178 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

war. Three out of Gessi's four had been badly wounded ; but they are such brave, fearless little fellows, that he told me he had frequently to drive them out of reach of danger with the whip. A bullet entered behind the lower jaw of one of them and came out at his chin, carrying away the four lower incisors ; the wound had healed in a wonderful manner, and only a bad scar remained when I saw him. One incident will show the courage of these boys, and their insensibility to danger. The government troops had surrounded the rebels in a stockade, and one day four donkeys escaped from it and began to graze quietly outside the enclosure ; whither they were soon followed by three men and two boys. As they were within gunshot, three of the donkeys, the men, and one boy were killed, and the bullets were whizzing round the remaining boy, a lad of about ten years of age ; but he, apparently regardless of them and of his danger, persisted in his attempt to get the donkey inside, until Gressi admiring his pluck, ordered the soldiers to cease firing, and the boy entered the stockade in triumph on his donkey.

The town of Waou, which at the time Schweinfiirth visited it some years ago, was situated some miles from its present site, was burnt down by the rebels, and when we were there was being rebuilt in a much more substantial style than is usual. The huts were square-shaped, made of mud,