114 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

ifoebbi, and would be at Rubaga in a day or two ; of Smitb be said tbere was no news, but I concluded tbat O'Neill bad bad cbarge of tbe Daisy, tbat sbe, being tbe better sailer, had arrived first, and tbat Smitb would shortly follow in tbe dhow. So I returned borne with a glad heart to prepare to receive them. I heard nothing more, however, that week, and on the morning of Sunday, 30th, I went up to tbe palace to bold the usual service. There was an unusually large attendance, and during tbe service a man came and told me that Hassani, our interpreter, who had been with Smith and O'Neill, had come, and wished to speak to me, and I told him to wait till service was over. After service I was preparing to leave, when Hassani suddenly appeared with two or three other men, and kneeling down before Mtesa, said in Swahili, " Seyidi, bwana Smith bwana O'Neilli na Wang'uana wao wote pia wamekufa ; Lukonge wamewaua." (" Your majesty, Mr.

Smith and Mr. O'Neill and all their Wang'uana are dead ; Lukonge has killed them.")

I could hardly believe my ears ; tbe blow was so sudden and so severe, tbat it almost took away my breath. So, after putting a few questions to Hassani, I told Mtesa that I must go home and think about it. When I got home I cross-questioned Hassani, but could not get much out of him beyond the fact that the dhow had been wrecked, and that, some dispute having arisen about her, between Lukonge