RE-ENTRANCE OF UGANDA. 785 



guard, and one thousand spearmen and the Expedition in the centre. Whether 

 it was our compact column that prevented an attack or not I cannot say ; 

 we were, however, permitted to leave unmolested, the natives merely closing 

 in on our rear to snatch stragglers. On the 14th, as we entered Benga in 

 Unyoro, they rushed out from some woods to attack us, but a few rounds 

 of ball cartridge dispersed them. On the 18th we re-entered Uganda. 



" However slightingly your readers may think of our trip to the Albert, 

 honestly I do not suppose I have ever been guilty of such a hare-brained 

 attempt as this before. I sometimes think, though it would have been entirely 

 contrary to orders, that it would have been better to have launched the boat 

 and to have explored the lake, leaving the Expedition to take care of itself, 

 to perish, or survive my absence. But I felt it would be too great a pity, 

 and that if one road was closed there might probably be others open ; so that 

 after much deliberation with myself I resolved to return, and endeavour to 

 discover a part of the shore more amenable to reason and open to friendly 

 gifts than hostile Unyoro or Ankori. 



" Though we made strict inquiries, we could glean no news of Gordon 

 or his steamers; the natives of Unyampaka had never heard of a ship or any 

 vessel larger than a canoe ; and it is impossible that a vessel so singular as a 

 steamer could approach near Usongora without the news of such an apparition 

 becoming notorious. 



" The geographical knowledge we have been able to acquire by our for- 

 cible push to the Albert Nyanza is considerable. The contour of the plateau 

 separating the great reservoirs of the Nile, the Victoria and Albert Nyanzas, 

 the structure of the mountains and ridges, the course of the watersheds, and 

 that of the rivers Katongo and Rusango, have been revealed. The great 

 mountain Gambaragara, and its singular people, have been discovered, besides 

 a portion of a deep gulf of the Albert, which I have taken the liberty to call, 

 in honour of her Royal Highness the Princess, Beatrice Gulf. This, almost 

 a lake of itself, is formed by the promontory of Usongora, which runs south- 

 west some thirty miles from a point ten geographical miles north of Unyam- 

 paka. 



"The eastern shore of the gulf is formed by the countries of Irangara, 

 Unyampaka, Buhuju, and Mpororo, which coast line runs a nearly S.S.W. 

 course. Between Mpororo and Usongora extend the islands of the maritime 

 State of Utumbi. West of Usongora is Ukonju, on the western coast of Lake 

 Albert, reputed to be peopled by cannibals. North of Ukonju is the great 

 country of Ulegga. Coming to the eastern shore of Lake Albert, we have 

 Ruanda running from Mpororo on the east to Ukonju on the west, occupy- 

 ing the whole of the south and south-east coast of Lake Albert. North of 

 Unyampaka, on the east side, is Irangara, and north of Irangara the district of 

 Toro. Unyoro occupies the whole of the east side from the Murchison Falls 



