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C.GHTEEN  YEARS 
IN  UGANDA 

AND  EAST  AFRICA 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

Purchased  by  the  Hamill  Missionary  Fund. 

DT  4 25   .T8  1908~VT 2 

Tucker,  Alfred  Robert,  1849| 

1914.  I 
Eighteen  years  in  Uganda  &  ! 
East  AfxjLca —  


I 


EIGHTEEN  YEARS  IN 
UGANDA  AND  EAST 
AFRICA 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arcliive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/eigliteenyearsinu02tuck 


EIGHTEEN  YEARS 

IN 

UGANDA  &  EAST  AFRICA 

BY  y 

ALFRED  R.  TUCKER 

HON.  D.D.  OXFORD  AND  DURHAM,  HON.  LL.  D.  CAMB. 

BISHOP  OF  UGANDA 

WITH  ILLDSTKATIONS 
FROM  DRAWINGS  BY  THE  AUTHOR 
AND  A  MAP 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES 
VOL.  II. 


LONDON 
EDWARD  ARNOLD 

Iputlieiier  to  \%t  {nlita  (fDffire 
1.908 

[All  r'tQhU  reserved) 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II 


BOOK  IV— DIPFICULTIES—TRL4LS— SORROWS 

(^Continued') 

CHAPTER  XXVI 

From  Ocean  to  Lake 

Mbaruk's  rebellion — Missionaries  at  Jilore — A  perilous  trip — Termination  of 
the  Company's  rule  in  Mombasa — Good  work  done  by  the  Company — 
Its  record — Its  services  in  the  cause  of  freedom — New  Year's  Day,  1889, 
at  Rabai — Arrival  of  the  first  party  of  ladies  for  Uganda — Extracts  from 
my  diary — Third  journey  to  Uganda — The  start — Delay  at  Rabai — 
Medical  work  on  the  road — Tsavo — Machakos — Rest  at  Kikuyu — Meeting 
with  Pilkington  and  Baskerville — Morandat  in  flood — March  round 
Naivasha — Starving  j)orters — Disaster  to  our  advance  caravan — Scene 
of  the  slaughter — A  terrible  thunderstorm — Passage  of  the  Nile — Arrival 
in  Mengo — Great  crowds  .......      Pp.  1-30 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  New  Era  dt  the  History  of  the  Church 

A'great  move  forward — The  Holy  Spirit  the  moving  power — Seven  new  stations 
opened — Fall  of  the  cathedral  in  Mengo — Twenty-three  suburban  churches 
— Confirmations — Gathering  clouds  in  Toro — Journey  to  Busoga — Arrival 
at  Luba's — Bugaya — A  night  journey — "  Are  you  a  spirit  or  are  you  a 
man  ?  " — Evil  spirits — Startling  news  from  Uganda — Hurried  return 
thither — Kasagama's  story — His  trial  and  triumphal  acquittal — His 
baptism,  March  15, 1896 — Visit  to  the  islands — Arrival  at  Mengo 

Pp.  31-43 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

In  Journbyinos  Oft 

Journey  to  Toro — Enthusiastic  reception  by  the  king  and  people — How  Christi- 
anity came  to  the  country — First  baptism  in  Toro — Plans  for  the  evangelisa- 
tion of  Toro — Baptism  of  the  Queen  and  Queen-Mother — King  confirmed — 
Return  to  Uganda — Ordination  of  three  priests  and  six  deacons — Twenty- 
two  lay  Evangelists  licensed — A  last  conlinuation  service — Start  for  the 
coast — Arrival  at  Nasa — Death  of  Nickisson — Ordination — Mpwapwa — 
Simeoni  carried  off  by  a  lion — Severe  illness — Bombardment  of  Zanzibar — 
Arrival  at  Mombasa — Invalided  homo  ....    Pp.  44-03 

n  V  tt 


vi 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

The  Slave  Question 

The  slave  question  in  Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts — The  surrender  o 
fugitive  slaves — Lord  Salisbury's  despatch — What  was  to  be  done  on  the 
retirement  of  the  Company — Letter  to  Mr.  Crauford — Sir  A.  Hardinge's 
views — Livingstone — Treaty  of  1873 — Various  decrees — Interview  with 
Lord  Salisbury  and  Mr.  G.  N.  Curzon — The  decree  of  April  6,  1897 — Its 
incomplete  nature — The  question  raided  in  the  House  of  Commons — 
Abolition  of  the  status  of  slaverj'  —  Division  of  the  Diocese  of  E.  Eq. 
Africa  Pp.  64r-74 


CHAPTER  XXX 

Gatheeixg  Cloifds 

The  shadow  of  a  great  trouble — Teachers  in  Uganda  and  their  work — A  survey 
of  the  work  at  this  date — Women's  work — Birth  of  Mwanga's  son  and  heir — 
Arrival  of  reinforcements — Pilkington's  wonderful  journey — The  beginning 
of  medical  work — Diamond  Jubilee  celebrations — Flight  of  Mwanga — 
Causes  of  the  rebellion — Daudi  Cwa  proclaimed — Death  of  Pilkington — 
The  completion  of  his  work — Return  of  Mwanga — Joins  Kabarega — 
Flight  Pp.  75-95 


BOOK  V— SOWING  AND  REAPING 

CHAPTER  XXXI 
Suspense 

Departure  from  England — Arrival  in  Mombasa  for  the  third  time — Alarming 
intelligence — Two   missionary   parties — Hubbard   accidentally   shot — A 
Pi  church  Xor  the  English  community — The  care  of  a  fugitive  slave — Visit 
L/  to  Jilore — Telegram  announcing  the  death  of  Pilkington — Return  to 
V  Mombasa — Voyage  in  a  dhow — Journey  to  Taveta — A  long  march — 
Death  of  Miss  Goyen — Journey  to  Uganda — Arrival      .        .  Pp.  97-116 

CHAPTER  XXXII 

A  REV^EW  OF  THE  SITUATION 

A  review  of  the  situation — (1)  State  of  the  country — (2)  The  work  of  the  Church 
— The  National  Council — A  new  postal  system — Wealth  flowing  into  the 
country — The  spiritual  condition  of  the  Church — Two  sad  events — 
Execution  of  mutineers — Funeral  service — Usukuma  or  Toro  ? — Divine 
guidance — The  call  to  Toro — The  work  there — A  great  advance — Visit 
to  Katwe — Ruwenzori — Crater  Lakes — The  Albert  Edward  Lake — Visit 
to  an  i.sland  chief — Visit  to  Mboga — The  Semliki  river — The  great  forest 
— Boiling  S))ring3 — History  of  the  work  at  Mboga — Apolo  and  Sedulaka — 
Return  to  Mengo  Pp.  117-145 


CONTENTS 


vii 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
Education 

Conference  of  missionaries — A  constitution  for  the  Church — The  communicant 
the  Telector — The^  position!  of  the  missionaries — Withdrawal  of  the 
draft — Educational  work — A  religious  foundation — Miss  Chadwick's 
first  efforts  to  organise  school  work — Mr.  Hattersley's  work — His  opinion  of 
the  intelligence  of  Baganda  boys — A  problem — Industrial  work — Mackay's 
work — Training  for  the  whole  man — Medical  missionary  work — Christ-like 
pity — Care  for  the  sick  —  Dr.  Gaskoin  Wright  —  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook — 
Hospital  opened,  June  1S97      .....         Pp.  146-158 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 
Nasa 

Visit  to  Nasa — Disappointed  hopes — A  terrible  storm — A  narrow  escape — 
Nasa  as  a  sphere  of  missionary  work — The  Wasukuma — Their  backward 
condition — Its  causes — What  the  Gospel  had  done — Visit  to  Kapongo — 
Confirmation — Evangelistic  service — The  solitary  witness — The  schools — 
Work  among  the  young — Departure  from  Nasa — Kagei — The  steam- 
launch  abandoned  for  canoes — The  journey  back — The  race,  the  canoe 
wins  Pp.  159-170 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

The  DyrNG  Century 

The  last  year  of  the  century' — A  week  of  prayer — Ordination — Journey  to 
Bunyoro — Kisalizi — Mutineers  raid  the  lines  of  communication — Disaster 
to  Lieutenant  Hannyngton's  force — Mruli — Gordon's  old  fort — Masindi — 
Baptism  of  the  King  of  Bunyoro — Kahora — A  terrible  storm — Arrival  at 
Mitiana — Confirmation — Mengo         ....         Pp.  171-185 

CHAPTER  XXXVI 

The  Evanoeusation  of  Koki 

How  Christianity  first  came  to  Koki — A  surly  chief — A  hard  march — Kajuna 
— Arrival  at  Rakai  in  Koki — A  Confirmation  service  in  the  open  air — 
News  of  the  capture  of  Mwanga  and  Kabarega — Arrival  at  Bale — Voyage 
to  Sese — Bukasa  and  Bubembe — Back  once  more  at  Mengo  Pp.  186-197 

CHAPTER  XXXVII 

Captivity  and  Death  of  Mwanga 

Arrival  of  Mwanga  and  Kabarega  at  Mengo — "  The  Europeans  have  pitied 
him  " — Their  deportation  to  the  coast — Removal  to  the  Seychelles — 
Baptism  and  death  of  Mwanga — A  busy  time — Ordination — Confirmation 
— Second  conference  of  missionaries — The  constitution  again — Higher 
education  of  clergy  and  teachers — Essential  qualities  for  teachers — Prayer, 
its  place— Primary  education — TjCttcr  to  parents  and  chiefs     Pp.  198-208 


viii 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

BUSOQA 

Its  backward  condition — The  causes  of  this — Its  political  divisions — Attempts 
to  evangelise  Busoga — The  language  problem — Start  for  Busoga,  July  17, 
1899 — Arrival  at  Luba's — Native  feast — Journey  through  South  Busoga — 
Arrival  at  Iganga — A  touching  incident  at  Tabingwa's — Gabula's — Return 
toMengo  Pp.  209-228 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

Nkole 

Nkole,  a  refuge  for  the  Baganda — Attempts  to  evangelise  Nkole — Description 
of  the  country — Its  geographical  position — Population — The  Bahima  and 
the  Bairu — Journey  through  Budu  and  Koki — Arrival  in  Nkole — Struggle 
with  the  witch  doctors — The  victory — The  journey  to  Toro — A  slave 
woman — Arrival  in  Toro — The  Sequel         .       .       .         Pp.  229-251 


CHAPTER  XL 
A  New  Centuby  and  a  New  Era 

Arrival  of  Sir  H.  H.  Johnston — His  proposals  for  the  re-organisation  of  the 
country — Land  tenure — Hut  and  gun  taxes — Dissatisfaction  of  the  chiefs — 
The^question  of  uncultivated  land — The  "  mailo  " — Solution  of  the  problem 
— Treaty  signed — Its  effects — The  break-up  of  the  feudal  system — Measures 
for  meeting  the  new  order  of  things — Education — Industrial  mission — 
General  activity     i  Pp.  253-272 


book;!  VI— transition— expansion- 
consolidation 

CHAPTER  XLI 
Progress 

Death  of  Queen  Victoria — Increased  number  of  communicants — Extension  to 
Bwekula — Self-sacrifice  of  evangelists — Great  success — Extension  to 
Bukedi — Simei  Kakungulu — Crabtree  settles  at  Masaba — The  Bagishu — 
Their  language  and  customs — Consolidation  at  Mengo — The  influence  of 
Scripture — The  national  council — A  remarkable  incident — A  new  cathedral 
— Laying  the  foundation-stone    .....         Pp.  273-285 


CONTENTS 


ix 


CHAPTER  XLII 

The  Uganda  Railway 

New  forces  at  work  in  Uganda — The  railway  a  political  nece.ssity — A  triumph 
of  engineering  skill — A  fascinating  journey — fleeting  of  the  past  with  the 
present — Nairobi — What  has  the  railway  done  ? — Human  porterage  at 
an  end — Slave  traffic  killed — Central  Africa  aroused  from  slumber — 
Steamers  upon  the  Lake — German  East  Africa  affected — Undesirables — 
Financial  success — Moral  results         ....         Pp.  286-296 

CHAPTER  XLIII 

SuirsHixE  AND  Shadow 

The  Katikiro's  visit  to  England — His  reception  by  the  C  M.S.  Committee — His 
impressions — The  coronation  ceremony — Return  to  Uganda — Destruction 
of  the  new  hospital — Colonel  J.  Hayes  Sadler — No  continuity  in  the  policy 
of  the  administration — The  sleeping  sickness — Its  nature — Att«mpt3  to 
deal  with  it — Discovery  of  the  means  of  conveyance  and  infection 

Pp.  297-310 


CHAPTER  XLIV 

Feom  Utmost  East  to  Utmost  West 

A  sad  beginning  to  the  year  1893 — Journey  to  Toro — Broken  health — Journey 
to  Masaba — Passage  of  the  Mpologoma — Mt.  Elgon — A  madman — 
Masaba — Mbale — Kakungulu's  settlement — A  waterfall — A  storm — 
Passage  of  the  Lwajali — Kisalizi — Return  to  Mengo — Third  great  journey 
— Koki — A  narrow  escape — Nkole — Toro — Return  to  Mengo — Summary 

Pp.  311-326 


CHAPTER  XLV 

Possibilities  and  Opportunities 

Characteristic  features  in  the  history  of  the  Church — Education — Mengo  High 
School — King's  School,  Budo — Girls'  School,  Gayaza — Extension — Start 
for  the  Nile  Valley — Ojigi's — Terrible  storms — Owin's — Sir  Samuel  and 
Lady  Baker — Wadelai — Return  to  Mengo — Consecration  of  the  new  Cathe- 
dral— A  wonderful  collection      .....         Pp.  327-341 


CHAPTER  XLVI 
Final  Scenes 

Opening  of  the  new  hospital — Inauguration  of  the  Mengo  High  School — 
Speech  by  Mbogo — Visit  of  the  Bi.shop  of  Zanzibar — Empire  Day — Visit 
to  Busega — The  place  of  martyrdom — Discovery  of  the  remains  of  the 
martyrs — They  are  laid  to  rest — Special  mission  services  at  Mengo — 
60,000  attendances — Happy  result.s — New  classes — Conferences — A  further 
step  in  Church  organisation — A  synod  arranged  for — I  start  on  a  visit  to 
the  Lunyoro  speaking  countries — Koki — Nkole — Toro  and  Bunyoro — 
Lunyoro  v.  Luganda — Return  to  Mengo       .       .       .         Pp.  342-354 


X 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XLVII 

Summary,  1890-1908 

Political  changes — Protectorates  of  East  Africa  and  Uganda — Zanzibar — 
Slavery  abolished — The  Masai  subjugated — Porters  in  the  old  days — Now 
the  railway — Canoes — Steamers — Motor-car — The  outward  life  of  the 
Baganda — Good  houses — The  forces  which  have  brought  these  changes — 
The  Arabs — Travellers — I.B.E.A.  Company — British  administration — 
Missionary  work  the  greatest  influence — The  ministry — Churches — 
Schools — Medical  work — Educational  work — Conclusion — The  Divine 
Presence         ........         Pp.  35.5-369 


Appendix — Statistics 
Index 


Pp.  370-371 
Pp.  372-388 


ILLUSTRATIONS  TO 


VOL.  II 


The  Catliedral  of  St  Piuil,  Namirembe  (in  colour)  Frontispiece 

Bamboo  forest  on  Man                                            To  face  page  20 

The  Victoria  Nyanza  at  Luba's  „  24 

Camp  on  the  Baringo  Road  „  28 

The  church  on  the  inland  of  Bukasa,  Victoria  Nyanza  „  38 

The  Bishop  on  a  Confirmation  Tour — A  Night  on  the 

Victoria  Nyanza  42 

Ruwenzori  from  Kabarole  48 

The  lake  near  Kabarole,  Toro — Ruwenzori  in  the 

background  „  52 

A  well  in  the  old  Fort,  Mombasa  62 

The  Victoria  Nyanza  from  the  heights  above  Luba's  „  88 

Looking  out  from  the  Bishop's  study,  Uganda  „  1]& 

Nakabimba,  Uganda  126 

Katwe —  an  outpost  of  the  Empire  {in  colour)  „  1 30 

The  Semliki  valley  from  a  shoulder  of  Ruwenzori  136 

The  boiling  springs,  Toro  „  140 

The  Albert  Nyanza  „  172 

The  Nile  at  Mruli — The  ruins  of  General  Gordon's  Fort   „  178 

A  hut  in  Bunyoro  „  182 

The  Nile  at  Mruli  „  194 

A  banana  [)lantation,  Busoga  „  220 

Lake  Mazinga,  Nkole  ,,  238 

Albert  Edward  Nyanza — Ruwenzori  in  tlie  distance  „  248 

A  curious  rock  in  the  Bukedi  country  „  254 

One  of  the  shoulders  of  Mount  Elgon,  "  Nkoko  njeru  "  „  278 

A  floating  house  on  the  Mpologonia — "  a  backwater  of 

the  Nile  „  314 

zi 


xii  ILLUSTEATIQNS 


Waterfall  on  Mount  Elgon  Tofacejiage  318 

A  village  in  the  Acholi  country,  Nile  valley  „  332 

Patigo,  in  the  Nile  valley  336 

Granaries  in  a  native  village,  Nile  valley  „  338 

ABakonjo  village,  Toro  {in  colour)  „  352 

Ruwenzori  from  the  Semliki  valley  „  358 


EIGHTEEN  YEARS  IN  UGANDA 
AND  EAST  AFRICA 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 

'  He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles  ;  yea  in  seven  there  shall 
no  evil  touch  thee.  In  famine  He  shall  redeem  thee  from  death, 
and  in  war  from  the  power  of  the  sword.' — Job  v.  19,  20. 

In  the  spring  of  1895,  the  political  situation  in  the 
coast  districts  was  anything  but  satisfactory.  Trouble 
was  evidently  brewing  ;  there  was  a  restlessness  among 
the  Arabs  of  Mombasa  and  Takaungu  which  was 
disquieting,  if  not  alarming.  Selim,  the  great  Arab 
chief  of  the  latter  place,  had  died,  leaving  two  nephews, 
each  of  whom  claimed  the  office  of  Liwali.  One  was 
of  a  somewhat  turbulent  character — a  man  of  strong 
individuality,  the  other  of  a  quieter  and  milder  dis- 
position. The  Company,  whose  duty  it  was  to  decide 
as  to  their  respective  claims,  considered  that  the  man 
of  gentler  disposition  would  be  more  amenable  to  its 
influence  and  submissive  to  its  power,  and  there- 
fore appointed  Raschid  to  succeed  his  uncle  as  Liwali 
or  Governor  of  Takaungu.  At  once  the  elder  nepliew 
set  up  the  standard  of  revolt,  and  was  joined  by  a 
number  of  the  disaffected  Svvahilis  and  Arabs  in  his 
rebellion  against  the  authority  of  the  Company. 
II  A 


2 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Early  in  June  the  Consul-General  and  General  Lloyd 
Matthews,  with  four  ships  of  war  and  a  number  of 
troops,  went  up  to  Takaungu,  but  without  effecting 
much.  The  rebels  simply  retired  into  the  bush  and 
defied  the  blue-jackets  and  Swahili  troops,  who,  being 
without  transport,  were  unable  to  follow  them  into 
the  wilds  of  the  Nyika  and  Giriama  countries.  The 
Company  was  anxious  mainly  on  two  points  — 
one  the  attitude  of  the  Arabs  of  Mombasa,  always 
more  or  less  seditious;  the  other  the  attitude  of  their 
old  enemy,  Mbaruk  of  Mwele.  The  former  it  was 
possible  to  overawe  by  a  gunboat  or  two  ;  but  the 
latter,  entrenched  in  his  stronghold,  was  a  power  to 
be  reckoned  with.  They  tried  conciliation  but  failed, 
and  once  again  Mbaruk  was  in  rebellion.  Later  in  the 
year  (after  I  had  left  the  coast  and  was  well  on  my 
way  to  Uganda)  Rabai  was  actually  attacked  and  a 
part  of  the  settlement  destroyed.  An  attempt  at  a 
later  date  was  made  also  upon  Freretown,  but  it  came 
to  nothing.  The  back  of  the  rebelhon,  however,  was 
broken  by  that  gallant  sailor.  Admiral  Sir  Harry  Rawson, 
who,  landing  a  force  of  blue- jackets,  attacked,  took  and  \ 
destroyed  Mwele  itself,  Mbaruk's  stronghold  ;  as  for 
Mbaruk,  he  was  not  finally  disposed  of  until  some 
months  later,  when,  after  having  been  hunted  about 
hither  and  thither  as  a  fugitive,  he  finally  took  refuge 
in  German  territory  and  was  interned  there  b)'  the 
authorities. 

In  the  meanwhile  our  missionaries  at  Jilore  had  been 
in  great  peril.  I  had  sent  instructions  to  Burt  (who 
was  in  charge)  to  bring  down  Miss  Wyatt  and  Miss 
Higginbotliam  to  the  coast ;  but  the  telegraph  wire 
was  cut  immediately  after  the  message  had  been 
despatched,  and  its  fate  was  therefore  uncertain.  The 
Consul-General,  however,  sent  up  an  escort  of  soldiers 


Chap.  26]     FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE  3 

from  Malindi  to  bring  them  down.  On  June  the  23rd, 
hearing  that  both  the  former  and  General  Matthews 
were  in  a  man-o'-war  outside  the  harbour  waiting  for 
their  mails  to  be  sent  off,  I  went  out  in  an  open  boat 
in  order,  if  possible,  to  learn  from  them  the  exact 
position  of  affairs  with  regard  to  our  Mission  and 
missionaries.  It  was  rather  a  difficult  task  getting  on 
board.  The  south-west  monsoon  was  blowing  hard 
and  there  was  a  big  sea  on.  It  was  indeed  a  case  of 
being  "  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep."  At  one 
moment  we  were  on  the  crest  of  a  high  wave,  at  another 
right  down  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  unable  even  to  see 
the  ship  for  which  we  were  making,  and  which  was 
certainly  not  half  a  mile  away.  Eventually,  however, 
by  dint  of  hard  pulhng,  we  got  under  the  lee  of  the 
man-of-war,  where  we  were  sheltered,  and  from  which 
we  were  able  after  a  struggle  to  get  alongside.  Having 
clambered  on  board,  both  the  Consul-General  and  Sir 
Harry  Rawsoii  explained  the  situation,  from  which 
it  was  quite  clear  that  for  many  months  to  come  all 
work  at  Jilore  must  be  suspended.  It  was  with  con- 
siderable difficulty  that  we  managed  to  get  back  to 
Mombasa.  For  some  time  there  was  a  doubt  as  to 
whether  we  might  not  be  driven  on  to  the  reef  which 
lined  and  guarded  the  coast  of  the  mainland,  and  upon 
which  the  waves  broke  in  thundering  monotony.  This, 
of  course,  would  have  meant  instant  destruction.  Our 
struggle  to  win  the  harbour  was  watched  by  a  number 
of  interested  spectators  upon  the  walls  of  the  old  fort. 
However,  by  dint  of  the  most  strenuous  exertion  on 
the  part  of  our  crew,  and  by  steering,  not  for  our  own 
goal,  but  for  the  island  under  whose  lee  we  might  get 
shelter  from  the  full  force  of  the  monsoon,  we  gradually 
won  our  way  back,  and  just  before  sunset  reached 
the  shore. 


4 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


The  next  day,  to  my  great  relief,  came  a  telegram 
from  Burt,  dated — 

'  Malindi,  June  2Zrd,  1895. 

'  All  well.' 

Seven  days  later  the  Juha  steamed  into  harbour  with 
the  Jilore  missionaries  on  board.  Their  leaving  their 
work  was  not  due  to  the  dangerous  circumstances  under 
which  it  must  of  necessity  be  carried  on,  but  to  the 
"  direct  orders "  of  the  Consul-General.  Had  they 
refused  obedience  they  would  unquestionably  have  been 
brought  down  by  force. 

On  July  1st  came  the  termination  of  the  Company's 
rule  in  Mombasa,  and  the  hauHng  down  of  its  flag. 
For  many  months  the  Directors  had  been  in  treaty 
with  the  British  Government  for  the  surrender  of  their 
rights  under  the  Charter  of  Incorporation.  They  found, 
however,  little  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  Adminis- 
tration, and  no  disposition  to  meet  them  even  half 
way.  It  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  a  settle- 
ment was  arrived  at.  That  the  Company  had  been 
encouraged  by  H.M.  Government  to  embark  in  large 
schemes  of  extension,  necessitating  heavy  expenditure, 
was  certain.  Lord  Sahsbury,  with  that  discernment 
of  character  which  was  so  marked  a  feature  in  his 
intellectual  and  intuitive  equipment,  saw  in  Sir  W. 
Mackinnon,  who  was  the  moving  spirit  of  the  East 
African  venture,  the  man  above  all  others  who,  so  far 
as  these  regions  were  concerned,  would  give  effect  to 
the  rising  national  aspiration  for  the  establishment  of 
a  world-wide  empire. 

The  Manchester  school  of  politicians  had  become  a 
discredited  party.  New  markets  were  becoming  one 
of  the  great  necessities  of  the  industrial  life  of  the 
nation.    No  one  realised  this  more  fully  than  such 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


5 


men  as  Lord  Salisbury,  Sir  W.  Mackinnon,  and  those 
associated  with  him  in  the  establishment  of  the  I.B.E.A. 
Company.  What  more  natural,  therefore,  than  for  the 
former  to  give  all  due  encouragement  to  an  enterprise 
so  likely  to  be  the  instrument  for  establishing  British 
supremacy  in  Central  Africa,  without  the  disagreeable 
drawback  of  arousing  that  international  jealousy  which 
without  doubt  direct  imperial  action  would  have  done  ? 

It  was  a  perfectly  legitimate  encouragement— hope- 
fully received,  and  implicitly  relied  upon.  Unhappily, 
however,  our  system  of  party  government  made  it 
possible  for  the  Opposition,  on  coming  into  ofi&ce,  to 
reverse  such  a  policy,  and  to  undo,  to  a  large  extent, 
the  work  of  their  predecessors.  "  Another  king  arose 
who  knew  not  Joseph."  The  result  was  a  withdrawal 
of  all  that  moral  support  which  hitherto  the  Company 
had  enjoyed,  and  an  intimation  that  no  material  help 
was  to  be  looked  for  in  the  great  work  of  building  a 
railway,  which  was  now  generally  regarded  as  absolutely 
essential  for  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the 
country. 

Thus  the  position  of  the  Company  was  fast  becoming 
an  untenable  one.  At  the  same  time  the  responsibility 
resting  upon  H.M.  Government,  in  virtue  of  the  Pro- 
tectorate which  had  been  proclaimed  over  Uganda, 
was  being  more  and  more  reahsed.  For  the  proper 
discharge  of  its  duty  in  Uganda  a  free  hand  was 
necessary  in  the  whole  of  British  East  Africa.  The 
Company  must  be  got  rid  of.  But  how  ?  There  was 
but  one  way.  It  must  be  bought  out.  The  question 
at  issue  became  therefore  simply  one  of  price.  The 
Company  had  expended  large  sums  on  the  further- 
ance of  its  aims.  Was  it  to  be  recouped  ?  If  so,  in 
what  proportion  ?  Then  witli  regard  to  its  plant — 
was  this  to  be  taken  at  a  valuation  ?    What  about  the 


6  UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

officers  of  the  Company  ?  Were  these  to  be  taken 
over  by  the  Government  ?  And  so  on.  At  length  an 
arrangement  was  made  and  a  settlement  arrived  at, 
and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  on  July  1st  the  Company, 
so  far  as  its  work  in  Africa  was  concerned,  ceased  to 
exist ;  its  flag  was  hauled  down  and  the  Union  Jack 
hoisted — a  sign  that  the  British  Government  had  taken 
its  place  as  tenants  of  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar. 

That  the  Company  had  failed  to  realise  the  expec- 
tations of  its  founders  was  apparent  to  most  men, 
and  not  least  to  men  like  Sir  Fowell  Buxton  and  Sir 
W.  Mackinnon,  who,  with  motives  far  higher  and  nobler 
than  those  which  actuate  the  mere  money-grubber,  had 
freely  spent  large  sums  of  money  in  an  enterprise  which 
they  had  fondly  hoped  would  have  been  of  material 
assistance  in  the  great  work  which  they  had  so  much 
at  heart,  viz.,  the  regenerating  of  the  Dark  Continent 
of  Africa.  This  failure  was  to  Sir  W.  Mackinnon  more 
than  the  disappointment  of  a  hope  not  reahsed.  It 
was  a  real  sorrow,  and  hastened,  I  do  not  doubt, 
his  death.  And  yet  the  Company  had  done  good 
service  to  Africa.  It  had  entered  into  treaty  relations 
with  a  large  number  of  inland  tribes,  and  vast  tracts 
of  country,  such  as  Ukambani,  Masailand,  and  Kikuyu, 
had  been  opened  up  to  the  outside  world.  A  brave 
attempt  had  been  made  to  administer  these  territories, 
and  some  idea  of  law  and  order  had  in  consequence 
been  impressed  on  the  minds  of  those  to  whom  hitherto 
brute  force,  as  a  controlHng  power,  had  alone  appealed. 
These  tribes  had  also  acquired  some  faint  realisation 
of  the  sanctity  of  life — the  rights  of  property,  the  claims 
of  freedom,  and  the  advantages  of  trade. 

To  the  cause  of  freedom  the  Company  had  rendered 
special  service.  In  all  their  treaties  with  the  inland 
tribes  it  had  expressly  laid  it  down  that  the  members 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE  7 

of  such  tribes  as  the  Wakamba,  the  Wakikuyu,  the 
Wateita,  the  Waduruma,  the  Wanyika,  and  the  Wagi- 
riama,  were  not  only  incapable  of  being  enslaved  but 
even  of  being  held  in  bondage.  It  had  also  laboured 
to  bring  about  a  solution  of  the  runaway  slave  question. 
Many  fugitive  slaves  had  taken  refuge  at  such  places 
as  Rabai,  Ribe,  Fuladoyo,  Makangeni,  and  were  liable 
at  any  moment  to  be  seized  by  their  old  masters  and 
reduced  once  more  to  a  servile  condition.  A  scheme 
was  formulated  by  which  these  men  might  work  out 
their  freedom  at  a  fixed  rate.  Not  much  success,  how- 
ever, attended  this  effort.  Such  an  arrangement  is 
not  one  that  appeals  to  the  African,  whose  attitude  of 
mind  with  regard  to  the  future  may  be  summed  up  in 
the  words  : 

'  iSufFicicnt  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof.' 

Perhaps  the  most  memorable  act  of  the  Company, 
during  its  seven  years'  tenure  of  supreme  authority  in 
East  Africa,  was  the  freeing  formally  and  legally  of 
some  900  slaves  who  had  sought  refuge,  from  time  to 
time,  either  at  the  Mission  station  of  Rabai,  or  in  that 
of  the  Methodist  Mission  at  Ribe.  The  Arab  slave- 
owners of  Mombasa  complained  to  the  Administration 
that  these  Mission  stations  had  become  places  of  refuge 
for  their  fugitive  property,  and  pressed  for  the  sur- 
render of  those  men  and  women  whom  they  were  able 
to  identify  as  their  slaves.  An  inquiry  was  held,  and 
it  was  found  that  at  least  six  hundred  such  slaves  were 
settled  in  and  around  Rabai,  and  some  three  hundred 
at  Ribe.  To  surrender  this  mass  of  human  property 
was  clearly  impossible.  Many  of  these  fugitive  slaves 
had  been  living  for  years  in  freedom  and  contentment. 
They  had  been  instructed  in  the  fundamentals  of 
Christianity,  and  no  inconsiderable  proportion  had  been 


8  UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


baptized  into  the  Christian  faith.  They  had  built 
themselves  houses,  and  were  industriously  cultivating 
their  little  bits  of  land,  which  enabled  them  to  live 
in  peace  and  plenty.  To  surrender  them  and  their 
children  into  the  hands  of  their  Mohammedan  task- 
masters would  mean  practically  the  breaking  up  of  a 
Christian  church,  and  apostasy  for  the  greater  number 
of  those  who,  at  the  cost  of  infinite  labour  and  untold 
self-sacrifice,  had  been  lifted,  so  to  speak,  out  of  the 
mire  and  clay  into  a  higher  level  of  moral  and  spiritual 
life.  Such  an  act  would  mean  the  death  of  the  Company 
ere  its  life  had  begun.  It  would  arouse  such  a  storm 
of  indignation  in  the  home-land  as  would  sweep  away, 
in  well-merited  contempt,  an  organisation  which  had 
proved  itself  to  be  so  unfit  an  interpreter  of  its  own 
motto,  "  Light  and  liberty."  No  !  surrender  was  im- 
possible. It  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  The  Arabs, 
however,  were  clamouring  for  their  slaves.  What  was 
to  be  done  ?  Happily  Mr.  G.  Mackenzie  was  at  the 
helm  of  afEairs,  and  in  large-hearted  spitit  of  liberality 
faced  the  problem.  He  boldly  proposed  compensation. 
It  was  really  the  only  way  of  meeting  the  difficulty. 
Accordingly  the  sum  of  £3500,  to  which  Sir  F.  Buxton 
and  his  family,  in  a  spirit  of  noble  generosity,  con- 
tributed £1200,  was  devoted  by  the  Company  to  this 
purpose. 

New  Year's  Day  1889  will  long  be  remembered  in 
East  Africa.  Outside  the  church  at  Rabai — a  church 
which  had  been  built  very  largely  through  the  un- 
wearied labours  of  Binns — there  is  gathered  a  vast 
throng  of  tribesmen — Wanyika,  Waduruma,  Wagiriama, 
and  Warabai,  men  and  women,  slaves  it  is  true,  but 
now  rejoicing  in  the  prospect  of  a  freedom  of  which 
no  man  could  rob  them. 

In  the  centre  of  this  crowd  there  stands  the  Ad- 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


9 


ministrator  of  the  Company,  Mr.  G.  Mackenzie,  and 
by  his  side  the  Consul-General,  Col.  Euan  Smith. 
Grouped  round  them  are  the  missionaries  and  native 
pastors  and  teachers.  And  now  it  is  told  to  the 
listening  multitude  how  that  the  hour  of  their  freedom 
has  struck,  and  that  henceforth  they  are  their  own 
masters.  At  once  a  mighty  shout  rends  the  air. 
"  Asanti  Bwana  Asanti " — Thank  you,  sir,  thank  you — 
is  breathed  forth  from  one  and  another  who  reaUse, 
more  than  the  mass,  the  greatness  of  the  blessing 
conferred.  And  then  there  comes  the  pressing  in  of 
the  crowd  to  receive  the  paper  signed  and  stamped— 
the  visible  pledge  of  their  liberty.  "  Truly,"  wrote 
Mr.  Salter  Price,  "  it  was  a  heart-moving  occasion,  and 
one  worth  coming  6000  miles  to  see  and  take  part  in." 

The  next  morning  a  thanksgiving  service  was  held, 
when  the  new  church  was  crowded  to  suffocation  and 
hundreds  were  unable  even  to  gain  admission.  "  If 
the  Son  make  you  free  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,"  was 
the  preacher's  text. 

As  he  reminded  his  hearers  of  that  liberty  which 
had  been  given  to  them  the  previous  day,  and  exhorted 
them  to  thank  and  praise  God  for  it,  he  failed  not  to 
tell  them  of  a 

*  Bondage  worse,  far  worse  to  bear 
Than  his  who  breathes  by  roof,  and  floor,  and  wall, 
Pent  in  a  tyrant's  solitary  thrall,' 

even  the  bondage  of  those 

*  Who  wear  their  fetters  in  their  souls,' 

and  how  if  made  free  from  this,  by  the  Son  of  God,  who 
paid  the  price,  they  would  be  free  indeed. 

And  so  this  memorable  incident  passes  into  history, 
and    the    Company    which    so    honoured    its  own 


10        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

beginning  continued  its  course  until,  as  I  have  said,  on 
July  1,  1895,  its  days  were  at  an  end,  and  it  sur- 
rendered its  powers  into  the  hands  of  H.M.  Govern- 
ment. 

The  formal  handing  over  of  the  Company's  powers 
took  place  in  the  Baraza  of  the  Liwali  of  Mombasa. 
There,  besides  the  Consul-General  (Mr.  Hardinge)  ^ 
and  General  Lloyd  Matthews,  were  gathered  the 
principal  Arabs  of  the  place,  the  officials  of  the  Com- 
pany, the  missionaries,  and  the  traders — European, 
Goanese,  and  Indian.  It  was  a  strange  mixture  of 
nationalities,  as  varied  in  dress  as  in  complexion.  The 
Consul-General,  in  a  short  speech,  explained  the  position 
of  affairs,  and  stated  that  H.M.  Government  were 
assuming  all  the  responsibility  of  the  Company  with 
respect  to  the  administration  of  what  would  now  be 
a  British  Protectorate.  He  then  called  upon  General 
Matthews,  as  the  Prime  Minister  of  the  Sultan,  to  address 
the  assembly.  This  he  did,  and,  in  endorsing  all  that 
the  Consul-General  had  said  as  to  the  work  of  the 
Company  and  the  assumption  of  its  authority  by 
H.M.  Government,  stated  that  everything  that  had 
been  done  had  the  sanction  and  entire  approval  of 
H.H.  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar.  He  added  further  the 
important  statement  (to  which  it  wiU  be  necessary  to 
draw  attention  later)  that  in  all  this  rearrangement  of 
administration  and  authority,  nothing  would  be  done 
to  interfere  with  the  religion  or  customs  of  the  Arab 
and  Mohammedan  subjects  of  His  Highness.  This 
statement  was  greeted  with  murmurs  of  approval 
and  the  baraza  came  to  an  end.  The  booming  of 
guns  from  the  ships  of  war  in  the  harbour  greeted 
the  hoisting  of  the  Union  Jack,  and  British  rule  in 
East  Africa  was  an  accomplished  fact. 

*  Now  Sir  Arllmr  Hardinge,  K.C.M.G.,  His  Majesty's  Minister  at  Brussels. 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


11 


Eight  days  later  the  missionary  party  for  Uganda 
arrived.    It  consisted  of  the  following  members — 


They  had  travelled  via  the  Cape,  and  arrived  in  perfect 
health.  Dr.  Baxter  had  already  come  down  from 
Usagara  and  was  staying  with  me  at  Freretown.  At 
once  final  preparations  were  made  for  an  early  start. 
Tents  were  unpacked,  set  up,  and  mosquito  nets  fitted. 
The  various  messes  were  arranged,  and  the  organisa- 
tion of  the  daily  march,  in  all  its  ever-recurring  details, 
was  settled.  How  busy  the  days  of  our  last  week  at 
the  coast  were,  will  be  seen  from  a  glance  at  the 
following  extract  from  my  diary : — 

July  9th. — The  party  for  Uganda  arrived  at  6  a.m. 

All  well,  thank  God  !    Went  to  Mombasa.  A 

provisional  committee  for  the  Enghsh  Church 

appointed.    Unpacking  and  putting  up  tents 

on  return  to  Freretown. 
July  10th. — Mombasa — back  to  Freretown  at  3  p.m. 

Arranging  loads.    Gleaners'  meeting  at  my  house. 

Thirty-six  missionaries  present. 
July  11th. — Packing.  Mid-day  prayer  meeting.  What 

a  rest !    Went  to  Mzizima. 
July  12th. — Packing.  Loads  all  ready  to-night.  Hard 

work  !    Very  tired.    Mombasa  in  the  evening. 
July  13th. — One  hundred  and  sixty  loads  sent  off. 

Went  to  Mombasa  —  back  again  to  Freretown 

10  P.M. 

July  lith. — Sunday.    Freretown.    Harvest  thanks- 


Miss  E.  M.  Furley. 
Miss  M.  S.  Thomsett 
Miss  L.  Pilgrim. 
Miss  E.  Brown. 
Miss  J.  E.  Chadwick 


Rev.  T.  R.  Buckley. 
Rev.  Martin  J.  Hall. 
Mr.  F.  H.  Wright. 
Mr.  J.  B.  Purvis. 
Mr.  A.  Wilson. 


Dr.  Rattray. 


12        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

giving,  preached.  "  They  gave  their  own  selves 
to  the  Lord." 

July  15th. — Very  busy  !    Packing  for  the  start  to- 
morrow.   Service  of  Holy  Communion. 

Of  the  start  on  July  16th,  writing  a  few  days  later, 
I  find  the  following  account  in  my  journal : — 

"  Early  on  Tuesday  morning  all  were  astir.  The 
baggage  required  for  immediate  use  was  hastily  arranged 
and  taken  down  to  the  shore,  and  packed  on  board  the 
dhow,  which  was  to  take  it  to  the  Rabai  landing-place, 
from  whence  the  real  start  was  to  be  made  and  where 
the  porters  were  already  gathered  together. 

"  At  8.30  A.M.  the  whole  party  assembled  on  the 
shore — that  shore  which  is  to  many  of  us  a  very 
hallowed  spot.  Here  our  feet  first  tread  the  soil  of 
Africa.  Here  the  heralds  of  the  Cross  are  speeded 
forth  on  their  way  to  Uganda,  or  Usagara,  or  Taveta, 
or  Jilore,  as  the  case  may  be.  Here  we  say  '  good-bye  ' 
to  those  who,  through  failure  of  health  or  other  causes, 
are  not  permitted  to  continue  their  labours  in  our  midst. 
A  sacred  spot  indeed  it  is.  One's  own  thoughts  could 
not  but  go  back  to  that  time  five  years  before  when  the 
first  party  I  was  permitted  to  lead  to  Uganda  started 
on  its  way.  The  names  of  Dermott,  Dunn,  Hunt,  and 
others  of  that  noble  band  of  Christian  heroes  who  have 
died  for  the  cause  of  Africa,  rise  in  one's  memory.  Then 
there  is  the  thought  of  that  yet  larger  party  which 
from  this  spot  started  some  three  years  ago  for  the 
same  goal,  Uganda.  How  fully  were  we  kept,  and  how 
wonderfully  were  we  blest  in  our  journeying !  And 
now  there  is,  through  God's  goodness,  a  yet  larger  party 
to  start  on  its  way,  and  in  that  party  five  ladies  to 
take  up  the  work  amongst  the  women  of  Uganda. 

"  One's  heart  was  almost  too  full  for  utterance  as 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


13 


the  whole  assemblage  joined  together  in  earnest  and 
solemn  prayer,  committing  the  whole  undertaking  to 
Hirn  who  alone  is  able  to  carry  it  to  a  successful  con- 
clusion. And  so  the  time  came  for  us  to  say  '  good-bye  ' 
to  those  who  had  been  so  helpful  to  us  in  our  prepara- 
tions and  so  sympathetic  in  our  intercourse.  Three 
boats  carried  the  members  of  the  missionary  party,  and 
the  dhow,  the  baggage  and  our  cooks  and  tent-boys. 
At  9.30,  in  the  midst  of  cheers  and  '  good-byes  '  shouted 
by  the  crowd  on  the  shore,  we  started  on  our  journey 
of  800  miles.  At  noon  the  landing-place  was  reached, 
and  an  hour  and  a  half  later  saw  us  welcomed  by  our 
Rabai  friends.  It  was  indeed  an  invasion  of  the 
quietude  of  Rabai.  We  were  thirteen  in  number.  The 
six  Rabai  workers  made  up  a  total  of  nineteen." 

