180 A SAIL UPON THE ALBERT LAKE. 



Kibiro could easily be got rid of by a different process of evapo- 

 ration and by repeated crystallisation ; but the demand for it 

 is so great that the makers need not be very particular in its 

 preparation. The salt destined for sale is made up in cylin- 

 drical packets, and wrapped in dried banana leaves. A packet 

 generally weighs j\ ocka (25 lbs.), and is sold for 400 cowries, 

 equivalent in value to about 5s. 6d., for the Zanzibar Arabs 

 in Unyoro reckon the Mejidie thaler of 20 Turkish piastres 

 (=3s. 5d.) to be worth 250 cowries. 



As already mentioned, the existence of salt here has called 

 forth a very brisk trade. As articles for exchange which are 

 much sought after, I may enumerate ox-hides and skins of the 

 larger kinds of antelope, durrah and eleusine corn, iron ore and 

 spear-heads, a little brass in thick bars, and glass beads. The 

 last named are, however, only articles of luxury, for the people 

 mostly prefer to buy corn with their fish, eggs, and poultry, &c. 

 Tobacco is very dear ; sheep and goats are cheaper, though of 

 the latter only the he-goats are sold ; and still cheaper are 

 poultry, which are seldom eaten in Unyoro. 



The inhabitants of Kibiro are pure Wanyoro, or Bunyoro, as 

 it is sometimes pronounced. They have a dark-tinted com- 

 plexion, are well proportioned, and most of them have intelligent 

 countenances. Their clothing consists of that usually worn in 

 Unyoro, viz., ox-hide dressed very soft. Bark cloth, which is 

 very dear, and therefore scarce, is sometimes worn, as well as goat- 

 skins, by the women. The only weapons are spears, the blades 

 of which are covered with leather scabbards adorned with 

 tassels. The dialect of the people varies but little from that 

 of Mugaya, which represents that of the elegant Kinyoro. The 

 natives of Kibiro and Bugoma speak the same dialect, which 

 bears much resemblance to Magungo. Each of the three 

 villages which constitute Kibiro, has its own chief, but the 

 head-man of the three is Kagoro, in whose village alone salt 

 is extracted. 



The health of the district is reported to be satisfactory ; just 

 at the present moment, however, there are sporadic cases of 

 measles, the expiring remains of a serious epidemic which 

 carried off many victims as far as to Wddelai. In many 

 kinds of illness the people have recourse to bathing in the 



