FOOD SCARCE. 17

we do not make wholesale presents of women in

this way." Thereupon the king, in a great rage,

exclaimed, "Yon come here and say all men are

brothers, and that your Grod loves us as well as you,

and yet you think yourselves too good to live as we

do. Ugh ! " Well, it was quite true. "We cannot do

otherwise ; it will be a difficulty to the end. As I

have said before, it is my firm conviction that un-

married men should not go out as missionaries.

Married men would have an answer to give in such

a case; but bachelors have no reply. In this

instance Mtesa sent away the women, but he was

very angry and so were his wives, and on many

occasions he referred to my refusal of the women

and expressed his great displeasure.

The food question is really a very serious one in

Uganda. All strangers are supposed to be the

king's guests, and it is his duty to provide them

with provisions. On their arrival they are well

cared for, but after the first few weeks, when the

novelty of their presence and gratification at the

gifts he has received wear off, Mtesa becomes for-

getful of his guests' needs, and the supplies are

scanty and irregular. There is often great difficulty

in buying food, as it is not customary for the people

to sell to the king's visitors, and it is only with

great trouble that they are sometimes induced to

do so. Like all other travellers who have been in

Uganda, we were frequently in great straits, and the

TOL. n. c