Through  unavoidable  causes  a  delay  of  three  days 
at  Rabai  was  found  necessary.  This  was  utihsed  in 
perfecting  the  arrangements  for  carrying  the  ladies. 
Dr.  Baxter's  plan  was  to  use  Light  wicker-work  arm- 
chairs, to  each  of  which  were  fixed  two  long  bamboos 
and  an  awning.  Nothing  could  be  easier  or  more 
luxurious  in  the  way  of  travelling.  Shoulder-straps 
were  fixed  to  the  bamboos,  which  were  held  in  the 
carrier's  hands.  The  pressure  upon  the  shoulder  was 
thus  relieved.  Nothing  could  possibly  exceed  the 
patience  of  the  good  doctor  in  making  these  arrange- 
ments. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  the  quiet  of  the 
little  village  of  Rabai  was  disturbed  by  the  arrival  of 
the  Acting  Administrator  with  sixty  soldiers.  He  had 
been  informed  by  telegraph  that  Aziz  bin  Raschid, 
the  rebel  chief,  was  then  on  his  way  from  Takaungu  to 
Gazi,  and  was  asked  to  make  an  attempt  to  cut  him 
off,  if  his  numbers  were  few.  If  the  enemy  was  a 
numerous  body  he  was  to  be  allowed  to  pass  and 


14        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Admiral  Rawson  would  deal  with  him  at  Gazi.  The 
scouts  sent  out  came  back  late  in  the  day  with  the 
information  that  the  enemy  had  passed  Rabai,  with 
a  strong  force  which  it  would  be  dangerous  to  meddle 
with. 

On  Saturday,  July  20th,  at  about  11  a.m.,  the  Consul- 
General,  accompanied  by  Admiral  Rawson  and  his 
flag-lieutenant,  arrived  at  Rabai  in  order  to  see  for 
themselves  the  resources  of  the  place,  and  to  take  such 
steps  as  they  deemed  advisable  for  blocking  the  roads 
against  the  enemy  in  any  attempt  he  might  make 
upon  the  place.  The  greeting  accorded  to  the  visitors 
by  the  people  of  Rabai  was  a  very  warm  one,  and  I 
think  was  duly  appreciated.  At  one  o'clock  they  left 
us  and  Rabai  resumed  its  normal  aspect  of  quiet  repose. 
At  3  P.M.  the  ladies  of  the  missionary  party  started  on 
their  donkeys  for  Mwache,  the  first  camp  on  the  road 
some  two  hours  away.  The  men  had  gone  on  ahead 
in  order  to  see  to  the  getting  up  of  the  tents,  and  the 
general  arrangements  of  the  camp.  I  had  stayed 
behind  to  welcome  the  Consul -General  and  Admiral 
Rawson.  At  5  p.m.  the  porters'  baggage  and  the  whole 
Mission  party  were  in  camp. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  were  all  astir,  and  prepara- 
tions made  for  an  immediate  advance.  In  our  camp 
was  a  small  menagerie.  We  had  four  camels,  three 
cows,  and  an  equal  number  of  calves ;  two  young  oxen 
for  killing,  twenty-three  goats  and  sheep  who  had  a 
similar  fate  before  them,  and  twenty-six  donkeys. 
The  number  of  men  carrying  loads  and  looking  after 
the  details  of  the  camp  was  about  500. 

And  so  the  start  was  made,  and  day  by  day  good 
and  uninterrupted  progress  was  made.  Samburu  and 
Taro  were  passed — the  desert  march  easily  accompKshed 
with  the  help  of  100  additional  men  carrying  tins  of 


Chap.  26]     FEOM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


15 


water.  Maungu  was  reached  in  due  course,  and  water 
found.  When  Teita  and  Voi  were  left  behind,  the 
wild  country  which  lay  between  the  latter  place  and 
the  river  Tsavo  was  entered  upon.  Its  passage,  how- 
ever, was  easy.  The  Mackinnon  road  had  made  good 
progress,  and  was  a  great  help  to  us  in  this  stage  of 
our  journey.  We  were  now  on  high  ground  some 
2000  feet  above  sea-level,  and  the  air  was  fresh  and 
bracing.  All  the  missionaries  were  in  perfect  health 
and  full  of  hope. 

Dr.  Rattray  had  his  hands  full,  however,  with  the 
number  of  porters,  who  daily,  as  soon  as  the  march  was 
over,  besieged  his  tent  for  medicine.  The  cases  were 
generally  surgical,  requiring  a  considerable  amount 
of  bandaging,  &c.  Both  Miss  Pilgrim  and  Miss 
Thomsett,  who  were  skilled  nurses,  were  very  useful 
and  active  in  the  assistance  which  they  rendered  to 
the  doctor.  This  work  among  the  porters  was  greatly 
appreciated,  not  only  by  the  patients  themselves,  but 
also  by  their  fellow  porters,  who  watched  the  operators. 
"  See  how  these  EngHshmen  love  their  porters  "  was 
a  remark  I  heard  more  than  once.  Surely  no  caravan 
of  porters  ever  went  up  country  so  well  looked  after 
as  this  was.  One  effect  I  think  was,  that  we  had 
extraordinarily  few  deserters.  Those  who  ran  away 
were  "  professionals  " — men  who  made  it  the  business 
of  their  life  to  "  write  on  "  for  a  journey,  and  then  after 
receiving  a  three  months'  advance  of  wages,  take  the 
first  opportunity  of  running  away. 

Tsavo,  with  its  "  waters  of  refreshment,"  was  reached 
on  July  31st.  Then  on  we  went  through  Kinani  and 
Msongoleni  to  Kibwozi,  where  we  arrived  on  August  3rd. 
Our  welcome  from  our  friends  of  the  Scotch  Industrial 
Mission  was  a  very  warm  one,  and  the  Sunday  which 
we  spent  in  their  midst  was  a  very  happy  one.  Then 


16        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


on  again  to  Makindu,  Nzoi,  and  Kilungu  to  Machakos, 
where  on  August  13th  we  were  welcomed  most  kindly 
by  the  Government  representative  (Mr.  Ainsworth), 
to  whose  kindness  in  1892  we  were  so  much  indebted. 

A  two  days'  rest  was  indulged  in  at  Machakos,  and 
then  once  more  came  the  shouldering  of  loads  and  the 
daily  tramp.  We  were  now  on  the  healthy,  breezy 
Athi  plains,  and  a  wonderful  sight  it  was,  in  the  early 
morning,  to  see  them  studded  with  game  in  infinite 
variety.  Here  were  hartebeests,  there  wildebeests. 
Here  again  were  zebras,  and  there  rhino.  Then  as  we 
drew  near  to  the  Kikuyu  forest  we  came  upon  the  spot 
where,  three  years  before,  I  had  witnessed  such  a  sad 
spectacle  of  dead  and  dying  Masai.  Skeletons  were 
lying  about  in  all  directions.  The  kraals  were  falling 
into  ruin.  Now,  however,  every  trace  of  the  villages 
had  disappeared,  and  only  a  few  skulls  marked  the 
place  where  flourishing  homes,  centres  of  life  and 
activity,  had  once  been. 

On  August  18th  we  started  for  Fort  Smith,  and  after 
two  and  a  half  hours'  marching  were  welcomed  by 
Mr.  Gilkis:-:on,  the  officer  in  charge,  and  his  colleague, 
Mr.  Russell.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness  and 
generous  hospitality  of  these  two  gentlemen.  Indeed 
the  welcome  accorded  to  us  by  all  the  Government 
officers  on  the  road  was  most  sympathetic  and  kind, 
a  welcome  that  I  shall  ever  remember  with  feehngs  of 
the  deepest  gratitude. 

We  had  now  completed  half  the  journey.  In  writing 
home  at  this  stage  of  our  progress  I  thus  summed  up 
the  situation : — 

"  The  whole  party  is  in  perfect  health  and  looking 
forward  with  bright  hopefulness  to  the  future.  Wonder- 
fully we  have  been  helped.  Every  difficulty  has  been 
surmounted  with  surprising  ease.    Water  has  never 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


17 


failed  us  ;  food  has  been  abundant.  When  we  might 
have  expected  hot,  sunny,  and  in  consequence  trying 
marches,  the  days  have  been  cloudy  and  cool.  No 
rain  has  fallen,  and  there  has  been  none  of  the  dis- 
comfort of  wet  grass  and  damp  clothes.  Everything, 
in  fact,  seems  to  have  been  divinely  ordered  by  Him 
who  has  called  us  to  this  work  and  entrusted  to  us  this 
mission.  I  kncrw  how  much  prayer  has  been  offered 
up  on  our  behalf,  and  clearly  do  we  trace  this  wonder- 
fully successful  journey  to  the  gracious  answer,  to 
the  faithful  and  loving  intercessions  of  the  Church 
at  home." 

Three  days  were  spent  at  Kikuyu  in  refitting  our 
caravan  and  replenishing  our  stores,  and  then  on 
August  21st  a  fresh  start  was  made.  At  Ziwani,  our 
first  camping-place  after  leaving  Fort  Smith,  we  had 
our  first  frost — the  thermometer  registering  37°,  or 
5°  above  freezing,  at  4  feet  in  the  air,  and  30°  on  the 
grass.  Happily  the  night  was  very  still,  or  the  porters 
would  have  suffered  considerably. 

The  next  day  our  march  was  one  of  fifteen  miles 
over  very  rough  ground.  First  there  was  an  ascent  of 
nearly  1000  feet,  and  then  a  descent  of  about  700  feet. 
We  had  just  completed  the  ascent,  and  were  resting 
while  a  cup  of  tea  was  being  prepared,  when  the  sound 
of  a  drum  announced  the  arrival  of  Baskerville  and 
Pilkington  on  their  way  to  the  coast.  It  was  a  joyful 
meeting  on  both  sides.  "  They,  of  course,"  I  wrote  in 
my  diary,  "  were  delighted  to  see  a  goodly  band  of 
reinforcements,  and  we  were  thankful  to  see  our  two 
devoted  brothers  who  have  done  such  yeoman's  service 
in  Africa  during  the  past  five  and  a  half  years.  I 
especially  rejoiced  at  meeting  the  two  companions  of 
my  first  journey  to  Uganda.  It  brought  back  many 
memories — memories  of  those  who  were  my  com- 

II  B 


18        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


panions  on  that  never  to  be  forgotten  journey.  Four 
have  '  entered  into  rest/  two  are  seeking  refreshment 
at  home,  and  one  is  no  longer  connected  with  us.  Five 
years  !  How  much  has  happened  since  1890  !  It  was 
indeed  a  matter  for  deep  thankfulness  to  see  our  friends 
looking  so  well  after  a  long  and  trying  journey.  They 
report  the  rivers  as  in  flood,  which  of  course  is  serious 
news  for  us.  However,  we  hope  that  by  the  time  we 
reach  them  the  floods  will  have  subsided.  As  we  were 
both  in  the  middle  of  a  march  it  was  impossible  for  us 
to  stay  long  at  our  resting-place.  Very  reluctantly  we 
bid  each  other  farewell,  looking  forward  to  meeting 
again  in  Uganda  (if  God  will)  some  eighteen  months 
hence." 

Alas  !  I  never  saw  Pilkington  again.  On  reaching 
home  he  was  able  to  see  the  whole  of  the  Luganda 
Bible  through  the  press,  and  was  greatly  used  in  stirring 
up  a  largely  increased  interest  in  the  great  work  of 
Christian  Missions.  Returning  to  Uganda  in  the  autumn 
of  1896,  he  was  permitted  to  labour  for  a  few  brief  months 
in  the  loved  land  of  his  adoption  ;  but  (as  will  be  told 
in  due  course)  lost  his  life  in  taking  part,  at  the  call 
of  the  authorities,  in  the  suppression  of  the  mutiny  of 
the  Sudanese  soldiery.    But  to  return  to  my  story. 

Finding  the  Morandat  in  flood  we  were  obliged  to 
travel  round  the  western  shores  of  Lake  Naivasha.  It 
meant  an  extra  day's  march,  but  we  were  well  repaid 
by  the  wonderful  beauty  of  the  scenery  through  which 
we  passed.  At  Gilgil  we  found  ourselves  once  more  back 
on  the  old  road.  Elmenteita,  Kambi  ya  Mbaruk,  and 
Nakuru  were  all  successively  passed.  The  river  Lilwa 
— often  in  flood,  and  at  such  times  difficult  to  cross — 
now  lay  in  our  path.  Was  it  in  flood  or  not,  was  the 
question  which  was  anxiously  debated  as  we  drew  near 
to  the  belt  of  trees  which  marked  its  meanderings.  I 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE  19 


hastened  on  ahead  of  the  party  and  soon  found  myself 
upon  the  river  bank.  Alas  !  to  ford  it  was  impossible. 
Instinctively  I  turned  towards  the  great  trees  which 
lined  the  banks  higher  up,  and  there,  to  my  great  joy, 
was  a  natural  bridge.  An  immense  tree  had  fallen 
across  the  river  and  made  its  passage  quite  practicable. 
Nearly  three  hours,  however,  were  consumed  in  getting 
all  the  men  and  loads  across.  The  ladies  most  bravely 
climbed  from  branch  to  branch.  A  heavy  thunder- 
storm closed  the  day. 

The  next  day,  after  about  three  hours'  marching, 
we  came  upon  a  very  saddening  sight.  In  an  old 
encampment  were  three  men  belonging  to  a  Govern- 
ment caravan  which  had  passed  us  two  or  three  days 
before  on  its  way  to  the  coast.  These  men  were 
entirely  without  food,  and  were  simply  waiting  in  the 
wilderness  for  death.  For  four  days  they  had  been 
without  food.  It  was  indeed  a  terrible  sight.  Of 
course  we  relieved  them  by  giving  them  food — first, 
however,  administering  hot  bovril.  Of  flour  we  gave 
them  sufficient  to  last  them  until  we  could  send  help 
from  the  Eldoma  Ravine,  our  next  halting-place. 

On  arriving  at  the  Ravine  starthng  tidings  greeted 
us.  A  man,  wounded  and  gashed  in  a  terrible  fashion, 
had  just  reached  the  station.  He  belonged  to  a  small 
caravan  which  we  had  sent  on  ahead,  before  leaving 
the  coast,  with  mails  and  barter  goods  for  the  purchase 
of  food  in  Kavirondo.  His  story  at  first  we  were  slow 
to  credit.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  when  near  the 
Guaso  Masa,  a  river  on  the  borders  of  Kavirondo, 
he  and  his  party  were  attacked  by  the  Wanandi,  and 
almost  the  whole  caravan,  consisting  of  thirty  men, 
massacred. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  Was  the  man  telling  the 
truth  ?    Was  he  a  runaway  porter  who  had  met  with 


20        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


his  injuries  from  hostile  natives  whom  he  had  met  on 
the  road.  These  were  questions  anxiously  discussed 
among  ourselves.  The  only  unanimous  conclusion  we 
arrived  at  was  to  continue  our  journey,  and  as  we  drew 
near  the  Nandi  country  to  adopt  special  precautions  in 
the  daily  march,  and  in  posting  night  sentries.  And 
so  we  went  forward,  and  the  summit  of  Mau,  8700  feet 
above  sea  level,  was  reached.  Here  the  story  of  the 
disaster  to  our  advance  caravan  was  confirmed.  Shortly 
after  reaching  camp  a  caravan  from  Kavirondo  came 
in.  At  once  we  called  the  leader  and  questioned  him, 
and  found  to  our  great  sorrow  that  the  story  of  the 
slaughter  at  the  Guaso  Masa  was  only  too  true.  It 
came  out  that  the  party  were  asleep  in  camp,  when  at 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  about  200  Wanandi 
attacked  them.  Six  men  apparently  were  able  to  make 
their  escape,  the  rest  were  destroyed.  Among  other 
things  recovered  by  our  informants  and  given  into  my 
hands  was  a  packet  of  my  own  letters,  written  nearly 
three  months  previously,  which  was  found  lying  upon 
the  bank  of  the  Guaso  Masa. 

That  the  road  in  front  was  unsafe  was  absolutely 
certain.  Not  only  had  our  own  caravan  been  destroyed, 
but  a  trader  named  West,  and  several  of  his  men,  had 
been  murdered.  Extreme  care  would  have  to  be  taken 
in  keeping  our  men  together,  and  in  keeping  guard  at 
night,  when  passing  through  the  Nandi  country.  Our 
chief  trust,  however,  was  in  the  great  "  Keeper  of  Israel, 
who  neither  slumbereth  nor  sleepeth,"  and  who  "  en- 
campeth  round  about  them  that  fear  Him  and  delivereth 
them." 

On  starting  from  the  Eldoma  Ravine  each  porter 
was  supplied  with  eleven  days'  provision.  At  the  end 
of  our  seventh  day's  march,  however,  we  found  many 
of  them  absolutely  without  food.    What  had  become 


I!\\IIUM>   IHKI  Sr  DN  MAT 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


21 


of  it  ?  Some,  rather  than  carry  it,  had  thrown  a 
certain  proportion  away.  Others  had  eaten  eleven 
days'  supply  in  seven  days.  The  result  was  semi- 
starvation.  We  had  kept  in  reserve  a  small  quantity 
of  flour  in  case  of  emergency,  and  this  was  doled  out 
in  driblets  as  need  arose.  However,  we  very  nearly 
had  a  fatal  case  of  collapse.  After  our  arrival  in  camp 
at  a  place  called  Ziwani  (or  place  of  the  swamp)  we 
were  told  that  two  men  had  failed  to  reach  camp  and 
were  some  miles  in  the  rear.  They  had  not  been 
carrying  loads  for  several  days  on  account  of  their 
weakly  condition.  Two  donkeys  were  sent  out  to 
meet  them.  Just  after  dark  the  men  were  brought 
into  camp.  One  was  a  good  deal  exhausted  with  cold 
and  hunger,  but  the  other,  who  had  been  carried  in,  was 
almost  at  the  point  of  death.  He  was  insensible  and 
very  cold.  His  limbs  were  stiff  and  his  teeth  clenched. 
Dr.  Rattray  began  at  once  to  apply  restoratives.  He 
was  laid  by  the  fire  and  well  rubbed.  Then  a  small 
quantity  of  brandy  was  poured  down  his  throat,  his 
jaws  being  forcibly  separated.  As  he  showed  but  few 
signs  of  reviving,  a  hot  bath  was  prepared  and  he  was 
placed  in  it.  This  evidently  was  of  great  use.  The 
limbs  relaxed  their  rigidity.  He  was  taken  out  of  the 
bath,  dried,  and  wrapped  in  a  blanket.  Then  hot  milk 
and  brandy  were  again  administered.  Gradually  he 
came  round,  and  in  two  or  three  hours  was  out  of  danger 
and  took  food  freely.  Nothing  but  Dr.  Rattray's 
extreme  care  and  unremitting  exertions  could  have 
saved  him. 

All  this  while  we  had  heard  nothing  of  the  hostile 
Wanandi,  nor  had  anything  been  seen  of  them.  We 
regularly,  however,  posted  our  sentries  at  night,  and 
whenever  practicable  built  a  thorn  boma  round  our 
camp.    On  arriving  at  the  Guaso  Masa  a  strange  sight 


22        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


met  our  gaze.  It  was  the  scene  of  the  massacre  of  our 
advance  caravan.  Here  and  there,  littering  the  ground 
in  every  direction,  were  books,  letters,  fragments  of 
boxes,  and,  strangest  of  all,  fragments  of  plaster  images. 
"  The  books  "  (I  am  quoting  from  the  account  in  my 
journal  written  at  the  time)  "  were  mostly  Luganda 
New  Testaments.  Here  and  there  were  tracts  of 
various  kinds  (Protestant)  and  broken  crucifixes.  It 
was  strange  indeed  to  see  a  tract  on  '  Christ  our 
Righteousness  '  lying  on  the  ground  side  by  side  with 
a  broken  plaster  image.  These  crucifixes  and  images 
were  evidently  the  property  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Mission  under  Bishop  Hanlon,  which  is  some  three  or 
four  weeks  in  front  of  us  on  the  road.  The  Bishop 
was  obliged  to  leave  several  men  and  loads  behind 
him  at  the  Eldoma  Ravine.  These  came  on  with  our 
advance  caravan  and  shared  its  fate.  Certainly  the 
sight  at  the  devastated  encampment  was  a  striking 
object  lesson  as  to  the  methods  of  the  two  Missions — 
the  Church  of  England  and  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Here,  copies  of  God's  Word,  expositions  of  Christian 
teaching ;  there,  plaster  images  and  scraps  of  pictures 
of  impossible  saints.  In  the  midst  of  these  reflections, 
induced  by  the  sight  of  the  ruin  around,  one  could  not 
be  forgetful  of  the  cruel  fate  of  the  poor  men  who 
carried  these  loads.  It  was  easy  to  see  how  they  came 
by  their  death.  In  front  of  the  encampment,  and  very 
close  to  it,  was  a  swiftly  flowing  river — the  Guaso  Masa. 
To  the  rear  the  ground  rose  very  abruptly,  and  then 
sank  into  a  gentle  depression.  On  the  right  and  left 
flanks  was  a  more  or  less  open  bush.  It  was  night. 
The  men,  wearied  with  heavy  burdens  and  a  long  day's 
march,  lay  down  to  rest.  No  watch  was  kept,  for  all 
were  equally  tired.  It  was  dark,  for  the  moon  would 
not  rise  till  late.  Gradually  the  enemy,  who  had  watched 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


23 


the  movements  of  their  victims  all  day,  crept  nearer 
and  nearer,  until  they  were  gathered  in  the  little  de- 
pression above  the  encampment.  At  a  given  signal 
the  rush  was  made,  and  the  spear  and  sime  did  their 
fatal  work.  There  was  no  doubt  a  scream  here  and 
there,  a  rush  of  a  few  to  the  river  bank,  a  plunge,  and 
the  swiftly  flowing  current  carried  one  and  another 
with  the  torrent  rushing  down  into  the  broad  expanse 
of  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  Loads  were  quickly  broken 
open,  what  was  considered  of  value — beads,  for  in- 
stance— carried  off,  and  the  scene  was  left.  The  morning 
at  length  broke,  and  after  a  while  one  frightened  face 
and  then  another  showed  itself  at  the  edge  of  the 
bush.  These  were  the  sole  survivors  of  the  party,  those 
who  had  lain  down  to  rest  the  night  before — six 
wretched  hvmian  beings,  some  with  spear  wounds  and 
some  half-dazed  with  club  blows,  all  hungry  and  weary, 
and  four  or  five  days  from  any  help." 

Such  was  one  of  many  similar  scenes  enacted  from 
time  to  time  in  the  dark  Continent  of  Africa,  and  which 
nothing  but  the  Gospel  of  Christ  can  really  put  an  end 
to.  It  was  said,  though  I  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth 
of  the  story,  that  this  act  of  hostility  on  the  part  of 
the  Wanandi  was  due  to  the  harsh  and  unjust  treatment 
accorded  to  them  by  a  trader.  Whether  this  be  so  or 
not,  the  remedy  is  the  same — the  conversion  to  God  of 
those  who  know  Him  not. 

Soon  after  leaving  the  Guaso  Masa,  we  entered  upon 
the  inhabited  country  of  Kabras,  and  here  we  experi- 
enced one  of  the  most  terrible  thunderstorms  which  it 
has  ever  been  my  lot  to  witness.  Many  signs  told  of 
its  coming.  I  warned  my  party,  and  begged  them  to 
hasten  on  to  camp  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  I 
then  set  oft'  at  full  speed,  and  managed  to  reach  our 
destination  before  the  storm  broke.    The  crashes  of 


24         UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV- 


thunder  were  simply  appalling,  and  the  lightning 
seemed  all  around.  Then  came  torrents  of  rain,  with 
hailstones  of  enormous  size.  In  the  midst  of  the 
tempest  the  ladies,  and  other  members  of  our  Mission 
party,  arrived  drenched  to  the  skin.  Happily,  being 
sheltered  in  a  grass  hut,  I  was  able  to  keep  a  fire  burning 
and  to  supply  the  belated  travellers  with  hot  tea,  which 
reduced  the  risk  of  a  chill  to  a  minimum.  The  rain 
was  falhng  in  such  torrents  that  the  watercourses  soon 
became  rushing  rivers.  Half  of  our  caravan,  that  in 
the  rear,  was  cut  off,  and  unable  till  the  next  morning 
to  come  into  camp.  Several  of  the  men  who  attempted 
to  cross  the  jQooded  stream  were  carried  ofE  their  feet 
and  their  loads  lost.  During  the  night  eleven  men  died 
from  exposure ;  several  of  them,  however,  had  been  on 
the  sick  list  for  some  time,  and  more  than  one  was 
hopelessly  ill.  It  was  indeed  a  terrible  storm,  and  the 
like  of  it  I  hope  never  to  see  again. 

We  were  now  in  the  midst  of  an  abundance  of  food, 
and  our  men  simply  revelled  in  the  supplies  that  were 
daily  brought  into  camp  for  sale.  But,  before  arriving 
at  Mumia's,  we  met  a  number  of  our  Baganda  friends. 
Simei  Kakungulu,  Sira  the  Mulondo,  Stefano,  and 
others  had  been  sent  down  by  the  Administration  in 
Uganda  to  assist  the  local  authorities  in  bringing  the 
rebelhous  Wakitosh  back  to  their  allegiance.  The 
object  of  their  expedition  had  now  been  achieved,  and 
they  were  about  to  start  on  their  way  back  to  Uganda. 
Their  delight  in  meeting  us  was  unbounded.  In  joyful 
tones  they  told  us  of  the  expectation  that  had  been 
aroused  among  the  Baganda  by  our  coming,  and 
especially  by  the  coming  of  the  ladies.  During  our 
onward  journey  we  met  Simei  and  his  friends  almost 
daily,  and  it  was  a  great  joy  to  welcome  them  to  our 
tents,  and  to  talk  over  with  them   the  prospects 


Chap.  26]      FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


25 


of  the  work  in  Uganda  as  well  as  in  the  regions 
beyond. 

On  September  16th  we  arrived  at  Mumia's,  where  we 
indulged  in  a  two  days'  rest.  Then  came  the  passage 
of  the  Nzoia  River,  which  occupied  two  days,  and  on 
we  went  towards  Busoga,  which  was  entered  on  Sep- 
tember 22nd.  Two  days  later  found  us  at  Mutanda's — 
the  village  of  the  eldest  son  of  Wakoli,  late  paramount 
chief  of  Busoga.  On  the  29th  the  passage  of  Napoleon 
Gulf  was  successfully  accompHshed,  and  to  our  great 
joy  we  found  ourselves  on  the  shores  of  Uganda.  From 
Lugumba's  to  Mondo's,  and  then  on  to  Ngogwe,  was 
an  easy  journey.  Here  we  were  welcomed  by  Black- 
ledge  and  a  large  body  of  native  Christians. 

Of  this  last  stage  of  our  journey  I  now  quote  from 
a  record  made  shortly  after  its  conclusion,  and  while 
the  vivid  impression  made  by  its  recent  moving  incidents 
were  still  fresh  in  my  mind. 

"  The  welcome  accorded  to  the  ladies  by  the  Baganda 
women  at  Ngogwe  was  well-nigh  overwhelming.  They 
ran  along  by  the  sides  of  the  ladies'  chairs  grasping  their 
hands  and  uttering  all  manner  of  joyful  and  loving 
greetings.  As  we  drew  near  to  the  Mission  station 
the  crowd  increased,  so  that  it  was  difl&cult  to  get 
along.  When  the  ladies  alighted  to  climb  the  hill  on 
which  the  Mission-house  stood,  they  were  embraced 
by  the  Baganda  women  in  all  the  fulness  of  their 
hearts'  joy. 

"  A  thanksgiving  service  was  hastily  arranged  in 
the  church.  It  was  felt  that  as  the  Christians  had 
been  praying  so  constantly  and  earnestly  on  our  behalf 
an  opportunity  should  be  given  to  them  to  thank  God 
for  so  gracious  an  answer  to  their  prayers.  At  two 
o'clock  some  six  hundred  people  were  gathered  in 
church.    A  shortened  form  of  service  was  read,  two 


26        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  IV. 


or  three  hymns  were  sung,  and  then  I  spoke  to  the 
people  from  the  text,  '  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  My 
name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified 
in  the  Son '  (S.  John  xiv.  13).  A  few  prayers  followed 
and  the  service  closed.  It  was  a  very  happy  time 
indeed  that  we  spent  at  Ngogwe.  Very  sorry  indeed 
did  I  feel  that  I  was  unable  to  leave  two  at  least  of 
the  ladies  to  v.^ork  there.  I  earnestly  hope  that  from 
the  next  party  two  or  three  ladies  may  be  available 
for  work  at  Ngogwe. 

"  God  has  greatly  blessed  Baskerville's  work  at  this 
place.  Two  years  ago  there  was  absolutely  no  con- 
gregation at  all.  Now,  as  I  have  said,  there  is  one  of 
some  six  hundred  souls,  and  three  hundred  are  at  the 
present  moment  waiting  for  Confirmation. 

"  Ngogwe  was  the  home  and  scene  of  the  work  of  the 
first  deacon  of  the  Church  of  Uganda  to  enter  into  his 
rest.  This  man,  Nikodemo  Sebwato  (the  Sekibobo), 
was  the  chief  of  Kyagwe  and  hved  close  to  the  Mission. 
His  influence  with  his  people  was  remarkable.  It  may 
be  truly  said  of  him,  '  He  was  a  good  man.'  He  lies 
buried  just  outside  the  west  end  of  the  church.  On 
the  head-board  which  records  his  name  and  office, 
'  Sekibobo  and  Deacon  of  the  Church,'  is  the  reference 
to  the  text,  '  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord.' 

"  At  Ngogwe,  Mika  Sematimba  met  me  with  a  letter 
from  the  King,  bidding  me  welcome  to  his  country  and 
sending  his  greetings  to  the  ladies.  During  the  time 
we  were  journeying  through  Uganda,  letters  were  con- 
tinually arriving  from  one  native  friend  and  another. 
In  all  of  them  were  expressions  of  great  joy  at  the 
prospect  of  English  ladies  coming  to  work  among 
the  women  of  Uganda.  The  King's  letter  was  as 
follows : — 


Chap.  26]     FROM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


27 


'Mengo,  Sept.  29,  1895. 

'  To  THE  Bishop. 

'  My  greetings.  After  greeting  you  I  rejoice 
very  much  to  hear  that  you  are  coming,  and  that  now 
you  have  arrived  in  my  country  together  with  the 
ladies,  because  even  from  my  childhood  I  have  never 
seen  Enghsh  ladies. 

'  The  day  on  which  you  reach  Mengo  write  to  me 
that  I  may  know. 

'  Having  greeted  you  my  friend  very  much,  I  say 
farewell.  My  greetings  to  the  ladies  and  all  the 
Europeans  who  are  with  you. — I  am  your  friend, 

(Signed)     Mwanga,  King  of  Uganda.' 

"  The  following  is  a  translation  of  a  letter  received 
from  Samwih  Mukasa : — 

'  To  My  Dear  Friend,  Bishop  Tucker. 

'  My  friend  and  my  brother  in  the  brotherhood 
above  all  others  when  we  are  joined  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Saviour,  I  here  now  greet  you  very  much  indeed. 
I  first  praise  Jehovah  our  God  who  brought  you  safely 
from  Europe,  and  kept  you  and  brought  you  here  safely 
to  us  this  third  time.  You  have  done  a  wonderful 
thing  for  us  in  bringing  up  ladies.  We  did  not  think 
they  would  come  here  at  this  time.  We  thought 
perhaps  ladies  will  come  at  some  future  time.  I  also 
praise  and  thank  Jehovah  our  God  for  keeping  you 
from  sickness  thus  on  the  road.  Yes  !  Our  Lord  was 
graciously  pleased  to  allow  you  to  work  for  Him  in 
Uganda.  And  we  rejoice  and  go  on  thanking  Him 
because  He  is  gracious  to  us  every  day.  And  my  wife 
Rebecca  greets  you  very  much.  She  rejoices  with  me 
for  your  sake,  and  I,  your  slave,  your  son,  your  brother 


28        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


who  loves  you,  I  beseech  you  not  to  refuse  me.  I  want 
you  very  much  to  come  and  have  tea  in  my  house, 
although  I  have  nothing  with  which  to  rejoice  you. 
Because  the  house  of  your  servant  is  on  the  road  it  will 
not  take  you  much  out  of  the  way.  It  is  a  short  way 
off  (fifty  yards).  I  beg  of  you  not  to  make  me  unhappy. 
Consent  to  my  request  together  with  the  maid-servants 
of  Jehovah. — Well  I  beseech  you  to  pity  me. 

'  I  am  Samwili  Mukasa,  who  loves  Jesus.' 

"  It  was  evident  from  these  and  other  letters  which 
I  received  from  Mengo  that  the  deepest  interest  was 
aroused  at  the  prospect  of  the  coming  of  the  English 
ladies.  It  was  evidently  regarded  by  all  parties  as  a 
great  event. 

"  On  reaching  Kisalosalo,  which  is  seven  miles  from 
Mengo,  we  were  met  by  Roscoe,  Millar,  Lloyd,  and 
Leakey.  It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  see  them,  and 
especially  to  see  them  all  looking  so  well.  Of  course 
there  was  a  great  deal  to  talk  about,  the  main  topic 
being  the  wonderful  progress  in  the  work,  and  the  open- 
ings presenting  themselves  on  every  hand. 

"  On  the  following  morning,  October  4th,  we  com- 
menced our  last  march  at  6.30  a.m.  Detachments  of 
people  continually  met  us  on  the  road  until  the  pro- 
cession assumed  very  large  proportions.  At  the  house 
of  our  friend,  Samwili  Mukasa,  we  halted  for  the  refresh- 
ment to  which  he  had  so  kindly  invited  us.  Here  we 
were  met  by  Archdeacon  Walker,  Pike,  and  Sugden. 
A  great  many  of  our  native  brethren  from  Mengo  also 
met  us  here — Henry  Wright  Duta,  Andereya,  Henry 
Mukasa,  and  a  host  of  others.  The  delight  of  the 
people  was  extraordinary.  The  ladies  were  embraced 
and  hugged  by  Samwili 's  wife  and  sister,  and  also  by 
many  other  Baganda  women  who  had  assembled  at 


Chap.  26]     FEOM  OCEAN  TO  LAKE 


29 


Sam  will's  house  to  welcome  them.  After  resting  for 
about  an  hour  the  journey  was  resumed.  Large 
numbers  of  people  met  us  continually,  and  as  we  drew 
near  to  the  Kyagwe  market,  we  found  every  place  of 
vantage  from  which  a  good  view  of  us  could  be  got 
occupied  by  interested  spectators — Mohammedan  and 
heathen  as  well  as  Christian,  both  Protestant  and 
Roman  Catholic.  The  mass  of  the  people  was  now  so 
great  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  along.  The  Katikiro, 
who  had  just  met  us  on  his  white  horse,  dismounted, 
and,  fearing  lest  I  should  be  trampled  under  foot  by 
the  thronging  crowd,  led  me  by  the  hand.  As  we 
passed  along  under  the  hill  of  Namirembe  in  full  view 
of  Kampala — the  Government  fort — the  officer  in 
charge,  Mr.  G.  Wilson,  most  courteously  dipped  the 
flag  as  a  salutation.  Still  the  crowd  increased  until 
the  atmosphere  about  me  was  almost  suffocating  and 
the  perspiration  most  profuse.  It  was  a  wonderful 
sight,  never  to  be  forgotten,  as  we  reached  the  Mission 
compound.  Its  picturesqueness  goes  without  saying. 
When  Baganda  in  white  dresses  and  red  bark  cloth 
were  mingled  with  Basoga  in  tlieir  more  sombre  gar- 
ments, and  Sudanese  in  their  varied  costumes,  under  a 
tropical  sun  undimmed  by  a  cloud,  the  result  must  be 
striking  in  the  extreme.  I  saw  great  crowds  come 
together  when  Sir  Gerald  Portal  entered  Mengo,  but 
they  were  nothing  to  the  crowds  which  welcomed 
the  first  English  ladies  to  set  foot  in  the  capital  of 
Uganda. 

"  Our  long  march  was  over,  and  it  was  with  deep 
thankfulness  and  praise  to  God  for  all  His  many  mercies 
to  us  on  the  road,  that  we  entered  the  hospitable  houses 
of  our  brethren  of  the  Mission  and — rested." 

Two  days  later — Sunday,  October  6th — some  6000 
souls  came  together  in  (and  outside)  the  Cathedral, 


30        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

when  thanks  were  offered  to  Aknighty  God  for  His 
great  preserving  love  to  us.  I  preached  from  the  text, 
"  In  the  Lord  put  I  my  trust  "  (Ps.  xi.  1).  Nearly 
three  hundred  Communicants  partook  of  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  was  a  wonderful  service — 
a  fitting  close  to  a  wonderful  journey. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 


A  NEW  ERA  IN  THE  CHURCH'S  HISTORY 

'  Good,  the  more  communicated, 
The  more  abundant  grows.' 

J.  Milton. 

That  a  new  era  had  dawned  upon  the  Church  in 
Uganda  was  evident  even  to  the  most  casual  observer. 
Men  and  women  in  their  thousands  were  coming  forward 
for  instruction.  Candidates  for  Baptism  or  Confirma- 
tion daily  thronged  the  Mission-houses  in  the  hope  of 
having  their  names  enrolled.  Young  men  in  large 
and  ever-increasing  numbers  were  offering  themselves 
as  evangelists  or  teachers.  Books,  mainly  scriptures, 
were  selling  like  wildfire.  On  every  side  churches  and 
reading-houses  were  springing  up,  and  were  being 
crowded  daily  by  eager  seekers  after  the  Truth. 

It  was  evident  that  a  force  supernatural  in  its  opera- 
tion and  might  was  at  work,  telling  on  all  with  whom 
it  came  in  contact.  What  that  force  was  has  already 
been  suggested.  The  Spirit  of  God  was  moving  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  The  outward  manifestation  of 
this  fact  was  apparent  to  every  worker  in  the  field. 
It  could  not  be  hidden.  Whence  this  eagerness  in 
seeking  instruction,  this  earnestness  in  casting  away 
the  works  of  darkness,  this  ready  abandonment  of  the 
practices  of  an  ancient  and  elaborate  superstition, 
this  longing  desire  to  be  arrayed  in  the  garments 
of  salvation  —  the  adornment  of  the  Graces  of  the 

31 


32        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

Christian  life.  There  was  but  one  answer  to  the 
question. 

'  Tlaere  is  a  Pentecostal  Breath, 
The  Spirit's  gracious  dower  ; 
And  souls  upraised  from  sin  and  death 
Are  quickened  by  His  Power.' 

And  so  cheered  and  sustained  by  the  conviction  that, 
as  in  the  first  days  so  now,  the  Master  Himself  was 
working  with  His  servants  and  "  confirming  the  word 
with  signs  following,"  one  applied  oneself  to  the  task 
of  setting  in  order  "  the  affairs  of  the  daily  growing 
Church." 

The  year  1895  had  witnessed  a  large  increase  in  the 
staff  of  the  Mission.  The  party,  consisting  of  Lloyd, 
Lewin,  and  Blackledge,  under  the  leadership  of  the 
Rev.  A.  J.  Pike,  to  whom  on  November  7th  I  had  said 
"  good-bye  "  in  Usagara,  arrived  in  Uganda  at  the  end 
of  February  1895.  They  had  been  delayed  in  their 
journey  by  a  heavy  sea  of  troubles.  The  famine  in 
Unyamwezi  and  Ugogo  had  cost  them  the  lives  of  nearly 
a  hundred  of  their  porters.  Sickness  had  overtaken 
several  members  of  the  party,  and  it  was  only  after 
five  weary  months  of  struggle  with  difficulty  and 
distress  that  they  were  able  to  begin  their  missionary 
work  in  Uganda.  My  own  party  brought  up  the 
number  of  European  workers  to  twenty-three.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  year  there  were  but  eleven  men  in 
the  field  and  no  ladies.  Of  the  latter  there  were 
now  five. 

The  distribution  of  this  new  force  was  the  first  work 
taken  in  hand.  New  stations  were  opened  at  Gayaza — 
a  very  populous  centre  some  twelve  miles  from  Mengo, 
in  the  Province  of  Kyadondo ;  at  Waluleta,  the  capital 
of  Bulemezi  ;  at  Kinakulya,  in  North  Singo  ;  at  Koki, 
to  the  south-west  of  Budu  ;  at  Bukasa,  one  of  the 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  ERA 


33 


largest  islands  of  the  Sese  group  ;  and  at  Miro's,  in 
Busoga.  Thus,  instead  of  there  being  only  four 
stations  in  the  whole  field  north  of  the  Lake,  as  at 
the  beginning  of  1895,  the  close  of  the  year  saw  ten 
important  centres  occupied. 

In  Mengo  itself  a  great  change  had  come  over  the 
prospects  of  the  work.  In  October  1894  the  old 
cathedral  had  been  blown  down  in  the  midst  of  a  great 
storm.  This  misfortune,  as  it  seemed  to  us,  in  the 
good  providence  of  God  was  turned  into  a  means  of 
great  blessing  to  all  the  districts  round  the  capital. 

As  there  was  now  no  great  central  church  for  the 
people  from  these  districts  to  meet  together  in  for 
worship,  it  was  determined  to  build  a  small  church  in 
each  district.  The  result  was  that  at  the  end  of  1895, 
instead  of  there  being  the  one  great  central  church, 
there  were  no  fewer  than  three-and-twenty  places  of 
worship,  served  from  the  cathedral  itself,  which  had 
by  that  time  been  rebuilt.  The  evangehsts  under 
training  in  Mengo  were  given  the  work  of  visiting  these 
churches  in  regular  rotation,  Sunday  by  Sunday. 
They  were  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  service 
and  for  the  Gospel  address.  A  weekly  hst  was  made 
out  and  hung  up  in  the  vestry,  so  that  each  man  might 
know  where  his  Sunday  duty  lay. 

The  result  of  this  distribution  of  force  was  soon  seen 
in  the  increased  numbers  offering  themselves  both  for 
Baptism  and  Confirmation.  Of  the  1200  candidates 
confirmed  within  four  months  of  my  arrival  in  the 
country,  no  fewer  than  576  were  presented  to  me  in 
Mengo. 

