest quickened by the
necessity of supplying their wants, will discover other articles
which Europeans alone might have been long in discovering,
and which may prove very valuable.
I would, however, again insist that any trade to be remunera
tive, must be developed by Europeans among the various tribes
of the interior ; and this will, I believe, be most readily accom
plished by a system of depfits at intervals along the line of
railway. Settlements of negroes would soon form round these
depSts for the sake of protection, and the natives could be em-

';

342

APPENDIX I.

ployed in cultivating the ground and collecting articles of trade.
This is somewhat the system adopted by the Arabs ; they form
trading centres in the interior, and send out their slaves from
there to more distant regions.
So, too, with these proposed depSts, as opportunities offered
other trading stations might be formed at some distance from the
lino of railway, communication being tkept up by porters or
donkeys, or, in districts free from the tsetse fly, by bullock-
waggons; these stations would gradually be extended, and so
larger and larger areas would bo opened out to commerce.
When at length the Victoria Lake is reached, two or three small
steamers placed on that lake would give the trader access with
but small cost and labour to a vast area.
But to return to the subject of the construction of a line of
railway into the interior.
One question which will very naturally be asked is, "How
would you find labour to construct a line?" My answer is,
"Employ Chinese," for I believe that they will be found to be
best suited for the work. Negro workmen are, as a rule, very
unsatisfactory, and from the account given of the Zanzibar
mofuudi or artis.ans.'in the first chapter of this book, it will be
seen how unreliable they are, and what constant supervision
they require. While, on the other hand, the capabilities of the
Chinese for work are too well known to need mention here.
The question is how far they would stand the climate ; but
following the opinions which have been given me by men who
have been both in China and on tho East Coast of Africa, there
is not much- to be feared on this score ; added to which, rice can
be got cheaply and in large quantities for their food. The
expense at first for getting a number of Chinese labourers to the
East Coast of Africa might be considerable. I believe, never
theless, that owing to the much greater expedition with which
the work would be accomplished, and its superiority, it will be
found cheaper to employ them, at least for any work requiring
skilled labour, in preference to negro workmen, especially when
the comparatively high rate of pay which obtains at Zanzibar is
taken into account.
In the first instance,, of course, only a single pair of rails
would be laid, of tolerably narrow gauge, with passing places at

APPENDIX I.

343

the various dep&ts. The rolling stock should be small in quan
tity at first, so that if it should prove unsuited to the country,
no great loss would be incurred by having to provide fresh
waggons, etc. Negroes might be educated to act as firemen,
pointsmen, etc., but the engine-drivers, as is the case on the
Egyptian railways, must, for a time at least, be Europeans.
But whatever plan of railroad bo adopted, it must be remem
bered that at the commencement all must be experimental, and
that it by no means follows that systems which have succeeded
in India or other tropical countries will succeed here, or vice
versd., that systems which have failed in those countries will fail
also here. The managers of the enterprise should start prepared
to abandon many of their ideas and preconceived notions, and to
adapt themselves to the circumstances.
Another very important factor in the success or failure of
any such enterprise, is the manner in which the natives of the
various tribes on the proposed line of traffic are treated. Every
thing should be done to conciliate them. The passing traveller
can often afford to disregard the feelings of the natives towards
himself: not so the trader. His desideratum is a safe road to
the coast and a ready market for his goods, and these can only
be obtained by winning the goodwill of the people. The Arab
traders are sure to try to arouse vigorous opposition against such
an enterprise, and they will stoop to any means, however vile,
of poisoning the minds of the natives against the white trader.
It must always be borne in mind that the negroes are
the owners of the soil, and that therefore they should be con
ciliated as far as possible. As a rule it would be best to pur
chase, for a nominal sum, the right to make the line of rail
through the territory of different chiefs, and this should be done
even where no opposition may be encountered, as it gives one a
right to the land which even negroes, as a rule, recognise. The
friendly relations thus established with the various tribes would
be of more value to the trader than any amount of land won at
the muzzle of the rifle. The natives in such a case would soon
learn the value of the line to themselves, and would, I believe,
readily aid in protecting and maintaining it.
Some such enterprise as here indicated, with a moderate

344

APPENDIX I.

capital, would before long be able to do a fair trade with the
interior, would pave the way for a larger enterprise, and above
all, would contribute much towards stopping the slave-trade.
This is a point which I specially commend to the notice of
philanthropists and the Anti-Slavery Society, as one in which
they might greatly further both directly and indirectly the sup
pression of slavery and the slave-trade. If legitimate trade
were introduced, tho need, so to speak, for the slave-trade would
cease. As mentioned in the case of Uganda, the chiefs have often
nothing else to sell in order to supply their wants, but show
them that they may becomo rich by cultivating their land and
collecting the produce of their forests, they will soon cease to sell
their subjects, as it will pay them better to keep them at home
to cultivate their land.
Great Britain has a special interest moreover in thus suppress
ing the slave-trade at its source. A handsome fortune is spent
every year by our country in maintaining gunboats and their
crews to put down the slave-trade on the East Coast of Africa
and the Bed Sea, but two years' expenditure on this armament,
if employed to start a company which would open up the
interior of Africa to legitimate commerce, would do more to heal
" the open sore of tho world," than ten times the amount spent on
capturing cargoes of slaves at sea.
The promotion of trade by missionaries would be Of im
mense assistance in improving and raising the negro races. It
would provide an outlet for the natives' superabundant energies
which are at present .spent in wars with their neighbours ;
and one of the surest ways of putting a stop to these desolating
wars will be to find the people plenty of lawful employment at
home. Some will think, no doubt, that this is secularising the
missionary's work too much ; but if he is to gather villages or
communities of converts round him, he must find them plenty to
do, or they will he sure to get into mischief; and one of the
surest ways to do this, and one which would add greatly to their
material comfort, is to encourage and foster legitimate trade
among them.
All who have read Dr. Livingstone's life and works will see
what importance he, who was facile princess among African

APPENDIX I.

