248 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
missionaries, the idea of fighting was exceedingly 
obnoxious, but warned as we had been of danger we 
should have felt highly culpable not to have prepared 
ourselves for defence. To my mind it is not only not 
ivrong to defend oneself against such attacks as that 
we apprehended, but an absolute duty to do so. I 
cannot, however, enter into the discussion of this 
question here — To Ganda ! It amused me to think of 
our preparations for war, and not a little to witness 
the zeal of Buiya in our behalf This man calmly 
sharpened his great spear, and looked so earnest over 
it as to leave no doubt upon my mind as to his 
intentions ; he certainly meant doing execution. 
Having put on a good edge, he took a roll of butter 
from his mouth and spread a thick coat of it upon 
the immense blade, saying to me very coolly as he 
did so, The mere blade is nothing, a man might get 
over a wound from that, but with this grease upon it 
it is certain death." 
By the time we were all ready the sun had traversed 
a good three hours' course, and the buzzing of the 
mosquitos had subsided beautifully. Once more 
we packed our daus, and were presently gliding 
through the waters of the Ashaka Babo. We had 
not to proceed to the old meeting-place, but were to 
go along the lake up to within a few minutes' walk 
of Ganda. It proved to be an exceedingly pleasant 
two hours and a half's paddling, in a direction N.W. 
by N. The lake lies due east and west. Some 
splendid palmyra groves adorn the shore along which 
we skirted, greatly exciting our admiration. They 
reminded us of some pictures we have seen of the 
magnificent ruins of " Tadmor in the wilderness," also 