These  Confirmation  services  were  times  of  deep  joy, 
mingled  with  fervent  prayer  and  praise.  We  saw 
before  us  such  evident  tokens  of  the  power  of  God's 
grace  as  stirred  to  their  depths  both  heart  and  mind. 

n  c 


34        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

Here  on  one  of  these  solemn  occasions  were  two  men, 
each  of  whom  was  a  victim  of  the  old-time  cruelty  now 
passed  away  for  ever.  Both  were  bHnd,  their  eyes 
having  been  destroyed  by  order  of  King  Mutesa,  and 
one  was  without  ears  or  nostrils — they  had  been  cut 
off  by  the  same  cruel  tyrant  for  some  trivial  offence 
or  other. 

One  of  these  blind  men  was  a  musician  in  the  service 
of  the  Mukwenda  (one  of  the  greatest  chiefs  in  the 
country),  who  had  been  excommunicated  for  grievous 
sin.  He  was  invited  by  his  master  to  eat  with  him. 
"  No  !  "  was  the  reply.  "  I  will  play  for  you  because  I 
am  your  servant,  but  eat  with  you  I  will  not,  so  long 
as  you  are  excommunicated  and  continue  in  your 
sins." 

The  sunshine  of  the  Church's  prosperity  was  soon, 
however,  to  be  shadowed  by  heavy  clouds  of  adversity. 
On  November  the  26th  teachers  came  in  from  Toro 
and  told  us  sad  news  of  the  disturbed  state  of  the 
country  and  the  practical  break-up  of  our  work  there. 
The  Government  officer  in  charge,  we  were  told,  had 
taken  up  an  attitude  of  great  hostility  to  the  king 
and  chiefs.  The  former  had  been  put  into  the  chain 
gang  and  several  of  the  latter  had  been  flogged.  The 
Sudan;\se  soldiers  had  destroyed  the  books  and  pro- 
perty of  several  of  our  teachers,  one  of  whom  (Apolo 
Kivebulaya)  had  been  sent  as  a  prisoner  to  Mengo, 
Congregations  had  been  scattered,  and  the  work  was 
almost  at  a  standstill.  Such  were  the  reports  brought 
to  us  by  teachers  who  declared  that  they  were  eye- 
witnesses of  the  events  which  they  narrated. 

It  was  a  sad  story  and  needed  a  good  deal  of  sifting. 
The  Commissioner  was  absolutely  without  information, 
but  promised  to  send  at  once  to  Toro  an  urgent  letter 
of  inquiry.    For  a  month  or  six  weeks  the  matter 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  ERA 


35 


must  rest.  In  the  meanwhile  I  decided  to  pay  a 
visit  to  Kyagwe,  Busoga,  and  possibly  the  Buviima 
islands. 

Starting  on  December  12th  I  made  my  way  to  Ngogwe, 
where  I  spent  nine  days  in  preparing  both  for  a  Con- 
firmation and  an  Ordination.  The  former  took  place 
on  the  20th,  when  161  men  and  91  women  were  pre- 
sented to  me  and  received  the  laying  on  of  hands. 
The  latter  service  was  held  on  the  day  following  (St. 
Thomas's  Day),  when  Rowling  and  Blackledge  received 
Priests'  Orders. 

On  the  23rd  I  started  for  Luba's  in  Busoga,  which  I 
reached  on  Christmas  Eve,  feeling  very  hot  and  tired. 
A  congregation  of  some  seventy  souls  came  together 
iui  the  little  wattle  and  daub  church  on  the  morrow 
for  the  worship  of  God.  Of  these  some  fifteen  were 
communicants. 

The  work  in  Busoga,  it  was  evident,  would  be  a  very 
difficult  one.  The  chiefs  were  nearly  all  in  opposition 
to  us,  and  persecution  more  or  less  was  the  lot  of  any 
who  made  any  open  profession  of  Christianity.  How- 
ever, I  found  both  Rowling  and  his  colleague,  Crabtree, 
full  of  heart  and  hope,  and  devoted  to  their  work. 

On  Friday  the  27th  I  started  with  the  latter  for  the 
island  of  Bugaya.  A  large  canoe  with  some  twenty 
paddlers  had  been  procured,  and  good  progress  was 
made  during  the  early  hours  of  the  day.  But  at  about 
eleven  o'clock  a  strong  head  wind  set  in,  against  which 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  make  any  substantial 
progress.  We  therefore  put  in  for  shelter  under  the 
lee  of  a  rocky  headland  of  the  great  island  of  B'avuma. 
It  was  evident  that  we  must  spend  the  night  there, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  islanders  were  said 
to  be  dange:ously  hostile.  A  number  of  them  came 
to  see  us,  and  certainly  they  were  most  kind  and 


36        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


friendly,  nor  did  they  from  first  to  last  show  the  least 
disposition  to  treat  us  otherwise  than  as  guests,  to 
whom  it  was  their  duty  to  be  hospitable. 

The  next  day  we  reached  our  destination.  Ap- 
parently we  were  expected,  for  a  large  body  of  natives, 
with  the  chief  Muzito  at  their  head,  were  standing  on 
the  shore  ready  to  welcome  us,  which  they  did  most 
warmly.  Our  loads  were  soon  carried  up  to  the  chief's 
enclosure,  near  which  was  our  camp.  After  arranging 
with  Sira  and  Samwili,  the  two  Baganda  evangelists, 
for  the  services  of  the  following  day,  we  both  took  stock 
of  our  surroundings. 

It  was  a  weird  spot  in  which  we  found  ourselves. 
The  island  of  Bugaya  is  the  most  seaward  of  the 
Buvuma  group,  and  thrusts  southward  its  rugged  head- 
lands in  wild  and  picturesque  confusion.  The  supersti- 
tion of  the  islanders  shows  itself  in  the  shrines  with 
which  many  of  these  rocky  headlands  are  crowned, 
and  which  are  evidently  dedicated  to  the  Spirits  of 
the  Lake,  whom  it  was  felt  necessary  to  propitiate 
by  sacrifices  of  Hving  creatures,  often  in  the  old  days 
human  beings. 

The  women  in  their  grass  dresses,  and  with  wooden 
buttons  in  their  lower  lip,  were  certainly  quaint-looking 
figures.  The  men  were  not  so  hideously  disfigured, 
and  whether  in  skin  or  barkcloth  reminded  us  of  the 
Basoga,  to  whom  I  beheve  they  are  doubtless  akin. 

To  our  great  surprise,  on  Sunday  morning  there  came 
together  in  the  very  primitive  church  that  these  people 
had  built  for  the  worship  of  God  no  fewer  than  220 
souls.  Such  a  sight  was  indeed  a  wonderful  testi- 
mony to  the  power  of  God's  grace.  Only  once  before 
had  this  remote  island  been  visited  by  a  European 
missionary,  and  then  only  for  a  short  while  ;  and  yet 
in  the  hands  of  ill-taught  Baganda  evangelists  the 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  ERA 


37 


people  had  acquired  not  merely  a  knowledge  of  all 
the  outward  form  and  ceremony  of  a  Church  service, 
but  an  intellectual  and  heart  knowledge  of  the  truth 
which  led  us  to  marvel  as  we  catechised  them  both 
at  the  morning  and  afternoon  services.  About  a 
hundred  and  forty  had  learnt  to  read  the  Mateka,  as 
the  first  reading-book  was  called,  and  ten  others  were 
Gospel  readers.  We  entreated  them  to  continue  in 
the  faith,  and  promised  to  render  them  all  the  assist- 
ance which  from  time  to  time  they  might  need  in  the 
way  of  instruction. 

It  was  with  real  regret  that  on  Monday  morning  we 
said  good-bye  to  this  little  company  of  souls  stretch- 
ing out  their  hands  God-ward.  We  were  bound  for 
Kajaya's  in  Busoga,  and  as  a  long  day's  paddle  lay 
before  us,  an  early  start  was  necessary.  "  Mukama  abere 
namwe  " — "  The  Lord  be  with  you,"  my  farewell  word  to 
them,  warmly  responded  to  with  shouts  of  "  nawc  " — 
"  and  with  you,"  and  so  we  started  on  our  way  to  the 
mainland.  Of  course  the  usual  headwind  set  in,  and 
our  progress  was  miserably  slow.  Hour  after  hour 
passed  by  and  still  we  were  far  from  land.  The  sun 
reached  its  zenith  and  then  gradually  declined.  It 
approached  its  setting  just  as  land  hove  in  sight.  The 
moon  rose  and  we  were  thus  enabled  to  continue  our 
journey.  Occasionally  the  blowing  of  hippos,  not  far 
away,  startled  our  weary  paddlers,  and  like  an  electric 
shock  energised  them  into  desperate  efforts  to  get  beyond 
the  reach  of  those  dreaded  monsters  of  the  Nyanza. 
At  length  the  presence  of  reeds  and  rushes  in  the  water 
around  told  us  that  land  was  near.  Slowly  wc  puslied 
our  way  through  a  dense  mass  of  tall  reeds,  the  home 
of  myriads  of  mosquitoes,  and  found  ourselves  on  a 
low  sandy  desert-likc  stretch  of  shore.  Quickly  dis- 
embarking  we   tried   to  discover  our  wlieroaboiits. 


38        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Advancing  some  little  distance  inland  I  discovered, 
dimly  visible  in  the  haze  which  hung  over  the  scene, 
two  ghost-like  figures.  I  shouted  to  them,  "  Muje 
banange  " — "  Come  here,  my  friends  ;  "  but  no  !  in  a 
moment  they  were  gone.  Then  two  of  my  serving-boys, 
who  had  penetrated  some  distance  further,  came  and 
reported  that  a  plantation  of  bananas  was  visible  not 
far  away,  and  that  if  I  would  follow  them  they  would 
soon  lead  me  to  some  house  or  other.  This  seemed 
hopeful,  and  at  once  we  started  on  our  quest.  We  soon 
got  into  a  footpath  which  led  us  right  for  the  planta- 
tion. Plunging  into  it  we  tramped  on  in  semi-darkness, 
guided  most  unerringly  by  our  boys.  In  a  httle  while 
we  emerged  into  a  clearing,  and  sure  enough  there  was 
a  house.  We  went  to  the  door  and  shouted.  No 
answer.  Again  and  again  we  shouted,  and  begged  the 
occupants  to  open  to  us  or  to  tell  us  where  we  were. 
But  still  no  answer.  Then  all  at  once,  as  we  waited 
for  some  reply,  there  came  to  us  this  sad  and  solemn 
question,  "  Are  you  spirits  or  are  you  men  ?  "  What 
a  horribly  significant  question  was  this.  It  was  not 
merely  the  very  natural  question  which  any  man 
might  ask  who  was  unexpectedly  disturbed  by  such 
night  visitors,  but  it  revealed  a  condition  of  mind  and 
soul  which  is  characteristic  of  the  whole  heathen  popu- 
lation in  Central  Africa.  Millions  of  human  souls  in 
these  dark  regions  live  in  perpetual  fear  of  evil  spirits. 
Morning,  noon,  and  night,  life  for  them  is  a  bondage 
to  this  dread.  How  to  propitiate  their  anger,  how 
to  ward  off  any  evil  that  might  come  to  them,  is  the 
daily  thought  which  occupies  the  mind  of  these  poor 
creatures.  Charms,  medicine,  sacrifices,  in  fact  every 
device  which  human  ingenuity  can  suggest,  is  employed 
in  the  vain  effort  to  find  peace  and  safety.  And  so 
men  have  lived  through  the  ages  enslaved  in  a  bondage 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  EKA 


39 


little  better  than  a  living  death.  The  day  of  their 
liberation,  however,  had  already  dawned,  and  for  those 
poor  souls  in  Busoga  the  messengers  of  a  Saviour's  love 
dehvering  them  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan 
already  stood  at  their  doors.  "  Banange  temutya  !  " — 
"  My  friends,  fear  not,"  was  our  answer.  "  We  are 
Europeans,  men  hke  yourselves.  We  have  lost  our 
way  and  need  your  help."  In  a  Httle  while  we  heard 
whisperings  and  movements  within,  and  then  the  door 
was  unfastened.  Slowly  and  fearfully  a  man  came 
into  view.  He  was  trembhng  visibly  from  head  to 
foot.  However,  we  took  him  by  the  hand  and  greeted 
him  warmly,  thanking  him  for  coming  to  our  help. 

Reassuringly,  and  even  tenderly,  we  spoke  to  him, 
explained  to  him  our  situation,  and  asked  him  kindly 
to  guide  us  to  the  chief's  enclosure,  which  he  told  us  was 
not  far  away.  This  he  undertook  to  do,  and  in  less 
than  ten  minutes  we  found  ourselves  in  comfortable 
quarters.  It  was  after  midnight,  however,  before  we 
were  able  to  retire  to  rest. 

The  next  day  letters  reached  me  from  Uganda,  teUing 
me  the  startling  news  of  the  arrival  of  Kasagama,  the 
K'ing  of  Toro,  in  Mengo,  and  begging  me  to  return 
thither  with  all  speed.  It  seems  that  Kasagama, 
wearied  out  with  what  he  considered  to  be  the  unjust 
treatment  of  the  officer  in  charge  of  Toro,  had  really 
run  away,  and  escaping  with  a  few  followers  had  made 
his  way  to  Mengo  with  the  object  of  seeking  justice  at 
the  hands  of  the  Commissioner.  Of  course  he  was  not 
without  hope  that  I  would  be  able  to  advocate  his  cause. 
It  was  evident  that  I  must  return  to  Uganda  at  once. 
Hastily  striking  camp  we  made  our  way  back  to  Luba's, 
where  we  arrived  on  Wednesday,  January  1st,  1896. 
The  next  day  I  crossed  the  lake  to  Lngumba's  and 
then  went  on  to  Ngogwe,  where  I  rested  for  the  Sunday. 


40 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Two  days  later  I  was  once  more  at  Mengo.  Kasagama 
at  once  came  to  see  me.  The  story  that  he  told  me  of 
wrongdoing,  cruelty,  and  oppression  was  such  that  I 
felt  that  there  must  be  misunderstanding  somewhere, 
and  therefore  begged  the  Commissioner  to  do  his  utmost 
to  sift  it  to  the  bottom.  This  he  promised  to  do,  and 
the  officer  in  charge  of  the  Toro  District  was  called  in 
to  aid  in  the  investigation.  He,  it  seems,  had  serious 
complaints  to  bring  against  the  king.  These  resolved 
themselves  into  three  main  charges — slavery,  the  illicit 
running  of  gunpowder,  and  bribing  the  Government 
interpreter. 

In  the  presence  of  myself  and  the  Archdeacon,  the 
Commissioner,  with  the  utmost  patience,  investigated 
these  charges.  The  latter  was  taken  first  and  broke 
down  in  the  most  dramatic  fashion,  the  chief  witness 
for  the  prosecution  in  his  evidence  immensely 
strengthening  the  case  for  the  defence.  The  second 
charge  broke  down  in  exactly  the  same  manner.  In 
fact,  so  complete  was  the  exoneration  of  the  king 
that  the  Commissioner  felt  it  useless  to  continue  the 
inquiry. 

The  officer  administering  Toro,  whose  conduct  of 
affairs  was  thus  impugned  by  the  issue  of  the  inquiry, 
acknowledged  that  through  his  ignorance  of  the  language 
he  had  been  imposed  upon  by  his  interpreter.  Apolo 
Kivebulaya,  who  had  been  sent  as  a  prisoner  to  Mengo, 
was  released  and  compensation  given  to  him. 

Our  pleasure  at  the  acquittal  of  the  Idng  and  the 
vindication  of  the  action  of  our  teachers  in  Toro  was 
naturally  very  great.  Kasagama,  who  since  his  arrival 
in  Mengo  had  been  under  regular  Christian  instruction, 
was  baptized  in  the  presence  of  the  Commissioner  on 
Sunday,  March  15th,  taking  the  name  of  Daudi  (David). 
He  shortly  after  returned  to  liis  own  country,  having 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  ERA 


41 


exacted  from  me  a  promise  of  paying  him  a  speedy 
visit. 

While  these  events,  so  fraught  with  issues  bearing 
upon  the  future  of  the  Church,  were  happening  in  the 
capital,  the  work  of  instruction  in  the  country  districts 
was  going  steadily  fon\'ard.  Fisher  sent  in  the  most 
cheering  accounts  from  North  Singo,  teUing  of  visits 
paid  to  the  Bunyoro  border,  and  of  the  Gospel  being 
preached  to  hundreds  of  Banyoro  peasants  who  had 
settled  down  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kinakulya. 
Lloyd  and  Leakey  were  hard  at  work  at  Gayaza,  in 
the  province  of  Kyadondo,  whilst  Gordon  was  engaged 
in  organising  the  evangehsation  of  the  islands  of  the 
Lake. 

Early  in  January  I  took  advantage  of  the  latter 's 
presence  in  Mengo  on  a  brief  visit  to  arrange  an  expedi- 
tion to  the  islands. 

There  is  always  a  great  charm  about  these  Lake 
journeys.  The  fresh  breezes — the  dancing  waters — 
the  bird  life,  so  free  and  full — the  wonderful  variety 
in  the  scenery — rocks  and  woods — rushes,  reeds,  and 
all  manner  of  creeping  plants — the  blowing  of  hippos 
and  the  sleeping,  shding  crocodiles — are  all  sights  and 
sounds  delightfully  refreshing  both  to  mind  and  body. 
It  was  therefore  with  a  very  gladsome  mind  that  I 
started  out  to  visit  the  islands  on  Thursday,  January 
16th.  I  camped  at  Gaba,  on  the  Lake  shore,  and  the 
next  day  met  Gordon  at  Kazi  and  went  on  with  him 
to  the  great  island  of  Kome,  where  a  very  promising 
work  was  in  progress.  Four  churches  had  been  built 
in  various  parts  of  the  island,  each  one  of  which  was  a 
centre  of  Christian  teaching.  So  well  had  this  work 
prospered  that  a  number  of  men  and  women  were 
awaiting  examination  with  a  view  to  baptism.  But 
no  one  came  either  to  examine  or  to  baptize.    "  Hope 


42        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick."  They  waited  and 
waited,  apparently  in  vain.  At  last  they  made  up 
their  minds  that  they  would  wait  no  longer.  They 
would  see  for  themselves  whether  there  was  baptism 
for  them  or  not.  A  deputation  therefore  travelled 
to  Mengo  to  see  the  missionaries.  They  stated  their 
case,  and  of  course  were  at  once  reassured.  A  letter 
was  written  to  Gordon  asking  him  to  visit  Kome  (which 
he  had  not  yet  had  an  opportunity  of  doing),  with  a 
view  to  baptizing  those  eager  seekers  after  the  truth. 
Some  of  these  very  men  were  looking  out  for  us  on 
our  arrival  and  greeted  us  most  joyfully.  Baptisms,  a 
Confirmation  service,  and  the  disposal  of  a  large  number 
of  books,  mostly  Scriptures,  filled  up  our  time  on  Kome. 
We  then  went  on  to  Bukasa,  visiting  the  island  of  Jana 
on  the  way.  At  Bukasa  we  found  a  congregation  of 
some  three  hundred  souls  gathered  together  in  the 
church  for  the  Confirmation  service,  at  which  some 
fifty-five  men  and  women  received  the  laying  on  of 
hands.  From  Bukasa  we  made  our  way  to  Busi, 
sleeping  on  the  island  of  Bufumira  on  the  way. 

The  work  in  Busi  we  found  to  be  of  a  most  interest- 
ing character.  The  readers  were  mostly  refugees  from 
the  island  of  Sese,  which  had  been  handed  over  to  the 
Roman  Catholics  under  the  term  of  Sir  Gerald  Portal's 
settlement.  Five  churches  had  been  built,  the  central 
one  accommodating  some  five  hundred  worshippers. 
There  were  probably  a  thousand  readers  on  the  island 
at  the  time  of  which  I  am  writing.  Samwili  Kam- 
wakabi  was  the  teacher  in  charge,  and  right  earnestly 
he  was  working.  Some  twenty-seven  men  and  women 
were  presented  to  me  for  Confirmation,  and  all  seemed 
deeply  in  earnest. 

On  February  3rd  I  started  on  the  return  journey 
to  Mengo  in  a    well-manned  canoe.    At  first  good 


Chap.  27]  A  NEW  ERA  43 

progress  was  made,  but  towards  noon  the  efforts  of 
our  men  slackened  considerably,  so  that  we  made  but 
little  way.  I  warned  the  men  of  the  dangers  of  night 
travelUng  on  the  Lake,  but  without  avail.  At  sunset 
they  seemed  to  wake  up,  but  it  was  too  late  ;  we  were 
yet  three  or  four  hours  from  our  destination.  More 
than  once  hippos  rose  not  far  away,  to  the  great 
alarm  of  every  one.  However,  we  managed  to  elude 
them  by  making  a  wide  detour.  Another  very  real 
danger  in  traveUing  on  the  Lake  near  the  shore  at  night 
was  the  existence  of  numerous  half-submerged  rocks, 
to  which  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  wide  berth.  For 
three  hours  we  crept  along,  hardly  knowing  whither  we 
were  going.  At  length  came  a  shock  and  a  stoppage. 
We  were  on  the  rocks.  Happily  our  speed  at  the  time 
was  not  great,  and  the  bow  of  our  canoe  was  strong. 
An  examination  revealed  the  fact  that  beyond  a 
splintered  timber  or  two  no  harm  had  been  done.  Our 
canoe  was  still  sound.  Much  relieved  we  went  on  our 
way,  keeping  a  sharp  look-out.  Soon  lights  became 
visible,  telling  us  that  Kazi  was  near.  At  about  ten 
o'clock,  to  my  great  relief,  we  reached  our  destination. 
The  next  day  I  went  on  to  Mengo,  where  I  found  all 
well  and  the  work  in  full  swing. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 


IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT 

'  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in.' 
— Psalm  cxxi.  8. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  the  fulfihnent  of  my 
promise  to  King  Kasagama  to  pay  Toro  a  visit.  All 
the  reports  which  periodically  came  in  to  us  from 
our  native  evangelists  told  of  a  widespread  desire  for 
Christian  teaching.  Little  congregations  of  readers,  we 
were  informed,  were  springing  up  in  every  direction. 
Evidently  a  guiding  hand  was  needed,  a  European 
missionary  in  fact,  for  the  supervision  and  organisation 
of  a  work  which,  although  still  in  its  infancy,  was  vigor- 
ous and  strong,  and  showed  clear  signs  of  a  healthy 
growth. 

Fisher  of  Kinakulya  I  knew  was  longing  for  direct 
pioneer  work ;  him,  therefore,  I  invited  to  accompany 
me,  with  a  view  to  ultimately  taking  over  the  charge 
of  what  gave  every  promise  of  becoming  a  work  of 
great  importance. 

Our  preparations  were  soon  made,  and  on  March  30, 
1896,  we  started  on  our  journey.  Owing  to  a  diffi- 
culty in  getting  porters,  my  tent  and  bedding  failed 
to  put  in  an  appearance  at  Sentema,  our  first  camping 
place.  I  was  obliged,  therefore,  to  sleep  in  a  native 
hut  without  bed  or  mosquito  net.  To  say  that  I  slept 
is,  I  am  afraid,  only  a  euphemistic  way  of  describing  a 
night  of  almost  hideous  horror — a  night  which  was 
one  long  fight  with  a  countless  multitude  of  mosquitoes 
thirsting  for  one's  blood.    However,  the  longest  night 

41 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT 


45 


has  an  end,  and  by  six  o'clock  we  were  on  our  way 
to  the  Mayanja,  a  river  swamp  in  which  all  feverish 
symptoms  were  soon  quenched  in  the  water,  which 
was  up  to  one's  armpits.  In  due  course  Mitiana  was 
reached,  where  we  spent  Easter-tide  and  where  a 
Confirmation  was  held,  when  thirty-one  men  and  ten 
women  received  the  laying  on  of  hands.  From  Mitiana 
we  made  our  way  to  Kasaka,  where  I  had  another 
Confirmation  engagement.  Travelhng  by  way  of  Lake 
Wamala,  we  crossed  to  the  island  of  Bagwe  in  a  large 
"  dug-out."  Here  a  small  but  interesting  work  I  found 
to  be  in  progress.  A  tiny  church  had  been  built  in 
which  daily  a  little  company  of  believers  gathered 
together  for  the  worship  of  God.  Having  commended 
them  to  Him,  and  the  power  of  His  Grace,  we  con- 
tinued our  journey  in  the  primitive  craft  which  had 
brought  us  to  the  island.  A  couple  of  hours'  paddhng, 
followed  by  half  a  mile  of  wading  through  the  waters 
of  the  reedy  margin  of  the  Lake,  brought  us  to  the  main 
path  to  Kasaka,  where  we  arrived  some  two  hours  later, 
that  is  to  say,  a  little  before  sunset.  A  warm  welcome 
awaited  us  from  the  many  readers  out  of  the  neigh- 
bouring gardens.  Many  of  them  had  recently  endured 
much  persecution  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 

Old  Ndalike,  the  chief,  an  uncle  of  King  Mwanga, 
was  a  rank  old  heathen,  quite  one  of  the  old  school, 
and  hated  Christianity  with  an  intense  hatred,  and 
strove  with  all  his  might  to  stamp  it  out.  But  he 
found,  as  many  greater  and  wiser  than  he  have  found, 
that  it  is  vain  to  fight  against  God.  He  might  beat 
and  cruelly  ill-treat  his  people  for  seeking  after  the 
Truth — and  some  he  beat  nearly  to  death  or  scorched 
with  red-hot  hoes — but  still  they  came  in  increasing 
numbers  for  instruction.  He  might  burn  down  the 
houses  of  the  missionaries — and  twice  he  had  done 


i 


46 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


this — but  new  ones  were  built,  and  still  the  missionaries 
taught  all  who  came  to  them.  He  might  even  seek 
refuge  on  the  islands  of  the  great  Lake  from  the  sound 
of  the  hated  Name.  But  still  even  there,  in  "  psalms 
and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs "  the  praises  of  the 
Redeemer  were  being  sung.  At  last  he  gave  up  the 
contest  in  despair.  "  It  is  no  use,"  he  declared, 
"  trying  to  get  away  from  these  Christians,  for  they 
are  everywhere." 

"  The  fiercer  the  persecution  the  brighter  the  testi- 
mony "  is  the  lesson  which  we  learn  fi'om  a  study  of 
all  attempts  down  through  the  ages  to  stamp  out 
Christianity  by  violence.  This  indeed  was  the  outcome 
of  the  persecution  at  Kasaka.  Nowhere  in  all  Uganda 
were  happier  or  brighter  Christians  to  be  found  than 
there.  Nowhere  was  the  spirit  of  unity  more  apparent 
or  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  more  real. 

It  was  with  very  sincere  regret  that  I  said  good-bye 
to  those  earnest  souls  after  I  had  confirmed  twenty-nine 
of  them  and  passed  on  my  way  to  Kinakulya,  where, 
after  a  great  deal  of  hill  climbing  and  wading  through 
innumerable  swamps,  we  arrived  on  the  evening  of 
April  11th,  Darkness  had  set  in,  and  walking  in  a 
narrow  footpath  was  anything  but  easy.  Happily  our 
friends  at  Kinakulya  knew  of  our  coming,  and  came 
out  with  torches  in  large  numbers  to  meet  us.  It 
was  with  wild  shouts  of  welcome  that  they  greeted  us. 
Their  cries  of  "  Nsanyuse "  (I  rejoice),  "  Nsanyuse," 
making  the  hills  around  echo  and  re-echo. 

The  greater  part  of  a  week  was  spent  in  this  happy 
sphere  of  work,  during  which  some  twenty-two  souls 
were  baptized,  and  sixty-three  confirmed.  Kinakulya 
was  the  centre  of  widespread  missionary  operations 
reaching  even  to  the  border  of  Bunyoro.  There  were 
some  fifteen  teachers  at  work,  and  evidently  in  the 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOTJKNEYINGS  OFT  47 

not  distant  future  a  harvest  of  souls  would  be 
reaped. 

From  Kinakulya  we  made  our  way  to  Kijungutc,  and 
from  thence  to  Bukumi,  in  the  most  northern  part  of 
the  province  of  Bwekula.  Here  we  were  warned  of 
the  difficulties  of  the  road  in  front  of  us  on  the  way 
to  Toro — swamps  and  swollen  rivers,"  it  was  said, 
"  would  surely  stop  us."  The  latter  especially  were 
dangerous,  if  not  absolutely  impassable.  However, 
we  determined  to  proceed  on  our  way,  beheving  that 
with  the  difficulty  we  should  find  the  means  of  meeting 
it.  Nor  were  we  disappointed.  Swamps  there  were 
without  end  and  unbridged.  There  was  nothing  for 
it  but  to  plunge  into  them  and  make  the  best  of  it. 
The  state  of  the  rivers  happily  had  been  exaggerated, 
and  they  were  crossed  without  any  special  difficulty.  - 

On  Saturday,  April  25th,  we  camped  at  Bufungu 
for  the  Sunday  in  full  view  of  the  mountain  range  of 
Ruwenzori. 

Happily  the  atmosphere  was  clear  (it  was  the  rainy 
season),  and  the  great  mass  steed  revealed  in  all  its 
solemn  grandeur.  It  was  a  vision  of  singular  and 
surpassing  beauty.  At  times  a  veil  of  mist  would  pass 
over  the  scene,  and  then  as  it  Ufted  and  cleared,  first 
one  snow-clad  peak  and  then  another  would  come  into 
view,  until  at  length  the  whole  range,  glittering  and 
sparkling  in  the  glorious  glowing  light  of  a  tropical 
sun,  was  once  more  entrancing  us  with  its  marvellous 
beauty — a  wonderful  combination  of  graceful  outline 
and  deep,  dark  shadows,  showing  up  in  striking  con- 
trast the  majestic  shoulders  and  the  massive  buttresses 
of  the  mighty  mountain,  which  as  the  sun  declined 
lost  much  of  the  glare  and  ghtter  of  the  earlier  hours 
of  the  day,  but  yet  till  eventide  continued  to  be 
'  Robed  in  softened  light  of  orient  state.' 


48        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

On  April  28th  we  reached  Butiti.  Here  a  great 
disappointment  awaited  us.  Instead  of  expectant 
crowds  trooping  out  to  meet  us,  we  found  here  and 
there  by  the  road-side  a  sullen-looking  individual  who 
barely  responded  to  our  greeting  of  "  Otyano  " — "  How 
do  you  do."  At  the  entrance  to  the  chief's  enclosure 
there  was  a  little  group  of  men  standing,  in  the  centre 
of  which  was  one  who  was  evidently  the  chief  himself. 
But  no  !  He  was  decorated  with  a  Roman  Catholic 
rosary,  as  were  nearly  all  his  followers.  This  surely 
was  not  Yafeti  Byakweyamba,  the  chief  of  Mwenge. 
Our  greetings  over,  the  explanation  came.  Yafeti  had 
been  called  into  Mengo  to  answer  some  charges  which 
had  been  made  against  him,  and  which  he  was  able 
later  to  disprove.  The  man  Kagoro,  a  Roman  Catholic, 
whom  we  saw  before  us,  had  been  appointed  to  take 
his  place.  He  had  seized  his  opportunity,  and  nearly 
all  the  Protestant  readers  had  been  driven  out  and 
Roman  Catholics  had  been  put  in  their  places.  The 
church  in  which,  a  year  or  two  before,  the  congregation 
was  so  large  that  when  the  pages  of  their  books  were 
turned  the  sound  was  said  to  be  as  the  rustling  of  the 
leaves  in  the  tree-tops,  had  been  burnt  down.  As  can 
well  be  imagined  our  stay  at  Butiti  in  those  circum- 
stances was  not  a  very  happy  one,  and  we  gladly 
packed  up  our  things  on  the  morning  after  our  arrival 
and  took  the  road  to  our  next  camping  place. 
'  '  We  were  now  quite  close  to  the  capital  of  Toro, 
in  fact  only  two  and  a  half  hours  away.  Ruwenzori 
loomed  dark  and  sombre  in  the  distance.  The  weather 
had  changed.  The  bright  sunny  days  of  the  earlier 
part  of  our  journey  had  given  place  to  heavy  clouds 
and  rolling  mists,  while  ever  and  anon  a  bright  flash 
of  liglitning  and  the  reverberating  crash  of  thunder 
which  followed  told  of  a  gathering  storm.    But  the 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT 


49 


scenery  had  changed  as  well  as  the  weather.  We  were 
now  in  a  country  distinctly  volcanic.  Crater  hills  were  to 
be  seen  on  every  hand.  The  scored  flanks  of  Ruwen- 
zori,  now  clearly  visible,  testified  unmistakably  to  a 
time,  comparatively  recent  (geologically  speaking),  when 
even  the  great  mountain  itself  was  in  eruption. 

The  news  of  our  coming  had  preceded  us,  and  as 
we  drew  near  to  the  goal  of  our  journey  numerous 
messengers  from  the  king  and  the  Namasole  came  to 
meet  us  with  letters  of  greeting.  Then  ensued  that 
endless  running  to  and  fro  of  men  and  boys  with 
messages  of  gladness,  which  is  so  pleasing  and  pic- 
turesque a  characteristic  of  the  etiquette  of  the 
Baganda.  At  length  we  came  to  the  foot  of  the  hill 
leading  to  the  king's  enclosure,  where  ensued  a  scene 
of  welcome  which  baffles  description,  shouts  of  cordial 
greeting  resounding  on  every  side.  The  king  was 
sitting  in  his  chair  with  a  leopard  skin  at  his  feet,  but 
immediately  upon  our  appearance  he  rose  up  and  greeted 
us  with  a  warmth  of  welcome  which  it  was  impossible 
to  misunderstand.  It  was  the  welcome  of  a  Christian 
king  to  messengers  of  the  King  of  kings.  "  Come," 
said  he,  "  let  us  go  into  the  church  and  thank  God  for 
bringing  you  here  in  peace  and  safety."  So  saying 
he  led  the  way  into  a  large  building  hard  by,  which 
had  been  l)uilt  by  the  natives  themselves  for  the 
worship  of  God.  It  was  with  full  hearts  that  we  joined 
in  this  service  of  prayer  and  praise,  which  had  been 
arranged  entirely  by  the  natives  themselves.  Fully 
five  hundred  souls  were  gathered  together  on  that 
never  to  be  forgotten  occasion  when,  for  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  Toro,  Europeans  and  natives,  the 
white  man  and  the  black,  knelt  together  in  the  worship 
of  a  common  Saviour,  mingling  their  voices  in  the 
praises  of  tlie  One  true  and  Living  God. 

D 


50        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Barely  seven  years  had  passed  by  since  Stanley  had 
made  known  to  the  outside  world  the  existence  of 
the  snow-clad  mountain  range  of  Ruwenzori,  the 
mountains  of  the  moon.  It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say, 
therefore,  that  had  he  travelled  from  Kavalli  to  Nkole 
by  the  east  rather  than  by  the  west  of  the  mountain, 
he  would  have  found  that  the  Christian  evangelist  from 
Uganda  had  preceded  him,  and  that  there  were  even 
then  those  in  the  country  who  knew  Christ  as  their  God 
and  Saviour.  This  would  probably  have  given  him  as 
much  pleasure  as  the  discovery  of  the  mountain  itself. 

How  had  Christianity  found  its  way  to  Toro  ?  It 
was  in  this  wise.  Yafeti  Byakweyamba,  a  cousin  of 
Kasagama,  king  of  Toro,  and  a  prince  of  the  House  of 
Kabarega,  king  of  Bunyoro,  had  been  brought  up  in 
Uganda — converted  and  baptized  there.  On  becoming 
chief  of  Mwenge,  a  county  of  Toro,  he  asked  that 
Christian  teachers  might  be  sent  from  Mengo  to  instruct 
his  people.  This  was  done,  and  two  men,  Marko  and 
Petero,  were  sent  as  the  two  first  missionary  evangelists 
to  the  Batoro.  In  1891  Kasagama  was  appointed 
by  Capt.  Lugard  the  overlord  of  the  Toro  Confederacy 
— in  other  words,  Iving  of  Toro.  He  was  a  reader  but 
not  baptized  until  his  journey  to  Mengo  at  the  close 
of  1895  brought  him  under  regular  Christian  instruction. 
This  event,  so  fraught  with  momentous  consequences 
to  the  future  of  Toro,  took  place  as  already  mentioned, 
on  March  15,  1896. 

Thus  it  came  about,  in  the  good  providence  of  God, 
tliat  on  our  arrival  on  April  30th  we  found  ourselves 
face  to  face  with  an  incipient  Christianity.  A  large 
number  of  people — men,  women,  and  children — had 
been  taught  its  fundamentals,  and  were  endeavouring, 
it  was  quite  clear,  to  order  their  lives  according  to  its 
precepts.     The  greatest  need  of  the  work,  it  was 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOUENEYINGS  OFT  51 

evident,  was  supervision  and  organisation  by  a  European 
missionary.  And  so  it  was  settled  for  Fisher  to  remain 
as  missionary  in  charge. 

Our  first  work  was  to  call  together  the  teachers  and 
consult  with  them  as  to  evangeHsaticn  of  the  country. 
Seven  districts  were  mapped  out,  and  two  evangehsts 
sent  to  each.  Then  the  examination  of  candidates  for 
baptism  was  taken  in  hand,  and  on  Friday,  May  8th, 
it  was  my  joy  to  administer  that  holy  rite  to  fifteen 
adults — eight  men  and  seven  women ;  among  the  latter 
were  the  mother  and  the  wife  of  the  king.  The  former 
took  the  name  of  "  Vikitoria  "  and  the  latter  that 
of  "  Damari." 

Vikitoria  (the  Namasole  or  Queen-mother)  was,  and 
is  still,  for  as  I  write  she  is  yet  alive,  a  woman  of  great 
strength  of  character  and  of  earnestness  in  her  spiritual 
life.  She  is  always  at  the  head  of  every  good  work, 
and  never  grows  weary  of  talking  with  all  who  come 
to  her  house  of  Christ  and  His  love  for  all  mankind. 

One  great  difiiculty  that  confronted  us  at  this  early 
stage  of  our  work  in  Toro  was  the  poverty  of  the  people, 
and  their  consequent  inability  to  buy  our  books.  The 
principle  of  giving  away  books  we  have  never  admitted. 
What  was  to  be  done  ?  We  were  in  want  of  firewood. 
We  therefore  ofJered  to  exchange  books  for  wood. 
Daily  young  men  and  boys  went  out  to  the  forest  in 
search  of  that  which  would  place  them  in  possession 
of  the  longed-for  treasure — a  gospel  or  mateka  (first 
reading-book).  Towards  evening  quite  a  long  pro- 
cession would  be  seen  wending  its  way  from  the  forest 
to  the  grass  hut  in  which  we  had  taken  up  our  quarters, 
and  there  the  wood  was  stacked.  This  went  on  until 
the  stack  of  firewood  was  bigger  than  our  house,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  cry  "  Hold,  enough  !  " 

A  site  for  our  Mission  station  was  chosen,  cleared. 


52        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA    IBook  IV. 


and  the  work  of  building  commenced.  Enthusiastic 
helpers  came  from  all  sides,  and  visible  progress  was 
made  from  day  to  day. 

On  Sunday,  May  10th,  a  congregation  of  some  four 
hundred  and  fifty  worshippers  came  together  in  church, 
when  I  confirmed  nine  men,  all  of  whom  had  passed  a 
very  satisfactory  examination.  The  king  was  among 
the  number. 

So  far  nothing  has  been  said  as  to  the  social  and 
pohtical  condition  of  the  Batoro.  The  political  organisa- 
tion of  Toro  is  not  unlike  that  of  Uganda.  The  feudal 
system  is  found  there,  but  its  hold  upon  the  people 
is  comparatively  sHght.  The  king  has  his  Katikiro, 
Mugema,  Mukwenda,  and  Sekibobo,  and  other  great 
chiefs,  but  their  authority  is  very  Hmited.  Almost  as 
powerful  a  personage  in  Toro  as  the  king  is  the  Queen- 
mother.  She  has  a  considerable  voice  in  the  counsels 
of  her  son,  who  Ustens  with  no  little  deference  to  her 
advice.  As  a  matter  of  fact  all  women  in  Lunyoro- 
speaking  countries  appear  to  have  a  higher  social 
standing  than  in  Uganda.  In  the  home  they  have  a 
controlling  influence — an  influence  which,  if  made  use 
of  by  Christianity,  should  be  a  potent  factor  in  the 
elevation  of  the  nation. 

Physically  the  Batoro  are  not  a  strong  race.  The 
poor  quality  of  their  food,  which  consists  mainly  of 
sweet  potatoes  and  a  small  grain  called  "  bulo,"  is 
mainly  responsible  for  their  weak  physique.  As  a  rule 
a  Mutoro  porter  is  unable  to  carry  more  than  40  lbs., 
whilst  a  Muganda  will  be  seen  with  a  load  of  60  lbs. 
upon  his  head.  They  speak  Lunyoro — a  language  akin 
to  Luganda,  but  even  more  widely  spoken.  The  king 
and  many  of  the  principal  chiefs  understand  Luganda, 
but  outside  that  comparatively  small  circle  it  is  practi- 
cally an  unknown  tongue. 


Chap.  28]     IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT 


53 


The  dress  of  the  people  consists  largely  of  skins. 
Bark  cloth  is  imported  from  Uganda,  and  so  also  is 
calico  of  a  poor  qiiahty  from  the  coast.  The  use  of 
the  latter,  however,  is  confined  almost  entirely  to  the 
well-to-do  classes.  The  absence  of  warm  clothing 
among  the  mass  of  the  population,  combined  with 
the  changeable  nature  of  the  climate,  is  the  cause  of 
widespread  disease,  mainly  of  the  respiratory  organs. 
Asthma  and  pneumonia  are  common  complaints,  the 
latter  being  especially  fatal  amongst  growing  children. 

Such  were  the  people  amongst  whom  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  had  now  taken  root,  and  although  it  was  com- 
paratively but  a  tiny  plant,  still  it  was  ahve  and  show- 
ing signs  of  vigorous  growth.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
but  that,  with  God's  blessing  upon  the  work,  a  rich 
harvest  of  souls  would  in  His  own  good  time  be  reaped. 

It  was  with  a  heart  full  of  thankfulness  and  praise 
to  God  for  all  that  I  had  seen  of  His  work  of  Grace 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  for  all  that  He  had  per- 
mitted me  to  do  for  Him  in  this  far-away  land  of  Toro, 
that  I  said  farewell  to  the  little  band  of  Christian  men 
and  women  who  had  been  gathered  into  the  fold  of 
the  Good  Shepherd,  and  on  Monday,  May  11th,  started 
on  my  return  journey. 

