UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA. 179 tinder, and I have frequently seen it used by the Waganda (and have also used it myself) for this purpose. They twist it tightly into a rope, and carry it with them on a journey to light their pipes with, as in this state it will smoulder for hours. The tree from which the bark has been removed is not killed by the operation. The wound is covered with banana-leaves, which are bound closely round it, a sort of skin forms over it, and in process of time new bark grows.

In common with most negros, the Waganda are very skilful in basketwork. The materials generally employed are grass, and the leaflets of the wild date palm. Of the former they make large shallow, circular baskets, which are used as dishes to convey food in ; to form these, a continuous ring of fine grass, bound closely round with plantain- fibre, is coiled on itself in a wide spiral, the individual rings being sewn strongly together with the same fibre ; and so carefully and tightly are these baskets made, that they are perfectly watertight. Small baskets, with lids, are made of the leaflets of the date palm for carrying the indispensable coffee-berries. The fishtraps and basketwork on their shields have already been mentioned.

They make beautiful tubes for drinking their native beer through. A hollow curved stick is taken and covered with close-fitting basketwork of the date palm leaflets dyed various colours, while at the N 2