b y unnecessary residence at any one spofT The
time had simply arrived to begin our travels
again, and I was glad of it, for the bold and
bad Kipingiri was, I suspected, ever exercising
an evil influence over Kaduma.
On the n t h July we arrived safely and without
accident at Refuge Island, where I found the
garrison thriving admirably. Through the influence
o f young Lukanjah—»the cousin o f the
king o f Ukerewe— the natives o f the mainland
had been induced to exchange their churlish
disposition for one o f cordial welcome, and the
process o f blood-brotherhood had been formally
gone through between Manwa Sera, on my part,
and Kijaju, king o f Komeh, and the king of
Itawagumba on the other part.
Lukanjah, aware o f the respect paid b y his
d usk y brothers to power, had deftly exaggerated
my influence and the numbers o f my force, until
a friendly alliance with one so powerful became
a cherished project with Kijaju, and caused him
to seek it b y a tribute o f three fat oxen, six
g o a ts , and fifty bunches o f bananas, besides a
store o f delectable maramba, upon which I found
that the garrison had been subsisting during my
absence from Refuge Island.
I deputed Frank to rep a y with cloths, beads,
and wire Kijaju’s generosity, for the constant
anxiety which I suffered during the passages
between Refuge Island and K a g eh y i for the
r j u l y 1 2 - 1 7 , 1 8 7 5 . ] D E L I C I O U S F R U I T . 35
[Refuge Island. |
safety o f my people and effects, had induced
such a serious illness that for five days I was
unable to leave my hut on the island.
On the sixth day, however, I left my bed and
strolled over the island on which, on that terrible
day o f our escape from Bumbireh, we had found
a refuge and relief in our distress, and now an
asylum for half o f the Expedition for about a.
month. The younger portion o f the garrison
knew every nook and cranny o f our island home,
and had become quite attached to it. On the
eastern side about fifteen fruit-trees had been
discovered b y them, laden with delicious berries,
the flavour o f which seemed something o f a.
mixture o f custard-apple and a ripe gooseberry.
The stones o f this small fruit were two in
number, like small date-stones. The leaves o f
the tree resemble those o f the p ea ch ; its fruit
are smooth-surfaced, a&d hang in threes; its
wood is tough and flexible. It is no doubt a
species o f the Verbenacece. T h e garrison had
failed to consume half the quantity found, so
that, when I arrived with a reinforcement o f
150 men, there was a sufficient quantity left to
cause them all to remember the sweet fruit o f
Refuge Island.
On this d a y , Kijaju, king o f Komeh, visited
me, to our mutual satisfaction. He furnished me
with two guides to accompany me to Uganda,
who were to be returned to Komeh along with