AT KAMPALA 139 



dressed in spotless white was haranguing the crowd, and when- 

 ever the speaker paused, the crowd shouted, and a drummer 

 standing by hammered away lustily on a drum. 1 had pre- 

 arranged with two of my Soudanese that, if we should by any 

 chance meet a similar turbulent crowd, one should approach the 

 drummer without attracting attention if possible, and the other 

 should similarly make sure of capturing the ringleader, while the 

 attention of the crowd would probably be fixed on me. 



We came round the corner so suddenly upon the orator 

 who had .his back to us, that I was at once at his side. He 

 became aware of my presence by the consternation of his 

 audience. I inquired who he was and to whom the drum 

 belonged. I was told he was Mwanika's headman, and that 

 this drum too belonged to the same chief. The crowd fled in 

 a moment, but drum, drummer, and orator were secured. 



We arrived at the Fort ; and, in presence of these alarming 

 events, I decided to capture Mwanika himself that night. Not 

 to rouse the suspicion of any Waganda watching us, we col- 

 lected Soudanese soldiers at intervals by twos and threes 

 from their settlement. Having armed about forty of them, 

 and also some of our reliable Swahilies, I told them my plan : 

 to go to Mwanika's house, surround it, demand entrance, and 

 arrest Mwanika. I pressed upon my men that I wished to avoid 

 bloodshed, and that if any one fired his rifle without permission, 

 I should punish him most severely. I told them that I myself 

 should knock at the door of Mwanika's house : if I was fired at 

 and fell, then, and then only, should they have the right to use 

 their rifles and capture Mwanika at all costs. I fully expected 

 armed resistance, and I did not relish the prospect of being shot 

 down ; but having accepted the command of the Fort, I felt I 

 must bear the risks as well as the honours of the position. To 

 find the house, I used Mwanika's captured headman as a guide, 

 and to prevent treachery, I handcuffed his right wrist to the left 

 wrist of one of my most trustworthy men ; an armed Soudanese 

 soldier was told off in addition, in case the headman should 

 attempt to betray us. We found the house, surrounded it, and 

 I demanded to see Mwanika. Whilst I stood at one door, a 

 naked man, brandishing a long knife, dashed out by another. 

 One of my men attempted to seize the fugitive, but failed. It 

 was Mwanika who thus escaped and took refuge with the 

 Protestant Prime Minister. I searched the house, and carried 



