22 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN. —and this will be clone by the report of those of

their countrymen who have visited England—it will

grow, and the desire to learn more of the marvels of

civilisation will become so strong, that I am firmly

convinced that instead of opposing, as they do at

present, the settlement of Europeans in Uganda,

they will set aside their prejudices and be ready to

welcome foreigners, and will give to them freedom

of speech and action, which they do not now possess.

I will add a few words about the domestic ar-

rangements of the palace, which, by the way, is

not one building, but a collection of different-sized

huts, surrounded by several enclosures, in various

j)arts of which live the king's wives, pages, servants,

and guard of soldiers. The king has rather a large

household to provide for, and he is very particular

that it should be well supplied. The king's cook,

butcher, and pombe-maker are very important offi-

cials, and take high rank among his numerous

attendants. Every day when the food is cooked, it

is divided into messes and put into banana-leaves, and

placed in a basket covered by a nicely plaited cover

to protect it from the evil eye. About noon all the

food and beer is brought before Mtesa, who tastes

both, and woe betide the unhappy cooks if either is

not according to his liking. After his inspection

the divers portions are carried to the chiefs and

j other members of his household. Mtesa himself

' eats alone ; he drinks very little beer, and that