A VISIT TO ROCHAMA. 107 



insulted by a later commander of Fatiko, that he completely 

 withdrew, and was not seen for years. I was the more sur- 

 prised, therefore, at receiving a visit from his son, who invited 

 me to go to his father, for he had heard of my visit to Ka- 

 brega.* Rochama wished to have a talk with me, but did not 

 dare to come here, so, as our side had done the wrong, I 

 willingly assented. 



We turned in a direction nearly due east, towards the grand 

 forest which covers the slightly rising undulating ground before 

 us. Terminalias, isolated acacias, doleb palms, Ficus, Com- 

 bretaceae, resplendent with red blossoms, an occasional date-palm, 

 Vitex, and Albizzias, between which here and there a gigantic 

 Dahbergia or an equally beautiful tamarind peeped forth — all 

 these formed a rich display, and, with their feathered inhabi- 

 tants, provided so many objects of interest that the journey of 

 an hour and a half to Otongole passed very quickly. We left 

 the little village just mentioned on our left, hidden among 

 bananas and tall trees, and surrounded by masses of rock, but 

 all the inhabitants were assembled on the rocks to see us pass 

 by. Proceeding in the same direction, we entered more ex- 

 tensive woods, and came at last to a large Ichor in a deeply 

 sunk bed, on the farther bank of which stood the village 

 Bayira, Rochama's headquarters. 



A guard of honour awaited us, composed of about twenty of 

 the chief's servants, dressed in coloured cloths, and armed with 

 old muskets ; he himself stood on one side, surrounded by a 

 group of Negroes, freshly painted red and clothed with skins, all 

 awaiting my arrival. We were now requested to wait a moment 

 until the two goats we had brought with us were killed and 

 their blood sprinkled on our path ; then Rochama stepped across 

 the blood to greet me by touching my hand, and then he led 

 me into the village near by, where an ankareb was placed for 

 him under a tree, and my chair stood near in the shadow of a 

 house. On either side of the chief stood guards, muskets in 

 hand ; before him knelt a young man who appeared to be his 

 confidant; some 250 to 300 painted Negroes in the most 

 diversified costumes, with iron and bead ornaments, crowded 



* Speke has already alluded to communications between TJnyoro and Gttni, 

 Gani is the Kinyoro and Kiganda name fo:- the Shuli district. 



