OSO BANTU NEGROES 



sympathy for any one who appreciates their country and its beauties. 

 Chiefs and })easants have fretpiently said to me, "Thank you for coming," 

 "Thank you for having enjoyed yourself,'' ''Thank you for having painted 

 such a nice picture," "Thank you for having slept well." "Thank you for 

 admiring tho>-e flowers." " Thank you for having slapped my son " was 

 once said to me by the father of a boy who, with most un-Uganda- 

 like impoliteness, had, when rom[)ing witli another boy, dashed through 

 the verandah of my tent and upset a glass of water over m\' drawing. 

 Througliout all this elaboration of courtesy the Muganda retains a native 

 manliness, and the women a most winning conviction of their inherent 

 charms, which entirely rob their sniiling faces, the gestures of their well- 

 kept hands, and their constant anticipations of one's desires, of anything 

 like servility, just as they have adopted Christianity more whole-heartedly 

 than any Xegro race existing, and yet I do not think I have once met 

 a Uganda hypocrite. Their chiefs are certainly native gentlemen who 

 possess a degree of tact which many Europeans might imitate. I do 

 not think I have e\er been bored by a Muganda. If they come on a 

 visit, they rise to go at the right moment. When you are travelling 

 through their country, and arrive at a camp near the residence of a big 

 chief, he would never dream of paying you a visit until he had first 

 ascertained that you had rested from your fatigue, and that his presence 

 would be agreeable. 



Many of their salutations and greetings are somewhat elaborate. 

 Peasants passing one another who ha^•e frequently met will probably say 

 nothing but "Kulungi?" ("Is it well"''"). But if two individuals have 

 not met for some considerable time, the following dialogue (with variations) 

 will take place : — 



M. " Otya ? " or " Otyano ? '" (" How dost thou do ? ") 



N. " Aa " (" Xo, no '" — this in de})recation). "Otva?'' (" How dost /'Ao^f. 

 do ? ") 



M. " Ye " (•' Yes "). " Gwotyano ? " ('• How dost thou do ? ") 



y. "Kulungi" ("Well"). 



M. "Agafayo" ("What news?") 



X. "Enungi" (" Gocd news"). 



M. "Aa." 



X. "Aa."' 



M. "Um!" 



iV. "Um!" 

 And so tliey go on, grunting at each other loudly, then in a lower key, 

 until at length they are scarcely audible, though the lips go on working. 

 The Baganda are most particular about this interchange of grunts. It is 

 thought a gross rudeness to break ofif after merely grunting six times. 



