ARRIVAL AT MAGUNGO. 15 



also very abundant here. Our brave steamer forced its way 

 through the plant barriers and sandbanks. Large numbers 

 of fishing-boats, some of which would hold five or six persons, 

 paddled about among the islands. An immense number of con- 

 trivances for catching fish covered both banks of the slowly flow- 

 ing but broad and deep river. On either bank, beautiful woods, 

 in which Doleb palms were occasionally seen, alternated with open 

 places which permitted a good view of hilly country. For about 

 five miles we proceeded up-stream, keeping always to the 

 northern bank of the river, where the current is stronger and the 

 water deeper, until at last we reached the station of Magiingo, 

 situated on the south bank of the river, from which place we 

 were destined to commence our land journey. 



The necessary stay here to procure porters was most wel- 

 come to me. My ethnological collection grew visibly, and I 

 was able to obtain much information about the Liir or Liiri. 

 The country belonging to this tribe lies, as I have already 

 indicated, between Wadelai and the mountains which skirt the 

 western coast of the Albert Lake, including the mountains, and 

 stretching far towards the west and south-west. Fine woods 

 cover the country, in which are found in abundance most of the 

 animals that exist in other parts of Central Africa (I procured 

 skins of the Colohus Gicereza). There is said to be a con- 

 siderable river a few days' journey distant towards the west 

 or north-west. All the utensils, ornaments, and arms betoken 

 proximity to the Nyam-Nyam. But I obtained also ma,ny 

 cinctures ornamented with cowrie shells (Cyprcea moneta), which 

 I suppose were imported from here. Lur, indeed, is subject 

 to Kabrega, and intercourse between here and there is very 

 frequent owing to the facility of navigation. When I made 

 inquiries — I use the Waganda language, which I learnt in the 

 beginning of the year, and which many of the people under- 

 stand — about the origin of the cowrie shells, which are so 

 abundant, and so much prized in Unyoro and Uganda (4500 

 cowries = an ox at Kabrega's), I was assured most positively by 

 the natives that all such shells in Unyoro came into the country 

 from Uganda, and that they were brought there by people from 

 the south. It is certain that people have never come to the 

 Albert Lake from the south for purposes of trade. Every 



