'U ^ ^WJ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES '^ v^ /^ o Uotp^ THE BRITISH MISSION TO UGANDA IX 1893 MY MISSION TO ABYSSINIA. By the late Sir Gerald H. Portal, K.C.M.G., C.E., Her Majesty's Consul-General for British East Africa. With photo- gravure portrait, map, and numerous illustrations. Demy 8vo., 15s. " A very interesting account of the \\Titer's adventures in Abyssinia on the occasion of his mission in 1S87-8S to the king of that country, for the purpose of bringing about a modus vivendi between Italy and Abyssinia after the massacre of Dogali. Mr. Portal's narrative is personal and descriptive rather than political. It abounds in interest and excitement, and he has much to tell which is well worth hearing." — Times. " A record of one of the most daring achievements ever accomplisheil on behalf of the Foreign Office. Mr. Portal's narrative is at once lucid, brief, and intensely interesting."— .b'?. James's Gazette. " The dangers to which the mission was constantly exposed, and the calmness and courage with which they w'ere faced, are simply and modestly recorded, whilst we obtain also much light as to the habits and character- istics of the Abyssinians as a nation." — United Service histitution Journal. London : EDWARD ARXOLD, 37 Bedford Stiieet, W.C. -**■ THE BRITISH MISSION TO UGANDA IN 1893 BY THK LATK SIR GEEALD PORTAL, K.C.M.G., C.B. THE BRITISH COMMISSIONEK EDITED WITH A MEMOIR BY RENNELL RODD, C. M. G. WITH THE DIARY OF THE LATE CAPTAIN RAYMOND PORTAL AND AN INTRODUCTION BY LORD CROMER, G.C.M.G. ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLONEL RHODES LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD, 37 BEDFORD STREET, W.C. ^wbh'sfjcr ta tijz Jntiia ©fKcc 1894 EDITOK'S PREFACE Some six months ago, as the good ship Smde of the Messageries Maritimes was crossing the line on her homeward voyage, bringing Sir Gerald Portal, Colonel Rhodes, and myself back from Zanzibar, the papers from which the following pages have been compiled were first placed in my hands for perusal. I could but little anticipate, as I read them then, that it would ever fall to my lot to prepare them for the press, or that the valued friend who seemed so full of life and vigour, so eagerly looking forward after a protracted absence to home and all that it means to those whose lot is cast among alien faces and in distant lands, had written the last word of the record he had modestly and unassumingly compiled. The sheets of the first eight chapters had been roughly drafted in the intervals r\ of arduous work, of weary marches and watchings by ^ the bed of sick companions, and more than half the [\ story was still to be written. It was his request that ^v I should read through the chapters which he had \)0 prepared, and make such suggestions as might occur I 11141S2 Si THE MISSION TO UGANDA to me with regard to their style aud matter. I have little doubt that the verdict which I then expressed as to their keen and living interest will be fully endorsed by all who read them, and that the regret which they will feel at the abrupt conclusion of the written narrative will approve the advice which I offered, that he should complete the book and give it to the public. The tragic ending of a life so bright in promise, so rich in actual achievement, has left such intentions unfulfilled. And now, in addition to the fact that the information contained in his manuscripts and notes possesses a vital and most present value, the deep personal interest aroused by his almost romantic personality and the pathos of his untimely death, has impressed on those into whose hands these papers have passed the sense of a duty to his memory, and a response to the universal sympathy displayed, which may best be fulfilled by publishing them even in their incomplete form. At the request of friends and relations I have undertaken the task of preparing them for the press, somewhat reluctantlj' indeed, not because I could hesitate to do all in my power to honour the memory of such a friend, but rather because, in the first place, I did not feel myself competent to deal with matter largely outside the range of my own personal ex- perience; and, secondly, because when the request was EDITOR'S PREFACE made, so great a portion of my time was claimed by the public service that I kneAv it was scarcely possible for me to do justice to any additional work. The companion, however, of his eventful journey home, Colonel Ehodes, had once more left EnQ-land on a long voyage beyond easy reach of communication, and his return was very uncertain. At the same time it was felt that the pul:)lication should not be de- layed, and that in this hurrvino- age of ever-chansinsi^ interests and distractions the present moment was the appropriate one. It was generally agreed that it would be beyond the powers of any editor to fill up the gaps in the narrative so as to render the book a full and complete history of Uganda and of the British Mission, such as Sir Gerald Portal had intended it to be, and that all that could now be attempted was rather to make the notes and papers which he left into a personal record and memorial, from which mioht be g^athered some- thing of the nature and character of the man whose loss has been so sincerely deplored. These papers consist, in the first place, of eight written chapters, left, as I have already intimated, in the rough-and-ready manner of their original concep- tion, which would no doubt before publication have received a finishiiio- touch from one whose feelino: for literary style was considerable; secondly, of a pencilled Diary carefully kept in a pocket-book from day to day ; THE MISSION TO UGANDA and, finally, of a certain number of letters. In dealing with these materials I have left the written chapters almost untouched, correcting only here and there a hasty phrase, supplying a deficient or eliminating a superfluous word. It was characteristic of his method that he wrote both his public and his private corre- spondence with but little correction, deliberately and clearly, with considerable force and felicity of expression. Beyond these few additions or erasures, therefore, and the need of an occasional footnote, these chapters have called for little editing. The Diary, on the other hand, written solely as personal memoranda, and the letters intended only for the eyes of near relations and friends, contain many matters of a purely private character w^hich claim a reverent reticence. In dealing wath the latter, I have quoted long extracts from them for the most part, withholding only those portions of an intimate correspondence which seemed too sacred to print. From the former I have extracted all the passages which appear to me essential as illustrating the incidents of travel, the progress of the Mission, the aspect of the country, and the character of the writer himself, beginning from the period where the written narrative breaks off up to the return to Kikuyu, the half-way station on the journey home. A few connecting links have been supplied, a word for clearness' sake inserted here and there, or a note EDITOR'S PREFACE where occasion arose. With regard to the latter portion of the Diary, which deals with the march from Kikuyu to the Tana river, and the journey down the river to the coast, it appeared to me that as much of the route Jay through untried country, and as the history of that journey would never be written now, even at the risk of the pages growing monotonous, the daily entries should be given in full as material for future reference. The hard struggle of each day's progress fills its appointed place in the pages of the pocket-book, to the exclusion of all outside thoughts or personal reflections. The last section contains, therefore, a simple transcript from the note-book, while no better summary could be made of all these experiences than that which he has drawn up himself in the comprehensive letter with which it concludes. Such criticisms as are there made on the cartography of previous explorers it seemed to me should not be omitted in the interests of the advance of geographical knowledge, and I feel assured that neither Captain Dundas nor Mr. Hobley will resent the suggestion of rectifications to be made in their valuable maps and records. On the other hand, it has been a matter of much regret that we have been unable to communicate with Colonel Rhodes in order to obtain possession of a map which he is known to have made to illustrate this portion of the journey. If I have not erased the mention of THE MISSION TO UGANDA my own name here and there in the Diary or letters, it is because that mention is connected, in my own mind at any rate, with that kindly solicitude of the writer for the health and welfare of others which these private memoranda reveal, for which I often have had cause to be grateful to him. It w^as Sir Gerald's intention to have prefaced his book with an introductory chapter on Zanzibar, the famous metropolis of East Africa, now flourishing as a British Protectorate. For various and sufficient reasons I have not attempted to supply the missing chapter, but some account of his work there will be found in the accompanying Memoir. This record would not be complete without more ample allusion to the name and services of Captain Eaymond Portal, Sir Gerald's elder brother, whose death from malarial fever in KamjDala cast a gloom on the latter months of the Mission. The Diary, which he also kept since the first day of departure, has been placed in my hands, and after reading it I did not hesitate to include it in the book. It is like himself, fresh, manly, and full of a simple humour, and it will at any rate have a very genuine interest for the friends whom his frank and chivalrous per- sonality inspired with a genuine deA'otion ; for seldom has a man died more beloved or more regretted by his associates than Raymond Portal. In conclusion, it is my duty to state that, having EDITORS PREFACE obtained permissiou to edit these papers, I am bound to disclaim as an official all responsibility for opinions expressed in them. The time at my disposal before the date announced for their publication has been very brief, and fully occupied with other important work. It has, however, been a labour of love, though, indeed, a very sad one, for recent circumstances had, after long separations, brought the brothers and myself very near together once more, and the death of those two friends, under conditions so intensely tragic, is touched for me with a pathos which words of mine could but ill express. EENNELL EODD. INTRODUCTION By Lord Cromer, G.C.M.G. In performing the sorrowful task of writing an intro- duction to Sir Gerald's Portal's Diary, I am under one considerable disadvantage, and that is that I have never seen the Diary itself. As the work is being published in London, and as I am writing at Cairo, I have necessarily been unable to read the manuscript. But if I know nothing of the Diary, I knew a great deal of the man who wrote it. He was, in fact, one of my dearest friends. Sir Gerald — or, to use the name by which he was known to those who were intimate with him — Gerry Portal was one of the best specimens of that class of Englishmen, pre-eminently healthy in mind and body, who, to the great benefit of their country, issue forth year by year from our public schools. He was a fervent Etonian. He may be said to have passed through his short but honourable career sing- ing Floreat Etona. My first acquaintance wdth Portal dates from September 1883, when I was appointed to be English Consul-General in Egypt. Portal, who had entered THE MISSION TO UGANDA into the Diplomatic Service four years previously, was at that time one of the staff of the British Agency at Cairo. With two short interruptions — the first in 1887, when he went on a special mission to Abyssinia, and the second in 1888, when he took temporary charge of the Zanzibar Agency — he re- mained on my staff till the spring of 1891, a period of nearly eight years. During all those years — some of them years of much trouble and anxiety — Gerry Portal was not only of great assistance to me in my work, which was at times very heavy, but was also the life and soul of our " family" party at the Cairo Agency. Hand- some, plucky, chivalrous, genial, equally at home in the chancery, the drawing-room, or the polo-field, this spirited young Englishman possessed every quality calculated to endear him to those with whom he was brouo;ht in contact. Before Portal had served under me for long, I discerned that he was destined for more than a social success in life. In the autumn of 1887 his oppor- tunity came. I was requested by Lord Salisbury to recommend some one to go on a special mission to Abyssinia. It w^as at the time somew^hat difficult to foretell what would be the precise nature of the difficulties which the English envoy w^ould have to encounter. It appeared to me, however, that the main qualifications likely to be required were iron nerves, a cool head, and bodily strength capable of enduring fatigue. If to these I could add sound common-sense and no inconsiderable degree of diplo- INTRODUCTION matic skill, I thought that I should find an ideal man to answer Lord Salisbury's purposes. All these qualities I found combined in Gerry Portal. I had, therefore, no hesitation in recommending him to Lord Salisbury. My recommendation was accepted. The adventures of the wdiole party have been told by Portal himself in his book, My Mission to Abys- sinia, with the becoming modesty which distinguished him, and which led him to underrate alike the dangers to which he "was exposed and the skill w^hich he displayed in meeting them. He describes how the whole party nearly died of thirst, and although their adventures did not end with this narrow escape, it Avill not be necessary for me to follow up in detail the events which subsequently occurred. But I may mention that I well remember the anxiety which began to grow upon me as week after week passed w^ithout any news from Portal. Knowing the dis- turbed and excited state of Abyssinia at the time, I became alarmed for his safety. I was just begin- ning to make arrangements with a leading Austrian merchant at Cairo, who had commercial relations with the interior of Abyssinia, with a view" to obtaining information as to what had occurred, when, to my great relief, I received a telegram from Massowah on the morning of Christmas Day, informing me that Portal and his party had arrived safely at the Italian outposts. That telegram turned the Christmas Day of 1887 at the Cairo Agency from one of sharp anxiety into one of gladness. h THE MISSION TO UGANDA The courage and judgment displayed by Portal in his Abyssinian work clearly marked him out for pro- motion at no distant date. After havino; on several occasions been placed in temporary charge of the Cairo Agency, he Avas appointed, in 1891, to be Agent and Consul-General at Zanzibar at a time of much difficulty in connection with Zanzibar affairs. The manner in which he conducted his work at this responsible post fully j ustified the choice which had been made. Eventually he went on the Uganda Mission, with results which are now known to the world. The deadly African climate proved fatal to his gallant brother, who accompanied him, and ultimately to himself, for I conceive that his constitution was undermined by fever and by the fatigues which he underwent in his Uo'anda journey. I have no hesitation in saying that Gerry Portal's premature death was a heavy loss to the Sovereign and to the nation whom he had served so well. The Ministers under whom he had held appointment — Lord Salisbury and Lord Eosebery — have borne emphatic testimony to the esteem in which they regarded him and to his value as a public servant. England, albeit prolific in men of courage and ability, can ill afford to lose before their time those of her sons who resemble Gerry Portal. I cannot doubt that a useful and even brilliant career lay before him. More esj^ecially was he born to be an Oriental diplomatist and administrator. Besides those hio-h and attractive qualities to which I have already alluded, he possessed INTRODUCTION others of great value — excellent manners, tact, moral courage, a firm will, great capacity for promptitude and decision in action, and that keen and ready jDcrception of the realities of Eastern life and politics which appears to come to some almost instinctively, whilst it is not acquired by others after years of residence in the East. Thus mentally and morally endowed, my strong conviction is that, had he lived, he would have left no inconsiderable mark on the history of his country. He died at the moment when his high qualities, which were well known to his inti- mate friends, were just beginning to be appreciated by a wider circle of his countrymen. I do not dare to constitute myself the interpreter of the feelings entertained by those who were nearest and dearest to Gerry Portal. To these I can but tender an expression of respectful and heartfelt sympathy with their sorrow. And as concerns the many others who, like myself, regarded Gerry Portal with feelings which may more correctly be described as those of affection rather than of friendship, I can but use the commonplace, but in this instance, very true phrase, that he will ever live in our memory. Within my own recollection few more sad events have happened than the untimely death of this fine young Englishman at a moment when to all appear- ances the prospect of a long, happy, and useful life lay before him. Speaking for myself alone, I may udd that I took a special pride in helping to train Gerry Portal, that I regarded him as one who might not improbably be my successor in Egypt, and that THE MISSION TO UGANDA both Lady Cromer and myself entertained towards him feelings of almost parental affection. His un- expected death in the prime of life dashed suddenly to the ground all the hopes which I had founded on his future. CEOMEE. Cairo, 4th May 1894. CONTENTS PAGE IxTRODUCTiox BY LoED Cromer, G.C.M.G. .... xiii Memoir of the late Sir Gerald Portal .... xxv PAET T CHAPTER I My appointment as H. M. Commissioner to Uganda — The staff of the Mission — Equipment of the caravan — Tlie main body despatched to Kikuyii — A farewell state-visit to the Sultan of Zanzibar — We start upon our journey on the 1st of January 1893 . . 5 CHAPTER II We arrive at Port Reitz — By the "Central African Railway" to our encampment at Mazeras — An awkward squad — The first day's march ........ 24 CHAPTER III The day's programme — Crossing the gi-eat Taro Plain — The first station of the East Africa Company — A splendid view of Mount Kili- manjaro — Bad news from Kikuyu — A flourishing Industrial Mission ........ 39 CHAPTER lY The scene of a Masai raid — Our first rhinoceros — Arrival at Machakos — Victualling the caravan — On the war-path — I bag a lion — The Wa-kamba tribe and warriors — The Wa-Kikuyu . . .63 THE MISSION TO UGANDA CHAPTER V PACE A state of siege at Kikuyu — An ivory caravan — "We push on for Uganda — The game-abounding prairies of Lake Naivasha — First intro- duction to Masai warriors — The Masai tribe — The Salt Lake of Elmenteita — Hartebeest and antelope — An African forest . 86 CHAPTER VI West of the watershed — Extinction of the buffalo and eland — The AVanderobbo ti'ibe — The fertile Kavirondo district — Mtanda — We cross the Nile and camp in Uganda — The Ripon Falls — Amidst civilisation and rifles — AVe enter the Fort of Kampala on the 17th of March ........ 117 CHAPTER VII A .short survey of the conditions of the country — The districts suitable for European settlement — Facilities for traffic — Suggestions for improving the road — Proposed regulations for caravans and forma- tion of stations ....... 151 CHAPTER VIII The kingdom of L'ganda : its climate and population — The King and Council — Provincial goveniors — Oppressive taxation — Intelligence and religion of the peasantry . . . . .179 PART II CHAPTER I At Kampala — A'isit to King Mwanga— Arrangements for a division of territories between the Protestant and Catholic Missions— The slave question — The queen-mother — From Kampala to the Ntebe Hills — Kaima's case — Illness of Captain Portal . . . 205 CHAPTER II Captain Portal's illness— He returns to Kampala ; is joined by liis brother— His death and funeral— Sir Gerald Portal's expedition starts from Kampala for Kikuj-u ..... 236 CONTENTS CHAPTER III PAGE The return journey — Difficulties of the niarcli during the rainy season —Trouble in Uganda — Illness of Colonel Rhodes — Selim Bey is handed over to the Commissioner — Arrival at Kikuyu — Death of Selim Bey . . . . . . . .246 CHAPTER IV The Tana route to Uganda — Crossing the jVIalanga river- -Difficulties on the route — The Grand Falls — Along the Tana river to Xdura — From Ndura to "Witu — Zanzibar ..... 267 PAET III Diary of Capt.^in Raymond Portal, with an Introduction . 319 Epilogue ......•• 349 LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS Portrait of Sir Gerald Portal, from a drawing by the Marchioness of Granby ....... Frontispiece Tippoo Tib ........ xxxiv Ripen Falls. From a .sketch by C. Whymper .... 4 Siuli Bin Suleiman, Native Headman of the Mission Caravan . . 40 My Tent ........ 44 Group from a Caravan preparing to start with Ivory . . .87 Group at Kikuyu ....... 91 Masai Warriors in their War-Paint . . . .99 Masai "Women at Lake Xaivasha . . . . .102 A 90-lb. Tusk bought in Kabras . . . . .125 Crossing the Nzoia River . . . . . .129 The Nile below the Ripon Falls . . . . .135 Embarking to cross the Nile . . . . • . 137 The Nile after leaving Lake Victoria ..... 140 Bridging a Swamp in Uganda . . . . . .143 A Group of Uganda Natives . . . . . .198 Port Alice ........ 204 Mwanga, King of Uganda ...... 210 BLshop Tucker outside his Church at Namirembe . . .211 Group at Kampala ; 20tli March . . . . .212 The King's Drums ....... 213 Apollo, Katikiro of Uganda ...... 216 Lowering the Company's Flag and preparing to hoist the Union Jack at the Fort at Kampala . . . . . .218 Soudanese Troops at Kampala — ]5ayonet Drill .... 221 Baby Elephant, brought into the Fort at Kampala, being fed on milk 223 A War Canoe ........ 224 Tomb of Mtesa, late King of Uganda ..... 228 The Queen-Mother (Namasole) ...... 229 THE MISSION TO UGANDA Dr. Moffat and Dead Hippopotamus, near Port Port Alice Captain Raymond Portal's Grave Natives with Hippopotamus (Victoria Nyanza) A Creeper Bridge near Mumia's Bridge over the Malanga River . Swahili Bridge over the Malanga River The Seven Forks, Tana River . Canoes on the Beledzoni Canal The Tana River : the Grand Falls Portrait of Captain Raymond Portal Map .... Alice PAGE 231 233 240 251 261 272 276 280 300 308 To face iM(je 319 At end *^* All the Illustrations, with the exception of the Portraits of Sir Gerald Portal and Captain Raymond Portal, are from photographs taken during the expedition by Colonel F. Rhodes, who kindly placed them at the disposal of Sir Gerald Portal for the purposes of this work. MEMOIR Sir Gerald Herbert Portal was the second son of Mr. Melville Portal of Laverstoke, and of Lady Charlotte Elliot, daughter of the second Earl of Minto. He was born on the 13th of March 1858, and had therefore not completed his 36th year when a life so remarkable not only for its promise, but also for its actual achievement, came to its untimely close. The handsome face and knightly bearing of the two brothers, Raymond and Gerald Portal, were typical of their family's origin in that southern school of chivalry, where French and English vied in feats of arms under the banners of King John and the Black Prince, in the days when lances were broken in the tilt-yards of Aquitaine. Either of the two brothers, indeed, might well have seemed to recall in form and features the goodly presence of that Raymond de Portal who rode with Bertrand du Guesclin to avenge the death of the Queen of Castile in 1336, and of whose martial deeds the troubadours made songs. He was educated at Eton in the house of Mr. Marindin, with a number of Inilliant voung con- THE MISSION TO UGANDA temporaries, who have already distinguished them- selves in various branches of the public service. It is interesting to remark, that already in these youthful days those who watched his early development had discerned many of the characteristics which were especially noticeable in his after life : a courage, namely, in carrying through to the end whatever he had set himself to do, a gift for organisation, a power of influencing others, and of winning the best sort of popularity, together with a rapid perception of a favourable opportunity and a capacity for bestowing all his pains on the work in hand. To quote a concrete instance : there occurred in those days an opportunity for lower boys who displayed any apti- tude for bowling to obtain, rather as a task than as the amusement of playtime, instruction in " Uj)per club" durino; the vacant hours on the afternoons of whole -school days. Of this somewhat irksome j^rivilege Gerald Portal at once availed himself with a perseverance which no doubt assisted in enabling him later on to realise his first great ambition, namely, to represent his school in the cricket-field, as he did in 1886 and 1887. He achieved a good position in the school, but was there only credited with fair and not remark- able abilities. His tact, however, and his power of winning confidence were displayed in his excellent management as captain of his house, where also, after gaining experience in the School Debating Society, he was mainly instrumental in starting a local Debating Club — then a somewhat novel institution — which MEMOIR maintained a viijoroiis life as long; as the house lasted. At these debates, curiously enough, were first noticed the eloquence and the command of general knowledge of a younger member of the house, who has now succeeded him as Her Majesty's representative at Zanzibar. He also acted as editor of the Eton Chronicle and as Master of the Beagles, and thus his school career may fairly be said to have exemplified once more the truth of the often-quoted opinion, that the c[ualities which distinguish Englishmen in after life are formed in large measure on the playing-fields. He became a keen sportsman, a fearless rider, some- thin 2; more than an amateur in the understandino- of horses, and, it is scarcely necessary to add, pro- ficient in all those exercises in which Englishmen excel. ^ After leavino; school he had intended to matriculate at Oxford, but for some inexplicable reason he failed to satisfy the college examiners, and thus afi"orded a remarkable instance in support of the theory that examinations are not a final test of ability. This accident was the more curious, since he became, at any rate in later years, a man of wide reading, with considerable literary taste and discrimination. Abandoning, therefore, the prospect of a university career, he entered the diplomatic service after a due course of studies, and having spent the usual period of training in the Foreign Oftice, was in 1880 appointed an attache to the Embassy in Rome, when ^ The Editor is indebted to Mr. ilaiindiu for the facts couceriiiiig Sir Gerald Portal's school career. THE MISSION TO UGANDA Sir Augustus Paget was Her Majesty's representative in that capital. Two years later lie was transferred to Cairo, just at that period of crisis in Egyptian history which culminated in the bombardment of Alexandria, at which he was present. Here in the able school of Sir Evelyn Baring (Lord Cromer) he gained that insight into Oriental life which was afterwards to serve him in such good stead, and no pains were spared by his chief to develop the qualities which he had detected in so apt a pupil. This, indeed, was the turning-point in his life, and those who knew him before, as well as after, a few years' residence in Egypt, could not fail to be struck 1jy the change which had come over him with the responsibilities of a position in which he was annually called upon during the absence of his chief to take charge of the Agency. Some five years after his first arrival in Cairo, he was entrusted with the perilous mission to King John of Abyssinia, the object of which was to pave the way for a peaceful solution of the difficulty with Italy, arising from the disastrous episode of Dogali. The story of that most difficult and eventful journey has been written by himself in the simple and unassuming narrative of Mij Mission to Abyssinia, originally printed for private circulation among friends, and subsequently published by Mr. Edward Arnold. Without enterino; into the circumstances which led to the Italian occupation of Massowah, it may suffice to state here that it had very quickly led to disputes with the Abyssinian monarch, who not only resisted MEMOIR the levying of taxes at that port on goods coming- in to his country, but strenuously denied the right of the Italians to be there at all. Although the coast and its parts had been occupied for some 300 years by Turkey, and had finally been transferred to the Khedive of Egypt, the sleeping traditional claims of the Abyssinians, ousted only by the power of the sword, had never been forgotten, and when the suc- cesses of the Mahdi brought about the retirement of the Egyptian garrisons from the Soudan forts and the coastal possessions, they beheld with sullen resentment a new power, hitherto unknown in these regions, stepping in to take possession of what they considered their legitimate reversion. This feelino- of resentment and the irritation caused by customs disputes, had reached a dangerous point when Rasalula, governor of the frontier province of Hamazen, returning from his Pyrrhic victory over the Mahdi's forces at Kassala, found the Italians in possession of Sahati, a strategi- cal position some ten miles inland from MonkuUu. He assaulted the Italian works without success, but on the day following the engagement he was able to intercept with 10,000 Abyssinians a small force of under 500 men, marching to relieve the garrison of Sahati, in a narrow plain commanded on every side by rocky hills which covered the ambuscaded attack, and they were massacred almost to a man. This disastrous episode was naturally followed by a national cry for vengeance, and preparations for an expedition on a large scale were pushed forward in Italy, while in Abyssinia all available forces were THE MISSION TO UGANDA collected, and savage patriotism was stimulated to make ready for a desperate resistance. As time, however, Avent on, the magnitude of the task which lay before Italy in embarking on a war of reprisals began to make itself felt, and the prospect of extended operations against a far from contemptible foe in the heart of so savage and inhospitable a country appeared calculated to cramp her free action in Europe, so that calmer counsels began to prevail. It was not, however, until nine months had elapsed after the disaster at Dogali that England was invited to use her considerable influence with the object of averting the imminent war. The whole of Abyssinia was meantime in an ever-increasing ferment, the passions of the undisciplined soldier}^ were thoroughly inflamed, and every province was a moving camp. It was into this hotbed of fanaticism that Gerald Portal was instructed to proceed and endeavour to impress upon the king the advisability of a pacifica- tion within the short space of five weeks, beyond which, for climatic and other reasons, the Italian Government could not delay warlike operations should the efi"ort be of none efl'ect. In this brief space of time he had secretly to equip and organise his caravan, to reach Massowah, and to make his way to the king's headquarters, wherever they might prove to be. He was accompanied in this expedition by Mr., now Captain, Beech, of the Egyptian army, and by his English servant Hutchisson, who later also follow^ed him to Uo;anda. MEMOIR At the outset, on their departure from the Italian headquarters, the party were led by treacherous guides a two -days' march away from water, and there abandoned, to find that all the supplies brought with them had been drained or spilled from the bottles, and they were thus forced to return, under the rays of a pitiless sun, by a path they were not sure of being able to retrace, speechless with thirst, with blackened tongues and lips, to the original point of departure, the interpreter brought from Egypt fallino' a victim to his sufi"erino;s. New Q;uides and porters were hastily collected, and a second start was made. Twice they were detained as prisoners, and throughout they carried their lives in their hands ; but in spite of constant opposition and repeated menace, the determination of their leader carried them throusjh. It would occupy too much space here to follow their progress through all the perils and adventures which beset them until the final accomplishment of the mission, or to show how, if it had no other results, it at least served the purpose of gaining time until the march of events in the Soudan created a diversion, and drew the attention of the Abyssinians to another quarter, where the death of King John at the battle of Metemmeh and subsequent internal dissensions finally averted the breaking out of hostilities on the Italian side. The thrilling story is told at length in the volume which has been referred to, and it will here sufiice to quote his own words from the preface : — " Few men, even among African travellers, have stood face to face with death so often in the THE MISSION TO UGANDA course of a few months, — from want of water, from the decrees of the highest authorities in the land, and at the hands of unscrupulous and over-zealous chiefs, — and have lived, absolutely unhurt, to tell the tale." For his services on this occasion he was rewarded with the C.B. In 1889 he was selected to take temporary charge of the Agency at Zanzibar, and during his six months' tenure of office there won such golden opinions that in March 1891 he was definitely appointed to succeed Sir Charles Euan Smith at that post. In the mean- time he had married Lady Alice Josephine Bertie, daughter of the seventh Earl of Abingdon, who did not hesitate to accompany him to his new destination, where her name will long be remembered for many acts of kindness, and will always be associated with the tropical garden which under her exclusive care rapidly grew up round the residence of Her Majesty's Afjent, o Zanzibar had now become a British Protectorate, but as yet it was so little more than in name. The task before him was to make that Protectorate effective, and out of the chaos of an uncontrolled Arab despotism to develop a system of orderly government, to turn the resources of the islands to account for the benefit of the inhabitants, and to reform a thousand abuses. For the work in hand his Egyptian training had especially qualified him. Many of the difficulties to be faced were merely repetitions on a smaller scale of those with which he had grown familiar in Egypt, and a few words Tirroo TIB. From a Photograph by Colonel Rhodes, taken in Zanzibar. MEMOIR about the conditions prevailing in this metropolis of Eastern Africa will suffice to show how great those difficulties have been. It is perhaps scarcely necessary, in view of the many books of travel in which our latest Protectorate in Eastern Africa has been described, to enter here upon its antecedent history. It will be remembered that, since the time of its conquest by the Arabs of Muscat, Zanzibar formed an appanage of that sultanate until the death of Sultan Said, when, disputes having arisen among his heirs, the throne of Zanzibar was separated in 1856 from that of Muscat, with the concurrence of the powers chiefly interested, and given to Majid, the son of Said. Majid was succeeded by his son Barghash, a ruler of enlightened views, who visited England, and brought back with him to his African dominions a quantity of Euro- pean plant and machinery, who acquired steamers to facilitate trade communications, and who greatly extended the dominions, commerce, and influence of Zanzibar, while he throughout maintained the most cordial relations with Great Britain, and relied in all his acts on the friendly counsels of Her Majesty's representative, Sir John Kirk. His force of un- disciplined irregulars was placed under the orders of another Englishman, Lieutenant Mathews of H.M.S. London, now Sir Lloyd Mathews, K.C.M.G. ; and it has been the influence of these two men, their power of sympathy with both native and Arab, and their constant upright and just dealing over a long course of years, which has made the establishment THE MISSION TO UGANDA of the British Protectorate a comparatively easy task. Sultan Barghash derived a very large revenue from the duties which were levied at the coast on all goods coming down from the interior to his ports, and the power of his name was respected in the interior up to the central lakes. But his possessions were ill defined and his sovereignty not uncontested. At the settlement, therefore, which took place at the Conference of Berlin in 1S85, the dominions of Zanzibar on the mainland were specified and recog- nised as extending to a limit of ten miles inland, alone: the eastern coast between the river Tana to the north and the boundary of Portuguese East Africa to the south. The islands of Lamu, Manda, and Patta were also recognised as belonging to Zanzibar, together with the northern port of Kismayu and those on the Benadir coast, each including a small radius of surrounding territory. Then