NATIVE CHILDREN. 31

one away "with me. One day I was gathering some

flowers for botanical specimens, and apjoarently this

was noticed; for in the evening, to my great sur-

prise, the women and children came to me, and

laid at my feet handfuls of flowers which they had

collected.

It is in such quiet times as that which I spent

here that the best idea can be formed of the natives

in their normal condition. I must say that I felt

very much drawn towards the poorer classes, who

seemed to me to be most kind and friendly in

disposition.

On the 20th some men brought to the village

twenty cows, which Mtesa had ordered to be given

to me ; upon which I made all my preparations for

starting the next morning. In this expectation I

was disappointed, as I found that Mtesa had ordered

•a company of soldiers to come to protect me from

Kabrega, and to bring with them some cattle to sell

at Mruli.

This escort arrived at about 11 o'clock on May 27,

and consisted of some 200 men, under the command

of two sub-chiefs. They had about 150 guns, but

very little powder, and not many caps. In addition

to the guns, each man carried two spears and a large

shield. Mtesa, as usual, sent one of his own drums

and two flags. The Batongola had also a couple of

drums of their own. The rest of the day they spent

in a deep carouse ; but the next morning all being