fashion of the triangle of sticks and stones adopted in
the Himalayas to kill tigers, leopards, or bears. Never
having seen the contrivance in this form, my curiosity
was raised to enter; luckily some Seedees called out
in time to tell me of my danger. Three of our cows
were less fortunate; one was killed, becoming food for
our Waganda escort, because the Seedees would not
touch it, and two were dragged from under the logs
much bruised. The natives were eager sportsmen,
netting the smallest or largest antelope, which they ate
or conveyed alive to their king. Nets were made of
beautiful soft and strong fibre, from the aloe generally.
A most simple, ingenious foot-trap for wild buffalo
we observed here for the first time. It was set generally
at salt-licks, where these animals were known to
scratch the ground, and consisted of two small circles
of wood, placed immediately one over the other; between
them a quantity of stout acacia thorns pointed
to a common centre; all were lashed strongly together,
and the trap, when completed, was several inches
larger than a buffalo’s foot. This was fitted over a
hole made in the ground, and a noose (attached to a
block of wood) laid over it, and concealed with earth.
On the buffalo putting his foot upon it, the trap fastens,
and the more he struggles the tighter the noose becomes.
The former king of Uganda was said to have
kept a large menagerie of animals caught in this way.
Birds were not numerous ; the cannibal vulture of
Uganda, now that we had left the capital, was a rare
bird. Guinea-fowl and florikan were the only gamebirds
observed, the grass being too tall to discover
partridge, &c. An owl of very handsome plumage,
weighing six pounds, was shot. A graceful bird on
the wing—a new goatsucker—with a single feather of
each wing twice his own length, and since named
Cosmetornis Spelcii, skimmed amongst the plantain
trees at night. These long feathers probably sweep
up flies as they float behind him.
Fish were not to be had on this route, although
cruives or basket-traps, the shape of an Egyptian
water-jar, and made of flags or papyrus, were constantly
found in the houses of the people. | The way
of placing them was as follows:—Two long parallel
ditches, six feet apart, were cut in a swamp jg here and
there their waters were made to communicate. At
these points the baskets were laid on their sides, and
the fish driven into them, whence there was no escape.
While detained at Karee receiving a portion of the
cattle ordered to be given us by the king, we had
several exhibitions of the temper of the people. As
was customary, we took possession of their houses, and
dwelt in them for eight days. This so exasperated
them, that, on our Seedees going to fetch water, or
leaving camp, they were threatened; a. spear was
thrown, and one of our men, named Karee, was killed.
No redress could be obtained till the king had been
communicated with. His reply was, “ Allow it to
pass over for the present, and when the villagers have
returned to their houses I will send a party to seize
them all.” The night previous to our leaving, two
huts occupied by Seedees were set on fire—the natives
throwing in a bunch of burning straw a,t the doorway.
Egress through the flames was impossible; but, having
secured their guns, they cut their way through the
side of the hut, losing a bayonet and their bark-cloths.
Precautions were taken against any further alarm;
Q