followed the keenly-contested race of the European powers for the partition and occupation of Africa, and in return for a sum of £200,000, Germany acquired the Zanzibar territories between the Umba river to the north of Zanzibar Island and the Portuguese boundary. The coastal region between the Umba and the Tana was leased to the Imperial British East Africa Company, together with the islands north of the latter river and the Kismayu district, but in these regions the sovereignty of the Sultan was still acknow- ledged, whereas the cession to Germany was absolute. The actual territories administered directly by the MEMOIR sultanate were, therefore, confined to the two islands of Pemba and Zanzibar, and the ports on the Benadir coast, but tliese last were also shortly destined to be ceded under lease to Italy. Meanwhile Sultan Barghash had died, and had been succeeded by his brother, Seyyid Khalifa, who reigned but a short time, and was again in turn succeeded by a still younger brother, Seyyid Ali, who occupied the throne at the time of Gerald Portal's second arrival in Zanzibar. The islands of Pemba and Zanzibar are portions of the same coral reef running nearly parallel with the African coast, from which the latter is separated at the nearest point by a channel not twenty miles in width. They nowhere rise to a height of more than 400 feet above the sea, and are of extreme fertility, producing some four-fifths of all the cloves that are consumed, with magnificent mango groves and cocoa- nut palm-trees, and it is anticipated that many valu- able sorts of spices will here find a congenial soil. The islands are covered with small villages or nests of native huts, but the only town of any importance is Zanzibar itself, the 2)opulation of which it is difficult to estimate correctly, but which probably contains upwards of 35,000 souls, while the population of the islands is supposed now not much to exceed 150,000, of whom a very large proportion are domestic slaves. The rest are either Arabs, the original population of Swahilis, or British Indians, which last probably number upwards of 6000, and are all to be found in the city occupied as petty traders, merchants, and THE MISSION TO UGANDA clerks. A considerable area is occupied in Zanzibar by the palace and its dependencies, by the spacious stone-built houses of the Arabs, of the European and trading community, the missions and the consulates, but a far larger circuit is covered by the wattle and mud huts of the native population with their palm- leaf thatch, the scene of constant conflagrations. The native population, and especially the slaves, are a light-hearted, merry folk, who find life easy enough in a climate which minimises wants, but the unruly elements are present also in the shape of half- caste Arabs, who flock to the island in their dhows at certain seasons, and a number of semi-savage irreo'ulars whom former sultans have introduced o into the island, so that the policing of so large a centre with its narrow, labyrinthine streets, blind alleys, and ruinous houses is no light task to take in hand. Together with his appointment as Agent and Consul-General at Zanzibar, Gerald Portal was also nominated Commissioner for the British sphere on the mainland, including the coastal region and the hinterland occupied under charter by the I.B.E.A. Company, where the restless and hostile district of Witu to the north of the Tana, and Kismayu, surrounded by a belt of fanatical Somali tribes, gave cause for constant anxiety. The position of Zanzibar was a very difficult one, and required the most delicate handling. In the first place, as has already been stated, the Protectorate was so far rather a name than a fact ; the Arabs MEMOIR were ready enough to accept the advantages of protection, but had slight appreciation of its re- ciprocal obligations, and the Sultan was but little disposed to cede any of his personal prerogative, or to yield into other hands any portion of his unlimited control over the revenues. Secondly, domestic slavery still continues among the populations under Moham- medan law, and though many decrees are in force for its strict regulation. Her Majesty's representative has to exercise the closest scrutiny to prevent their evasion, and to watch over the interests of thousands who are as yet incapable of looking after themselves. At that moment the Arabs, who had hitherto witnessed no practical demonstration of the resources of the protecting power, were learning with sullen discontent that these reoulations meant the ultimate extinction of an institution which to them appeared a necessary condition of existence. Thirdly, there exist certain treaties between the sultanate and foreign powers dating, in one instance, as far back as 1846 (the date of the French Treaty with Muscat), by which European merchants and settlers were guaranteed against what was at the time of their conclusion a barbarous and fanatical Arab despotism. Under these treaties foreigners enjoy the privileges of the capitulations with which we are familiar in Oriental countries. They are only amenable to the jurisdiction of their own representative, their persons and houses are sacrosanct as far as the authority of the ruling- sovereign is concerned. ]\Ioreover, with the exception of a uniform duty of five per cent on all goods xl THE MISSION TO UGANDA imported, they have entire immunity from any contribution to the burdens of the state whose hospitality they enjoy, and even the taxation which the sovereign may levy on native produce is strictly defined l)y these agreements. Such instruments naturally hamper considerably the development of a new and equitable administration, but none of the powers concerned has as yet shown any disposition to abandon the privileges and immunities, which no doubt were absolutely indispensable at the time they were conferred, now that the situation is altered. Another arduous task imposed upon the repre- sentative of the protecting power was that of putting into force and giving practical application to the provisions of the Brussels Act for the suppression of the slave-trade, and for the protection of the native against the poisonous liquors and the cheap firearms with which the manufactories of Europe were threaten- ing his extermination. Gerald Portal at once set to work with a vio-orous hand. The first and most difficult task before him was to obtain control over the finances, and after assigning to the Sultan's civil list a sum more than sufficient to cover reasonable expenditure, to secure that all revenue should pass through a Government office presided over by an English chief minister. For this office the services of General, now Sir Lloyd, Mathews, who had been appointed Consul- General at Mombasa, but who had not taken up his post, were lent to the sultanate. The customs department was thoroughly re- MEMOIR xli organised, new storehouses were built, a new wharf completed in a very short space of time with steam cranes and every convenience — to be used, however, only by those who were prepared to pay for the privilege of landing their goods when they Avere guaranteed against the risks which they ran at the old incommodious landing-place. A post-office was organised under an English officer (Commander Hardinge, RN.), and the provisions of the Brussels Act were promptly put into force. The army was also placed under a British officer, Brigadier-General Hatch, and as many of the numberless irregulars who fattened on the improvidence of the palace were disbanded as was possible consistently with the public safety. A department of public works was instituted, and a shipping -office, the Sultan having been induced to make over two of the smaller vessels which he had inherited to the Government service. The lio-htino; of the town at nights was strictly enforced, and a number of minor reforms, such as the removal of petroleum stores to a place of security outside the limits of the populous town, were initiated. As may be imagined, innova- tions so sweeping and wholesale were not brought about without considerable opposition from all parties interested in the maintenance of the old system. The subjects of Her Majesty were naturally no less anxious than those of foreign powers not to lose a particle of the privileges secured them by the old treaties, and the Sultan grew more and more disposed to place difficulties in the path as he saw liis power xlii THE MISSION TO UGANDA ebbing from him ; but witli firmness, patience, and goodwill these objects were all secured. One clianQ-e which needed considerable determina- tion and courage was immediately decided on by Her Majesty's agent as vitally necessary to the existence of the Protectorate. The firm establish- ment of Germany on the mainland was beginning to attract directly thither a considerable portion of the import trade from foreign countries, which had hitherto been discharged at Zanzibar as the emporium of Eastern Africa, and Sir Gerald foresaw that while, owing to her valuable clove plantations which yield far more important results than any portion of the coast can for a long time compete with, Zanzibar was certain to attract ships to the port and provide them with freights, her import trade was in danger of falling off, and her commanding position as the universal market of the interior was menaced. He therefore boldly determined to abolish the five per cent duty on imports and to make Zanzibar a free port. This involved considerable loss of income, but it was anticipated that some compensation would be provided by the wharf rents and the storage of goods in Government go-downs, and the choice lay between accepting such compensation and witnessing an annual decline in foreign trade. Time has as yet been too short to judge of results, but hitherto, at any rate, Zanzibar has fairly well maintained the position which was undoubtedly menaced, while a better collection of taxes and certain new sources of revenue, such as a widely-extended system of registration of MEMOIR titles and contracts among the native populations, have further contributed to make up the deficiency. In spite of the great initial exj)enditure entailed by the reforms undertaken, the first financial year ended with a slight surplus, and the position appears to be steadily improving. It was in the midst of the serious preoccupations caused by these reforms, and many other still inchoate schemes, that the summons to undertake the important Mission to Uganda reached Sir Gerald Portal towards the end of 1892, and he was compelled to direct all his energies to the new work before him, and to leave to other hands the task of completing the development of the new European administration — a task which has since been considerably facilitated by the death of the late Sultan Seyyid Ali, wdiose views grew more and more obstructionist as time proceeded, and by the establish- ment on the throne of the present enlightened ruler Seyyid Hamed bin Thwain, who has most loyally co-operated in every scheme for the improvement of the island and the condition of all classes of its inhabitants. For his services in Zanzibar and on the coast Gerald Portal was rewarded with the K.C.M.G. How the Uganda Mission was organised and carried out he has told himself in the following pages, and no more need be said about it here ; but, in conclusion, his services to his country in a career in which the younger members seldom are able to emerge from the body of their contemporaries, and find but rare opportunities of distinguishing themselves, may be summed up as having consisted in the work which he xliv THE MISSION TO UGANDA performed while only a subordinate in Cairo, in the adventurous expedition to Abyssinia, in his initial orofanisation of the Zanzibar Protectorate with which his name will always be associated, and, lastly, in the Mission to Uganda, — a considerable record for so young a man, and one which promised a career of great utility in the future had his life been spared. Little more remains to be told. Sir Gerald had suffered from repeated attacks of fever both in Uganda and on the march, which, though never serious enough to give rise to anxiety, were undoubtedly very trying to a constitution already weakened by continuous residence in a tropical climate. He had, however, returned to Zanzibar in excellent health after his arduous experiences on the homeward journey, and he arrived in England in the last month of 1893 apparently strong and well in the full flush of success, eagerly anticipating the delight of home and the en- joyment of so much that he had been cut off from in his adventurous march of some 2000 miles through Equatorial Africa. Early in January he fell ill with what appeared to be a relapse of African fever, but after three weeks of varying phases the fatal signs of typhoid became manifest, and his strength, impaired as it was by a most trying climate, was unequal to contending against the ravages of disease. It was a hard fate for a man who had encountered so many adventures, and passed so often through the fire, to fall a victim to a sickness bred of city life ; and he struggled bravely, as those who attended him bear witness, in that last unequal battle. But the end MEMOIR 1(7^ U ^^^ was near, and on the 26th of January the brief and Inilliant career was closed, and Gerald Portal passed away from us, rich in the affection of many devoted friends, and in the sorrow of all his countrymen. His character may fairly be judged by the ensuing record, and by the pages of the Eeport which he has submitted to Her Majesty's Government. The qualities which marked him most, perhaps, were the quickness with which he surveyed a given situation, a rapidity of decision, and a dogged determination in carrying out the line he had adopted. He was some- what reserved by nature, and little inclined to discuss matters on which he had assumed the full responsi- bility, but he combined with this characteristic a generous appreciation of the work of others, and was staunchly loyal to his friends. Success had only done him good, and taught him a wider tolerance, and that passion to excel Avhich had marked his youth helped him to make up the ground he may have somewhat neglected in early years, so that his general knowledge of a wide range of subjects made him the most agreeable of companions. At the same time there existed in him a softer side, by right of which he was a true lover of Nature, an ardent admirer of all things beautiful — a quality which from time to time finds voice in the following j^ages. He was a man eminently qualified by the strength of his personality, by his own natural inclination, and no less by the power of sympathy which he possessed, to carry out the Imperial policy with which his life was associated. The men of his own time and ao-e. xlvi THE MISSION TO UGANDA comrades at school, colleagues in his profession, and contemporaries in the sister services, will mourn him long and sincerely, while many of those who met him only once or twice will hardly fail to preserve the memory of a very winning smile. Of his brother Eaymond Portal something remains to be said in its proper place. Of both of them much has necessarily been left unsaid, but their own words will help to fill the vacant spaces. It is not easy for one who has grown up with them to write with the reserve which is due, for the two graves are still quite new, and there are many living for whom the pathos of their story is very near to tears. R. R. PART I ^ KIPON FALLS. From a sketch hy C. mymper after a plwtograph hy Colonel Rhodes. [See page 159. CHAPTER I My appointment as H.M. Commissioner to Uganda — The staff of the Mission — Equipment of the caravan — Tlie main body despatched to Kikuyu — A farewell state-visit to the Sultan of Zanzibar — We start iipon our journey on the 1st of January 1893. The events which led to the despatch of a Mission to examine and report on the state of affairs in Uganda will still be fresh in every one's recollection. The Imperial British East Africa ComjDany, whose first caravan, under the leadership of Messrs. Jackson and Gedge, had arrived in that country in April 1890, found, after some eighteen months' experience, that the task of exercising a control over a province at such a distance from the coast was beyond their strength, and announced their intention of with- drawing their officers and forces from the whole region. Fearing that such a course would gravely imperil the lives of the missionaries in Uganda, some friends of the Church Missionary Society subscribed £16,000 towards the exjDenses of administration, on the condition that the Company would maintain their forces and officers there for another year, till the end of 1892. The ofter was accepted by the Directors of the Company, and the year was THE MISSION TO UGANDA spent in Uganda : the first part in a sanguinary civil war, the remainder in efforts on the part of the Company's local officials to re-establish peace on a permanent basis. Nothing, however, occurred to induce the Directors to reconsider their deter- mination to evacuate the country, and towards the end of 1892 the same problem, regarding the future dis]30sal of Uganda, which had been shelved for a year by the munificent offering of the members of the Church Missionary Society, presented itself for final consideration and solution. Her Majesty's Govern- ment determined not to interfere with the Company's evacuation, but, in the hope of lessening the danger to the lives of missionaries and others which would be caused by a hurried retreat, and in order, at the same time, to enable them to receive fuller informa- tion as to the actual state of affairs in Equatorial Africa, they consented to defray the Company's costs of administration there for three months, from the 1st of January till the 31st of March 1893, and at the same time to despatch a Commissioner to Uganda to report upon the subject, and to suggest, if possible, the " best means of dealing with the country." It was with great delight, not unmingied with some dismay at the magnitude of the task and the importance of the interests involved, that I received the offer of this appointment on the last day of November 1892. My next feeling was that the time at my disposal for organising and equipping the necessary caravan, and for reaching Uganda before APPOINTMENT AS COMMISSIONER the evacuation of the Company, was uncomfortably short. The usual allowance for a caravan to travel from the coast to Uganda was ninety days, and the date of the Company's retreat from Uganda was definitely fixed for the 31st of March, the 90th day of the new year. Even if, therefore, I were to count upon no more than to arrive in Uganda one day before its evacuation, this would only leave me the short space of one month for the recruitment of porters — who have of late years become most difficult to obtain — and for their medical examination ; for the eno-ao-ement of officers of the staff", and for their journey of three weeks from Europe to Zanzibar ; for the selection and purchase of provisions, of equipment, of innumerable articles of barter, such as cloth and cotton stuffs of diff'erent qualities, beads of several sizes and kinds, iron, copper, and brass wire, small chains, looking- glasses and coloured handkerchiefs, of axes, bill-hooks, intrenching tools, ropes, canvas, tents and their equipment, medical stores, and, in short, of all the thousand and one articles which may sound like trifles and be easily overlooked at the coast, but the absence of any one of which 800 miles in the interior may be productive of serious inconvenience to the whole caravan. Concurrently with all this work of preparation, innumerable outstanding cjuestions had to be settled in connection with the somewhat complicated system of administration in Zanzibar, and the Sultan's assent had to be obtained to my taking 200 of his partly- drilled soldiers to serve both as escort on the THE MISSION TO UGANDA journey, and, if necessary, as a sort of police force in Uganda itself. AVitli regard to these soldiers, I may at once confess that almost from the moment of leaving the coast till the day of our return, I never ceased to reg;ret, in an ever-increasino- deo-ree, the unlucky moment in which I consented to inflict their company on the Expedition. As events turned out they were almost useless from start to finish, and yet, in self-justification, it must be added that it was impossible to foretell this in December 1892. No one in Europe or on the African coast had any but the vaguest ideas as to the numbers and nature of the force which could be placed at our disposal in Uganda on the retreat of the Company, We knew that the Company had a certain number of excellent Soudanese troops who had been recruited in Egypt a couj)le of years before, but we were informed at the same time that the period of service of these men had expired, and that they would all have to leave Uganda with the Company's officers. It was also reported that some of the refugees from Emin Pacha's old province, ex-soldiers of the Egyptian Government, had been enlisted by the Company, but nobody could tell us either the approximate number of these recruits or the degree of efficiency which they had attained. It was evidently necessary, not only that the Commission should have complete liberty of move- ment both before reaching Uganda and in that country itself, but also that it should be throughout in a position of absolute independence : it therefore appeared expedient to cause it to be accompanied STAFF OF THE MISSION by at least 200 armed men with some knowledge of the use of a rifle. Moreover, the Zanzibar soldiers in their own town, with their clean white uniforms, presented a most creditable appearance. On parade they appeared fairly smart, they drilled in a way that would put some English militia regiments to shame, and they could go through the bayonet exercise faultlessly. I confess, indeed, to having often looked upon this Zanzibar force as a future factor of some value in the eventual settlement of the whole East African question. It was, therefore, with real disappointment that I felt compelled, after travelling some hundreds of miles in their company, reluctantly to acquiesce in the unanimous verdict of the other officers of the Mission, that these Zanzibar soldiers were the laziest, the most hopelessly and repulsively dirty, and the most untrustworthy collec- tion of men with whom it had ever been our mis- fortune to come in contact.^ A few days after a telegram had been despatched to London expressing my grateful thanks for the honour which had been done me in selectins; me for this task, a further message was received from H.M. Secretary of State, informing me of the appointment of the officers who were to accompany the Mission to Uganda. These officers were : Colonel Ehodes, D.S.O., Royal Dragoons, then Military Secretary to H.E. the Governor of Bombay, who is well known ^ In consequence of tlieso and other recent experiences, a new system of recruiting is being introduced with a view to securing men of a better stamp. — Ed. THE MISSION TO UGANDA for his distinguislied services in two expeditions to Suakim, and in the terrible fighting of the desert column of the Gordon Relief Expedition, where he served as A.D.C. to the late Sir Herbert Stewart, and afterwards to Sir James Dormer, and who has, moreover, gained renown both in the hunting and in the cricket fields; Brigade-Major Owen, D.S.O., Lancashire Fusiliers, whose name is familiar in many circles, both for conspicuous services rendered in a recent expedition against the Jebus in West Africa, and for innumerable laurels earned " between the flasks " as the most consummate horseman and the best gentleman rider of modern days ; Captain Portal, my brother, of the Royal North Lancashire Regiment, then Adjutant of the Mounted Infantry ; and Lieutenant Arthur, Rifle Brigade, at that time serving in the army of the Sultan of Zanzibar : this officer was appointed specially to command the escort of Zanzibar troops. To these were added Mr. Ernest Berkeley, a Consul in H.M. service, who had for the last year acted as Administrator of the possessions of the Imperial British East Africa Company at Mombasa ; Dr. R. Moffat, recently in charge of a Scottish Industrial Mission at Kibwezi, in British East Africa, whose services I was most fortunate to secure as medical officer to the Mission ; and Mr. Foaker, lately of the LB.E.A. Company, who had already made one journey to Uganda, and was now to act as caravan leader, whose arduous duty it was to superintend all details of the organisation of porters, the weight and distribution of loads, the STAFF OF THE MISSION supply and distribution of rations, — in short, all the innumerable and troublesome details connected with the internal economy of a large caravan bound on a long journey. Another valuable addition to our strength was made later, in the person of Lieutenant C. Villiers, Royal Horse Guards, who happened to have arrived about this time in East Africa with the intention of starting on a private shooting expedition into the interior, and who, in reply to his own earnest solicitation, obtained, at the very last moment, permission from the requisite authorities to accompany us to Uganda. I should not forget to add to these the name of my servant Hutchisson, who at once volunteered to accompany me, and who, in a journey with me through Abyssinia at the end of 1887, had given ample proofs of his powers of endurance, his resource and pluck, in some very critical moments, and under circumstances of peculiar discomfort and danger. After the appointment of this staff, I could but confess to myself that, so far as concerned the actual journey and the work to be done, no expedition had ever left the coast of East Africa with so o-ood a prospect of success, and that if we were destined to meet with disaster, or to break down through any of the countless accidents to which caravans in Eastern and Central Africa are liable, not only the responsi- bility but also the fault would lie with myself Let me add here a fact of which we may all be justly proud, and to which, I fear, claim can be laid by very few expeditions after a long journey in Equatorial THE MISSION TO UGANDA Africa, that not only did general good fellowship reign througliout the journey, but that never on any occasion was the harmony of the party disturbed by a single squabble, by any jealousies, by any hasty or ill-considered word, or even by a day's coolness between any of the officers of the Expedition from the moment of starting until, nearly ten months later, some of us again saw the waters of the Indian Ocean. The first steps taken, in the early days of December, were to select the soldiers who were to accompany us, and to send forth emissaries in every direction to recruit a sufficient number of porters. The soldiers were a comparatively easy matter as soon as the Sultan had kindly given his consent to their employment in this manner. A call for volunteers from amons^ the battalion of 800 "regulars" produced immediately more than the 200 who were required, and the necessary selection was easily made by the rejection of the w^eakest. The remainder were then medically examined, vaccinated, and equipped with two serviceable suits of " khakee " tunic and knee-breeches, putties, and two pairs of sandals each ; and every man carried a Snider rifie, sword bayonet, and forty rounds of ammunition. The precaution of causing every member of the caravan to be vaccinated is one which should always, when possible, be observed by the leader of an expedition going into the interior of Africa from the East Coast. There is scarcely a sino:le tribe between Mombasa and U^'anda which is PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SAIALL-POX 13 ever quite free from the scourge of small-pox ; some- times it does not make itself very conspicuous, while at other times, especially after a period of drought, scarcity, or, as at the present moment, of distress caused by the death of all the cattle, it breaks out as a veritable plague, and decimates the population of immense districts. Few greater disasters can befall a caravan than to get small -pox among the men, as frequently happens when this precaution has been omitted. If the first cases occur at a station or in the neio;hbourhood of some villaare whose inhabitants can be trusted not to cut the throat of any defenceless stranger, the patients may be left behind with no greater inconvenience than/ the necessity of distributino; their loads anions' other already overburdened men ; but if an unfortunate wretch is seized with the disease in some district far from any human habitation, or tenanted only by the murderous Masai, his chances are small indeed. The caravan cannot wait : it has only rations for a limited number of days, and must push on to the next food- supplying district ; the man must be carried by two, or perhaps four others, which means that three or five loads must be either thrown away or added to the burdens of their companions. The ruin which therefore befalls a caravan if, as not unfrequently happens, ten, fifteen, or twenty men are attacked almost simultaneously may be better imagined than described. And yet, although instances of such disasters are numerous and well known, such are the conservative and laisser-aller properties of the whole 14 THE MISSION TO UGANDA atmosphere of East Africa, that not only does no rule exist regarding the vaccination of porters, but I have never even heard of this ordinary precaution having been taken with any other caravan than my own which has left Mombasa at any time during the last three years. Meanwhile the w^ork of collecting porters was proceeding but slowly, for several reasons. In the first place, I had insisted on none but volunteers being recruited. In the second place, the pro- fessional porters are seldom keen to engage them- selves for a very long journey, such as that to Uganda. If we had been going to Mount Kilimanjaro, to Jabora, or to Kikuyu, we could have secured as many good men as we liked in a couple of days, but the idea of Uganda rather frightens them : the road is but little known, and they feel that it means a long and wearisome journey, sometimes on very short rations, and an absence of many months from their homes at Zanzibar. In the third place, while the supply of porters is diminishing every year, the demand is growing ever larger. It is a great mistake to suppose, as do most Europeans when they arrive in Zanzibar to collect a caravan for a journey or shooting expedition, that any stalwart peasant or street loafer of Zanzibar will make a good porter. Such a man would break down in a week, whatever may be his physical strength. He would infallibly get sore feet or cracked heels; the skin of his head or shoulders would be rubbed by his load ; these sores would develop into serious ulcers. CARAVAN PORTERS 15 and after walking a hundred miles the man would either have to be left at some friendly village, or would have to hobble along with the caravan, doing no work and eating precious food. The professional caravan porters form a distinct clique by themselves. They spend their whole lives in either travelling about the con- tinent with loads on their heads, or in spending the money thus amassed with all possible speed and with reckless extravagance at Zanzibar. They are a cheery lot, with heads like iron, feet like leather, and with the stomachs of ostriches — miserable, like children, in cold and wet districts, or in times when food is scarce, but forgetting all their discomforts with the first ray of sunshine, or with the first successful shot at a rhinoceros, zebra, or other animal which will supply them with meat. The life is a hard one, and the professional caravan porter seldom lives to be an old man, while the increased facilities now ofiered to able-bodied men of earnino- a comfortable livinof at Zanzibar or on the coast prevents younger men from joining their ranks. The authorities of German East Africa have long foreseen this difficulty, and have not only employed many devices to attract all the Zanzibar porters to take up their residence in German territory, but have also enacted the most stringent, and, on the whole, eff"ective measures to prevent these men from leaving the German colony. I shall have occasion to return later to this question of porters and the means of transport which must eventually replace them in East Africa. The number of men which we calculated would be p. ifcl i6 THE MISSION TO UGANDA required for the Mission amounted to nearly 400, and it may perhaps be of some use to future travellers if I describe briefly the nature of the loads which made this apparently large number necessary. To every European officer were assigned ten men, two of whom were to carry his tent, with its poles, pegs, etc. These are heavy and awkward loads, especially in wet weather, and should, when possible, be divided into three. One man carried the bed and bedding, and the remainino; seven were available for boxes of clothes, boots, scientific instruments, canteen, cooking- pots, chair, table, guns, ammunition, and all the rest of the officer's paraphernalia. As our party consisted of nine European officers, this accounted for ninety porters, to whom may be added four or five more who carried the mess-tent and its apjDurtenances. To each European was allowed one box of European provisions per month : these boxes were not to exceed sixty- five pounds in weight, including some fifteen pounds for the box itself, which must necessarily be strong and solid enough to withstand much dropping and bumping and general ill-treatment. These were filled with those necessaries of life which are not procurable in the interior, such as tea, coffee, cocoa, salt, sugar, oatmeal, rice, lime-juice, jam (a most necessary anti- scorbutic), and a certain quantity of tinned meats. In absolutely foodless districts, such as the greater part of those through which the road to Uganda passes, it was found that one such box per month for each officer was very far from being a liberal or unnecessary allowance. As we were preparing for an NECESSARY BAGGAGE \^ absence of ten months, the European provisions for the party of nine officers amounted to ninety more loads, which were brought up to one hundred by medical stores, medical comforts, and one or two " extras." The soldiers were allowed ten porters for every com- pany of fifty men, including officers ; their four companies, therefore, absorbed forty porters, to whom may be added about ten more for axes, intrenching tools, small grindstone, ropes, etc. Nearly eighty men were required to carry the ''currency" of the different countries through which we had to pass, consisting of cotton cloth of several different qualities and sizes, coloured handkerchiefs, beads of several kinds, brass, iron, and copper wire, small looking-glasses, and so forth. These have to be most carefully selected and packed, as in the centre of Africa a piece of cloth damaged by water, or beads of the wrong sort, are of no more value than they would be as articles of barter in Piccadilly. It )^ is also most necessary to have quite the latest in- ■ telligence as to the change of fashions in different countries, for it often happens that the large and bright blue bead which last year was eagerly sought after in a certain district, and for strings of which flour and corn were readily produced, may now be a drug in the market, while its place in the estima- tion of the native has been taken by a small white or red one ; or, perhaps, what is even more embarrassing to the traveller, beads may be temporarily out of fashion altogether, and the cry be all for small coils of bright brass wire. I need scarcely add that the c i8 THE MISSION TO UGANDA fasliiou in these matters is set by the ladies of the tribe, who assert their arbitrary rights and their monopoly of taste in matters of dress — even when that dress consists of no more than a few strings of beads or a necklace of wire — with the same successful determination as the other dauohters of Eve in Paris or London. To these loads of so-called " trade goods " about ten more may be added for "odds and ends," such as presents for the king of Uganda or for the more important chiefs, stationery, etc. To the 340 porters thus accounted for we added ten per cent as a moderate allowance for sickness, desertions, or accidents, and the total number of 400 was completed by the addition of headmen, overseers, cooks, and tent-boys. By the middle of December a sufficient number of men had been collected and vaccinated to enable me to send off the main body of the caravan and of the soldiers, under Mr. Foaker and Lieutenant Arthur, while I had to wait at Zanzibar for the other officers, who were due to arrive on the last day of the year. The advance party were instructed to push forward with all convenient speed to Kikuyu, about 350 miles from the coast, and there to use their utmost endeavours to purchase, and pack in loads of sixty-five pounds, a sufficient quantity of flour or other available food to suffice the whole caravan for the long march of nearly 280 miles through the absolutely foodless country which lies between Kikuyu and Kavirondo. Meanwhile the work of collecting the remainder of the porters and of packing the rest of the loads was being pushed forward with feverish haste, but, alas I GENERAL MATHEWS 19 the supply was not equal to the demand. It is true that a fair number of applications were received for the two months' advance of wages which it is customary to give to porters before starting on a long journey, l)ut it was perfectly evident, from the character and appearance of the applicants, that the money was the only object aimed at, and that they could be relied upon to desert before going fifty miles from the coast. Many others had to be rejected on account of their extreme youth or physical weakness ; but at last a sufficient number were eno;ao;ed, not inferior perhaps to many others who are in these days taken as porters by caravans, but of whom certainly a large proportion were quite unfit for this sort of work. The main body, which had already gone on with Lieutenant Arthur, consisted of a very fair lot of men, including some magnificent specimens of muscular development, but our second party, which had to make forced marches, and to overtake the others with all possible speed, could not, in spite of all our efforts, muster more than a small proportion of even moderately good men ; the rest were boys or " shirkers." Our difficulties would have been far greater — in fact, it may be doubted whether we should have been able to make a start within at least a month of the appointed time — had not Zanzibar been blessed, in the person of its chief minister, with an English gentleman of the true patriotic, honest, self-sacrificing, and sympathetic type, which has gone so far to make England respected above other European nations by many of the native races of Africa. The name of 20 THE MISSION TO UGANDA General Mathews is as a household word throughout many hundreds of square miles in East Africa.