one more office which Mtesa can give; but he
must wait a while for this.
The Emperor hears there is a country called
Usongora, west o f Gambaragara* somewhere, rich,
in vast herds o f cattle, and1 he commands Fokiho
to go and gather some o f them. Immediately
the great war-drum o f Masaka sounds the e a t
to war, and the natives from the banks o f the
Alexandra Nile, the slopes o f K o k i plateau, and
all the lake shore from the Alexandra to- the
Katonga respond to it b y thousands, for it is a
call to them to gather spoil, and when did a
peasant o f Uganda linger at such a Sumffioiis?
When Pokino begins his journey , he discovers
he has a vas t army at his commarld, fo r other
chiefs also are represented here b y columns.
Kitunzi o f the Katonga v a lle y has send Sambuzi,
and Mkwenda, Kaiigau, and KimbugWe have
also sent sub-chiefs with hundreds o f warriors.
Before Pokmo’S great army the people o f Gam-
baragara retire up the' slopes o f their l'ofty snow
mountain, and, pursuing them as far as prudence
will permit, Pokino’s eyes view from afar the
rolling grassy plateau o f Usongora, and an
immense lake stretching beyond, which he is
told is Muta Nzige.
Descending from the slopes o f the sno w mountain,
he marches with incredible speed to Uson-
*This part of Pokino’s history was related to me by Pokino
himself, Kitunzi, Sambuzi, and his page.
gora, sweeps in. with long sure arms large herds
nf cattle, despite the frantically brave natives,
collects thousands o f straight-nosed, thin-lipped,
and comely women and children, and drives
them towards Uganda.
Several difficulties present themselves in the
way. The. plain o f Usongora is covered with
salt and alkali, which, imtemperately eaten, causes
many deaths; and in the valleys, spout upmud-
springs, and from the summits o f conical hills
strange fire and; smoke, issue, and now and then
the, v e ry earth utters a rumbling sound, and
appears to shake.,
T he Wanyoros also, b y thousands?, combine
with the natives o f Gambaragara to dispute his
return. T h e y la y ambuscades fo r him, and. obstinately
harass him; night and day; But Pokino’s
spirit is, up, in arms. H e defies th e supernatural
noises o f that Land of: Wonders, Usongora,, and
b y skill and sa g a c ity avoids the meshes laid to
entrap him, and, when opportunity affords, snares
his ambushed enemies and annihilates them, and
finally appears in Uganda at the imperial, capital
with a spoil o f cattle and slaves fit to gladden
even the imperial heart.
T h e Emperor appoints a day to receive him
and his warriors, and, that meed may be given
only to th e brave, has caused to be. brewed
immense potfuls o f p otent pombe, which shall