DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA N'YANZA. 15 



their motives for bringing forward such an urgent 

 reason against me, as it is a custom in this country 

 that every wealthy traveller or merchant shall pay a 

 passport-fee, according to his means, to the sultan of 

 the country he travels through, who, in return, gives 

 a cow or goat as a mark of amity ; and this is always 

 shared amongst the whole caravan. 



Next day the sultana's house was reported to be near, 

 so I thought to expedite the matter by visiting her in 

 person, and thus perhaps probably gaining an after- 

 noon's march. Otherwise to have sent the jemadar 

 with a present would have been sufficient, for these 

 creatures are pure Mammonists. Vain hope, trying 

 to do anything in a hurry in Negroland ! I started 

 early in the morning, unfortified within, and escorted 

 by two Belooches, the kirangozi, three porters, Bom- 

 bay, and Mabruk. The necessary presents were also 

 taken : these consisted of one barsati, 1 one dhoti 

 Amerikan, 2 and one shukka kiniki. 3 This latter 

 article was to be kept in reserve, to throw in at last 

 and close with, as further demands beyond what is 

 given are invariably made. After walking six miles 

 over a well-cultivated plain, I felt anxious to know 

 what they meant by " near," and was told, as usual, 

 that the house was close at hand. Distrustful, but 



1 Barsati a coloured cloth. 



2 One dhoti = 2 shukkas ; 1 shukka = 4 cubits, or 2 yards 

 Amerikan (American sheeting). 



3 Kiniki a thin indigo-dyed cloth. 