It  was  necessary  that  I  should  travel  rapidly,  as  I 
had  arranged  for  an  Ordination  Service  in  Mengo  on 
Trinity  Sunday  (May  31st),  and  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  preUminary  work  to  be  got  through.  I  there- 
fore decided,  after  reaching  Butiti,  to  journey  south- 
wards in  the  hope  of  finding  a  shorter  road  than  that 
through  Bunyoro.  Nor  was  I  disappointed  in  my 
search.  After  leaving  Mwcnge,  the  swamps  seemed 
suddenly  to  come  to  an  end,  and  we  entered  u])on  a 
country  of  rolling  hills  and  wonderfully  fertile  j)astiire 
lands.    Wild  flowers  abounded  on  every  hand.  The 


54        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


air  was  bracing  and  invigorating,  and  one  was  able  to 
march  for  hours  without  fatigue.  Passing  through 
the  province  of  Kyaka  I  reached  Kawanga,  where  I 
spent  very  happily  Sunday  (May  17th).  Two  days 
later  I  entered  Uganda  and  came  upon  a  swamp  of 
nearly  half  a  mile  in  width.  The  water  was  generally 
up  to  my  waist,  but  at  times  I  sank  to  the  armpits. 
The  Katabalanga,  for  so  it  is  named,  is  one  of  the 
worst  swamps  in  Uganda.  However,  I  was  none  the 
worse,  and  soon  reached  Kiganda,  where  I  found  a 
beautifully  built  church,  and  a  little  band  of  readers, 
who  were  being  instructed  regularly  by  a  teacher 
named  Danieri,  who  had  been  sent  out  by  the  Church 
at  Mitiana. 

After  leaving  Kiganda,  a  march  of  six  and  a  half 
hours  brought  me  to  Bujongolo.  On  the  way  I  came 
upon  one  of  the  largest  herd  of  elephants  which  it  has 
ever  been  my  lot  to  see  in  Africa.  There  were  pro- 
bably two  hundred  of  them  in  the  herd.  As  they  kept 
quite  close  together,  their  movements  were  almost 
like  the  undulations  of  the  sea.  There  seemed  to  be 
several  old  males  who  acted  as  wliippers-in  to  the  herd, 
directing  its  movements.  Shortly  after  passing  them  I 
came  upon  what  had  once  been  a  banana  plantation. 
It  had  been  completely  destroyed  by  this  great  herd. 
So  complete  a  wilderness  had  been  made  of  the  culti- 
vated land  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  find  my 
onward  path  to  Bujongolo. 

On  reaching  Mitiana  I  held  a  Confirmation,  when 
forty-four  candidates  were  presented  to  me  by  Mr. 
Sugden,  the  missionary  in  charge,  who  had  just  returned 
from  an  itineration  in  the  northern  part  of  his  district. 
And  now  came  the  last  stage  of  my  journey.  Fifty 
miles  lay  between  me  and  Mengo.  My  boots  were 
worn  out.    What  was  to  be  done  ?    Sugden  kindly 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT  55 


provided  me  with  a  hammer  and  a  few  tin  tacks.  With 
these  I  managed  to  fasten,  in  a  rough  and  ready  fashion, 
the  parting  soles,  and  therewith  was  obliged  to  rest 
content.  But  anxiously  I  watched  my  straining  boots 
as  I  emerged  from  this  or  that  swamp.  Would  they 
hold  together,  or  would  the  final  parting  of  sole  and 
uppers  obUge  me  to  complete  my  journey  bare-footed, 
was  the  question  which  more  than  once  presented  itself 
to  my  mind  as  I  pursued  my  way  to  Mengo.  Happily 
the  riveted  tin  tacks  held,  and  despite  the  mud  and 
water  of  innumerable  swamps,  my  decrepit  old  boots 
landed  me  triumphantly  at  the  door  of  my  house  on 
Namirembe  Hill  on  the  evening  of  Saturday,  May  23rd. 

Thus  my  journey  of  some  five  hundred  miles  of 
travel  to  Toro  and  back,  by  way  of  Bunyoro,  came  to 
an  end,  and  I  found  myself  free  to  prepare  for  the 
event  of  Trinity  Sunday — the  Ordination  of  Priests 
and  Deacons,  as  well  as  the  setting  apart  of  some 
twenty  readers  for  their  work  as  Lay  Evangelists. 

Trinity  Sunday  dawned  bright  and  clear.  The  hum 
of  voices  at  earUest  dawn  told  of  the  thronging  crowds 
who  were  making  their  way  to  the  House  of  God.  At 
seven  o'clock  the  church  was  practically  full.  At  eight, 
when  the  great  drum  boomed  forth  as  the  signal  for 
the  commencement  of  the  service,  there  were  large 
numbers  sitting  outside,  unable  to  find  room.  The 
Archdeacon,  with  Pike,  Roscoe,  and  Millar,  officiated 
at  Morning  Prayer  and  Holy  Communion — the  first 
named,  of  course,  presenting  the  candidates  to  me  for 
Ordination,  whose  names  were  as  follows  : — 

Priests. — H.  W.  Duta,  Yonasani  Kaidzi,  Yairo  Mutakyala. 
Deacons. — Samwili   Mukasa,  Batolomayo  Musokc,  Nasanicri 
Mudcka,  Henry  Mukawa,  Nuwa  Kikwahanga. 


Of  the  service  itself  an  ineJEEaceable  impression  has 


56        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

been  left  upon  my  mind.  There  was  the  solemn  still- 
ness which  pervaded  the  vast  structure  of  palm  poles, 
as  the  hushed  throng  of  worshippers  waited  for  the 
opening  sentences.  There  was  the  mighty  volume  of 
sound  which  rolled  forth  in  regular  and  measured 
cadence  as  the  responses  were  repeated  in  due  order. 
Then  the  hymns — not  perhaps  very  musically  rendered, 
but  every  member  of  the  congregation  apparently 
making  a  "  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord."  And  what 
shall  I  say  of  the  "  laying  on  of  hands,"  and  the  gather- 
ing around  the  Table  of  the  Lord  of  very  nearly  five 
hundred  communicants  ?  Truly  the  Lord  was  per- 
mitting us  to  see  some  of  those  "  greater  things  "  of 
which  He  spoke  when  He  gave  to  His  disciples  the 
gracious  promise,  "  Greater  things  than  these  shall  he 
do,  because  I  go  unto  the  Father." 

The  strain  of  the  long  service,  as  it  went  forward 
for  nearly  five  hours,  began  to  tell  upon  me,  and  it 
was  evident  after  some  three  hours  that  I  was  in  for 
an  attack  of  fever.  It  was  with  aching  head,  aching 
back,  and  aching  Hmbs  that  I  pronounced  the  bene- 
diction, and  this  most  wonderful  service  was  brought 
to  a  conclusion  shortly  before  one  o'clock. 

At  the  afternoon  service  twenty-two  men,  good  and 
true,  received  my  Ucense  as  Lay  Evangelists. 

Mr.  Roscoe,  who  was  to  be  my  fellow-traveller  to  the 
coast,  preached  his  farewell  sermon  at  this  afternoon 
service,  and  so  this  ever  memorable  day  came  to  a 
close. 

Of  the  ordained  men  it  was  arranged  that  H.  W. 
Duta  should  continue  to  work  at  the  capital.  His 
help  in  translation  work  was  invaluable.  Batolomayo 
was  assigned  to  Kinakulya,  Yairo  to  Jungo,  Yonasani 
to  Ngogwe,  Nasanieri  to  Bulcmezi,  Henry  Mukasa  to 
the  islands,  whilst  Ramwili  Mukasa  was  located  with 


Chap.  28]     IN  JOUENEYINGS  OFT 


57 


Blackledge  at  Bukoba.  Thus  in  the  good  providence 
of  God,  with  the  increase  of  the  flock  a  corresponding 
increase  of  the  pastorate  was  vouchsafed. 

A  last  Confirmation  service  had  been  arranged  for 
Tuesday,  June  2nd,  mainly  for  the  benefit  of  the  people 
of  Ngogwe,  of  whom  150  came  up  to  Mengo ;  and  with 
those  upon  the  spot  225  were  presented  to  me.  Many 
of  them  had  walked  fifty  and  sixty  miles,  and  some 
even  a  hundred  miles,  in  order  to  be  confirmed. 

This  Confirmation  service  brought  my  programme 
of  work  in  Uganda  to  a  close,  and  I  at  once  prepared 
for  the  journey  down  country.  My  preparations  were 
a  good  deal  hindered  by  the  crowds  of  people  who, 
from  morning  till  night,  thronged  my  house  to  say 
"  good-bye."  However,  on  Thursday,  June  4th,  my 
loads  were  ready,  and  hearing  that  the  canoes  had 
arrived  at  Munyonyo  a  start  was  made.  Mr.  Roscoe 
and  Dr.  Rattray  were  my  travelHng  companions. 
Being  anxious  to  visit  Nasa,  Mpwapwa,  Kisokwe,  and 
Mamboya,  I  decided  to  travel  by  the  old  road  through 
German  territory.  The  monotony  of  the  voyage  across 
the  Lake  was  broken  by  a  visit  to  Bukasa,  where  Mr. 
Gordon  was  at  work,  and  where  I  was  able  to  confirm 
no  fewer  than  seventy-two  candidates,  forty-nine  of 
them  being  men  and  the  rest  women.  Here  we  were 
detained  nearly  a  week  waiting  for  our  full  complement 
of  canoes  to  be  made  up.  At  length  all  was  ready, 
and  on  Friday,  June  12th,  we  said  good-bye  to  Gordon 
and  our  friends  in  Bukasa,  and  continued  our  voyage, 
which  was  without  incident  until  Nasa  was  reached 
some  twelve  days  later. 

Here  we  found  to  our  great  sorrow  that  Nickisson, 
who  had  travelled  with  me  up  country  in  1892,  was 
dangerously  ill  with  blackwatcr  fever.  In  spite  of 
all  that  Dr.  Rattray  could  do  for  him  he  gradually 


58        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

sank,  and  on  Sunday,  June  28th,  passed  to  his  rest. 
The  loss  of  Nickisson  was  a  great  blow  to  the  work 
at  Nasa.  Hubbard  had  recently  left  for  furlough,  and 
Wright  had  only  been  a  few  months  in  the  country, 
and  as  yet  was  but  a  tyro  in  the  language.  It  was 
impossible  to  leave  him  alone.  What  was  to  be  done  ? 
Most  self-denyingly  Dr.  Rattray  volunteered  to  stay 
at  Nasa  until  some  permanent  arrangement  could  be 
made  by  the  Mission  in  Uganda  to  supply  the  vacant 
place.  On  St.  Peter's  Day  I  ordained  Wright,  giving 
him  Priest's  Orders.  A  Confirmation  later  in  the  day, 
of  six  men  and  three  women,  completed  my  work 
at  Nasa. 

On  July  1st,  Roscoe  and  I  started  on  our  long  tramp 
of  700  miles  to  the  coast.  It  was  a  weary  journey, 
the  hot  sun  blazing  upon  our  path,  day  after  day, 
until  we  neared  Kisokwe,  where  we  arrived  on  July  30th. 
Then  the  weather  had  broken,  and  heavy  storms  of  rain 
were  of  daily  occurrence.  At  Mpwapwa,  on  August  2nd, 
I  confirmed  sixteen  candidates,  and  on  the  following 
day  we  continued  our  journey.  At  night  we  were 
encamped  not  far  from  Tubugwe,  at  a  place  which  we 
were  told  was  infested  with  lions.  We  carefully  warned 
our  men  and  boys  not  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  light 
cast  by  the  camp  fires,  and  to  see  that  the  fires  were 
kept  burning  brightly  all  night  long.  However,  at 
about  nine  o'clock,  just  as  I  was  thinking  of  turning 
in,  a  cry  of  alarm  was  raised.  A  lion,  it  was  said, 
had  seized  one  of  Mr.  Roscoe's  boys,  named  Simeoni, 
within  half  a  dozen  yards  of  my  tent.  I  seized  my 
rifle  and  fired  into  the  pitchy  darkness  in  the  hope 
of  so  alarming  the  creature  that  he  might  drop  his 
prey.  Then  we  got  torches  and  tried  to  find  the  track, 
but  in  vain,  and  sorrowfully  we  were  obliged  to  return 
to  camp,  and  give  up  the  search  till  daylight.  Then 


Chap.  28]       IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT  59 

only  too  plainly  it  was  revealed  what  had  become  of 
the  poor  lad — a  blood-stained  cloth  was  found  about 
a  hundred  yards  away,  and  clear  evidence  of  the  poor 
fellow's  fate.  Simeoni  was  an  earnest  Christian,  and 
for  some  days  his  loss  cast  quite  a  gloom  over  our 
camp. 

On  August  5th  Mamboya  was  reached,  and  after  a 
two  days'  rest  we  pursued  our  way  to  the  coast.  At 
the  stony  river  (Mto  Mawe)  I  was  seized  with  a  serious 
illness.  Dysentery  set  in  and  I  was  incapacitated 
from  walking.  My  limited  stock  of  medicines  failed 
to  provide  a  remedy.  Insomnia  ensued,  so  that  one's 
condition  was  miserable  in  the  extreme.  Happily 
Mr.  Roscoe  was  able  to  enlist  porters  for  my  hammock, 
and  in  this,  from  morning  till  night  for  six  days,  I  was 
carried  along,  sometimes  being  bumped  against  trees, 
at  others  a  stimibling  porter  in  front  threw  me  to 
the  ground.  But  nevertheless,  by  God's  goodness  and 
mercy,  I  was  enabled  to  reach  the  coast,  and  there,  to 
my  great  joy,  was  the  steamer  Barawa,  belonging  to 
the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  waiting  for  me.  On  being 
taken  ill  I  had  sent  messengers  to  the  coast  requesting 
our  Agent  at  Sadaani  to  telegraph  to  Messrs.  Boustead 
and  Ridley  in  Zanzibar,  asking  that  a  dhow  might  be 
sent  across  without  delay  to  meet  me.  Mr.  Boustead 
most  kindly  mentioned  the  matter  to  Sir  Lloyd 
Matthews,  the  Prime  Minister,  who  at  once  gave  in- 
structions for  the  Barawa  to  proceed  to  my  assistance, 
and  so  it  came  about  that  without  a  moment's  delay 
I  was  taken  on  board,  and  the  same  evening  found 
myself  in  the  hospital  of  the  Universities  Mission, 
where  for  the  next  three  weeks  I  was  carefully  and 
skilfully  tended  by  Dr.  Macdonald  and  the  Mission 
nurses.  The  kindness  of  Sir  Lloyd  Matthews,'-,  Dr. 
Macdonald,  and  the  ladies  of  the  Universities  Mission, 


60        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  IV. 


I  can  never  forget.  The  hospital  was  indeed  a  haven 
of  rest  after  the  toil  and  stress  of  the  terrible  time 
through  which  I  had  recently  passed.  It  had,  however, 
one  rough  and  rude  interruption.  It  was  in  this  wise. 
On  Tuesday,  August  25th,  the  nurse  who  was  on  day 
duty  told  me  that  it  might  be  necessary  to  move  me 
from  the  hospital,  as  Zanzibar  was  in  rather  an  un- 
settled condition.  Later  in  the  day  I  was  informed 
that  I  was  to  be  carried  on  board  one  of  the  ships  in 
the  harbour  for  safety.  On  inquiring  further,  I  was 
told  the  whole  story.    It  was  as  follows. 

On  the  day  of  my  arrival  in  Zanzibar  the  Sultan, 
Mohammed  bin  Thwain,  died  suddenly.  There  was 
strong  suspicion  that  he  had  been  poisoned.  His 
cousin  Khalid,  who  seemed  to  have  very  early  news 
of  the  Sultan's  illness  and  death,  seized  the  Palace 
and  proclaimed  himself  sovereign  of  Zanzibar. 

Three  years  earher,  when  a  vacancy  on  the  throne 
occurred,  Khalid  was  prepared  for  taking  the  same 
course.  But  Mr.  Rennell  Rodd,  her  Majesty's  Consul- 
General,  quietly  forestalled  the  little  plot  and  set  up 
the  late  Sultan  as  a  British  nominee.  At  that  time 
our  Protectorate  in  Zanzibar  was  three  years  old, 
Germany  having  given  up  all  her  rights  in  exchange 
for  HeUgoland.  Outwitted  on  the  first  occasion,  Khalid 
made  his  plans  in  good  time,  so  that  no  sooner  was  the 
breath  out  of  the  Sultan's  body  than  he  was  in  the 
Palace,  ran  up  his  flag,  and  defied  Great  Britain  to  oust 
him.  This  was  the  situation  that  Mr.  Basil  Cave,  the 
acting  Consul-General,  was  called  upon  to  deal  with. 
Happily  and  most  providentially,  in  the  very  midst 
of  the  crisis,  Admiral  Rawson,  with  the  East  Africa 
Squadron,  entered  the  harbour.  An  ultimatum  was 
presented  to  the  usurper,  which  informed  him  that 
unless  his  jQag  was  hauled  down  by  nine  o'clock  on  the 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOUENEYINGS  OFT 


61 


morning  of  August  25th,  the  British  ships  would 
open  fire. 

It  was  in  these  circumstances  that  at  nine  o'clock 
on  the  evening  of  the  24th,  Dr.  Macdonald  and  the 
nurse  entered  my  room  and  told  me  that  on  account  of 
the  coming  bombardment  on  the  morrow,  I  was  then 
to  be  taken  on  board  ship.  Covered  up  in  a  hammock, 
I  was  carried  through  the  silent  and  deserted  streets 
down  to  the  shore,  where  a  boat  was  in  waiting.  It 
was  a  weird  feeling  that  possessed  me  as  we  passed 
through  the  fleet,  in  a  silence  broken  only  by  the  dip 
of  the  oars,  and  the  challenge  of  the  watchful  sentinels, 
to  the  Nowshera  in  the  outer  harbour. 

My  bunk  looked  out  on  the  land  side  of  the  ship, 
and  it  was  with  no  little  curiosity  that,  "early  on  the 
morning  of  August  25th,  I  brought  my  glasses  to  bear 
on  the  Sultan's  Palace.  The  red  flag  was  still  there. 
There  was  to  be  no  surrender  apparently.  There  was 
the  St.  George  (the  flagship)  and  then  the  Racoon,  the 
Philomel,  the  Thrush,  and  the  Sparrow,  all  anchored 
within  easy  range  of  the  shore.  The  Palace  clock 
struck  nine — up  went  the  signal  and  the  "  tongue  of 
flame  "  shot  forth.  The  old  Glasgow,  a  man-of-war 
belonging  to  the  Sultan,  opened  flre  upon  the  St.  George. 
In  a  moment  came  the  reply,  which  struck  the  wooden 
ship  at  the  water-line.  A  few  minutes  later  she  heeled 
over  and  went  to  the  bottom.  In  the  meantime  the 
bombardment  went  forward.  There  was  an  ineffective 
reply.  One  could  hear  the  shots  whistling  overhead. 
But  forty  minutes'  play  of  the  big  guns  was  enough, 
and  down  came  the  red  flag.  The  Royal  residence  and 
the  harem  were  in  ruins,  the  askaris  and  Arabs  had 
fled,  and  the  panic-stricken  Khalid — a  turbulent,  ill- 
conditioned  fanatic— liad  taken  refuge  at  the  German 
Consulate.    The  bombardment  was  over,  and  a  few 


62        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


days  later  Hamoiid  bin  Mohammed  bin  Said  was  in- 
stalled as  Sultan  of  Zanzibar. 

I  was  now  taken  back  to  the  hospital,  where  I  soon 
became  convalescent  and  sufficiently  strong  to  proceed 
to  Mombasa  in  the  Great  Northern — the  telegraph  ship — 
the  captain  of  which  very  kindly  gave  me  a  passage. 
Under  Dr.  Edward's  hospitable  roof  I  greatly  improved 
in  health,  and  on  September  16th  returned  to  Frere- 
town,  but  under  sentence  of  being  "  invahded  home." 

The  few  weeks  which  remained  to  me  before  sailing 
were  very  busy  ones,  and  although  half  crippled  with 
rheumatism,  I  was  able  to  get  through  a  good  deal  of 
work.  On  September  28th  came  the  opening  of  the 
new  Mission  Hall  in  Mombasa.  This  had  been  built, 
under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Wray,  at  a  cost  of  some 
£400,  and  was  intended  as  a  means  of  reaching  the 
Mohammedan  population  of  the  native  quarter,  and 
of  keeping  in  touch  with  the  Christian  element,  which 
was  continually  moving  in  the  direction  of  Mombasa 
from  Freretown.  We  hoped  to  get  hold  of  the  waifs 
and  strays,  and  to  carry  on  an  educational  work  amongst 
Mohammedan  children,  cur  main  object,  of  course, 
being  to  win  them  for  Christ. 

On  October  1st  I  had  the  joy  of  welcoming  a  large 
reinforcement  for  Uganda  and  the  coast  districts. 
For  the  latter  sphere  of  work  there  was  W.  E.  Parker, 
Mrs.  Pickthall,  and  Miss  Culverwell.  For  the  former, 
Calhs,  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook,  Wigram,  Clayton,  Weatherhead, 
Tegart,  Whitehouse,  Miss  Taylor,  Miss  Timpson.  Re- 
turning after  furlough  were  Baskerville,  England,  and 
Mrs.  Gardiner.  Pilkington,  it  was  hoped,  would  follow 
a  month  later.  Such  a  reinforcement  was  a  great 
cheer  and  a  cause  of  deep  thankfulness  to  God  for  so 
abundantly  answering  prayer  on  this  behalf. 

A  Confirmation  at  Rabai  on  October  3rd,  and  an 


Chap.  28]      IN  JOURNEYINGS  OFT  63 

Ordination  at  the  same  place  on  the  following  day,  were 
the  next  important  events  in  my  programme  of  work. 
At  the  former  service  no  fewer  than  349  candidates 
were  confirmed,  and  at  the  latter,  when  James  Deimler 
was  ordained  Deacon,  some  522  communicants  gathered 
around  the  Table  of  the  Lord. 

On  my  return  to  Freretown  the  new  church  there  was 
solemnly  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God.  This  church, 
which  had  cost  nearly  £800,  a  large  part  of  which  had 
been  subscribed  by  the  family  of  the  late  Sir  Bartle 
Frere,  had  lately  been  completed  under  the  supervision 
of  Mr.  Binns.  A  Confirmation  service  on  October  7th, 
when  thirty-five  candidates  were  presented  to  me, 
brought  my  work  to  a  close,  and  I  was  free  to  obey 
the  doctor's  orders  and  take  ship  for  England.  On 
Friday,  October  9th,  I  gave  a  farewell  address  to  the 
party  bound  for  Uganda,  and  on  the  11th  embarked 
for  home. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


THE   SLAVE  QUESTION 

'  0  ye  Heavens,  be  kind  ! 
And  feel  thou,  earth,  for  this  afflicted  race.' 

Wordsworth. 

Before  leaving  East  Africa  I  was  led  to  consider 
seriously  the  slave  question  as  it  affected  our  missionary 
work  in  the  coast  districts.  I  have  already  referred  in 
Chap.  XXVI.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  7,  to  the  difficulties  created  for 
us  by  the  fact  that  in  the  Sultanate  of  Zanzibar,  of 
which  Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts  within  the  ten 
mile  limit  formed  a  part,  the  legal  status  of  slavery 
was  still  maintained.  Runaway  slaves  were  still  seek- 
ing shelter  at  our  Mission  stations,  and  demands  for 
their  surrender  were  continually  being  made  to  us. 
Under  the  administration  of  the  British  East  Africa 
Company  I  felt  that  we  had  no  option  in  the  matter, 
and  were  bound  on  demand  to  give  back  to  the  duly 
constituted  authority  such  slaves  as  sought  refuge  with 
us.  My  warrant  for  this  was  the  following  despatch 
dated  February  1,  1889,  addressed  by  Sir  Julian 
Paunceforte  to  Sir  Charles  Euan  Smith  and  in  due 
course  communicated  to  the  Mission  : — 

"  I  am  directed  by  the  Marquis  of  Sahsbury  to 
instruct  you  to  warn  all  Missionary  Societies  against 
harbouring  runaway  slaves  without  making  any  ex- 
ception. No  legal  right  to  do  so  can  be  claimed,  and 
when  a  refuge  or  asylum  are  granted  in  extreme  cases 
of  peril,  and  out  of  humanity,  it  is  done  at  the  risk  of 
the  person  giving  the  shelter." 

04 


Chap.  29]      THE  SLAVE  QUESTION 


65 


This  was  decisive  in  the  days  of  the  Company.  But 
on  the  retirement  of  that  body  a  different  problem 
presented  itself  for  solution.  The  paramount  power 
was  no  longer  a  trading  Company,  or  even  the  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar.  It  was  Great  Britain  herself.  Was  it 
right  therefore,  in  the  circumstances,  that  these  demands 
for  surrender  should  continue  to  be  made  ?  Nay,  did 
not  the  fact  that  Great  Britain  had  constituted  herself 
the  supreme  authority  within  the  limits  defined  above, 
raise  even  a  larger  question  than  this  ?  Did  it  not 
also  raise  the  question  of  the  legahty  of  the  continuance 
of  the  status  of  slavery  itself  within  these  Hmits  ? 
Was  not  the  Consul-General  himself  acting  illegally  in 
issuing  or  causing  to  be  issued  orders  requiring  the 
surrender  of  runaway  slaves  ;  and  were  not  our  mis- 
sionaries acting  contrary  to  British  law  in  taking  part 
in  the  restoration  to  slavery  of  those  who  had  sought 
shelter  with  us  ? 

These  were  all  questions  which  to  my  mind  pressed 
urgently  for  an  answer.  I  therefore  wrote  to  Mr. 
Crauford,  the  Acting  Commissioner  (Sir  Arthur  Har- 
dinge  was  in  England),  and  asked  whether  I  was  right 
in  assuming  that  now  Great  Britain  had  taken  over 
the  administration  of  the  country,  and  had  become 
the  Executive  as  well  as  the  Protecting  power,  no 
more  demands  for  the  surrender  of  runaway  slaves 
would  be  made  upon  us.  I  also  went  on  to  express 
the  hope  that  the  legal  status  of  slavery  would  now 
be  abohshed.  The  receipt  of  my  letter  was  acknow- 
ledged, and  an  answer,  it  was  said,  would  in  due  time 
be  forwarded  to  me.  The  answer,  however,  never  came. 
I  therefore  determined  to  raise  the  whole  question  at 
home.  Its  discussion  upon  the  spot  was  eminently 
unsatisfactory.  The  Commissioner,  it  was  well  known, 
was  opposed  to  abolition.    He  had  expressed  the 

II  E 


66        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


opinion  in  a  despatch  to  H.M.'s  Government  that 
"  under  certain  social  conditions,  and  in  certain  stages 
of  human  development,  there  was  a  lawful  type  of 
slavery,"  and  such  he  held  was  that  which  obtained 
in  the  Sultanate  of  Zanzibar.  And  yet  in  an  earlier 
despatch  (March  1894)  he  had  described  the  position 
of  the  slave  in  the  following  terms : — 

"  He  cannot  own  or  acquire  or  dispose  of  private  property. 
"  He  cannot  give  evidence  witiiout  his  master's  permission. 
"  He  cannot,  without  the  sanction  of  his  master,  contract  a 
legal  marriage. 

"  He  cannot,  without  his  master's  permission,  engage  in  trade, 
nor  in  general  claim  any  legal  or  civil  right  except  through  or 
with  his  master's  sanction. 

"  There  is  no  legal  limitation  to  his  master's  power  of  punish- 
ing him,  and  theoretically  I  believe  that  he  may  put  him  to 
death  without  himself  being  held  guilty  of  murder,  or  of  any 
more  serious  offence  than  cruelty." 

Evidently  nothing  was  to  be  expected  from  one 
holding  the  view  that  the  continuance  of  such  a  con- 
dition of  things  in  a  British  Protectorate  was  justifi- 
able. The  venue  must  be  changed.  An  appeal  to 
Caesar  must  be  made. 

Before  describing  in  detail  the  steps  which  I  took, 
on  arriving  in  England,  to  make  this  appeal,  or  in 
other  words  to  bring  to  a  point  the  whole  question 
of  the  continuance  of  the  legal  status  of  slavery  in 
Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts,  and  in  particular 
the  legality  of  the  demands  made  upon  us  for  the 
surrender  of  runaway  slaves,  it  will  perhaps  be  helpful 
if  I  sketch  roughly  the  history  of  the  slave  question 
in  East  Africa  generally. 

Great  Britain's  action  with  a  view  to  mitigating  if 
not  actually  putting  a  stop  to  the  horrors  of  the  slave 
trade  in  the  East  dates  back  some  eighty  years  or 


Chap.  29]      THE  SLAVE  QUESTION  67 

more.  The  first  effectual  instrument,  however,  under 
which  action  was  taken,  was  the  treaty  with  the  Sultan 
of  Muscat  in  1845,  by  which  British  cruisers  became 
entitled  to  seize  all  dhows  carrying  slaves  in  territorial 
waters.  How  many  hapless  victims  of  Mohammedan 
cruelty  have  been  rescued  since  then  ! 

To  David  Livingstone,  perhaps,  more  than  to  any 
other  man,  we  owe  that  expression  of  public  opinion 
with  regard  to  what  he  most  expressively  termed  the 
"  open  sore  of  the  world  "  which  resulted  in  the  Mission 
of  Sir  Bartle  Frere  to  East  Africa  and  Zanzibar  in  1872, 
and  the  signature  by  Dr.  Kirk  on  June  6,  1873,  of  a 
treaty  with  the  Sultan,  by  which  the  carrying  of  slaves 
by  sea  was  forbidden,  and  all  slave  markets,  such  as 
those  of  Zanzibar  and  Mombasa,  were  closed.  On  the 
site  of  the  old  slave  market  in  Zanzibar  the  Cathedral 
of  the  Universities  Mission  now  stands. 

In  1876  three  decrees  were  issued  by  the  Sultan  of 
Zanzibar  as  the  result  of  Consular  pressure  being 
brought  to  bear  upon  him.  By  the  first  of  these,  dated 
January  15th,  the  abolition  of  slavery  throughout  his 
dominions  in  the  Benadir  and  the  district  of  Kismayu 
was  proclaimed.  On  April  18th  two  decrees  were 
promulgated.  In  the  one  the  bringing  of  raw  slaves 
from  the  interior  was  forbidden,  and  by  the  other 
the  conveyance  of  slaves  along  the  coast  for  shipment 
to  the  islands  was  declared  illegal.  In  1889  we  reach 
the  period  in  which  freedom  for  the  slave  owes  much 
to  the  influence  and  action  of  Sir  Charles  Euan  Smith. 
In  that  year  (September  20th)  a  perpetual  right  to 
search  all  dhows  belonging  to  his  subjects  in  Zanzibar 
waters  was  accorded  to  England  and  Germany  by  the 
Sultan.  It  was  further  enacted  that  all  slaves  brought 
into  his  dominions  after  November  1,  1889,  should  be 
free,  and  all  children  born  in  the  same  dominion  of 


68        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


slave  parents  after  January  1,  1890,  should  also  have 
their  freedom. 

I  have  already  referred  in  Chapter  XXVI.  to  the  action 
of  the  British  East  Africa  Company  in  the  matter  of 
slavery,  and  to  the  issue  of  the  Proclamation  of  May  1, 
1890,  under  which  the  members  of  certain  specified 
tribes  were  declared  incapable  of  being  enslaved,  or 
even  of  being  held  in  bondage.  On  August  1st  of  the 
same  year  a  very  notable  decree  was  issued  by  the 
Sultan  under  pressure  from  Great  Britain.  By  it  the 
exchange,  sale,  purchase,  or  traffic  of  whatsoever 
nature  in  domestic  slaves  or  otherwise,  was  forbidden. 
All  slaves  of  owners  dying  without  lawful  children,  and 
slaves  proved  to  have  been  ill-treated,  were  hberated, 
and  it  entitled  any  slave  as  a  right  to  purchase  his 
freedom  at  any  time  at  a  fair  and  reasonable  price  to 
be  fixed  by  the  Sultan. 

Alas  !  the  Arab  power  behind  the  throne  proved  to 
be  too  strong,  and  on  the  20th  of  August  a  supple- 
mentary proclamation  was  issued  practically  repealing 
one  of  the  most  important  provisions  of  the  decree  of 
August  1st.  It  ran  as  follows  :  "  If  any  slave  brings 
money  to  the  Kathi  to  purchase  his  freedom,  his  master 
shall  not  be  forced  to  take  the  money." 

Such,  very  roughly,  was  the  result  of  the  efforts  which 
Great  Britain  had  put  forth  in  the  cause  of  freedom  in 
her  diplomatic  intercourse  with  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 
who  since  1890  had  enjoyed  her  protection.  It  could 
hardly  be  said  to  be  encouraging. 

The  abolition  of  the  legal  status  of  slavery,  the 
discussion  of  which  had  now  been  going  on  for  several 
years,  had  become  a  pressing  and  practical  question. 
The  Sultan,  the  direct  nominee  of  Great  Britain,  was 
a  mere  puppet  in  her  hands  and  danced  as  the  strings 
were  pulled.    In  Mombasa  he  was  not  the  executive 


Chap.  29]      THE  SLAVE  QUESTION  69 

power,  but  Great  Britain.  The  case  therefore  for 
abolition  in  Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts  was  much 
stronger  than  that  for  Zanzibar  and  Pemba,  which 
had  practically  been  assented  to. 

On  my  way  up  country  in  1895  I  had  addressed  to 
the  Government  representative  in  Mombasa,  in  response 
to  a  request  for  an  expression  of  opinion  on  this  great 
question,  the  following  statement  of  my  views : — 

"  The  question  of  immediate  abolition  is  more  or 
less  one  of  finance  and  energetic  and  wise  government. 
If  the  Administration  is  prepared  to  face  the  necessary 
expenditure,  and  to  exert  itself  to  devise  means  to 
meet  the  altered  conditions  of  life  involved  in  the 
proclamation  of  freedom  to  all  slaves  in  the  British 
Protectorate,  then  in  my  opinion  such  a  proclama- 
tion may  be  made  with  perfect  safety.  This  opinion 
is  formed  after  a  five  years'  acquaintance  with  the 
conditions  of  life  in  such  slave  centres  as  Mombasa, 
Zanzibar,  and  the  coast  districts,  as  well  as  such  slave- 
producing  countries  as  are  included  in  British  and 
German  East  Africa.  Knowing  what  I  do  of  the 
traffic  of  up  country  and  slave  life  at  the  coast,  I 
earnestly  hope  that  no  considerations  of  the  expense 
involved,  or  the  labour  entailed,  will  be  allowed  to 
interfere  for  a  moment  with  the  adoption  of  a  policy 
so  righteous  in  itself,  and  which  is  likely  to  be  so 
beneficial  in  its  results." 

Evidently  this  expression  of  opinion  was  not  favour- 
ably viewed  by  the  local  Administration  ;  it  was  there- 
fore suppressed,  and  not  allowed  to  see  the  light  of 
day.  But  letters  from  two  young  ladies  of  the  Mission 
who  had  spent  some  eighteen  montlis  in  the  field  were 
published  in  the  Blue-book.  But  then  they  had  de- 
clared for  deferred  abolition. 

What  was  the  feeling  of  the  Mission  "  up  country," 


70        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  IV. 


at  the  very  sources  of  supply,  may  be  gathered  from 
the  following  memorial  addressed  to  the  Consul-General 
and  signed  by  no  fewer  than  fourteen  senior  men. 
Had  time  allowed  it  would  doubtless  have  been  signed 
by  the  whole  body  of  missionaries. 

"  We,  the  undersigned  missionaries  of  the  C.M.S., 
believing  that  the  existence  of  a  legalised  condition 
of  slavery  in  Mombasa,  Zanzibar,  Pemba,  and  the 
coast  districts  is  more  or  less  intimately  connected 
with  slave-raiding  and  trading  in  the  interior  of  the 
Continent,  beg  to  express  the  very  earnest  hope  that 
the  legal  status  of  slavery  in  the  above-mentioned 
districts,  which  are  under  the  control  of  her  Majesty's 
Government,  may  be  abolished  without  delay." 

Such  then  were  the  circumstances  in  which  I  proposed 
to  raise  the  question  at  home  of  the  continuance  of 
slavery  in  Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts.  I  reached 
England  on  November  20th,  and  on  December  7th  was 
enabled  to  lay  the  whole  case  before  the  Prime  Minister 
(Lord  SaHsbury),  in  an  interview  which  he  very  kindly 
granted  me.  I  found  him  most  sympathetic,  and 
while  drawing  my  attention  to  certain  practical  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  of  immediate  abolition,  expressed 
the  earnest  hope  that  something  might  be  done.  He 
suggested  that  inasmuch  as  Mr.  G.  N.  Curzon  (now 
Lord  Curzon  of  Kedleston),  the  Under  Secretary  of 
State,  was  in  charge  of  Foreign  Office  matters  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  it  would  be  helpful  if  I  laid  the 
case  before  him.  He  would  himself,  he  added,  arrange 
the  interview.  I  accordingly,  by  the  Prime  Minister's 
arrangement,  met  Mr.  Curzon  the  next  day  in  the 
Under  Secretary's  room  in  the  Foreign  Office,  and 
there,  in  the  presence  of  Sir  Arthur  Hardinge,  who 
had  been  called  in  to  assist  in  the  discussion,  the  whole 
case  was  gone  into.    Mr.  Curzon  was  unable  to  make 


< 


Chap.  29]      THE  SLAVE  QUESTION 


71 


any  promise  as  to  Government  action,  "  for,"  said  he, 
"  I  am  not  in  the  Cabinet,  but  you  may  rest  assured 
that  all  that  you  have  said  shall  have  the  fullest  con- 
sideration." I  left  the  Foreign  Office  feeHng  decidedly 
hopeful  of  some  action  being  taken  in  the  not  distant 
future.  Nor  was  I  disappointed.  On  April  6,  1897, 
a  decree  was  promulgated  by  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 
at  the  instance  of  Great  Britain,  aboHshing  the  legal 
status  of  slavery  in  Zanzibar  and  Pemba.  This  action  of 
the  Government  was  received  with  a  chorus  of  approval 
from  all  sides.  It  was  generally  assumed  that  the 
whole  question  was  now  settled,  and  that  at  last  Great 
Britain  had  washed  her  hands  of  all  compUcity  with 
the  hateful  "  institution  "  in  East  Africa. 

But  it  was  not  so.  From  several  points  of  view 
the  decree  was  most  disappointing.  As  I  was  obhged 
to  point  out  in  a  letter  to  the  Times  on  April  12th,  it 
failed  to  meet  our  just  expectations  in  several  par- 
ticulars. First,  it  dealt  only  with  one-half  of  the 
Sultanate,  leaving  Mombasa  and  the  mainland  territory 
within  the  ten-mile  limit  in  exactly  the  same  position 
as  before.  Then,  secondly,  it  exempted  all  concubines 
from  the  operation  of  the  decree.  They  were  still  to 
be  held  in  bondage.  And,  thirdly,  it  failed  to  deal  with 
the  fugitive  slave  question.  It  was  truly  a  disappoint- 
ing outcome  to  the  struggle  of  years. 

But  the  question  could  not  be  allowed  to  rest  in  such 
an  unsatisfactory  position.  The  fugitive  slave  problem 
pressed  for  a  solution.  I  was  determined  to  bring  it 
to  a  point,  and  therefore  telegraphed  to  Freretown 
asking  my  representative  to  send  me  a  number  of  the 
original  demands  for  the  surrender  of  fugitive  slaves. 
I  also  instructed  him  by  letter  to  refuse  to  surrender 
any  more  such  slaves,  and  if  need  should  arise  to  give 
them  shelter  in  my  own  house  ;  and  I  further  stated 


72        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  IV. 


my  willingness  to  return  to  Africa  at  a  moment's 
notice  and  meet  any  charge  that  might  be  pre- 
ferred against  me,  in  consequence  of  such  action  being 
taken. 

A  month  later  the  papers  for  which  I  had  telegraphed 
arrived  and  I  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  J.  A. 
P«eage,  who  for  many  years  had  so  ably  represented 
the  cause  of  the  East  African  slave  in  the  House  of 
Commons.  They  were  produced  in  the  course  of  the 
debate  on  June  24th  and  led  to  a  dramatic  scene — a 
complete  change  of  front  on  the  part  of  the  Govern- 
ment, a  notable  statement  by  the  Attorney-General 
of  the  law,  one  that  deserves  to  be  written  in  letters 
of  gold,  and  the  following  very  remarkable  telegram 
to  Sir  Arthur  Hardinge,  our  Consul-General  in  Zan- 
zibar : — 

"  The  Attorney-General  has  laid  down  that  a  British 
subject  anywhere,  in  whatever  service  or  employment 
he  may  happen  to  be  engaged,  if  he  takes  part  in  re- 
storing to  his  master  or  otherwise  depriving  any  person 
of  his  liberty,  on  the  sole  ground  that  he  is  a  fugitive 
slave,  is  breaking  the  British  law  and  exposing  himself 
to  penalties.  I  have  to  inform  you  for  your  personal 
guidance  that  you  should  conform  your  conduct  to 
the  law  thus  laid  down." 

This  was  a  great  victory  and  one  for  which  we  felt 
profoundly  thankful,  but  it  was  incomplete.  The 
status  of  slavery  was  still  maintained  in  the  coast 
districts  of  the  Sultanate,  and  no  more  satisfactory 
pronouncement  could  be  obtained  from  the  Govern- 
ment than  the  statement  of  Mr.  Balfour  made  in  the 
course  of  the  debate  on  June  24th,  that  "  the  Govern- 
ment are  desirous,  at  the  earliest  possible  opportunity, 
to  carry  out  on  the  mainland  of  the  East  Coast  Pro- 
tectorate what  they  had  already  carried  out,  or  were 


Chap.  29]      THE  SLAVE  QUESTION  73 


in  process  of  carrying  out,  upon  the  island."  With 
this  for  the  time  we  were  obHged  to  rest  content.^ 

The  Diamond  Jubilee  of  her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria, 
with  its  never  to  be  forgotten  service  on  the  steps  of 
St.  Paul's,  the  thirteen  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
landing  of  Augustine  at  Ebbsfleet,  and  the  Lambeth 
Conference  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Anglican  Communion, 
now  occupied  our  time  and  attention.  And  so  the 
days  ran  their  course,  and  summer  faded  into  autumn 
as  the  time  drew  near  for  a  return  to  my  diocese.  But 
there  was  one  important  matter  which  I  felt  it  necessary 
to  bring  to  a  completion  before  leaving  England,  and 
that  was  the  arrangement  for  the  division  of  my  juris- 
diction in  East  Africa.  The  work  had  grown  far  beyond 
the  compass  of  one  man's  power  to  supervise.  Since 
my  consecration  the  number  of  European  workers  had 
increased  from  36  to  102,  the  native  workers  from  21 
to  742,  the  number  of  the  baptized  from  1437  to 
11,950,  whilst  the  Communicant  roll  showed  a  growth 
of  from  285  to  3641.  But  besides  the  necessity  of 
deahng  with  this  great  increase  in  the  actual  work  of 
the  Mission,  there  was  the  great  waste  of  time  in  the 
enormous  distances  to  be  covered  in  the  journeys  to 
and  from  Uganda,  and  the  visitation  of  the  Usagara 
Mission.  But  further  than  this,  the  development  of 
the  Church  in  Uganda  was  in  that  stage  in  which  close 
supervision  was  a  necessity,  and  this  could  only  be 
secured  by  a  resident  Bishop.  I  therefore  broached 
the  matter  to  the  Archbishop  (Dr.  Temple),  who  readily 
gave  his  consent.  The  Committee  of  the  C.M.S.  as 
cordially  gave  their  adhesion  to  the  scheme,  which, 
roughly  speaking,  was  the  erection  of  the  East  African 

■  Since  this  was  written  tlie  abolition  of  tlie  legal  status  of  slavery 
in  Moiiibasfi  and  the  const  district  of  Britisli  Kast  Africa  lias  been 
declared  (October  1,  1907),  but  the  Act  is  sadly  vitiated  by  a  clause 
excluding?  cancubinen  from  it.s  benefit. 


