UGANDA, AND THE NYANZA LAKES 381 
us. Each afternoon, as we came to the spot where we were 
to camp for the night, we found a cleared space strewed 
with straw and surrounded by a plaited reed fence. Within 
this space cane houses, with thatched roofs of coarse grass, 
had been erected, some for our stores, one for a kitchen, 
one, which was always decked with flowers, as a rest-house 
for ourselves; the later with open sides, the roof upheld by 
cane pillars, so that it was cool and comfortable, and afforded 
a welcome shelter, either from the burning sun if the 
weather was clear, or from the pelting, driving tropical 
storms if there was rain. The moon was almost full 
when we left Kampalla, and night after night it lent a half 
unearthly beauty to the tropical landscape. 
Sometimes in the evenings the mosquitoes bothered us; 
more often they did not; but in any event we slept well 
under our nettings. Usually at each camp we found either 
the head chief of the district, or a sub-chief, with presents; 
eggs, chickens, sheep, once or twice a bullock, always pine¬ 
apples and bananas. The chief was always well dressed 
in flowing robes, and usually welcomed us with dignity 
and courtesy (sometimes, however, permitting the courtesy 
to assume the form of servility); and we would have him 
in to tea, where he was sure to enjoy the bread and jam. 
Sometimes he came in a rickshaw, sometimes in a kind of 
wickerwork palanquin, sometimes on foot. When we left 
his territory we made him a return gift. 
We avoided all old camping grounds, because of the 
spirillum tick. This dangerous fever tick is one of the 
insect scourges of Uganda, for its bite brings on a virulent 
spirillum fever which lasts intermittently for months, 
and may be accompanied by partial paralysis. It is com- 
