720 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
made herself at home. As soon as we were seated, large basket trays, 
piled np with steaming bananas and steamed and roast meats, were 
brought in and placed upon the table, and each guest was provided 
with a banana napkin with which to wash his hands before eating. 
Then, at a sign from the katikiro every one began to eat, helping 
themselves with their fingers. When the host wished to honour a 
guest he handed him a tit-bit of meat or a pinch of salt, salt being 
very rare in Uganda. He also called once or twice to one of his 
wives, who came across from her table, and kneeling down beside, 
him he placed a pinch of salt in her mouth. During the meal, three 
or four musicians played pleasing melodies at the door of the hut. 
As soon as dinner was over, napkins were again handed round and 
hands were washed ; the fragments with the cloths were removed, 
and banana wine was handed round. We then all removed into a 
private yard, where native beds were placed in a semicircle under 
the trees. The katikiro lay down on the centre one, reclining on 
one of his wives, while the wife of the day ( see later) reposed 
beside him ; the rest of the party, that is, the chiefs and myself, 
reclined on other beds, whilst the women grouped themselves behind 
us. Pipes were then lit, and beer again handed round by slave 
boys to all save the host himself, who had an immense bowl of beer 
placed on a stool near him, from which his wife kept him constantly 
supplied. For about half an hour general conversation took place, 
then a minstrel, ornamented with a fantastic head-dress, and having 
a long goat’s beard attached to his chin, appeared with a harp. He 
played and sang for some time ; the melody was sweet, and the 
time which he kept with his goat’s beard was good. We were then 
entertained by wrestling matches, followed by a kicking match 
between some boys, and lastly by dancing, both solo and in groups; 
in this the women took part. Some of the dances were very 
graceful and good, but of others the less said the better, as they were 
indecent in the extreme. By this time it was dark and torches were 
lit, which made the dancing appear all the more grotesque, but as the 
party was getting too lively I said good-bye, and was escorted home 
by four torchbearers, it being always the custom in Uganda for guests 
to be lighted and escorted home. 
There are no ceremonies used at the commencement of meals. 
Cannibalism is unknown in Uganda, but an idea prevails that 
