118 THE KINGDOM OF UGANDA 



The administrative cajntal of I'gaiida, where the headquarters of the 

 Protectorate Administration are established at present, is also remarkable 

 for its lovelv scenery. This is situated at Entebbe, on the long indented 

 peninsula of that name which stretches many arms out into the lake. 

 "Entebbe" means in the Luganda language "a throne." There are lofty 

 green downs on this peninsula which command a splendid view over the 

 coasts and islands of the north-western part of the lake. It is round the 

 foot of these downs, on their southern aspect, that the European settle- 

 ment is built. The eastern side of Entebbe is tropical forest of exceptional 

 magnificence, which has been cleverly transformed by ]Mr. Alexander 

 Whyte into botanical gardens, some day to become notable for their 

 beauty. One prominent feature in the landscape of Entebbe, and in fact 

 of much of Southern Uganda, is the lofty incense-trees (Pachylobus). These 

 grow to a great height, and are perennially covered with a rich green 

 pinnate foliage. The rugose trunk of thick girth sweats a whitish gum^ 

 which, scraped off and burnt on hot coals, produces the smoke of fragrant 

 incense. These trees produce at certain seasons of the year enormous 

 quantities of blue-black plums, which are the favourite food of grey 

 parrots, violet plantain-eaters, and the great blue Gorythaeola, besides 

 monkeys and hornbills. Wherever, therefore, there is one of these trees 

 growing, those who live in the neighbourhood may enjoy all day long the 

 contemplation of the gorgeous plumage of these birds, the antics and 

 cries of the parrots, and the wild gambols of the monkeys. 



Another feature at Entebbe is the abundance and tameness of pythons, 

 wdiich sometimes measure as much as seventeen feet in length. The 

 Baganda think nothing of laying hold of the wild python, who may 

 perha})S have coiled himself up in some hole, and however much the 

 snake hisses and protests, it seldom seems to bite. Yet these snakes 

 could crush a man between their folds, and do crush and devour nuinbers 

 of sheep and goats. They seem, however, very loath to attack mankind, 

 and will allow extraordinary liberties to be taken with them. The vividly 

 painted puff-adders of the Gaboon species are as common as the pythons, 

 and although their bite is absolutely deadly, they, too, do not seem to be 

 much feared by the natives. 



The fig-tree, which produces the bark-cloth of Uganda, grows, of course, 

 most abundantly in and around all these settlements, European and native. 

 The figs of this and other allied trees are much sought after by the violet 

 plantain-eaters. These lovely birds, whom the Baganda dislike but very 

 seldom molest,* show little or no fear of man. They hop and crawl along 

 the smooth trunks and branches of the fig-trees, spreading out their 



* No appreciation is shown of their gorgeous colours. They are disliked because 

 of the damage they do to the bananas. 



