THE GREAT JOURNEY FROM SEA TO SEA. 309 
The appearance of Mtesa is described as follows:—''A more 
theatrical sight I never saw. The king, a good-looking, well-formed 
young man of twenty-five, was sitting upon a red blanket, spread 
upon a square platform of royal grass, encased in tiger-grass reeds, 
scrupulously dressed in a new ’mbugu (or grass-cloth). The hair 
of his head was cut short, except upon the top, where it was combed 
up into a high ridge, running from stem to stern, like a cock’s comb. 
On his neck was a very neat ornament—a large ring of beautifully- 
worked small beads, forming elegant patterns by their various 
colors. On one arm was another bead ornament, prettily devised, 
and on the other a wooden charm, tied by a string covered with a 
snake skin. On every finger and toe he had alternate brass and 
copper rings, and above the ankles, half-way up the calf, a stocking 
of very pretty beads. 
STRIKING DRESS AND APPEARANCE. 
^'Everything was light, neat, and elegant in its way; not a 
fault could be found with the taste of his 'getting-up.’ For a hand¬ 
kerchief, he had a well-folded piece of bark, and a piece of gold- 
embroidered silk, which he constantly employed to hide his large 
mouth when laughing, or to wipe it after a drink of plantain wine, 
of which he took constant and copious draughts from little gourd 
cups, administered by his ladies in waiting, who were at once his 
sisters and his wives. A white dog, spear, shield, and woman—the 
Uganda cognizance-—were by his side, as also a host of staff officers, 
with whom he kept up a brisk conversation, on one side, and on the 
other was a band of 'Wichwezi,’ or lady sorcerers.’’ 
These women are indispensable appendages to the court, and 
attend the king wherever he goes, their office being to avert the evil 
eye from their monarch, and to pour the plantain wine into the royal 
cups. They are distinguished by wearing dried lizards on their 
heads, and on their belts are fastened goat-skin aprons, edged with 
little bells. 
Mtesa’s palace is of enormous dimensions, and almost deserves 
the name of a village or town. It occupies the whole side of a hill, 
and consists of streets of huts arranged as methodically as the 
