72 MRULI TO THE CAPITAL OF UNYORO.

and was inhabited by only one family, consisting of one man, eight women, two children, and a dog.

A short journey through tall grass brought us to Londu, which we left a little to one side, to halt half an hour’s march beyond it, in Kijivéka, where some good huts were at once placed at our disposal, and where we were given some sweet potatoes, which we relished much after our thirty-six hours’ fast. The Madundti, who inhabit this district, are of a very dark colour, and speak a language quite different from that of the Wanyoro. It strikes one particularly by its humming tones and jerky syllabification. These people are said to have originally come from beyond the Albert Lake, and they still practise circumcision. Their houses differ from the hemispherical “bee-hives” of Unyoro, in the construction of their reed walls and high porches. Some of the children are swag-bellied, a result of irregular nourishment—to-day a great deal, tomorrow nothing. ‘The women wear the pretty striped aprons of bark cloth noticed by Baker. All smoke pipes with enormously long reed stems, A clear sky promised a fine day, and our station of Kistga lay quite near, where we could hope to rest. Matébere appeared just before we started, and with him the ereater part — of my baggage. Nine loads were still wanting, including the whole of my store of butter. He now began to make all kinds of excuses, and depreciated and cursed the people, &c., while extolling his own virtues; but as my acquaintance, Biabo, the chief of this district, most kindly offered me men, I was able to continue the march at once. Some delay was occasioned by the arrival of messengers from Kabréga, who in his name ordered Msige to return the things he had taken on the way as compensation for his broken head, and said that on his return he might make complaint and seek redress.

From eight to ten o’clock A.M. we fought our way through erass and reeds, rested a little in a banana grove, and at last, tired and exhausted, arrived at two o'clock at our station, Kisuga, whence we returned, after a day of rest, across a flooded country to Mruli. My missing bageage was returned to me a few days later, uninjured and in good condition.

I wish here to draw particular attention to the fact that in