FOOD SCARCE.

we do not make wholesale jresents of women in this way." Thereupon the king, in a great rage, exclaimed, "You come here and say all men are brothers, and that your God loves us as well as you, and yet you think yourselves too good to live as we do. Ugh ! " Well, it was quite true. We cannot do otherwise ; it will be a difficulty to the end. As I have said before, it is my firm conviction that unmarried men should not go out as missionaries.

Married men would have an answer to give in such a case ; but bachelors have no reply. In this instance Mtesa sent away the women, but he was very angry and so were his wives, and on many occasions he referred to my refusal of the women and expressed his great disleasure.

The food question is really a very serious one in Uganda. All strangers are supposed to be the king's guests, and it is his duty to provide them with provisions. On their arrival they are well cared for, but after the first few weeks, when the novelty of their presence and gratification at the gifts he has received wear ofi", Mtesa becomes forgetful of his guests' needs, and the supplies are scanty and irregular. There is often great difficulty in buying food, as it is not customary for the people to sell to the king's visitors, and it is only with great trouble that they are sometimes induced to do so. Like all other travellers who have been in Uganda, we were frequently in great straits, and the TOL. n. c