72 MEULI TO THE CAPITAL OF UNYOKO. 



and was inhabited by only one family, consisting of one man, 

 eight women, two children, and a dog. 



A short journey through tall grass brought us to Londii, 

 which we left a little to one side, to halt half an hour's march 

 beyond it, in Kijiveka, where some good huts were at once 

 placed at our disposal, and where we were given some sweet 

 potatoes, which we relished much after our thirty-six hours' 

 fast. The Madundi, who inhabit this district, are of a very 

 dark colour, and speak a language quite different from that 

 of the Wanyoro. It strikes one particularly by its humming 

 tones and jerky syllabification. These people are said to have 

 originally come from beyond the Albert Lake, and they still 

 practise circumcision. Their houses differ from the hemispheri- 

 cal " bee-hives " of Unyoro, in the construction of their reed 

 walls and high porches. Some of the children are swag-bellied, 

 a result of irregular nourishment — to-day a great deal, to- 

 morrow nothing. The women wear the pretty striped aprons 

 of bark cloth noticed by Baker. All smoke pipes with enor- 

 mously long reed stems. 



A clear sky promised a fine day, and our station of Kisiiga 

 lay quite near, where we could hope to rest. Matebere ap- 

 peared just before we started, and with him the greater part 

 of my baggage. Nine loads were still wanting, including the 

 whole of my store of butter. He now began to make all 

 kinds of excuses, and depreciated and cursed the people, &c, 

 while extolling his own virtues ; but as my acquaintance, 

 Biabo, the chief of this district, most kindly offered me men, I 

 was able to continue the march at once. Some delay was 

 occasioned by the arrival of messengers from Kabrega, who in 

 his name ordered Msige to return the things he had taken on 

 the way as compensation for his broken head, and said that 

 on his return he might make complaint and seek redress. 



From eight to ten o'clock a.m. we fought our way through 

 grass and reeds, rested a little in a banana grove, and at last, 

 tired and exhausted, arrived at two o'clock at our station, 

 Kisiiga, whence we returned, after a day of rest, across a 

 flooded country to Mruli. My missing baggage was returned 

 to me a few days later, uninjured and in good condition. 



I wish here to draw particular attention to the fact that in 