345

missionaries and explorers, attached to this matter, and one may
bo well content to follow such a leader on a question of this
kind. In any enterprise to such a terra incognita as Africa still is,
as far as trade is concerned, some reverses must be expected, and
a large return of profit must not be looked for at first ; but a
properly organised enterprise, where too much would not be
attempted at first, might look in a few years to the payment of
very respectable dividends, and to an unlimited field for future
operations.

( 346 )

%¦ $M\

.'"!'

APPENDIX II.

347

APPENDIX II.

LIST OF PLANTS COLLECTED BY EEV. C. T. WILSON.
The plants enumerated in the following list were collected by
the Eev. C. T. Wilson in Uganda and Uzongora, and the
islands off their coasts; they were brought to England and
deposited in the Herbarium at Kew, where they were examined
by Professor Oliver and other botanists, who have furnished tho
accompanying catalogue. It will be seen that though only
nineteen species of ferns, are given below, that fifty speoies or
varieties are mentioned in the former part of this book as
occurring in this region. The collection of these specimens
were all destroyed in the wreck of the Daisy at Makongo, in
September, 1878, together with many other specimens of
flowering plants, so that nearly all the plants enumerated in
this list were collected subsequent to that date. '

Nymphasa Lotus.
Nymphasa stellata.
Cleome monophylla.
Gynandropsis pentaphylla.
Wissadula rostrata.
Abutilon indicum ? (imper
fect).
Sida Schimperiana.
Sida cordifolia.
Trinmfetta. Chonchorus olitorius. -
Oxalis corniculata.
Psorospermum febrifugum.
Celastrus senegalensis.
Cardiospermum Halicacabum.
Combretum ; sp. ?

Osbeckia. '
Dissotis ; sp. nov. ?
Tassiasa diffusa.
Ludwigia prostrata.
Mukia scabrella.
Diplolophium abyssinicum.
Crotolaria recta.
Crotolaria incana.
Crotolaria var. laburnifolia and
capensis.
Crotolaria striata.
Crotolaria ; sp. ?
Indigofera ; sp. ?
Tephrosia (Reincria) ; new
species.
Tephrosia var. T. Anselii.

Tephrosia longipes.
Vigna j sp. ?
Rhyuchosia viscosa.
Glycine javanica.
Desraodium ; sp. ?
Desmodium; sp.?
Pseudarthria ; sp. ?
Pseudarthria Hookcri. .
Zornia diphylla.
Acacia, n. v. Acacia Seyal.
Bauhinia reticulata.
Cassia Kirkii.
Cassia didymobotrya.
Cassia Tora.
Rutidea; Sp. ?
Rubia cordifolia.
Gardenia Thunbergia.
Spermacoce (Hypodematium)
sphasrostigma'?
Hedyotis; sp. ?
Pentas, v. P. carneaj ?
Vernonia ; sp. nov. ?
Vernonia ; sp. ?
Vernonia; new species? var.
V. Unonis.
Vernonia pumila.
Vernonia cinerea.
Vernonia violaeea.
Bothriocline Schimperi.
Adenostemma viscosum.
Ageratum conyzoides.
Blumea lacera.
Conyza, conf. C. Hochstetteri.
Aspilia, conf. A. linearifolium.
Aspilia Kotschyi.
Helichrysum uhdatum.
Helichrysum bidens ? (too
young).
Chrysanthellum procumbens.

Siegesbeckia orientalis.
Senecio discifolius.
Notonia abyssinica.
Gynura vitellina.
Berkbeya Spekeana.
Echinops amplexicaulis.
Faroa, new species? near F.
salutaris.
Gomphocarpus ; sp. ?
Gomphocarpus physocarpus.
Asclepias, near A. macrantha.
Margaretta rosea.
Landolphia florida.
Carissa, near C. edulis.
Euclea divinorum.
Striga Fombesii.
Bham'phicarpa, near R. tubu-
losa.
Cyenium adonense.
Sopubia ramosa.
Physalis, var. P. angulata ?
Withania somnifera. .
Solanum giganteum.
Solannm melongena, var. ?
Solanum (imperfect).
Solannm nigrum.
Evolvulus alsinoides, var.
Tpomcca sessilifiora.
Acanthus arboreus.
Spathodea; sp. ?
Justicia ; sp. ?
Acanthacea (left doubtful).
Clerodendron (Cyclonema my-
ricoides).
Lippiar; sp. ?
Lantana; sp. ?
Coleus barbatus.
Hoslandia decumbens.
Goniosporum ; sp. ?

348

APPENDIX II.

Acrocephalus lilacinus.
Leucas velutinus ?
Polygonum barbatum.
Chenopodium album.
Ackyranthcs argentea.
Colosia trigyna.
Celosia argentea.
Phytolacca abyssinica.
Arthrosolen ; sp. ?
Acalypha villicaulis.
Phyllanthus ; Pseudo-Nirani ?

Phyllanthus ; sp. ?
Eriocaulon ; sp. ?
Canna indica.
Gloriosa virescens.
Gladiolus Quartinianus.
Scilla (Ledebouria) minima.
Eulopia; sp.?
Lissochilus; sp. ?
Lissochilus off. L. Oliverianee.
Lissochilus, near L. arcnarius.

Ferns.

Gleichenia dichotoma.
Cyathea Dregei.
Davallia elegans.
. Lonchitis pubescens.
Pelkea gcraniasfolia.
Pelhea hastate.
Pteris incisa.
Pteris quadriaurita.
Asplenium longicauda.
Asplenium furcatum.
varieties.

