A LIVELY CHASE

operation had to be performed, and the grass was fired in many places on the opposite side of the swamp, while we
waited until the cleared way was sufficiently cool to allow the march. We were perfectly black, as the wind brought
showers of ashes that fell like snow, but turned us into Ethiopians. I had led the way on foot from the hour we left
Fatiko, as, the country being uninhabited for five days march between that place and Kamrasis, the men had more faith
in my steering by the compass than they had in the native guide. I felt sure that we were being deceived, and that the
woman Bacheeta had directed the guide to take us to Riongas. Accordingly that night, when Canopus was in the
meridian, I asked our conductor to point by a star the direction of Karuma Falls. He immediately pointed to Canopus,
which I knew by Spekes map should be the direction of Riongas islands, and I charged him with the deceit. He appeared
very much astonished, and asked me why I wanted a guide if I knew the way confessing that Karuma Falls were a little
to the east of the star. I thanked Speke and Grant at that moment, and upon many other occasions, for the map they had
so generously given me It has been my greatest satisfaction to have completed their great discovery, and to bear testimony
to the correctness of their map and general observations. The march was exceedingly fatiguing: there was a swamp at
least every half hour during the day, at each of which we had the greatest difficulty in driving the oxen, who were above
the girths in mud. One swamp was so deep that we had to carry the luggage piecemeal on an angarep by about twelve
men, and my wife being subjected to the same operation was too havey, and the people returned with her as
impracticable. I accordingly volunteered for service, and carried her on my back; but when in the middle of the swamp,
the tenacious bottom gave way, and I sank, and remained immoveably fixed, while she floundered froglike in the muddy
water. I was extricated by the united efforts of several men, and she was landed by being dragged through the swamp.
We marched for upwards of ten hours per day, so great were the delays in crossing the morasses and in clearing off the
grass jungle by burning. On the fourth day we left the prairies, and entered a noble forest; this was also so choked with
high grass that it was impossible to proceed without burning the country in advance. There had been no semblance of a
path for some time; and the only signs of game that we had seen were the tracks of elephants and a large herd of
buffaloes, the fire having scared all wild animals from the neighbourhood. An attack of fever seized me suddenly, and I
was obliged to lie down for four or five hours under a tree until the fit had passed away, when, weak and good for
nothing, I again mounted my ox and rode on. On the January, from an elevated position in the forest at sunrise, we saw
a could of fog hanging in a distant valley, which betokened the presence of the Somerset river. The guide assured us that
we should reach the river that day. I extract the note from my journal on the occasion: Marched, reaching the Somerset
river, or Victoria White Nile. I never made so tedious a journey, owing to the delays of grass, streams, and deep swamps,
the BROTHER OF RIONGA with them; the guide, as I had freared during the journey, has deceived us, and taken us
direct to Riongas country. On the north side the river all is uninhabited forest, full of buffalo and elephant pitfalls, into
which three of our cattle have already fallen, including my beautiful riding ox, which is thus so sprained as to be
rendered useless. The natives at first supposed we were Mahommed Wat Meks people, but finding their mistake they
would give no information, merely saying that the lake was not far from here. They said they were friends of
Mahommeds people who attacked Kamrasi, and Rionga being his enemy became their ally. I must now be very careful,
lest the news should reach Kamrasi that I am in Riongas country, which would cut off all change of travelling in
Unyoro. The slave woman, bacheeta, secretly instructed the guide to lead us to Rionga instead of to Kamrasi, precisely
as I had suspected. The Karuma Falls are a days march east of this, at which point we must cross the river. Obtained a
clear observation of Capella, meridian altitude showing latitude degrees minutes We could ge no supplies from Riongas
people, who returned to their island after their conference with Bacheeta, promising to send us some plantains and a
basket of flour; but upon gaining their secure ret reat they shouted, that we might go to Kamrasi if we liked, but that we
should receive no assistance from them. Early in the morning we started for Karuma. This of the forest was perfectly
open, as the grass had been burnt by the natives about three weeks ago, and the young shoots of the vines were appearing
from the scorched roots; among other plants was an abundance of the prickly asparagus, of shich I collected a basketful.
Nothing could exceed the beauty of the march. Our course through the noble forest was parallel with the river, that
roared beneath us on our right in a succession of rapids and falls between high cliffs covered with groves of bananas and
varieties of plams, including the graceful wild date the certain sign of either marsh or river. The Victoria Nile or Somerset
river was about yards wide; the cliffs on the south side were higher than those upon the north, being about feet above the

CONFIDENTIAL

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