146 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

November. During these months rain falls nearly every day, usually accompanying thunderstorms which recur at almost the same hour each day with remarkable regularity. The mean annual rainfall is not however very great, and will probably be found to be about 50 inches. The climate of Uganda is a remarkably mild one, and the temperature is very uniform all the year round, owing, doubtless, to the great elevation of the country (viz. from 5000 to 6000 feet) and the proximity of the vast bodies of water in the Victoria and Albert lakes.

During the whole of my residence there the temperature never rose above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, and rarely fell below 50 degrees at night, while during the middle of the day there was generally a pleasant breeze. There is however a good deal of ague, especially in the swampy districts near the capital, though this will doubtless become much rarer among Europeans as better houses are built.

There being two periods of maximum rainfall in the year, there are two crops of cereals in the twelve months, consequently the natives of Uganda reckon each period of six months as a year. The year and the month being their only divisions of time. The first month of each of these years is called " the month of sowing food," and the other months those " of eating food."

One feature which strikes the traveller in this