^ Not an English or American traveller has ever set foot in these regions during the last fifteen years without owing to him a heavy debt of gratitude. Scarcely a native family can be found in Zanzibar that has not had cause to bless his open-handed generosity or his unswerving sense of justice. He is known as the true friend of the upright Arab and of the struggling Swahili," but a terror to the oppressor or the evil- doer ; and the influence of the cheery and kind- hearted General, handicapped by his alien race and his Christian religion, is barely second to that of the sacred person of the Sultan himself. General Mathews would have given his eyes to have been allowed to accompany our expedition, and it need not be added that we should more than gladly have welcomed his presence and the invaluable addition of his experience ; but it was out of the question that the man on whom, more than any other, depended the working of the whole new administrative machinery of Zanzibar 1 General, now Sir Lloyd William Mathews, K.C.M.G., began life in the Royal Navy. While serving at Zanzibar on H.M.S. London, the station- ship for the repression of the slave-trade, his services were lent to the famous Sultan Barghash, who was anxious to have his troops drilled in the European fashion. In due course he left the navy and entered the service of the Sultan, whose friend and confidential adviser he became, conducting many expeditions on the mainland for that monarch at the time of his greatest prosperity. When Zanzibar became a British Protectorate, General Mathews was named British Consul-Geueral for the mainland, but he has hitherto never taken up the post, his services having once more been lent to the Sultans of Zanzibar, where he acts as first minister in the European Adminis- tration which is now completely organised. — Ed. - It is perhaps scarcely necessary to explain that Swahili is the name of the mongrel people on the East African coast, in the British and German spheres, whose language is the lingua franca of Eastern Africa. — Ed. ARRIVAL OF OUR OFFICERS could be spared from that country in the then critical state of affairs. Sadly realising this penalty of the value of his pre- vious work, General Mathews, with an unselfish kind- ness and devotion which no words can properly describe, not only placed his invaluable influence, his time, and his experience at our disposal, but even insisted on going himself with this second party of porters to Mombasa, in order to ensure that all the preparations for our departure should be completed. Early in the morning of the 30th of December, a signal flying from the flag-staff" above the Sultan's great clock-tower announced that a French mail- steamer had been sighted, and a couple of hours later I was delighted to greet Colonel Ehodes, Major Owen, and my l)rother. The first of these officers had come from Bombay, and had joined this steamer of the " Messageries Maritimes " at Aden. The other two had left England on the 10th, having thus had barely a week to complete all their prepara- tions for a long journey and an absence of eight or ten months in Central Africa. It was not surprising^ therefore, that almost their first words were an entreaty for one day's delay at Zanzibar in order to enable them to complete the purchase of various necessaries which had been forgotten in the hurried departure from England. Fortunately it was possible to grant this request, as Captain Campbell, R.N,, had most kindly offered to take over our party to Mombasa in H.M.S. PhUonwI, aud this beautiful cruiser was the only vessel in these seas which could THE HUSSION TO UGANDA negotiate the run from Zanzibar to Mombasa between sunrise and sunset.^ I was also anxious to have a clear day at Zanzibar in order to enable me to discuss with Mr. Kennell Rodd, who had come out in the same steamer to act as H.M. Agent and Consul-General during my absence, many complicated questions affecting the internal administrative economy of the Sultan's dominions. xls soon as this point was settled, the party separated to put on all the finery at their command, and with all the staff of the Agency we proceeded to pay a state visit of greeting and farewell to the Sultan Seyyid Ali." The streets were lined for some distance with soldiers, a guard of honour was drawn up opposite the steps of the Palace, the really good Goanese band ^jlayed "God Save the Queen" and " Eule Britannia," long rows of beautifully-dressed and dio;nified Arabs made a lane for us throuo;h the lower ante-room and up the stairs, at the head of which stood the Sultan himself. His Hio'hness led us to the upper end of the long reception-room, which was already more than half full of gray-bearded princes and dignitaries ; we sat down on gilt and velvet chairs in a row on the right of the Sultan, while on his left were placed his relations and the high-born Arabs in strict order of precedence. I may be allowed to add here that disputes about this same 1 Jlombasa, the most important harbour on the British East Africa coast, and the headquarters of the British East Africa Company, is the point of departure for all caravans proceeding to Uganda through the British S})here. — Ed. - The late Sultan Seyyid Ali, who died March 5, 1893. A FAREWELL BANQUET 23 order of precedence among the leading Arabs are not the least troublesome among the many com- plicated local questions which are constantly being brought for adjudication before H.M. Consul-General. After the customary cup of coffee and glass of iced sherbet, of which it was good manners to drink only a mouthful or so, we rose to take our leave, it being left to the guest, in, I think, all Oriental countries, to give the signal for departure even from the reception- room of a sovereign. Many good wishes and polite phrases were uttered by His Highness, whose manners on occasions of this sort were truly excellent, — a refined combination of the dignity of the potentate w^ith the Oriental aud graceful courtesy of the host. On the evening of the 31st of December a great banquet was given to the members of the Mission by all the English residents at Zanzibar, in a large room of the new English Club, which w^as opened for the first time on this occasion. The wdiole affair was admirably done, and the room was tastefully draped and festooned with flags and bunting of all sorts by the deft fingers of blue-jackets from the three men- of-war then in harbour. Some fifty English gentle- men were present, — a fair muster for a place like Zanzibar, so lately almost unheard of in Europe. Speeches, some of which, by the way, were of a really high order of oratory, prolonged the entertainment until the midnight breeze from the Indian Ocean carried into the dinino--hall the last moanino- breath of the dying year, while the brilliant tropical moon smiling into the open windows brightly announced 24 THE MISSION TO UGANDA the birth of the year 1893. The party broke up amidst the cordial farewells and good wishes of true friends, to many of whom I owe debts of gratitude for help and support during some trying times at Zanzibar which I can never repay. There remained barely time to write a few' last necessary letters, and to despatch the last outstanding matters of official business, and at 4 a.m. the staff of the Mission met me again on the hospitable deck of H.M.S. Philomel. Before the sun had risen on the first day of the new year the anchor was up, and we were actually launched upon our long journey into the very heart of the Dark Continent. CHAPTER II We arrive at Port Reitz — By the " Central African Railway " to our encampment at Mazeras — An awkward squad — The first day's marcli. That we were able to equip and organise a caravan of men and 200 soldiers, thoroughly supplied with "trade-goods," provisions, stores, tents, and all the paraphernalia necessary for a journey then estimated to last for ten months, and that we could send off two-thirds of the party in the marvellously short time of fifteen days, and start with the remainder within a month, is due not only to the unwearied exertions and great experience of General Mathews, of whom I have already spoken, but also to the self-denying courtesy of the Imperial British East Africa Company. I am happy in having here an opportunity of placing on record my sense of gratitude for the invaluable hel}) received from the Administration of that Company, without which, I have no hesitation in saying that we must either have been considerably delayed in leaving the coast, or else have started with insufficient equipment. From the Directors themselves down to the lowest clerk at Mombasa, there was not one who did not render 26 THE MISSION TO UGANDA assistance in this work to the full extent of his opportunity ; the whole machinery of the Administra- tion and the organisation of their transport office were placed at our disposal, and the officers of the Company vied with each other in giving us the benefit, not only of their invaluable experience in such matters, but also of their personal assistance, at all hours and with a self-sacrificino- devotion of which every member of the Commission appreciated the result, and for which it is impossible for us to express our thanks in an adequate manner. The first day of the year 1893, during which we accomplished the first 140 miles of our journey, was spent, so far as I was concerned, in the most prosaic way. I had been somewhat overworked for a month, and was thoroughly worn out by the last two or three days : there was a fairly strong breeze and a good deal of sea, with the general result that I spent the whole time of our voyage from Zanzibar to Mombasa in a most uncompromising and undeniable attack of sea-sickness. I only recovered in time to join the other officers in admiring one of the most beautiful scenes that can be offered by East Africa — the entrance into the mao-nificent harbour known O as Port Keitz, on the southern side of Mombasa Island. For over a mile we steamed alons between groves of cocoa-nut palms, relieved by the heavy masses and deeper green of mango-trees. Here and there appeared the gray ruins of an ancient Portu- guese fort or tower, its crenellated walls tinged with purple and gold by the rays of the setting sun, as NEWS FROM ENGLAND 27 though in memory of their bygone glory. H.M.S. Philomel was at last brought to an anchor close to the little promontory known as " Railway Point," from which we would beQ;in our march on the follow- ing morning. Here we were joined by Mr. Berkeley, with the welcome news that our men and loads had all been sent forward to a place named Mazeras, about nine miles inland, where a camp w^as already pitched in preparation for our arrival, and that a sufficient number of porters had been sent back to carry up the personal baggage which w^e had brought with us from Zanzibar. That evening, at the hospit- able board of Captain Campbell, we enjoyed for the last time for many months to come the luxury of porcelain plates, fine linen, glasses, and wine (well iced) to put into them. Henceforth we were to be satisfied with iron enamelled plates, tin mugs, tea and coff"ee. Early the next morning the baggage was sent ashore in native boats, followed by a gray pony, the joint property of four of us, on which w^e washed to try the experiment of a march to Uganda. Just before starting my attention was drawn to some English newspapers which were put into my hand, and in which the opinion was advanced that our Mission was being despatched too late, and could not possibly arrive in Uganda before the evacuation of that country by the Company ; that in consequence we should find on our arrival nothing but disorder, anarchy, and bloodshed, should probably have to fight for our lives, and that a strong military expedi- 28 THE MISSION TO UGANDA tion would be needed to get us out again ! My last official act before starting was, therefore, to send a telegram to H.]\I. Secretary of State, hazarding the prophecy that we should cross the Nile and enter Uganda on or about the 13th of March, and should arrive at Kampala about the 17th of the same month. The patient reader will see later how far these pro- phecies were justified by the results. All the officers of the staff then rowed off to the landing-place in several boats, and, lastly, I was invited to take my place in the Captain's galley, in which a crew of officers, with Captain Campbell him- self as stroke, wished to row me ashore. I am not ashamed to confess to having felt profoundly affected not only at the honour which was thus done me, but even more at the feeling of friendship and good- will which dictated this signal compliment, nor was this feeling lessened when, after a salute had been fired from the Pliilomel, the wdiole ship's company sprang into the rigging and cheered us till the woods and cocoa-nut otovcs rano; aoain. AVe soon set foot on the mainland of the African Continent, but not even yet w^ere we forced to trust entirely to our own feet for the means of progression. For about seven miles into the interior from the spot where we landed, the East Africa Company had laid, some two or three years before, a little 24-inch tramw\T,y, which was, I am told, opened at that time with great ceremony under the name of the "Central African Eailway." Although it had never been used except for occasional picnic parties from Mombasa, A DANGEROUS RAILWAY TRIP 29 this tram-line was still in a fairly serviceable condi- tion, and we therefore placed ourselves as comfortably as we could on some flat open trollies, on which a box or inverted basket was made to do duty as a seat. Two of us were placed on each trolly, which was propelled by a couple of natives pushing from behind. Our nerves were highly tried a few hundred yards from the start by finding ourselves at the top of a steep incline, about half-way down which we could see there were " points " leading on to a siding. Colonel Rhodes was my companion on the leading trolly, and, to our dismay, on arriving at the top of the slope our miserable coolies gave the machine a final push, and then left it to its own devices. Away we went at ever-increasing speed, perfectly helpless, and with the boxes on which we were sitting gradu- ally working themselves towards the end of the little rushing platform ! The " points " which we had noticed with such suspicion had, fortunately, been left open, either by chance or by the last comer, and with a jolt and a crash we whirled safely over them. Safely, too, we charged through or took a flying leap over a heap of pebbles lying on the rail ; and at last, having reached the bottom of the valley, began to rush, but with gradually-decreasing speed and with a comfort- able feeling of security, up the opposite incline. Now it was our turn to look back and enjoy the danger and discomfort of our friends. By extra- ordinary good luck they all arrived safely at the bottom of this dangerous slope, but not so the baggage placed on the last few trucks. JMore than 30 THE MISSION TO UGANDA one ominous crash was heard, and more than one trolly was seen tearing up the ground with its wheels in the air ; but, marvellous to relate, the damage done was comparatively slight, and did not extend much beyond the infliction of some deep dints in a few tin boxes, and the complete pulverisation of some extremely choice cigars which one of the officers was carefully bringing with him as a last relic of the luxuries of civilised life. Alonor the rest of the line the journey was fairly easy, and through scenery the beauty of which would have been a sufficient compen- sation for almost any discomforts. The only difficulty worthy of note was caused by the weeds, creepers, grass, and small bushes which had grown up all over the line, and thereby rendered progress a matter of very hard toiling and pushing for the unfortunate coolies. As my companion remarked, this hardly looked as if the traffic alonor the Central African line had been very great since the day when it was first laid ! I should here explain that the reason why this tramway is not used by caravans entails no reflection whatever on the administration of the Company. It is simply that the line does not run along the regular caravan route, and does not extend far enough to join that route at any part. If it could have been con- tinued for another ten or a dozen miles, there can be no doubt that caravans would have been eager to make use of the line, but at present it is not worth their while to turn from their well-known road for the sake of only seven miles of rail. The work was laid aside at the time when an agitation was set on OUR FIRST CAMP 31 foot for the coustruction of a more permanent line under the guarantee of Her Majesty's Government. So far as we ourselves were concerned, we undoubtedly found that this tramway saved us the greater part of a hot and disagreeable day's march. About seven miles from the coast the line came to a sudden end without any warning, except such as was given by a few heaps of rails and boxes of nuts and screws lying by the wayside. The work was evidently abandoned as hastily as it had been com- menced ; rails, bolts, sleepers, screws and nuts, suffi- cient for some seventy or eighty miles of line, lie in stacks and heaps near the beach of the harbour ; not a living soul, until ourselves, had ever made use of the line for any practical purpose, and the whole work remains as a monument to good intentions overpowered by force of circumstances. A brisk walk of about three miles brouQ;ht us to Mazeras, where our eyes were pleasantly greeted by the sight of a neat camp already pitched in a shady spot, with the tents in two ordered rows, the porters already told off into companies and messes, and drawn up for inspection, and, most grateful sight of all, a sumptuous luncheon prepared for us by the indefatigable hospitality of General Mathews. The rest of the day was spent in telling off the men to their respective loads, in repacking some of the bao-orao-e which was found to be above the reo'ulation limit of sixty-five pounds, and in distributing the surplus amono' lig-hter loads when such could be found. 32 THE .MISSION TO UGANDA Here, too, we were glad to make the acquaintance of the medical officer of the ]\Iission, Dr. Moffat, a proof of whose energy and keenness had already been afforded by the fact that, although the offer of the appointment had only reached him at the Scottish Industrial Mission at Kibwezi on the 16th of December, he had at once started for Mombasa, had walked 200 miles under the broilino- sun, in the hottest time of the year, and within six degrees of the equator, had rejDlenished his medical stores from such supplies as were available at the coast, and was now not only ready to start on the journey to the centre of Africa, but also willingly consented to take upon his shoulders the additional and most onerous work of caravan leader and general superin- tendent, until we should join the larger body which had orone forward a fortnio-ht earlier under the leader- ship of ]\lr. Foaker. Hardly had we arrived in camp before Dr. Moffat's professional services were requisitioned by two of our party, who had been completely overpowered by the cruel and unaccus- tomed heat of the tropical mid-day sun, to which we had been unavoidably exposed in consequence of the delay and slight confusion at starting inevitable on a first departure from the coast. The next morning at daybreak we prepared for the start of our first real march with the caravan and with all our belongings. The tents were struck, and then, in spite of all the care, the forethought, and the explanations which had been expended on the porters the preceding day, there ensued a scene of A DISMAL PROSPECT 33 squabbles, of confusion, and of abject helplessness on the part of two-thirds of the men, which caused our hearts to sink into the very soles of our boots as we thought of the long journey before us. The older and shrewder professional porters, who had been at this game before, at once seized and shouldered the lightest and most comfortable - looking loads, and marched boldly out of camp ; others w^ere endeavour- ing, with the hopeless awkwardness of inexperience, to fold up the tents into some portable shape ; others, again, w^ere feebly attempting, with the help of some very rotten -looking string, to fasten the bags containing their ten days' rations of coarse flour to the top of the loads wdiich they had to carry ; while some, probably the most weakly and the youngest of the lot, were not even pretending to do anything, but stared wdth idiotic dismay at the formidable-looking packages which had been left to them by their sharper companions, and to which they had to add the weight of their own rations. We at once sent messengers to stop the leading men, and the whole party was halted in a long line along the path about a quarter of a mile out of camp. Here every man w^as made to place his load on the path in front of him ; packages and men were rapidly counted and checked, and a re- distribution of loads more in proportion to the strength of the carriers w^as quickly effected ; headmen and overseers w^ere placed at intervals all along the line ; Major Owen, Captain Portal, and Dr. Moffat were told off to bring up the rear for the day ; and by eight o'clock the whole party of some 200 men, D 34 THE MISSION TO UGANDA including thirty of the Zanzibar soldiers who had been left by Lieutenant Arthur as our escort, was at last ready for a final departure. There now only remained the most painful part of the whole morning's duty — to say good-bye to General MatheW'S. There was not one of our party, even among those who had only seen him for the first time a few hours ago, who had not been fascinated by his kindly cheerfulness, his indomitable self- sacrifice, and his unfailing energy ; there was not one of us who did not wish that the General could accompany us to Uganda and back ; but for myself, to whom his sound common-sense, his honest advice, and his marvellous influence over all classes at Zanzibar, had been simply invaluable during the many months that we had spent working side by side during very critical times, I could only wish helplessly that I could find some words to express even a fraction of the gratitude and of the confused rush of feelings which made me speechless. How^- ever, the graceful facility with which any son of the Latin races would be able to clothe his sentiments in fitting and picturescjue words is denied to all but a favoured few of our tongue-tied and awkward nation, and our parting was what such partings always are between two English friends in any part of the world and under any imaginable circumstances, — a hearty grasp of the hand, perhaps rather more sustained than usual, and with an almost involuntary extra pressure at the end, and a simple " Good-bye, old fellow ! " After all, is this much less eloquent, or ON THE MARCH 35 does it convey much less meaning than the graceful phrases which have been unable to force their way through the confusion of real feeling, and to which one regrets half an hour later not to have been able to give utterance ? For a few minutes after the sio-nal had been ojiven to march all appeared to go w^ell at last, and the picture then displayed before us would have been ample compensation to any lover of the beautiful in Nature for all the trouble, the time, the storms, the sea-sickness, and the heat incidental to a journey into tropical Africa. The long line of white-clad and black-skinned porters, bearing on their heads loads of every colour, size, and shape, slowly winds in single file along the narrow path like a brilliant and gigantic serpent, now almost dazzling to look upon under the rays of the morning sun, now gliding in dark and mysterious silence through the cool shade of a wooded valley. All around the richly -clothed downs and park-like glades of pasture are dotted with clumps of mimosa thorns, interspersed with flowering shrubs of every hue, which shine like rubies and turquoises a2;ainst the dark and massive backg-round of some gigantic mango-tree ; the fan-palm thrusts its bristling head high into the air ; the frow^ning severity of the black rocks, which here and there break through the grassy covering of the hills, is softened by groves of graceful cocoa-nut palms, to whose swaying stems cling masses of the most lovely flowering orchids ; while the palms in their turn are compelled to bend their heads in unceasing homage before the ponderous 36 THE MISSION TO UGANDA strength of the mighty baobab, which on every emi- nence displays a bloated and unwieldy trunk, and, shak- ing itself clear from the festoons of creepers that try, as in mockery, to hide the ungainly nakedness, wildly stretches to heaven its distorted, gnarled, and leafless arms in a perpetual agony of despairing malevolence. There was, however, but little time for the enjoy- ment of Nature's picture-gallery, for after a few minutes' walking the line of porters began to lengthen ominously. While the leading men still stepped out briskly with their heavy loads, others began slowly to drop farther and farther to the rear. Badly-tied loads, consisting of perhaps three or four separate articles, came to pieces, and the inexperienced youths could not adjust their burdens in a comfortable position either on their heads or their shoulders ; they had not yet learned the older porters' trick of winding a good piece of cotton cloth tightly round their heads like the towering turbans worn by some Sikh regiments, in order to form a pad which keej)s the actual load several inches above their skulls. These pieces of cloth, some seven feet long by four wide, were served out to every porter and every soldier before leaving the coast ; by day they serve as a pad for his head while carrying his load, or, if he prefers it, as an additional garment in cold weather ; while for the night two of these cloths stretched on sticks and leaninsi: towards each other form an excellent little tent, under which the two owners can sleep in comfort and with less danger of fever from rain or dew. It would have been hopeless to have attempted GETTING INTO CONDITION 2>1 more than a very short march on this first day. We had made a late start and the sun was fierce, the men had not got accustomed to their loads, nor were these as yet quite fairly distributed ; both Europeans and natives were thoroughly out of condition, and would be liable to break down if severely pressed at first ; above all, it had to be remembered that since they had received their two months' advance of wages at Zanzibar the large majority of the porters had j^robably been endeavouring to get as much value out of the o o money as possible in the few days yet left to them. It was safe to assume that every rupee which they had saved from the clutches of the Zanzibar and Mombasa ladies had been spent in cramming inordinate quan- tities of food and drink into their stomachs, and that, consequently, for the last few days about three-fourths of my caravan had been in a comfortable state of perpetual intoxication.^ It was necessary to let all this work itself off by degrees ; no more drink would be obtainable this side of Uganda, so that the physical training of the men was only a question of a short time, and it was above all things necessary to bring them pretty fresh to the edge of a long waterless and desert tract which lay a few days' march ahead of us, and which had to be traversed in one long scrambling march of nearly forty miles. ^ In spite of the efforts that have been made, with purely humanitarian objects, to prevent the import into East Africa and the supply of spirits to the native, he is still able to satisfy his craving for alcohol with the fermented juice of the cocoa-nut palm, a liquor not less intoxicating ; while the European trader has ingeniously found means to evade the line of prohibition by flooding Africa with a cheap and most pernicious spirit under the disguise of Eau de Cologne. — Ed. 38 THE MISSION TO UGANDA On the first day, therefore, after a brisk walk of about six miles, we halted and camped at a place named Muachi, by the edge of some rather repulsive- looking water which, though apparently stagnant, feeds a slight stream, which eventually finds its way to the head of the great harbour of Mombasa (Port Reitz). The only thing worthy of note in connection wdth this camp is that although it lies within sixteen miles of Mombasa, the only means of crossing the deep, muddy water is aS"orded by a slippery, half- rotten, and twisted tree thrown from bank to bank, with no rail or artificial assistance, — difiicult enouoh to traverse in dry weather, but a veritable trap for the wary or the unwary during or after rain. We made an estimate that the amount of losses suffered by caravans at this place during any average month would have been more than equivalent to the cost of construction and maintenance of a sufficient bridge for several years. CHAPTER III The day's programme — Crossing the great Taro Plain — The first station of the East Africa Company — A splendid view of Mount Kilimanjaro — Bad news from Kikuyu — A flourishing Industrial Mission. Let not the reader be afraid, from the contents of the last chapter, that I am about to inflict upon him a detailed account of our 2^1'oceedings day by day, after the approved fashion of African travellers. The hours at which we rose, breakfasted, marched, and halted, were no doubt of great interest to ourselves at the time, and so also were our numerous petty difiiculties about porters, loads, food, and water ; but I can scarcely hope that a faithful recapitulation of all these episodes of daily life would rouse the interest of even the most enthusiastic inquirers into African matters at home. It is sufficient to say that after the first few days of comparative confusion, the whole machinery of the caravan began to work smoothly. Headmen and porters soon settled down in earnest to their respective duties ; the effects of coast-life, and especially of the final debauch, worked themselves off", the men's feet began to harden and their condition to improve, while the younger and 40 THE MISSION TO UGANDA more inexperienced porters soon learnt innumerable little tricks for tying up, packing, and arranging their loads in the most efficient manner, and at the same time in the most comfortable way for themselves. There were, however, an ominous number who still continued to Q;ive the rear-o-uard a good deal of trouble, and who were con- stantly throwing down their packs and sitting down by the wayside on every sort of real or imaginary pretext. Some of these were really too young or too weakly for the work they had to do, others were suffering, almost from the start, from sore feet and ulcerated legs, but there was also a fair proportion of genuine "malinger- ers" — men as strono; as donkeys, who simply calculated that by constantly dropping back to the rear, lying down by the road- side, shamming sickness, and so forth, they would succeed not only in escaping the necessary " fatigue duty" on arrival in camp, but that they would be SUDI BIN SULEIMAN, Native Headman of the Mission Caravan. THE DAY'S WORK 41 given lighter loads, or even allowed to loaf along for some days with no burden at all. The general routine of the day's work was as follows, and varied but little : — At 4.30 a.m. a drum was beaten, and the bugler of the Zanzibar soldiers sounded the reveille. Everybody then had to get up and hastily perform, in the dark, such toilet as might be thought necessary. While this was in progress the cooks were preparing some hot cocoa and porridge for the Europeans, which was devoured in immense quantities, and with hearty appetite, but in a hurry, between 5 and a quarter past. In the meantime the tent-boys were packing up the beds and bedding, closing and locking any boxes which might have been opened by their masters, and generally looking about to see that no articles of personal property were left behind. At the same time the porters told off to each officer were striking his tent, rolling it up tightly with its poles, pegs, ropes, and mallet in two loads, while others were eno-ao;ed in fastenino- their own little properties, spare clothes, bag of ration-Hour, etc., on to the loads M^hich they were to carry. By about 5.30 A.M. everything was usually ready for a start, the signal was given by sounding the drum, and away we went as soon as the first streak of dawn was strong enough to show us the path. During the first part of the journey it was found desirable to halt the whole party for a few minutes about half a mile out of camp in order to give stragglers and clumsy packers time to join the rest, and also in order to let the headmen and officers of the rear-guard make a thorough search 42 THE MISSION TO UGANDA through the deserted camp to see if any load had been hidden or inadvertently left behind. We discontinued this practice after the first three weeks. One of the Ensflish ofhcers was told off, in rotation, every day, for the wearisome and disagreeable duty of rear-guard. It was his business, with the assistance of a headman, to see every porter, load, and soldier always in front of him ; and it needs a few hours' personal experience of that task in order thoroughly to appreciate the amount of patience, good temper, and physical endurance which it demands. In the first place, it is always annoying to be the last man of a long column ; secondly, the trail of a large number of Zanzibar porters, in the clothes which they have worn unw^ashed for some weeks, who themselves last touched water, except for drinking purposes, perhaps many months ago, is by no means savoury in the early morning ; thirdly, within half a mile of starting there are probably a few men who have thrown down their loads and sitting by the wayside, swearing they are ill or lame. A hasty examination has to be made to see if the excuses are genuine or not : in the former case some arrangements have to be at once made for a substitute to carry the load, but in the latter, and far more frequent case, the " malin- gerer " has to be forced to shoulder his load again and urged forward to join the others. As the march goes on these events multiply, and, especially if the day be hot and the way long, it is by no means uncommon to come across a whole pile of loads lying by the way- side, and no carriers visible until a more careful search THE DAY'S WORK 43 discovers them peacefully sleepiog under a tree. It was customary, after walking^ about two or two and a half hours, for the officer in front to call a halt in order to rest the men, and to let the rear — by this time straggling a long way behind — close up again. The leading men now enjoy a good rest for perhaps nearly an hour, but not so the unfortunate officer of the rear-guard ; for his arrival is the signal for a fresh start, this time probably for a longer spell, to the place where it has been decided to camp. The average speed of marching was about two and three-quarter miles an hour, and as we covered 820 miles in sixty- six marching days, the amount of ground traversed averaged twelve and a half miles a day, which, I may observe, en parenthese, is far above the usual speed of heavily-laden caravans going up-country. As soon as we reached the halting-place, generally between 11 o'clock and mid-day, suitable sites were chosen for the tents, w^hich were at once pitched with the help of the Zanzibar soldiers. The camping-place for the porters was then marked out, cooks were set to work to boil water, make tea or coffee, and prepare luncheon ; men were despatched for water, and others for firewood ; every officer looked after his own tent and counted his loads as they came in ; the general stores, "trade -goods," etc., were checked off, and deposited in an orderly heap in the middle of the camp, and then covered with a large tarpaulin ; a strong " boma," or hedo-e of thorns, was made in which to enclose at night the donkeys or cattle accompanying us, and sentries were posted at such places as were 44 THE MISSION TO UGANDA thought suitable. After luncheon came the medical parade, at which the doctor had to spend a consider- able time in dressing ulcers, administering quinine, and generally examining and prescribing for all those who presented themselves for treatment. Meanwhile, if not too tired, some, at least, of us would go out shooting, returning at sunset for dinner with or with- out spoils of the chase, and by 9 o'clock most, if not all, of the Europeans were safely in bed and sleeping the sleep of healthy weariness. It would be difficult to imagine a more healthy life than this. Nothing stronger than coffee ever passed our lips except, perhaps, when the water was very hio;h-flavoured and of a o-reen or brown colour, an extremely diminutive allowance of whisky at bed- WA-DERUMA SETTLEMENTS 45 time ; our only enemies were sore feet and fever ; the weather was, on the whole, fine and pleasant, the nights cool, and the sun, after the first fortnight, not too hot ; the result was, therefore, that the " hardships of African travel," of which we had all read so much, resulted, for the most of us at least, in the develop- ment of an amount of streno;th and of an abnormal appetite to which we had long been strangers in more civilised life. It must not, however, be imagined that we had no troubles and no sickness in our party. We had our share of both, which shall be noticed later, and we even had cause more than once for grave anxiety ; but, on the whole, for those who really kept well, the routine above described was about as health-g-ivinof a course as any that could be prescribed by a physician. Even before the end of the first day's march, which I have endeavoured to describe in the last chapter, all signs of cultivation and of cocoa-nut plantations had disappeared. The country for the next fifty or sixty miles consisted of low undulating hills, covered with rank dry grass and stunted mimosa thorns, with a few small pools of extremely bad, thick, and stag- nant water at long intervals. Occasionally, in the neighbourhood of one of these pools, was hidden a small poverty-stricken native village, inhabited, near the coast, by the AVa-Deruma,^ and a little farther inland by the Wa-Nyika. Of these settlements and their inhabitants little need be said. Both were ^ In the Swahili language, the lingua franca of East Africa, inflexions take place at the beginning of the word. //'«- is the mark of the plural. — £d. 46 THE MISSION TO UGANDA cliaracterised by the extreme dirt and misery of their appearance ; the few scant patches of grain or cassava on which the people depended for their subsistence were ill-kept, and could yield barely sufficient for the sujDport of the villagers, certainly none for sale to passing travellers. The men carried a badly-made spear, with a small bow and poisoned arrows, and the clothing of men, women, and children alike consisted only of a single piece of very filthy and greasy cotton cloth, or an equally repulsive piece of hide. Neither men nor women showed any curiosity at our appear- ance, nor the slightest wish to enter into communica- tion with the caravan, but, at the same time, they were not particularly shy, and did not run away at our approach; they appeared to be harmless, amiable, lazy, and imbued with all the philosophy of stolid stupidity. These people, the nearest in point of distance to the coast and to European development, as repre- sented by the East Africa Company's headquarters at Mombasa, were morally farther removed from civilisa- tion and of a lower type of intelligence than any whom we met on the whole subsequent journey. Five days after leaving the coast we found our- selves face to face with the bugbear which had been O loomino[ before us ever since the start. This was a parched, waterless district, known as the " Taro plain," thirty-seven miles wide, extending from our camp at Taro, near a rock-hole full of green and almost putrid water, to a mountain named Maungu, in the blue distance, on whose extreme summit water is to be found during the greater part of the year. It was THE TARO PLAIN 47 necessary to traverse this distance in one march, it being impossible to add to the loads already carried the weight and bulk of all the water which would be required for two days' march under a tropical sun during the hottest season of the year. The existence of this waterless plain is indeed one of the principal reasons which has caused Arab and Swahili traders to avoid the caravan route from Mombasa, and, in preference, to run the risks of attack from various native tribes to which they are exposed, by using the road from Bagamoyo or Pangani through German territory. This is less to be wondered at when it is remembered that the water at Maungu, at the north- western end of this plain, is by no means a certainty, and that when that pool is dry the march has to be prolonged from thirty-seven to about forty-eight miles, — a very severe trial for a loaded caravan, and one which, it is to be feared, has already cost many lives. I am only stating a self-evident fact in saying that this road from Mombasa can never become the main outlet for the commerce of Central Africa, so long as, in this district at all events, the only means of transport are the heads and shoulders of human porters. It may be of some interest to give a brief account of our experiences during this march, which, it must be remembered, came upon us long before either the men or ourselves were in e;ood walkins; trim. Most CD o of us were rather stiff and weary from the un- accustomed exercise of the last few days, two of the officers and several of the men were pulled down 48 THE MISSION TO UGANDA by attacks of fever, and a large number, both of officers and men, were suffering from the blistered and ulcerated feet which are an almost inevitable consequence of the first few days' march under a tropical sun on a sandy path which burns like hot iron. Before leaving the coast we had heard a good deal about certain wells, said to have been dug by the Imperial British East Africa Company at a place named Butzuma, in the midst of the Taro plain, and, relying on these wells, we had hoped that perhaps the greater part of the difficulty of this march had vanished, and that we should be able to halt and rest for a night half-way across. All illusions were, however, dispelled on the evening of the 6th of January, by the arrival at our cam]) at Taro of a party of natives who had just crossed the plain, and who told us that there was not a drop of water at Butzuma, and even laughed at our ignorance for asking such a question. In order to escape some hours, at least, the thirst -producing sun, and as, fortunately, we could rely with confidence upon a fairly bright moon, it was decided to do as much as possible of the journey by night. The men were therefore given an idle morning to lie about in the shade till 11.30 a.m., when tents were struck and the column slowly began to wind along a dusty path through a thick scrub of prickly mimosa. Soon after starting we sighted our objective point, the Maungu Mountain, standing abrupt and high out of the plain in the blue distance, and I think that our A DESERT MARCH 49 hearts sank a little as we took note of its blueness and distant appearance. At mid-day down came tlie rain in a torrent such as is possible only in the tropics. Although this rather increased the difficulties of progression, and added materially to the weight of the loads, especially of the tents, the rain was received with sounds of welcome ; for, we argued, now that the water is runnino; off the rocks in little cascades, and that the path itself is churned by the feet of the leading men into a liquid slush, surely the Butzuma wells will be full of water, and we shall be able to camp there to- night and continue the march comfortably to-morrow morning. After marching for between five and six hours we arrived at an open space, in which were two small square thatched roofs on poles. This was Butzuma, and these little squares of thatch covered the cele- brated wells. The appearance of the place was not promising, and it was w^ith a sinking heart that I went to examine the " wells." What I saw there would have been ridiculous if the attendant circum- stances and the disa23pointment had not made it almost tragic : the much-vaunted wells consisted of two holes about eight or nine feet square by as many deep, covered over by a roof of grass-thatch in a state of considerable dilapidation ; but as for water, I think I may safely say that the bottoms of these wells were the only thoroughly dry spots in the whole country within a circumference of ten miles ! The afternoon was extremely oppressive and sultry, E 50 THE MISSION TO UGANDA and we were all in the undignified position of being short of water with wet boots and clothes, and were also beginning to feel already that we had had enough walking for one day ! The tail of the caravan did not arrive at Butzuma till after we had been there a full hour, and the men had already, in their usual improvident manner, drunk most if not all of the water contained in the tin water-bottles which had been served out to them at the coast. It was thought advisable to make as much progress as possible before dark, and so, after allowing a short rest for the rear party, w^e started ofl' ao;ain and marched till a little after sunset, i.e. for about an hour, and then stopped again. Even after this short spurt the tired rear lost a lot of ground, and did not appear till nearly an hour and a half after the leaders. Here we decided to wait till the moon should rise, and each of the Europeans contributed a little out of his water -flask into a common tea-pot, and we had some very refreshing tea and a biscuit, after which most of us got about two hours' sleep. At 11 p.m. the moon made her apj^earance, the tired men were kicked up somehow, loads were collected in the dark, in spite of the efforts of the " shirkers " to lose them, and once more we toiled along a pretty straight and good piece of road, which had recently been cleared for nearly ten miles by the orders of the East Africa Company. This time we struggled wearily along till 2.30 a.m., and then once more laid the seeds of future fever by lying on the ground for nearly an hour. At 3.15 a.m. A DESERT MARCH 51 we were off again, limping forward, but now very slowly and painfully ; all attempts at conversation had long ceased, and we felt inclined to regard a harmless remark addressed to any of us in the light of an insult. With our minds a blank, our eyes fixed on the steep sides of ]\Iaungu, which in the bright moonlight now really began to look a little closer, we could do nothing but feebly hope for the end, and wonder whether we should ever get in, while the only sounds were an occasional deep curse in English or Swahili, as either a booted or a bare foot tripped over a stone or a root in the dark shadows. From time to time the ghostly form of some antelope, or the uncanny outline of a hysena was seen crossing the path before us, or, with a hushed rustle of downy wings, some larse nio;ht-bird would almost brush our faces, but the general impression produced by this forest of dry thorny scrub was one of deep, solemn, weird silence. At 4.30 A.M. the straight and newly-cleared path came to an abrupt end, and now to our other troubles were added those of sharp thorn branches hanging- right across the road, which tore our faces, knocked the loads off the porters' heads, and caused additional loss of temper. At last, at 5 a.m., we arrived at a small clearing in the bush, and at the same time the first streak of dawn showed us each other's haggard faces. By mutual consent, and without a word being said, every one here threw himself once more on the ground for a little rest. The tail of the caravan strao-o-led in within an hour, and at 6 o'clock we THE MISSION TO UGANDA were off again for a last effort which should take us right in to Maungu. By this time I don't suppose there was a pint of water left in the whole caravan, so that nothing but harm could be done by further waiting. To increase our difficulties the path now became the most circuitous, the most overgrown with thorns, and generally the most unkempt that it has ever been my fate to experience even in Africa. Our objective point, Maungu Mountain, was clearly visible, bearing AV.N.W., but now we found ourselves marching sometimes due north, sometimes south, and some- times even in an easterly direction — never seeing more than ten yards along the path ahead of us, always dodging under branches, and wrestling with thorns two and even three inches long, and as sharp as needles. Nothing, I think, is so tiring, so thoroughly heart - breaking, as the feeling thus engendered that, in spite of all one's walking and toil, one is not really making much progress, and count- less were the anathemas hurled at the heads of the East Africa Company's authorities, as we realised how the expenditure of a few pounds, a few weeks' work for a few men, at any time during the five years that they have held their charter of adminis- tration, might have saved us all this trouble, might have cleared and straightened the road, and thereby shortened the wdiole of this accursed march by at least five miles. ^ 1 I must here state, as Sir G. Portal would himself have clone had he lived to revise these pages, that since this passage was written, a new road has been constructed by the patriotic enterprise of tlie late Sir W. Mackinnon, IN SEARCH OF WATER 53 At last, however, we began to ascend the foot of Maungu, and hoped our hdjours were at an end. Sharply, but in vain, we looked about for any signs of a watercourse or of a swampy piece of ground. Steeper and steeper became the path, till we felt that it only needed this ascent to break our hearts com- pletely. By this time there was nobody anywhere near me except a couple of soldiers and a cook bearing an empty kettle. Higher and higher we climbed, despair alternating with philosophical resignation, until at length, at five minutes past 9, we emerged on an open space where there were evident traces of former camps. This, I was informed, was our destin- ation. So far so good, and with a sigh of relief I sank down on the root of a tree, but where was the water ? The irony of the situation, and the com- pleteness of the "sell" devised by Nature, struck me as so successful that the answer only elicited a some- Avhat husky laugh : the water was at the extreme summit of the mountain, 1000 feet above the camping- oTound ! After a short discussion the two soldiers volunteered to go up and bring some water, and off they went, hung all round like Christmas-trees with the water-bottles of the men who had as yet arrived, and taking also the cook's empty kettle. For two more wearisome hours we had to wait, while a few more men dropped in, and then a shout of joy announced the return of the messengers, A very executed at his sole expense, and continued by the public spirit of his heirs, which remedies all the defects alluded to, shortens the distance considerably, and, passing to the east of Maungu, avoids the wearisome ascent now about to be described. Eeference is made to this work in chap. viii. — Ed. 54 THE MISSION TO UGANDA limited drink was all I could allow to either myself or the men who had arrived, and then v:e sent back more volunteers with water for the tired ones scat- tered along the road for many miles. At the same time a fatigue party of the strongest men was de- spatched to help their weaker companions and to carry their loads in for them. For the rest of the morning haggard and limping men came staggering into camp, and it w^as not till nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon that the whole caravan had arrived. There were many cases of exhaustion, and some of rather alarm- ing prostration that afternoon, but I am happy to be able to add that not one ended fatally, and that there was, moreover, not one man unable to continue the march next day. On the 9th of January we arrived, very stiff and tired, at a lovely spot at the foot of the Ndara Hills. Our camp was pitched in a grassy plain, shaded by magnificent trees, by the side of a sparkling stream of pure water which falls in a long silver thread from the summit of a lofty precipice, dashes proudly through the plain for a few hundred yards, and then loses itself suddenly in the thirsty soil. High in the precipitous mountains were hidden a few small villa o;es of the Wa-Teita, a peaceful, harmless people, who complained bitterly of the oppression which they had suffered at the hands of passing caravans. They were very short of food, their meagre fields of maize and millet were parched and bare, and they could sell nothing to us except a few sugar-canes. In order to give a much-needed rest to the men, we stayed the whole of "BUTTON" QUAIL 55 the next day at this pleasant spot, which gave an opportunity, to such of the officers as were not too footsore to move, for the production of guns and rifles of every calibre and every degree of modern perfection, in the anticipation of finding big game. The whole country was, however, too parched and dry ; the game, which is usually reported to be in this neighbourhood, had evidently moved off to richer plains nearer the Sabaki river, and but little was seen by any of our party except a few zebra, two of which were bagged and brought to camp. The doctor was also fortunate enough to shoot a somewhat rare and curious gazelle, with a long, swan-like neck and long tail, known as Clarke's gazelle [Ammodoreus Clarkei). AVhen bounding along, this creature bends its long neck backward and raises its tail over its back till they give the impression of a complete arch. I should add that not only all round our camp, but for miles in every direction, the plain was simply alive with small " button " quail. At every other step they were risingr in twos and threes, and it is no exao^o-era- tion to say that every acre of grass concealed hundreds of these excellent little birds. Powder and shot was, however, far too precious to be wasted on C[uails of any sort. For the next few days we pushed ahead without any adventure worth recording, crossing the Voi river, which entails nearly half an hour's walk through high rushes, water, and deep black mud of the most repulsive and odoriferous nature, and making gener- ally rather long and forced marches till we arrived 56 THE MISSION TO UGANDA at the Tsavo river, where the East Africa Company had established their first "station" on the road to Central Africa, 140 miles from the coast. Somewhat to our disappointment, we found that this post con- sisted of nothino- more than a mud house surrounded by a rough stockade of logs, in a dismal spot on the banks of the clear, quick-running Tsavo river, about twenty yards wide at this point. The Company's representative in charge of this station and of the sur- rounding district was a Portuguese half-breed youth of about seventeen years of age, who was apparently much depressed by the enforced companionship of a dozen " irregular" Arab soldiers, natives of the Persian Gulf and Hadramaut coast, deservedly looked upon at Zanzibar and alono: the shores of East Africa as beino' the veritable scum of the earth. At Tsavo we found a quantity of flour and rice which had been sent up from Mombasa for us a week previously. From this, ten days' rations, at the rate of a pound and a half per diem, were dealt out to each man. Two days afterwards, at a place named Kinani, notable chiefly for the thick, green colour and slimy character of its water, which lies in a marshy pool at the foot of a great mass of red granite rock, we obtained our first view of the mighty giant of East Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. Late in the afternoon we had climbed to the top of the rocks and searched the horizon for the two lofty peaks, 21,000 feet above the sea-level. Before us opened an apparently endless vista of bold, rugged mountains piled up one behind MOUNT KILIMANJARO 57 the other till their outlines were lost in the red mist of the distance. It was with some disappointment that we selected the hio[hest of these as l^eino- Kili- manjaro, and strove to make ourselves feel awe-struck and impressed with the grandeur of this monarch of a continent. But, as though the insult of this mis- taken identity were too great to be borne any longer, suddenly, just as the sun began to touch the broken line of the horizon, a hitherto imperceptible mist was rolled aside as a curtain mioht be drawn back, and hio-h above the hio-hest of those rido-es towered a o-leamino- mass of red-tinted snow and 1)lack rock. Frownino- down upon the now humbled mountains around him, as though to reprove them for daring thus to depreciate his majesty, the snow-clad tyrant determined to show himself in his best aspect. Against his gleaming shoulder the settino- sun nestled closer and closer : above and on eitlier side dense masses of cloud enclosed the picture, the bold, irregular outlines of their inward edges gleaming with scarlet, purple, and gold, until the snow of the twin peaks caught the reflection and transformed itself into the richest mantle of brilliant velvet and satin. Near us not a sound was heard, all Nature was silent, the tongue of even a Kifle Brigade subaltern was stilled ; spell-bound we gazed as slowly, tenderly, an imperceptible veil of mist was drawn before the face of the glory, gently and unwillingly, shrouding it as an Eastern Aphrodite dims her beauty with the transparent yashmak ; darker, heavier grew the veil, until we gazed, as before, into a confused sea of gray mist and black peaks in the middle 58 THE iMISSION TO UGANDA distance. Silently, and with a sigh as of relief from extreme tension, we turned away and wondered, was it real, this which we had seen ? After this incident our journey for a few days was most uninteresting. The road was fairly level, so that we managed to cover from twelve to fifteen miles every day, but there w^as no game, the country alternated hetw^een dense thorny scrub and sparse thorny scrub ; water w^as only found in j)ools at long intervals, and was either thick, green, strong-smelling, and full of little animals, or else thick, brown, and full of mud. After an animated discussion a committee of taste decided that the latter was, on the whole, the best for culinary and drinking purposes. During these days we met an officer of the Imperial British East Africa Company returning from Uganda to the coast. He drew for our edification a most dismal picture of the general state of affairs, and of the life led by Englishmen in Uganda; but, what was far more distressing, he also brought news of a mutiny of the Company's troops at Kikuyu, and of the death at that place of Captain Nelson, who had done such gallant service and had passed through such terrible sufferings during Mr. Stanley's expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha from 1887 to 1889. Apart from the sincere sorrow caused by the news, it also gave rise to some anxiety on our own account, as Kikuyu was the station on which we were relying for the collection of a sufficient quantity of food to support the whole caravan of porters and Zanzibar THE MISSION AT KIBWEZI 59 soldiers across a foodless tract of some 250 miles wliicli lay beyond that place. On the 18th of January we struck into an excellent and well-kept road, some ten feet wide, along which the men stepped out bravely. It led us for three or four miles through a lovely park-like country, over a clear, murmuring stream, to the station of the Scottish Industrial Mission at Kibwezi, about 200 miles from the coast. The road had indeed been cleared some months before for nearly thirty miles, but all the rest of it had unfortunately been allowed to become so overgrown with bushes and long grass that the track is almost imperceptible. As we approached this Industrial Mission evidences of its work and beneficent influence were apjDarent on every side. Fields were being cultivated, the natives 'were at work, and, standing with confidence to see our caravan defile, shouted out cheery greetings to the men. This was a refreshing contrast to the conduct of the inhabitants of a village only two marches back, who had fled with every sign of panic at the sight of a white man, and who, when with difliculty they were induced to come into the camp, poured out bitter complaints of the exactions, the ill-treatment, and the violation of domicile which they had suff"ered at the hands of travellers. At the Kibwezi Mission we were received with every possible kindness and hosj^itality, and a pleasant afternoon was spent in admiring the neatness of the gardens, the grass - built houses, the well - kept turf intersected by walks and hedges, and in noting with 6o THE MISSION TO UGANDA pleasure the trust and good-will shown by the natives of neio^hbourino^ villae^es. Althoug-h this Industrial Mission had only recently been established in the country — scarcely a year before — the progress it had made in the affections of the people, and the general good it had already effected in the neighbourhood, were really remarkable. The founders are to be congratulated on the success of their enterprise, which bids fair, if well supported, to rival in well- doino; its elder sister, the Lovedale Mission of Southern Africa. This establishment affords another proof, if such were needed, of the wisdom of introducing the true benefits of civilisation among natives, not in the time-honoured English fashion with a Bible in one hand and a bottle of gin or a Tower musket in the other, but by teaching simple, useful arts, or by inculcating an improved system of agriculture, the benefits of which, and the additional comforts thus acc[uired, are cjuickly noticed and appreciated by the imitative African. The ordinary African, by the way, is not half such a fool as he looks ; he appreciates as much as any one the advantages of a warm blanket on chilly nights, or of an iron hoe to replace his wooden spud in digging his little field ; and the man who can teach him how to earn these luxuries will obtain a proportionate influence over him. But even in Africa the general laws of supply and demand are as strong as anywhere else : it is useless to offer the ordinary tribesman wages to serve as a caravan- porter or as a coolie in some engineering work. The CIVILISATION 6i first he connects in his mind with heavy loads, sore and ulcerous shoulders, long marches, swearing head- men, and possibly a vision of a gang of poor fellows fastened together with chains; the second means to him continuous work, more brutal headmen, and probably over all a terrible white man with a long stick, freely used, and strings of loud oaths in a strange tongue. After careful consideration, the African comes to the conclusion that whatever may be the inducements offered in beads, wire, or even blankets, this sort of thing is " not quite good enough," He hates regular hours or anything approaching to discipline, but he is quite ready to improve his own material comforts, and even to work with that object in view, if any one will show him what to do and how to do it ; but as the very foundation of his nature is suspicion, he must first have confidence in his teacher. I have no wish to be led here into an essay on the means of disseminating civilisation in Africa : the whole question is a most complicated one and full of difficulties, and it has already formed the subject of several thousands of pages from fiir abler pens than mine. Theories of the most admirable nature have been laid down and clearly expounded ; books, pamphlets, speeches have proved to the world that the African native is a suffering martyr or that he is a demon incarnate, and treatment has been recom- mended accordingly. Africa certainly cannot com- plain of having received insufficient attention during the last few years, and yet it must be confessed that but little progress has been made excej^t in a few THE MISSION TO UGANDA isolated instances. It is to be feared that the shortcoming has been in the practice, the mise en execution of all the carefully-devised plans for the improvement of the lot of the negro. It is true that the long hide whip and chains of the white overseer are things of the past, and that slave caravans are now scarce, but it is to be greatly feared that the breechloader and the repeating rifles of the European officer and his half-disciplined troops are still emptied far too often in the cause of civilisation, and that the fire in which the African now finds himself is not much more comfortable than his former passive position in the fryiug-pan. All the theories, rules for guidance, and plans w^hich have been evolved on this subject, are useless if the first principles be forgotten ; the ordinary African native is a curious compound of suspicion, superstition, child-like sim- plicity, and mulish obstinacy : if he knows and trusts his leader he may be guided gently towards civilisation, may be made a useful member of society, and even a Christian, but he will resist with the whole force of his nature any attempts to kick him from behind into comfort or into heaven. CHAPTER IV The scene of a Masai raid — Our first rliinoceros — Arrival at Machakos — Victualling the caravan — On the war-path — I bag a lion — The "Wa-kaniba tribe and warriors — The Wa-Kikuyu. At Kibwezi ]\Iajor Owen had a sharp attack of gastro- intestinal catarrh, but, fortunately, it was possible to get him out of his tent and into a comparatively warm and comfortable house, and as the next day's march w^as to be a short one of only about six miles, he had a long morning's rest, at the end of which he was sufficiently recovered to be able to accompany the caravan on one of the invaluable ponies. Regretfully we turned our backs on the hospitable mission-house, where we had enjoyed the luxuries of fresh milk, butter, bread, glasses, clean tablecloths, and wine, to which we had been strangers since leaving the coast, and unwillingly we felt compelled to turn a deaf ear to the petitions of the men, who clamoured for a day's rest on the plea that they were being worn out by travelling at this unprecedented pace. As though to confirm the justice of their dismal forebodings, almost immediately after crossing the Kibwezi river we entered upon two or three miles of the worst bit of road which we had 64 THE MISSION TO UGANDA the misfortune to encoimter during tlie whole journey. Loose shibs and lumps of lava piled one above the other, with points like needles and edges like razors, cut our Loots into ribbons, and reduced the already limping caravan to a sorry plight. Several extinct craters, visible in a range of hills on our west flank, showed clearly the origin of this lava, which was satisfactory from a geological point of view, but of little consolation to a porter with sixty-five pounds on his head and with bleeding feet, or to the officer who sadly watched the dissolution of what was of more value to him than its weioht in oold — his precious pair of boots. So far our experience of Africa as a country for sport, or indeed for anything except rank grass and stunted thorn bushes, had been most unfavourable. We had walked over 200 miles, and except for the very few beasts shot hy those who were well enough to go out at Ndara a fortnight ago, we had not even seen any four-footed animal larger or more dangerous than a well-oTown field-mouse. The oeneral im- pression was gaiuiug ground that African shooting was " a fraud," that big game was a myth, and that former travellers had been addicted to romance. I may as well say at once, that long before we reached the end of our journey we acknowledged that on two of these points our fears were not justified. On 20th January, two days after leaving Kibwezi, we entered what really looked like a more promising country. Over rolling hills and open grass -land dotted with fine trees, we travelled through an A COUNTRY FOR GAME 65 immense j^ark. At a mid-day halt for luncheon we counted over a hundred hartebeest and a dozen ostriches within a mile of us ; later in the afternoon we passed two herds of that most beautiful of all animals, the "Grant's gazelle" [G. Grantii), besides several little " Kirk's o-azelles." On every side were tracks of giraffe and rhinoceros, but I do not think that any of our j^arty saw either of these animals. Unfortunately, we had but little time for stalking or shooting this day : we had to do a march of over seventeen miles, and it was therefore impossible to stray very far from the path without having to make up a most disagreeable amount of "lee-way" after- wards. A couple of hartebeest {Bubalis CoJcei) and a Kirk's gazelle were, however, collected on the march and formed a most welcome addition to the meagre fare of the men, hardly any of whom had tasted meat since we left the coast. As we neared the camping-place we noticed that some of the old hands among the men began to point significantly to the remains of a disused " boma" or thorn fence near the path, and to tell some tale evi- dently of a thrilling nature, in connection with the place. On inquiry, we learnt that at this spot, only four months ago, a caravan of Swahili traders Avere peacefully encamped for the night, dreaming of no danger, but congratulating themselves on approach- ing the end of their journey after an absence of more than a year. They had l)uilt the "boma" as an en- closure for their donkeys and cattle, but the men were confidently sleeping in the open ground outside. F 66 THE MISSION TO UGANDA Suddenly, at midnight, they were rudely awakened by a din as of the infernal regions. By the fitful firelight, as they started up, they caught a vision of immense weird forms, apparently above the height of men, tow^erino: hig-h above whose heads were strange ' CD O O shapes and devices — horns of antelopes and of cows, crowns or halos of lonsj eaole-feathers, the skins and grinning heads of monkeys, of leopards, and of cats, and as they moved there was a clash of many bells attached to their thighs, knees, and ankles ; like demons these hu^e forms flitted and bounded about between the fires, while the light glanced from off their strano;e head-o;ear, their charters and anklets of bells, from great shields painted with patterns of red, black, and white, and, above all, from mighty spears seven feet high, with keen broad blades of nearly half their lenoth. Not for long were the unfortunate Swahilis and coast-traders allowed to gaze in terror on these sights ; barely had they time to realise that these tall and active forms were not ghosts or intangible visitors of any kind, but veritable Masai warriors in all their war dress, and that the hideous noise meant that their peaceful camp was the scene of a midnio;ht Masai raid, when amid the shouts and clash of bells was heard the dull thud of sharp iron cuttino- into flesh and breakino; through bone, and the ghoulish, triumphant laughter which burst from the leaping warriors was mingled with more than one despairing shriek, startling the prowling hyaenas more than a mile away, but ending too often in an in- articulate o'uroie as the broad blade crashed from A MASAI RAID 67 breast-bone to spine. One shot only was heard, one Masai rolled on the ground, and one man of the doomed caravan had time to seize his gun, plunge into the friendly darkness of the bush, and escape, eventually reaching the coast with a tale of having alone resisted and vanquished a war party of 100 Masai after all his companions had been killed. Long before daylight the camp was silent, the " boma " had been opened, and the cattle driven off. The warrior band were already many miles away when the sun rose on the scene, and revealed a confused heap of broken bales, scattered boxes, and distorted corpses, through whose gaping wounds the life-blood was still welling as gaunt, mangy hyaenas fought and snarled and tore the warm limbs asunder with their jaws of iron. Not having the least desire for any similar ex- perience, we made a formidable "boma" round our €amp that night on the banks of the Kiboko (Hippo- potamus) river, posting at suitable places round the camp pickets of Zanzibari soldiers, who took measures for ensuring the safety of the whole party by lighting- great fires, by shouting out " Halt ! who goes there ? " to the immense astonishment of any porter happening to stray near them for the next hour, and by then going comfortably to sleep for the rest of the night, with the complacent consciousness of having done as much duty as could reasonably be expected of them. The next day was rendered famous for the death of our first rhinoceros, which happened in this wise. After the day's march was over and the camp 68 THE MISSION TO UGANDA arranged, Major Owen, accompanied by a native boy, was pensively strolling with a rifle up a narrow, sandy, dry watercourse fringed on either side by dense thickets of thorny bush on high banks. Bounding a corner he found himself face to face with a hug;e rhinoceros, sauntering with equal deliberation towards him, and only ten or fifteen paces distant. Both were at first equally startled by the encounter, and stopped for a few seconds to look at each other. The rhinoceros, after pondering over the matter, evidently had no desire for a further acquaintance, and began to turn his unwieldy carcass round in the