Quarters at Hoima 



way, so that a puncture should be of rare occurrence. 

 Theoretically, this holds good, but practically I fear 

 it is otherwise. The sole means of recreation is 

 tennis. A fairly good court exists, cut out on the 

 side of a hill. 



As for my domicile, it was beautifully situated 

 near the top of the hill, and therefore had a perfectly 

 magnificent view of all the surrounding country. 

 From the distance it had looked the best house in 

 the place, as it certainly must once have been 

 several years back ; but on a closer inspection I 

 was sorry to see it was on its last legs, and, in fact, 

 had, I believe, been more than once condemned as 

 uninhabitable. It really presented quite a pathetic 

 sight, with its walls leaning familiarly the one 

 towards the other, never nearer than 15° to the 

 vertical, with its capacious verandah extending 

 completely around, but with a large slice, unfortu- 

 nately in the front of the house, fallen down, the 

 victim of time and decay ; and the roof propped up 

 with warped beams, forming a fine hunting ground 

 for bats, snakes, and insects of all sorts, threatening 

 to relinquish its exalted position at any moment, 

 and to seek a more humble repose in the neglected 

 garden below. To crown all, an army of white ants 

 had done me the honour to build their immovable 

 house in a corner of my drawing-room ; and as their 

 palatial abodes frequently rise ten to twenty feet in 

 height, I have a lively prospect in front of me. 

 The name of my new abode is " Blackwater Villa," 

 a gallant captain of the Imperial Army having 



