PA YMENT OF HONGO TO EIGHT KINGS. 971 



all great thieves, and at the same time great cowards, not daring to go out 

 after dark. The Wasukuma formed the bulk of our pagaazis. They are, 

 like all those negroes, thinking only of the moment's gratification, without any 

 regard to the future. They have, what I think Col. Grant has remarked, a 

 wonderful knowledge of edible plants and roots, and in the jungle were al- 

 ways bringing in some root or plant which they boiled and ate." 



The latest communication from the Nyanza Mission party is the letter 

 which we here insert from Mr. O'Neill. It is dated, at least the latter part 

 of it, from Kagei or Kagehyi, the point at the southern end of the Victoria 

 Nyanza struck by Mr. Stanley. 



" Nguru, or Gula, in Usukuma, 

 "Dec. 29th, 1876. 

 " "We (Mr. Wilson and himself) left Mpwapwa on October 7th and reached 

 Chunyo the same evening. The following day and night and part of the 

 second day we marched continuously across the Marenga Mkali and into 

 Ugogo (forty-one miles without stopping). In Ugogo we commenced paying 

 hongo, and before we left it we had to pay to eight kings, each of whom de- 

 layed us two or three days before we could arrange what was to be given. 

 They are a most grasping set, and the people generally idle and vain. After 

 a few marches I got a fresh attack of fever, and had them constantly during 

 our continuance in this country until we reached Ushore, having to be fre- 

 quently carried, or ride on a donkey ; so that my mind is rather confused 

 about many parts through which we passed. After marching for eight days 

 through a dense jungle — the same in which Stanley had his fight — we reached 

 the important village of Ushore. Here we were detained for more than two 

 weeks, while the jungle in our front was being examined, as the Rugu-Rugu 

 — a band of robbers (part of the celebrated Mirambo's followers) — infested it, 

 and had attacked another caravan, which they followed, cutting off stragglers. 

 Here we had a note from Lieut. Smith, informing us that he was within a few 

 days' march of us, bat short of provisions. I sent off Wilson to his relief 

 with three hundred rations, and marched myself the following morning, pass- 

 ing through the jungle by forced marches of twelve to fourteen hours a day, 

 and reaching Nguru on 3rd December, and discharged all the pagaazi, as this 

 was the place to which they had engaged -to come. 



"I now endeavoured to engage a fresh batch to take me on to the lake, 

 one hundred and twenty-five miles, but without success. The rains had com- 

 menced, and every man was fully occupied in hoeing up ground and getting 

 in their crops. I was told that for at least one month I could not get men ; 

 and I found this near the truth. In a week after my arrival Lieut. Smith 

 came in with his caravan, and discharged all his men except those who were 

 natives of the coast. Wilson and the doctor accompanied him. The follow- 

 ing day Smith left us for Unyanyembe to purchase cloth, of which we were 