Two

Asplenium " (A'thyrium)
nigripes.
Oleandra articulate.
Nephrodium Wilsoni ; new
species.
Nephrodium Filix-mas, var.
Polypodium Phymatodes.
Polypodium lycopodioides.
Acfostichum punctulatum.'
Lygodium scandens.

^l

( 349 )

APPENDIX III.

Itinerary of a Journey from Bagamoyo to Kagei, by
Eev. 0. .T. Wilson, July 1876 to January 1877.

!

Date.

. Plaob.

Days.

Hours.

Miles.

Remarks.

1876

July 28
Shamba Gonera - ..
1J
2f
Aug. 1
Kingani River
6
6|
(We crossed the Kingani
\ in dug-outs.
,, 2
Kekoku .. .:. ...
2J
5|
,, 4
Camp
3
7
,, 5
Rosako 
2J
8
,, 7
Raskweni
'4
10
,> 8
Ibrahim's Vill. . .
2
6
,, 10
Mezizi 
5
9£
,. 12
Pongwe 
4f
10|
., 1*
Funi 
4J
10
m 17
Hidnlima
2
4
,,. 18
Mba... 
4
10
,, 21
',, 22
Wedigumba . .
Mbuumi 
10 8
(We struck tho Wami at
\ this point.
,, 24
Camp 
5
11|
,, 25
Kwedibago
3
8
., 26
,, 28
Camp ..
Camp 
44
3 '
9J
(Crossed the Wami by a
\ bridge.
,, 29
Camp ¦'....
3
74
Crossed the Mkundi
Sept. 1
Camp .. .. , ..
4i
91
River and encamped
on its banks among
., 2
Camp .. ..
5
10J
, the Usagara Hills.
„ 4
Magubika
4i
11
., 6
Camp 
2*
6
,> 7
Camp
3
6
., 8
Kitange .. ....
3^
7J 7
,, 13
Camp 4. .. ..
3
,, 14
Camp 
8
20
,,. 15
Tubugwe
2J
7
,, 17
Mpwapwa
8
19
Oct. 8
Chunyo 
'3
8
,,9,10
Dobwe 
2
20
42
IWe crossed the Marenga
< Mkali during this
( march.
50

APPENDIX III.

\ J

( 351 ) "

Itinerary of a Journey from Bagamoyo to Kagei — continued.

Date.

Flack.

Dec.

1S76
lot. 12
., H
., "
,, 18
,, 20
,, 21
,, 23
,, 26
,, 28
*0Y. 1
.,' 3
,, 4
,, 6
,, 7
,, 8, 9
,, 10
,. H
,, 12
,, 13 15 6
7 8
;. 9
„ 10
,, H
,, 30
1877
Jan. 2
., 3
,, 5
>, 6
,. 8
,, 10
.. H
,, 13
,, 15
,, .17
,, 19
,, 22
,, 23
,. 24
,, 26
,, 27
,, 28
,, 29

Mvumi . .
Matamburu Bihawana Kididiuio CampKitararii Mbahi ..
PunaUnyanguira Mtine Camp Gauge, ..
Camp Cnmp CampCamp CampCamp
Usuri Ushuri ..
CampCamp CampCampHambu . .
Ng'uru . .
Masimbo . .

Days.

Camp Semwi
Senanga ..'
Wandu . .
Amagunguri ..
MonduiBalaku ..
Uvika Mamaro .. ..
Asonge . .
Wama
Mamwamba '. .
TJngwe ..
WarnWambwaVillage ..
Gungwa ..
Kagei

Hours. Miles.

44 5 1*8*4J 218g 2}S|6 2 86*
23} 8ii 345 58

1
2* 63J8*
,li 2J3 3
4
44J 5 2
«i31213
3.3

10J 9J
12
. 41
22 11 61
11 6*
10114* 5
19 16
3520 13 13 8
9
1313212520 3 6
18 8 9
4J7n 8
1010 1011* 59 9
7 S
99

Rkhaiekk.

Ugogo.

Left Ugogo.

Forest Region.

Iramba.

Forest Region.
Unyamwezi.

¦ ! •.

APPENDIX IV.

Usukuma.

Vocabularies

op Native Languages.

Luganda.
Fur.
Madi.
Kedcra.
Antelope ..
Kula .. ..
*
Arm . • . .
Mkono
Douah ..
KaUah.. ..
Dri.
Arrow ..
KaBali ; mwambi
Etu
Atu.
Axe
Mbadzi; kabadzi
Bo .. ...
Loggo .. ..
Kolongo.
Banana ..
Tola 
Bedstead
Kitanda ..
Pidi .. ..
Surah ..
Surah.
Beer
Mlamba; marwa
Bends .. ..
Nkwanzi
Badiana
Biallah
Biallah.
Beard ..
Kilevu; busoga
Dulan .. ..
Bow
Mtegu
.. ••
Keiuyah
Korsu.
Boy .. ..
Mlouzi
Kwatin
Uiskorah
Manungwa
Brother
Mganda ..
Bein ..
Undtt .. ..
Odrupi.
Brook
Kaga
Kura soruba
Banga .. ¦..
Buffalo .. ..
Mbogo .. ..
Kobi .. ..
Cat 
Bis .. ..
Yow .. ..
Guru
Canoe . .
Lyato
Camel . .
Ngamira . .
Gamal(?) ..
Calf of leg ¦'..
Lutumbwe
Toringdolgoin
Karasse
Child ... ..
Mwana ' ..
Kwatin
Wistissi
Chin .. ..
Kilevu . •
Kara ..
Sisi .. ..
Sisi.
Cloth .. ..
Lugoi
Guri
Clouds
Kili 
Kuttu .. ..
Cow .. .'.
Anti nkazi
U ... ..
Isah
Isah.
Chief .'. ..
/Mkungu; mton-i
\ goli  /
Sagal ..
Wisyerra .. '
/Meinenga .
\ jerra.
Coffee .. ..
Mwauyi
Copper ..
Chikomo
Crocodile
Gonya
Tamorah ..
Dog .. ..
Mbwa .. ..
Assa ..
Willi ..
• Kortcher.
Drum . . . .
Ng'oina
Kistt .. ..
(Datte'i (iarge)\
\Kurai (small)J
Datte'i. Laari.
Eat .. ..
Kutu 
Dilo .. ..
Mbilli .. ..
Bi.
Earth .. ..
Insi ; taka
Du .. ..
Kang-u
Jiui.
Elephant
Njovu ' ..• '..
Engri ..
Kidi .. ..
Kidi.
Kye
Liso 
Nui .. ..
Komang
Mi.
Father ..
Baba; kitangi..
Baba .. ..
Dada .. ..
Turpi.
Face
Maso
Kumi ..
Komommah
Miniofu.' •
Fire .. ..
Mulilo
Uto .. ..
Wado .. ..
Asi.
Fence ..
Kisakati
Giabl .. ..
Fish .: ..
Ohenyanja
Pun .. ..
Censa ..
Kisebi.
CO co

