of Edinburgh, Session 1885 - 86 . 
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first burnt it is grey, but after being bung over a smoky fire 
and polished it acquires a permanent black colour. The pots are 
first polished with a pad of mbugu, and finally by the palm of the 
hand. Drinking bowls and both kinds of pipes are sometimes 
coloured with red oxide of iron or with white clay. 
Basketwork . — The wickerwork made by the Waganda is very 
good indeed; the materials they use are grass and the young 
leaves of the wild date palm. Baskets of all forms and sizes, trays, 
covered boxes, fish traps, shields, drinking tubes, and various kinds 
of mats are made. Some of the work is extremely fine and elegant, 
and the patterns are very graceful. Both stiff and flexible basket- 
work is made, and coloured grass is often employed. Blue, black, 
and red dyes are also used for dyeing the grass. Wickerwork 
coverings are constructed to protect jars and pots. The large, 
shallow, circular baskets used as dishes are made as follows : — A 
continuous ring of fine grass, bound closely round with plantain 
fibre, is coiled on itself in a wide spiral, the individual rings being 
sewn strongly together with the same fibre, and so carefully and 
tightly are these baskets made that they are perfectly water tight. 
(Fish Traps and Shields, see Fishing and War.) Mats for all kinds of 
purposes are made of grass or of strips of the young leaflets of the 
wild date palm. These leaflets are dried and bleached in the sun, 
and then cut carefully into strips and plaited into large mats, 
which are very pliable, and will roll up without cracking or 
splitting. The large sized mats are used to carpet the floors ; 
smaller sizes to cover the native beds, and others again are carried 
by slaves for their masters to rest on when away from home. The 
tubes which are used- for drinking purposes are made as follows : — 
basketwork of date palm leaves dyed various colours, while at the 
bottom is a strainer terminated by a “ crown ” knot. Small square 
covers are also constructed for jars and drinking cups. Different 
styles of plaiting and patterns are employed for almost every 
purpose for which basketwork is used. 
Metal Work . — The work of the smiths is far superior to any 
seen among the neighbouring tribes. The iron found in Uganda is 
of excellent quality, and is very abundant; it is obtained by 
smelting from the ore. The smelting ovens are conical in form, 
A hollow curved 
covered with close fitting 
