10 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

one of my visits, according to custom, I was giving

a dose to one of the pages, when a chief asked to be

favoured with a little himself; but Mtesa turned

round sharply, and said, " No ; that is for me ! You

know now that Doctori does not wish to harm me.

It is only on account of your silly fancies that I let

one of you drink the medicine."

On another occasion, when he was very bitter

against white men, he said to me, " Doctori, how many weeks do you think I shall have to take

medicine ? " I told him. He was silent for a few

minutes, and then said, " Doctori, bring me enough

bottles of medicine to cure me." •' Why ? " I in-

quired. " Oh," replied he, with the utmost coolness,

" I want them, because my chiefs wish me to kill

you, and then no one will make any medicine for

me." Of course I flatly refused, and told him that

if he killed me, he would deprive himself of the

inestimable advantages of my services and my

physic. At first he did not quite understand ; but when he fully comprehended, he turned to his chiefs

and said, " Doctori will not give me medicine if he

dies. What shall I do ? "

Any one will understand how difficult it is to

treat, with any success, such a patient—one who

does not take his medicine regularly, and who does

not follow the regulations given him with regard

to diet, etc. Natives expect to be cured by a

word, and it is with great difficulty that they can