36 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

tried my best to induce the men to kill a cow, for

food was scarce and I was very hungry ; but all my

efibrts were in vain. The men, who had taken

possession of all the cows Mtesa had given me for

food during the journey, declined to kill any of

them ; and when I even offered to pay they still

refused, saying they could get a better price at

Mruli. If we had been going to Eubaga, instead of

leaving it, such an occurrence would never have

taken place, for a complaint to the king would

have cost them their lives. But when they are

escorting travellers from the court they know that

they are safe from complaints reaching the king;

and for this reason, although they protect the lives

of those under their care, they are not too ready to

provide them with food.

The next morning, June 1, we were up early and

in the best of spirits, for we were expecting to reach

Mruli, from which we were only twenty miles

distant. The cattle were driven off some time

before I was ready to start, but we soon over-

took them. For the first two hours the road ran

through the same open jungle, the ground sloping

to the north-north-east. In the distance could be

seen large herds of antelopes grazing ; only once

did we get within reasonable distance. I tried a

shot at about 1000 yards, which was not altogether

successful, as the animal was only slightly wounded.

In due course we reached the river Eafur, about