46 MRULI TO EUBAGA IN UGANDA. 



cold in the mornings ! Yesterday morning at six o'clock we 

 had 6o° Fahr., and to-day only 59°, which really is cold. We 

 get to the fire and miss our warm coffee, but a few maize 

 cobs answer the same purpose, and afford warmth as well as 

 nourishment. 



To save time, I gave orders for the onward march, notwith- 

 standing the want of my things and the threatening rain-clouds, 

 but we had hardly passed the mud puddles just beyond the 

 village and climbed the hill, when the rain poured down in 

 torrents, and compelled us to turn aside into the bush, that is, 

 to seek a small zeriba away from the road and rest there. 

 After about an hour and a half the rain fortunately ceased, 

 and we had hardly advanced a couple of miles between walls of 

 high grass when Kanagurba's people came rushing towards me 

 and said that he had marched past us in the rain, and was 

 awaiting us in the banana groves that lay ahead. 



The little river Kairira rushes over the road between blocks 

 of gneiss mixed with mica ; its course can be made out for a 

 long distance by huge date palms ; its water is cold, and 

 clear as crystal. Immediately beyond it are some swamps, 

 with the indispensable bridges made of round sticks, and then 

 the road rises to the bananas of the village of Kasidie, where 

 we were to take up our night quarters. Kanagurba had 

 arrived before me, and after waiting some time, the porters too 

 arrived with my things, led by Mreko, who came to pay me a 

 visit. One must say this for the Waganda, that they have an 

 immense amount of bounce, and are, one might say, so uncon- 

 sciously impudent that one gets angry with them a hundred 

 times only to laugh at them in the end. 



We had hardly settled down, when one of Mtesa's messengers, 

 dressed in clean bark cloth, appeared with an English letter for 

 me, which informed me that my house was ready, but that I 

 might rest for two days at each place on the way, in order not 

 to overtire myself. I am now highly delighted that I marched 

 yesterday and to-day. From here to Mtesa's is only four hours, 

 and yet I shall be compelled to spend three or four days on the 

 way ; so that yesterday's march has gained me at least four days. 

 To explain how I came by the English letter, I think I must 

 mention that a young Suaheli, who was once Stanley's ser- 