narrow path. This offered a fair side shot, of which the gallant Major took prompt advantage, and in another moment the huge brute lay like a great boulder across the torrent -bed. Durino- the same after- noon I, strolling similarly in search of adventure, happened to strike on fresh rhinoceros tracks at some distance from this spot. Following the spoor I soon came upon unmistakable proofs that the beast could not be more than a very short distance ahead, and every faculty and nerve was therefore kept at full tension. Soon I heard a oreat crashing and cracklino- O O O of bushes close to the right-hand side, where a small game track debouched on to the stream-bed which I was following. Down behind a rock sank my boy and myself, nearer came the crashing and crackling, rifle was held ready, and our eyes vainly tried ta pierce the blackness of the jungle. At last, to judge from the sound, the animal, whatever it was, could scarcely be ten yards from our ambush, and in CUTTING UP A RHINOCEROS 69 another second would give a fair shot. A louder tearing of thorns than usual was followed by an angry snort, clearly proving that it was no animal of the antelope species Ijefore us, when suddenly I was considerably startled by this angry snort being followed by a very distinct and articulate sound, in which we recoo-nised the three oood Ang;lo- Saxon words, " D these thorns ! " For the second time that afternoon, as we advanced from our hiding- place, the Major was startled by an unexpected en- counter in the bush. He then conducted me to the place where his rhinoceros lay dead across the path ; the tracks which I had been followino; for so lono- led up to the carcass, and then ceased. By this time the news of the dead rhinoceros had reached camp, where, as nothing in the shape of meat is unwelcome to the stomach of a Swahili porter, except ostrich, lion, and hyaena, it was received with shouts of joy. In a marvellously short space of time the ominous number of patients who were waiting their turn for treatment outside the doctor's tent had dwindled down to two or three genuine sufferers, and soon a solid mass of half-naked men, all flourishino; long knives and yelling at the top of their voices, was tearing across country in the direction of the carcass. The scene which ensued on their arrival defies description. In the twinkling of an eye the armour- like hide of the beast was ripped open in a dozen places ; great lumps of dark, coarse, repulsive-looking flesh were being hacked and torn off ; knives dripping with blood were oieamino- slashino', and dio^o-ino- in 70 THE MISSION TO UGANDA the most dangerous way in every available sjjot ; men behind were pushing and trying to climb over or force their way under their more fortunate com- rades in front ; others were thrusting their long sharp weapons over the shoulders and between the leo's of their rivals : several, drenched with blood and offal from head to foot, were standing and struggling actually inside the carcass ; porters, who during the morning had either carried their loads cheerfully and with quaint songs along the road, or who had whin- ingly tried to shirk their duty by complaining of sore feet or stomach-ache, were now transformed by the sio'ht of meat and the smell of blood into an assemblao-e of wild beasts. The whole scene was instructive, but absolutely sickening, A pack of fox-hounds breaking up a fox were tame lap-dogs in comparison to these men. I could think of nothing in the annals of the human race to which they could be likened, unless it were Carlyle's description of the Megseras of the French Eevolution. Without further adventure we ended a long and tiring march on the 22nd of January, at the Com- pany's station at Nzoi. The station itself consisted of a small hut, inhabited by an elderly Swahili, who was assisted in his duties by a small boy. These duties consisted in taking care of certain stores of food which were occasionally sent there for the sup- ply of the East Africa Company's caravans. All the way from Kibwezi the country had been gradually improving in appearance, but from Nzoi its char- acter underwent a complete change. We now entered THE WA-KAMBA RACE 71 the mountainous district of Ulu, well watered, densely populated, and extensively cultivated with Indian corn, sugar-cane, potatoes, and beans. Here, too, for the first time we began to complain of the cold at night, and found in the morning that the men were most unwillinof to leave the neisjhbourhood of their fires. The pleasures of starting to march at sunrise in a heavy wet mist under these circumstances were not increased by the fact that for the greater part of two days' journey our road lay along the course of a mountain torrent, up which we had to wade against a swift stream, sometimes on soft, yielding sand, and sometimes over loose stones or great boulders of rock. Although the nights and early mornings were so cold, the heat of the sun later in the day was very oppressive in the deep gully up which we travelled : the rays were refracted from every rock, no breeze could penetrate into the gorge, and as we marched along we felt our heads almost splitting and the skin being scorched from our backs, while our nether limbs were ploughing through the icy water. The j)eople of the far-reaching Wa-kamba race appeared to be industrious, friendly, and intelligent, but it was not pleasant for an English- man to notice that at the first sight of a European, these people, living on the main caravan road of British East Africa, fled with shrieks and with every sio;n of terror. AVhen some of the neiohbourinsf chiefs had, with some difficulty, been induced to visit our camp, we were the recipients of a string of bitter complaints against caravans which had 72 THE MISSION TO UGANDA previously passed along tliis road, and long stories were told us of burnt villages, looted cattle, and of volleys poured into flying crowds. Into the merits of such stories it is outside the scope of this account to enter, and I would only remark that Africans are wonderfully good hands at making a big business out of a small one, and that native evidence can seldom be taken au j^zVc? de la lettre. After a steady ascent of four days from Nzoi, for the most part over rounded grassy hills and through a pleasant country, we saw in the morning of the 26th of January the Company's flag flying over a strong, well-built fort and stockade, surrounded by a ditch and wire entano-lement enclosino; a well- arranged collection of good buildings and an orderly garden. This w^as the station of Machakos, 300 miles from the coast, and 4500 feet above the sea- level. Around the station crowds of Wa-kamba were walking about in the most friendly and confident manner, herds of cattle were grazing, and the whole scene was a picture of peace and prosperity in which the frowning stockade, ditch, and armed sentries stood forth in strong contrast. Our eyes and ajDpe- tites were agreeably tickled by the sight of trim beds bright with well-known English flowers of every kind, side by side with a flourishing kitchen- garden well filled with lettuce, cabbages, beans, green peas, and all sorts of luxuries to which we from Zanzibar and the coast had long been strangers. Greedily we were anticipating the pleasures of a much-needed day of rest in this delightful spot, when MACHAKOS 11 our joy was eflfectually clamped by the news that the main body of the caravan under Mr. Foaker had indeed arrived safely at the Company's station at Kikuyu, but only to find a state of war existing between the Company and the surrounding native tribes. Not an ounce of food could be collected there by love, money, or force. For their daily sustenance the Company's people were sending out foraging parties to dig potatoes in the fields of the natives, to cut down their suo-ar-canes, or to drive in their cattle. It was not surprising, under these cir- cumstances, that Mr. Foaker's invitation to the tribes to come forward and sell food for our caravan had remained without effect, and that he had conse- quently been unable to make any preparation of any sort for the 280 miles of foodless country which lay before us. Fortunately, at Machakos there was both peace and plenty : had we arrived during one of the not unfrequent " tiffs " between the Company and the neighbouring Wa-kamba, the chances of the Expedi- tion reaching Uganda before the evacuation of the olst of March would have been small indeed. As it was, with the energetic help of ]\Ir. Ainsworth, the Company's local representative, about 400 loads of fiour were collected like magic; 100 natives agreed to carry loads to Kikuyu on condition that we undertook to escort them back again ; we were able to engage the services of all the porters and donkeys of a Swahili caravan which happened to be stopping at Machakos on its way to the coast ; and thus, by leavino- behind all the otlicr ofticevs witli tlieir tents 74 THE MISSION TO UGANDA and baggage, and impressing their porters into the food -carrying service, Colonel Rhodes, the doctor, and I were able to start at daybreak next morning with a long string of people carrying nearly 500 loads of flour. To the reader unaccustomed to African travel this amount will no doubt appear excessive for the re- quirements of a caravan, unless he will give himself the trouble to do a short sum in simple addition and multiplication. The problem before us was this : we had a caravan consisting of some 400 porters and 200 soldiers, in all 600 hungry stomachs, to lead across 280 miles of uninhabited country, throughout which not a spoonful of food of any sort could be procured except such game as might be shot by the Europeans. To every man was allowed a pound and a half of coarse flour ^967* diem — a small enough quantity on which to walk twelve miles a day over a cold and mountainous country with a load weighing from 60 to 70 lbs. on his head; the caravan would thus consume 900 lbs. of flour a day, or 22,500 lbs. in 25 days; adding to this the very small allowance of 250 lbs. for loss from leaking sacks, from rain, from flooded rivers, or any of the thousand and one acci- dents which happen to such goods in such a country, we thus had to start from Kikuyu with at least 22,750 lbs. of flour, in addition to all the other loads, which already seemed as much as the men could man- age to carry. The difficulty was no slight one ; some of the strongest men might perhaps be able to bear an extra weiofht of some 20 lbs., but if we were to over- LIGHTENING THE CARAVAN 75 load the whole caravan we should not only incur a charge of cruelty, but should also run a grave risk of defeating our own object by breaking down the men, or by " breaking their liearts " in a way that is fatally familiar to many an owner of gallant horses con- demned to run under the " top weight" in handicaps. To increase the number of men was out of the question ; no more were procurable in these countries, and in any case this would only have added to the difficulty by doubling the number of mouths to l)e fed. Our only hope was in donkeys, which by East African custom are supposed — though, as we after- wards discovered, most erroneously — to be able to carry a weight equal to two men's loads, i.e. 130 lbs., and to pick their own living by the wayside. We had relied on being able to procure a sufficient number of these animals at Kikuyu, and in ordinary times should no doubt have been able to do so, but what were our prospects now that we learnt that the Kikuyu tribes were practically holding the Company's station in a state of siege ? It appeared as though our only chance of reaching Uganda in time lay in leaving nearly all the officers to kick their heels in idleness for two months at Machakos, while one or two of us pushed forward with all their porters laden with food. It will be readily understood that it was with no little anxiety that we said good-bye to those who were to remain behind, as we turned our faces towards the distant blue mountains which rose from the plain between us and Kikuyu. As though to compensate us for our somewhat 76 THE MISSION TO UGANDA gloomy situation, the road from Macbakos to Kikuyu lay tliroiigli some of the most delightful country that it is possible to conceive, and absolutely at variance with all accepted notions about Equatorial Africa. As we walked along that morning over rich pastures and rolling downs, breathing mountain air exhilarating as that of the Scottish Highlands in August, the flag- ging spirits of the men, somewhat sulky at having been defrauded of their promised rest, rose at every step, until great herds of antelope were seen galloping away as the echoes were roused by some ringing — and usually obscene — Swahili chorus. As we sat that night in greatcoats round a blazing fire, we agreed that it would be impossible to feel ill in this district, and that if only communications with the coast were a little simplified, as they easily could be, no life could be more delightful than that of the first European settlers on these plains, with magnificent scenery on every side, clear streams of water, a prac- tically unlimited extent of the richest pasture, any amount of what is now probably the best and most varied shooting in the world, and a complete immunity — at least for the present — from telegrams or " inter- views," circulars or companies, dinner-parties or duns. Next morning, wishing to get some shooting before all the a;ame within a ten-mile circle should have been scared by our noisy caravan, I started with a single gun-bearer about an hour before sunrise, and groped my way ahead through a heavy Scotch mist. After about three hours' walking, during which ghostly forms of horns and heads had occasionally shown ON MISCHIEF BENT 77 themselves as a rattliiio- of hoofs announced the in- visible vicinity of great herds of hartebeest or of the " Grant's gazelle," a sudden rift in the mist revealed to us that we were nearing a steep grassy hill. It disclosed at the same time a sioht which caused my boy and myself to drop in our tracks as though we were shot, and to lie prone on our stomachs in the grass. Less than a quarter of a mile ahead of us a lono- strino; of natives in sins^le file was crossino" our ]:)ath at rio-ht anoies to it. A sino-le oiance showed LOO 00 US that this was no peaceful trading-party ; no women were visible, no sheep or goats, nobody carried a load, but we clearly saw that every man was fully armed ; brio'ht blades flashed throuoh the mist, a lono: bow was in every right hand, and a full quiver of poisoned arrows hung at every back. Swiftly and silently these warriors, on mischief bent, defiled before us as we crouched on the plain ; 550 men we counted, and then the long procession passed slowly out of sight round the shoulder of a hill. As the last orlitterino- spear disappeared we rose to our feet with a sigh of relief and looked back for any signs of the approach of our caravan. Hardly, however, had we turned our heads when our nerves were destined to receive another shock. At less than thirty paces from us, flat on their stomachs as we had been, watching us as we had been watching the native war-party, were three lions, whose tails were wickedly thrashing down the grass behind them as they appeared to be weigh- ing the question of attack or retreat. Fortunately my gun-bearer was a sturdy, plucky youth, and not 78 THE MISSION TO UGANDA a native of Zanzibar, who would probably have turned and fled and left me weaponless ; he remained motion- less as he gently, almost imperceptibly passed a loaded rifle into my hands. As I raised the gun to my shoulder the three lions sprang up together, and I am ashamed to confess that a somewdiat hasty shot resulted in a clean miss ! The second barrel, however, produced the dull thud of a bullet penetrating flesh and bone, but to my intense annoyance there was no apparent efi'ect on the lions. These animals simul- taneously took tW'O bounds forward, and again h.alted and crouched, while I was hastily ramming in a couple more cartridges. Before I had time to load they were up again, and ofi" at full speed, but this time in the opposite direction. As soon as possible I prepared for a parting shot at the last of the three, but to our astonishment, before I touched the trigger, the lion suddenly turned a complete somersault, and then lay on the plain motionless. On running up w^e found the beast quite dead, with the clear track of my second bullet in at one side and out at the other, clean through the very middle of his heart ! Since receiv- ing this wound, from an express '577 solid bullet, the brute had charged forward about ten yards, had crouched, risen again, and bounded away for nearly a hundred paces ! When at last the caravan arrived on the scene, a few inquiries from the local natives wdio were carry- ing flour elicited the information that the war-party which had passed us consisted of the warriors of all the AVa-kamba villaaes round Machakos, who were WAR AND PEACE 79 bound on a great raiding expedition against their hereditary enemies the Masai. It struck us, not un- naturally, as being somewhat remarkable that nothing should have been known of this expedition by the British Company's representative, from whom we had parted the jDreceding day, and who was, theoretically at least, in charge of the administration of the whole of this district. These Wa-kamba, who thus dare to attack the dreaded Masai in their own country, are a somewhat interesting race. Not many years ago they were almost unknown outside a small district on the Ulu Hills, but while all neio^hbourinGi; tribes have been exterminated or scattered far and wide beyond the ever-increasing radius of the Masai raids, the AYa- kamba have been able to hold their own, and are now, as we have seen, beginning even to assume an aggressive attitude. They are a fine, active, well- grown race of a dark brown colour, and, probably, of purely African origin. Their men, though not so tall as the gigantic Masai warriors, are frequently quite six feet in height, and present a grand picture of muscular development. They appear to combine, to a desfree unusual amono; East African tribes, the instincts and tastes of a pastoral and of an agri- cultural people ; and while we had practical experi- ence of the ease with which the villages round Machakos could, at a moment's notice, supply us wdth about eight tons of grain and flour, we saw their hill slopes covered with great flocks of goats and sheep, intermino^led with not a few cows. The terrible 8o THE MISSION TO UGANDA epidemic which two years ago destroyed nearly every head of cattle, all the wild buffaloes, and most of the wildebeest in East Africa, did not spare the Wa- kamba, who told us that they had then lost every bull and cow belonging to their tribe ; but whether by honest purchase, or, as is more likely, by success- ful raids, they appear to have succeeded in again collecting a small stock for breeding purposes. Although the climate in their hills is often ex- tremely cold, and made both ourselves and our porters very loath to leave our beds at sunrise, the men of this tribe wear but little clothing, being usually content with a short apron of hide slung in front of them, supplemented sometimes by a similar apron behind. I observed, however, that in the principal villages near the caravan road some of the chiefs had already taken to wearing far warmer draperies of cotton cloth, and I have no doubt that should traffic throuoh their districts be at all developed, in a very short time both men and women will barter the corn far more eagerly for cloth than they now do for blue beads or for small round looking-glasses. Apropos of looking- glasses, an assemblage of Wa-kamba warriors under the morning sun is literally one of the most dazzling spectacles to be seen in this continent. No article of civilisation is more prized than a small circular mirror, about two inches in diameter, and framed in some gilt metal, the whole thing costing at the coast about twopence. Every warrior who respects him- self possesses one of these articles of luxury, which he fastens with a strinof of blue beads to the centre A NATIVE WARRIOR 8i of liis forehead. Then, when he has decorated his arms, legs, neck, and waist with many coils of brilliantly - polished iron or brass wire, and has smeared his sleek body with a thorough coating of castor-oil, he can stalk proudly about in the bright sunlight like an animated heliograph. The arms of the full-o;rown Mkamba consist of a good-sized bow with a full quiver of poisoned arrows, a straight, spatulate - shaped sword, and sometimes, but not often, an oblong shield of thick hide. This tribe is almost the only one I know in Africa which despises the spear as an offensive weapon, and pre- fers to rely exclusively on poisoned arrows, with the sword for use at close c[uarters or for despatching the wounded. It goes without saying that with the bow and arrow they are extremely expert and power- ful marksmen. The expenditure of a couple of cartrido-es to kill a brace of the huo;e kites which always hover around a camp is well compensated by the gratitude of a whole tribe of Wa-kamba, who prize the strong and wiry feathers of these birds above all others for bindins^ on to the shafts of their poisoned arrows. These people apjDcar to be some- what more prolific than most of their neighbours ; the number of children to be seen in their villao-es is considerable, and both men and women carefully eschew various articles of diet, amono- others eoo-s of any kind or in any form, which are supposed to induce sterility. More probable and practical reasons for their increasing population are that they live in a bracing climate, and above all, that they appear to G THE MISSION TO UGANDA practise but few of the horrible customs of infanticide, of executions for supposed witchcraft, and of public murders for various superstitious reasons, which year by year, and month by month, stain the soil of the continent with the blood of so many thousands of victims among the neighbouring tribes throughout almost the whole extent of British and German East Africa. The result of the expedition, of which I had witnessed the march on the morning of the 28th of January, we never heard. Having been secretly planned and organised it was probably unexpected by the Masai, and therefore successful; but the chances are that at least a dozen or twenty of the warriors who defiled before me in the early morning mist were before the next sunrise lying stiff, with an enormous e^ash in their breasts from a broad-bladed Masai spear, or were already torn in pieces and scattered over the plain by a scuffling mob of strong- jawed hysenas. The modus procedendi in these Wa-kamba raids is nearly always the same : on ap- proaching the village or district to be attacked, the whole party is divided into two bodies, of which the stronger creeps silently round to the rear of the unconscious enemy's position, while, after an interval to enable their companions to reach their allotted station, the other party makes a sudden and noisy rush, with much whooping and yelling, at the princi- pal gate. The attack is generally made either at nioht or with the first streak of dawn. While the Masai warriors seize their great spears and rush out A WA-KAMBA RAID to engage the attacking party in hand-to-hand com- bat, the women, children, cattle, and old men stream out of the back of the village, to seek shelter in the bush or in some neighbouring and perhaps stronger kraal. These, of course, all fall into the arms of the hidden Wa-kamba of the main body, who rapidly knock the old men on the head, despatch or neglect the children, seize all the women, girls, and cattle, and hurry off with their booty, giving a signal to their friends, who are maintaining the fierce combat with the warriors, that the object being successfully accomplished they may now retire with all speed from the fight. The whole party then return as quickly as possible to their own country, and the Masai women and girls, if they are not sold to some Swahili slave-trader, settle down to be mothers of Wa-kamba children, with the same material philo- sophy and animal contentment that they had pre- viously displayed among their own people. A retaliatory raid would surely follow an episode of this sort, but the Wa-kamba villages are perched in safe positions on precipitous hills ; they are not so easily attacked, and they keep good sentries. The Masai have more than once burnt their fingers severely in attempting to exact their revenge. For two days we continued to march across the magnificent plain of pasture ; the Athi river by which it is watered was fortunately low, and ofi"ered no serious difficulty, and such was the abundance of game, that we three Europeans — Colonel Rhodes, Dr. Moff'at, and myself — had no difficulty in furnishing an 84 THE MISSION TO UGANDA ample supply of meat for the whole crowd of our 600 followers. Among other beasts four rhinoceroses were killed — two of them by Colonel Rhodes with the new army Lee-Metford rifle and its microscopic bullet. On comparing notes in the evening, we found that we three had, collectively, seen during the day specimens of the following animals, some of them singly, and some of them in many hundreds : rhinoceros, buffalo, hippopotamus, lion, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, hartebeest ; Gazella Grantii, Tliomsoni, Kirhii ; pah, mpallah, hare ; geese, guinea-fowl, florican, partridge, and snipe. There are, I imagine, but few other spots left in the world where nineteen different sorts of game animals may be seen in one day. On the morning of the 30th January we left the open plain and plunged into the darkness of a dense belt of forest, which forms the natural boundary of the regions inhabited by the treacherous, cunning, and usually hostile people of Kikuyu. Warned by the state of affairs which we had heard was prevailing at the Company's fort in this district, we were care- ful to keep all our people close together, every man within a couple of paces of his neighbour. One Euro- pean marched in front, one in the rear, and one in the middle of the long line. The Wa- Kikuyu, as we knew, seldom or never show themselves, or run the risk of a fight in the open, but lie like snakes in long o-rass, or in some dense bush within a few yards of the line of march, watching for a gap in the ranks, or for some incautious porter to stray away or loiter a few yards behind ; even then not a sound is heard ; THE WA-KIKUYU 85 a scarcely perceptible " twang " of a small bow, the almost inaudible " whizz " of a little arrow for a dozen yards through the air, a slight puncture in the arm, throat, or chest, followed, almost inevitably, by the death of a man. Another favourite trick of the Wa- Kikuyu is to plant poisoned skewers in the path, set at an angle of about forty-five degrees, pointing towards the direction from which the stranger is expected. If the path is much overgrown or hidden by the luxuriant growth of long grass, these stakes are some- times of much greater length, and so pointed that they would pierce the stomach of any one advancing towards them. Keeping a sharp look-out for these delicate attentions, our progress was inevitably slow, but at length we arrived without further adventure at the strong stockade, ditch, brick houses, and well- guarded stores known as Fort Smith in Kikuyu, above which was floating the Company's flag. CHAPTER V A state of siege at Kikii3'u — An ivory caravan — We push on for Uganda — The game-abounding prairies of Lake Naivaslia — First introduction to Masai warriors — The Masai tril^e — The Salt Lake of Ehnenteita — Hartebeest and antelope — An African forest. At Kikuyu Fort we found Lieutenant Arthur and Mr. Foaker in excellent health, and evidently thriving on the superabundance of good thiugs produced by the admirable garden which was tended as the apple of his eye by Mr. Purkiss, the Company's representa- tive in charge of the station, and which, for the variety, the abundance, and the general excellence of its produce, would put to shame many of the kitchen gardens that are the pride of English country houses. Here, too, we met Mr, Martin, a caravan-leader in the Company's service, who had just arrived from Uganda with a large caravan, laden principally with some £8000 worth of ivory. It was satisfactory to learn from this gentleman that when he left Uganda, some seven weeks before, all had been apparently quiet in that country, and that he had experienced no unusual difficulties in the countries through which he had passed. The great stack in the midst of Mr. Martin's camp, of about 15,000 lbs. of ivory, was a AN IVORY CARAVAN 87 curious and interesting sight, and one which could now be nowhere seen out of East Africa. It gave a better idea than could be gained by any amount of reading, both of the immense numbers of elephants which are wandering about the liead waters of the Nile, and of the terrible slaughter of these animals which is annually, daily, taking place in order that GROUP FROM A CARAVAN PREPARING TO START WITH IVORY. Europe and America may be supplied with billiard balls and piano-keys. Many of the tusks were over 70 lbs. in weight, and one magnificent piece of ivory pulled the scale at 140 lbs. For our edification, Mr. Martin had a parade of his "strong men," viz. the men who were carrying the heaviest tusks on the journey. At his call, some twenty grand specimens of black humanity THE MISSION TO UGANDA came forward, each seized a tusk over 80 lbs. in weiglit, with a Hercules at their head carrying the gigantic one of 140 lbs. As though they had feathers on their shoulders, tliese men fell into line, and then actually proceeded to dance under a w^eight which would deprive most average Englishmen of the power of motion. Eound and round in a large circle they danced, singing a weird, monotonous chant, from time to time, on a given signal from their leader, swinging the great ivories from one shoulder to the other, the muscles standing out on their necks and backs in great solid lumps, glistening in the sun. It was a sight worth recording, particularly when we remem- bered that these men were not only capable of per- forming tliese feats of strength for our amusement, but that, as a matter of course, they were carrying these crushing weights for five or six hours a day, over mountains, through deep morasses and rushing torrents, week after w^eek throughout the 800 weari- some miles which intervene between Uganda and the coast. To ourselves, however, whose thoughts were ever fixed on Uganda and the means of getting there, a far more interestinoj sigjht than strono; men and traders' ivory was a fairly large herd of donkeys browsing within the precincts of Mr. Martin's camp. These animals had just carried food for his caravan from Kavirondo to Kikuyu ; between this place and the coast he w^ould have no further use for them, and in a short time the whole lot, except an ominously large proportion who w^ere suffering from terrible and re- PURCHASING DONKEYS 89 volting sore backs and withers, became the property of H.M. Government " for a consideration." They were not a good collection of animals, far from it, and moreover they had just completed a very trying journey of 280 miles under heavy loads; but there was no choice open to us, and by taking over all that were capable of going we made it possible for the whole party to resume the journey to Uganda together. Most of the beasts could at all events carry something, and by an East African fallacy donkeys are supposed to thrive on what they are able to pick up for themselves on the road, whether the season be wet or dry, and whether the grass be young and green or burnt and yellow. We therefore lost no time in sending back messengers, under escort, to tell the officers who had been left at Machakos to push forward and rejoin us with all possible speed. A few days' compulsory rest at Kikuyu did good to all the men, and probably to the Europeans also, thouo;h it was rather a curious fact that most of us were laid up there for a day or two after our arrival ; perhaps in some cases from over-indulgence in the unaccustomed luxuries of fresh vegetables, green food, and fresh provisions of all sorts. Outside the fort itself the state of affairs was not so pleasant to con- template : we w^ere surrounded, day and night, by a complete ring of hostile Wa-Kikuyu, hidden in the long grass or bushes, and for any one to wander alone more than 200 yards from the stockade was almost certain death. On the morning of our arrival, a porter of Martin's caravan, who had strayed down to the long 90 THE MISSION TO UGANDA grass at the foot of the little hill ou which the station is built, was speared through the back, and killed, within 250 paces of our tents. A short time before, eight soldiers in the Company's service who w^ere foraging for food — probably in an illicit manner — were all massacred in a neig^hbourino- villao-e : and a day or two before our arrival the natives had even had the temerity to try to set fire to the fort itself at night. Meanwhile, as no food for the garrison could be bousfht in the neio-hbourhood, althouo-h the whole country w^as literally covered with cultivation, strong armed parties had been sent out every day to dig potatoes, cut sugar-cane and corn-cobs, and other-, wise collect food for themselves. This system, added to the fortuitous and almost simultaneous arrival of Mr. Martin with some 600 men and abundance of iruns from the west, and of ourselves with a similar number of men from the east, appears to have made the Wa-Kikuyu reflect that their true interests lay rather in the direction of peace than in the continua- tion of their inefiicient blockade ; and on the 2nd of February about thirty chiefs of as many neighbouring villages presented themselves at the fort gates, and informed the Company's representative that they had had enough of war and now wished to try a little trade. Terms of peace were soon arranged, and the remaining days of our residence at Fort Smith were in consequence a good deal more comfortable, although every one knew that, peace or war, no native inhabitant of this district could be trusted to keep his spear out of A DANGEROUS TRIBE 91 the back of a defenceless strangrer.if ever lie were offered a fair opportunity without much danger of retaliation. The Wa-Kikuyu, and especially that section of them who occupy the neighbourhood of the Com- pany's fort, are undoubtedly a treacherous, uutrust- ^il-i^-^dMd**^*!