Soldiering and Sport in Uganda 



the direction of the Katonga River. As I was 

 encamped only a few miles north of Kabula it 

 meant a long day's march — in fact, above seven- 

 and-twenty miles as the crow flies, but much more 

 in reality, as we had to pick our way across country 

 through the long grass and "gubba." My porters 

 had rested the whole of the previous day while 

 I was cutting out the tusks, and, moreover, they 

 were so numerous that I was enabled to give them 

 only very light loads. But to secure my plans 

 against any more miscarriages, I took the precaution 

 of enlisting a dozen extra porters from the local 

 chief. It was a long days "safari" all the same, 

 and I did not feel over confident about the result. 



Three hours' marching brought me to some 

 great rocks of granite, where I called the first halt. 

 I sat down to rest myself and to assuage my thirst 

 near a pool of clear limpid water, formed in a hollow 

 of a rock. Before I could do so some natives 

 appeared from the opposite direction, and seeing 

 me, immediately came forward and offered me some 

 milk. I drank it out of compliment, for most of 

 their wooden milk-jugs are cleaned by smoking 

 them over their log fires, which has the effect of 

 imparting to the milk a very unpleasant flavour, 

 so much so that I was in the habit of giving my 

 jug to the natives and telling them to milk straight 

 into it. 



These natives belonged to a tribe called the 

 Bahima, who form the aristocracy of Uganda ; 

 although they are to be found scattered in groups 



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