To Mbarara for Reinforcements 



ing Officer thought it would give me an opportunity 

 of consulting a doctor about my teeth and having 

 some of them extracted. Rising at 4.30, and 

 suffering tortures from toothache, I set out by the 

 light of the waning moon to accomplish the journey 

 to Mbarara. What joy when at the top of the first 

 range I looked back and beheld the scene of my 

 late detention and knew I was free again to lead 

 the nomadic life, so attractive to its followers. 

 I had a mule lent me, but I did not ride at first, 

 reserving my mount until I should feel tired. 

 Descending into a place called "Spring Camp," 

 or the valley of the shadows as we named it, I had 

 my breakfast — a hurried repast, for the fever of 

 "safari" urged me on. Up hill and down dale my 

 wearied but willing porters pushed on, carrying 

 thirty-pound loads down the most difficult declines 

 and up the steepest slopes. At length we made the 

 picturesque Lake Ingezi about mid-day. There I 

 found fresh porters, whom I had sent on. After a 

 difficult piece of "gubba" work for three hours, we 

 emerged on an uninhabitable and rocky plain: I 

 sent for the mule. The mule was intractable; it bit 

 and kicked till I was fain to defer my ride. After a 

 while we came to an open space. Three of my men 

 held the brute's head and the syce the stirrup while 

 I vaulted on. 



I had scarcely ridden a hundred yards when I 

 I came to my own private headman lying prone on 

 the grass with fever. Off I got, and after another 

 struggle placed him upon the back of the stubborn 



203 