^^ GROUP AT KIKUYU. Lieutenant Arthur. JIajor Owen. Mr. Ernest Berkeley. Sir Gerald Portal. w^orthy crowd, and have for many years been a source of constant trouble to passing caravans ; but, on the other hand, they are not without their good qualities. They are, above all things, industrious and careful agriculturists ; their crops are plentiful, clean, and 92 THE MISSION TO UGANDA well cared for ; their sweet potatoes arc twice or three times the size of any that I have seen either on the coast or in other parts of the interior, and the same remark applies to their corn, beans, and other produce ; they appear to have no objection, unless they happen to be at war at the time, to travellers helping themselves from the fields as they pass, so long as this system is carried on in moderation ; and they appear to cultivate, from very love of the work and of the soil, far more than they can either consume themselves or hope to sell to caravans. It was not unusual to see acres of potatoes or beans allowed to rot and run to seed in the ground, simply because the natives had no need of them, and did not care to take the trouble to gather the whole of their harvest. This mania of theirs for planting and sowing is carried to an extreme which is actually harmful to their country, as in pursuance of their hobby, by constantly taking up fresh land, they are year by year destroying- thousands of fine timber trees, and rapidly dis- afforesting great tracts in a region which is already not overburdened with woodland. It will, however, be a matter of time and difficulty, requiring great tact, patience, and firmness, to induce these Wa- Kikuyu to have confidence in Europeans, and to discontinue their practice of spearing or otherwise murdering any defenceless Swahili porter whom they may find straying away by himself. Their experience of European travellers up to the present time has not, it must be confessed, been calculated to inspire them with any great love for the white man. They have KIKUYU 93 been given a bad name, wliicli sticks to tiiem like a burr, and the strano-er arriviiio- within their gates treats them accordiDgl}'. Long before I went into their country myself I remember being told by an African traveller of great renown that the only way in which to deal with the Kikuyu people, whether singly or in masses, was " to shoot at sight." The Company's station is situated at almost the extreme southern limit of their territory ; the inhabitants of that district are, I believe, the least admirable of the wdiole race, and are even looked upon as black sheep and outcasts by the more respectable members of the same tribe who live farther north. The country of the Wa - Kikuyu extends in a long strip from the neighbourhood of the Company's fort northwards to Mount Kenia and the river Tana. The whole of this region lies 5000 to 7000 feet above the sea-level, enjoys a perfect climate eminently suited to Europeans, is of the most remarkable fertility, producing, apparently, the grains and veo^etables of Ens-land and of Africa with im- partial luxuriance, and is well watered throughout by innumerable clear mountain streams. On the 5th of February the second half of our party, which had been left at Machakos, arrived in safety and without adventure, and for the first time all the members of the expedition sat down to luncheon together. Only, however, for one meal was this the case, for before the evening our doctor, who for some days had been suffering from slight 94 THE MISSION TO UGANDA fever, was seriously ill with all the symptoms of that most dreaded of common African diseases, "Black water" or hsematuric fever. All through the next day poor Moffat's condition gave rise to the most serious anxiety, but on the 7th he was so much better that we decided to push on with the caravan, leaving Captain Portal to nurse the doctor and to brino- him on after us if he was able to move before the 12th. I am thankful to say that he was well enough to start on the 10th, riding a pony which had been left for that purpose, and that he and my brother caught us up on the 17th about a hundred miles farther on our road. Our first march from Kikuyu was rendered memorable by a ludicrous, though to the sufferers, an extremely disagreeable contretemps. Walking in front as usual, I had arrived at a suitable camping- place, and selected the site for our camp, but w^as surprised to find not more than a dozen porters with me. We waited for half an hour, growing more and more surprised at the non-appearance of the rest, as the march had been an exceptionally short and easy one, and there had really been no apparent excuse for such straggling. At last a man turned up with a box on his head, and to my somewhat anxious inquiries about the whole caravan answered the single word " nyuki " (bees) ! This explained the mystery ; and soon the demoralised and disorganised party began to straggle in twos and threes into camp, showing every sign of having passed through a severe engagement with their persistent enemy. A SWARM OF BEES 95 Eyes were bunged up, noses twice their usual size, lips prominent to an appalling degree even for a negro, and general ill-temper all round. When at last the other officers arrived the whole story was told. It appeared that soon after I, with the head of the column, had passed certain trees, several distinct swarms of bees, annoyed by the noise and singing of the porters, had made an organised attack on the whole of the rest of the caravan. They went straight for the faces and especially the eyes of the men, who without a moment's hesitation threw their boxes down wdth a crash and bounded off into the lons^ grass, in which they rolled and crouched and crawled in the hope of escaping the common foe. Having thus routed the 600 men of the caravan the bees do not appear to have pursued them far, but in order to show that they were complete masters of the field, proceeded to settle in swarms on the abandoned loads, and to defy any one to come and take them. This was decidedly awkward, no one would go near the loads, and the whole affair seemed to have reached an impasse, till some brain full of resource suggested an attack with fire. Under the direction of the Eno-lish O officers, who had arrived on the scene, the crestfallen porters were set to work to collect great handfuls of dried grass ; when all was ready, these were simul- taneously lighted, and a gallant charge on the bees, led by the Europeans, resulted after a short sharp struggle in the complete victory of humanity over insects. The caravan was re-formed, loads were shouldered, and the whole column left that spot at a 96 THE MISSION TO UGANDA pace which has never been equalled by our party before or since. The next few days passed without any adventure worthy of record ; we soon passed out of the rich and cultivated Kikuyu country, and our road lay through parched, arid, and stony plains, covered with dust, refracting the rays of the sun in a pitiless manner, and generally productive of much thirst and discontent. A somewhat difficult rocky descent brought us into the deep wide gorge familiar to geographers as the great meridional rift. In this curious volcanic depression we camped for two consecutive nights in w^hat is known as the valley of the Keedong river, a small stream of clear w^arm water which gushes from the precipitous walls of the escarpment. These two nights were, without exception, the most uncomfortable of the w^hole journey. Every wind of the heavens appeared to have been let loose, and buffeted our unfortunate camp first from one side, then from the other, from the front and from the rear. At intervals during these nights a sound of the tearing of canvas or of the crashing of boughs, followed by maledictions in English or Swahili, announced the overthrow or destruction of a tent or of a temporary hut-shelter built by the porters. Few of us, tired as we were, could get any sleep in the midst of the din, we could only lie still and wonder how much longer one's own tent would hold out. In the morning everything, clothes, boxes, camp-beds, faces, and bodies, were covered with a thick layer of black dust, which had LAKE OF NAIVASHA 97 even penetrated into closed packages, into gun-cases and gun-locks, and had generally made itself as dis- agreeable as can well be imagined. On the 10th we passed over the shoulder of Mount Lougonot, a most interesting extinct volcano, graphi- cally described by Mr. Joseph Thomson, who tells us how, after a most arduous climb, he succeeded in reaching the edge of the crater, where he actually sat with his leo;s danolino; over an immense hole thousands of feet deep, at the bottom of which he could descry trees and abundant vegetation. We had, unfortu- nately, no time to go and inspect these geological wonders ; and the same day, after a long march, we camped near the edge of the beautiful fresh-water Lake of Naivasha, a remarkable sheet of water of un- known l)ut immense depth, evidently filling a huge ancient volcanic crater. The lake itself is about twelve miles long by half that width. The water is as sweet and fresh as that of a trout stream ; but the most remarkable phenomenon in connection with this interesting lake is that, although it is liberally fed by several fine rushing streams and torrents on the northern and western sides, the water has no apparent exit, while the evaporation from its surface, even under a tropical sun, would not, apparently, be nearly sufiicient to counterbalance the constant supplies of water thus poured in. An exit of some sort there must be, either deep down at the very base of the crater or by some unknown subterranean channel, or by rapid infiltration through some very porous sub- stratum at present undiscovered. In this respect H 98 THE MISSION TO UGANDA Lake Naivasha resembles, but on a much larger scale, the Lake of Ashaugi in Abyssinia, which similarly preserves the sweetness of its water without any apparent escape for its surplus into the deep sandy plains lying thousands of feet below it within a few miles of its eastern shores. Around Lake Naivasha the prairies were literally covered with game, especially with thousands of that beautiful little antelope first discovered by Mr. Joseph Thomson, and named after him {Gazella Thomsoni). Zebras, too, were present in fair numbers, though very wild, and a few hartebeest and Grant's antelope added to the variety ; while the waters and swampy shores of the lake itself were alive with duck, teal, wild geese, and many sorts of water-fowl ; and the hoarse note of the lordly and beautiful crown crane sounded towards sunset in every direction. It need hardly be added that we lost no time in seizing rifles and settino- out in difi"erent directions to work for the pot, with the result that in the evening the whole caravan, porters, soldiers, and Europeans, were able to enjoy hearty meals of venison, zebra, and other game, a most welcome and indeed valuable addition, for the hard-worked men, to their daily allowance of only a pound and a half of black flour. It was in the neighbourhood of Lake Naivasha that we first made acquaintance with the most dreaded, but at the same time the most interesting, of all races living between the Victoria Nyanza and the East Coast, the far-famed and much-talked-of Masai. In the immediate neighbourhood of our camp MASAI WARRIORS 99 we had observed on arrival several immense herds of cattle, grazing peacefully, tended by a few stalwart men with long spears ; but in the afternoon we re- ceived a visit from a party of some thirty young- warriors decked in all the bravery of their best war- MASAI WAKRIORS IN THEIU WAU-PAIXT. ' dress. Splendid fellows they were too, not one of them under six feet in height, with long sinewy limbs, under whose shinino; chocolate skin the muscles could be seen workino; like bundles of india-rubber and whipcord. Clothes they had but few ; a couple of short leather aprons slung over the shoulders, one in ^ The photograph from wliieli this engraving was made was very indistinct, and the iUustration does not give a fair idea of the impressive aspect of the Masai warriors in their war-paint. The figure reproduced on the cover of this volume is from another photograph by Colonel Rhodes of a Masai warrior. THE MISSION TO UGANDA front and the other down the back, and neither of them quite reaching the hips, were all that coiikl really be classified as garments ; the rest was decora- tion and ornament. Most of the warriors added to their great height by wearing some lofty and ferocious head-dress, either an edifice like a o-uardsman's bearskin made of hawks' feathers, or a complete circle of long feathers round the head made fast under the chin, or in some cases the horns of antelope, or a contrivance of iron wire covered with w^ool in the shape of immense bufialo horns. The upper parts of their arms were covered with coils of brightly-polished iron wire, of which also many of them w'ore coils round their waists ; to the left thigh was tightly strapped a circle of small bells, which jingled loudly in unison as the warlike party kept step in their march ; round the ankles were rings of iron wire, and usually also an anklet of hide with long stifi" hair, possibly from the zebra's mane, standing straight out at right angles to the leg. In a girdle round the waist every man wore a straight sword rather less than three feet in length wdth a small handle of horn, no guard, and a topheavy blade of a spatulate shape about two or tw^o and a half inches wdde near the point, and only three- quarters of an inch at the hilt. On the other side of the girdle w^as stuck a heavy knob-kerry, either of wood or, more frequently, of rhinoceros horn. In the left hand was carried the splendid shield which is characteristic of the Masai alone ; oblong, about four feet in height, slightly convex, and made either of THE MASAI TRIBE buffalo or giraffe hide, it affords a perfect protection from spears or arrows to the warrior crouching behind it ; but the most striking feature of these shields is the curious heraldic device and distinctive family badge with which each of them is painted. The only colours used are black, white, and red, but the different patterns are infinite and often very graceful. In the right hand was grasped the mighty and now world-famed Masai spear, six feet in length, with a broad shining blade of at least two and a half feet by three inches wide, and shod with a square sharp- pointed piece of iron nearly three feet long ; thus in most of these spears no more wood is visible than is sufficient to leave room for the grasp of the hand in the middle of the haft. The warriors take the greatest pride in their spears, which, it must be allowed, are beautifully made and finished, and are always kept as bright as a Life Guardsman's cuirass at a birthday parade. For our edification the Masai warriors, who in the presence of our large party were both fearless and friendly, performed a war -dance, accompanying it with a monotonous chant endino- in a savaoje chorus, the effect of which was materially assisted by the clash of their thigh-bells as they stamped in unison. The dance over, the warriors prowled in an uncon- cerned manner about the camp, looking like monarchs of all they surveyed, and it was amusing to watch the endeavours of a little Zanzibar sentry to prevent a huge warrior from approaching too near the stores he was supposed to be protecting. Most of the Zanzibar THE MISSION TO UGANDA soldiers average less than 5 feet 5 inches in height, and the calm contempt with which the naked warrior gazed down upon the little cloth-clad figure shoulder- ing his rifle might have been taken as a picture of the triumph of primitive barbarism over a foreign semi-civilisation. Confidence being thoroughly established, a good MASAI WO.MEN AX LAKE MAIVASHA. many Masai girls, or " dittos " as the unmarried ones are called, came into camp. In contrast to their gigantic brothers, these girls w^ere singularly small and slight, with graceful figures, and sometimes with really handsome features of almost a true Asiatic type. These girls w^re all sufiiciently clothed for jDurposes of decency, and many of them wore as ornaments immense quantities of rings of bright wire, wound MASAI CUSTOMS 103 tightly — too tightly, it seemed, for comfort — round their necks, from wrist to elbow, and from ankle to knee. The weight of metal thus carried by one extremely prepossessing little iron-clad girl must have been a really serious burden and impediment to pro- gress. Of the habits, manners, customs, morality — or rather immorality — of the Masai, I can say nothing which has not already been said with far greater authority and experience by Mr. Joseph Thomson in his interesting book. Through Masailand ; but for the comfort of future travellers in these regions, I may safely assert that the Masai of to-day are no longer the dreaded, all -conquering, and triumphant " bogie " of ten years ago. " Ichabod " — the glory is departed from them, the terrible disease which a couple of years ago slew every buffalo in their country did not spare the cattle on which the Masai depend for their sole means of existence. Their cows and bulls died by tens of thousands, the whole race was reduced to the verge of starvation ; women, old men, and children did indeed die by hundreds from want of food or from the plague of small-pox which attacked them at the same time. Even the young men, the warriors or " El-Moran," deprived of their sole articles of diet — blood, beef, and milk, seem temporarily to have lost their spirit ; many sold their spears and shields for food, and in some parts of the country they so far chanG;ed the whole traditions of their race as to begin to sow grain and to till the ground. They have now recovered to some extent from their recent I04 THE MISSION TO UGANDA misery, a persevering system of raiding on their neig:libours has enabled them to collect too-ether a fair number of cattle, and their young men can once more enjoy their deep draughts of warm blood. In fact, although we saw a good many of the older men and women, and some of the children, looking as if they had not had a " square meal " for many a long month, the stalwart young warriors and their female com- panions the " dittos " presented a remarkably sleek, shiny, and well-fed appearance. But another and better reason for the decadence of the Masai power is the introduction into East Africa of firearms, and especially of arms of precision. The Masai will not desert their old traditions and methods of fighting so far as to exchange their spears for guns, even if they could obtain them ; but never- theless they have a thorough dislike to seeing a rifle pointed at them, more especially if behind those shining barrels they descry the white face of a European. They are discovering that to people with guns, unless taken by surprise and overwhelmed by great disparity in numbers, the broad-bladed spears, the painted shields, savage head -gear, and jingling bells have lost more than half their terrors. The Masai will still, if they get an opportunity, and if their great superiority in numbers gives them courage, attack small parties of Swahilis carrying mails or messages, or, more rarely, small ill-supplied Swahili caravans ; but they openly say that they do not wish for a feud with the white man, that they do not think it "good enough," and they have completely MASAI RAIDS 105 ceased either to expect or to demand any tribute whatever from caravans led by Europeans which may pass through their country. They are still, however, a great curse to the whole of British East Africa ; their sanguinary raids, added to the terror of their name, not only check the development of all neigh- bouring tribes, but render desolate and absolutely uninhabited many hundreds and even thousands of square miles of fertile and healthy territory. Never- theless, the jMasai are of a distinctly higher order of race, intellect, and physical development than any of their more purely African -blooded neighbours, and there is no reason why, with patience, a firm adminis- tration, and even-handed justice, they should not, even in a short time, be converted into useful, docile, and pastoral members of the African community. Their stature, shape, clearly -chiselled and ac![uiline features, show^ the superiority of their Hamitic origin over that of the surrounding negro tribes, but, as in the case of their cousins the Gallas and Somalis, it is the very consciousness of this superiority which will probably offer the greatest resistance to the introduc- tion of civilising reforms. Agriculturists they never will be ; both the nature of their country and their racial traditions are adverse to this sort of labour, but when they have discovered that a better administra- tion and an increase of self-confidence among sur- roundino- tribes makes cattle -raidinsj and murder a losing game, and when they have learnt, as they are already learning, that they may trust to the word and honour of Englishmen, there is every ground for io6 THE MISSION TO UGANDA hoping not only that the once-dreaded Masaih^nd will be a safe, pleasant, and healthy resort for European travellers and sportsmen, but that the Masai them- selves will become valuable and expert breeders of cattle, donkeys, and horses (if these last are intro- duced), and that individuals of the tribe may be utilised as messengers, mail -runners, and even as disciplined soldiers or police. Two days after leaving Lake Naivasha we arrived at the Salt Lake of Elmenteita, a long, comparatively narrow sheet of water, surrounded by a bleak, bare, and burnt country, intersected by cliffs of inhospit- able-looking rock. On the road we had seen game of every sort and kind in vast numbers, — the bag during one day's march alone amounted to three zebras, seventeen Thomsoni antelope, one Grantii, and three crown cranes, which was sufficient to keep the whole caravan in meat. Unfortunately, however, at this time one of the keenest sportsmen among us, Major Owen, was suffering from such a badly ulcer- ated leg that he was not only quite unable to join any shooting party, but, as he became incapacitated from walkino; at all, was oblio;ed to travel for the next 250 miles in a hammock slung on the shoulders of the most stalwart men that could be found. It may be mentioned by the way that this hammock, over which the Major had constructed a sort of shel- ter with a blanket thrown over the pole to protect him from the fierce rays of the sun, gave rise to all sorts of rumours and expectations previous to our arrival in Uganda. The natives of Kavirondo and A MASSACRE 107 Usoga who saw the caravan pass with a number of white men on foot, and a covered litter care- fully carried, not unnaturally jumped to the con- clusion that in this closed conveyance must lie a lady. A rumour to this effect therefore flew ahead of us into Uganda, receiving additional confirmation and credence every day, so that on our arrival we not only found all the Europeans in Uganda making preparations to greet the wife of the Commis- sioner, but that King Mwanga himself was on tiptoe of excitement and expectation, as he had been told by his courtiers, and fully believed, that the mysterious lady was an English princess, sent as a suitable present to him by Her Majesty the Queen ! Close to Lake Elmenteita we passed the scene of the massacre of an entire Swahili caravan of some 300 men, which took place about twelve years ago. Three porters only are said to have made good their escape, and to have arrived after a marvellous series of adventures at the coast, where they narrated how their caravan had been attacked by the branch of the Masai known as the Wakwavi, and had successfully held their own for two days and a night, but that on the second night, all their ammunition being ex- hausted, in attempting to get away quietly under cover of the darkness, they had been discovered by the enemy, and, with the exception of the three lucky ones, massacred to a man. These Wakwavi, who used in former times to occupy all the country lying between this place and Kavirondo, are a some- io8 THE MISSION TO UGANDA what degenerate branch of the Masai tribe, of whom they appear to have all the vices and none of the virtues. After a series of sanguinary battles and campaigns, the details of which are given by JNIr. Thomson in his book, they were finally defeated by the true-blooded Masai, and driven to settle in Kavi- rondo, where they remain to this day, scattered all over the country in diflerent native villages, stealing what they can, domineering over and terrorising the more timid inhabitants, doing little or no agricultural work, and generally making themselves a curse to an otherwise friendly and peaceful collection of village communities. Thence we passed along an easy road to the salt, or rather brackish. Lake of Nakuru, a not very impos- ing piece of water some four miles long by the same in width. The country was still full of game, the only change being that the common hartebeest of the plains (Buhcdis Cokei) was replaced by a larger and longer-horned species known as Jackson's harte- beest, it having first been shot by Mr. F. Jackson, recently an officer in the service of the I.B.E.A. Company. This animal, although more difficult to stalk successfully than any other game in the dis- trict, did not appear to be quite so wild as its cousin of the plains. But to whatever branch of the tribe they may belong, a herd of hartebeest never settle themselves to feed without first posting a sentinel on some spot, usually a tall ant-heap, whence he can command a good view of the surrounding country. Thoroughly conscientious, too, and vigilant these THE HARTEBEEST 109 sentries are. They never attempt to browse or to " philander " with the ladies of the herd near them, but, standing erect, motionless, and somewhat un- gainly, they incessantly sniff the breeze and scan the plains in search of a possible enemy. The instant that danger of any sort is suspected, the " look-out man " warns the rest of the herd by a stamp on the ground and a loud sneeze. At this signal up go all the heads, ten or twenty pairs of ears are pricked, and a similar number of sharp eyes are searching the grass and bushes on every side, while every nostril is distended and quivering for the slightest taint in the forest air. If, after the sio-nal is given, the too easier sportsman makes the slightest mistake, if the sun strikes bright rays from his gun -barrel, if he in- cautiously shows even the crown of his helmet or treads on a dry stick, then good-bye to his chance of ojettino; a shot at that herd. In a second the w^hole family, awkward and angular when at rest, are stretching out in a long -striding, graceful gallop, which would quickly distance any other species of antelope, or any other wild animal, in East Africa. When shot the liartebeest, if not too old, makes moderately good venison, though not particularly refined, the liver and tongue being perhaps the best parts of him. His flesh cannot be compared, in point of culinary excellence, with brisket of zebra, which is equal to the best veal, while the best of all fourfooted wild animals in East Africa, without the smallest doubt, is the beautiful Grcmtii antelope ; of birds, the guinea-fowl, the florican, and, above all, the THE MISSION TO UGANDA crown crane, are all worthy of a place of honour at Bignon's, or the Maison Doree. Ever since leaving the coast we had been gradually ascending into colder and better air, but two days after leaving Lake Nakuru, and having without diffi- culty crossed the Guasso (river) Masai, our ascent of the Mau Mountains began in earnest. On the 18th of February we camped at a spot fixed by the Eail- way Survey Expedition as being within a few hun- dred yards of the Equator, and bitterly cold it was. It was rather difficult to imaofine ourselves almost exactly on the Equator, as we shivered that night in bed, covered with all the blankets we could muster, on the top of which were heaped coats, flannel shirts, and clothes of any sort which might help to keep in the heat, while most of us went to bed wearins^ two or more suits of nioht o-arments besides. Unfortunately, the cold of the Equator Camp, added to the unpardonable stupidity or carelessness of some of the men, cost us far more than a little tem- porary inconvenience. In the afternoon when we made the camp, the donkeys, carrying the spare food and the sick men, were still a long way behind, and not expected to arrive for about a coujdIc of hours. Our camp was surrounded by tall, dry grass, and the wind was blowing back along the road by which w^e had advanced. The men had several times been seriously warned of the danger of fire in this long grass, and already, a few days before, we had suffered some inconvenience, and I myself had been pre- A PRAIRIE FIRE vented from entering the camp on my return from shooting, in consequence of a grass fire kindled by our men. But on this evening, some of the Zanzibar soldiers, with the crass stupidity and wooden-headed carelessness which distinguished them in most of their proceedings, must needs set fire to the grass to leeward of the camp. In five minutes there was an immense wall of fire charging down the path by which we had come, and along wdiicli, as we knew, the donkeys, cattle, and invalids were painfully advanc- ing ! Nothing could be done, search parties were sent to follow in the wake of the fire, but they returned late and disconsolate without news. All throuQ-h that nis^ht there were no sis^ns of the missine: party, and our anxiety may be imagined better than described ; not only were the lives of the men in charge of the animals, and the invalids at stake, but they had also all the food on which we could depend to take the whole caravan either forward or back. Porters and soldiers alike had left Kikuyu with twelve days' rations already issued to them ; this was the twelfth day, a fresh issue was to have been made that very afternoon; we were at least 120 miles from the nearest food - supplying district on either side, and there was not one day's rations in the camp ! When the porters began to realise (with empty stomachs) the full extent of the possible dis- aster which might be caused l)y the soldiers' stupidity, they were almost ready to tear the latter in pieces. At last, however, the next morning, one of the search parties returned with the news that they had found THE MISSION TO UGANDA the missing men and animals safe from lire, in a damp nook near a stream. Soon afterwards the donkeys themselves came in sight, but it then ap- peared that two of the invalids had died during the night from exposure to the cold, as well as one donkey and two sheep. One of these unfortunate invalids did not belong to our caravan, but was a poor old man whom I had found wandering alone some days before in a miser- able state. His story was that he had been a porter in a caravan led by a Swahili, that he had fallen ill and had been unable to keep up with the others, on which the leader had quietly abandoned him to his fate. The unhappy wretch had been painfully hobblino; along; alone for five days when I found him. He was without food, almost without clothes, and without any means of making a fire at night. It appeared to us simply marvellous that he had not already died from exposure to the cold, or that he had not been killed by lions or even hysenas, who are quite bold enough to destroy a sick and helpless man by night. That these and similar acts of ghastly cruelty, amounting almost to cold-blooded murder, are done day by day, and have been done for the last fifty years in native caravans, there can be no doubt whatever ; such caravans, when once they are fairly up-country, are free from all control ; power, almost of life and death, over dozens of his fellow- creatures remains absolutely in the hands of the leader, who is jDcrhaps a half-caste Arab, or perhaps a Sw^ahili of a class from which domestic servants or A NECESSARY REFORM 113 private soldiers are drawn at Zanzibar ; nobody asks or cares how many men, slaves or free, are taken or inveigled into coming as porters, and nobody knows or ascertains how many of these men ever return. The old man whom I picked up was some miles off the road, and, had I not happened to bead my steps that way in search of game, had no more chance of reaching any place where food could be obtained than he had of finding a balloon ready to transport him to his own hut in Mombasa. A thorough system of registration, inspection, and control of native-led caravans, both at the coast and at up-country stations, is one of the very first measures which should be carefully and thoughtfully devised and then efiiciently carried out, if British authority or the British name is in any way, directly or indirectly, to be connected with this part of Africa/ During the march on one of these daj's, our righteous English indignation was fired by what at first sight appeared to be a most abominable case of torture and cruelty in our own caravan. Our atten- tion being attracted to a small group of men bending over a prostrate figure, we strolled up to see what was the matter. On arrival we found a porter, or soldier — I forget which — stretched face downwards on the ground, while two powerful men were pulling at his arms and legs in opposite directions with all their strength. Bound each of the victim's ankles, sepa- rately, cords had been tied as tightly as they could be drawn, and the pressure still further increased by a ^ Such steps have already been initiated in the Sultanate of Zanzibar. — Ed. I 114 THE MISSION TO UGANDA rude tourniquet made of a stick twisted in tlie knots, till they appeared to be cutting into tlie flesh. As though this was not sufiicient torture, a third strap- ping big fellow was walking and even stamping up and down on the naked back of the unfortunate wretch, who was lying motionless, and, as we thought, without the power to struggle. Blazing with anger at the idea of this act of barbarism being perpetrated under our very eyes, we hotly demanded what it meant ; but somewhat to our discomfiture the cold- blooded torturers only answered with a grin, and quite undisturbed by our anger, the single word " tumbo," while the panting victim raised his pros- trate head and softl}^ muttered the same not very poetical sound. "Tumbo" may be literally trans- lated by the English colloquial expression " tummy" ; in other words, the prostrate gentleman was suff'ering from apparently severe pains in the abdominal region, for which this stretching of the limbs, the tying up of the ankles, and the walking on the back constituted a favourite native remedy. The cure was rapid and complete, for on the termination of the o^Deration the patient jumped up — a little stifily at first — shouldered his load, and marched off in excellent spirits. Before the end of our journey I saw this violent and original cure in operation on several occasions, and in each instance it was apparently successful ; at all events I never heard of a second application being necessary, nor did the patients who had chosen to be treated by these methods apply to our doctor for any of his pills, chlorodyne, or other more civilised but MASSAGE 115 milder modes of treatment.^ A whole chapter might be filled by describing the wonderful native ways of treating different ailments, some of which have, at different times, come under my notice ; for instance, in Abyssinia, some of my mule-drivers undertook the cure of one of their comrades who was suffering from a sharp attack of fever ; the process consisted in first tying cords, with tourniquets of stick, tightly below each knee and above each ankle, while two men with small sharp knives made innumerable and apparently indiscriminate gashes all over the calves of the patient's legs. I am bound to confess that, whether in spite of or in consequence of the remedy, the fever was shaken off that night, but the next day the unfortunate man was far too stiff and sore to be able to walk ! On the 20th February we successfully crossed what is now known as "the Big Kavine," a precipitous descent into a cleft about 300 feet deep, with an equally steep ascent on the other side, the whole ravine not being more than 100 yards wide at the top. It took over four hours to get all the donkeys, loads, and men safely across this rather formidable obstacle. After this, for a day or two we had some experience of the true African " darkest forest " work, and as we cut, burrowed, and scrambled in the gloom over and through thick undergrowth, gigantic festoons of creepers, and rich, rank vegetation of every ^ I have seen this rough-and-ready form of massage used by porters on the march for a strain of the muscles of the back, and I am informed that it is much resorted to for various ailments in Zanzibar and performed by the women of the house.