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 inquired. " 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