GOVERNMENT AND LANGUAGE. 207 government of the country. When about to make a voyage, the Waganda always make offerings to this spirit, to propitiate it. The canoes are gathered together some distance from shore, and the chief in charge of them, standing up, places some bananas or other food on a paddle, and, holding it over the water, prays to the god to give them a prosperous voyage and to bring them safely back to their homes ; then he throws the fruit into the water, begging the god to come and take it.

Others of the demons are Chiwuka and Nenda ; they are gods of war, and are supposed to inhabit certain trees in various parts of the country. At these trees the Waganda, before going to battle, pray and make offerings to the deities, the offerings consisting of live animals, goats, sheep, and cattle, which must invariably be black, which are given to the guardians of these trees, who receive them on behalf of the god. Another lubari is called Ndaula, and appears to be identical with one of the former kings of Uganda ; he is supposed to reside on the summit of Mount Gambaragara (Mount Gordon Bennett of Stanley), and is said to bring small-pox, and is worshipped as the personification of that disease. Thunder is also worshipped, and on the spot where lightning is seen to strike the ground either an arch is erected, under which no foreigner is allowed to pass, or a small hut is built, covering the place ; the hut is not repaired, but allowed gradually to fall to pieces, and when it