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354

APPENDIX IV.

Vooabularies op Native Languaqes — continued.

Luganda.

Kur.

Modi.

Kcdcru.

Good .

— ungi .. ..

Emottukin ..

Lenji.

Green, .

— a noandagala
Kiro ..
Yowi ..
Heavy .
Zitoa
E-cttu .. ..
Elenji.
Little .
— tono; — ana ..
King ..
Tissi .. ..
Pare.
No .. .
Nedda
Kei-elba
Lah
Maleku.
Bed
Myufu .. ..
Puka .. ..
Ei-hi .. ..
Aka.
Short .
— impi
Shallow
Madzi matono ..
White .
— eru
Puta .. ..
Einyi .. ..
Oenre.
Yellow .
Chenvu ..
Yes
Wampa
Wah .. ..
Wah.
1
Mo 
Dik ... ..
Korlo ..
Orlo.
2 .
Go .. ..
Irio
Kri.
3 .
Is 
Utah .. ..
Na.
4 .
Ungal 
Suwor ..
Su.
5 .
Ors .. ..
Mwi .. ..
Nzi.
6 .
Mfcaga .. ..
Sundi ..
Dakka ..
Driolah.
7 .
Msanivu ..
Servi ...
Demrio
Driari.
8 .
Mnana
Tuman
Dumta . .
Driana.
9 .
Mwenda . .
Tisi .. '..
Dumsor
Driasu.
10 .
Wei .. ..
Bu-to .. ..'
Bute.
11
Kuminemu
Wenidik ..
Dumte..
Bute Orlo.
12 .
Kumi nabili . .
• • ¦ ••
Dumte Irio ..
„ Eri.
13 .
„ satu
Dumte Utah
,. Na.
14 .
„ nya
„ Suwor
„ Su.
15 .
„ tuno
..
„ " Mwi
„ Kzi.
16 .
„ nikaya ..
..
„ Dakka
„ Driolah.
17 .
„ msunvu ..
..
„ Domrio
„ Drian.
18 .
„ mnanc . .
„. Dumta
„ Driana.
19 .
„ mwenda
... . .
„ Dumsor
„ Driasu.
20 .
Abili 
¦ • ..
Bute Irio ..
„ Eri.
30 .
Aeatu
.. ,,
„ Otah ..
„ Na.
40 .
Anya
50 .
Atano
fiO
Nkaga
70 .
Nsamvu
'
80
Ohinane
00 .
Chenda
100
Chikumi ..
200 .
Bikumibibili ..
1000 .
Lukumi ..
Note. — The Uuganda vocabulary was collected by Eev. C. T. Wilson, and the
Pur, Madi, and Kederu vocabularies by E. W. Pelkin. _
'-i
( 355 ")
APPENDIX V.
MR. WILSON'S AND ME. FELKIN'S METEOEOLO-
GICAL AND HYPSOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Bx E. G. Eavenbtein, P.E.G.S.
Summaries of the greater part of the following
observations have already been published by Dr.
Hann, in Petermann's * Mittheilungen ' (1879, p. 64,
1880, p. 143), and most of the altitudes have been
computed by the gentlemen named, or by Dr.
Zoppritz. It appeared to me, however, that a
summary of these most valuable observations would
form an appropriate appendix to a work in which an
account is given of Mr. "Wilson's and Mr. Pelkin's
journeys in Africa. In the course of my search for
materials to aid me in the compilation of the large
Map of Equatorial Africa, upon which I am now
engaged, the authors kindly placed at my service
their journals and diaries. I then found that these
contained a mass of information which had not been
utilised by Dr. Hahn. This determined me to sift
the whole of the facts collected, and to embody the
2 A 2
' •„ ' : i
356

APPENDIX V.

results in a series of tables, accompanied by such
notes as are required for their elucidation.
Mr. Mackay's observations at Eubaga have not
been embodied in this memoir. That gentleman,
however, continues to record the various atmospheric
phenomena, and his results will contribute in still
further enlarging our meteorological knowledge of
the Victorian Lake region.
In Tables I. and II. , the observations are given as recorded.
"When beyond Keroto Mr. Felkin put back the hand of his aneroid
1*07 in. This has been allowed for, and the record appears as if
the instrument had not boen interfered with.
The temperatures are given in all cases as recorded. Dr.
Emin's means of max. and rnin. temperatures are deduced from
observations made at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Tho aneroid observations by Mr. Wilson and Mr. Felkin, for'
March, April, and May ,: 1879, have been reduced to the aneroid
" J. Browning, No.. 952." This instrument was verified at Kew
in June 1880, and the error then determined (— 0"28 in. for the
average pressure at Eubaga) has been applied to all the readings
recorded. Dr. Emin Bey's results, however, are given in their original
shape, as there aro no synchronous observations' on record, to
enable us to reduce his " Naudet, No. 1339," to the " Browning,"
as a standard. From observations made during four correspond
ing months, but not in the same years, Dr. Emin's " Naudet"
appears to give readings O10 in. higher than Mr. Wilson's
"Browning." This, of course, applies only to Eubaga, for at
Lado, which lies about 3000 feet lower, the relative readings of
the two instruments may be very different.
The rain was measured by Mr. Wilson in a circular gauge
. having a diameter of 3-5 inches; Our means have been com
muted for whole days of 24 hours.

