230 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

for the journey, the chief of the island from which they were procured came to see us off, followed by a crowd of curious natives. After we had pushed off, he harangued the crews from the beach, bidding them be careful, and exhorting them to avoid the storms, which had shipwrecked so many of their comrades ; he concluded his speech with the ominous words, "Lumbi, lumbi, lumbi." ("Death, death, death.") The men promised obedience, and we started, followed by a ringing cheer from the crowd on shore.

The scenery among these islands was of the most fairy-like description. Each island was, for the most part, covered with a dense mass of forest trees, there being frequently a ridge of hills running down its centre. Coasting along (as is the custom of the Waganda) within a short distance of the land, I had ample opportunities of studying the lovely views constantly presented to the eye. The shore was often lined with a thick fringe of the graceful papyrus, like fairy palms, with a beautiful purple convolvolus twining in out amongst the stems ; a mass of gigantic forest trees formed a magnificent background to the picture, relieved by occasional openings revealing glimpses of plantain groves and picturesque villages. The water was dotted with pink and blue water-lilies, while in the creeks thick beds of the curious Pistia stratiotes were anchored, or drifted about in miniature islands ; vast numbers of waterfowl perched in the ambatch bushes or flew swiftly