58 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

part of Ugogo, and here we had our first experience of that irritating system of robbery known as hongo. This hongo or blackmail is levied by the various local chiefs on all caravans passing through their country, and forms one of the largest items in the cost of an expedition to this part of Africa. This abominable practice has entirely arisen through the folly of the Arabs, who have no idea of combining together for trade purposes, and who submitted to this imposition rather than run the slightest risk of having their property seized by the natives. And from small beginnings this tax has so enormously increased, as, in some cases, to amount in the course of a few days' journey to from twenty to twenty-five per cent, of the total property of a caravan. The various chiefs are supposed to levy the tax at so much for every bale of barter goods, but there is no check upon them, and they can demand what they like, and as, in case of any conflict with the natives, the porters, who naturally prefer to keep a whole skin, would desert, one has no resource after one has exhausted all that diplomacy can do but to grin and bear it. The mode of settling the hougo is as follows : the day after a caravan arrives at the place where the hongo has to be paid, two or three niamparas, accompanied by some one who can speak Kigogo, go to the chief's tembe, taking some cloths, considerably fewer in number than the quantity he is likely to demand. The chief takes these and