726 LIFE OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



as one more worthy the large area of water now known by the former in- 

 appreciative title. Murchison Bay extends from N. lat. 0° 15' to N. lat. 0° 27', 

 and from E. long. 32° 53' to 32° 38' in extreme length. At the mouth the bay 

 contracts to a width of four miles, but within its greatest breadth is twelve 

 miles. Surely such a body of water — as terms go — deserves the more ap- 

 propriate name of ' bay,' but I leave it to fair-judging geographers to decide. 

 For the position of Mtesa's capital I have taken three observations, on three 

 different days. My longitude agrees pretty closely with that of Speke's, 

 while there is but four miles' difference of latitude. 



" The third day the troops of Mtesa were exercised at target practice, 

 and on the fourth we all marched for the Grand Capital, the Kibuga of 

 Uganda, Ulagalla or Uragara. Mtesa is a great king. He is a monarch who 

 would delight the soul of any intelligent European, as he would see in his 

 black Majesty the Hope of Central Africa. He is king of Karagwe, Uganda, 

 Unyoro, Usoga, and Usui. Each day I found something which increased my 

 esteem and respect for him. He is fond of imitating Europeans and what he 

 has heard of their great personages, which trait, with a little tuition, would 

 prove of immense benefit to his country. He has prepared broad highways 

 in the neighbourhood of his capital for the good time that is coming when 

 some charitable European will send him any kind of a wheeled vehicle. As 

 we approached the capital, the main road from Usavara increased in width 

 from twenty feet to one hundred and fifty feet. When we arrived at this 

 magnificent breadth we viewed the capital crowning an eminence command - 

 ing a most extensive view of a picturesque and rich country, all teeming with 

 gardens of plantations and bananas, and beautiful pasture land. Of course, 

 huts, however large, lend but little attraction to a scene, but a tall flagstaff 

 and an immense flag proved a decided feature in the landscape. Arrived afc 

 the capital, I found that the vast collection of buildings crowning the emi- 

 nence were the royal quarters, round which ran five several palisades and 

 circular courts, between which and the city was a circular road, ranging from 

 one hundred to two hundred feet in width, and from this radiated six or 

 seven imposing avenues, lined with gardens and huts. The next day after 

 arrival I was introduced to the Royal Palace in great state. None of the 

 primitive scenes visible in Speke's book was now visible there. The guards, 

 clothed in white cotton dresses, were by no means comical as then. The chiefs 

 were very respectable-looking people, dressed richly in the Arab costume. The 

 palace was a huge and lofty structure, well built of grass and cane, while tall 

 trunks of trees upheld the roof, which was covered with cloth sheeting inside. 



"On the fourth day after my arrival news came that another white man 

 was approaching the capital from the direction of Unyoro, and on the fifth 

 day I had the extreme pleasure of greeting Colonel Liuant de Bellefonds, of 

 the Egyptian service, who had been despatched by Colonel Gordon to Mtesa, 