APPENDIX Y.

357

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358

APPENDIX V.

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APPENDIX V.

359

Table III

— continued.

Aneroid.
Tension of
Vapour.
Moisture.
Max.
.Min.
Computed Mean.
Mean.
Noon.
Inches.
Jan.
1878
25-70
25-55
25 '63
..
• •
1879
t>>
,. ""
•57
..
••
Feb.
1878
•73
¦57
•65
••
1879
',,
..
•50
..
••
March
1878
•73
•59
•65
••
1879
•67
¦46
•55
•700
76
April,
18781879
•64•67
•46 ¦42
¦55 ¦55
•744 •712
77 79
May,
1878
•68
•48
•59
•709
74
1879
•67
•47
¦55
•677
83
June
1878
•70
¦55'
•51
•704
79
Aug.
187G
•77
•59
•70
• •-
1877
•64?
•54
•60
•628
80
Sept.
1877
¦62
•47
•53
•560
67
Oct.
•60
•42
•52
¦600
68
Nov.
1878
•57
•42
•50•67
•615
72
Dec.
1877
¦55
•42
•48?
605
65
«
1878
1 "
••
•58
Eelative Moisture (Additional Obsebvations).
8 a.m. in 1878 : March , April 90, May 91, June 93
9 r.M. in 1879: „ 87, „ 90, „ 84, „
4 p.m. in 1879: „ 77, „ 82, „ 84, „
6 p.m, in 1878 : „ , ,, 92, „ 84, „ 88
9 p.m. in 1879: „ 93, „ 91, „ 83, „
Lowest in 1877: Aug. 49, Sept. 53, Oct. 56, Nov. 59
Dec. 49.
360

APPENDIX V.

APPENDIX V.

361

T

ABLE

III.-

concluded.

ior>.
'. Winds (in Por Cent, of Total Observed).
. N.
N.E.
E.'-
S.E.
s.
s.w.
W.
;n.w.
Jan.
1878
4-5
19-8
25-7
13-6
9-1
9-1
18-2
)•
1879
35-7
2-5
2-5
14-7
34-6
5-0
2-5
2-5
Feb.
1878
,,
,,
1879
7-0
5-8
,#
.,
74-4
9-3
3-5
March
,1878
*. .
»
1879
7-6
3-3
.,
50-0
31-5
5-4
2-2
April,
1878
..
1-5
27-2
58-1
11-7
1-5
>»,
1879
1-8
3-5
'4-4
24-6
50 -S
9-R
3-5
V8
May,
1878
1-8
12-4
2-6
21-3
43-4
13-2
1-8
3-5
D
1879
..
4-4
s ¦¦
3-3
54-4
8-8
.,
June,
1878
..
¦ 15-0
20-0
52-5
12-5
Aug.
1876
..
12
20
52
4
12
1877
(¦Southerly breezes during day. Thunderstorms
\ from N. and N.W.
Sept.
1877
Southerly.
Oct.
1877
Southerly ; thunderstorms from N.E., N., or N.W.
Nov.
1877
Southerly.
j»
1878
16-7 | 5-5 | .. 1 11-1 |22-2 |1M |16'7 116-7'
Dec.
1877
Southerly up to 21st ; then northerly.
»
1878
.. 1 20-0 1 6-7 1 .. 113-3 133-3 113-3 113-3
SuMMAEY.
Pressure of
Atmosphere.
Temperature (F.)
Eain.
Probability Per Cent.
Month.
Mean.
Range.
Inches.
January ,.
25-57
70-2
25-1
43
February
•50
70-3
' 21-8
41
March .. ..
•55
71-2
19-5
42
April 
•55
71-1
22-2
62
May 
•57
70-6
21-1
49
June 
•61
70-0
20-0
75
July .. .. ..
(•61)
(9-0)
.. '"'
?
August .. ..
¦60
68-0
11-5/
46
September .» "..
•53
68-5
¦'¦ 14-5
66
October.. ..
•52
70-5
11-4
74 ¦
November ..
" -58
70-9
17-0
.66 '
December ..
¦53?
70-5
18-5
47
Year ..
25-56
70-1
••
56?
'¦ /¦
Table IV. Variations from tho Daily Mean Peessube.
The following table is deduced from the observations made by
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Felkin at Eubaga, and by the former at
Makongo, 10 foot above the lovel of tho Victoria Nyanza. For
the sake of comparison we have added the results obtained by
Dr. Emin at Lado, on the Upper Nile, and by Dr. Robb at
Zanzibar. On examining this table it will be found that if the barometer
be read at 6 a.m., or about 9 o'clock in tho ovening, a very fair
approach to the daily mean will be obtained. At 10 a.m., and
again late in the night, the barometer stands highest, whilst at
4 or 6 in tho afternoon it reaches its extreme minimum. Tho
rango on the shores of the lake is more considerable than either
at Lado or Zanzibar, being almost identical with that observed
at Calcutta, viz., 0'116 in.
Rdbaoa.
Makokco.
Lado.
Zanzibar.
(March-May, 1879.)
(Oct. and Sept., 1878.)
(4 days.)
(Year.)
No. of
Obser.
, In.
No. of
Obser.
In.
In.
In.
Mean
Press.
}'-
25-560