74        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


Protectorate  with  the  addition  of  the  Usagara  Mission 
into  a  separate  missionary  diocese.  As  the  C.M.S. 
undertook  to  provide  the  stipend  of  the  Bishop,  the 
nomination  was  left  by  the  Archbishop  in  the  hands 
of  the  Society. 

A  charge  dealing  with  the  condition  of  the  work 
in  the  diocese  as  a  justification  for  its  division  I  issued 
in  the  closing  days  of  October,  and  on  November  2nd 
once  more  started  on  my  way  to  Mombasa,  where  I 
arrived  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month. 


CHAPTEE  XXX 


GATHERING  CLOUDS 

*  Portents  and  prodigies  are  grown  so  frequent, 
That  they  have  lost  their  name.' 

J.  Dryden. 

While  the  events  narrated  in  the  last  chapter  were 
happening  at  home,  stirring  times  and  perilous  days 
had  once  more  come  to  Uganda.  That  much  dis- 
tracted land  seemed  destined  never  to  have  rest.  Peace 
and  she  were  still  for  a  while  longer  to  be  strangers  to 
one  another.  "  Patience  must  have  her  perfect  work," 
and  the  cleansing  fires  of  sorrow  and  distress  must 
have  their  share,  and  do  their  part  in  the  regeneration 
of  Uganda  and  the  estabhshment  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ.  Every  trial  has  its  mission  to  the  individual 
soul,  and  so  no  doubt  it  is  with  the  body  of  Christ — 
the  Church,  like  her  Divine  Lord  and  Master,  is  made 
perfect  through  suffering. 

'  Out  of  the  dark  must  grow, 

Sooner  or  later,  whatever  is  fair, 
Since  the  heavens  have  willed  it  so.' 

Before  telling  the  story  of  the  sore  trouble  which 
fell  upon  the  land  in  July  1897,  it  will  be  well  to  follow 
up  briefly  the  course  of  events  which  led  up  to  it,  and 
to  trace  the  general  progress  of  the  work  during  the 
period  succeeding  the  close  of  Chapter  V.  In  doing 
so  it  will  be  necessary  somewhat  to  retrace  our  steps. 
First,  as  regards  the  work  and  its  progress,  it  will  be 
well  to  remember  how  wonderfully  Cod  had  raised  up 


76         UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


a  body  of  teachers  and  evangelists  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  and  for  the  building  up  of  the  Body  of 
Christ.  When  I  left  Uganda  in  the  month  of  June 
1896  there  were  over  700  native  evangeUsts  (male  and 
female)  at  work  in  the  Nyanza  Mission.  They  were 
not,  it  is  true,  men  and  women  highly  trained  or 
thoroughly  equipped  intellectually  for  their  work,  but 
it  might,  I  think,  truly  be  said  of  the  great  majority 
that  they  had  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Gospels 
in  their  heads,  and  the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts. 
Writing  at  the  time  of  these  men  I  thus  described 
their  work : — 

"  They  have  a  certain  work  to  do  and  up  to  a  certain 
point  they  do  it,  and  do  it  very  well  too — perhaps  as 
no  European  could  do  it.  This  work  may  roughly  be 
described  as  of  a  threefold  character,  and  for  it  there 
are  three  classes  or  grades  of  teachers  required.  First 
there  are  what  are  called  the  teachers  of  the  ,^ateka. 
The  Mateka  is  a  little  book,  containing  the  alphabet, 
syllables,  simple  words,  the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  the  Ten  Commandments,  with  a  few  texts  of 
Scripture.  Then,  secondly,  there  are  the  teachers  who 
have  in  hand  the  Gospel  readers.  These  are  supposed 
to  be  qualified  to  prepare  candidates  for  Baptism. 
They  instruct  them,  of  course,  in  the  Church  Catechism, 
and  when  prepared  present  them  to  the  missionary  for 
his  testing.  Then  lastly  we  have  the  most  highly  trained 
and  experienced  men  engaged  in  the  work  of  preparing 
candidates  for  Confirmation.  They  are  expected  to 
take  them  through  such  an  Epistle  as  that  of  St.  Paul 
to  the  Romans,  as  well  as  through  a  final  course  on 
the  Church  Catechism,  and  the  Bishop's  Catechism. 

"  This  then  is  the  composition  of  the  noble  band 
of  725  teachers  whose  work  from  Busoga  in  the  east 
to  Toro  in  the  west,  and  from  Bunyoro  in  the  north 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


77 


to  Nasa  in  the  south,  is  spreading  over  and  changing 
the  whole  face  of  the  country.  Wherever  the  teacher 
goes  there  the  Scriptures  go ;  a  reading-house  is  soon 
built  which  rapidly  becomes  a  church,  a  place  where 
God  is  worshipped,  a  new  interest  is  awakened  in  the 
lives  of  the  people,  new  aspirations  arise,  new  hopes  are 
given  birth  to.  Men  begin  to  see  that  there  is  something 
in  Hfe  worth  living  for,  the  dawn  of  a  new  existence 
has  come." 

'  Heaven  above  is  softer  blue, 

Earth  around  is  sweeter  green, 
Something  Uves  in  every  hue 
Christless  eyes  have  never  seen.' 

The  number  of  souls  with  which  this  body  of  teachers 
had  to  deal  was  very  considerable.  At  the  time  of 
which  I  am  writing  (June  1896)  there  were  probably 
some  60,000  "  Readers  "  under  instruction,  of  whom 
no  fewer  than  20,000  were  reading  the  Gospels,  whilst 
22,000  were  in  the  earher  stage  of  reading  the  Mateka. 
Seven  thousand  were  baptized  Christians,  of  whom 
2500  were  Communicants.  This  would  leave  some 
10,000  who  were  probably  simply  learning  the  art  of 
reading,  and  those  whom  it  had  been  found  impossible 
to  classify. 

Manifestly  the  great  need  of  the  moment  was  training 
for  the  teachers,  and  the  organisation  and  supervision 
of  the  great  work  in  which  they  were  engaged.  Happily 
the  committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
realised  the  need,  and  a  large  and  notable  reinforce- 
ment was  even  then  being  gathered  together.  I  have 
already  alluded  to  my  meeting  with  this  party  at 
Freretown  later  in  the  year. 

In  the  meanwhile,  those  upon  the  spot  were  doing 
their  very  utmost  to  grapple  with  the  ever  growing 


78        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  IV. 


need.  Archdeacon  Walker,  with  Pike  and  Millar,  in 
Mengo,  were  mainly  engaged  in  the  work,  vital  to  the 
future  interests  of  the  Church,  of  training.  Women 
were  being  gathered  together  in  large  numbers  by  the 
band  of  ladies  whom  it  had  been  my  privilege  to  bring 
up  country  with  me  in  the  autumn  of  1895.  The  work 
in  Bulemezi  was  being  supervised  by  Buckley  and 
Lewin,  whilst  in  the  neighbouring  province  of  Singo, 
Sugden  and  Fletcher  were  at  work.  In  Kyagwe, 
Blackledge,  Martin  Hall,  and  Lloyd  were  engaged 
from  morning  till  night  in  organising  one  of  the  most 
promising  of  our  outlying  districts.  The  latter  was 
labouring  at  Nakanyonyi  in  North  Kyagwe,  and  the  two 
former  at  Ngogwe  in  South  Kyagwe.  Busoga,  in  which 
the  work  was  being  carried  on  in  the  most  difficult 
and  trying  circumstances,  was  being  worked  by  Rowhng, 
Crabtree,  and  Allan  Wilson.  Rowhng,  with  the  latter  as 
his  colleague,  was  at  Luba's,  whilst  Crabtree  was  striving 
to  make  headway  against  the  opposition  of  the  chief 
at  Miro's.  Koki  was  being  opened  up  by  Leakey,  and 
the  islands  by  Gordon.  Purvis  was  holding  the  fort 
at  Gayaza  and  Wright  at  Nasa.  The  location  of  Fisher 
in  Toro  has  already  been  alhided  to. 

This,  roughly,  was  the  distribution  of  the  missionary 
body  in  Uganda  at  the  period  under  review.  Of  the 
details  of  the  work  in  which  the  various  members  of 
the  Mission  were  engaged  we  find  interesting  accounts 
on  record.  Of  the  development  of  the  missionary  idea 
Archdeacon  Walker  thus  wrote  to  the  C.M.S. : — 

"  I  was  teUing  our  Church  Council  of  the  efforts 
being  made  to  reach  the  whole  world  before  1899,  and 
they  said,  *  Well,  then,  we  must  try  to  send  out  more 
missionaries  too.'  The  old  idea  that  the  earth  is  like 
a  table  on  legs  and  that  one  of  the  gods  holds  it  up  is 
dying  out,  but  still  a  good  many  people  think  that  the 


Chap.  30]       GATHEEING  CLOUDS 


79 


end  of  the  world  is  somewhere  in  the  country  of  Bukedi 
to  the  north  of  Busoga.  One  of  the  Church  elders  said 
if  only  the  Europeans  could  send  a  missionary  to  the 
country  of  the  Bukedi,  then  the  whole  world  would 
have  been  reached.  So  most  of  the  people  would 
think.  I  said,  '  Then  why  should  you  not  send  ?  ' 
and  at  once  they  replied,  '  Well,  we  will  try  and  do  so.'  " 

The  monthly  meetings  held  for  the  purpose  of  deepen- 
ing the  missionary  spirit  had  an  attendance  of  something 
like  800,  which  Mr.  Millar  considered  small.  "  How- 
ever," he  wrote,  "  those  who  do  attend  show  a  deep 
interest  in  the  work." 

The  women's  work  was  going  forward  happily.  Miss 
Furley  was  in  charge  of  the  Baptism  and  Confirmation 
classes,  and  was  able  also  to  take  in  hand  a  class  for 
the  training  of  teachers.  Of  the  latter  she  wrote, 
"  We  are  now  reading  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 
I  never  read  in  England  with  a  class  more  keenly 
interested.  To  many  of  them  it  is  not  so  well  known 
as  the  Gospels,  and  it  has  come  with  a  dehghtful  fresh- 
ness quite  unknown  in  a  class  at  home  familiar  with 
the  Bible  history  from  childhood.  Their  prolonged 
exclamation  of  keen  sympathy  and  the  real  deUght 
with  which  they  watch  the  success  of  the  Apostles' 
work  is  most  interesting." 

Miss  Pilgrim  and  Miss  Brown,  besides  other  work, 
were  engaged  daily  in  the  dispensary,  ministering  to 
the  needs  of  the  sick  and  suffering  ;  while  Miss  Chad- 
wick  and  Miss  Thomsett  made  it  their  duty  to  visit  the 
Lubiri  (king's  enclosure)  and  such  centres  as  Kasubi 
and  Lusaka  in  the  suburbs. 

On  August  1st  a  son  and  heir  was  born  to  the  king. 
This,  as  will  be  seen  later,  was  an  event  of  the  highest 
importance.  As  his  mother  was  a  Protestant,  king 
Mwanga  formally  consented  to  his  being  brought  up 


80        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


in  her  faith.  He  was  baptized  by  the  name  of  Daudi 
(David),  and  placed  (according  to  native  custom)  in 
the  hands  of  the  Katikiro  as  guardian. 

During  the  remaining  months  of  the  year  the  work 
throughout  the  country  prospered  greatly,  to  the  great 
joy  of  all  engaged  in  it.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say 
that  "  the  Lord  was  adding  to  the  Church  daily  such 
as  were  being  saved." 

At  length,  on  January  llth,  the  first  of  the  party 
which  had  left  the  coast  at  the  end  of  November  arrived 
in  Mengo.  This  was  Pilkington,  who,  after  a  most 
adventurous  bicycle  ride  of  three-and-twenty  days 
from  Kibwezi,  had  managed  to  outstrip  his  companions, 
and  to  reach  Uganda  five  weeks  in  advance  of  them. 
On  February  19th  the  rest  of  the  party  arrived,  and  at 
once  a  distribution  of  the  new  force  was  entered  upon. 

Miss  Thomsett  and  Miss  Brown  were  located  at 
Gayaza,  whilst  Miss  Pilgrim  and  Miss  Bird  were  assigned 
to  Ngogwe.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  extension 
of  women's  work  to  the  country  districts.  Miss 
Timpson,  being  a  trained  nurse,  was  located  at  Mengo 
for  medical  work. 

The  organisation  of  this  much-needed  development 
of  our  missionary  work  was  at  once  entered  upon  with 
all  his  characteristic  energy  by  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook,  and  in 
the  month  of  June  a  Mission  Hospital,  built  by  the 
natives  themselves,  was  opened  and  solemnly  dedicated 
by  prayer  to  the  service  of  God. 

The  remaining  locations  were  as  follows :  Wigrara 
to  Mitiana,  Clayton  to  Koki,  Tegart  to  Nakanyonyi, 
Weatherhead  to  Busoga,  and  CaUis  to  Toro. 

The  latter,  a  devoted  servant  of  God,  was  not  per- 
mitted to  labour  long  in  that  far  away  land.  He  had 
the  joy  and  privilege,  however,  of  administering  the 
Holy  Communion  in  Luganda,  and  of  baptizing  fourteen 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


81 


souls  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  then  was  struck 
down  by  fever,  and  in  spite  of  all  that  Lloyd  could  do 
for  him  passed  away  on  April  24th.  It  was  the  first 
death  that  had  occurred  in  the  Mission  (north  of  the 
Lake)  since  its  founding.  This  fact  speaks  volumes  for 
the  comparative  healthiness  of  the  climate  of  Uganda. 

On  June  20th  a  special  Enghsh  service  was  held  in 
the  Cathedral,  in  commemoration  of  the  Diamond 
Jubilee  of  Queen  Victoria,  and  two  days  later  there  was 
a  grand  reception  at  Kampala,  the  Government  Fort, 
at  which  all  the  Europeans  were  commanded  to  be 
present.  It  was  a  brilliant  scene — soldiers,  court 
officials,  and  missionaries — Anghcan  and  Roman,  being 
present  in  considerable  numbers.  The  king  came 
attended  by  the  Katikiro  and  a  large  concourse  of 
chiefs ;  he  occupied  a  seat  of  honour  facing  the  company, 
and  made  a  speech  in  which  he  endeavoured  to  set 
forth  his  own  and  his  people's  congratulations  on  the 
reign  of  H.M.  Queen  Victoria  with  its  sixty  "  years  of 
blessing."  It  was,  however,  but  lamely  done.  There 
was  no  heart  in  it.  Mr.  George  Wilson,  the  Acting 
Commissioner,  responded,  greetings  were  exchanged, 
and  the  function  was  over — very  much,  it  was  observed, 
to  the  relief  of  the  king. 

A  fortnight  later  the  storm,  which  slowly,  silently, 
and  almost  imperceptibly  had  been  gathering  on  the 
pohtical  horizon,  burst  with  a  great  thunderclap  upon 
the  country.  "  Kabaka  aduso  "  (The  king  has  fied) 
was  the  cry  which  was  passed  from  lip  to  lip,  in  half 
whispered  accents,  on  the  morning  of  July  6th.  Not 
trusting  his  gate-keepers  he  had  in  the  darkness  of 
the  night  cut  his  way  out  through  the  reed  fences  of 
his  enclosure  and,  embarking  in  canoes  at  Munyonyo, 
by  sunrise  was  well  on  his  way  to  Budu,  where  he  at 
once  raised  the  standard  of  revolt. 

n  F 


82        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

He  had  chosen  his  ground  well.  The  chiefs  of  Budu 
were  disloyal  to  a  man,  and  as  a  consequence  the  whole 
country  governed  by  them  was  seething  with  sedition. 
It  was  only  necessary  for  the  king  to  make  his  appear- 
ance for  a  general  rising  at  once  to  take  place,  and  in 
a  few  days  there  rallied  to  his  standard  all  the  dis- 
affected and  discontented  ones  in  the  country  south  of 
the  Katonga. 

The  king's  ablest  lieutenant  was  GabrieU,  the  Roman 
Catholic  Mujasi,  who  some  two  months  previously  had 
been  convicted  of  disloyalty,  but  who  had  managed  to 
evade  arrest.  His  co-conspirators — the  Roman  Catholic 
chief  of  Mawokwata,  the  Kaima ;  and  the  excom- 
municated Protestant  chief  of  Singo,  the  Mukwenda — 
had,  however,  been  caught  and  deported  to  the  Eldoma 
Ravine,  where  some  eighteen  months  later  I  found  them 
engaged  in  the  humble  occupation  of  sweeping  the 
quadrangle  of  the  Fort. 

And  what,  it  may  be  asked,  had  moved  the  king 
thus  to  embark  on  this  mad  enterprise  ?  Was  it  in- 
justice or  harsh  treatment  of  himself  or  his  people  ? 
Nothing  of  the  kind.  It  was  simply  and  solely  his 
hatred  of  Christianity  and  the  opposition  which,  in 
consequence  of  its  spread,  he  found  on  every  hand, 
even  within  his  own  household,  to  the  life  of  unbridled 
lust  which  he  longed  to  be  allowed  to  live.  Moreover, 
there  is  very  little  doubt  but  that  he  was  cognisant  of 
Gabrieli's  conspiracy,  and  dreaded  some  punishment 
on  the  fact  becoming  known  to  the  Administration. 
The  heathen  party  in  the  country  was  entirely  with 
him  in  his  dislike  of  European  control. 

But  in  dealing  with  this  revolt  there  was  another 
force  to  be  reckoned  with,  besides  those  inherent  in 
disaffection  and  discontent,  and  that  was  the  loyalty 
of  the  great  mass  of  the  population  to  the  kingship. 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS  83 

Not  simply  loyalty  to  Mwanga  personally — him  they 
hated — but  loyalty  to  the  king  as  an  institution. 

Dr.  Cook,  writing  on  July  7th,  thus  described  the 
situation :  "  The  whole  country  is  very  much  excited. 
Men  are  pouring  into  the  capital  with  guns  (mostly 
retainers  of  the  various  chiefs),  and  a  good  many  seem 
to  be  stealing  quietly  away  to  join  the  king  in  Budu, 
The  king  has  immense  prestige  in  the  country,  where 
the  '  Bakopi '  (peasants)  all  implicitly  believe  in  him." 
And  again  writing  on  the  12th :  "  Nearly  all  the  poUce 
have  deserted.  They  went  off  with  guns  last  night  to 
join  Mwanga.  The  Katikiro  wrote  rather  a  gloomy 
letter  to  Walker,  saying  he  does  not  realise  how  serious 
a  matter  it  is,  and  that  the  people  hate  and  detest  the 
conquerors.  The  king  hates  the  Europeans  because 
they  stopped  his  gross  immoralities.  The  chiefs  hate 
us  because  a  Christian  is  expected  only  to  have  one 
wife  and  because  no  slaves  are  allowed  ;  and  the  people 
hate  us  because  they  say  they  are  obliged  to  carry 
loads,  and  to  make  roads  (measures  adopted  by  the 
Government  for  the  good  of  the  country),  and  because 
the  old  heathen  customs  are  dying  away." 

Major  Ternan,  the  Acting  Commissioner,  who  had  been 
in  the  Nandi  country,  arrived  in  Mengo  on  July  11th, 
and  at  once  set  about  the  work  of  organising  an  attack 
upon  the  gathering  forces  of  the  rebels  in  Budu.  Mr. 
Forster  and  a  hundred  Sudanese  soldiers  with  a  Maxim 
had  been  despatched  by  Mr.  Wilson  immediately  on 
the  flight  of  the  king  becoming  known. 

All  this  while  Pilkington,  Leakey,  and  Clayton  were 
in  a  position  of  considerable  danger  in  Koki.  The 
forces  of  the  king  blocked  the  road  to  Mengo,  and 
Kamswaga,  the  chief,  declared  himself  unable  to  pro- 
tect them.  On  July  15th  Pilkington  wrote  a  letter 
addressed  to  any  European  into  whose  hands  it  might 


84        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

fall,  asking  for  help  and  expressing  the  opinion  that 
it  was  almost  impossible  for  them  to  get  out  of  their 
perilous  position  alive,  unassisted.  But  assistance  was 
nearer  than  he  supposed.  Major  Ternan  was  only 
two  days  away  with  500  Sudanese  and  four  Maxims, 
besides  a  large  force  of  loyal  Baganda. 

At  length,  at  a  place  called  Kyango  (in  Budu),  the 
rival  forces  came  in  contact  with  one  another,  and  a 
decisive  battle  was  fought.  "  The  whole  force,"  wrote 
Dr.  Cook,  "  had  passed  a  swamp,  save  the  rearguard 
with  provisions  and  baggage.  The  enemy  lined  the 
crest  of  the  hill  in  front.  Suddenly  a  hostile  chief, 
Katabalwa,  swooped  down  on  the  rearguard,  separated 
by  the  swamp  from  the  main  body,  but  the  Maxims 
were  run  up  the  hill  and  rained  a  storm  of  bullets  over 
the  heads  of  the  rearguard  upon  the  attackers,  who 
broke  and  fled. 

"  Meanwhile  in  front  there  was  a  stubborn  fight. 
Our  friendly  Baganda  fought  desperately,  for  they 
were  fighting  for  their  religion  and  their  country.  The 
other  side  fought  with  the  energy  of  despair,  but  after 
holding  their  ground  for  an  hour,  the  fighting  being 
almost  hand  to  hand,  they  were  at  length  driven  off 
the  ridge  and  gave  way  in  all  directions." 

The  immediate  result  of  this  crushing  defeat  was  the 
flight  of  Mwanga.  Crossing  the  Kagcra  river  he  took 
;  refuge  in  German  territory,  where  he  was  promptly 
i  interned  and  sent  to  Mwanza  at  the  south  of  the 
lake. 

A  month  later,  viz.,  on  August  14th,  Mwanga  was 
declared  an  outlaw,  and  his  son  Daudi  Cwa  was  placed 
upon  the  throne.  Three  regents  were  appointed, 
namely  Apolo  Kagwa,  the  Katikiro  ;  Zakaria  Kizito, 
the  Kangao ;  and  Mugwania — the  latter  being  a  Roman 
Cathohc  and  the  two  former  Protestants. 


Chap.  30]       GATHEEING  CLOUDS  85 

Archdeacon  Walker  thus  described  the  coronation 
ceremony : — 

"  A  proclamation  was  read  out  proscribing  Mwanga 
and  some  twelve  of  the  chiefs.  All  but  one  were  Roman 
Catholics.  All  the  rest  of  the  rebels  were  pardoned 
on  condition  of  their  coming  in  and  laying  down  their 
arms.  After  the  reading  of  the  proclamation  at 
Nakasero  the  chiefs  went  to  Mengo  and  the  young  child 
Daudi  was  produced,  and  in  accordance  with  ancient 
custom  was  set  upon  the  seat  of  his  forefathers  (called 
Namulondo)  by  the  chief  called  Mugema.  He  was 
arrayed  in  a  bark  cloth,  and  a  shield  and  two  spears 
were  held  over  him,  and  it  was  proclaimed  that  king 
Daudi  had  '  eaten  Uganda.'  " 

But  the  rebelhon  was  not  yet  over.  The  late  king 
Mwanga  was,  it  was  true,  a  prisoner  at  Mwanza,  but 
Gabrieli  was  still  at  large  moving  swiftly  about  and 
attracting  to  himself  many  of  the  scattered  rebels. 
These  were  met  and  defeated  by  Mr.  Grant  and  Lieut. 
Hobart.  But  still  the  fires  of  insurrection  smouldered 
on  here  and  there,  and  ever  and  anon  they  broke  out 
into  flames. 

As  can  well  be  imagined  the  work  of  the  Church 
during  these  troublous  days  was  being  carried  on  at  a 
great  disadvantage.  In  Koki  and  Budu  it  had  been 
completely  broken  up,  whilst  at  such  centres  as  Mitiana 
and  Ngogwe  the  classes  had  shrunk  to  very  small 
dimensions.  The  ladies  for  safety  had  been  brought 
into  the  capital  from  Gayaza,  and  consequently  their 
work  was  suspended  till  brighter  days  should  dawn. 

It  was  in  these  circumstances  that  early  in  the  month 
of  September  news  of  Mohammedan  disaffection  in 
Busoga  reached  Mengo. 

Mr.  George  Wilson,  the  Acting  Commissioner,  was 
happily  alive  to  the  danger,  and  prompt  measures 


86        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


were  taken  to  secure  the  person  of  Mbogo,  the  Moham- 
medan leader  in  Uganda,  and  the  disaffected  chiefs  in 
Busoga.  No  sooner  had  this  been  done  than  tidings 
came  of  the  revolt  of  the  Sudanese  at  the  Eldoma 
Ravine  and  their  march  on  Uganda. 

This  was  indeed  a  startling  event.  What  was  the 
meaning  of  it  ?  Was  there  a  widespread  conspiracy, 
the  Mohammedans  of  Uganda  and  Busoga  combining 
with  the  Sudanese  for  the  overthrow  of  the  Christian 
power  ?  Or  was  it  simply  the  grievances  (either  real 
or  imaginary)  of  the  soldiery  finding  expression  in 
mutiny  ?  It  was  hard  to  say  at  the  time.  Informa- 
tion was  lacking.  But  later  events  and  the  lapse  of 
time  have  shown  that  the  latter  was  the  true  explana- 
tion of  an  event  which,  had  it  been  less  resolutely  and 
promptly  dealt  with,  might  have  entailed,  if  not  the 
destruction  of  the  European  community,  at  any  rate 
the  possible  loss  of  Uganda  for  a  time,  and  the  setting 
up  of  a  Mohammedan  power.  Not  that  this  was  the 
aim  of  the  mutineers  at  the  time  of  their  revolt.  But 
that  such  would  have  been  the  ultimate  outcome  of 
the  movement  no  one  who  studies  it  from  this  distance 
of  time  can  doubt  for  a  moment. 

But  who  were  these  Sudanese,  and  how  came  they 
to  have  such  a  position  in  the  country  as  almost  to  hold 
its  destiny  in  their  hands  ?  Roughly  speaking,  they 
were  the  remnants  of  the  force  which  Emin  Pasha 
had  with  him  in  the  Equatorial  Province  at  the  time 
of  his  rescue  by  Stanley.  They  had  been  enlisted  in 
the  service  of  the  Company  by  Captain  Lugard  at  the 
time  of  his  visit  to  Kavalli's  in  1891-92,  and  later  were 
taken  over  by  Sir  Gerald  Portal  for  service  under  the 
British  Government.  Selim  Bey,  who  at  that  time 
was  their  commander,  was  implicated,  as  will  be  re- 
membered, in  the  Mohammedan  rising  of  1893,  and 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


87 


died  on  his  way  to  Kikuyu,  whither  he  was  being  sent 
as  a  prisoner. 

That  they  had  grievances  can  scarcely  be  questioned. 
They  were  miserably  paid — their  pay,  if  pay  it  could 
be  called,  was  in  arrears.  They  were  badly  fed.  They 
were  harassed  by  marches  and  counter-marches.  And 
now  they  were  being  ordered  off  into  some  distant 
country,  they  knew  not  whither,  as  a  part  of  an 
expedition  under  Major  Macdonald.  And  what  perhaps 
they  felt  most  of  all,  they  were  forbidden  to  take  their 
women  with  them.  These  women  carried  their  cooking 
utensils  and  prepared  their  food.  Without  them  their 
lives  would  be  a  misery.  And  so  they  refused  to  go 
and,  deserting,  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  the  Ravine, 
where  they  were  reasoned  with  by  Mr.  F.  J.  Jackson, 
the  Acting  Commissioner,  but  in  vain.  Most  thought- 
lessly they  were  fired  upon  by  the  order  of  a  subaltern, 
who  was  far  from  realising  the  seriousness  of  the  step 
he  was  taking.  And  so  the  gage  of  battle  was  thrown 
down,  and  the  mutineers  turned  their  steps  towards 
Uganda  and  their  brethren  in  arms. 

At  Nandi  they  were  joined  by  a  part  of  the  garrison 
of  the  Fort.  After  seizing  the  large  store  of  ammuni- 
tion and  subjecting  the  officer  in  charge  (Captain 
Bagnall)  to  a  series  of  indignities,  they  marched  on  to 
Mumia's,  which  was  saved  through  the  presence  of 
mind  and  fertihty  of  resource  of  Mr.  Stanley  Tomkins, 
who  was  in  command. 

In  the  meanwhile  news  of  the  meeting  had  reached 
Mengo,  and  Major  Thruston,  being  full  of  confidence 
in  the  loyalty  of  the  Sudanese  at  Luba's,  with  great 
courage  started  off  at  once  to  join  Mr.  N.  A.  Wilson, 
who  was  in  charge  of  that  fort.  The  garrison,  however, 
was  in  no  mood  to  listen  to  reason.  The  Major,  with 
Messrs.  Wilson  and  Scott,  the  latter  the  engineer  of  the 


88       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 


steam-launch,  were  at  once  made  prisoners.  Communi- 
cations were  opened  with  the  approaching  mutineers. 
They  were  admitted  into  the  fort  and  thenceforth  theirs 
was  a  common  cause,  they  hved  a  common  life,  waged 
a  common  conflict,  and  met  a  common  fate. 

On  October  18th  Major  Macdonald  and  Mr.  Jackson, 
who  had  been  following  close  at  the  heels  of  the 
mutineers,  reached  Luba's,  and  took  up  their  position 
on  the  brow  of  the  hill  overlooking  the  fort.  Their 
force  was  a  comparatively  small  one.  It  consisted 
only  of  eighteen  Sikhs,  some  250  Swahilis,  who  were 
little  better  than  armed  porters,  and  nine  Europeans. 
Entrenchments  were  hastily  thrown  up  and  every 
preparation  made  for  resisting  an  attack.  Nor  had 
they  long  to  wait.  "  Early  the  next  morning " 
(October  19th),  wrote  Dr.  Cook,  "  300  of  the  Sudanese, 
who,  of  course,  are  well  armed  and  disciplined,  came 
up  laughing  and  chatting  and  saying  they  did  not  want 
to  fight.  Major  Macdonald  was  not  a  man  to  be  caught 
napping,  and  quietly  got  everything  ready.  Suddenly 
the  Sudanese  crammed  cartridges  into  their  rifles  and 
fired  on  the  Europeans,  and  for  over  five  hours  a  fierce 
battle  raged,  the  men  often  firing  at  only  thirty  yards 
distance.  At  length  the  ammunition  of  the  Major's 
party  began  to  fail,  and  giving  the  word  to  charge  they 
made  a  desperate  effort  and  drove  the  Sudanese  back, 
who  then  retreated  to  their  fort."  They  had  lost 
sixty-four  killed  and  thirty  or  forty  wounded.  On  our 
side  Captain  Fielding  had  been  killed  and  sixteen 
Swahilis,  whilst  Mr.  Jackson  was  seriously  wounded, 
together  with  many  of  the  rank  and  file. 

And  now  ensued  a  tragedy  which  sent  a  thrill  of 
horror  through  the  whole  British  community.  The 
mutineers,  smarting  at  their  defeat  and  realising  how 
thoroughly  they  were    committed    to   a   conflict  a 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


89 


outrance,  butchered  in  cold  blood  the  three  prisoners 
lying  helplessly  in  their  hands.  Major  Thruston  was 
first  done  to  death,  and  then  his  two  companions  in 
misfortune.  It  was  a  dastardly  deed,  and  one  which 
rendered  any  compromise  impossible.  Bilal,  the  ring- 
leader of  the  mutineers  and  the  instigator  of  the  crime, 
probably  realised  this,  and  urged  its  committal  with  a 
view  to  binding  his  men  more  closely  to  himself.  They 
were  now  all  criminals  alike,  and  must  stand  or  fall 
together. 

On  the  very  day  these  tragic  events  were  happening 
at  liiiba's  (October  19th),  things  appeared  at  Mengo 
to  be  so  threatening  that  Mr.  George  Wilson  appealed 
to  the  Mission  for  volunteers  and  assistance.  He^felt 
that  the  confidence  of  the  Baganda  in  the  missionaries 
would  be  a  great  moral  support  to  the  Government. 
A  meeting  was  called  to  consider  the  matter,  and 
Pilkington  and  Dr.  Cook  were  chosen  to  proceed  to  the 
scene  of  action  with  the  Baganda  forces  then  about 
to  start.  The  former,  it  was  arranged,  would  act  as 
interpreter  and  intermediary  between  the  English 
officers  and  the  Baganda  chiefs.  The  latter,  of  course, 
would  go  as  a  medical  man. 

All  the  ladies  were  called  into  the  capital,  as  well  as 
all  the  male  missionaries,  with  the  exception  of  Buckley 
in  Toro  and  those  in  Koki.  Fletcher,  Lloyd,  and  Allan 
Wilson  were  detailed  to  assist  at  Luba's  as  need  should 
arise.  Weatherhead,  whose  station  was  at  Luba's,  had 
a  marvellous  escape.  He  was  at  Ngogwe  on  his  way 
to  Mengo  for  a  holiday,  but  hearing  of  the  mutiny  at 
the  Ravine  and  the  march  of  the  mutineers  on  Luba's, 
he  determined  to  hurry  back  and  attempt  to  save  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  Mission  property.  But  he 
must  tell  his  own  story.  "  I  arrived,"  he  wrote,  "  in 
Busoga  at  2.30  a.m.  and  found  the  fort  (Luba's)  moat 


90        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  IV. 

carefully  guarded,  pickets  out  all  round,  and  patrols 
along  the  road  leading  to  the  hill.  After  handing  over 
the  Uganda  postman  to  a  sentry  I  passed  on.  Several 
sentries  came  and  looked  closely  into  my  face.  Why 
did  they  let  me  pass,  for  they  must  before  that  time 
have  decided  to  let  the  rebels  in  ?  On  reaching  the 
foot  of  the  great  hill  I  came  across  four  of  the  rebel 
Sudanese.  They  dropped  into  the  shade  and  seized 
their  guns.  I  saluted  them  in  Swahih  as  I  passed, 
but  got  a  rather  grumpy  return.  On  the  hill  I  passed 
about  twenty  Sudanese,  all  straggling  down  without 
order,  and  they,  too,  all  let  me  pass  through  them 
unharmed.  Why  ?  There  seems  no  good  human 
reason.  I  reached  the  station  at  4  a.m.  and  was  resting  a 
little,  when  at  7.30  Nuwa  (the  Rev.  Nuwa  Kikwabanga) 
burst  into  my  room  with  a  messenger  from  Miro's,  who 
brought  the  news  of  the  treachery  and  the  seizing  of 
the  two  white  men  in  the  fort.  Also  that  the  Moham- 
medans had  risen  and  my  life  was  in  danger.  Nuwa 
was  most  kind  and  evidently  meant  to  save  me  if 
possible.  He  himself  carried  me  over  most  of  the 
swamps.  In  one  we  had  to  hide  twice  because  of 
Sudanese  and  Islamites.  We  walked  ten  and  a  half 
hours  that  day,  and  on  Monday,  after  six  hours'  heavy 
walking  through  long  grass,  reached  the  Nile  and 
crossed  into  Uganda  and  safety." 

But  to  return  to  the  siege  of  Luba's,  for  such  was 
the  character  which  the  military  operations  had  now 
assumed.  On  October  23rd  Pilkington  and  Dr.  Cook, 
together  with  the  Katikiro  and  other  Baganda  forces, 
arrived  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  overlooking  the  fort, 
and  were  warmly  welcomed  by  Major  Mac^onald. 
Five  days  later  a  Hotchkiss  gun  was  brought  in  and 
an  attempt  made  to  bombard  the  place,  but  without 
much  visible  result.    Then  ensued  a  weary  time  of 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


91 


desultory  warfare,  without  any  decisive  action  being 
fought,  until  the  arrival  of  reinforcements  from  the 
coast  warranted  an  attack  being  made  in  force.  This 
was  arranged  for  November  24th,  but  resulted  unfor- 
tunately with  disastrous  consequences  to  the  Baganda, 
of  whom  60  were  killed  and  some  280  wounded.  In 
their  eagerness  to  grapple  with  the  enemy  they  attacked 
prematurely,  and  were  mowed  down  in  large  numbers 
by  the  Maxim  which  the  Sudanese  had  captured  when 
the  steam-launch  fell  into  their  hands. 

Of  this  sad  loss  Pilkington,  in  the  last  letter  ever 
received  from  him,  thus  wrote :  "  It  is  terrible  to  see 
these  Baganda  being  killed  in  a  quarrel  not  theirs  but 
ours.  It  was  some  comfort  to  share  a  Httle  of  the 
danger  the  other  day.  I  sometimes  half  wish  that 
some  of  us  Europeans  had  been  killed,  or  at  any  rate 
wounded,  if  it  weren't  for  friends  at  home." 

On  December  the  11th  an  attempt  was  made  to  cut 
down  the  banana  plantation  surrounding  the  fort, 
which  not  only  served  as  cover  for  the  enemy  but  also 
as  a  constant  source  of  food  supply.  Captain  Harrison 
was  in  charge  of  the  party,  and  George  Pilkington  was 
acting  under  his  orders.  At  about  seven  o'clock  the 
advance  began.  What  followed  must  be  told  in  the 
words  of  Mr.  A.  B.  Lloyd.  "  Pilkington  took  up  his 
position  with  Captain  Harrison,  who  was  leading  the 
attack.  Presently  Pilkington's  boy  (Aloni),  who  was 
by  his  side,  shouted  out,  '  There  they  are  close  to  us.' 
Both  Pilkington  and  Capt.  Harrison  saw  men  coming 
towards  them  but  thought  them  Baganda,  and  told 
Aloni  so,  but  he  was  quite  sure  about  it,  fired  a  shot 
into  them  as  they  advanced,  and  this  proved  without 
doubt  that  they  were  Sudanese,  for  they  then  opened 
their  fire  upon  our  men.  One  man  took  several  de- 
liberate aims  at  Pilkington  but  missed  him.  Then 


92        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  IV. 


Pilkington  fired  a  few  shots  at  him,  but  the  shots  went 
wide,  and  then  it  was  that  the  man  fired  again  at  our 
brother,  shooting  him  right  through  the  thigh  and 
bursting  the  femoral  artery.  He  cried  out,  '  Harrison, 
I  am  hit !  '  and  sat  down  on  the  ground.  One  of 
Harrison's  Sudanese  officers  then  shot  at  the  man,  who 
was  still  close  by,  who  had  wounded  Pilkington.  He 
missed  him  and  the  fellow  returned  the  fire,  hitting 
the  officer  in  the  left  arm,  breaking  his  arm,  and  shouted 
out  to  him,  '  Bilal,  what  are  you  doing  here  I  Go  back 
to  Egypt.  Have  you  come  here  to  fight  against  your 
brothers  ?  '  '  Yes  !  '  said  Bilal,  '  you  are  rebels,  and 
we  will  wipe  you  all  out.'  And  with  his  right  hand 
he  drew  his  revolver  and  shot  the  man  who  had  killed 
Pilkington. 

"  While  this  was  going  on  Harrison  made  arrange- 
ments for  some  Baganda  to  carry  Pilkington  back  to 
the  fort.  Aloni  knelt  down  by  his  side  and  said,  '  Sebo 
bakukubye  '  (Sir,  have  they  shot  you  ?),  Pilkington  re- 
pHed,  '  Wewawo  omwana  wange  bankubye '  (Yes,  my 
child,  they  have  shot  me).  Then  he  seemed  to  get  sud- 
denly very  weak,  and  Aloni  said  to  him, '  My  master,  you 
are  dying  ;  death  has  come ; '  to  which  he  repHed,  'Yes, 
my  child,  it  is  as  you  say.'  Then  Aloni  said,  '  Sebo, 
he  that  believeth  in  Christ,  although  he  die  yet  shall 
he  live.'  To  this  Pilkington  replied,  '  Yes,  my  child, 
it  is  as  you  say,  shall  never  die.'  Then  they  carried 
him  some  little  distance  to  the  rear  of  the  battle,  which 
was  now  raging  most  furiously.  When  they  had  put 
him  down  again  he  turned  to  those  who  carried  him 
and  said,  '  Thank  you,  my  friends,  you  have  done  well 
to  take  me  off  the  battlefield  and  now  give  me  rest,' 
and  almost  immediately  he  became  insensible  and 
rested  from  his  pain. 

"  They  then  brought  him  into  the  camp,  but  we  soon 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


93 


saw  that  the  end  was  very  near.  We  did  all  we 
could  to  restore  him,  but  he  fell  quietly  asleep  about 
8.30  A.M. 

"  Just  before  they  brought  in  Pilkington,  Lieutenant 
Macdonald  (a  brother  of  the  Major)  was  brought  in 
quite  dead,  shot  right  through  the  spine  by  Sudanese 
concealed  in  the  long  grass.  It  was  awful  work,  and 
one's  heart  seemed  to  melt  within  one.  ..." 

"  December  12. 

"  We  buried  Macdonald  and  Pilkington  last  evening 
under  a  tree  outside  the  fort.  I  read  the  English  burial 
service,  and  all  the  Europeans  with  the  Sikhs  attended. 
A  most  solemn  time." 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  this  sore  trouble  fell  upon 
the  Church  in  Uganda,  and  she  lost  her  great  linguist 
and  evangelist,  George  Pilkington. 

To  many,  nay  to  most  of  us,  the  loss  seemed  an 
irreparable  one,  and  so  in  many  respects  it  was,  but 
yet  we  felt  that  just  as  when  Mackay  was  taken  from 
us,  his  place  was  filled  and  God's  work  went  forward, 
so  it  would  be  with  regard  to  the  great  loss  which  in 
the  mysterious  Providence  of  God  the  Church  was 
called  upon  once  more  to  suffer.  Moreover,  it  was  no 
little  comfort  to  call  to  mind  the  completeness  of  the 
life  which  seemed  to  some  so  prematurely  closed. 
Not  one  item  in  that  programme  of  work  which  had 
been  entrusted  to  him  on  reaching  Uganda  had  been 
left  unfinished  or  undone.  A  grammar  of  the  lan- 
guage, the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  the  whole  Bible 
translated  into  the  vernacular — the  latter  a  stupendous 
work  indeed— all  had  been  completed.  A  founda- 
tion had  been  laid  on  which  a  mighty  superstructure 
of  truth  might  with  the  blessing  of  God  be  reared. 