— Ed. ii6 THE MISSION TO UGANDA sort, under the perpetual shade of towering forest monarchs, we could fully appreciate the true force of Mr. Stanley's graphic descriptions of the interminable Congo forest, and could enter in some small degree into the feelings of himself and his followers at their deprivation of air, light, and sunshine day after day, and even month after month. In our case, six or seven hours of work in this damp gloom was quite sufficient to make us long for the blessings of the open country, and w^e shuddered as we tried to realise what it would mean to be condemned to wander and toil painfully through a region so unfit for man and beast for hopeless consecutive months 1 CHAPTER VI West of the watershed — Extinction of the buffalo and eland — The Wanderobbo tribe — The fertile Kavirondo district — Mtanda — We cross the Nile and camp in Uganda — The Ripon Falls — ■ Amidst civilisation and rifles— We enter the Fort of Kampala on the 17th of March. As we emerged on the 2 1 st of February from the dense forest described in the last chapter, and camped, with a sigh of relief, on its edge, at a spot commanding a magnificent view over interminable downs, intersected by sparkling streams, and dotted with clumps of splendid timber, we found ourselves just 8 GOO feet above the level of the sea. During the first two hours of next day's march we climbed about 300 feet higher, and then, to our immense satisfaction, we beo-an to observe that the little rivulets and mountain streams were no lono-er runnins^ towards us in an easterly or south-easterly direction, but were gurgling and tumbling away from us westw^ard and north- westward. In other words, we had at last crossed the great watershed, at a height of just under 9000 feet, and the streams across which we now stepped so easily were all hastening to contribute their quota to the Victoria Nyanza, and were themselves some of the innumerable head-waters of the mighty Nile. ii8 THE MISSION TO UGANDA The descent into the great Central African plateau was gradual and comparatively easy, the nights by degrees became warmer and pleasanter ; game, which on the top of the Mau Mountains had been rather scarce, again became plentiful, the men's chilled spirits revived, and every one felt more cheerful as we realised that most of our difficulties were now over, and that we had nothing before us but a few days' march downhill into Kavirondo, where we should again see living human beings, and be able to buy fresh food. The o-eneral effect of the hio-her altitudes of the Mau Mountains and the Mau Forest w^as, I think, to produce a sense of gloom and depression of spirits among both Europeans and natives. The cold, at all events at night, w\as more than a mere inconvenience ; w^e w^hite men could make ourselves fairly comfortable in our tents wdth blankets and flannel clothes and a meat diet ; we were, moreover, natives of a cold country, and might be expected to welcome a certain degree of chilliness as- a homely feeling ; but the half- clad porters, natives of the steamicg coast, suffered severely in their little shelters of grass and twigs, as they huddled close together with their feet almost in a blazing fire, and their heads and bodies wrapped in the scanty bit of cotton cloth which constituted their only garment. The crossing of these mountains cost us altogether the lives of four men, all of whom died of acute pneumonia, contracted presumably during these cold nights. Another cause for a general sinking of spirits was perhaps the desolation and silence of THE BUFFALO 119 the region. The absence of game, the paucity of birds, and the eternal wild sighing of the giant juniper- trees, all had a somewhat eerie and depressing influence, deepened by the sight of hundreds and hundreds of skulls, skeletons, and scattered bones of the unfor- tunate buffaloes, which only two or three years ago used to rano:e in vast herds over these mountains. A dreadful plague which, spreading southwards from Somaliland, overran, two years ago, the whole of East iVfrica, furnishes one of the most melancholy instances in the annals of natural history, of the sudden and almost complete extermination of a whole race of noble animals. Three years ago the magnifi- cent African buffalo roamed in tens, and even hundreds of thousands over the Masai plains, over the Mau Mountains, over, in fact, the whole of what is called British and German East Africa ; but now a traveller may wander for months in all the most likely or most inaccessible places, and see nothing of the buffalo except his horns and whitened bones scattered over the plain, or lying literally in heaps near tempting springs and cool watering places, to which the poor brutes had flocked to quench their consuming thirst, and to die. In South Africa the buffalo is still to be found, I believe, in some numbers, but there he is rapidly being exterminated from the south by the advancing rifles of civilisation, while on the other side there is reason to fear that this same dread plague, having done its fatal work in the east, is steadily and relentlessly pursuing its course southwards, so that, unless in the meantime the virulence of the epidemic THE MISSION TO UGANDA mercifully dies out, the South African buffalo will inevitably share the fate of his northern cousin. The stately eland, which was never so numerous as the buffalo, appears to have succumbed to the same plague, and the natives assert, though with what truth I know not, that there is not one left in East Africa. Certainly, although for days we passed through their former haunts, and diligently patrolled the country in every direction, not one of our party ever saw anything of an eland except a skull and some bones. It is to be feared, too, that the influx of travellers and sportsmen, wdiich will inevitably take place as communications and means of transport are improved, will quite destroy any hope which might otherwise have been entertained that by degrees these tw^o splendid races of wild animals would eventually recover, to some degree at least, from the recent effects of their deadly and almost unprecedented visitation. As we briskly descended the western slopes of the mountains, it w^as pleasant to note by the w^ayside such old friends as the common daisy, forget-me-not, primrose, and buttercujD, while blackberries climbed luxuriantly over the stunted bushes. A little farther on some distant columns of smoke risinof above a w^ood showed us that w^e were no longer the only human beings in this vast region. These fires, we found, were made by some wandering parties of the nomad tribe of AVanderobbo, a curious race of people wdio appear in some mysterious way to ow^e allegiance to the Masai, by whom they are THE WANDEROBBO 121 tolerated and even to some extent protected. These Wanderobbo are clever blacksmiths, and it is they who, from iron wire supplied to them by the Masai, manufacture the beautifully - finished and finely- balanced spears which we had so greatly admired in the hands of the dominant tribe. But the AVander- obbo are above all things hunters ; they live by the chase, and eat hardly anything but the flesh of game. It need scarcely be added that in this profession they are both bold and expert, and we all regretted that w^e had no chance of seeino; them at W'Ork. They have no firearms, but, with nothing better than native -made spears, they manage to collect a con- siderable quantity of ivory every year, even though elephants have now become very scarce in their district. The weapon with which the}' attack elephants is a short, heavy spear -head, deeply barbed, smeared with poison, and fitted loosely into a short socket of wood which is held in the hand. The sporting native, with this primitive weapon, crawls and glides silently and snake-like right up to the gigantic beast until he is within arm's-length of the ponderous body. Then, quick as thought, he plunges the poisoned spear-head into the belly of the enormous brute, withdrawing sharply the socket, v>'liicli leaves the head buried in the mountain of flesh above him. Now, woe betide the native if he is not as agile as a monkey and as quick as a snake in getting himself out of the way and under cover! AVith a yell of 23ain the elephant turns round and furiously searches THE MISSION TO UGANDA and sniffs for his unknown foe ; failing to find liim, the doomed brute crashes ahead througli bushes, trees, creepers, regardless of impediments, leaving a trail behind him which his persistent enemy will follow, if necessary, for days, until the deadly poison has done its inevitable work, and, after swaying un- certaiuly backwards and forwards, and from side to side, the six tons of flesh, bone, and ivory fall to the oround with a sullen crash ! I am informed that if o the poison is well made and quite fresh, and the spear-head well driven home, the elephant will often succumb in about four hours from the time when he is first struck, during which he will perhaps cover some twenty-five miles of country. Sometimes, how- ever, the Wanderobbo pursue a w^ounded animal for a hundred miles and more before securing their prize. In this way they will follow up a herd of perhaps eight or ten elephants until every member of the family is destroyed. Apart from their hunting pro- pensities the Wanderobbo are a shy, harmless people, seldom seen, and usually living in small parties, in the heart of the thickest forest. After leaving the mountains we descended to a vast, bare plain extending as far as the eye could reach, dotted with innumerable ant-hills eight or ten feet in height, but without a tree or shrub of any kind to break the brown and red expanse. There were on this plain a fair number of hartebeest, steinbuck, klip- springers, and other small gazelle, but in the total absence of cover, even the grass being at this season short and withered, it was almost impossible to get SLAYING A RHINOCEROS 123 within range of anything, and but little damage was done by a good deal of shooting at impossible ranges. Luckily, through the very middle of this plain flows a small fresh stream with a few unhappy -looking bushes and trees on its l^anks, which gave us just sufficient firewood for the evening camp. On the 26th of February, during the march, Colonel Ehodes and I were stalkino; some hartebeest a few hundred yards to the left of the head of the column, when we heard loud shouts behind us, which sent ofi" our game at full gallop. Somewhat annoyed w^e looked round, and saw the leading section of the caravan in a state of wild excitement and confusion, while the other English officers were running at full speed to the front. The cause was not far to seek : at a little distance on the other side of the path we could see an enormous rhinoceros trotting steadily straight down on the porters, apparently with every intention of charging the whole crow^l ! Eunning and stumbling over the rough ground, we were on the scene in a minute, just as Villiers and my brother came into action with a couple of shots at over 100 yards' range. The rhinoceros apparently thousfht no more of these bullets than of flea-bites, and came steadily forward. Then followed a regular fusilade ; Rhodes, Berkeley, my brother, Villiers, and myself blazed away, pouring bullets into the unfor- tunate beast at thirty, twenty, and at last even ten yards' distance. Close behind us the porters were yelling, jumping about, half-running away, and gener- ally making a pandemonium of the quiet plain. The 124 THE MISSION TO UGANDA scene was so ridiculous that our laughter and haste seriously interfered with the accuracy of our aim, but at last the enormous brute gave a great lurch and a stumble, and, sinking down on its haunches, sat and looked at us at about five paces' distance, threatening us with its head and vicious horns, but no longer able to make a last charge. A final shot in the head put an end to the performance, and in another moment the carcass was surrounded, hacked, gashed, opened, and carved by a yelling crowd of black men, who had thrown down their loads anyhow, and were plunging with their long knives into what soon became a shape- less heap of blood, fiesh, and unmentionable horrors. Fourteen bullets were found in the carcass, two or three of which had srone rio-ht throuo:h the heart, most of them being from '577 express rifles. No better instance could be adduced to show the solid strength which had enabled this animal to stand, without turnino' or flinchino- these terrific successive shocks, or the vitality which enabled it to continue its steady course, apparently unhurt, up to our very feet. The horns, which were not a very good pair, became the property of Lieutenant Villiers as having planted the first bullet. The vitality of the rhinoceros apj)ears, however, to vary considerably in difterent animals : a few days before I had come across one in an open plain, and put a bullet through his heart at a distance of about sixty yards, which had rolled him over stone dead like a rabbit, while on another occasion I had crept to within a few paces of a rhino-cow, and had THE KABRAS MOUNTAINS 125 given her a similar bullet in exactly the same place, which only had the effect of starting her off like a racehorse across the plain. She managed to cover nearly three-quarters of a mile in excellent time before pulling up, sinking slowly to her knees, and then dying. These were all the common two-horned black rhinoceros ; of the white species we never saw a single specimen, nor do I believe that they now exist in this part of the continent. On the 28th a steady climb brought us to the top of a pass over the Kabras Mountains, whence we had a masrnificent view of the whole of Kabras and Kavirondo lying at our feet, bounded on the north by the huge mass of Mount Elgon (14,000 feet), towering high above the plain, his head wrapped in an almost perpetual veil of cloud, while in the blue distance ahead of us to the west might be faintly seen some of the U-LB. TUSK BOUGHT IX KABRAS. hills of Usoo-a. This really felt like the beginning of the end of our long tramp, and that evening, as we camped in the plains below, we had proof that we were no longer the only living human beings in the country, as black Q-entlemen and ladies, not wearino- a single stitch of clothing, flocked into camp with a 126 THE MISSION TO UGANDA few heads of corn and balf-starved-looking bens for sale in exchange for pink beads. The population on the outskirts of Kabras and Kavirondo is now very sparse and scattered, although, judging from the great number of deserted villages which we passed at frequent intervals during the march, this district must have been far more densely inhabited and thoroughly cultivated in quite recent times. It is the old story : Masai raids, extending year after year, have gradually driven these peaceful and timid people away to seek new homes out of the reach of their dangerous neio;hbours. As we advanced farther into Kavirondo villao-es became more frequent, and on every side in their immediate vicinity were rich fields of Indian corn, millet, beans of several kinds, and sweet potatoes. The people were evidently industrious and skilful agriculturists, but, their wants being few and easily satisfied, quite four-fifths of this rich and ideal corn- growing land is still left to lie fallow. With peace, protection of the weak against the strong, and with rapid transit to the coast, there can be no doubt that Kavirondo could be converted into a granary capable of supplying vast quantities of every sort of grain at a merely nominal rate. If ever a railway is built to this part of the country, the freight charged on the transport of corn can be easily regulated in such a manner as to enable Kavirondo grain to undersell the produce of India at the coast, in Zanzibar, and even in Europe. The insignificance of the initial cost of the grain itself at the present time is sufficiently KAVIRONDO VILLAGES 127 shown by the fact that, although only comparatively small patches are now cultivated by the most crude and primitive methods in the immediate neighljour- hood of the villages, our 600 men were able to supply themselves with more corn than they could possibly consume, with eggs, occasional fowls, and fish, on the allowance issued to them of one string of small pink beads a day, in value something less than a farthing ! The people themselves are not particularly inter- esting, and are evidently related to the negro tribes of the Upper Nile. The men are tall, well-made, stalwart fellows, stark naked, or sometimes wearing a strins; of beads or one or two coils of wire round their necks, arms, or waists. They nearly always carry a long roughly-made spear. The married ladies wear a string — occasionally threaded with beads — round their waists, from which are hung, in front and behind, a couple of tufts like fly-wisps, or like a handful plucked from a horse's tail. The unmarried o;irls, with inoenuous simplicity, wear just nothing at all. As they never appear to oil, grease, or wash their bodies, their skins have a dull, rough, and unclean appearance, which contrasts most unfavourably with the sleek, well-oiled figures of the Masai youths and maidens. The villages of Kavirondo are all surrounded, for protec- tion, by a deep ditch skirting a mud wall some six feet in height, through which the only entrance is across a very narrow causeway and through a low door, less than four feet in height, easily blocked by heavy beams of timber. 128 THE MISSION TO UGANDA The villaire of the chief Mumia, at which the I.B.E.A. Company had established a small storehouse in charge of a native, is a favourite halting-place for caravans, and is in some ways already in advance of its neighbours. It is surrounded by more cultivation than most of the others, its inhabitants have learnt the instincts and the advantages of trade in corn and other food, and nearly all the principal men of the place have already begun to hide their nakedness in ofarments of cotton cloth, a demand for which com- modity is, in consequence, rapidly being created. At Mumia's we halted, out of pity for the hard- worked men, for a day's rest, and then, on the 4th of March, began the last stage of our journey of 187 miles to the capital of Uganda. A mile from the villao^e we had to cross the Nzoia river, the most important stream which had yet opposed itself to our progress since leaving the coast. At the first glance it certainly looked rather formidable, being about forty yards wide, and running with a swift three-mile current between steep banks. It was, therefore, not surprising that among the leading men there was at first a good deal of hesitation about venturino; into the water, which looked as if it might be of any depth, and haunted by innumerable crocodiles and other horrors. My exhortations and objurgations not having the smallest perceptible effect, I proceeded to lead the way in person, and walked, full of righteous indignation, into the brown current. The first step was only up to my knees, and I began to jeer at the timid porters, the second brought the water to my K THE NZOIA RIVER 131 waist, and though still triumphant, the jeers ceased of their own accord, but the fourth or fifth step saw me fairly swept off my legs, and Her Majesty's Commissioner was ignominiously striking out for the bank from which he had started. Foolishly, too, in my zeal and wrath I had not even taken the ordinary precaution of first divesting myself of my coat, so that the ducking was complete. After this we proceeded with more caution, and soon found a ford by which the whole party, with their loads, got safely across in little more than an hour. For the next two days we made long, wearisome marches through a desolate country of abandoned villages, deserted and overgrown crops, and ruined huts. It appeared that a certain local chief, who had acquired rather more power than his neighbours, had been in the habit of raiding all over this country, till it was more than half ruined, and that then a " puni- tive" expedition of the Imperial British East Africa Company, directed against this chief, had overrun the district, and completed its desolation. The only incident of interest to us was that on the 5th we got our first distant view of the Victoria Nyanza, while our practical ingenuity was greatly exercised by the extreme difficulty of finding camping-places at which any firewood could be procured, the whole of Kavirondo consisting of rolling hills and plains, where the soil, impregnated with iron, is of extreme fertility, but almost without a tree. The marches through Kavirondo were quite the most uninteresting of the whole journey. The road was circuitous and THE MISSION TO UGANDA aggravating to an unnecessary and heart-breaking degree, there were numerous swamps of evil-smelling water and deep black mud, and when on terra firma we were eternally toiling along over plains of burnt grass, without shade, with no scenery to admire, and nothing to look at except the dazzling iron- loaded soil, or a few very dirty black people without clothes. On the 7th, however, the whole aspect of affairs underwent a complete and sudden change. We had camped that night almost on the shores of that part of Lake Victoria hitherto known as Sio Bay, which had been rechristened " Berkeley Bay " by the officers of the recent railway survey expedition. Our march the previous day had been, as usual, over monotonous, burnt, and barren plains, with occasional patches of cultivation round the villages ; but now, without any gradation or preparation, we suddenly passed into a land of fine trees, of endless banana gardens, of cool shade, and intelligent -looking, chocolate-coloured people, completely clothed from head to foot in sfraceful tog-as of bark-cloth. We had crossed the frontier of Usoga. Now, indeed, were we in a land of plenty ; great bunches of sweet, ripe bananas were brought to us at every plantation, and distributed to the porters by hospitable villagers without payment being demanded or expected. To us, who had seen no green or fresh food since leaving Kikuyu, the luxury was inestimable ; the only serious danger which now threatened us was that the whole caravan should so over-eat itself MTANDA 133 in the midst of this abundance as to be unable to proceed. However, althouQ,li next mornino; and on each of the subsequent days, many cases of " tumbo " or "tummy" came for treatment to our long-suffering doctor, no serious inconvenience was suffered by the community at large, and in high spirits the men stepped out bravely along well-kept paths, running between the cool and shady banana groves, over which towered here and there magnificent cedars, gum-trees, and forest giants of every description, while the divisions between the different plantations were marked by rows of the invaluable fig-tree, from the bark of which is made the warm and picturesque cloth worn by every native. On the 8th- of March we arrived at the large and prosperous village of the chief Mtanda, wdiich is called on the maps " Wakoli's," after the name of the father of Mtanda, who was killed in 1892 by a porter in the caravan of an English missionary then on a visit to this place. Here the British East Africa Company had a stockade and a " station," in charge of a young German gentleman, to whom our hearty thanks are due for a pleasant and hospitable reception. Our men were supplied, free of cost, with goats, fowls, bananas, and every description of food, with tlie most lavish generosity, with the result that a good many murmurs were audible when their petition for a day of rest here was refused. I should explain that the bananas usually supplied, both to the men and ourselves, were immense bunches of 134 THE MISSION TO UGANDA green, unripe fruit, which are either boiled or, what is better, skinned and thoroughly steamed for an hour or so before they are eaten. Having dealt out presents of wire, cloth, coloured handkerchiefs, and other treasures to all the hospitable chiefs, we pushed on for four more days through the same delightful, rich, and shady country, our appetites flattered by the good fare, our sense of smell by the sweet perfume of the various gums and of innumerable resinous trees and shrubs, and our eyes delighted by the fresh green and waving leaves of the bananas contrasting with the sombre hues of the stately cedar, while the red tulip-like flowers of the SjKithodicf^ vied with every shade of purple, yellow, blue, or white convolvuli, creepers, or flowering trees, in adding warmth, joy, and brilliancy to the smiling scene, to be themselves in turn almost put to shame by the thousands of brilliant butterflies of every hue and every size which rose in clouds from the path before us, and lightly defied competition in colour and beauty from any flower yet produced by Nature or Art. At intervals, as we rose over the brow of some green-clad granite hill, from which great gray masses of rock thrust their heads throuoh the wavino; verdure as though to reprove the bright thoughtlessness of the vegetation, we could see below us, on our left, inlets and bays of the Victoria Nyanza. The water reflected every shadow and colour of the surrounding hills, lovely islands dotted the surface as it lay calm, blue, and peaceful under the morning sun, more beautiful than any Italian lake, but cruel as the very crocodiles THE NILE 135 which haunt its depths, treacherous and untrust- worthy as the people who inhabit its shores and cut each others' throats in the name of the Christian religion. At last, at 11 o'clock on the 12th of March, a muffled roar of water told us that we were approaching the frontier of Uganda, and in a few minutes a steep THE NILE BELOW THE RIPON FALLS. and rapid descent brought us to the head of Napoleon Gulf, at the very spot where the Somerset Nile leaves the Lake, and, severing all connection with its parent by throwing itself madly over the Ripon Falls, sets forth alone on its 3000-mile journey to the Mediter- ranean Sea. A couple of long, light, but somewhat leaky canoes were ready to transport the whole caravan to the 136 THE MISSION TO UGANDA opposite bank, across a ferry some 500 yards wide. These canoes were fairly well constructed of strips of w^ood neatly sewn together with fibres of aloes and of bananas ; they were l^uilt on a stout, solid keel, which projected some distance before the boat, and was then turned upwards till it towered proudly and gracefully above the water like the prow of an ancient Roman trireme. These lofty prows were always adorned in some manner as the taste of the owner might suggest, most commonly by a pair of antelope's horns, by a device worked in grass, by a pair of hippopotamus tusks, or some other trophy of the chase. It took nearly six hours to get all the men, loads, invalids, and animals across the ferry, the ponies, goats, and cattle being tied by the head to the canoe and made to swim, but before sunset that evening all the work was finished, the camp was pitched, and we could sit down with a clear conscience to our first dinner in Uganda, lulled by the hoarse murmur of the Ripon Falls. The following morning, the 13th of March, after sending on the caravan at daybreak as usual, my brother and I turned back to the Ripon Falls, armed with fish- ing lines and a luncheon basket, with the intention of spending a thoroughly lazy morning, and of overtaking the others at their next camp in the evening. As we sat on rocks just below the Falls, occasionally throwing our lines in a desultory manner, the grand beauty of the place fascinated us as thirty years before it had fascinated Captain Speke, the first white man whose eyes had ever rested on this sj^ot. To describe the RIPON FALLS 139 scene I cannot do better than quote Captain Speke's own words, which are as true to-day as when they were written : ^ — The "stones," as the "Waganda call the Falls, was by far the most interesting sight I had seen in Africa. Though beautiful, the scene was not exactly what I expected ; for the broad surface of the Lake was shut out from view by a spur of hill, and the Falls, about 12 feet deep, and 400 to 500 feet broad, Avere broken by rocks. Still it was a sight that attracted me to it for hours ; the roar of the waters, thousands of passenger-fish, leaping at the Falls with all their might, the Wasoga and Waganda fishermen coming out in boats, and taking post on all the rocks Avith rod and hook, hippopotami and crocodiles lying sleejiily on the water, the ferry at work above the Falls, and cattle driven down to drink at the margin of the Lake, made, in all, with the pretty nature of the country, — small hills, grassy-topped, with trees in the folds, and gardens on the lower slopes, — as interesting a picture as one could wish to see. While my brother and I spent a happy and idle morning at this lovely place, fishing with great perseverance, but contentedly catching nothing, we complacently reflected that this was the 13th of March, the very day on which, before leaving the coast, I had ventured to prophesy in an ofiicial telegram that we should be at the Nile. It was pleasing to realise that in spite of the unforeseen difficulties and delays at Kikuyu, and of various other impediments with which we had met on divers occasions, we were at last actually in Uganda, and even one day ahead of our time. Innumerable incidents and details now seemed to combine in order to demonstrate to us that, as ^ S\)eke's Discoveri/ of the Source of the JS'ilc, p. 466. 140 THE MISSION TO UGANDA compared with the countries through which we had been wandering since the beginning of the year, we had arrived at the home of African civilisation. Great as had been the contrast between the people of Usosfa and the naked blacks of Kavirondo, the superiority in bearing, in dress, and in manner of the Waganda over their cousins and neighbours on the THE >'ILE AFTER LEAVING LAKE VICTORIA. Fish Cruise in the Foreground. other side of the Nile was hardly less marked. Our eyes were first opened by the refusal of a poor fisher- man at the Falls to accept our proffered beads in return for some bait, bananas, or other trifles which we had bought from him, and by his asking, instead, if we could not give him anything to read, whether a ENTERING UGANDA 141 book or a single page, printed in Luganda or Swahili ! Unfortunately we were not supplied with any such literature, and the bargain was eventually struck for a few wax matches. That afternoon again, as we strolled on to rejoin the caravan ten miles ahead, we no longer stumbled in single file along a narrow path overgrown with grass and creepers, but walked freely and comfortably along a straight road, from ten to twenty feet wide, cleared of all vegetation, and that eveninsf on arrival at our destination, we found the caravan encamped in a smooth, clear, well-kept, and well-swept open "square" in front of a clean- looking village, surrounded by crowds of sleek men and women, all decently dressed from head to foot in a softer and superior class of bark-cloth to that worn by the Wasoga. Finally, when at sunset I received the visit of the half-dozen chief men of the 23lace, I was rather startled to find that they were all dressed in ample robes of the cleanest and most snowy cotton cloth of very fine quality, and that each man was followed by a slave bearing his master's chair or camp-stool I Verily the wearied traveller entering Uganda for the first time across the eastern frontier, contemplates with unconscious relief the most ornamented, polished, and whitened side of the sepulchre, and, at first at all events, neither sees nor suspects anything of the festering bones, the foulness of iniquity, and the hideous decay which lie behind that pleasing surface ! Next mornino; at 5.30, after biddino; a formal farewell and giving a suitable present of cloth to the 142 THE MISSION TO UGANDA hospitable chief of the viUage, Mondo by name, we had a most agreeable march of twelve miles through a fertile, hilly, and prosperous-looking country to our camping-place in another clean square in front of the villaofe of the chief Mworoo'oma. The whole march had been along a broad, cleared road, evidently " done up " for the occasion ; in fact, in several places the work was not yet finished, and some hundreds of women and children were busily engaged in scratch- ing, tearing, or cutting away the grass and tangle which had been allowed to encroach upon the old path. During the day we crossed, dry-shod, several nasty - looking swamps which had been admirably bridged by a solid causeway of interlaced palm logs covered over with a thick layer of brushwood, grass, and earth. About an hour before arriving at Mworogoma's we were met by a great personage named Zachariah, who holds the lucrative and important office of kangao or governor of the rich province of Bulemezi, besides being a most influential member of the Great Council of the king, and, I believe, a general of some reputa- tion in times of war. In addition to his other dignities this Zachariah has now been ordained a deacon of the Church of England, and is thoroughly under the control of the Church Missionary Society. Having been sent by the king, with a guard of honour of twenty soldiers, to bid us welcome to his country, I am bound to say that Zachariah acquitted himself of his task to perfection ; his appearance was pleasing, his clothes the very ideal of snowy white- "■-■vSi A GUARD OF HONOUR 145 ness, while his manners were a type of politeness itself, and would have fitted him for a post in any European court. During my residence in Uganda I had occasion to see a good deal of this man, and always found him intelligent, anxious to do his best in any matter that was required of him, and gifted with more common-sense and a less narrow mind than falls to the lot of most of his African brethren. The guard of honour was a curious and motley crowd armed w^itli at least half a dozen different kinds of rifles ; one or two of them were clad in old tunics of Enoiish line reo:iments, others had coats of white cotton, evidently cut and sewn by themselves, but all, I noticed, had well-filled cartridge-belts round their waists. In my innocence, as I thought of all the thunders of the General Act of the Brussels Conference, and all the ordinances, enactments, and regulations which had been published thereafter by different Powers having possessions on the African coast, I wondered how, in the very centre of Africa, these people were enabled to keep their belts so well replenished with cartridges of different and of the most modern patterns. I had not been a month in the country before I had learnt that, for those who had the wherewithal to trade, guns, powder, lead, and all the instruments of destruction thereunto apper- taining, could be as easily purchased in Uganda as in Pall Mall. This worthy guard of honour, having drawn itself up w^ith mathematical precision in a line across the road as the caravan approached, proceeded to present arms in the most approved fashion, while L 146 THE MISSION TO UGANDA Zachariah made his little speech of welcome, and suitable compliments were interchanged ; but having said all we had to say, and being, on our side at least, very anxious to get on to camp and luncheon, the guard across the road offered a serious obstacle, and havino; trot themselves into this unaccustomed attitude, much to their own pleasure and astonish- ment, the "soldiers" did not seem to know how to get out of it. In vain I hinted, through the interpreter, to Zachariah, that we might now proceed on our journey — he only bowed and smiled, and replied that all must be as I wished. I pointed to the guard, but he thought I was only admiring them, and bowed and smiled all the more in modest deprecation. I then marched straight up to the guard, hoping that they might break their ranks and let us through, but they evidently imagined that I wished to inspect them more closely, and only continued to present arms with greater stolidity than ever. The situation was ludicrous, but was eventually saved by one of the porters behind me, who knew the Luganda language, shouting out a few words, which were afterwards translated to me as meaning, "Out of the way, you idiots." The guard then executed a wonderful manoeuvre, which excited the admiration of the military officers of the Mission : they wheeled to the left and marched away ahead of us, still presenting arms, and with their noses apparently glued to the barrels of their rifles. For a mile or so they solemnly marched in this new fashion, and then one by one THE FORT AT KAMPALA 147 were observed surreptitiously to bring their rifles to the shoulder, or to some more comfortable position. On the evening of the 16th, as we pitched our last camp at a small village only six miles from the capital, having received during the day's march at least half a dozen messages from King Mwanga, inquiring after our health and bidding us welcome, a brown pony with a somewhat seedy saddle made its appearance, with his black Majesty's request that I would ride the beast into the town next day in order that all the people might know which was the Commissioner. Until after sunset our camp was thronged by multi- tudes of brown-faced, brown-clad people, anxious to have the first look at the strange white men, who had been sent up by the far-famed Queen to set everything straight ; and everything tended to show that the greatest excitement prevailed about our arrival. This became more evident the next mornino- for although we got under weigh at the usual early hour, we had not gone a mile before we found the road crowded with people, wdiile every ant-hill and post of vantage was occupied as thickly as are the rickety stands on the river-bank at the Oxford and Cambridge boat-race. As we approached the town the crowds, well-behaved and quiet, increased in density, while breathless messengers were continually dashing up with messages of welcome from the king and from various chiefs. At last a wooden palisade and a few mud huts on a low knoll ahead of us was pointed out as being the British East Africa Com- pany's now famous fort of Kampala. After all we 148 THE MISSION TO UGANDA had read and heard of it, the fort itself and the mud huts in it appeared to us absurdly small and insigni- ficant, and the available space was uncomfortably crowded with the highly-flavoured dwellings of the Company's Soudanese troops ; but an inner enclosure, containino- the storehouses and the mud huts occu- pied by the Europeans, was, though small, clean and well kept, and it was with a hearty sigh of relief that we entered the gates, leaving the picturesque, chocolate-faced, and bark-clothed mob outside, and surrendered ourselves to the cordial welcome and hospitality of Major Eric Smith of the 1st Life Guards, who was at that moment representing the Imperial British East Africa Company at the capital of Uganda. Captain Williams, Captain Macdonald, and other officers whom we had hoped to find here, were all away travelling in difterent parts of the country, — a welcome proof, at all events, of the pacific state of affairs in the provinces. We were thus able at last to congratulate ourselves on having successfully accomplished our journey of 820 miles from the coast, and on having arrived at our destination the very day mentioned in my tele- o-ram sent from the coast, viz. the I7tli of March. We thus entered the fort of Kampala on the seventy- fifth day after leaving the deck of H.M.S. Philomel at Mombasa. As eight days had been lost in a compulsory halt at Kikuyu, and two other days at different times were spent in complete rest, our marches had thus averaged about twelve and a half miles a day, a record which speaks volumes for the A RETROSPECT 149 stamina and endurance, both of the European officers, and more particularly of the native porters, especially when it is remembered that for nearly 250 miles between the coast and Machakos, and again for 280 miles between Kikuyu and Kavirondo, we were travellino; throuoh an uncultivated and almost unin- habited country, and, consequently, that in addition to all the baggage, impedimenta, and stores of a large caravan o-oino; into the centre of Africa for eight or ten months, our heavily-laden men had sometimes to add the weight of twelve days' rations to their other burdens. At certain periods of the journey — as, for instance, on leaving Kikuyu with full rations — many of the men had been carrying 75 lbs. or even 80 lbs. of dead weioht on their heads, and with that crushino- load had, without faltering and without murmuring, covered the day's march of ten or fifteen miles under a burnino- sun or throug^h a chillino; foo- over rocks and mountains, through swamps and rivers, with no certainty of anything to eat beyond a handful or two of the coarse black flour of mixed beans and corn which had been dealt out to him, and of which 18 lbs. were to last him for twelve days. It was indeed for- tunate that by hard and constant work the Europeans had been able to keep the whole caravan so well sup- plied with game, that hardly a day passed without every man having a ration of meat to add to his supper. Without this addition I have no doubt that the work demanded of the porters would have proved to be beyond their strength. As it was, these half- 150 THE MISSION TO UGANDA savage Zanzibaris had performed a feat which could certainly not be equalled by even a picked battalion of beef-fed, cloth-clad Englishmen, and which would probably prove to be beyond the powers of any race of people existing in the world except the despised, crushed, and enslaved East African. CHAPTER VII A short survey of the conditions of the country — The districts suitahle for European settlement — Facilities for traffic — Suggestions for improving the road — Proposed regulations for caravans and formation of stations. Before continuing the narrative of our experiences in Uganda itself, I would entreat tlie patient reader to accompany me through one chapter, which shall be as brief as possible, while we endeavour to analyse the experiences gained, and to recapitulate the lessons learnt by the nine Englishmen who had thus success- fully completed their walk of 820 miles into the in- terior from the East African coast. So great is the responsibility in connection with the future of this vast continent which devolves on the present genera- tion of Englishmen, so vital to the welfare, the pros- perity, and even to the very lives of thousands — ay, millions — of human beings in this tropical land, is the decision which must without delay be taken by the inhabitants of that little island far away in the cold northern seas, that I have the less hesitation in following far abler and better qualified teachers than myself along some of the paths which they have trodden, and which they have, with immense labour, THE MISSION TO UGANDA cleared of the undergrowth of romance and tradition, and of the impediments of surmise, for the benefit of their successors. Tlie present modest wovk, which is simply a list of our personal experiences threaded together as beads on a string, does not pretend to add anything to the scientific or geographical knowledge of Africa already in the possession of experts or even of ordinarily well- informed persons ; it will have amply fulfilled its purpose if it succeeds in adding a few details or a little colour to the somewhat gray and blurred picture of the interior of this mysterious continent, of which the outlines have been sketched by the noble band of great explorers and travellers who for this end have sacrificed time, health, and too often life itself. In the first place, let those who have not yet read Mr. A. Silva White's valuable book ^ realise that, roughly speaking. Central Africa consists of a vast plateau varying from 2000 to 6000 feet in height above the sea, the exterior margins of which, as Mr. White tells us, " will generally be found, as in those of other continents, to be hio-her than their central portions, thus presenting towards the sea a sort of natural rampart." This great fortification has for hundreds of years successfully withstood all attempts made from the outside world to penetrate beyond its frowning battlements. Elvers and lakes are, of course, the natural, and, before the wide dissemination of the use of railways, the sole means of communication 1 The Devcloimient of Africa. By Arthur Silva Wliite. London : George Pliilip and Son, 1890. CENTRAL AFRICA 153 to any material extent, " but all the large rivers, not only in their upper, but also in their middle and lower courses, where they break through the margins of the plateau, have in consequence their Ijeds filled with all sorts of rocky obstructions, and so great is their inclination that the accelerated waters become rapids, or break into cataracts, or fall down sheer heights, in their eager passage to the sea. And, unfor- tunately, from the fact of the inland or continental plateau approaching so near to the coasts, all the great rivers have their navigation obstructed at relatively short distances from their mouths." ^ It is this natural obstacle which has been one of the chief reasons why the whole of this vast continent, three times larger than Europe, has been allowed to lie dormant and undisturbed for so long. It is only in this generation that it has become possible, without swamping the undertaking by its initial cost, to organise means of transport which will overcome the opposition of Nature, and carry into the very heart of the interior the com- merce, civilisation, and light of the outside world. It has been already seen that the route which we followed is not connected with any of the great rivers or natural highways. An exaggerated fear of the Masai had kept it as a sealed book until Mr. Joseph Thomson made his celebrated journey from Mombasa through Masailand to Lake Victoria in 1883-84 ; but since that time it has been traversed by many caravans equipped at great expense, and painfully conveying 1 The Development of Africa, chap. i. p. 9. By Arthur Silva White. London : George Philip and Son, 1890. 