25-746
27-906
29-954
6 am.
'•: 
1
0-000
—
+ 0-004
7 ,,¦
12
¦f 0-017
17
+ -022
+ 0-016
•021
8 ,,
10
•034
19
•039
•035
¦038
9 .,
107
•059
12
•074
•055
¦041
10 ,,
17
•064
11
•075
¦067
•045
11 ,,
—
—
11
•056
•047
• -033
noon
110
+ . -011
17
+ -033
•035
•021
1 p.m.
27
•000
15
¦000
+ -016
+ -002
2 ,,
7
- -047
11
— -017
— -012
— -017
3 ,,
—
—
13
- -037
•031
•027
4 ,,
142
- -052
14
- -041
•043
•037
5 M
6
+ -006
19
- -044
•039
•033
6 ,,
—
—
16
- -035
¦035
•028
7 ,,
—
— "
3
- -031
•027
•017
.8 ,,
5
- -016
6
+ -009
-¦ -012
— 007
9 ,,
119
+ -018
2
•009
0-000
o-ooo
10 ,,
5
¦ + -001
2
•009
'+ -008
+ -007
n ,,
2
- -025?
—
—
. —
•005
midnt.
2
+ -040



•003
Eange
—
•116
—
•119
•110
•094
362

APPENDIX : Y.

ALTITUDES'.
The number of trustworthy altitudes resulting
from these observations is not large, .but amongst
the localities determined in a satisfactory manner
are Eubaga, the capital of Uganda, and the level of
the Victoria Nyanza. For Eubaga Mr. Wilson and
Mr. Felkin have supplied satisfactory sets of observa
tions for thirteen months, whilst at Makongo, on the
shore of the lake, Mr. Wilson observed during nearly
two months. Two instruments were used at Eubaga,
viz., Mr. Wilson's " J. Browning, No. 952," and Mr.
Felkin's "Newton, No. 1137." They both kept
pace well together, the "Newton" keeping uni
formly 1-05 (with correction, T34) in. ahead of
the "Browning." The latter, on its return to
England in June 1880, was tested at Kew, when it
was found to need a correction of — 0*28 in. under a
pressure corresponding to that prevailing at Eubaga.
This quantity we have deducted throughout Table III.
The resultant altitudes (computed from Guyot's
and Eadau's tables), under the assumption of a mean
pressure of 29'9 in. at the sea-level, are as follows : —
Feet above sea-level.
Eubaga (Mission House, 1 mile to the S.W. of ) 4510
the King's Ecsidence)  ..'
Makongo (260 feet below Eubaga).. ".. .. 4250
Victoria Nyanza .. ..' .. .. .. •• .4244
This result agrees in a remarkable manner with
that obtained by Mr. Stanley, according to whose

¦ <ftfei ¦

APPENDIX V.

363

9 boiling-point observations, computed by Lieut.
' Sugden, E.N., the lake-level lies at an elevation of
4366 feet. Speke, on the other hand, gives the lake
an altitude of only 3400 feet.
: The computation of altitudes from Mr. Felkin's
observations while journeying out to Uganda
presents great difficulties. The aneroid used
(" Newton, No. 8137 ") has not been verified at
Kew. The comparisons with one of Dr. Emin's
aneroids (" Naudet ") at Lado, and with Mr. Wil
son's "Browning" at Eubaga, though both un
doubtedly trustworthy for the locality, and under
the pressure at which they were made, furnish
conflicting results which we are quite unable to
reconcile or to reduce to a common standard.
At Eubaga Mr. Felkin's "Newton" uniformly
ranged 1-34 in. higher than the corrected " Brown
ing." If we were to deduct this quantity from Mr.
Felkin's previous readings they would place Magungo
(on the Albert Nyanza) about .1100 feet lower than
Eubaga, or at an elevation of at least a thousand feet
in excess of the truth.
Mr. Felkin's observations at Lado, on the outward
journey, exhibit an error of + "03 in., as compared
with the mean pressure during the corresponding
month, as determined by Mr. Dovyak.* On his

* But at Gondokoro, where Mr. Felkin, however, observed only
for one day, his aneroid exhibits no error at all I This shows, tho

364

APPENDIX V.

return journey, in August 1878, Dr. Emin carefully
compared Mr. Felkin's " Newton " with his own
" Naudet," and it was then found that the correction
which had to be applied to the former, in order to
reduce it to the " Naudet " as a standard, amounted
to - 0-32 in. Dr. Emin's aneroid is no doubt an ex
cellent instrument, but no opportunity has occurred
hitherto for trustworthily determining its index
error. At Eubaga, where Dr. Emin observed during
four months, as shown in Table III., his recorded
readings are 0101 in. higher than, those of Mr.
Wilson's "Browning"; whilst, as compared with
Dovyak's mercurial barometer readings at Gondo
koro, they are Oil in. too low for the whole year,
and 0'07 too low for the month of August. It
results from this that if we would reduce Mr.
Felkin's readings to Dovyak's barometer, 0'25 in.
(0"32 — *07) must be deducted from them. The
altitudes then found by reference to Dovyak's
observations at Gondokoro,' are shown ' in the
columns marked a in the following table. Alti
tudes computed on the assumption that a correction
of only —'02 in. should be applied fall about 250
feet short of the figures given.
We have, in addition to this, corrected Mr.
Felkin's readings on the assumption that the error,

futility of deducing trustworthy corrections from observations limited
to a few days, and made with instruments the errors of which, under
variable conditions, are not thoroughly well known.

APPENDIX V.

