UGANDA AND WEST SIDE OF VICTORIA NYANZA. 273 
there sometimes rose deep sighs that wrung my heart. 
“ Cheer up, my lads, think nothing of the curse of those 
of Bumbireh ; bad men’s curses sometimes turn out 
blessings,” I said, to encourage them. One of the 
thwarts was chopped up, and we made a fire, and with 
some of the coffee which I had obtained from Colonel 
Linant at Mtesa’s we felt somewhat refreshed. And 
then, completely wearied out, they all slept, but I 
watched, busy with my thoughts. 
The morning came, the morning of the 30th of April, 
and though my men had only eaten four bananas between 
them, and tasted besides a cup of coffee since 10 a.m. of 
the 27th, they nevertheless, sixty-eight hours after- 
wards, when I urged them to resume their paddles that 
we might reach an island twelve miles south of us, 
rallied to my appeal with a manliness which won my 
admiration, responding with heroic will but, alas ! with 
little strength. 
At 2 p.m. — seventy -six hours after leaving Alice 
Island — we approached a cove in an uninhabited island, 
which I have distinguished on the chart by the name of 
“ Refuge.” We crawled out of the boat, and each of us 
thanked God for even this little mercy, and lay down 
on the glowing sand to rest. 
But food must be obtained before night. Baraka 
and Safeni were sent to explore the interior in one 
direction, Murabo and Marzouk in another. Robert 
and Hamoidah were set to kindle a fire, and I took 
my shot-gun to shoot birds. Within half-an-hour I had 
obtained a brace of large fat ducks ; Baraka and Safeni 
returned each with two bunches of young green bananas, 
and Murabo and his comrade had discovered some 
luscious berries like cherries. 
And what glad souls were we that evening around 
our camp fire with this gracious abundance to which a 
benignant Providence had led us, storm-tossed, bruised, 
and hungry creatures that we were but a few hours 
before ! Bananas, ducks, berries, and coffee ! The 
tobacco gourd and pipe closed one of the most delicious 
evenings I ever remember to have passed. No wonder 
VOL. II. T 