154 THE MISSION TO UGANDA small packages of goods on the heads of long-suffering men. Such European parties as have come this way have always found it a very expensive business ; native and Arab traders have sometimes been able to recoup their outlay, and even to make a profit, by a judicious combination of trade in ivory and in slaves, but I venture to think that even a cursory examina- tion of the geographical, geological, and ethnological conditions of the country thus traversed will make it clear that all the commerce which can be carried, or all the intercourse which can be established between the coast and the interior under existiner conditions of o transport and communication, w^ill be too insignificant in amount to have any important effect, or to confer any material benefit upon the central countries near the upper waters of the Nile, which are the objective point of most of these expeditions. To render this plain, I will proceed, for the benefit of those who have not made any special study of the question, to make a crude and rapid dissection of the route w^hich we have traversed. In the first place, near the coast we find a narrow strip of land of recent geological formation, steadily risinoj from sea-level to a heioht of about 300 feet. This strip contains certain centres, usually in the neighbourhood of towns and villages, such as Mombasa, Malindi, or Wanga, where there is a fairly plentiful population of the curiously mongrel race known as Swahilis. The soil is fertile, and produces immense numbers of cocoa-nut palms, areca palms, great quantities of manioc, sweet potatoes, beans, some THE COAST REGION ^55 rice in suitaljle places, and, in short, most other crops which it may please the farmer to sow. AVhere the inhabitants are more scattered, and the ground has not been cleared for planting, there is a good deal of timber, sometimes of a valuable nature. Being ex- posed to the hot Ijreezes and washed by the warm currents of the Indian Ocean, the mean annual tem- perature of this region is high, and averages not less than 80'' Fahrenheit, while the mean range of tem- perature between^ the hottest and the coldest months does not averao^e more than eioht or ten decrees. The rainfall, which occurs principally in the months of April, May, and June, and again in November and December, is plentiful, and may be estimated at about sixty to seventy inches a year ; on the islands, such as Zanzibar and Pemba, it amounts to perhaps ten inches more. As will be oathered from the above fio-ures, this region cannot be said to be well suited to European inhabitants. There are, it is true, a good many Europeans of different nationalities to be found living on the coast, nearly all of whom are either traders, officers of the Administration, or missionaries, but it would be difficult to find one who looks as if his residence there had done him good ; all, except per- haps those who have just arrived from Europe, have that bloodless, washed-out look which is so character- istic of Europeans in Africa ; white children do not thrive, and it would be better for the whole com- munity if a universal rule could be made, that no foreigner should be allowed to remain more than two 156 THE MISSION TO UGANDA consecutive years on the coast without paying a visit of at least two months' duration to more congenial climates. The only exceptions to this rule might be the Indians and Portuguese, all of whom appear to be quite at home in this orchid-house atmosphere. It is to be feared, however, that such a regulation can only be made generally effective when men have ceased to strugnale, fioht, and strangle each other in the race for wealth, when international rivalries have merged into universal friendship, and when religious enthusiasm in Africa is tempered by broad-minded moderation. But although it is too much to hope that, until this millennium is declared, merchants, companies, or governments will afford to their swel- tering employes the luxury of a biennial " run home," yet, if the East African question is seriously taken up, an opportunity may offer itself of giving fresh life to many an exhausted but patiently working subordinate, of restoring health and vigour to many an anaemic body or overtaxed brain at a merely nominal expense, by the establishment of hill stations and health resorts in the cool, healthy uplands only 300 miles from the coast. This suggestion, however, like almost every other East African problem which can be presented, resolves itself at once into the great all-shadowing cjuestion of transport. Leaving the coastal strip after a couple of days' journey, we found at once a totally different aspect of country. The palms and all the rich vegetation and cultivation had disappeared, and were replaced by interminable scrub, thorny acacias. A \'ALUELESS DISTRICT 157 mimosas, and stunted, unhappy - looking trees of similar kinds. In the course of the next 250 miles we gradually — almost imperceptibly — ascended from 300 to over 3000 feet above the sea-level, the air becoming proportionately lighter and the temperature cooler. The rocks over which we walked, and the painfully dazzling red soil formed from them, were of the Mesozoic period, and lie in a sort of inner belt behind the coastal zone along the whole east of Africa, from Cape Town nearly to Cape Guarclafui — some- times, as in Somaliland, extending to the sea-shore itself. It was easy to see that this district derived but little benefit from the warm rains of the Indian Ocean ; the general aspect of the country was parched, and the nature and ap^^earance of the stunted trees and vegetation showed that they suffered from con- stant drought. The annual rainfall in the lower parts of this region probably does not amount to more than some twenty-five or thirty inches a year, increasing to about forty inches with the rise of altitude towards Nzoi and the Ulu Hills. The mean temperature decreases in inverse ratio to the rise of level, from 80' to about 72 Fahrenheit. The population, partly! in consequence of the poverty of the country, and partly from inter-tribal wars and Masai raids, docs not exceed about four persons per square mile. This district, commencing some dozen miles from the sea-shore, and extending for 2.30 miles to the little station of Nzoi at the foot of the Ulu Mountains (where we camped on the 22nd of January), may thus be written down as almost valueless. There are,. ijS THE MISSION TO UGANDA no doubt, here and there a few oases on the banks of some of the small streams found at rare intervals, where healthy vouno; Enoiishmen mioht find life bearable, and where, as at the Scottish Industrial Mission at Kibwezi, their labour would be repaid by the soil ; but, generally speaking, the heat of the climate, the want of rain, and the consecjuent absence of rivers, forbid us to hope that, at all events for many years to come, this part of the country will fulfil any role in history but that of a serious impedi- ment in the way of reaching the more fertile and salubrious districts Ivinsj behind it, which it has shielded for so long against European invasion. At 250 miles from the coast the nature of the country undergoes a complete and sudden change ; we found ourselves climbing hills of the Palseozoic period, and as we ascended steadily to a height of 5000 feet at Machakos, and 5500 at Kikuyu, the air became proportionately cooler and more invigorating, while the smiling aspect of the country show^ed clearly that the rainfiill was much o-reater than in the low^er regions. The mean annual temperature may be safely said to sink with the rise of the land from 72' to about 64 Fahrenheit, and the rainfall would prob- ably be found to be some 50 to 60 inches per annum, while the dews at night are heavy. As I have said before in the course of the narrative, the whole of this district appears to be exceptionally fertile, well watered by clear mountain streams, thoroughly healthy, and admii-ably adapted for European residents, while the first settlers, if their THE KIKUYU DISTRICT 159 tastes inclined in that direction, would have the additional pleasure of living in the very heart of one of the finest and best-stocked game countries in the world. Labour could be fairly plentiful, as the population, especially among the Wakamba tribes in Ukumbi and the Ulu Hills, and again in the Kikuyu country, is dense ; villages, huts, and native settle- ments are packed close together in every direction on the hills ; and although the fear of the raiding Masai prevents the natives from settling on the more exposed and open plains, the population of the whole district cannot be less than thirty or forty per square mile, all the adults of both sexes being actively engaged in cultivation. It is this district, extending from the Ulu Hills to Kiku3'u, which holds out hopes of prolonged life and health to the pale-faced residents at the coast, on whom a month or two among the hills of Kikuyu or on the plains of the Athi river would confer the same blessings as a visit to the moors of Scotland, without the crushino; expense and loss of time entailed by the long sea journey. Immediately after leaving the Kikuyu district there was another change. We entered suddenly into a barren, arid -looking district, of which the geological formation is purely volcanic or " eruptive." Extinct volcanoes reared their heads on every side as w^e crossed the great trough which furrows this part of Africa from north to south for some GOO miles, and in which lie a series of interesting lakes, from Lakes Rudolf and Stephanie in the north down to Lake i6o THE MISSION TO UGANDA Naivasha. The heio'lit of Lake Naivaslia above the o sea is 6000 feet, and its climate cool and bright like that of Kikuyii, though in this part there would appear to be rather less rain ; but after leaving the trough or " meridional rift " we rose rapidly to a height of nearly 9000 feet while crossing the ]\lau Mountains, before descending gradually to the level of 4000 feet in the plains of Kavirondo. In the higher altitudes the rainfall is naturally much greater than in the districts previously traversed ; the moist- ure which is held in suspension in the warmer air as it passes over the plains, is at once condensed on arrival at the mountain range, and the higher parts of Mau receive probably not less than sixty to eighty inches of rain every year. The soil, formed by the decomposition of volcanic rocks, is generally rich, and the whole country well watered, but some days before reaching Kavirondo we were travelling through dry plains and over the undulating hills of the Palaeozoic period. The whole of this country, across which our road led us for some 280 miles, would be well suited to Europeans so far as climate is concerned, but at present it is absolutely neglected, uncultivated, and almost uninhabited. Its only occupants are the ]\Iasai tribes, and these nomads cannot be reckoned at more than two or three persons per square mile of country. In Kavirondo itself, which is also throughout of Palaeozoic formation, the villages are in places fairly close together, but, on the other hand, there are many desolate tracts, extending for several days' journey, in UGANDA i6i wbicli no human being can be seen ; it would not, therefore, be safe to estimate the population at more than twenty to twenty-five per square mile. As the whole country lies from 4000 to 4500 feet above the sea, the climate is, on the whole, temperate ; the nights are thoroughly cool, so much so, that although the variation between the hottest and the coldest months of the year cannot exceed five degrees, yet the average temperature throughout the year may be estimated at about 73" Fahrenheit. The annual rain- fall, wdiich occurs principally in the months of April, May, and June, and again in November and December, is probably forty inches. In the last section of our journey, through Usoga and Uganda, we entered upon what is perhaps one of the oldest parts of the oldest continent of the world, the rocks being throughout of the archaic period. As, however, I shall have occasion later to speak more fully of these countries, I will here conclude this hasty and somewhat dry resume of the different sections of our route, leaving the reader to draw his own conclusions as to the present or future value and prospects of the country described. Before leaving this subject I should add that for many of the statistics and figures which I have quoted above, I am indebted to Mr. A. Silva AVhite's book, Tlie Development of Africa, and to the valuable notes and maps compiled by Mr. E. G. Ravenstein, F.R.G.S., which form its interesting appendix. I now come to one of the most important of all questions in connection with the future of Africa, M i62 THE MISSION TO UGANDA viz. that of the road itself and the means employed for carrying traffic along it. As regards what is by courtesy called the "road " but little need be said ; it is well known that an African road consists simply of a footpath some ten inches wide worn in the grass by the constantly- passing naked feet of native villagers and caravan- porters. If, for any reason, such a path falls into disuse for a few months, especially during the rainy season, it is quickly obliterated by the rank grass, thorns, and creepers which always seem to ally them- selves with the other forces of Nature in order to repel the invasion of the stranger. All marching is thus of necessity done in single file, and a large caravan, even without straggling, will often spread itself over a mile of country, while conversation is only possible by the leading man addressing his remarks to the empty air before him, and taking in the answers at the hollow of his back. On fairly level and open plains, where the long grass has been burnt down, or before the young shoots have grown more than six or eight inches, these paths are good enough, and, if the weather is cool, the day's march is a real pleasure ; but on the sides of hills, especially on hard soil, where the paths become runnels for rain-water, they are fre- quently hollowed into a deep and narrow gutter by no means well adapted for the comfortable progression of a man in boots. After the rainy season, when the grass of the plains has grown to four, six, or even eight feet in height on either side, it is frequently a THE ROUTE TO UGANDA 163 matter of some difficulty for the leader to see the track through the overhansfinof masses of grass-heads and weeds, and, while his progress is seriously im- peded by the tangle, the discomfort of the traveller is increased by his clothes being drenched through and through every morning by the heavy dew, or by the drops from the last shower which he brushes off the foliage as he forces his way forward. As the sun rises and gains strength the moisture is evaporated from the grass, and the pedestrian's clothes are gradually dried on him at the same time, but, nevertheless, it is an undoubted fact that this ducking, undergone with wearisome monotony from 6 till about 9 o'clock every morning, is the cause of many a bad attack of fever which is put down generally to the African climate. These, however, are among the minor inconveni- ences inseparable from travelling on foot in uncivilised regions ; what is a more serious annoyance, inasmuch as it causes unnecessary delay and fatigue, is the circuitous nature of the path, which twists, turns, and winds in a ridiculous and most irritating manner for no perceptible reason. In order to explain this peculiarity of African tracks, we must lay down three axioms : first, that the paths are made by natives ; secondly, that to the native time has no value, and he is consequently never in a hurry ; thirdly, that the native will always prefer to go round even the smallest obstacle rather than take the trouble of cutting or clearing it away for his own benefit or for that of his neighbours. Thus a fallen tree or an i64 THE MISSION TO UGANDA overhanging bough, a new ant-heap, or even a tuft of rank rd April, Sunday. — Ver}' wet. Rhodes sends note reporting favourably of -«j-, 1 THE QUEEN-MOTHER (NAMASOLE). 2ith A])nl. — Offered Mgr. Hirth three canoes of Kakunguru to go to S. of lake and fetch princes. He refused, on ground that he would not accept any canoes of Protestants, nor allow them to have anything to do with princes ; asked me to send Nubians - to fetch boys. I refused to send Nubians, saying they could not be trusted so far without officers, and that I would only take responsibility for boys on their arrival here. 2^th Airril. — Tucker writes again about Rubuga and boys, saying Protestants object to clause signed by king. Answer that I cannot listen to chiefs against king, that I only recognise latter. Later T. writes chiefs accept conditions signed by king. 2^th April. — Foaker and Reddie returned with crowd of Soudanese, but no list or papers. ^ Rubuga, the king's sister, Avitli a high official position. One of the chief points at issue had been whether or not this lady should be, as she finally was, conceded to the Catholic party. The princes had been detained with the Catholics since the war. See 5th April. - The term Nubian is here used, as it frequently is, somewhat inaccurately for the Soudanese. 230 THE MISSION TO UGANDA Macdonald went with Protestant, Catholic, and Mohammedan chiefs to apportion shambas^ on Kubaga Hill. Great excitement among Protestants in consequence of decision. I said I would stick to Macdonald's judgment unless the natives could come to an agreement among themselves. Gave severe reprimand to Katikiro, who was impertinent to Macdonald. 2~th April. — More excitement about sbambas. Protestants object to giving up sharabas on king's hill. Catholics refuse any others. Eventually Catholics say they will accept exchange and get bigger ones offered by king. Mohammedans ask for shambas on road to their provinces. Gedge returned from Cbagwe ; got nine elephants ; asked leave to accompany us to coast. 28//i April. — Macdonald started for delimitation of road to Kaima. Called roll of Nubian soldiers from Torn, 85 in all. Told all soldiers and followers to go to Ntebe ; cripples and old men to be settled in little shambas on opposite hill. Namasole, the queen-mother, came to see me. Was more than friendly. Gave her a sheet of paper and red and blue pencil. She Avanted to kiss me on going. Frank photographed her in gilt chair. 29//i April. — Left Kampala 10.30 with Ehodes. Marched to Kisubi, fifteen miles : arrived there 4 : good road all the way. Met Pere Guillemain at Kisubi : very tired, but walked with him for two hours round shambas of Bugananowa and Kiballe, which French Mission want for a post and to try agricultural experiments. Kakuguni, to whom they belong, came there later : arranged with him for cession of Kiballe. Had very bad night : could not sleep : a terrible lot of mosquitoes. ?>Qth April, Sanday. — Left Kisubi 6.30, and arrived Ntebe Hills 9.30; lovely place commanding peninsula: fine fresh air : walked to flat rocks running into sea : grand place for summer house. 3.30. — Walked all over high hills with Frank : grand site for fort, but far from water. Small-pox in village close by. \d May. — Very bad night, millions of mosquitoes and heavy rain. Walked 9 A.M. with F. R. all over peninsula, and finally 1 Shamba is the Swahili name for a garden or plantation, and hence for property in the country as distinguished from town-property. PORT ALICE 231 settled on big hill. Moved camp up there and marked out road through future Soudanese village : hard work in long grass. Foaker and Eeddie with about 500 Soudanese arrived 3 p.m. Fine cool air up here and magnificent view. Ind Maij. — Worked all morning allotting ground to Soudanese for their compounds : eleven yards by fifteen, and wide streets. DR. MOFFAT AND DEAD HIPPOPOTAMUS, NEAR PORT ALICE. Men seemed pleased. Also got "Waganda to work on roads, and Swahili porters to clear road near hill : others to bring building wood. At 4 Avent to shoot hippos in Port Alice : ^ had four shots, all hits. Mgr. Hirth arrived and called, but I out. ?>rd May. — Went 6 a.m. to see Mgr. Hirth : caught him just starting. On return found Bishop Tucker liad arrived 8 P.M. Boys reported my two hippos dead : sent people : gave one to ^ This name was given by Sir Gerald Portal to tlie new settlements, or, more strictly speaking, to the port at the foot of the Ntehe Hills. THE MISSION TO UGANDA Nubians, one to Swahilis. No quarrelling. Went on building house, also mess -house. Set Nubians to work on roads. Macdonald expected, but did not arrive. ith May. — Bad night and rain. Macdonald arrived 8 A.M. with 120 Soudanese men and women. Cleared at 2 P.M. AVent to sail steel Mission boat, but no wind. Letter from Berkeley respecting Usoga : satisfactory. Mh May. — Gedge arrived Ntebe, and Bishop Tucker left. Building tent-houses ; both broke in ridge pole ; soft wet wood : sent for wild-date poles. Qth May. — Wrote some of Eeport. Tent-house finally built, but, as very wet day, ground inside is soaked and unfit to inhabit. Letter from Raymond saying he leaves at once. 1th May, Sunday. — Letter from Berkeley reports Soudanese soldiers sent with letters of 4th to Unyoro were stopped by Kaima, maltreated, robbed of guns, and sent back. Sounds very serious, as they say Kaima was present in person. Instructed B. to make preliminary inquiry : I would come in to-morrow and hear case at 4 P.M. If Soudanese story true, must make an example of Kaima, and severely warn king and Katikiro. ^th May. — Left Ntebe 7.15 a.m. with three porters and the boys : walked right through to Kampala without a halt : arrived 1.10 P.M. : twenty-one miles in 5.50 hours. Spent afternoon examining Kaima's case, and taking depositions of Kaima and men. 9//i May. — Gave judgment in Kaima's case : convicted him of stopping Queen's soldiers in execution of duty and of taking the Queen's guns. He condemned to go as prisoner to Kikuyu, and his man Mtobasa got twenty -five lashes in presence of Soudanese company. Kaima had to give back guns to soldiers. Drafted treaty with Mwanga, who sent to say he was coming, but did not. 10^^ May. — 6.55. Got note from Mwanga, saying he would come at 8. Answered I was off to Ntebe. Started with Berkeley at 7 A.M. ; rained nearly all the way ; roads wet and bad : was dropped by old Sindano carrying me across river. Arrived Port Alice 2.30. Found Frank had had road cut to join caravan, also village streets finished. No mail heard of here. Wth May. — AVorked all morning. Sailed Mission boat for two hours in afternoon in good breeze, but she is very slow, » ^JBk f^T^ 4:0 '■ ■A 1 * ■ J ■ ILLNESS OF CAPTAIN PORTAL heavy, and undersailed. Macdonald returned with forty loads of cloth, and with steel boat in fair condition : reports Dzinga, an island, with three feet of water all round, Bunjako only two or three feet of swamp. 12th May. — Continued Report on existing situation. IZth May. — Writing Report all morning. Set Fundis^ to work making new mast for steel boat. Berkeley left for Kampala. Heard case of complaint by five Waganda against five Swahili porters for entering shamba to assault woman — drawing knives : one Swahili was cut on shoulder by his friend. Sentenced two Swahilis to twelve lashes each, promising much more next time. I Uh May, Sunday. — Left Xtebe C.45, and arrived Kampala 1 P.M. : met pony on Avay and rode in ; did not Avait for Macdonald : very wet. Mwanga came to plead for Kaima to be let off with a fine : told him I consider ; at last sent to say he might pay twenty frasilas ^ ivory. Went through proposed agreement with Mwanga, who said he would accept. Ordered 1st Company of Soudanese to prepare at once to go to Ntebe. \bth May. — Saw king; went through proposed agreement with him ; he says he agrees to all. Mail came in; Reuter's telegrams to 16th March; sent by Cecil Rhodes ; Sultan of Zanzibar dead. Explained situation and instructions to Macdonald (who was to be left in charge). Letter from Raymond received by Berkeley ; says he is ill and in great pain from head : probably sunstroke or malaria : due at Kibibi on 1 6th : Yilliers offered to go to meet him. 16th May. — Villiers started 7 a.m. to meet Raynipnd ; took pony and medical comforts. Started 8 a.m. ; arrived Port Alice 4 p.m. ; dead beat and bad head ; took quinine and bromide to give sleep. 1 7th May. — Sorting papers and writing Report all day : not very well. l^th May. — Finished Report and instructions to Macdonald 4 P.M. Feeling seedy and anxious about Raymond. 1 Fundi is the general name throughout Eastern Africa for a skilled work- man, from an elephant trapper to a locksmith. - The frasila is thirty-five pounds weight. CHAPTER II Captain Portal's illness — He returns to Kampala ; is joined by liis brother — His death and funeral — Sir Gerald Portal's expedition starts from Kampala for Kikuyu. We now approach a very sad period in tiie narrative. I should not wish to dwell unduly on the painful details of a sorrow which cast its gloom on all the latter half of Sir Gerald's eventful journey, and yet there has seemed to me to be so fine a pathos in the simple record he has given of his brother's death that no word of it should be omitted in justice to them both. Nor is that all. When brave men die at the far outposts of Empire, doing the world's work at their country's call, perhaps amid the throb and hurry of life at home for a passing minute's space the shadow of a brief regret falls across the daily path when first the news comes in. But as quickly it is lifted ; for all, except the very near and dear, the acuteness of perception is dulled by intervening distance, and it almost needs immediate contact to touch the imagination deeply. To those, however, who knew and loved the manly, generous nature that once was Raymond Portal, there will, I think, be a special interest in these last scenes of the life of one ILLNESS OF CAPTAIN PORTAL 237 who never made an enemy, who inspired the warmest friendships, and whose compelling charm was recog- nised by all who chanced to come across him. There will be occasion to return to Raymond Portal later. In the meantime, such glimpses as have been already afibrded of the hardships and difficulties of daily travel in the heart of the Dark Continent will serve to impress on those, who try to realise the conditions, some sense of that indomitable pluck which nerved him to carry out, with the heavy hand of sickness upon him, and the shadow of death before his eyes, alone, " without witness or honour," his last march back to die among his comrades in the mud house at Kampala. It will be remembered that he had accompanied Major Owen into the Torn country, whence he was to march back with such Soudanese soldiers as it mio^ht be found possible to enlist, and the Commissioner had written to accelerate his return for reasons which are explained by the following extract from one of his letters home : — - " I was anxious to get him to command the new station of Port Alice, where I have established the headquarters in a lovely, healthy spot, on a high hill overlooking the Lake. This would have given Raymond just the chance of independent and responsible work which he has been longing for, and which he would have done so well." It was towards the last days of April that Captain Portal became aware of the symptoms of the fever, complicated perhaps with sunstroke, which had seized him in the Torn country. He was never very 238 THE MISSION TO UGANDA prudent or careful of himself, and a perusal of liis Diary during the month of April will make it clear that the life he was leading in the Torn swamps could hardly fail to tell ujDon one whose constitution had already been severely tried with fevers on the West Coast and in the West Indies. At first he grew better and worse at intervals, but continuing to march in spite of pain and weakness, with scarcely any comforts or assistance, he wore out his little remaining strength, and was found at length by Lieutenant Villiers, who went out from Kampala to meet him, now far too weak to walk at all, and being carried by his porters, whose affection and fidelity he seems to have had a strange power of winning. Lieutenant Villiers had brought medical stores, and nourishing food and champagne, and at first it seemed as if these might not have come too late. Dr. Moffat was himself unable to put foot to the ground, but Dr. Baxter, of the English Mission, who had just returned tired out from a journey him- self, no sooner heard of Captain Portal's illness than he set out immediately to meet him and bring him into Kampala. Captain Portal's Diary is published as a supplement to this book, and what more there is to be told will best be told there. These few words will perhaps suffice to explain the sequence of Sir Gerald's notes. On the 20th of May the Commissioner, who was still at Port Alice, received the news that Captain Portal had been brought into camp, better, but very ill. He was at the time very far from well himself, ILLNESS OF CAPTAIN PORTAL 239 but he started the following morning for Kampala at 9.30 A.M., being delayed till this late hour by terrific thunderstorms. The narrative of the Diary con- tinues : — 2lst May, Sunday. — Quite beat in five miles: had to drag along supported by whisky at intervals rest of way. Macdonald came to meet us on Rubaga Hill with some champagne ! Found Raymond bad, very weak ; but temperature down to 101° : had been 104|^; quite deaf; looking very poor, but knew me. Dr. Baxter more than kind, spends all his time here. Self very seedy ; went to bed. 22nd May. — R. P. 102° and 103° all day. Baxter not very pleased. Self seedy, and fever. Mwanga came : went through treaty with him ; he agrees to all. 23rfZ May. — R. P. temp. 101° in morning, then 100°, but up to 102° in evening. I sat with him all day, feeling ver}' seedy. My own temp. 101° at bedtime. Took some "Warburg. Sent for Moffat to come in. 2Uh May.—R. P. 101-6°-102°, 100°, and up again to 101-4°. Wandering a little in afternoon ; took nourishment (Brand and milk and water). Pulse 86, and fairly good. Sat with him nearly all day. Self feeling better, but still seedy. Waganda Wa-Islam impertinent : claim province of Mugema, and say they won't work for king. Selim Bey Avrote to me on subject. 2bth May.—R. P. temp. 101° at 6 A.M. and 101-4° but steady; about 100'8° all day till 9 p.m., up to 101°; pulse Aveaker and wandering a good deal. Pulse rose to 100; Moffat arrived and consulted with Baxter : gave some champagne. Saw Selim Bey ; pointed out the "Wa-Islam not his business, he quite agreed. 2&th May. — R. P. dreadfully weak and wandering all day, talking in Swahili a great deal ; got no sleep all night, and very restless all day : temperature a shade better, varied only from 101-2° to 100-6°, till at 8.30 p.m. it went down to 99-8° ; he had some sensible moments. Pulse rose to 120; he spoke to me sensibly at 4 p.m. "\A^rote officially to Owen, explaining situation as clearly as possible, got stores and Maxim gun ready to send out to him. Self bad head all dav. 240 THE MISSION TO UGANDA 21111 May. — Raymond's temperature not bad — about 100° to 100'6°; but pulse weaker, has risen to 130; breathing very laboured and rapid ; had been given bromide, but without effect; has had no sleep for over two days now. Berkeley, Yilliers, Rhodes, and Moffat had relieved each other through night; all report that he was restless, with quickened breathing and wander- ing. Rhodes and Moffat with him all morning. I had to work. ' T r' *J" * ffliffT'^nT " "" ii I "/ J 'Trr m rummJ liL...—-. ip'riHsnsi^ CAPTAIN RAYMOND PORTAL S GRAVE. At 1.30 P.M. I relieved Rhodes and thought R. looked worse. Temperature at 1 rose to 102°, and at 2 to 103°; gave him egg beaten in milk ; he very quiet and motionless ; at 4 temp, had risen to 104° and soon after to 105°; pulse and heart Aveaker. Moffat sponged him all over with cold water ; temperature fell to 104'2° ; weakness and difficulty of breathing increased. Gave hypodermic injection of carbonate of ammonia twice, but no effect perceptible. Dr. Baxter came. We prayed. All over about 5.30, quite quietly — motionless. Frank under- took to see to everything. He is more than kind and tactful. FUNERAL OF CAPTAIN PORTAL 241 '2%th May, Sundaij. — Funeral was at 7.30 A.M. Frank had arranged everything : officers in full dress, four on each side ; firing party of Soudanese battalion under Arthur. Went to English church at Namirembe ; Bishop Tucker officiated ; all done quietly and well. Kind letter from Bishop Tucker. De- cided to start Tuesday morning. Extract from a Letter from Sir Gerald Portal TO Lady Alice Portal Kampala, 28