aroused to the highest pitch concerning them.
had seen stray representatives k these people
at the court ofMtesa, but I had not the oppor-
umty then that I had now to enquire definitely
about them I here set down, as I was told^
what gathered respecting them, both from
their own lips and those o f Colonel Sekajugu
° WaS!.the best informed o f the Waganda.
hese hght-complexioned, regular-featured people
are natives o f G am b a r a g a r a - a country
situated between Uzongora and Unyoro. Gambaragara
embraces all the immediate districts
neighbouring the base o f the lofty Mount Gordon-
Bennett, upon the summit o f which snow is often
seen. W e caught a view, as we travelled through
Unyoro, o f this lo fty mountain, which la y northw
esterly from Western Benga, in Unyoro; but
the distance was too great for me to describe
it exactly. It appeared to be an enormous and
unted cone about 14,000 or 15,000 feet high.
According to Sekajugu, the mountain springs
up in a series o f terraces from a level plain-
numerous waterfalls plunge down its steep slopes!
and two days are usually occupied in the ascent
to the highest summit. The king, Ny-ika, with
his principal chiefs and their families, live during
war-time on the highest part o f the mountain,
which appears to be, from report, something
hke an extinct crater. T h e y described it to me
as a hollow surrounded b y high walls o f rock,
I Dec. 27-i 1 ‘ 1875.1 WHITE PEOPLE IN GAMBARAGARA. 245 I Kawanga. J'
which contains a small round lake, from the
centre o f which rises a lofty columnar rock- It
is v e ry cold there, and snow frequently falls.
The slopes, base, and summit are thickly populated,
but though powerful in numbers, the courr
age and skill o f the people in war are inuch
derided b y the Waganda, who speak o f them
as preferring to take refuge in ca v e s , and on
the summits o f almost inaccessible rocks, to
venturing into the open for a fair fight.
Though probably inferior in courage to the
Waganda, th ey roust have distinguished themselves
in war at one time, otherwise I cannot
account for the brave and warlike people o f
Uzongora being the subjects o f Ny-ika, king o f
Gambaragara.
This king possesses several villages in different
parts o f the mountain, and appears to move
from one to another, as his numerous herds o f
cattle become stinted in their pasture. Milk
being the principal diet o f these people, it may
be supposed that cattle are abundant in Gambaragara
and Uzongora. The Katekiro o f Uganda,
in his great raid on this region is said to have
collected “ 50,000” head o f cattle, General Sambuzi
accompanied him during that famous time,
and has often amused my leisure hours with
lively descriptions o f his adventures.
The people are a peculiarly formed race. A t
one time th ey are said to have been all white,