AN ATTACK BY THE WANYOKO. 133 



Waganda porters an opportunity of returning once more to 

 their huts, and of completing the preparations for their journey. 

 As I had obtained possession of a large number of cattle in 

 Mreko's district, all my men, as well as the Waganda, fared 

 exceedingly well, being provided with enormous rations of 

 meat. It is the custom both in Uganda and also in Unyoro, 

 for the head of an ox, slaughtered on the journey, to fall to 

 the share of the drummer who invariably precedes the caravan. 

 Another day was wasted in Demba, as news from Mtesa was 

 expected. My missing Wanyoro porter turned up again safe 

 and sound, which was a good thing, for we were now on the 

 frontier of Kabrega's territory, and his people are hostile. 

 This was proved by an attack on our porters who went to fetch 

 water, and only escaped by the intervention of their comrades. 

 The huts here swarm with small grey ticks (in Kiganda and 

 Kinyoro, bibbo), which are much dreaded by the natives ; they 

 are also very numerous in Mriili. 



As the expected letters did not arrive, we started early 

 the next morning, our road leading us over damp black mould. 

 A very striking change is noticeable in the vegetation here ; 

 the tender green plants, abounding in sap, had been left 

 behind, and we entered upon a region of stiff-leaved, hard- 

 wooded plants, of which more than half are Leguminosse. Owing 

 to the fires, most of the trees were crippled. A great many 

 red ant-hills appeared here on the grey soil, which perhaps for 

 nine months of the year is under water (the whole of this dis- 

 trict is inundated by Khor Ergugu). A fine buck (Tragela- 

 jphus scriptus) sprang up quite near us and crossed our path ; 

 this is said to forebode good luck, whilst if a buffalo or a dwarf 

 antelope crossed the way it would bode ill. Small cultivated 

 patches indicated the neighbourhood of a village, which indeed 

 we soon reached ; it is called Sagara. The inhabitants, Kabrega's 

 people, only reluctantly provided us with huts ; they even 

 declined to lend us waterpots, although we offered them pre- 

 sents ; they subsequently entirely evacuated the place. 



At "about eight o'clock in the evening shots were fired, and 

 a great din arose in the direction of Mreko's camp, which 

 was situated at a distance of about ten minutes from us. The 

 Wanyoro had attacked him ! Leaving my men to watch the 