94  UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA  [Book  IV. 
It  was  as  though  his  prayer  had  been — 

'  Let  me  not  die  before  I  have  done  for  Thee 

My  earthly  work,  whatever  it  may  be. 
Call  me  not  hence,  with  mission  unfulfilled  : 

Let  me  not  leave  my  space  of  ground  untilled  : 
Impress  this  truth  upon  me,  that  not  one 

Can  do  my  portion  that  I  leave  undone.' 

Pilkington's  was  a  strenuous  Hfe  also  because  the 
motive  power  was  an  irresistible  one — love,  love  to 
God  and  man.  "  You  know  how  he  loved  us,"  said 
H.  W.  Duta  in  writing  to  Millar  when  the  news  of  his 
death  reached  Mengo.    Yes,  as  Wordsworth  has  it — 

'  Life  is  energy  of  love,  Divine  or  human.' 

And  so  Pilkington  lived  his  life  and  did  his  work,  urged 
on  by  this  divine  energy — the  energy  of  Divine  Love. 

Wearily  the  siege  of  Luba's  dragged,  on,  until  at 
length,  on  January  9th,  it  was  discovered  that  the  fort 
had  been  evacuated  and  the  remnant  of  the  mutineers 
had  crossed  the  Nile  and  were  in  full  flight  in  the 
direction  of  Bunyoro.  They  were  pursued  and  over- 
taken by  Captains  Harrison  and  Malony,  R.A.,  at  a 
place  called  Kabagambe,  where  a  fierce  engagement 
ensued  in  which  the  latter  was  killed.  The  result, 
however,  was  the  defeat  of  the  mutineers,  who  took 
refuge  in  the  swamps  around  Lake  Kioga. 

But  not  yet  was  the  trouble  over.  At  the  very 
crisis  of  the  mutiny  tidings  came  of  the  escape  of 
Mwanga  from  the  custody  of  the  Germans  at  Mwanza, 
and  of  his  landing  in  Budu.  Had  he  expected  to  play 
the  part  of  a  Napoleon  returning  fi'om  Elba  as  the 
deliverer  of  his  country  he  nmst  have  been  sorely  dis- 
appointed. It  is  true  that  the  smouldering  embers  of 
insurrection  in  Budu  were  for  a  brief  space  fanned  into 
a  flame,  but  it  soon  died  down  when  Major  Macdonald, 


Chap.  30]       GATHERING  CLOUDS 


95 


leaving  for  a  time  in  Captain  Woodward's  hands  the 
siege  of  Luba's,  made  his  appearance  upon  the  scene. 
Mwanga  hastened  to  join  hands  with  Kabarega  of 
Bunyoro,  and  with  him  sought  refuge  in  the  Bukedi 
country  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Nile.  There  for  the 
present  we  will  leave  him,  while  we  take  up  the  thread 
of  our  story  in  the  coast  districts. 


BOOK  Y 

SOWING  AND  REAPING 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

SUSPENSE 

'  Say  not,  'twas  all  la  vain, 

The  anguish  and  the  darkness  and  the  strife  : 
Love  thrown  upon  the  waters  comes  again 
In  quenchless  yearnings  for  a  nobler  life.' 

A.  SiriPTON. 

As  we  came  to  an  anchor  in  Mombasa  harbour  on 
November  25,  1897,  on  my  arrival  in  East  Africa  for 
the  third  time,  I  was  greeted  with  the  starthng  in- 
telUgence  that  Uganda  was  "  lost."  "  What  do  you 
mean  ?  "  was  my  instant  inquiry.  Then  came  the 
story  of  the  mutiny  of  the  Sudanese  already  detailed, 
with  numerous  additions,  the  offspring  of  wild  rumour. 
The  road  to  Uganda,  it  was  said,  was  blocked,  the 
missionaries  had  probably  been  murdered,  sharing  the 
fate  of  Thruston,  Wilson,  and  Scott ;  the  Mohaipmedans 
of  Uganda  had  joined  hands  with  the  mutineers,  a 
Mohammedan  kingdom  had  been  established  with  Mbogo 
at  its  head,  and  it  was  added  that  if  Great  Britain  still 
wished  for  a  position  of  supremacy  in  the  Lake  region, 
it  would  be  necessary  to  send  an  expedition  to  conquer 
the  country. 

All  this  was  circumstantial  enough,  but  I  found  on 
inquiry  that  it  needed  confirmation.     Of  the  fact  of 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  V. 


the  mutiny  and  the  fate  of  Thruston  and  his  com- 
panions there  could  be  no  doubt,  but  all  the  rest  was 
pure  conjecture. 

I  immediately  set  to  work  to  make  arrangements 
for  starting  up  country  at  once,  but  found  myself 
absolutely  unable  to  move.  No  porters  were  to  be 
had.  Every  available  man  was  being  laid  hold  of 
for  the  service  of  the  Government.  Sikhs,  Baluchis, 
and  Swahilis  were  being  despatched  to  the  front  as 
fast  as  transport  became  available.  The  railway,  which 
had  now  reached  Voi,  was  of  enormous  service.  Already 
it  had  justified  its  construction.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  say  that  but  for  the  railway  Uganda  would  probably 
have  been  lost  to  us,  at  any  rate  for  a  time. 

In  the  meanwhile  two  parties  of  missionaries  were 
on  the  way  to  Uganda — one  under  the  leadership  of 
Hubbard,  consisting  of  Hattersley  and  Force-Jones. 
The  other  was  a  party  of  four — Maddox,  Ecob,  Borup, 
and  Roscoe,  the  latter  being  the  leader.  Both  parties 
were  detained  some  time  at  Kikuyu  by  the  authorities, 
but  were  ultimately  allowed  to  proceed  to  Mumia's. 

On  the  way,  however,  a  sad  misadventure  happened. 
Hubbard,  whose  party  was  some  weeks  in  advance  of 
Roscoe's,  was  accidentally  shot  by  one  of  his  com- 
panions near  the  Eldoma  Ravine.  He  was  carried  on 
in  a  hammock,  and  after  considerable  delay,  owing  to 
the  disturbed  condition  of  the  country,  reached  Mengo, 
where  in  spite  of  all  that  Dr.  Cook  could  do  for  him  he 
died  on  March  9th. 

Hubbard  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability  and  force 
of  character,  and  his  loss  was  a  great  blow  to  the  work 
at  Nasa  which  he  had  made  peculiarly  his  own. 

In  the  meanwhile  I  was  having  a  very  busy  time  at 
the  coast.  The  most  pressing  need  appeared  to  be  a 
church  for  the  ever  growing  Enghsh  community.  The 


Chap.  31]  SUSPENSE 


99 


railway  stafE  had  greatly  increased  during  the  last 
twelve  months,  and  the  number  of  Government  officials 
was  increasing  in  proportion.  Mombasa  was  becoming 
a  very  busy  place.  Hitherto  English  services,  by  kind 
permission  of  the  Consul-General,  had  been  held  in  the 
Commissioner's  office.  But  not  only  was  the  accom- 
modation unsuitable,  but  it  was  also  insufficient. 

In  these  circumstances  I  called  a  meeting  of  the 
principal  members  of  our  congregation — railway  and 
Government  officials  and  others — to  consider  the  ques- 
tion of  the  building  of  the  Hannington  Memorial  Church. 
Two  or  three  years  previously  it  had  been  decided  not 
to  build  it  in  Freretown,  as  was  originally  proposed, 
but  in  Mombasa,  the  future  capital  of  British  East 
Africa.  The  question  now  to  be  decided  was  whether 
the  time  had  come  for  beginning  the  work  or  whether 
it  should  be  deferred  to  a  later  date,  when  it  would  be 
easier  to  judge  of  the  possible  requirements  of  the 
community,  and  in  the  meanwhile  to  build  a  temporary 
church.  After  considerable  discussion  the  latter  scheme 
was  adopted,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  collect 
funds  (£400  was  the  sum  required),  prepare  a  plan,  and 
carry  it  into  execution. 

Mr.  Sinclair  of  H.M.'s  Consular  service — a  skilful 
architect — most  kindly  sketched  out  a  plan.  A  fine 
site  was  secured,  funds  rapidly  came  in — the  officials 
being  most  generous  in  their  gifts — contracts  were 
entered  into,  and  within  four  months  the  church  was 
practically  finished. 

It  was  whilst  paying  one  of  my  numerous  visits  to 
Mombasa  at  this  particular  time  that  an  incident 
happened  which  opened  up  again,  in  a  very  definite 
and  complete  way,  the  question  of  the  continuance  of 
the  legal  status  of  slavery  in  British  East  Africa. 

It  was  in  this  wise.    I  was  standing  late  one  after- 


100        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


noon  talking  to  a  friend  outside  the  Mission-house 
when  a  young  Swahili  woman,  who  was  being  pursued 
by  a  number  of  men,  ran  up  and  took  refuge  behind 
me.  The  men  immediately  attempted  to  seize  her. 
This  I  resisted,  and  ordered  them  to  retire  to  a  distance 
while  I  inquired  of  the  woman  the  reason  of  her  flight, 
and  of  her  evident  distress.  She  told  me  that  she  was 
a  slave,  and  that  Sheik  Uwe,  one  of  the  men  who  had 
attempted  to  lay  hold  of  her,  was  her  master  ;  he  had 
treated  her  very  cruelly  and  had  threatened  to  strangle 
her.  She  had  run  away  because  she  was  afraid  of  him 
and  beHeved  that  he  would  put  his  threats  into  execu- 
tion. Placing  the  poor  girl  in  the  kindly  care  of  Mrs. 
Burt  in  the  Mission-house,  I  told  Sheik  Uwe  that  he 
might  call  the  next  morning  at  nine  o'clock  when  he 
would  be  told  what  action  I  proposed  to  take.  In  the 
meantime  I  inquired  very  carefully  into  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  not 
merely  that  the  girl  had  a  right  to  her  freedom  on  the 
ground  of  cruelty,  but  also  on  the  ground  of  having  been 
illegally  enslaved  in  the  first  instance. 

I  at  once  communicated  with  the  Sub-Commissioner, 
and  on  behalf  of  the  girl,  Kheri  Karibu,  claimed  her 
freedom.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  long  lawsuit 
which  dragged  on  for  nearly  three  months.  Regardless 
of  the  adage,  "  He  that  is  his  own  lawyer  has  a  fool 
for  his  client,"  I  undertook  to  conduct  the  case  per- 
sonally on  behalf  of  this  slave  girl.  As  a  matter  of  fact 
it  was  Hobson's  choice.  I  had  no  funds  at  my  disposal 
with  which  to  employ  counsel,  and  must  needs  act 
personally  or  allow  the  girl  to  be  dragged  back  into 
slavery.  The  latter  alternative  was  unthinkable.  I 
therefore  plunged  at  once  into  the  case,  got  my  witnesses 
together,  and  dragged  out  from  the  musty  archives  of 
the  Administration  every  decree  that  had  ever  been 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


101 


issued  on  the  slave  question.  In  the  study  of  these 
latter  I  burnt  the  midnight  oil  until  my  dreams  were 
of  slaves,  law  courts,  and  judges.  However,  I  mastered 
them  so  that  they  were  at  my  fingers'  ends. 

In  pleading  the  cause  of  this  slave  girl,  Kheri  Karibu, 
I  based  my  claim  for  her  freedom  on  six  grounds,  five 
of  which  involved  points  of  law  and  one  of  fact.  I 
asked  the  judge  to  adjudicate,  first  of  all,  on  the  points 
of  law  raised  in  the  case,  and  afterwards  if  necessary  on 
the  question  of  fact.  I  was  very  desirous  of  obtaining 
the  freedom  of  the  girl  on  a  point  of  law,  rather  than 
on  the  question  as  to  whether  she  had  been  cruelly 
treated  or  not.  A  point  of  law  decided  in  her  favour 
would  probably  affect  thousands  of  other  slaves, 
whereas  a  verdict  on  the  question  of  fact  would  only 
affect  the  girl  herself. 

Two  Mohammedan  doctors  of  the  law  were  called  in 
as  assessors,  to  assist  the  judge  (Crauford)  in  the  inter- 
pretation to  be  given  to  the  decrees  of  the  Sultan  of  Zan- 
zibar as  they  were  pleaded  in  the  course  of  jthe  action. 

It  was  a  very  curious  experience  to  notice  day  by 
day,  as  I  passed  to  the  Court-house  from  my  boat 
which  had  brought  me  from  Freretown,  the  lowering 
brows  and  the  fierce  looks  cast  upon  me  by  the  Arabs 
and  Swahilis  hanging  about  the  landing-stage  and  the 
precincts  of  the  Court,  and  to  feel  that  but  for  the  fact 
that  they  had  seen  and  felt  something  of  the  power 
of  Great  Britain  they  would  gladly,  then  and  there, 
have  fallen  upon  me  and  ended  the  question  so  far  as 
I  was  concerned  of  the  slave  girl's  freedom. 

Still  more  curious  an  experience  was  it  to  sit,  day 
after  day,  in  a  Court-house  over  which  the  British 
flag  was  flying,  and  to  plead  the  cause  of  a  slave  before 
a  judge,  a  British  subject  holding  her  Majesty's  Com- 
mission, and  to  see  the  depositions  taken  down  on 


102        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


paper  embossed  with  the  royal  arms,  and  to  hear  the 
processes  of  the  Court  read  out  in  the  name  of  the 
Queen  of  England,  and  to  know  that  there  was  a 
possibility  of  the  slave  being  sent  back  into  bondage. 
At  times  one  almost  doubted  the  evidence  of  one's 
senses.  Was  it  a  fact,  as  the  Attorney-General  averred, 
that  a  "  British  subject,  no  matter  in  what  service 
or  employment  he  may  be  engaged,  is  breaking  the 
British  law  and  is  exposing  himself  to  penalties  if  he 
takes  part  in  restoring  to  his  master,  or  otherwise 
depriving  of  his  liberty,  any  person  on  the  sole  ground 
that  he  is  a  fugitive  slave."  Surely  such  a  dictum 
made  the  law  clear  and  plain.  The  slave  was  in  the 
custody  of  the  Court.  The  Court  was  precluded  from 
handing  her  back  into  slavery  by  the  law  as  laid  down 
by  the  Attorney-General.  My  appeal,  however,  was 
fruitless,  and  judgment  was  given  against  me  on  this 
point.  Had  the  case  rested  solely  on  this  contention 
the  girl  would  doubtless  have  been  handed  back  into 
slavery.  Happily,  however,  I  had  raised  four  other 
points  of  law,  and  on  one  of  these  judgment  was  given 
in  my  favour.  I  had  pleaded  the  decree  of  April  18, 
1876,  by  which  the  bringing  of  raw  slaves  to  the  coast 
was  forbidden.  It  was  proved  in  evidence  that  the 
girl  had  been  bought  by  a  Swahili  at  Jomvu,  near 
Mombasa,  in  1884  or  1885,  and  that  she  was  a  Mkamba 
by  birth.  It  was  clear,  therefore,  that  she  was  a  raw 
slave  at  the  time  of  her  importation  to  the  coast  district. 
The  judge  was  inclined  to  hold  that  the  Sultan's  pro- 
clamation only  referred  to  slaves  coming  from  the 
Nyassa  and  Yao  districts,  but  the  assessors  held  that 
in  their  view  it  referred  to  any  raw  slaves  brought  from 
any  country  whatsoever  of  the  interior.  This  inter- 
pretation was  accepted  by  the  Court  and  the  girl 
obtained  her  freedom. 


Chap.  31]  SUSPENSE  103 

The  far-reaching  character  of  this  decision  was,  I 
believe,  little  reaHsed  by  the  Mohammedan  assessors  to 
whose  interpretation  of  the  decree  the  judgment  was 
due,  or  I  hardly  think  they  would  have  ventured  to 
identify  themselves  with  such  a  pronoimcement.  It 
practically  declared  that  three-fourths  of  the  slaves 
then  living  in  Mombasa  and  the  coast  districts  of  the 
Sultanate  of  Zanzibar  were  illegally  held  in  bondage 
and  ought  to  be  confiscated.  Its  bearing  on  the 
abolition  question  was  very  close.  It  was  held  by  the 
Government  that  abolition  without  compensation  was 
impossible,  inasmuch  as  Sir  Arthur  Hardinge,  on 
taking  over  the  territory  in  1895,  had  expressly  stated 
that  the  customs  of  the  Arabs  and  Swahilis  would  not 
be  interfered  with.  This  was  interpreted  to  mean  that 
the  institution  of  slavery  would  be  maintained.  Should 
Great  Britain  therefore  wish  to  abolish  it,  compensa- 
tion must  of  necessity  be  given  for  all  slaves  freed  who 
were  legally  in  bondage.  The  declaration  by  the 
Provincial  Court  of  Mombasa  that  every  slave  who 
had  been  imported  from  "  up  country  "  since  April  18, 
1876,  was  illegally  held,  reduced  almost  to  vanishing 
point  the  amount  that  would  be  due  in  the  way  of 
compensation.  Should  the  Government  therefore  re- 
solve courageously  to  face  the  situation  and  abolish 
a  condition  of  things  which  is  a  disgrace  to  our  pro- 
fession of  national  righteousness,  the  way  was  made 
easy  by  this  notable  decision. 

Early  in  the  new  year  I  paid  a  visit  to  Jilore.  The 
passage  to  Malindi  in  the  Sultan's  steamer,  the  Barawa, 
was  not  an  unpleasant  one  although  made  by  night. 
The  wind  was  light  and  the  sea  comparatively  calm. 
At  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  had  reached  our  destina- 
tion and  were  at  anchor.  Hooper  very  kindly  came 
to  meet  me,  and  before  the  day  was  far  advanced  we 


104        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

were  well  on  our  way  to  Jilore,  where  we  arrived  a 
little  before  sunset.  It  was  a  great  joy  to  be  back 
once  more  at  the  scene  of  so  much  self-denying  labour, 
and  where  God  was  so  manifestly  aiding  and  blessing 
the  labours  of  His  servants. 

Since  my  last  visit  another  of  the  noble  band  of 
workers  had  passed  to  his  rest  and  to  his  reward. 
Mr.  Barham  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  dreaded  black- 
water  fever. 

Another  sorrow  which  well-nigh  crushed  to  the  earth 
the  leader  of  the  Mission  was  the  fall  of  Gona,  the  most 
loved  and  most  trusted  of  all  the  native  workers. 

But  still,  in  spite  of  all  their  trials  and  sorrows,  Hooper 
and  his  fellow-worker  Roberts  were  full  of  hope  as  to 
the  future  of  the  work  ;  and  indeed  I  saw  on  every 
hand  manifest  signs  of  progress.  At  Dagamura,  on 
the  further  side  of  the  Sabaki  river,  a  very  definite 
step  forward  had  been  taken.  There  I  found  a  large 
church  with  a  numerous  congregation,  with  a  resident 
teacher  at  work  named  Jacob.  At  Basti,  too,  on  the 
same  bank  of  the  river,  a  similar  work  was  going 
forward 

On  Sunday,  January  9th,  I  preached  to  a  large 
congregation  from  the  text,  "  Dost  thou  believe  in  the 
Son  of  God  ?  "  (S.  Luke  ix.  35),  and  confirmed  some 
fifteen  candidates.  Shortly  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
service  a  messenger  from  Malindi  made  his  appearance 
with  a  telegram.  I  opened  it  at  once.  It  was  from 
Sir  Arthur  Hardinge  conveying  to  me  the  sad  news  of 
the  death  of  Pilkington. 

"  I  was  dumb  and  opened  not  my  mouth  because 
it  was  Thy  doing."  These  words  of  the  Psalmist 
literally  describe  our  attitude  before  God  at  this 
mysterious  dispensation  of  His  Providence.  Hooper 
and  I  could  })ut  look  at  one  another  and  bow  the  knee 


Chap.  31]  SUSPENSE  105 

in  prayer  as  we  sought  to  give  expression  to  all  that 
was  in  our  hearts. 

It  was  clear  from  the  telegram  that  news  from  Uganda 
had  reached  the  coast.  What  further  information  was 
there  as  to  events  up  country  ?  It  was  essential  that 
I  should  know  as  soon  as  possible.  I  therefore  de- 
termined at  once  to  return  to  Mombasa.  As  there 
was  a  full  moon  a  night's  march  would  be  quite  practi- 
cable. Porters  were  easily  obtained,  and  by  10  o'clock 
I  was  off.  It  was  a  weird  march  through  the  forest, 
the  giant  trees  casting  their  deep  shadows  across  the 
path  as  they  weaved  their  fantastic  branches  across  the 
midnight  sky,  glittering  as  with  a  milHon  gems,  and  it 
was  a  merciful  escape  from  the  glare  and  scorching  heat 
of  a  march  by  day.  As  we  drew  near  to  the  shambas 
(garden)  on  the  outskirts  of  Malindi,  "  the  cock  crew, 
and  daylight  dawned  clear."  I  am  afraid  one's  im- 
patience took  ill  the  information  that  not  till  the 
evening  would  there  be  a  dhow  starting  for  Mombasa, 
and  that  only  a  very  small  one.  I  was  constrained  to 
possess  my  soul  in  patience,  and  spent  the  day  sketching 
some  of  the  most  picturesque  bits  in  and  around 
Mahndi.  At  8.30  p.m.  I  went  on  board,  but  alas  !  there 
was  no  wind.  Whistling  was  no  good.  There  was 
nothing  for  it  but  to  wait  for  the  midnight  breeze. 
Weariness  overcame  me  at  length  and  I  dropped  fast 
asleep.  The  next  thing  I  was  conscious  of  was  that 
we  were  rushing  through  the  water  at  the  rate  of  seven 
or  eight  knots  an  hour.  I  looked  at  my  watch.  It 
was  4.45  A.M.  On  making  inquiries  I  found  that  we 
had  started  at  3.30  a.m.  A  good  breeze  springing  up 
at  3  a.m.  had  enabled  the  master  to  get  the  vessel  out 
of  the  bay,  and  soon  we  were  being  carried  along  the 
coast  with  a  fair  wind  behind  us,  and  every  prospect 
of  a  good  passage. 


106        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

I  know  of  no  more  delightful  experience  than  that 
of  thus  running  before  a  fair  wind  in  the  Indian  Ocean. 
It  is  an  experience  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  azure  of 
the  sky,  the  glow  of  the  sunshine,  the  gHtter  of  the 
sails,  the  swish  of  the  waters  at  the  bows  of  the  craft 
as  she  cleaves  her  way  onward,  the  surge  of  the  sea, 
the  darting  of  the  swallows,  the  flying  of  the  fish,  the 
songs  of  the  sailors,  the  cry  of  the  helmsman,  are  all 
sights  and  sounds  which  impress  themselves  indehbly 
on  the  mind  of  one  who,  hke  myself,  has  had  the  good 
fortune  thus  to  enjoy  the  wonderful  experience  of  such 
a  voyage  as  that  which  brought  me  into  Mombasa 
harbour  at  noon  on  Tuesday,  January  11th. 

Immediately  on  landing  I  had  an  interview  with  the 
Sub-Commissioner,  who  gave  me  all  the  information 
at  his  disposal  with  regard  to  events  in  Uganda.  I 
gathered  that,  so  far,  the  English  community  was  safe 
and  in  no  immediate  danger.  Reinforcements  were 
being  pushed  on  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  it  was 
believed  that  the  fall  of  Luba's  could  not  long  be 
delayed.  Could  the  Government  assist  me  with  five- 
and-twenty  or  thirty  porters  ?  was  my  next  question. 
Impossible  !  was  the  reply.  "  Every  available  man  is 
needed  by  the  military  authorities,  and  no  civilian  has 
the  slightest  chance  of  getting  up  country.  Even  if 
he  were  able  to  get  to  Kikuyu  his  porters  would  then 
be  requisitioned  by  the  military." 

I  saw  that  there  was  no  help  for  it,  and  that  I  must 
abandon  all  hope  of  getting  to  Uganda  for  the  present. 
There  was  plenty  of  work,  however,  to  be  done  in  the 
coast  districts.  From  January  20th  to  the  24th  I  was 
occupied  with  a  visit  to  Rabai,  where  I  confirmed  175 
candidates,  101  of  whom  were  women.  The  prosecu- 
tion of  the  case  of  Kheri  Karibu  (the  fugitive  slave)  in 
the  Provincial  Court,  involving  a  daily  attendance,  filled 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


107 


up  the  remaining  days  of  the  month.  I  was  then  free  to 
start  on  my  long  promised  visit  to  Teita  and  Taveta. 

Hitherto  my  journeys  to  Taveta  had  been  on  foot, 
a  fortnight  of  precious  time  being  consumed  on  the 
way.  There  had  been  the  daily  "  grind  "  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles,  in  scorching  heat  or  drenching  storms, 
the  "  toiling  on  "  when  feeling  fevered  or  below  par, 
the  desertion  of  porters,  and  the  thousand  and  one 
worries  incidental  to  life  on  the  road. 

But  now  all  was  changed.  The  old  order  of  things 
had  passed  away.  Nineteenth  century  forces  were 
now  at  work,  and  all  things  were  becoming  new  ;  the 
railway  had  reached  Voi,  one  hundred  miles  from  the 
coast,  and  the  journey  was  now  to  be  done  under 
entirely  new  conditions. 

Taking  our  places  in  the  train  leaving  KiUndini  at 
6.20  A.M.  on  Friday,  February  4th,  Binns  and  I  were 
soon  engaged  in  the  pleasant  task  of  comparing  the 
past  with  the  present.  "  Look !  there  is  the  path 
along  which  we  tramped  when  the  scorching  sun  seemed 
intolerable  and  the  camp  ever  so  far  off.  And  over 
yonder  is  the  spot  where  we  met  the  Waduruma  who 
told  us  that  the  Masai  on  the  warpath  were  not  far 
away,  and  you  remember  how  ten  of  our  men  bolted, 
leaving  us  in  the  lurch  ;  and  there  are  the  Taro  water 
holes.  How  hard  we  found  it  to  get  water  and  how 
filthy  it  was  when  it  was  got." 

With  such  reminiscences  of  the  old  days,  now  passed 
away  for  ever,  we  beguiled  the  tedium  of  the  way  until 
at  3  P.M.  Voi  was  reached.  Three  hours  later  we  were 
at  Sagalla  and  being  warmly  welcomed  by  Wray  and 
his  wife. 

Thus  a  journey  which  three  or  four  years  before  had 
occupied  eight  days,  was  easily  accomplished  in  almost 
as  many  hours. 


108        UGANDA  AND  EAST  ATRICA   [Book  V. 

We  spent  three  days  at  this  most  interesting  but  so 
far  unfruitful  field  of  work.  That  the  Wateita  had 
been  impressed  by  the  patience  and  unwearied  labours 
of  "Wray  in  their  midst  was  evident.  At  the  signal 
for  the  Sunday  service  some  two  hundred  souls  came 
together,  to  whom  it  was  my  privilege  to  declare  once 
more  in  their  hearing  the  way  of  salvation.  At  the 
afternoon  service  Binns  preached  to  some  ninety  men 
and  women.  I  found  that  thirty  or  forty  children  were 
under  instruction.  This  latter  appeared  to  me  to  be 
the  most  hopeful  feature  in  the  work.  If  the  children 
are  got  hold  of,  the  future  is  assured. 

On  Monday  we  paid  a  visit  to  what  may  be  called 
the  "  place  of  the  skull " — a  Golgotha  of  the  Wateita. 
In  the  deep  and  dark  recesses  of  a  wood  on  the  heights 
overlooking  Maungu,  it  is  the  custom  of  the  Wateita 
of  Sagalla  to  deposit  the  skulls  of  their  dead.  Of  course, 
as  they  are  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  atmosphere, 
a  process  of  decomposition  is  continually  going  on  ; 
but  nevertheless,  when  I  visited  the  spot  under  Mr. 
Wray's  guidance,  there  was  a  huge  pile  of  several 
hundred  skulls  to  be  seen.  It  was  a  ghastly  sight,  and 
one  turned  away,  sick  and  sad  at  heart  to  think  that 
the  great  majority  of  those  represented  by  these  skulls 
had  passed  into  eternity  without  having  heard  one 
word  of  Jesus  Christ,  "  the  mighty  to  save." 

The  next  day  we  continued  our  journey  to  Taveta, 
sleeping  at  Mitat",  and  then  on  the  following  day  we 
journeyed  on  to  a  camp  two  hours  beyond  Bura.  From 
thence  we  hoped  in  one  march  to  reach  Lanjuro,  some 
five-and-thirty  miles  away  across  the  plains  of  Serengeti. 
Starting  at  3.30  a.m.  we  made  good  use  of  the  cool  hours 
of  the  early  morning,  so  that  by  sunrise  we  were  well 
out  on  the  plains.  It  was  a  wonderful  sight,  as  the 
mists  cleared  away,  to  see  the  vast  herds  of  big  game 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


109 


scattered  about  in  almost  every  direction.  Here  were 
hartebeests,  there  zebras  in  scores,  yonder  were  giraffes, 
and  away  in  the  distance  buck  of  various  kinds.  I 
dared  not  attempt  to  shoot,  as  our  journey  was  so  long 
that  any  delay  in  skinning  and  cutting  up  an  animal 
would  destroy  our  chance  of  reaching  our  destination 
in  dayhght.  However,  somewhat  later,  the  sight  of  a 
magnificent  ostrich  slowly  making  its  way  eastward  on 
the  hne  of  the  horizon  about  half  a  mile  away,  scattered 
my  good  resolutions  to  the  winds,  and  I  prepared  for 
action.  Happily  there  was  a  large  number  of  anthills 
between  me  and  the  bird  which  I  so  coveted,  and  I 
managed  by  creeping  from  one  to  another  to  get  within 
400  yards.  I  put  up  the  sight,  and  taking  steady  aim, 
fired.  The  bird  was  down  in  an  instant,  and  stone  dead 
by  the  time  I  reached  it.  It  was  a  great  prize,  with 
magnificent  plumes  which  I  was  not  slow  to  appropriate, 
whilst  the  Wateita  porters  who  were  with  me  lost  no 
time  in  securing  the  leg  sinews  for  bow-strings. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  it  became  evident  that  we 
had  miscalculated  the  distance,  and  that  there  was 
no  chance  of  reaching  our  camping-place  before  sunset. 
Our  porters  had  been  left  far  behind.  It  was  a  water- 
less land  we  were  tramping  through.  Our  only  hope 
of  much  needed  refreshment  was  in  reaching  Lanjuro, 
where  Mr.  Verbi  had  promised  to  meet  us  with  tins  of 
water  from  Taveta,  ten  miles  further  on. 

'  Now  came  still  evening  on,  and 
Twilight  gray  had  in  her  sober  livery  all  things  clad,' 

and  still  no  sign  of  a  well-known  Mbuyu  tree  which  we 
knew  to  be  near  the  trysting-place.  Darkness  fell  and 
walking  became  very  difficult.  We  stumbled  along, 
however,  until  nearly  8  o'clock,  when  I  suggested  that 
we  should  fire  our  guns  as  a  signal.    Possibly  there 


110        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


might  be  some  response.  We  fired  three  shots  and 
then  waited.  In  a  few  minutes,  to  our  great  deHght, 
we  heard  the  reply — three  shots  apparently  about 
half  a  mile  away.  On  we  went  until  light  became 
visible,  and  Verbi,  with  a  number  of  torch-bearers, 
met  us. 

It  was  with  no  little  thanlcfulness  that  I  flung  myself 
down  a  few  minutes  later,  not  far  from  a  blazing  camp 
fire,  and  drank  cup  after  cup  of  tea  which  had  been 
most  thoughtfully  prepared  for  us. 

There  was  no  sleep  to  be  had  that  night.  The  hyaenas 
howled  around  us,  and  came  so  close  that  one  almost 
expected  them  to  raid  our  camp.  All  that  one  could 
do  was  to  lie  upon  the  ground  wrapped  in  a  rug,  and 
look  up  at  the  wonderful  tracery  of  the  tree  branches 
over  our  heads  as  they  glowed  in  the  Ught  of  our  camp 
fire.  Our  porters  arrived  at  about  midnight,  and  by 
sunrise  we  were  off  again  on  the  road  to  Taveta,  which 
was  some  nine  miles  away. 

Since  my  last  visit  there  had  been  a  great  advance 
made  in  the  work.  This  had  been  largely  due  to  an 
increase  in  the  staff,  which  now  included  three  ladies 
within  its  ranks.  A  new  church  had  been  built,  mainly 
by  the  boys  under  training  in  the  Mission. 

On  Sunday  a  congregation  numbering  276  assembled 
for  divine  worship,  and  on  the  Wednesday  following 
I  had  the  great  joy  of  confirming  some  eighteen  men 
and  women. 

On  the  same  day  the  Consul-General  (Sir  A.  Hardinge) 
arrived  with  a  staff  consisting  of  Dr.  Macdonald,  Mr. 
Dundas,  and  Mr.  Whitehead.  Thus  the  tiny  Republic 
of  Taveta  in  its  forest  home  was  invaded  at  this  par- 
ticular time  by  no  fewer  than  twelve  Europeans.  It 
was  a  sign  (had  the  Wataveta  only  been  alive  to  its 
significance)  that  the  old  order  of  things  was  passing 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


111 


away.  Not  yet  has  it  come  to  pass  that  the  warrior 
caste  has  disappeared,  some  years  must  elapse  before 
that  will  happen.  But  the  raiding  and  the  actual 
shedding  of  blood,  as  in  the  old  days,  is  practically  a 
thing  of  the  past.  For  a  few  years  longer,  perhaps, 
the  "  young  bloods  "  will  grease  and  paint  their  bodies, 
will  stalk  about  with  their  spears  and  shields,  will  try 
to  look  the  thing  they  are  not ;  but  it  is  all  a  sham — the 
new  world  has  come  in  contact  with  the  old,  and  its 
irresistible  forces  will  in  time  sweep  everything  before 
them.  In  the  meanwhile  the  Church's  work,  so  well 
begun  in  Taveta,  will,  with  God's  blessing  upon  it,  guide, 
direct,  and  control  these  new  forces,  until  those  forest 
glades,  now  dark  with  sin  and  sorrow,  shall  be  illumined 
by  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  Who  is  even  now  arising 
with  heaUng  in  His  wings. 

On  Thursday,  February  17th,  I  said  "  good-bye  "  to 
all  my  loved  fellow-workers,  Europeans  and  natives. 
It  was  no  ordinary  farewell.  I  felt  that  in  all  pro- 
babiUty  I  should  never  see  Taveta  again  ;  and  it  was 
endeared  to  me  by  many  sacred  memories.  I  had 
known  it  before  there  was  a  single  Christian  living 
within  its  shady  bowers,  when  heathenism,  like  black 
night,  brooded  within  its  borders.  But  now,  thank 
God,  I  was  leaving  behind  me  a  noble  band  of  workers, 
a  living  Church  gathered  out  from  among  the  heathen, 
living  witnesses  for  Christ,  who  henceforth.  Sabbath  by 
Sabbath,  would  meet  within  the  walls  of  yonder  church, 
and  round  the  table  of  their  Lord  would  commemorate 
His  dying  love. 

Commending  both  work  and  workers  to  God  and  the 
power  of  His  grace  I  started  on  the  coastward  journey, 
reaching  Voi  on  Monday  the  21st,  just  in  time  to  catch 
the  train  to  Mombasa,  where  I  arrived  at  2  a.m.  the 
next  morning. 


112        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

Among  the  letters  which  I  found  awaiting  my  arrival 
was  one  from  Hooper  telhng  me  the  sad  news  of  the 
death  of  Miss  Goyen.  This  determined  me  at  once 
to  raise  the  question  before  the  C.M.S.  Committee  of 
the  continuance  of  Jilore  as  a  fit  place  for  the  residence 
of  European  missionaries.  To  give  up  the  work  was 
not  to  be  thought  of,  but  it  was  quite  possible  for  it 
to  go  on  under  the  supervision  of  European  missionaries 
living  at  some  healthy  spot  within  some  reasonable 
distance.  It  might  even  come  to  pass  that  the  absence 
of  immediate  control  w^ould  lead  to  a  stronger  and 
healthier  growth  in  the  spiritual  hfe  of  the  native 
Christians. 

After  considerable  discussion  it  was  decided  to  ask 
Binns  to  make  a  journey  in  the  neighbourhood,  with  a 
view  to  some  undoubtedly  healthy  site  being  obtained 
where  European  missionaries  might  live  with  less  risk 
to  their  Hves,  and  yet  the  supervision  of  the  Jilore 
work  not  sufier. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  news  had  reached  the  coast 
of  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  Luba's  and  the  consequent 
opening  up  of  the  road  to  Uganda. 

This  welcome  intelHgence  made  my  way  quite  clear, 
and  I  commenced  at  once  to  make  preparations  for 
the  up  country  journey.  On  March  16th  Millar  arrived 
in  the  mail  from  England.  He  was  to  be  my  travelling 
companion  and  most  kindly  made  himself  of  the  utmost 
possible  service  to  me,  both  at  the  coast  and  on  the 
road. 

My  last  days  at  the  coast  were  naturally  very  full 
ones.  There  was  a  farewell  visit  to  pay  to  Rabai, 
then  last  words  in  Freretown,  and  finally  in  Mombasa. 
Thus  on  March  the  24th  I  was  able  to  start  on  the  long 
delayed  journey  to  Uganda. 

Although  the  railway  had  now  advanced  as  far  as 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


113 


Ngomeni  (about  twelve  miles  beyond  the  Tsavo  river) 
there  was  still  a  long  tramp  before  us  of  some  550  miles. 
This,  however,  was  mainly  on  high  ground  and  through 
healthy  districts,  and  we  looked  forward  to  it  as  a 
health-giving  exercise,  rather  than  as  a  toil  or  labour 
to  be  got  through. 

As  always,  so  now,  the  railway  officials  were  most 
kind  in  furthering  our  enterprise  and  making  our 
journey  an  easy  one.  Mr.  Cruikshank  especially  did 
everything  in  his  power  to  help  us,  as  also  did  Messrs. 
Church,  Cartmell,  and  others.  We  owe  one  and  all 
a  deep  debt  of  gratitude. 

And  so  we  were  brought  on  our  way  to  Ngomeni 
and  started  on  our  onward  caravan  journey.  Our 
porters  and  boys,  of  course,  had  travelled  with  us. 
Kinani,  Mtoto  Ndei,  Msongoleni,  were  all  reached  in 
due  course  and  left  behind.  Then  came  a  brief  rest  at 
Kibwezi,  then  on  again,  day  by  day,  doing  our  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  to  Kilungu,  where  the  river-bed  march 
known  to  all  travellers  in  those  days  had  to  be  endured, 
a  trial  both  of  patience  and  physical  powers. 

At  Machakos  we  were  welcomed  once  again  by  Mr. 
Ainsworth,  the  Sub-Commissioner,  always  kind  and 
helpful.  Here  we  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rowling  on  their 
way  to  the  coast,  and  the  next  day  as  we  journeyed  on 
towards  Kikuyu  we  came  upon  Pike  and  Leakey,  both 
homeward  bound.  Then  across  the  Athi  plain,  braced 
up  and  invigorated  by  the  fresh  crisp  air,  we  made 
our  way  to  Nairobi,  where  in  a  year  or  two's  time  were 
to  be  planted  down  the  central  works  and  headquarters 
of  the  Uganda  railway. 

At  Kikuyu  (Fort  Smith)  the  sad  intelligence  reached 
us  of  the  death  of  Hubbard  at  Mengo.  We  had  hoped 
that  the  skilful  treatment  of  Dr.  Cook  might  have 
restored  him.    But  it  was  impossible.    The  lapse  of 

II  H 


114        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

time  since  the  accident  had  been  too  great,  and  on 
March  9th  he  entered  into  his  rest. 

Down  we  went  into  the  Kidong  Valley — the  great 
Rift  Valley — and  over  the  pass  of  Longonot  until  the 
Lake  at  Navaisha,  gleaming  in  the  sunlight  Uke  a  silver 
shield,  came  in  sight.  Then  away  we  journeyed  onward 
past  Nakuru  and  Ehnenteita  until  the  Ravine  was 
reached,  where  we  rested  for  a  day;  after  which  the 
ascent  of  Mau  was  made,  and  we  found  ourselves  at  an 
elevation  of  over  8000  feet  above  sea-level.  Marching 
was  now  indeed  a  pleasure.  It  was  almost  like  being 
in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  One  never  felt  weary, 
no  matter  how  long  the  march,  and  one  was  always 
hungry.  Nor  was  there  any  lack  of  game  or  the  where- 
withal to  satisfy  nature's  cravings. 

Our  next  resting-place  was  Nandi,  where  we  were 
most  kindly  and  hospitably  welcomed  by  Mr.  Jackson 
and  our  old  friend  Mr.  Bagge.  Three  days  later  found 
us  at  Mumia's,  where  an  equally  warm  welcome  was 
extended  to  us  by  Mr.  S.  Tomkins,  whose  courage 
and  presence  of  mind  had  saved  the  fort  from  capture 
by  the  mutineers. 

We  had  now  left  the  bracing  air  of  the  uplands  and 
found  ourselves  in  the  softer  and  milder  climate  char- 
acteristic of  the  Lake  region.  Crossing  the  Nzoia  river 
we  continued  our  journey  through  the  Samia  district 
of  Kavirondo,  and  on  the  fifth  day  after  leaving 
Mumia's  entered  Busoga,  with  its  wealth  of  plantain 
groves  and  abundant  food  supply. 

On  May  the  I2th  we  arrived  at  Luba's,  where  we 
found  Weatherhead  in  charge.  Of  course  one  of  the 
first  things  we  did  was  to  visit  the  scene  of  the  late 
siege.  The  fort  was  indeed  a  very  remarkable  sight. 
The  skill  shown  by  the  Sudanese  in  burrowing  in  the 
ground  was  extraordinary,  and  we  could  well  under- 


Chap.  31] 


SUSPENSE 


115 


stand  as  we  gazed  upon  the  underground  dwellings 
which  they  had  made  for  themselves  how  little  damage 
had  been  done  by  the  Hotchkiss  gun,  and  the  rifle  fire 
of  Macdonald's  force.  It  was  quite  clear  that  any 
attempt  to  storm  the  fort  must  have  been  defeated 
with  heavy  loss,  so  complete  were  the  defences. 

The  next  day  we  crossed  over  in  canoes  to  Liigumba's, 
on  the  Uganda  side  of  Napoleon  Gulf,  and  twenty-four 
hours  later  reached  Ngogwe,  where  we  received,  from 
the  crowds  of  people  who  came  out  to  meet  us,  the 
warmest  possible  welcome.  In  the  evening  Dr.  Cook 
and  Martin  Hall  arrived  from  the  Lake  shore,  so  that 
we  were  a  party  of  seven  missionaries  gathered  together 
with  much  to  talk  about,  and  much  to  thank  and  praise 
God  for  in  the  partial  suppression  of  the  mutiny,  the 
preservation  of  the  English  community  from  a  position 
of  real  danger,  and  for  the  progress  of  the  work,  not- 
withstanding most  adverse  conditions. 

