rich cultivation alternating. The second march, after
crossing the Katawana river with its many branches flowing
north-east into the huge rush-drain of Luajerri, carried
us beyond the influence of the higher hills, and away
from the huge grasses which characterise the southern
boundary of Uganda bordering on the lake.
Each day’s march to Kari was directed much in the
same manner. After a certain number of hours’ travelling,
Budja appointed some village of residence for the
night, avoiding those which belonged to the queen, lest
any rows should take place in them, which would create
disagreeable consequences with the king, and preferring
those the heads of which had been lately seized by the
orders of the king. Nevertheless, wherever we went, all
the villagers forsook their homes, and left their houses,
property, and gardens an easy prey to the thieving propensities
of the escort. To put a stop to this vile practice
was now beyond my power; the king allowed it, and his
men were the first in every house, taking goats, fowls,
skins, mbugus, cowries, beads, drums, spears, tobacco,
pombe—in short, everything they could lay their hands
on—-in the most ruthless manner. It was a perfect marauding
campaign for them all, and all alike were soon
laden with as much as they could carry.
A halt of some days had become necessary at Kari to
collect the cows given by the king; and, as it is one of
his most extensive pasture-grounds, I strolled with my
rifle (11th) to see what new animals could be found; but
no sooner did I wound a zebra than messengers came
running after me to say Kari, one of my men, had been
murdered by the villagers three miles off; and such was
the fact. He, with others of my men, had been induced
to go plundering, with a few boys of the Waganda escort,
to a certain village of potters, as pots were required by
Budja for making plantain-wine, the first thing ever
thought of when a camp is formed. On nearing the place,
however, the women of the village, who were the only
people visible, instead of running away, as our braves expected,
commenced hullalooing, and brought out their
husbands. Flight was now the only thought of our men,
and all would have escaped had Kari not been slow and
his musket empty. The potters overtook him, and, as he
pointed his gun, which they considered a magic-horn, they
speared him to death, and then fled at once. Our survivors
were not long in bringing the news into camp,
when a party went out, and in the evening brought in
the man’s corpse and everything belonging to him, for
nothing had been taken.
12 th.—To enable me at my leisure to trace up the Nile
to its exit from the lake, and then go on with the journey
as quickly as possible, I wished the cattle to be collected
and taken by Budja and some of my men with the heavy
baggage overland to Kamrasi’s. Another reason for doing
so was, that I thought it advisable Kamrasi should, be-
forewarned that we were coming by the water route, lest
we should be suspected and stopped as spies by his
officers on the river, or regarded as enemies, which would
provoke a fight. Budja, however, objected to move until
a report of Kari’s murder had been forwarded to the king,
lest the people, getting bumptious, should try the same
trick again; and Kasoro said he would not go up the river,
as he had received no orders to do so.
In this fix I ordered a march back to the palace, mentioning
the king’s last words, and should have gone, had
not Budja ordered Kasoro to go with me. A page then
arrived from the king to ask after Bana’s health, carrying
the Whitworth rifle as his master’s card, and begging for a
heavy double-barrelled gun to be sent him from Gani. I
called this lad to witness the agreement I had made with
Budja, and told him, if Kasoro satisfied me, I would
return by him, in addition to the heavy gun, a Massey’s
patent log. I had taken it for the navigation of the lake,