4 MR. J. S. BUDGETT ON [Jan. 20, 
At Kampala I diverged, however, for a few days along the old 
road to Massindi to the eastward. 
T had with me at the start 50 men and boys and my bicycle. 
So many books have been written on Uganda, that there is 
little need to describe the scenery of these tropical highlands, 
especially as Sir Harry Johnston’s wonderfully complete book is 
now in everybody’s hands. 
Shortly, one may say that, on going northwards from Lake 
Victoria, forest is hardly seen after leaving Kampala. We passed 
day after day through almost endless elephant-grass, with palm- 
groves and papyrus-swamps in the lower parts. The hills are 
clothed with clumps and patches of acacia and euphorbias, 
while their summits are very frequently covered with huge 
granite boulders. There were thunderstorms and rain every 
afternoon, and for the first few days I saw little in the way of 
animal life: occasionally a Civet cat would cross the path, while 
overhead Hornbills and Plantain-eaters of various species were 
common. In the valley of the Maangia for a time we were rid - 
of the everlasting elephant-grass, and here Cobws thomasi and 
Zebra were plentiful. The Cobus thomasi of this region is some- 
what different to that met with in the valley of the Nile, the 
horns having a wider curve and being stouter and of a lighter 
colour, while the animal itself is of a larger build and has more 
brilliant markings. 
The Maangia River flows northward through wide undulating 
plains, covered at this time with hay-like grasses upwards of five 
feet in height, and dotted over with very fine acacias, of a cedar- 
of-Lebanon appearance and of richest deep-green colour. The 
grasses and bushes of the roadside teem with bird-life: as we 
rode along, the little Vidua principalis, with his dozen sombre 
wives, was a constant companion, flitting just ahead of us for 
a mile or more along the road. Likewise the Common Shrike 
of these parts (Lanius excubitorius) has exactly the same habit 
of driving along in flocks with a caravan as the Corvinella 
corvina of the West Coast. In the marshy parts, Scopus wmbrettia 
was often seen. 
Then, leaving the plain, we struck up over the Bukamva hills, 
and at the crest dived into the dense grass at the side of the road, 
to travel for four weary hours over a wretched and little-used 
track, often obliterated by the tramp of elephants, and where it was 
quite impossible to make any progress with the bicycle. Then, 
descending rapidly by swampy valleys and thick jungle, we came 
suddenly into the new road to Hoima and Butyaba. From here to 
Hoima the road crossed the steep hills which form the boundary 
between Uganda and Unyoro, passing by abundant plantations of 
bananas and through many a lovely valley, at the bottom of which 
a stream ran through the richest vegetation, the banks carpeted 
with Cannas, winter cherries, and hemlock, while overhead were 
many Pterocarpus-trees with blossoms like the Alamanda flower. 
As I did not care to get too far from my safari, I would often 