365

which on starting from Lado amounted to + "25 in.,
gradually increased until it attained its maximum
at Eubaga, with 1-3 1 in. The resultant altitudes
are given in the columns marked 6. It will be seen,
however, that this assumption is altogether in
admissible. That the aneroid underwent a change
is undeniable, but this change clearly did not occur
whilst Mr. Felkin travelled up the Nile to the Albert
Nyanza. It took place undoubtedly after he had
scaled the plateau, and probably not until after he
had left Mruli behind him, and moved the hand of
his aneroid !
The results are as follows : —

Height above Gon
dokoro.

Height above the
Sea.

a.

b.

a.

b.

Gondokoro (assumed)
Magungo (Albert Nyanza)

. 767
2233241323671840

.1276 36844036
29602984

1526
2293
37593939
38933366

1526
2802
52105562
44864510

The altitudes of most of these places have been
determined by Dr. Emin, at Buchta, with the fol
lowing results : — '. :¦"..
Magungo, 2330 ft. (Emin), 2384 ft. (Buchta).
Kiroto, 4213 ft. (Buchta).
Foweira, 3763 ft. (Buchta).
Mruli, 3946 ft. (Emin, a single observation
referred to Eubaga).

366

APPENDIX V.

Hypsometrioal observations considerably reduce
these altitudes. ¦
Foweira, 3432 ft. (Emin), 3542 ft. (lit. Baker).
Mruli, 3513 ft. (Emin).
We are inclined to accept 3950 ft. as the altitude
of Mruli, and 3760 ft. as that of Foweira.
As respects Gondokoro we have thought it best to
retain the altitude assigned to it by Dr. Hann, viz.
1526 feet or 465 metres, as numerous published
altitudes are dependent upon it. Our own compu
tations have yielded the following results : —
Gondokoro (Dovyak)  1507 feet.
„ (Capt. Watson) .. .. 1443 „
Lado (Dr. Emin Bey) .. .. .. 1618 „
In conclusion, we give a list of altitudes calculated
by Dr. Zoppritz from • aneroid observations made
daily at 6 a.m., and published in Petermann's
' Mittheilungen.: As far as the " village on the
Tonj," the altitudes are referred to Lado, where
corresponding observations were taken by Dr. Emin.
The heights beyond that place were referred by
Dr. Zoppritz to the average of the mean monthly
pressures at Lado and Khartoum, but we have
amended his results so as to give Dara a height of
495 m. (as determined by Colonel Mason), instead
of the 565 m. resulting from the method of compu
tation referred to.

H1

,/. ',Jit3j',-

APPENDIX V.

367

Lado (assumed)
KhurjiWaniyetti ..
Camp, W-20 Sept,
Khor Koda
Niambara ...
Camp, 21-22 Sept.
Zanga .. .;
Kederu, No. 1
„ No. 2
Madi .. ..
BakinaTakkaKudukeri, swamp

Feet.
1525159615851949.18442014220121852096
2228
'1788 177819031830

Feet.

Ecriruu .. ..

. 1893

Camp, 2-3 Oct.

. 1801

Lake 

... 1676

. 1637

. 1696

Rumbehk, or Rohl

. 1585

Jau(Jur)  1578
Mukhta .. .. ;. 1545
GohkorAbreal .. .. 1539
Boit  1558
Tonj (military post) .. 1558
Village on Tonj, 14-15
Oct  1486
(Djour Ghattas .. .. *1650)

Feet.
Abugurun .. ..
. 1520
Kutchuk Ali's . .
. 1570
Zeriba Waoii
. 1540
„ Pizelia
. 1560
Camp, 19 Nov. ..
. 1560
„ 20 „ .. .
. 1600
Dem Idris 
. 1740
Camp, 22 Nov. .. .
. 1680
Dem Suleiman ..
. 1690
Sabu river .. » ..
. 1690
Ngaru's village . .
. 1760
Liffi 
. 1640
Gondu 
Mt. Safla, Camp near
Foroga 
Rahad ez Zurzur
ElBrak 
Atraha (Pond) ..
Alugvir  ,
Kalaka 
Agarab 
Sigela 
Fasko 
Hummi 
Dara (assumed) ..
Feet.
1680
1710 16801600
1570
1570 153015101580
1590 1G0O 1590
1624
* Computed from 3
sea-level.
days' observation by Mr. Wilson, referred to
"•V.

¦\_

( 369 )

INDEX.

REV. C. T. WILSON'S NARRATIVE.

.Albinos, 149'
Alice Island, 119, 242
Arab merchants, 13
Arab physicians, 7
Arab slave-dealers, 21
Bagamoyo, 29
Baobab tree, 80
Beads, 47
Bukindo, 88, 122
Bumbire, Island of, 237
Busu, Islands of, 228
Castor-oil tree, 33
Christmas Day, 265 '
Cloth as money, 46
Daisy, The, 92, 94, 98, 103, 117,
122, 140, 241, 243, 243
Emin Effendi (Dr.), 113, 116, 141,
271,281
. Envoys from Uganda, 274
Fatiko, 278
Felkin, R. W., 257, 266, 269, 275,
281
Foweira, 264, 267
French Romanists, 272
Gange, 64
VOL. I.

