i 3 4 RUBAGA TO MRULI. 



loads, I hastened thither, but when I arrived I found that quiet 

 had been restored, for the shots had frightened the Wanyoro, 

 who were only armed with spears. Mreko had been sitting 

 with Kanagurba drinking banana wine, when suddenly about 

 twenty men sprang out from the grass, throwing spears, with- 

 out, however, doing any harm. 



On account of light rain in the morning the porters could 

 scarcely be persuaded to move. Beautiful undulating park 

 land, with here and there water puddles, stretched on all sides, 

 until, after a three hours' march, we reached a deserted banana 

 wood called Gumrisi, where our leaders decided to halt for 

 the day. I had noticed on the way many tamarind-trees, a 

 sign that we were going northwards. Mtesa's long-expected 

 messengers arrived at last, bringing me a letter from him 

 saying that Kanagurba was to accompany me to Khartum. I 

 was not greatly rejoiced at that, for Kanagurba is a very cross- 

 grained individual. 



The next morning Mre'ko and his people were stirring very 

 early — they always camp apart from us — a sure sign that a long 

 march awaited us. The country we traversed is considerably 

 depressed below the general level, and bears distinct traces of 

 frequent inundations. Hills and park land were varied by very 

 small fields. After crossing some high hills, we rested for a few 

 minutes by some rounded blocks of granite which were lying 

 in the way, and then pushing vigorously on, in five hours and 

 a half (the best march of the journey) we encamped at Kiotosi 

 (Speke's Kiratosi). I had scarcely built my straw hut, when 

 Mre'ko came to inform me that the next day we were to rest ; 

 but, as I was afraid he wished to make reprisals for the attack 

 of the clay before yesterday, I tried to induce him to proceed, 

 and after much persuasion succeeded. In the meantime one 

 of my Wanyoro porters, who had straggled, had been seized by 

 Kabrega's people and robbed of his load, but the Waganda, 

 who had joined us, pursued them, and we recaptured the load, 

 from which little was missing. The country slopes gently down 

 from here to Khor Ergugu. I have described the crossing of 

 the khor before ; this time it was successfully accomplished in 

 an hour and a quarter, but there was not so much grass grow- 

 ing as at the point where we crossed previously ; unfortunately 



