AN ATTACK. 29

ten miles from that place. I discovered that the

reason we were attacked was that my men had been

robbing in all directions, according to the custom,

and the natives, thinking that they were stronger

than we were, had intended to retake their lost pro-

perty. I only wish I had been able to punish my

men, but the only person with me whom I could

trust being a small boy, I was obliged to say little

about it. I was very much amused at the way a man had been tied up the night before for mis-

behaving himself. He was made to lie on his back,

and two thick poles were driven into the ground,

crossing each other just over his neck ; his arms

were then tied to the poles at the wrists, as high up

as they could stretch them. I thought that he was

quite securely fastened ; but it is not so easy to tie

up a negro, and in the middle of the night he

escaped, causing great confusion.

For ten miles immediately preceding Kahiira, the

road lies through the most splendid park-like land,

with no swamps, so that the march was really plea-

sant. Kahura is a very pleasant town ; its owner,

Maraku, had been killed about three weeks before my arrival. He and about 200 of his men had been

attacked by Kabrega's warriors, and had been com-

pletely destroyed, only three men escaping to bring

back the news. I did not stay within the stockade

itself, but encamped in a banana-grove at a little

distance to the east of the town. I was five days at