to penetrate Kidi. He said I need not concern myself
on that score; lie was much more anxious for the white
men to come here than even I was, and he would not
send my men into any danger; but it was highly improper
for any of his people to speak about such subjects.
Then, assembling the women again, he asked me to load
Whitworth for him, when he shot the remaining cow,
holding the rifle in both hands close to his thigh. The
feat, of course, brought forth great and uproarious congratulations
’from his women. The day thus ended, and
I was dismissed.
13 th:—Mahriiki and Bilal come into camp: they returned
last n ig h t; but the Waganda escort, afraid of my
obtaining information of them before the king received
it, kept them concealed. They had been defeated in
Usoga, two marches east of Kira, at the residence of
Nagozigombi, Mtesa’s border officer, who gave them two
bullocks, but advised their returning at once to inform
the king that the independent Wasoga had been fighting
with his dependent Wasoga subjects for some time, and
the -battle would not be over for two months or more,
unless he sent an army to their'assistance.
I now sent Bombay to the king to request an interview,
as I had much of importance to tell h im b u t he
could not be seen, as he was deep in the interior of the
palace enjoying the society of his wives. The Kamra-
viona, however, was found there waiting, as usual, on the
mere chance of his majesty taking it into his head to
come out. He asked Bombay if it was true the woman
he gave me ran away; and when Bombay told him, he
said, “ Oh, he should have chained her for two or three
days, until she became accustomed to her residence; for
women often take fright and run away in that way, believing
strangers to be cannibals.” But Bombay replied,
“ She was not good enough for Bana; he let her go off
like a dog; he wants a young and beautiful Mhuma, or
none at all.” “ Ah, well, then, if he is so particular, he
must wait a bit, for we have none on hand. What I gave
bim is the sort of creature we give all our guests.” A
Msoga was sent by the king to take the dead adjutant
of yesterday out of the nest—for all Wasoga are expert
climbers, which is not the case with the Waganda; but
the man was attacked half-way up the tree by a swarm
of bees, and driven down again.
11th.—After all the vexatious haggling for a house, I
gained my object to-day by a judicious piece of bribery
which I had intended to accomplish whenever I could. I
now succeeded in sending—for I could not, under the
jealous eyes in Uganda, get it done earlier-li-a present
of fifteen pints mixed beads, twenty blue eggs, and five
copper bracelets, to the commander-in-chief, as a mark
of friendship. At the same time I hinted that I should
like him to use his influence in obtaining for me a near
and respectable residence, where I hoped he, as well as all
the Waganda nobility, would call upon m e ; for my life in
Uganda was utterly miserable, being shut up like a hermit
by myself every day. The result was, that a number of
huts in a large plantain garden were at once assigned to
me, on the face of a hill, immediately overlooking and close
to the main road. I t was considered the “ West End.”
I t had never before been occupied by any visitors excepting
Wahinda ambassadors; and being near, and in full
view of the palace, was pleasant and advantageous, as I
could both hear the constant music, and see the throngs
of people ever wending their way to and from the royal
abodes. I lost no time in moving all my property, turning
out the original occupants—in selecting the best hut for
myself, giving the rest to my three officers—and ordering
my men to build barracks for themselves, in street form,
from my hut to the main road. There was one thing
only left to be done; the sanitary orders of Uganda required
every man to build for himself a house of parlia