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UNDER THE AFRICAN SUN 



of Uganda would endeavour to pass that way. The noble mis- 

 sionary Mackay wisely went to Uganda by the usual southern 

 route, and thus avoided incurring the displeasure of a timid but 

 autocrat ruler. Luba acted under direct orders received from 

 King Mwanga, when he arrested the Bishop and ordered his 

 execution. Luba is a tall elderly man, lean and spare, with a 

 large heavy face. He wields considerable influence over the 

 lake-shore dwellers ; but he is a weak character, easily moulded 

 and directed by a stronger mind. He controls scores of boats 



USOGA BOATS, 



and hundreds of boatmen, and as long as caravans have to cross 

 into Uganda via Luba's, he will remain a chief whose influence 

 has to be reckoned with in all transport arrangements across 

 the Nile. 



The Usoga boats remind one of New Zealand war-canoes. 

 The boat is long and narrow and has usually a dozen seats ; one 

 man sits at the stern and guides the boat with his paddle 

 which is used instead of a rudder ; another man sits at the bow 

 and is ready with a long pole to do the necessary punting 

 where the water is shallow ; the remaining ten seats are occupied 

 by twenty boatmen. The boats are formed of long planks, 

 slowly and laboriously chipped from a tree-trunk of suitable 



