THE VICTORIA REGION. 49 



after in any way. Yet a sample which I obtained 

 from M. L. Decle has been very highly spoken of 

 in London, and is valued by Messrs. Patry and 

 Pasteur, 38, Mincing Lane, as worth 75s. to 

 77s. per cwt. (vide Appendix). At present it is 

 grown chiefly in Buddu and the islands, but if 

 any encouragement were given I have no doubt 

 that it could be produced almost anywhere round 

 the Victoria. Probably the natives could be in- 

 duced to grow it themselves, and bring the berries 

 to Europeans for sale. 



Tobacco is another possible article of export 

 from the Victoria region. Wherever there are 

 natives in Africa they seem to produce tobacco. 

 It is, of course, grown and cured in a very 

 haphazard way. The French missionaries have 

 manufactured cigars from it, but naturally it would 

 be necessary to import and test really good kinds 

 before one could form any definite idea as to its 

 prospects. 



Cotton grows very well indeed wherever I have 

 seen it. A sample which I brought back has 

 been valued at Id. per lb. (or if cleaned perhaps 

 4d. a lb.), but it would require a great deal of 

 arrangement before this price would pay for ex- 

 port. 



Such things as sugar, indigo, and perhaps cocoa, 

 might be grown in various parts of the country. 

 Tea would, I think, scarcely find sufficient rainfall 

 (vide p. 116 on " Ruwenzori "). 



5 



