MTESA’S COMMERCIAL POLICY. 115 for cooking 40 to 50 cowries. But the large bananas called gonje, which are rarer and are eaten raw, cost a cowrie each. The people have become accustomed to this money, by which, except in a few cases of direct barter, all trade is transacted. It may further be remarked that strangers who come to Uganda without any cowries often find considerable difficulty in procuring a sufficient quantity, for the Arabs, making a wise use of the pressure of circumstances, often refuse to pay in cash. You are therefore frequently compelled to sell the stuffs, red glass beads, clothes, &., that have been brought with you, in order to procure the necessary coin to meet the daily expenditure for food and housekeeping.

While cowries have become a regular medium of exchange -in Uganda, the same can scarcely be said of Unyéro. Mtésa, the king of Uganda, would never allow Arabs to go to Unyoro in spite of their repeated requests, being careful of his own interests, and perhaps a little jealous of Kabréga, the ruler of Unyoro, whom he liked to represent as his vassal, especially to strangers and others unacquainted with the real state of affairs. It was much more to his advantage to claim possession of the weapons and ammunition brought into his country by the Arabs, and to send now and then some of his own people with “presents ” of cloth, copper, brass, and glass beads to Kabréga, who, in return for his neighbour’s Greek gifts, readily sent ivory and slaves, and with these Mtésa made fresh purchases. It was not till quite recently—about five years ago—that two enterprising traders, the Arab, Said-ibn-Seifi, and the Fundi, Hassan, a freedman, succeeded in reaching the capital of Unyoro from Karagwa, where they were well received, and in spite of the system in vogue, reaped a good harvest of ivory. It is the practice in Unyoro, as well as in Uganda, for every trader on his arrival to present about the half of his goods, especially powder, lead, shot, and guns, to the ruler, who in return places at his disposal a house and garden, and gifts of cattle and fruit, and finally, at his departure, makes him a present of ivory, the value of which usually amounts to five times that of the original present. Both parties make a good thing out of the transaction ; the Arab, whose capital brings him a return with-' out any trouble to himself, and the king, who pays nothing for oO?