Gordon, Colonel, 113
Guides, 43
Hassani, 114, 123
Highland Lassie, 3
. Ilolmwood, Vice-consul, 23
Hongo, 58, 63
Iramba, 69
Ivory, 9
Jordan's Nullah, 81, 239
Kaduma, 81, 84
Kagei, 81, 120, 127, 139
Kagera River, 234, 241
Kekoka, 32
Kiganda language, 108
Kingani Kiver, 23, 30
Kintu, 219
Kitange, 40
Kodj, 264
Kome Islands, 238
Leopards, 56
Litchfield, Rev. G., 257, 266
Livingstone," Dr., 3
Livingstone's house, 6
Livumbu River, 79
Loads, 44
2 B

370

INDEX.

t

London, H.M.S., 2, 3, 19, 21
¦Lugogo or Ergugu, 259, 268, 277
Lukonge, 86, 89, 115, 121
Lourdel, Pere, 271
Mackay, A., 23, 126, 141, 240, 268
Magubika, district of, 39
Majita Mount, 253
Makongo, 242, 247, 248
Masimbo, 129
Mirambo, 130, 135
Mkundi River, 39
Monungu River, 129, 136
Morton, Mr., 112, 132
Mpwapwa, 53
Mruli, 262, 268, 278 '
Mtesa, 97, 104, 108, 141, 197
- Mtinginya, 130
Mufta, 108
Murchison Bay, 103
Mviimi, 57
Nange River, 74
Nile, 263
Ng'uru, 75, 78
Ntebbi, 117, 140
O'Neill, 25, 50, 65, 74, 77,85,90,
97, 114, 120, 124
Packing, 24
Pearson, C. W., 267
Pemba, Island of,.l
Pongwe Hills, 32
Porters, 29, 42
Riouga, 267
River-crossing, 35
Rnbaga, 103
Rubeho Mountains, 55
Ruga Ruga, 77, 80

Said-bin-Salim, 131, 134
Semwi, 79, 127, 136
Sesse, 143, 229, 230
Seyyid Burgash, 18
, Sheik bin Nasib, 133 '»
Slave trade, 22
Smith, Dr., 26, 68, 91, 93
Smith, Lieutenant, 23, 26, 57, 68,
76, 91, 97, 100, 106, 112, 114,
120, 124
Small-pox, 33
Songoro, 85, 89, 92, 115, 121
Swahili language, 13
Tabora, 76, 133
Tembes, 54
Thunderstorms, 70
Tsetse fly, 42
Tubugwe, 51 • ' '
Uganda, 97, 102, 143. '
' Climate of, 146
Fauna of, 144
Geology of, 147
Population of, 150
Roads of, 147
. Tribes of, 148
Vegetation of, 144
Ugogo, Plateau of, 63
Ukara, 98 '
Ukerewe, 83, 87, 94, 241
Umyangogo, bed of, 63
Unyanyembe, 76
Ushuri, 67 ;, '
Usmao, 80 >; :,,,..,. ;,;*'¦¦; _
Usuri, 66 •'';
Uyui, 132, 134, 135
Uzinja, 238
Uzongora, 118. 234, 242, 246

INDEX.

371

Vezi, Island of, 86
Victoria Nyanza, 83, 144, 249, 256
Coasts of, 250
Currents of, 254
Islands Of, 253
Waganda, 148
Their arms, 153
Animals, 163
Administration of Justice, 201
Birds, 169
Cooking, 161
Customs, 182-189
Classes, 193' '
Chiefs, 193, 273
Character, 225
Dress, 151
Diseases, 183
Food, 158
Government, 193
Houses, 172
Insects, 170
Influence of foreigners, 209, 212
Language, 217
Legends, 219

Waganda. — Continued.
Music, 154, 215
Manufacturers, 176
Morals, 223
Navy, 203
Occupations, 171
Royal family, 196
Religion, 206
Toolsj 157
Trade, 189
War system, 201
Wahuma, 148
Wahudimu, 18
Wami Uiver (of Usagara), 23, 34
Wami River, 81
Wanyambo, 149
Wanguana, 14, 137
Wasoga, 149

Zanzibar, 1, 4, 11
Coinage of, 19
Market of, 5
Town' of, 2, 4
Trade of, 12, 20
Workmen of, 17

MR. FELKIN'S NARRATIVE.

Albert Lake, 302, 303, 306
Amfina, 325, 329
Arbatascha, 304
Baker, Sir S., 310, 320
Baringo Lake, 312
Bari natives, 299
Beddeh Rapids, 299, 301
Berber, 286
Block in Nile, 292, 294

Camels, 286
Christmas Eve, 319
Chuvch Missionary Society, 285,
289
Crocodiles, 315
Dufli, 299, 302, 303 - •
Eland, 306
Emin Bey, Dr., 299, 311
Equatorial Provinces, 292

372

INDEX.

I

Fashoda, 289, 292
Foweira, 332
Gessi Pasha, 311
Gordon Pasha, 286, 288, 324
Grant, Col., 307, 310
Hall, J. W., 286
Hippopotamus, 300, 315
K. Kabrega, 313, 322,- 324, 325,
329, 334
Kaykonm, 290
Keroto, 321, 323
Kid) natives, 298
Khartoum, 286, 288
Khor El Pasha, 322
Kilimanjaro, 312
Kissuna, 327
Kubuli River, 332
Lado, 292, 299
Litchfield, Rev. G., 286
Livingstone, Dr., 307
Magungo, 307, 312
Mahomet Aga, 313, 320
Mason Bey, 311
Monkeys, 314
Mosquitoes, 293
Mount Meto, 304
Mruli,*, 289, 333, 334
Murchison Falls, 318
Native dance, 291, 326

Nicola, 323
Nile marshes, 292
Scenery, 300
Packages, 299
Panyatole, 327
Pearson, C. W., 286
Regiaf, 299
Rionga,,325,-329
Rubaga, 333
Sandstorm, 287
Shadoofs, 287 . <&
Shambil, 295, 297
Shillooks, 290, 291
Spike, T. H., 307, 310
Stanley, 311, 336
Stanley's Lake, 312
Steamers, 286, 289, 303
Suakim, 286
Tanganyika, 307, 311
, Thunderstorm, 322
Victoria Nile, 306
Victoria Nyanza, 3J2, 336
Waganda escort, 334
Wanyoro huts, 328 ¦ ,
Wart-hogs, 332 ,
.Wilson, Rev, C. T., 285, 330
Wives, 331
Zanzibar, 336
Zenab, 319

On map Mrooli.

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