246 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
words, I shall return within a month ; if not, present 
my compliments to your friends at Ismailia (Gondo- 
koro), and tell them they may see me on the Albert 
Nyanza,” were the last words I said to M. Linant de 
Bellefonds, as I seated myself in my boat on the morn- 
ing of the 17th of April.* 
We had scarcely gone three miles on our voyage, 
before the vanity of the youth Magassa exceeded all 
bounds. Deeming it prudent — before it was too late — 
to lecture him, and hold out prospects of a reward 
conditional upon good behaviour, I called to him to 
approach me, as I had something to say to him. He 
would not come, but continued on his way with a slight 
grimace and a saucy inclination of the head. I reserved 
the lecture until we should arrive in camp. 
At noon I took observations for latitude at the 
entrance to Murchison Bay, and during the afternoon 
we rowed hard upon our voyage, reaching Chiwanuko 
Island near sunset. Magassa soon followed me, and as 
I landed, I laid hold of him gently but firmly, and 
seating him by my side, employed myself in holding 
forth grand expectations before him, only, however, on 
the condition that he obeyed Mtesa’s orders, behaved 
well, and acted in unison with me. Magassa promised 
faithfully, and as a sign that he was sincere, begged to 
be permitted to continue his voyage to Sesse, a large 
island, where Mtesa’s canoes were beached, to procure 
the full quota of thirty promised to me. Leaving five 
canoes in charge of Sentum and Sentageya, two of his 
Watongolehs, he departed by night, which I thought 
was a remarkable instance of energy. The truth was, 
however, that he only proceeded two miles, and slept at 
* Owing to the events which are recorded in this chapter I was unable 
to return to Mtesa’s capital within the time specified to M. Linant, but 
it is evident that my friend waited nearly six weeks for me. He 
sustained a fierce attack for fourteen hours from several thousand 
Wanyoro ere route to Ismailia, but finally succeeded in making his escape, 
and reaching Colonel Gordon’s headquarters in safety. On the 26th 
August, however, being on another mission, he was attacked by the 
Baris near a place called Lahore, and he and his party of thirty-six 
soldiers were massacred. This sad event occurred four days after I 
returned on my second visit to the Bipon Falls. 
