Uganga is a lowland district lying at the
mouth o f the Katonga, on the south or right
bank, whence a large b ay with well-wooded
shores rounds form this river to the southward
in a crescent from, to Bwiru, from which point
w e begin to trace the coast o f Uddu. Uganda
proper extends only as far as the Katonga riv e r ;
from its bank Uddu begins, and stretches as far
as the Alexandra Nile or Kagera.
Sesse Island extends from a point six miles
south o f Kibonga, westward to a point seven miles
south o f Jumba’s village, and southward— parallel
almost with the coast o f Uddu— to a distance
o f about twenty-three miles. Its extreme length
is about fo r ty -tw o miles, while its extreme
breadth must be about twenty miles. The principal
canoe-builders and the greater number o f
the sailors o f Mtesa’s empire dwell in Sesse, and
because o f their coal-black colour, timidity,
superstition, and general uncleanly life, are regarded
as the helots o f Uganda.
On the 21 st we made a tedious, eventless
v o y a g e along the low , swampy, and jungly
shores o f Ujaju to Dumo, a village situated on
the mainland nearly opposite the extreme
southern end o f Sesse Island. From a curious
stony hill near Dumo, which bears traces o f
ancient effects o f water, we obtained a distant
view o f the outskirts o f a pastoral plateau rising
westward.
rApril 22, 1875.-1 MAGASSA’S SHORTCOMINGS. 2 79
L Chawasimba. J
Magassa appeared in the evening from his
unsuccessful quest for canoes. He gave a graphic
account o f the dangers he had encountered at
Sessé, whose inhabitants declared they would
rather be beheaded b y the Kabaka than risk
themselves on an endless v o y a g e on the stormy
sea, but he had obtained a promise from Magura,
the admiral in charge o f the naval yards at
Sesse, that he would endeavour to despatch
fourteen canoes after us. Meanwhile, Magassa
had left me at Chiwanuko with five canoes, but
returned with only two, alleging that the other
three leaked so much that th ey were not seaworthy.
He suggested also that, as Magura
might cause great delay if left alone, I should
proceed with Sentum and Sentageya, and leave
him in charge o f five. Having witnessed his
vanity and heard o f his atrocious conduct near
Chiwanuko , I strongly suspected him o f desiring
to effect some more mischief at Dumo, but
I was powerless to interpose the strong arm,
and therefore left him to answer for his shortcomings
to Mtesa, who would doubtless hear o f
them before long.
After leaving Dumo and Sessé north o f us,
we had a boundless horizon o f water on the
east, while on the west stretched a crescefit-
shaped bay, bordered b y a dense forest, ending
south at Chawasimba Point. From here another
broad b a y extends southwards, and is terminât