upon Ingira. T he centre, defended b y the flanks,
which were to menace the rear o f the Wavuma
should th ey approach near the causeway, resolutely
advanced to within thirty yards o f Ingira,
and poured in a most murderous fire among the
slingers o f the island, who, imagining that the
Waganda meant to carry the island b y storm,
b oldly stood exposed, resolved to fight. But
th ey were unable to maintain that courageous
behaviour long. Mkwenda then moved up from
the left, and attacked with his musketeers the
Wavuma on the right, riddling their canoes,
and making matters specially hot for them in
that quarter.
T he Wavuma, seeing matters approaching a
crisis, and not wishing to die tamely, manned
their canoes, and 196 dashed impetuously, as
at first, from the rushes o f Ingira with loud
shrill y e l ls , and the Waganda lines moved backward
to the centre o f the channel, where they
bravely and co olly maintained their position.
A s the centre o f the Uganda line parted in front
o f the causeway and disclosed the hotly advancing
enemy, T o r i aimed the howitzers and fired
at a group o f about twenty canoes, completely
shattering more than half o f them, and re-loading
one quickly, he discharged several bolts o f iron
three inches long among them with terrible effect;
Before this cool bearing o f the Waganda, the
Wavuma retired to their island again, and we
saw numbers o f canoes discharging their dead
afld wounded, and the Waganda were summoned
,0 Nakaranga shore to receive the congratulations
of the Emperor and the applause o f the vast
multitude. Mtesa went down to the w a te rs
edge to express his satisfaction at their behaviour.
“ Go a i them again," said he, “ andsh ow them
what fighting is.” And . the line of battle was
again formed, and again the Wavuma darted
from the cover o f the reeds and water-cane with
the swiftness o f hungry sharks, beatmg the water
into foam with their paddles, and rending e
air with their piercing yells. It was
most exciting and animating scenes I ever beheld,
but owing to the terror of the stake with which
their dread monarch had threatened them, the
Waganda distinguished themselves for coolness
and method, and the Wavuma, as on a former
occasion, for intrepidity and desperate conragts
A third time the Waganda were urged to the
battle, and a third time the unconquerable and
desperate enemy dashed on them, to be smitten
and wounded sore m a battle w ere
not the least chance o f returning blow for blow
without danger o f being swept b y the cannon
and muskets on the causeway. J
A third battle was fought a few days afte
between 178 Wavuma canoes and A » Waganda
but had the Waganda possessed the spirit an
dash o f their enemies, they might have decide