68 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

we had just left, and a halt of two or three days was required to lay in provisions for the journey. We reached Ushuri on November 15th, and hoped to be off in two or three days ; but day after day passed and the men w rould not stir, the reason being that Mganga was doing a little business on his own account, and would not start till it w yas finished, and the other niamparas would not move without him. On the morning of the 29th a man arrived with a letter from Lieut. Smith, saying that he and Dr.

Smith, with the remaining caravan, were in the great pori, or jungle, several days' march from Iramba, and that their food was nearly exhausted, and they begged us to send them 300 rations at once. The note further said that Mackay had returned to Mpwapwa sick. No time was to be lost, so leaving O'Neill with the caravan, I set off at once for the jungle, taking a guide and two or three Wang'uana with me. We reached Mgongo Tembo about halfpast twelve, having travelled very fast, and there spent three hours in buying grain and engaging men to carry it. The sun was low in the western sky when we again set off, and except for a five minutes' halt at Ulala, on the very verge of the jungle, in ' order to fill up our water bottles, we did not stop till we were far away in the depths of the forest, having travelled nearly thirty miles. We lighted huge fires, for fear of the lions, and stretching ourselves out beside them, were soon fast asleep. Early