FAREWELL TO UGANDA. 275 off, it was at last decided, in May 1879, that Mtesa should send envoys to England. The Nile route was selected, after some discussion, as being, in our estimation, safer at that time than the southern route by Zanzibar. It was also settled that I should accompany the envoys to England, and that Felkin, who had been for some time in bad health, and who was anxious to consult Dr. Ernin, should go with me part of the way. It was necessary that we should send word beforehand of our intention to travel through his province to Dr. Emin Bey, so, after discussing the matter among ourselves and with Mtesa, it was finally decided that Felkin should go on to Mruli first and communicate from there with Dr. Emin, and that I should wait till the envoys were ready, and the presents, which Mtesa intended to send to our Queen, were prepared.

Accordingly Felkin left Eubaga for Mruli on May 17th, 1879, 1 hoping to follow him in the course of a week or ten days. But, owing to the delays inevitable in African travels, nearly a month elapsed before I could get off, starting finally, with the envoys and an escort of Waganda, on June 16th.

The route which I followed between Kubaga and the jungle on this occasion was to the east of that 1 had taken on the two previous journeys. On the 21st I reached one of the country establishments of Kangao, who has been already mentioned as ono of the three hereditary bakungu ; he was renowned as T 2