It  was  a  great  joy  on  the  following  day  to  lay  hands 
in  Confirmation  on  some  124  candidates  (61  men, 
63  women).  The  onward  journey  to  Mengo  was  a  time 
of  continuous  welcome,  either  from  native  friends,  like 
old  Isaya,  meeting  us  on  the  road,  or  by  letter  brought 
by  special  messengers.  At  Kisalosalo,  our  last  camping 
place,  advantage  was  taken  of  the  opportunity  afJorded 
by  the  crowds  thronging  my  tent  for  a  thief  to  carry 
off  my  mackintosh  coat.  The  next  morning,  of  course, 
was  very  stormy  (the  weather  had  been  fine  all  the 
way  from  the  coast),  and  shortly  after  leaving  our  camp 
we  were  overtaken  by  a  downpour  of  rain  which 
drenched  us  to  the  skin.  If  the  thief  had  only  post- 
poned his  theft  of  my  property  one  other  day  I  should 
have  been  most  grateful. 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  on  May  18th  we  reached 
our  destination  and  entered  the  capital  of  Uganda  like 


116        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


a  couple  of  half-drowned  rats.  In  consequence  of  the 
heavy  rain  there  were  comparatively  few  people  to 
meet  us  on  the  road.  But  when  the  storm-clouds  had 
cleared,  my  house  was  thronged  till  late  in  the  evening 
by  native  friends,  such  as  the  Katikiro  and  Samwili 
Mukasa,  all  full  of  their  congratulations  and  joy  at  our 
arrival  once  more  among  them. 


|AHM<1N(.  oi  l'  I  KO.\l    rill    lilMIOI's  SII  DN,    l  (..\M).\ 


CHAPTER  XXXII 


A  REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION 

'  There's  a  Divinity  which  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough  hew  them  how  we  may.' 

Shakespeare. 

Our  first  inquiries  on  arriving  in  Uganda  were  naturally- 
devoted  to  the  condition  of  the  work  and  the  poHtical 
situation.  Was  the  power  of  the  mutineers  com- 
pletely broken  ?  Where  was  Mwanga  ?  Was  Gabrieli 
still  at  large  ?  What  was  Kabarega  doing  ?  These 
were  questions  which  followed  each  other  in  rapid 
succession  as  I  sought  to  gain  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  actual  position  of  affairs. 

The  mutineers,  I  learnt,  were  still  giving  trouble, 
although  it  was  beyond  question  that  their  power  was 
broken.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Kisalizi  and  Mruli 
they  were  still  in  considerable  force.  But  Cols.  Evatt 
and  Broome  were  on  their  track,  and  it  was  anticipated 
that  before  long  they  would  be  completely  crushed. 
Mwanga  was  still  roaming  about  in  Bunyoro,  whilst 
Kabarega  was  striving  to  keep  him  at  arm's  length. 
"  Get  out,"  was  his  response  to  the  former's  overtures. 
"  Get  out  of  this.  It  is  you  who  have  caused  all  this 
trouble  and  brought  these  Europeans  upon  me."  But 
in  spite  of  this  uncompromising  attitude,  a  common 
misfortune,  a  common  enemy,  and  a  common  danger 
at  length  brought  these  two  men  together,  and  as  has 
been  already  mentioned  in  Chapter  XXX.,  in  one 
hurried  flight  they  sought  refuge  and  shelter  in  the 
Bukedi  country  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Nile. 

117 


118        UGANDA  AND  EAST  APKICA   [Book  V. 

Gabrieli,  like  a  bird  of  evil  omen,  was  hovering  over 
some  of  the  fairest  portions  of  Uganda,  and  ever  and 
anon  pouncing  down  on  some  fertile  garden,  ravaging 
and  desolating  without  scruple  or  remorse. 

It  was  not  surprising  to  find  that  the  work  of  the 
Church,  in  these  circumstances,  was  in  many  parts  of 
the  country  very  far  from  flourishing.  In  Budu  and 
North  Singo  several  churches  had  been  burnt  down 
and  the  congregations  scattered.  Baptism  and  Con- 
firmation classes  at  the  various  centres  were,  it  is  true, 
still  being  held,  but  the  attendances  were  fluctuating 
and  oftentimes  disappointingly  small.  But  still  a  very 
great  work  was,  I  was  thankful  to  find,  in  progress. 
The  reading  of  the  Scriptures  was  still  as  great  a  feature 
as  ever  in  the  hfe  of  the  people.  The  whole  Bible  was 
now  in  circulation,  and  its  sale  was  steadily  increasing. 
The  attendance  at  public  worship  was  as  large  as  ever, 
and  the  interest  taken  in  spiritual  things  seemed  as 
deep  as  ever. 

In  material  things  also  the  country  appeared  to  have 
made  a  distinct  move  forward.  The  standard  of  living 
had  evidently  risen.  The  native  house  was  now  a 
better  built  one.  The  people  were  better  clothed  and 
lived  generally  in  greater  comfort.  The  roads  were 
better  kept,  the  swamps  were  better  bridged,  and  the 
gardens  better  cultivated  and  better  kept.  In  a  word, 
progress  was  visible  on  every  hand. 

This  was  especially  noticeable  in  the  native  adminis- 
tration of  the  country.  The  National  Council  (Lukiko) 
was,  under  the  fostering  care  of  Mr.  G.  Wilson,  rapidly 
becoming  a  power  in  the  land.  It  was  an  interesting 
sight  to  see  this  infant  parliament  at  work.  Here  was 
the  Uttle  two-year-old  Icing  in  his  gilded  chair  of  state, 
with  the  Katikiro  on  his  right  hand  and  the  chiefs  of 
various  degrees  each  in  his  order  of  precedence,  and 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  119 


there  at  a  little  side  table  were  the  clerks  (natives 
trained  by  ourselves).  Matters  affecting  the  welfare 
of  the  people  in  their  various  relations  in  life  were 
thoroughly  discussed.  Minutes  of  the  proceedings  were 
taken  down  by  the  clerks,  and  any  new  laws  passed 
were  submitted  to  the  Commissioner  for  approval. 

One  could  not  but  feel  thankful  that  an  instrument 
so  potent  for  good,  and  so  calculated  to  promote  the 
best  interests  of  the  country,  was  being  so  wisely  guided 
and  fostered  by  those  in  authority. 

Among  other  measures  adopted  by  the  Lukiko  for 
deahng  with  the  exigencies  of  the  critical  situation  of 
the  time,  was  the  establishment  of  a  very  complete 
postal  system.  Huts  were  built  at  intervals  of  a  mile 
along  all  the  principal  roads  at  which  men  were 
stationed,  and  in  which  they  were  supposed  to  live, 
ready  at  all  times,  night  or  day,  to  be  called  out  for 
duty.  A  letter  despatched  say  100  miles  in  the  interior 
is  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  native  runner,  who  at  once, 
having  tied  it  to  the  end  of  a  split  reed,  starts  at  full 
speed  holding  aloft  the  missive  and  shouting  at  the 
top  of  his  voice,  "  A  letter,  a  letter,  it  is  burning  my 
hand — a  letter,  a  letter."  As  he  draws  near  the  first 
hut  on  the  road  he  finds  a  messenger  standing  ready, 
who,  with  his  loins  girded,  starts  off  at  full  speed  shouting 
the  same  cry,  "  It's  burning  my  hand."  And  so,  hke 
the  fiery  cross  of  Scottish  life  of  old  days,  the  letter  is 
speeded  on  its  way  until  in  an  incredibly  short  space 
of  time  it  reaches  its  destination. 

For  important  communications  such  a  postal  service 
was  invaluable.  But  it  was  often  abused.  Not  in- 
frequently I  have  been  roused  up  at  one  or  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning  with  the  cry,  "  A  letter,  a  letter — it's 
burning  my  hand,"  and  on  opening  the  letter  I  have 
found  it  run  something  like  this : — 


120        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


"  To  MY  Friend  the  Bishop. 

"  How  are  you,  sir.  How  have  you  passed  the 
day  ?  All  is  well  here  ;  there  are  no  evil  tidings  to 
tell.  Farewell.  May  God  take  care  of  you. — I  am, 
your  friend  who  loves  you, 

"  Samwili." 

My  friend  meant  well,  but  it  was  distinctly  annoying 
to  be  roused  up  in  the  middle  of  the  night  with  such 
a  communication. 

With  regard  to  the  spiritual  condition  of  the  Church, 
one  could  not  but  feel  that  the  situation  was  in  many 
respects  full  of  peril.  Comparative  wealth  was  flowing 
into  the  country,  large  sums  of  money  were  being 
expended  by  the  Administration.  The  temptations 
accompanying  such  a  changed  condition  of  afiairs  were 
many  and  great.  In  writing  home  at  the  time  I  thus 
set  forth  my  view  of  the  situation : — 

"  It  is  somewhat  the  fashion  just  at  present  to  take  a 
despondent  view  of  things,  and  to  think  that  because 
new  temptations  are  crowding  in  upon  the  people  that 
therefore  of  necessity  there  must  follow  spiritual  degra- 
dation and  decadence,  if  not  actual  ruin.  I  cannot 
and  do  not  take  this  view.  To  do  so  would  be  to  limit 
the  power  and  to  doubt  the  love  of  God  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  danger,  no  doubt,  is  a  very  real  one,  but 
the  fact  that  we  are  alive  to  its  existence  and  know 
something  of  its  subtle  character  is  to  my  mind  an 
assurance  of  victory. 

"  At  the  same  time  there  are  indications  which  might 
possibly  at  first  sight  be  taken  as  signs  of  spiritual 
declension.  The  most  striking  of  these  is  the  decrease 
in  the  number  of  young  men  who  are  offering  themselves 
for  work  as  teachers.  This,  no  doubt,  is  a  serious  matter, 
if  we  look  at  it  in  connection  with  the  prospects  of  the 


Chap.  32]    EEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  121 


work.  But  to  say  that  it  is  a  sign  of  spiritual  declension 
is  to  go  beyond  what  I  think  we  are  warranted  in  saying 
in  view  of  the  facts  of  the  case.  The  crisis  through 
which  the  country  is  passing  has  necessitated  not  only 
the  employment  of  European  missionaries  in  the  defence 
of  the  state,  but  it  has  also  led  to  what  is  practically  a 
demand  for  the  services  of  something  hke  3000  young 
men,  who  at  the  present  moment  are  engaged  in 
facilitating  the  movement  of  troops  by  doing  transport 
work.  This  one  circumstance  will,  I  think,  account 
for  whatever  diminution  there  may  be  in  the  number 
of  those  offering  themselves  for  the  work  of  the  Church. 
Then  again  it  is  quite  true  that  from  time  to  time  we 
are  saddened  by  hearing  of  this  or  that  one  who  did 
run  well  being  hindered — of  one  and  another  falling 
into  sin.  In  considering  cases  of  this  kind  we  must 
not  be  forgetful  of  the  fact  that  we  are  no  longer  dealing 
with  hundreds  of  Christians,  as  was  the  case  only  three 
or  four  years  ago,  but  with  thousands.  I  do  not  know 
that  the  actual  percentage  of  backshders  is  larger  than 
it  was  in  the  old  days,  if  we  may  speak  of  such  in  the 
case  of  a  Church  yet  in  its  infancy.  But  I  am  thankful 
that  the  alarm  has  been  sounded.  It  will,  I  am  sure, 
lead  to  increased  vigilance,  more  earnest  labour,  and 
more  fervent  prayer.  It  is  a  time  of  peril  unquestion- 
ably. The  enemies  of  the  Church  are  gathering  their 
forces  for  battle.  But  '  greater  is  He  that  is  for  us 
than  all  that  be  against  us.'  '  Blessed  is  the  Lord 
our  strength,  which  teacheth  our  hands  to  war  and  our 
fingers  to  fight.'  '  The  Lord  of  Hosts  is  with  us,  the 
God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.' " 

Such  were  the  circumstances  in  which,  in  May  1898, 1 
commenced  my  fourth  visitation  of  the  Uganda  portion 
of  my  jurisdiction.  In  something  like  three  weeks  I 
was  able  to  confirm  no  fewer  than  772  candidates. 


122        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

In  the  midst  of  the  busy  rush  of  visits  to  Ngogwe, 
Nakanyonyi,  Gayaza,  and  Waluleta  entailed  by  these 
engagements,  two  solemn  events  happened  which  re- 
minded us  forcibly  of  the  days  of  peril  through  which 
the  Mission  had  recently  passed  and  was  in  fact  even 
then  passing. 

The  first  of  these  was  the  terrible  punishment  which 
on  May  21st  was  inflicted  on  nine  Sudanese  mutineers 
and  three  Mohammedan  Baganda,  who  had  been  taken 
in  rebellion,  red-handed.  They  were  marched  out  of 
prison  in  the  fulness  of  health  and  strength,  placed  with 
their  backs  to  the  ramparts  of  the  fort  where  squads 
of  Sudanese  soldiers  were  drawn  up,  the  signal  was 
given,  and  in  a  few  minutes  their  Hfeless  corpses  were 
being  conveyed  to  their  last  resting-place.  It  was  a 
terrible  act  of  retribution,  but  apparently  a  sad  neces- 
sity. It  made  a  deep  impression,  not  merely  on  the 
Sudanese  population,  but  on  the  Baganda  generally. 

The  second  of  these  solemn  events  was  the  burial 
on  Namirembe,  on  May  23rd,  of  the  remains  of  those 
English  ofl&cers  who  had  lost  their  lives  during  the 
mutiny.  There  were  six  altogether,  of  whom  Major 
Thruston  and  Messrs.  Wilson  and  Scott  were  murdered 
at  Luba's. 

The  procession  was  headed  by  the  Indian  contingent 
marching  with  slow  and  measured  tread  with  arms 
reversed.  Then  came  the  coffins,  covered  each  one 
with  a  Union  Jack.  After  which  walked  the  Com- 
missioner and  Major  Macdonald,  with  other  military 
and  civil  officers.  The  members  of  the  Mission,  with  a 
large  number  of  Baganda  chiefs,  brought  up  the  rear. 

The  Archdeacon  and  I  shared  between  us  the  solemn 
duty  of  reading  the  service,  I  taking  the  prayers  at 
the  graveside  and  the  words  of  the  Committal :  "  Earth 
to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust."    The  hymn, 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  123 

"  Hush,  blessed  are  the  dead,"  was  sung  with  much 
feeUng,  and  then  came  the  three  volleys,  and  the  "  Last 
Post "  with  the  bugles,  and  all  was  over. 

The  glorious  fact  that  the  great  Head  of  the  Church 
is  ever  guiding  and  controlling  the  movements  of  those 
whom  He  has  put  in  authority  under  Him,  was  never 
more  signally  realised  in  my  experience  than  when 
early  in  July  I  essayed  to  visit  the  Mission  in  Usukuma. 
I  had  been  in  much  doubt  and  perplexity.  Usukuma 
or  Toro  was  the  question  which  had  agitated  my  mind 
for  some  weeks.  The  call  from  both  places  was  a  loud 
one.  To  which  should  I  respond  ?  I  had  made  it  a 
matter  of  much  prayer,  and  yet  it  was  with  considerable 
doubt  in  my  mind  that  I  gave  the  order  to  proceed  to 
Munyonyo,  where  the  Ruwenzori  (the  Record  Fund 
steam-launch)  was  lying  at  anchor.  I  had  decided 
for  Usukuma.  "  Man  proposes  but  God  disposes." 
On  arriving  at  the  Lake  shore  I  was  met  with  the  tidings 
that  the  Ruwenzori' s  boiler  had  broken  down,  and  that 
two  or  three  weeks  would  be  needed  for  repairs.  The 
way  was  blocked.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to 
retrace  our  steps  to  Mengo.  Was  God  calling  me  to 
Toro  ?  Was  this  the  meaning  of  the  obstacle  placed 
in  my  path  ?  Not  long  was  I  left  in  doubt.  As  I  drew 
near  to  Namirembe  messengers  met  me  in  hot  haste 
with  letters  from  Toro.  The  king,  Katikiro,  Lloyd, 
and  Buckley  all  had  written  asking  me  to  come,  and 
begging  me  not  to  delay  my  departure,  as  questions  of 
the  greatest  importance  needed  my  presence. 

Surely  here  was  an  answer  to  all  one's  prayers  and  a 
resolving  of  all  one's  doubts.  The  Lord  was  unques- 
tionably calling  me  to  Toro,  and  to  Toro  I  determined 
at  once  to  go. 

I  commenced  immediately  my  arrangements  for  my 
journey,  and  as  Dr.  Cook  was  as  anxious  as  I  was  to 


124        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


see  what  opportunity  there  might  be  for  extension  of 
medical  missionary  work  westward,  I  invited  him  to 
accompany  me. 

We  made  our  start  on  Thursday,  July  7th.  As 
Gabrieli  and  the  mutineers  were  still  roaming  about 
the  country,  the  Commissioner  insisted  upon  our  having 
an  escort  of  Baganda  soldiers.  Although  the  idea  was 
hateful  to  us,  nevertheless  we  yielded  to  his  wishes, 
and  found  ourselves  in  the  care  of  some  dozen  very 
irregular-looking  Baganda  armed  with  muzzle-loaders. 
At  our  second  camp  they  came  and  informed  us  that 
they  were  without  powder,  and  asked  whether  they 
might  go  back  in  order  to  procure  some.  Immensely 
amused  we  sent  them  back  with  instructions  to  follow 
us  to  Mitiana,  where  we  proposed  spending  two  or 
three  days. 

Here,  on  Sunday,  July  10th,  I  preached  to  a  large 
and  attentive  congregation,  and  on  the  Monday  held 
a  Confirmation  and  addressed  a  conference  of  some 
twenty-two  of  our  evangelists  and  teachers.  Our 
gallant  escort,  faithful  to  their  promise,  made  their 
appearance  in  due  course,  and  in  answer  to  our  inquiry 
as  to  whether  they  were  now  provided  with  gunpowder 
assured  me  that  they  were,  but  they  added  most 
lugubriously,  "  Tetulina  e'sasi  "  (We  have  no  bullets). 
This  was  an  undoubted  fact,  however  ridiculous  it  may 
seem.  However,  we  replied,  "  Si  kigambo  "  (It  does 
not  matter).  We  assigned  to  them  the  duty  of 
looking  after  our  cows  in  our  rear,  and  after  leaving 
camp  in  the  morning  one  rarely,  if  ever,  saw  them  again 
until  evening.  However,  we  daily  thanked  them  for 
taking  care  of  us ;  thanks  which  were  invariably 
accepted  without  the  faintest  trace  of  a  smile,  or  with 
the  slightest  idea  of  the  humour  of  the  whole  thing. 

On  leaving  Mitiana  we  made  for  Bujongolo,  some 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  125 

four  hours  away,  but  only  to  be  reached  through  ahnost 
impassable  swamps.  For  some  two  hours  or  more  we 
battled  our  way  through  them.  They  seemed  to  be 
interminable,  one  long  weary  expanse  of  papyrus  and 
a  waste  of  waters.  At  one  moment  we  were  up  to  our 
waists,  at  another  we  were  seeking  to  maintain  a 
precarious  foothold  on  the  roots  and  stumps  of  Makindu 
palms,  which  showed  themselves  occasionally  in  our 
onward  track.  Then  down  we  went  again  into  the 
mud  and  slush,  only  too  thankful  when  we  could  get 
into  deep  water  again.  Now  and  then  one  caught 
sight  of  a  tree  top  which  seemed  to  indicate  that  we 
were  nearing  dry  land ;  but,  alas,  there  was  only  a 
little  rising  ground  where  we  were  able  to  rest  for  a 
little,  and  then  on  we  plunged  again,  slipping  and 
sliding,  tripping  and  stumbhng,  until  at  length,  at 
the  end  of  two  hours,  our  toils  were  at  an  end  and  we 
were  once  more  on  term  firma.  Half-an-hour's  further 
march  brought  us  to  the  chief's  enclosure,  where  a 
hearty  welcome  awaited  us. 

Two  days  later  (St.  Swithin's  Day)  we  had  such  an 
experience  of  the  weather  in  Uganda  as  rarely  falls  to 
the  lot  of  even  the  most  experienced  travellers.  It 
had  been  bright  and  fine  in  the  earher  part  of  the  day, 
and  we  were  looking  forward  to  reaching  our  camping 
place  without  any  untoward  circumstances,  when 
shortly  after  mid-day  the  aspect  changed,  clouds 
gathered,  and  the  distant  thunder  rolled  ominously. 
But  still  we  hoped  to  reach  our  destination  before  the 
storm  which  was  evidently  gathering  burst  upon  us. 
"  Is  it  far  ?  "  we  inquired  of  our  guide.  "  Wala  nyo," 
was  the  answer.  "  Very  far."  Soon  heavy  drops  began 
to  fall,  and  before  long  the  wind  rose,  and  with  crashings 
of  thunder  and  floods  of  rain  the  storm  burst  in  all 
its  fury.    Umbrellas  were  useless,  nor  had  we  them. 


126        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


There  was  no  shelter  to  be  found  anywhere.  There 
was  nothing  for  it  but  to  face  it.  As  long  as  we  kept 
going  there  was  nothing  to  be  feared.  Shelter  short 
of  our  destination  would  be  fatal.  So  onward  we  went. 
The  paths  had  become  almost  Hke  rushing  streams,  the 
wind  howled,  the  lightning  flashed,  and  the  thunder  in 
appaUing  crashes  echoed  and  re-echoed  on  every  side. 
But  still  no  camp.  On  and  on  we  went.  One  or  two 
of  our  porters  had  manfully  struggled  along  and  were 
only  a  few  yards  behind  us,  when  the  one  word  "  ekyalo," 
i.e.  "  garden,"  uttered  by  one  of  them  made  us  look 
up,  and  sure  enough  a  hundred  yards  away  we  were 
able  dimly  to  discover  through  the  driving  rain  some 
banana  trees  beaten  and  torn  by  the  tempest.  The 
sight  was  a  gladdening  one.  It  meant  that  our  struggle 
was  over,  and  that  in  a  few  minutes  we  should  find 
shelter,  a  fire,  food  and  rest.  And  so  it.  came  about. 
In  a  httle  while  we  found  ourselves  in  a  large  native 
hut,  with  a  blazing  fire  in  the  midst.  Happily  one  of 
the  porters  who  had  kept  up  with  us  was  carrying 
Dr.  Cook's  bedding.  The  blankets  were  soon  got  out, 
and  stripping  from  us  every  shred  of  our  soaked  clothing 
we  wrapped  ourselves  in  them.  Half-an-hour  later 
the  food  box  made  its  appearance,  and  hot  tea  in  liberal 
quantities  soon  removed  every  risk  of  chill. 

On  account  of  the  possibility  of  being  waylaid  by 
the  mutineers,  we  were  travelling  by  unfrequented 
by-paths,  the  roads  were  rough  and  the  food  scarce, 
but  still  we  made  good  progress,  and  on  July  22nd 
arrived  at  Butiti.  The  chief,  our  old  friend  Yafeti 
Byakweyamba,  had  recently  died  by  his  own  hand. 
Trial  and  misfortunes  of  various  kinds  had  so  crushed 
him  that  a  mind  weakened  by  ill  health  gave  way,  and 
in  a  fit  of  temporary  insanity  he  shot  himself.  His 
successor,  a  youth  named  Nasanieri,  was  by  no  means 


Chap.  32]    EEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  127 


his  equal  either  in  presence  or  in  influence.  However, 
he  welcomed  us  warmly,  and  in  conversation  with  me 
expressed  every  intention  of  being  an  earnest  worker 
for  God. 

We  were  now  in  touch  with  Toro.  Our  approach 
had  already  become  kno^vn  to  our  friends  at  Kabarole 
(the  capital),  who  inundated  us  with  letters  of  warm 
welcome,  as  we  journeyed  on  our  way  thither.  Hill 
after  hill  we  found  crested  with  little  groups  of  friends 
who  had  come  out  to  welcome  us.  Here,  as  we  came 
to  a  patch  of  long  grass,  there  burst  forth  upon  us 
Apolo  Kivebulaya,  with  lots  of  young  men  and  lads, 
all  brimming  over  with  joy  and  excitement.  There, 
marching  in  regular  order,  was  another  detachment  of 
young  men  with  Sedulaka  and  Asa  Nkangah  at  their 
head.  Then  came  Buckley  and  his  boys  with  very 
welcome  refreshment,  for  which  a  brief  halt  by  the  way- 
side was  called.  Then  on  again  till  the  groups  of 
friends  became  so  numerous  that  our  progress  was 
greatly  hindered.  Eventually,  however,  we  reached  the 
Mission  hill,  on  which  great  crowds  were  assembled, 
and  where  Kasagama  and  the  Queen-Mother  welcomed 
us  with  many  expressions  of  joy  at  our  coming. 

A  thanksgiving  service  was  held  immediately  on  our 
arrival.  The  church  was  quickly  filled  from  end  to 
end.  A  couple  of  hymns,  two  or  three  earnest  prayers 
and  short  benediction,  that  was  all,  but  it  was  sufficient. 
It  was  the  faithful  expression  of  the  thankfulness  and 
gratitude  to  God  which  filled  all  hearts. 

It  was  very  delightful  to  be  back  once  more  amongst 
people  who  were  in  all  the  joyous  freshness  of  their  new 
love  to  God.  Their  enthusiasm  for  the  Word  was 
almost  as  remarkable  as  that  of  the  Baganda  in  the 
early  days.  The  three  or  four  loads  of  books  which  I 
had  brought  with  me  were  all  sold  in  tlie  course  of 


128        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


two  or  three  days,  and  I  was  obliged  to  send  an  urgent 
message  to  Mengo  for  more  to  be  sent. 

Toro  had  not  been  so  seriously  affected  by  the  mutiny 
and  Mwanga's  rebelhon  as  Uganda,  Bunyoro,  and 
Busoga,  nor  had  the  work  suffered  to  anything  like  the 
same  extent.  There  was  consequently  marked  progress 
observable  in  every  branch.  Several  of  the  great  chiefs 
had  become  Christians,  and  were  taking  a  deep  interest 
in  the  work.  Among  others  were  the  Sekibobo  and 
the  Katikiro.  Candidates  for  Baptism  and  Confirma- 
tion were  coming  forward  on  every  hand,  and  young 
men  in  increasing  numbers  were  offering  to  go  out  into 
the  country  districts  as  evangelists  and  teachers. 

In  the  outward  aspect  of  things  also  a  very  remark- 
able change  had  taken  place.  Instead  of  the  beehive- 
shaped  house  in  which  I  had  lived  for  a  fortnight  two 
years  before,  there  was  now  a  well-ordered  Mission 
station  with  two  dwelling-houses,  one  occupied  by 
Lloyd  and  the  other  by  Buckley.  The  old  church  had 
been  replaced  by  a  new  one  capable  of  seating  some- 
thing like  a  thousand  worshippers.  Schoolrooms,  too, 
had  been  built,  and  very  dehghtful  was  it  to  hear  the 
children  learning  their  first  lesson  in  the  art  of  reading. 
"  Eno  '  a,'  eno  'e,'  eno  '  i,'  "  was  the  sing-song  method 
(not  by  any  means  the  best)  into  which  they  seemed 
naturally  to  have  fallen.  More  delightful  still  was  it 
to  hear  them  sing  some  of  the  songs  of  Sion.  In  their 
soft  and  melodious  accents  they  seemed  sweeter  than 
ever.  But  perhaps  most  delightful  of  all  was  it  to  see 
these  children  with  bowed  heads  and  closed  eyes,  and 
to  hear  them  repeating  together  that  prayer  which  all 
creeds  have  united  in  designating  as  the  "  Lord's 
Prayer."  On  the  hps  of  these  children,  so  lately 
enveloped  in  heathen  savagery,  the  sacred  words,  "  Our 
Father  which  art  in  Heaven,"  seemed  invested  with  a 


Chap.  32]    EEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  129 


deeper  and  fuller  meaning  than  ever  before.  As  at 
every  halting-place  on  the  way,  so  at  Kabarole  itself, 
Dr.  Cook  at  once  commenced  treating  the  sick  and 
operating  upon  all  who  came  for  surgical  help.  The 
first  day  he  had  no  fewer  than  198  applicants  for 
medicine,  and  every  succeeding  day  of  our  stay  showed 
an  increase.  Their  numbers  and  the  terrible  condition 
of  many  of  the  poor  creatures  who  came  to  us  for 
rehef  indicated  only  too  plainly  the  great  need  of 
medical  missionary  work  in  Toro. 

As  my  programme  included  visits  to  Katwe  and 
Mboga — the  one  near  the  Albert  Edward  Nyanza  and 
the  other  on  the  further  side  of  the  Semhki  river, 
involving  some  300  miles  of  travelhng — I  was  unable 
to  prolong  my  stay  at  the  capital,  and  on  July  28th 
we  started  on  our  way  to  the  former  place. 

It  was  an  interesting  journey.  As  our  road  led  us 
along  the  lower  slopes  of  Ruwenzori  we  were  able  to 
see  something  of  the  conditions  of  life  of  the  Bakonjo 
and  other  mountain  tribes.  At  Butanuka  we  found  a 
promising  work  in  progress  imder  the  supervision  of  a 
vigorous  young  teacher  named  Yerimiya. 

Our  onward  journey  was  by  a  path  which  led  us 
through  scenes  of  the  most  exquisite  beauty.  At  one 
moment  we  were  climbing  a  steep  hillside,  at  another 
wending  our  way  through  sylvan  glades  in  which  the 
sunlight  glinting  upon  the  tree  trunks  gilded  them 
with  a  glory  peculiarly  its  own,  and  startling  in  its 
vivid  intensity.  At  another  moment  we  were  passing 
out  into  a  blaze  of  sunshine  in  which  butterflies  were 
darting  hither  and  thither,  whilst  the  hum  of  bees,  the 
chirrup  of  grasshoppers,  and  the  cooing  of  doves  made 
the  air  resonant  with  a  sweet,  low-toned  music.  Then 
there  was  a  river  to  be  crossed,  a  river  of  ice-cold  water 
draining  down  from  the  snows  of  Ruwenzori  (the 


130        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  V. 

Mpuku).  Getting  across  was  no  easy  task.  Although 
not  deep  the  current  was  very  strong,  and  every  load 
needed  two  or  three  men  to  bear  it  safely  to  the  further 
bank.  As  for  ourselves,  well !  I  needed  half-a-dozen 
men  to  carry  me,  and  Dr.  Cook  nearly  as  many. 

We  now  found  ourselves  in  an  entirely  different 
country  in  its  outward  aspect.  The  Eujjhorbia 
candelabra  was  to  be  seen  on  every  hand  interspersed 
with  that  most  striking  and  beautiful  of  all  palms — 
the  Borassus  palm.  The  woodland  landscape  had 
given  place  to  rolling  plains.  Here  and  there  we  came 
upon  the  craters  of  extinct  volcanoes.  These  in  nearly 
every  instance  were  filled  with  salt  or  brackish  water, 
whilst  their  sloping  sides  were  clothed  with  wood  and 
luxuriant  vegetation  of  all  kinds. 

On  August  3rd  we  reached  Katwe,  and  were  invited 
by  the  Sudanese  officer  in  charge  to  take  up  our  quarters 
in  the  fort.  This  we  were  very  glad  to  do,  as  the  sun 
was  very  hot  and  our  tents  insufferably  close.  This 
fort  occupied  a  position  of  great  natural  strength.  It 
crowned  the  narrow  neck  of  high  land  which  separates 
the  Albert  Edward  Nyanza  from  the  Salt  Lake.  There 
were  not  a  hundred  yards  of  spare  room  on  either  side. 
Some  months  previous  to  our  arrival  it  had  been  be- 
sieged by  the  mutineers  of  the  Congo  Free  State,  who 
were  attempting  to  make  their  way  to  Toro.  But  it 
had  successfully  resisted  all  attempts  to  capture  it. 
The  Sudanese  officer  in  charge  showed  us,  with  no  little 
pride,  the  bullet  marks  on  the  stonework  and  the 
pierced  doors  and  shutters,  and  told  us  in  graphic  terms 
the  whole  story  of  the  fight,  and  how  the  Manyema 
auxiliaries  were  beaten  back  again  and  again,  as  they 
sought  by  mere  force  of  numbers  to  effect  an  entrance. 

The  most  interesting  incident  of  our  story  at  this, 
the  farthest  outpost  westward  of  British  rule  in  Central 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  131 

Africa,  was  a  visit  to  one  of  the  larger  islands  of  the 
Albert  Edward  Nyanza,  An  hour's  paddling  in  a 
large  dug-out  brought  us  to  our  destination — a  large 
fishing  village  built  on  the  very  margin  of  the  lake. 
The  air  was  redolent  with  the  odour  of  dried  and  drying 
fish  ;  and  the  implements  of  their  craft  were  being  laid 
out  by  the  fishermen  in  every  available  space  where 
sun  and  air  could  reach  them.  The  men  themselves 
(we  saw  little  or  nothing  of  the  women)  seemed  to  be 
a  fine  manly  race,  a  branch  evidently  of  the  Bakonjo 
tribe.  They  received  us  at  first  with  some  shyness, 
but  this  soon  wore  off  as  we  squatted  in  the  middle  of 
the  village  and  sought,  by  kindly  greetings,  to  assure 
them  of  our  friendhness.  Dr.  Cook  then  produced  his 
medicine-chest,  and  that  very  soon  broke  down  what- 
ever remained  of  their  suspicion  of  us.  It  was  not  long 
before  we  had  around  us  at  least  two  hundred  stalwart 
men  listening  with  all  their  ears,  as  through  an  inter- 
preter we  dehvered  the  Gospel  message. 

So  far  we  had  seen  nothing  of  the  chief.  We  in- 
quired for  him  and  were  told  that  he  was  coming  in  a 
short  time  to  pay  his  respects  to  us.  He  was  blind,  we 
were  told,  and  would  be  glad  if  the  doctor  could  do 
anything  for  him.  After  waiting  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  the  poor  man  made  his  appearance.  He  was  led 
into  the  midst  by  a  youth  who  was  said  to  be  his  son, 
a  bright  intelUgent  boy.  We  told  the  poor  old  man 
why  we  had  come — that  we  were  messengers  of  the 
King  of  kings,  and  that  we  sought  his  good  and  that 
of  his  people. 

At  once  he  wanted  to  know  whether  we  could  give 
sight  to  his  blind  eyes.  Dr.  Cook  examined  them,  and 
came  instantly  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  a  case  of 
cataract,  and  that  an  operation  would  certainly  give 
at  the  least  limited  vision.    He  told  him  so,  and  added 


132        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

that  if  he  came  over  to  Katwe  in  the  morning  he  would 
operate,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt  of  a  successful 
result.  Then  said  the  chief,  "  Restore  me  my  sight,  and 
not  only  I,  but  all  my  people,  will  be  taught."  After 
some  further  conversation  it  was  decided  that  the 
operation  should  take  place  on  the  following  day  ;  and 
we  left  the  island  feeling  that  an  impression  had  been 
made,  and  looking  forward  to  a  further  opportunity  of 
pressing  the  claim  of  the  Gospel  on  the  chief  and  his 
followers  on  the  morrow. 

Alas  !  we  Httle  realised  the  power  of  the  evil  one, 
and  the  influence  of  the  medicine  men  of  the  island. 
Nine  o'clock,  the  hour  appointed,  came,  and  no  chief — 
nor  were  any  canoes  visible  on  the  glittering  surface  of 
the  Lake.  Ten  o'clock — eleven — and  noon  came,  and 
still  no  chief,  and  then  came  a  messenger  to  say  that  he 
was  unwell  and  unable  to  come.  It  was,  however,  as 
we  found  out  later,  only  an  excuse,  and  that  he  was 
really  deterred  from  coming  by  the  all  powerful  influence 
of  the  witch  doctors.  However,  the  day  of  blessing 
for  that  lone  island  of  the  Lake,  although  not  yet,  was 
nearer  than  we  in  our  disappointment  thought.  Twelve 
months  only  were  to  run  their  course  and  a  resident 
evangehst,  from  the  Church  of  Toro,  was  engaged  in  the 
systematic  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  these  simple  fisher 
folk.    But  this  is  anticipating  the  course  of  my  story. 

On  August  6th  we  started  on  our  return  journey, 
and  after  recrossing  the  plain  at  the  foot  of  the  low 
shoulder  of  Ruwenzori,  at  the  extremity  of  which  Katwe 
lies,  commenced  to  cUmb  the  lower  slopes  of  the 
mountain  itself.  From  Kasamia's  we  ventured  yet 
higher,  visiting  one  village  after  another,  where  our 
teachers  were  at  work,  and  doing  our  best  to  cheer  and 
encourage  them  in  their  self-denying  labours.  The 
time  spent  in  this  work  was  full  of  the  most  absorbing 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  133 

interest.  That  the  Gospel  itself  should  have  reached 
these  rugged  fastnesses  was  indeed  a  marvel  of  grace, 
and  that  so  soon  after  its  first  proclamation  little  con- 
gregations of  behevers  should  be  gathered  together  for 
the  worship  of  the  one  true  and  loving  God,  was  more 
wonderful  still. 

For  be  it  remembered  that  only  recently  had  the 
mists  of  ages  which  had  enveloped  these  mountains — 
"  the  mountains  of  the  moon  "  of  mythical  story — 
been  rolled  away,  and  their  very  existence  become 
known  to  geographical  science.  Whether,  as  we 
climbed  the  mountain  side  and  gazed  down  into  the 
deep  ravines  and  barkened  to  the  roaring  of  the  raging 
torrents  which  swept  them  away  to  the  great  lakes, 
and  so  indeed  to  the  sea,  or  as  glancing  upward  one 
caught  glimpses  of  the  snow-clad  peaks  and  saw  at  an 
altitude  of  some  20,000  feet  the  eternal  snows  glittering 
like  burnished  silver  in  the  glomng  light  of  noon,  or, 
whether  as  pausing  in  our  upward  climb  and  turning 
our  back  to  the  rocky  buttress  of  the  mountain  side  on 
which  we  stood,  and  looking  out  into  space  we  saw 
stretching  far  away  into  misty  invisibility  the  ghttering 
waters  of  the  great  Lake — the  Albert  Edward  Nyanza 
— the  impression  was  still  the  same,  wonderful  as  are 
all  these  glories  and  beauties  of  nature,  intense  as  is 
all  this  glowing  sunlight,  marvellous  as  are  all  these 
mysterious  visions  of  mountain  and  streamlet,  ravine 
and  forest,  snow  and  ice ;  yet  the  most  wonderful 
sight  of  all — the  most  awe-inspiring  of  all — the  greatest 
miracle  of  all,  was  it  to  see  men  and  women  clad  in 
skins,  and  in  all  their  surroundings  still  apparently  in 
their  primitive  conditions  of  life,  and  who  a  few  years 
ago  were  sitting  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death, 
yet  with  bowed  heads  and  reverent  attitude  \wcro 
engaged  in  the  worship  of  Him  Who  is  the  Way,  the 


134        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 


Truth,  and  the  Life,  and  whom  not  having  seen  they 
love,  and  in  whom  though  now  they  see  Him  not  yet 
they  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

Our  way  now  led  us  down  to  lower  ground  where 
the  Mpuku  river  had  to  be  crossed.  The  path  was,  in 
many  places,  almost  blocked  by  the  rank  growth  of 
the  vegetation.  Occasionally  we  had  to  make  our  way 
through  the  tall  elephant  grass,  as  through  a  tunnel. 
It  was  while  passing  along  one  of  these  overgrown 
footpaths  that  we  heard  the  sound  of  rushing  water. 
"  It  is  the  river  !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Let  us  hurry.  The 
men  in  front  are  sure  to  attempt  to  cross  without  proper 
precaution."  We  ran  forward,  hoping  to  be  in  time  to 
prevent  any  attempt  to  cross.  Alas  !  we  were  too  late. 
On  arriving  on  the  river  bank  I  had  the  mortification 
of  seeing  a  man  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  and 
a  box  of  mine  containing  sketches,  writing  materials, 
and  all  that  I  most  valued,  being  carried  away  by  the 
flood.  I  at  once  despatched  search-parties  down  both 
banks  of  the  river.  In  the  meanwhile,  by  arranging  so 
that  no  load  should  be  taken  across  unless  in  charge  of 
three  men,  we  succeeded  in  getting  everything  over  in 
safety.  In  about  half-an-hour's  time,  loud  shouts  in 
the  distance  announced  the  recovery  of  my  precious 
box.  A  little  later  it  was  carried  in  in  triumph.  It 
had  been  swept  by  an  eddy  into  a  quiet  pool,  and  there 
it  was  found,  sadly  battered  by  the  rocks,  and,  of 
course,  full  of  water.  In  Africa,  however,  one  learns 
to  take  joyfully  the  spoihng  of  one's  goods.  Happily 
there  was  a  hot  sun  and  a  bank  of  silver  sand  by  the 
river  side.  Sketches,  paper,  books,  and  clothing  were 
soon  laid  out  to  dry,  and  although  a  good  deal  of  damage 
had  been  done  it  was  less  than  I  expected.  In  half-an- 
hour's  time  it  was  possible  to  pack  up  and  resume  our 
journey. 


Chap.  32]    KEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  135 

On  August  11th  we  arrived  once  more  at  Kabarole, 
the  capital  of  Toro,  where  we  enjoyed  four  or  five 
days  rest,  before  starting  on  a  proposed  expedition  to 
Mboga,  on  the  further  side  of  the  Semliki,  and  not  far 
from  the  Albert  Nyanza. 

By  this  time  our  porters  were  getting  home-sick. 
Six  weeks  had  elapsed  since  leaving  Mengo,  and  instead 
of  setting  our  face  homewards,  as  they  had  hoped  we 
would  do  on  reaching  Kabarole,  we  were  preparing  for 
another  journey  into  an  unknown  country.  This  was 
too  much  for  them,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  13th  we 
were  informed  that  fourteen  of  our  men  had  run  away 
in  the  night  and  were  "  making  tracks  "  for  Uganda. 
The  rest  of  the  men,  we  were  further  told,  were  prepar- 
ing to  follow  the  example  of  their  comrades.  This  was 
serious.  I  took  prompt  measures  and  put  a  guard 
over  the  disaffected,  and  warned  them  that  as  they  had 
received  wages  for  a  three  months  journey  they  were 
expected  to  fulfil  their  contract.  However,  all  my 
precautions  were  in  vain.  Som.e  few  remained  faithful, 
but  the  rest  managed,  in  twos  and  threes,  to  get  away. 
I  may  say  that  so  perfect  at  this  time  was  the  political 
organisation  of  Uganda,  that  on  my  return  to  Mengo, 
on  bringing  the  matter  to  the  notice  of  the  Katikiro 
and  giving  him  the  names  of  the  culprits  and  their 
chiefs,  every  man  was  produced  within  forty-eight 
hours,  and  the  money  which  they  had  received  as 
wages  was  brought  to  my  door.  However  satisfactory 
in  its  ultimate  issue,  the  immediate  consequences  of 
the  mutiny  of  my  porters  were  inconvenient  in  the 
extreme — not  the  least  of  which  was  the  slow  going 
which  resulted  from  travelling  with  such  physically 
weak  porters  as  the  Batoro,  who  were  unable  to  carry 
more  than  half  a  load  each. 

However,  wc  were  fortunate  in  being  able  to  re- 


136        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


place  our  faithless  followers  on  any  terms.  On 
Tuesday,  August  16th,  we  started  for  Mboga  with  as 
sorry  a  lot  of  men  as  it  has  ever  been  my  fortune  to 
travel  with.  The  journey  was  an  interesting  one. 
On  the  first  day  we  descended  the  escarpment  which 
brought  us  almost  down  to  the  level  of  the  Albert 
Nyanza,  and  where  the  air  was  heavy  and  close.  But 
on  the  following  day  we  commenced  to  chmb  one  of 
the  shoulders  of  Ruwenzori,  and  thus  got  into  a  fresher 
and  more  invigorating  atmosphere.  On  reaching  the 
ridge,  after  a  stiff  chmb,  we  were  rewarded  with  one 
of  the  most  lovely  views  which  even  this  most  beautiful 
part  of  Africa  can  show.  Some  2000  feet  below  us 
was  the  Semhki  river,  working  its  sinuous  way  in 
glittering  glory  through  the  valley  which  lay  between 
us  and  the  dark  mass  of  the  great  forest  which  Stanley 
had  so  laboriously  traversed  a  few  short  years  before. 
Away  northward,  melting  into  the  far  distance,  lay 
the  waters  of  the  Great  Lake — the  Albert  Nyanza — 
shimmering  in  white  heat  and  pearly  haze.  South- 
ward, the  great  buttresses  of  the  mountain  on  which 
we  stood  shelved  downward  toward  the  river,  which 
was  fed  not  merely  by  the  Albert  Edward  Nyanza,  but 
by  those  rushing  streams  which,  in  their  headlong 
course  down  the  mountain  side,  filled  the  air  with  a 
melody  which  can  only  fitly  be  described  in  the  familiar 
terms  "  the  sound  of  many  waters." 

Plunging  down  the  craggy  slope  in  front  of  us,  it 
was  not  long  before  we  found  ourselves  in  a  village  of 
the  Babamba  which  lay  in  the  valley  between. 

The  people  we  found  to  be  a  simple  folk,  and  not 
the  least  alarmed  by  our  sudden  appearance  in  their 
midst.  Doubtless  they  had  had  ample  warning  of  our 
coming,  and  were  evidently  prepared  to  welcome  us. 
They  received  us  witli  kindly  hospitality,  bringing 


Chap.  32]   REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION 


137 


ripe  bananas  for  our  refreshment,  and  doing  every- 
thing in  their  power  to  make  us  comfortable. 

Their  villages  we  found  to  be  clean  and  well  kept, 
the  huts  being  of  the  usual  beehive  shape,  but  thatched, 
not  with  grass,  but  with  plantain  leaves.  On  every 
side  we  saw  tokens  of  their  belief  in  spirits,  and  in  the 
little  spirit  houses  were  offerings  of  all  kinds. 

The  people  themselves  were  almost  nude,  goat  and 
other  skins  being  their  only  covering.  In  figure  they 
are  a  thickset  and  powerful-looking  race.  In  features, 
however,  they  approach  somewhat  the  Bakonjo  type. 
Before  descending  into  the  valley  we  had  observed 
what  seemed  to  be  a  column  of  smoke  at  a  distance  of 
some  two  or  three  miles.  On  inquiry  we  found  that 
this  was  really  a  column  of  steam  rising  up  from  some 
boiling  springs,  of  which  we  were  told  there  were  quite 
a  number  on  the  other  side  of  a  wood  which  lay  be- 
tween us  and  them. 

Lunch  despatched,  we  sallied  forth  to  pay  these 
boiUng  springs  a  visit.  It  was  a  striking  scene  which 
met  our  view  as  we  issued  from  the  banana  plantation 
through  which  we  had  been  wandering  during  the 
latter  part  of  our  walk.  Columns  of  steam  rolled 
upward  to  a  height  of  80  or  90  feet,  and  then  as  they 
caught,  or  rather  were  caught,  in  the  breeze,  they  were 
carried  liither  and  thither,  until  they  melted  away  into 
invisibility.  This  steam  was  issuing  from  a  number  of 
blow-holcs  out  of  which  bubbled  streams  of  water  all 
at  boiUng  point.  This  water  was  held  first  of  all  in 
natural  rock  basins,  but  as  these  overflowed  it  spread 
itself  over  a  considerable  area  of  bare  rock  and  soft  blue 
mud.  In  the  latter,  a  number  of  natives  liad  scooped 
out  large  hollows  which  they  were  using  as  baths.  The 
water  was  evidently  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur, 
and  possessed  considerable  healing  virtues,  especially  in 


138        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


the  case  of  skin  diseases.  People  came,  we  were  told, 
from  long  distances  to  be  healed  of  the  oftentimes 
terrible  diseases  from  which  they  sufEered.  Many- 
doubtless  derived  much  benefit  from  the  medicinal 
properties  of  these  springs.  In  order  to  test  their 
temperature,  a  bunch  of  green  bananas  was  put  into  one 
of  the  bubbhng  pools,  and  in  about  twenty  minutes 
was  thoroughly  cooked. 

Our  passage  of  the  Semliki  the  next  morning  was 
not  at  all  an  easy  matter.  "  Crocodiles  below  and 
hippos  above  the  place  of  crossing "  was  the  news 
which  greeted  us  as  we  arrived  on  the  river  bank.  And 
sure  enough  "  up  stream  "  were  to  be  seen  a  couple  of 
huge  hippos  apparently  waiting  for  us.  However,  I 
soon  brought  my  "  Martini-Henry  "  to  bear,  and  after 
a  short  bombardment  they  disappeared,  as  also  did  the 
crocodiles,  whose  shiny  backs  had  been  showing  up 
ominously  amid  the  glittering  waters  between  the 
crossing-place. 

The  river  was  full,  and  a  great  volume  of  water 
was  making  its  way  at  the  rate  of  some  three  miles  an 
hour  towards  the  Albert  Lake,  only  a  few  miles  away. 
The  only  means  of  transit  were  a  few  dug-outs  of  the 
most  cranky  and  leaky  description.  A  man  in  the 
bows  with  considerable  dexterity  poled  up  the  river 
some  hundred  yards  or  so,  and  driving  out  into  mid 
stream  we  were  carried  down  in  the  direction  of  the 
landing-place,  which  as  we  got  into  shallower  waters 
was  easily  reached  by  dexterous  poling.  Of  course  to 
get  men,  loads,  and  cattle  across  in  this  fashion  was 
a  long  and  tedious  operation.  We  therefore  camped 
at  a  distance  of  some  half  a  mile  from  the  river,  and 
towards  evening  had  the  satisfaction  of  learning  that 
everything  had  been  crossed  without  loss  or  accident. 

Two  days  later  we  drew  near  to  Mboga,  our  destina- 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  139 

tion.  Since  leaving  the  Semliki  we  had  been  continually 
ascending,  and  were  now  at  a  considerable  elevation 
above  the  plain.  Sedulaka,  one  of  our  teachers  from 
Mboga,  was  leading  the  way,  and  in  answer  to  my  oft- 
repeated  question,  "  Are  we  near  ?  "  he  would  only  re- 
spond, "  Tunatuka "  (We  shall  arrive).  At  length, 
while  resting  and  enjoying  the  refreshment  of  a  cup 
of  tea,  we  had  a  remarkable  proof  of  the  fact  that  we 
were  not  far  away  from  our  destination.  In  a  moment 
of  quiet  meditation  there  burst  upon  us,  with  a  great 
shout,  a  crowd  of  young  men  and  boys,  at  the  head  of 
whom  was  Apolo  Kivebulaya.  With  cries  of  welcome 
repeated  again  and  again  they  surrounded  us,  and 
almost  knocked  us  over  in  their  eagerness  to  get  a 
shake  of  the  hand,  and  to  tell  of  their  joy  at  our 
coming. 

We  packed  up  our  traps  and  started  once  more, 
and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  met  Tabalo  himself  (the 
chief)  and  a  great  crowd  of  followers.  Their  welcome 
was  no  less  warm  than  that  of  Apolo  and  his  young 
men,  but  it  was  less  demonstrative.  On  reaching 
Mboga  itself  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  knew  no 
bounds.  They  came  upon  us  in  great  crowds,  em- 
bracing and  shaking  hands  with  us  again  and  again, 
and  thanking  us  for  coming  to  them.  It  was  most 
touching  to  see  their  simple  trust  in  us,  and  the  fixed 
conviction  in  their  minds  that  we  were  in  some  way  to 
be  a  means  of  blessing  to  them. 

It  may  be  asked,  how  did  Christianity  come  to  this 
out-of-the-way  place  some  three  hundred  miles  from 
Mengo,  and  on  the  outskirts  of  the  Great  Forest  ?  In 
telling  the  story  it  will  be  best  to  transcribe  what  was 
told  me  at  the  time,  and  written  down  upon  the  spot. 
It  was  in  this  wise  : — 

"  The  Gospel  was  first  of  all  preached  in  Toro  by 


140        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

Baganda  evangelists.  It  so  happened  that  in  Toro 
there  were  hving  temporarily  a  number  of  the  people 
of  Mboga,  the  chief  Tabalo  among  them.  There  they 
first  heard  the  Gospel  story.  This  led  to  Baganda 
evangehsts  being  sent  across  the  SemUki  river  and 
settUng  amongst  these  people  of  Mboga,  in  whose 
hearts  the  seed  had  been  sown  in  Toro.  The  httle 
community  of  readers  increased  rapidly,  and  the  desire 
for  a  knowledge  of  the  Word  seemed  to  be  spreading 
when  the  followers  of  the  Lubare  superstition  made  a 
desperate  effort  to  extinguish  the  Hght  that  seemed 
burning  so  brightly.  The  chief  Tabnlo  was  won  back 
to  his  old  allegiance,  and  at  the  instigation  of  the 
Lubare  priests  forbade  any  one  to  read  the  Christian 
books.  Many,  however,  had  found  the  Word  of  God 
suited  to  their  taste,  and  continued  their  reading  in 
secret.  Several  readers  were  caught  and  in  some  cases 
cruelly  beaten.  Still,  however,  reading  went  on.  The 
Baganda  teachers  were  in  hiding,  but  were  secretly  sup- 
plied with  the  necessaries  of  hfe  by  those  who  would 
not  desert  them  in  their  hour  of  need.  Tabalo,  the 
chief,  consulted  one  of  the  divines  of  Lubare  as  to  their 
whereabouts,  and  was  told  that  they  had  returned  to 
Toro,  Discovering  later,  however,  that  this  was  not 
so  and  that  he  had  been  deceived,  he  flew  into  a  violent 
passion  and  declared  that  the  Lubare  priests  were 
rogues  and  liars,  and  that  he  would  have  nothing  more 
to  do  with  them.  He  stated  further  that  the  God 
whose  followers  he  had  persecuted  was  a  God  of  Truth, 
and  that  He  should  be  his  God. 

"  The  persecuted  believers,  with  their  leaders,  came 
out  from  their  hiding  places,  and  reading  went  on 
openly  once  more.  A  church  was  built,  and  everything 
seemed  prospering  when  the  Manyema  mutineers  broke 
into  the  country  and  swept  everything  before  them. 


Chap.  32]    KEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  141 


The  church  was  burnt  as  weU  as  the  chief's  houses, 
indeed  the  whole  country  was  devastated,  and  once 
more  the  Christians  sought  refuge  in  the  long  grass. 

With  the  passing  of  the  mutineers  came  a  return 
of  prosperity,  when  they  received  another  blow  by  a 
most  unexpected  incident.  This  was  nothing  less  than 
the  arrest  of  our  old  friend  Apolo,  the  principal  teacher, 
on  a  charge  of  murder.  It  came  about  in  this  way. 
A  spear  had  been  left  outside  the  house  of  a  Christian 
woman  named  Mariamu,  in  a  most  awkward  position. 
An  alarm  of  some  sort  was  raised  outside,  and  the 
poor  woman  rushed  out,  tripped  and  fell,  impahng 
herself  on  the  spear.  The  whole  thing  was  a  pure 
accident.  Apolo,  however,  happened  to  be  passing 
near  the  spot,  and  hearing  the  groans  of  the  woman 
went  to  her  assistance.  Seeing  her  desperate  condition, 
he  called  some  men  near  by  to  come  to  his  help.  On 
seeing  what  had  happened  they  accused  him  of  murder- 
ing the  woman.  He  was  brought  before  the  chief,  who 
sent  the  prisoner  with  his  accusers  to  Toro.  Owing  to 
the  absence  of  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  district  he 
was  kept  in  prison  for  some  time,  but  on  the  arrival  of 
Captain  Sitwell  he  was  discharged  without  even  the 
formality  of  a  trial." 

It  was  at  the  same  time  that  I  thus  wrote  of  our 
two  teachers  in  Mboga,  Apolo  Kivebulaya  (now  or- 
dained) and  Sedulaka,  already  mentioned. 

"  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  speak  too  highly 
of  both  Apolo  and  Sedulaka,  our  two  teachers  at  Mboga. 
The  former  has  suffered  much  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 
He  has  had  false  accusation  more  than  once  made 
against  him.  He  has  been  in  the  chain  gang  as  well 
as  in  prison  ;  he  has  been  beaten  and  suffered  the  loss 
of  all  his  property.  Actually  while  in  prison  he  taught 
his  fellow  prisoners  to  read.    He  has  given  up  the 


142        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


comforts  of  home,  and  the  comparatively  luxurious  life 
in  Uganda,  for  the  isolation  and  hard  living  of  a 
strange  land,  and  all  that  he  may  bear  his  part  in  the 
work  of  evangelising  the  heathen. 

"  Nor  is  Sedulaka  one  whit  behind  his  fellow  in 
evangelistic  zeal.  When  he  visited  Uganda  a  short 
while  since  his  friends  said  to  him,  '  Surely  you  are 
not  going  back  to  such  an  out-of-the-way  place  as 
Mboga.'  '  Yes,  I  am,'  he  said  ;  and  when  he  persisted 
and  commenced  to  make  preparation  for  his  journey, 
they  seized  him  and  tied  him  up,  declaring  that  he  was 
a  madman.  He  managed,  however,  to  escape  from 
their  clutches  and  is  now  at  work  at  his  old  station. 
I  would  that  there  were  many  such  madmen  in  the 
world  as  Apolo  and  Sedulaka.  It  is  largely  owing 
to  their  steadfastness,  zeal,  courage,  and  fidehty  to 
their  Master  that  the  work  at  Mboga  has  assumed  its 
present  dimensions,  and  is  so  bright  with  hope  for  the 
future." 

Shortly  after  our  arrival  Buckley  commenced  the 
work  of  examining  the  candidates  for  Baptism  and 
Confirmation.  On  Wednesday,  August  24th,  thirteen 
of  the  former,  among  whom  was  Tabalo  the  chief, 
were  baptized,  and  seven  of  the  latter  received  the 
laying  on  of  hands.  It  was  a  day  of  great  joy.  The 
happiness  of  these  people  who  had  suffered  so  much 
seemed  to  be  brimming  over.  One  felt  profoundly 
thankful  at  being  permitted  to  bear  even  so  small  a 
part  in  contributing  to  their  fulness  of  joy. 

Among  those  under  instruction  we  found  two 
pygmies  of  the  forest  near  which  we  were  encamped. 
One  was  a  full-grown  woman  and  the  other  a  youth  of 
about  seventeen  years  of  age.  The  former  was  forty- 
three  inches  high  and  the  latter  thirty-eight.  It 
seemed  quite  clear  to  us  that  in  the  not  distant  future 


Chap.  32]    REVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  143 

it  might  be  possible  to  evangelise  the  pygmy  tribes 
from  Mboga  as  a  base. 

After  paying  a  visit  to  Opedi,  a  neighbouring  chief, 
at  whose  place  we  found  an  interesting  work  in  pro- 
gress, we  made  preparations  for  an  early  departure. 
We  were  leaving  behind  us  a  band  of  no  fewer  than 
two  hundred  readers,  most  of  them  reading  with  a 
view  to  Baptism.  It  was  most  touching  to  Hsten  to 
their  pleadings  that  we  should  remain  and  teach  them 
ourselves.  "  But  when  will  you  come  back  again  ?  " 
they  asked,  in  most  pathetic  accents.  We  assured 
them  that  they  would  not  be  forgotten,  and  that,  in 
the  not  distant  future,  it  might  be  found  possible  to 
send  them  a  resident  missionary. 

In  the  grey  dawn  of  the  early  morning  of  August  24th 
we  knelt  together  with  these  dear  seekers  after  God  in 
earnest  prayer,  and  having  commended  them  to  Him 
and  the  Word  of  His  Grace,  we  went  on  our  way.  Toro 
was  once  more  our  objective.  We  determined,  how- 
ever, not  to  return  by  the  road  by  which  we  had  come, 
but  to  travel  round  by  the  viUage  of  AJigangira,  a 
chief  of  considerable  importance.  It  was  not  much  out 
of  our  way,  and  we  wished  to  discover  how  he  was  dis- 
posed towards  us.  On  the  way  thither  we  had  most 
lovely  views  of  Ruwenzori  and  its  snow-clad  heights. 
It  seemed  to  rise  abruptly  from  the  plains  of  the 
Semhki  river,  and  for  the  cUmber  one  would  imagine 
the  attack  from  that  side,  the  west,  would  be  more 
likely  to  have  a  successful  issue  than  that  from  the 
east. 

Aligangira  saved  us  the  trouble  of  going  on  to  his 
village,  for  hearing  that  we  were  on  the  road  he  came 
to  meet  us.  We  found  him  friendly,  but  by  no  means 
cordial ;  nor  did  he  respond  with  any  great  alacrity 
to  our  suggestion  that  he  should  admit  teachers  to  his 


144        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


country.  He  declared  that  he  would  not  forbid  their 
coming,  and  they  should  be  quite  free  to  teach.  Bidding 
him  farewell,  we  continued  our  way  to  the  crossing  at 
the  Semliki  river.  A  delay  of  two  hours  was  involved 
in  the  perilous  task  of  getting  all  our  men  and  loads 
across,  then  onward  we  went  towards  the  high  ground 
where  we  had  decided  to  camp.  It  was,  however,  for 
me  a  difficult  task  getting  along,  fever  was  upon  me, 
and  the  last  two  hours  of  the  journey  was  a  struggle. 
My  heart  was  beating  hke  a  sledge-hammer,  and  every 
few  minutes  I  was  compelled  to  rest  by  the  roadside. 
Of  drinking  water  we  had  none  ;  and  so  with  parched 
lips  and  aching  limbs  and  fast  beating  heart  one 
struggled  along,  longing  with  an  intensity  hard  to 
describe  for  the  rest  of  camp.  At  length  a  man  whom 
we  had  sent  forward  in  search  of  water  brought  a  bowl 
of  the  most  delicious  water  I  had  ever  tasted  in  my  life. 
It  put  new  vigour  into  me,  and  brought  on  a  profuse 
perspiration  which  was  an  immense  rehef.  And  so  we 
reached  our  camp,  and  in  an  hour  or  two's  time  I  was 
in  bed  and  fairly  comfortable.  During  the  night  the 
fever  left  me,  and  by  morning  light  I  was  ready  once 
more  for  the  road. 

Two  marches  brought  us  into  Toro  once  more.  We 
found  all  well,  and  preparation  for  a  Confirmation 
service  complete.  This  was  held  on  Wednesday, 
August  31st,  when  seventy  candidates  were  presented 
to  me.  At  the  service  of  Holy  Communion  which 
followed  there  were  eighty-seven  Communicants.  On 
the  day  following  we  started  on  our  way  back  to 
Uganda. 

Travelling  by  way  of  Nakabimba  and  Bukumi,  we 
arrived  in  Mengo  on  September  16th,  having  oeen 
absent  some  two  months  and  a  half.  During  that  time 
we  had  tramped  between  seven  and  eight  hundred 


Chap.  32]    EEVIEW  OF  THE  SITUATION  145 


miles,  and  had  been  enabled  to  carry  out  our  complete 
programme  without  let  or  hindrance  of  any  kind. 

The  condition  of  the  work  in  Toro  as  we  left  it  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  statistics :  Churches,  12, 
having  seating  accommodation  for  some  3000  wor- 
shippers ;  Teachers,  local  45,  Church  Council  22,  total 
67 ;  Communicants,  100 ;  Mateka  and  Gospel  readers, 
2000 ;  Contributions  for  Church  purposes  for  nine 
months,  240,570  cowrie  shells,  value  £53. 

The  spiritual  expansion  of  Uganda,  as  evidenced 
by  these  figures  and  what  we  had  seen  during  our 
lengthened  tour,  was  a  fact  full  of  the  highest  and 
brightest  significance.  It  meant  that  there  was  life  in 
the  body — that  the  Church  of  Uganda  was  a  living 
organism,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  without  whom 
nothing  is  strong  and  nothing  holy,  was  working  out 
the  Divine  purpose  through  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
men  and  women  who,  a  few  years  before,  were  living 
in  heathen  darkness,  but  who  now,  through  grace  given 
unto  them,  had  consecrated  themselves  to  God  and 
His  blessed  service.  It  was  another  example  of  the 
great  truth  that  "  God  hatli  chosen  the  weak  things 
of  the  world  to  confound  the  things  that  are  mighty." 


II 


K 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 


EDUCATION 

'  Knowledge  comes  by  eyes  always  open  and  working  hands 
and  there  is  no  knowledge  that  is  not  power.' — Emerson. 

No  sooner  was  I  back  at  Mengo  than  I  found  myself 
engaged  in  the  discussion  of  the  question  of  a  con- 
stitution for  the  Church  of  Uganda.  That  it  was  a 
pressing  question  there  could  be  no  doubt.  The  body 
of  communicants  (some  five  thousand)  was  an  ever 
increasing  one.  There  were  nearly  a  thousand 
evangehsts  and  teachers  at  work  in  the  coimtry ; 
whilst  the  clergy — native  and  European — were  some 
thirty  in  number.  The  general  body  of  Christians — 
baptized  and  catechumen — numbered  nearly  twenty 
thousand.  The  Church  was  in  possession  of  some 
seven  hundred  churches  and  schools,  besides  thirty  or 
forty  thousand  acres  of  land. 

It  will  be  readily  acknowledged  that  for  the  proper 
control  of  such  an  organisation  something  more  in  the 
way  of  constituted  authority  was  needed  than  the 
informal  method  of  government  which  had  gradually 
grown  up  in  our  midst.  Not  that  we  were  altogether 
without  law  and  order.  Far  from  it.  But  we  had 
outgrown  our  system,  which  answered  very  well  so  long 
as  our  numbers  were  few  and  our  work  small.  Be- 
sides which  it  had  one  cardinal  defect.  It  was  an 
unrepresentative  system. 

I  have  already  referred  to  the  drafting  of  a  constitu- 
tion during  my  recent  visit  to  England.  This  docu- 
ment had  now  for  several  months  been  in  the  hands 

14(! 


Chap.  33] 


EDUCATION 


147 


of  the  missionaries,  and  on  October  5th  some  fifteen 
of  us  met  in  conference  to  consider  the  whole  subject. 

There  was  nothing  very  new  or  starthng  in  my  pro- 
posals. I  had  simply  set  down  in  writing  the  system 
of  government  which  in  course  of  time  had  grown  up  in 
the  Mission,  and  supplied  one  or  two  obvious  principles 
which  it  lacked.  The  whole  had  been  put  into  legal 
form  by  my  friend,  Mr.  G.  A.  King  (Master  in  the 
Supreme  Court). 

The  central  governing  body  of  the  Mission — the 
Mengo  Church  Council — it  will  be  remembered,  had 
been  founded  at  the  time  of  the  persecution,  when 
there  was  danger  of  the  European  missionaries  being 
driven  out  of  the  country.  When  any  vacancy  oc- 
curred it  had  been  the  custom  to  co-opt  upon  it  any 
prominent  Christian  whose  character  and  position 
commended  themselves  to  the  majority  of  the  Council. 
Europeans  and  natives  sat  together,  the  former  rather 
as  advisers  than  members.  Gradually  local  councils 
had  been  formed,  very  much  on  the  same  lines. 

As  I  have  already  suggested,  one  great  defect  there 
was  in  all  this.  The  representative  principle  was 
lacking.  That,  it  was  clear,  must  be  supplied  ;  and 
therefore  it  found  place  in  the  draft  submitted  to  the 
Conference.  The  communicant  I  proposed  should  be 
the  Elector.  The  most  difiicult  question  to  be  decided 
was  the  place  to  be  occupied  by  the  European 
missionaries,  clerical  and  lay,  as  well  also  as  the 
lady  missionaries.  Were  they  to  stand  outside  the 
constitution,  or  were  they  to  find  a  place  within  its 
limits  and  under  its  provisions  ?  That  was  the  ques- 
tion which  faced  me  as  I  set  myself  to  the  task  of  rough 
casting  my  proposals.  I  decided  unhesitatingly  on 
the  latter  principle.  I  felt,  and  still  feel,  that  all  whose 
lot  in  the  providence  of  God  is  cast  in  a  particular 


148        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

sphere  of  missionary  work  should,  as  long  as  they  are 
in  the  country,  share  in  the  fortunes  of  that  Church 
which,  through  their  instrumentality,  is  being  gathered 
out  of  heathen  darkness. 

There  are,  I  am  aware,  those  who  hold  the  contrary 
view,  and  who  say  that  the  truer  pohcy  is  for  the 
missionaries  to  remain  outside  all  Church  organisation, 
and  simply  advise  rather  than  share  in  the  government 
of  the  Church.  I  have  already  pointed  out  in  a  previous 
chapter  (Book  III.  Chapter  XVIII.)  that  this  latter 
course  imphes  the  existence  of  two  organisations — 
that  of  the  Church,  and  that  of  the  Missionary  body. 
To  any  one  acquainted  with  native  life  and  character 
it  will  at  once  be  apparent  in  w^hich  body  will  be  found 
the  controlling  force,  the  guiding  influence.  It  cannot 
but  be  a  discouragement  for  a  Church  Council  to  feel, 
as  it  will  inevitably  in  such  circumstances,  that  do 
what  it  may,  act  as  wisely  as  is  possible  in  any  given 
situation,  yet  still  its  power  is  but  a  shadow,  and  its 
influence  but  a  semblance  of  what  it  might  and  ought 
to  be.  Such  a  feeling  will  sap  effectually  all  initiative, 
and  the  life  of  the  Council  will  speedily  become  a  weak, 
feeble,  flickering  thing. 

It  should  ever  be  the  object  of  those  whose  God- 
given  task  it  is  to  assist  in  the  building  up  of  a  native 
Church,  to  develop  in  the  Councils  of  that  Church 
independence  and  initiative.  This,  I  beheve,  will  best 
be  done  by  throwing  the  fullest  possible  responsibility 
upon  the  native  organisation.  A  realised  sense  of 
responsibility  will  quicken  into  life  powers  and  quahties 
which,  duly  exercised,  will  in  course  of  time  bear  what- 
ever burden  may  be  put  upon  them  in  the  way  of 
administration  and  government.  Failures  during  the 
early  days  of  training  there  will  doubtless  be.  But 
what  of  that  ?    The  end  attained  ultimately  of  a 


Chap.  33]  EDUCATION  149 

strong  and  healthy  Church  organisation  will  more 
than  justify  the  risk  of  occasional  failure.  Besides 
which  there  will  always  be,  until  the  Church  is  able 
to  stand  alone,  the  presence  on  the  governing  body  of 
the  Missionary  element.  Its  vote  will,  comparatively 
speaking,  be  a  small  one,  but  its  voice  will  always 
carry  great  moral  weight.  This,  of  course,  should  never 
be  regarded  as  a  permanent  arrangement.  A  day  will 
come  when  the  missionary,  having  completed  his  task, 
will  pass  on  to  the  regions  beyond.  But  he  will  have 
left  behind  him  a  Church  self-supporting,  self-extending, 
and  self-governing. 

'  This  then  was  the  principle  embodied  in  my  draft 
constitution.  It,  of  course,  implied  a  good  deal  more 
than  appeared  on  the  surface,  and  raised  questions 
with  regard  to  the  position  of  laymen  and  lady 
missionaries  which  required  a  good  deal  of  threshing 
out.  It  was  not  therefore  altogether  a  surprise  to  me 
to  find  that  the  Europeans  looked  somewhat  askance 
at  my  proposals. 

The  discussion  naturally  centred  round  the  question 
as  to  whether  the  missionary  body  was  to  be  included 
within  the  limits  of  the  constitution  or  not.  There 
was  practical  unanimity  of  agreement  on  every  other 
point.  At  length  having  gauged,  through  continued 
discussion,  the  feeling  of  the  Conference,  I  withdrew 
the  draft  from  further  consideration.  I  felt  that  for 
the  successful  working,  as  well  as  the  inauguration,  of 
a  scheme  of  this  kind  practical  unanimity  was  almost 
essential,  and  as  there  seemed  no  chance  of  this  being 
attained  at  present,  I  announced  that  in  order  to  secure 
for  so  important  a  measure  that  consideration  which 
it  deserved  and  demanded,  I  proposed  to  postpone  to 
another  occasion  a  final  decision  upon  the  merits  of 
the  scheme. 


150        UGANDA  AND  EAST  ATRICA   [Book  V. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  so  far  the  native  Christians 
had  taken  no  part  in  the  discussion.  In  fact  they  had 
not  formally  been  consulted.  I  knew  that  there  was  a 
difference  of  opinion  among  the  missionaries  on  the 
main  principle  of  the  constitution,  and  felt  that  it  was 
advisable  to  come  to  an  agreement  amongst  ourselves 
on  the  point  at  issue  before  laying  the  scheme  before 
the  Church  at  large.  And  so  our  Conference  came  to 
an  end. 

The  course  of  my  story  turns  me  now  from  the  sub- 
ject of  constitution-making  to  that  of  character-making 
— in  other  words,  to  education.  For  what  after  all  is 
education  but  the  moulding  of  the  character  in  high 
and  noble  ideals.  This,  I  take  it,  is  the  ultimate  end 
and  object  of  all  true  education.  "  As  a  man  thinketh 
in  his  heart  so  is  he."  Thoughts  build  the  hfe  and 
character.  The  aim  of  every  true  educationalist  is  so  to 
train  the  child  that  he  may  think  only  such  things  as 
be  good — not  that  he  may  be  clever,  but  that  he  may 
be  good.  Not  that  he  may  pass  through  Hfe  easily,  but 
that  he  may  do  Hfe's  work  nobly.  As  Sydney  Smith 
said  :  "  When  you  see  a  child  brought  up  in  the  way 
he  should  go,  you  see  a  good  of  which  you  cannot 
measure  the  quantity  nor  perceive  the  end.  It  may  be 
communicated  to  the  children's  children  of  that  child. 
It  may  last  for  centuries.  It  may  be  communicated 
to  innumerable  individuals.  It  may  be  planting  a 
plant  and  sowing  a  seed  which  may  fill  the  land  with 
the  glorious  increase  of  righteousness,  and  bring  upon 
us  the  blessings  of  the  Almighty." 

If  hitherto  comparatively  little  had  been  done  in 
the  way  of  effective  organisation  of  education  in  Uganda, 
it  was  not  because  its  importance  had  not  been  realised 
or  had  been  lost  sight  of,  but  simply  on  account  of  the 
extreme  pressure  of  the  evangehstic  work  (our  first 


Chap.  33]  EDUCATION 


151 


work)  upon  the  all  too  insufficient  staff.  But  never- 
theless it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  first  great 
essential  (as  a  Christian  educationaUst  understands  it) 
is  a  knowledge  of  Christ,  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the 
Life,  and  that  this  had  never  been  a  subsidiary  but 
always  a  primary  aim  of  our  work  amongst  children. 
Together  with  this,  there  had  been  carried  on  from  the 
very  beginning  an  instruction  in  those  accompani- 
ments of  education  which  are  so  often  taken  for  the 
thing  itself — -reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic.  It  came 
about  in  this  wise.  For  a  long  while  the  rule  of  the 
Mission  had  been  not  to  baptize  any  one  (except  bhnd 
and  infirm  persons)  who  had  not  learned  to  read  the 
Gospels  in  the  vernacular.  Education  was  not  our 
first  object  in  making  this  rule.  It  was  made  rather  as 
a  test  of  sincerity  and  purity  of  motive.  Large  numbers 
were  coming  forward  and  asking  for  baptism.  Of  their 
life  we  knew  nothing.  They  said,  "  We  beheve,  and 
wish  to  be  baptized."  "  Very  well,"  was  our  answer, 
"  we  don't  know  you.  We  must  test  you.  We  must 
see  that  you  have  an  intelligent  knowledge  of  the  way 
of  salvation.  Here  are  the  Gospels.  We  will  teach 
you  to  read  them,  and  when  you  have  read  them  we 
shall  expect  you  to  give  an  intelligent  answer  to  the 
questions  which  we  shall  then  ask  you." 

Thus  we  repelled  none  who  were  really  in  earnest 
and  who  were  seeking  baptism  from  pure  motives. 
And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  many  thousands  acquired 
the  art  of  reading.  Many  of  these  taught  their  fellows 
and  so  the  thing  spread. 

Then  with  regard  to  the  other  two  R's — writing  and 
arithmetic — a  few  young  lads  about  the  various  Mission 
stations  were  taught  to  write  and  cypher.  These  taught 
their  friends  and  so  on.  So  rapidly  did  this  unorganised 
educational  work  spread  that  at  the  close  of  1897  it 


152 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


was  computed  that  at  least  there  were  100,000  readers 
in  the  country,  and  for  the  four  years  ending  December 
of  that  year  no  less  a  sum  than  £2116, 12s.  5d.  had  been 
received  as  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  books  and 
writing  material.  During  the  year  1898  this  ex- 
penditure had  increased  to  the  great  sum  of  £1400  for 
the  twelve  months.  This  was  paid  in  cowrie  shells  to 
the  number  of  6,300,000,  the  weight  of  which  was  about 
ten  tons  ! 

A  most  potent  factor  in  bringing  about  these  remark- 
able results  was  without  doubt  the  peculiar  aptitude 
of  the  Baganda  both  for  giving  and  receiving  in- 
struction. 

The  first  serious  attempt  at  organised  education  in 
Uganda  was  made  on  the  arrival  of  the  first  party  of 
ladies  in  1895.  Miss  Chadwick  then  commenced  a 
mixed  school  at  Namirembe,  and  Miss  Thomsett,  as 
soon  as  an  increase  in  the  staff  allowed,  miade  a  similar 
attempt  at  Gayoza  and  Miss  Bird  at  Ngogwe.  Then 
Mr.  Hattersley,  who  arrived  in  1898,  took  in  hand  with 
characteristic  energy  the  work  of  placing  on  as  sound 
a  basis  as  possible  our  whole  system  of  primary  educa- 
tion. He  had  a  high  opinion  of  the  capacity  of  the 
Baganda  children.    The  following  is  his  testimony : — 

"  It  is  a  real  pleasure  to  teach  the  majority  of  the 
children.  Their  intelligence  is  far  in  advance  of  any- 
thing I  ever  anticipated,  and  given  the  same  advantages 
they  would  compare  very  favourably  with  English 
children,  and  I  do  not  say  this  without  a  very  con- 
siderable knowledge  of  the  capabilities  of  English 
children,  gained  in  teaching  them  at  home.  It  is 
astonishing  how  quickly  the  elder  boys  learn  arith- 
metic, as  you  will  see  when  I  tell  you  that  my  first 
class  are  now  doing  such  sums  as  the  following  : 

"If  40  canoes  go  to  Usukuma  to  fetch  loads,  each 


Chap.  33]  EDUCATION  153 

canoe  carrying  12  bales — the  rate  of  pay  for  each  of 
which  is  5  rupees  plus  200  cowrie  shells  ;  the  Katikiro 
takes  of  this  one-fifth,  the  chief  of  the  canoes  takes  one- 
seventh,  another  under  chief  takes  one-twelfth  part, 
and  the  headman  takes  one  twentieth ;  each  canoe  has 
twelve  paddlers.  How  much  does  each  paddler  get 
when  the  balance  is  divided  among  them  ?  One  rupee 
=  16  annas,  or  64  pice,  or  600  cowrie  shells." 

It  will  be  readily  acknowledged  that  with  such 
material  to  work  upon,  the  education  of  the  rising 
generation  in  Uganda  was  well  worth  undertaking,  and 
presented  no  insuperable  difficulties.  Of  the  capacity 
of  the  Baganda,  if  properly  trained,  to  carry  on  schools 
of  their  own,  there  could  be  no  doubt.  It  was  merely 
a  question  of  training.  Such  training  became,  there- 
fore, the  main  feature  of  Mr.  Hattersley's  pohcy. 

The  next  step  was  to  stir  up  the  chiefs,  as  far  as 
possible,  to  a  sense  of  their  duty  with  regard  to  the 
education  of  children.  With  this  object  in  view  I  had 
an  interview  with  the  Katikiro,  and  at  his  suggestion 
paid  a  visit  to  the  Lukiko,  where  an  opportunity  was 
given  me  of  stating  to  the  assembled  chiefs  my  views 
on  the  general  question. 

The  result  was  an  immediate  increase  in  the  number 
of  children  attending  the  schools  at  our  various  centres. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1898  the  number  had  grown 
to  very  nearly  seven  hundred.  This  notable  increase, 
hopeful  as  it  was,  was  as  nothing  to  that  which  a  few 
short  years  would  suffice  to  show. 

A  sketch  of  our  educational  system  in  Uganda  would 
be  incomplete  without  some  account  of  the  industrial 
work  which  more  or  less,  since  the  days  of  Mackay,  has 
had  some  share  in  moulding  the  lives  and  characters 
of  many  of  the  Baganda. 

From  the  very  commencement  of  his  missionary 


154        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

career  it  was  the  aim  of  Mackay  to  consecrate  to  the 
service  of  God  that  high  mechanical  training  which 
Dr.  Duff,  in  writing  to  him  in  1876,  characterised  so 
distinctly  as  a  talent  entrusted  to  him  by  God,  and 
which  he  hardly  thought  would  find  sufficient  scope  in 
the  Uganda  Mission,  for  which  the  young  engineer  had 
recently  volunteered.  But  surely  no  grander  field  for 
the  industrial  missionary  was  ever  flung  open  wide  by 
the  great  Lord  of  the  Harvest  than  Uganda.  A  people 
highly  imitative,  naturally  ingenious  and  eager  to 
learn,  no  more  promising  material  could  be  found  than 
the  young  men  and  boys  who  in  the  early  days  of  the 
Mission  thronged  the  workshops  and  smithy  of  the 
young  Scotch  missionary,  who  in  his  last  letter  written 
on  the  shores  of  the  Home-land,  pleaded  with  his 
friends  that  grace  might  be  given  him  "  to  keep  steadily 
in  view  the  one  great  object,"  not  simply  the  making  of 
clever  skilled  workmen,  but  "  the  salvation  of  immortal 
souls."  The  following  entry  in  his  journal  will  show 
how  faithfully  he  kept  this  supreme  object  in  the  very 
forefront  of  his  work. 

"  All  day  occupied  with  readers  at  various  stages. 
Some  I  hear  in  their  houses,  while  others  I  take  into 
the  workshop  and  teach  them  while  I  am  busy  at  the 
vice." 

The  influence  of  Mackay 's  instruction  in  mechanics 
in  these  early  days  is  still  visible  even  at  the  time  of 
writing  (twenty  years  later).  Unhappily  his  death  in 
1890,  and  the  disturbed  condition  of  the  country,  in 
later  years  militated  against  further  organised  develop- 
ments on  the  industrial  side  of  our  educational  system 
until  1895,  when  Mr.  J.  B.  Purvis  arrived  upon  the 
scene.  It  was  under  his  auspices  that  the  industrial 
Mission  on  the  hill  of  Bulang(>  was  founded,  and  which 
in  1899  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  K.  Borup,  under 


Chap.  33]  EDUCATION  155 

whose  superintendence  it  prospered  beyond  our  most 
sanguine  anticipations.  At  the  period  of  which  I  am 
writing,  printing,  carpentering,  blacksmithing,  and 
brick-making  had  made  considerable  progress.  Young 
lads  were  being  sent  by  the  more  enhghtened  of  the 
chiefs  to  be  bound  apprentices  to  these  various  trades. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  what  relation  has  such  training 
to  the  one  great  aim  of  all  missionary  enterprise — the 
evangehsation  of  the  world  ?  If  the  term  "  evangehsa- 
tion "  simply  implies  the  bare  proclamation  of  the 
great  fundamentals  of  Christianity  and  nothing  more, 
then  I  grant  that  the  connection  is  not  very  apparent. 
But  if  we  take  the  term  to  mean  in  its  highest — and  I 
cannot  but  think  its  truest  sense — that  the  good  news 
of  the  Gospel  have  to  do  with  mind  and  body  as  well  as 
soul,  then  the  relationship  of  intellectual  and  physical 
training  to  the  great  end  and  object  of  all  missionary 
effort  becomes  very  apparent.  The  Gospel  of  Christ 
is  for  the  whole  man.  To  develop  all  the  physical, 
mental,  and  spiritual  powers  into  the  full  stature  of 
manhood  is,  or  should  be,  the  lowest  ideal  that  the 
missionary  sets  before  himself  in  his  world-wide  crusade 
for  righteousness. 

And  so  one's  earnest  desire  on  behalf  of  those 
thousands  of  souls  who  in  God's  mercy  and  love  were 
being  brought  at  this  date  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross, 
was  that  each  might  realise  the  wonderful  fulness,  as 
well  as  the  freeness,  of  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus — a  redemption  that  has  to  do  with  body  as  well 
as  mind  and  soul — and  that  with  souls  regenerated  and 
minds  renewed,  and  physical  powers  trained  to  high  and 
holy  as  well  as  skilful  service,  each  might  take  his 
share  and  nobly  play  his  part  in  the  spiritual,  political, 
commercial,  and  industrial  life  of  the  nation.  As  a 
recent  writer  has  said,  "  The  object  of  all  educational 


156        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  V. 


enterprise  should  be  to  make  men  good  men  and  con- 
stantly better  men.  This  is  only  possible  by  har- 
monising the  educational  process  with  the  highest 
national  ideals  of  the  people,  all  the  while  purifying 
and  elevating  them  till  men  shall  see  and  feel  and 
know  the  matchless  power  and  glory  that  exalts  him 
who  was  created  a  little  lower  than  the  angels.  This 
gives  him  a  dominion  over  nature  and  self — a  dominion 
that  shall  spread  and  deepen  and  ascend  till  all  created 
things  shall  join  with  all  the  human  race  in  proclaiming 
the  triumphs  of  redemption." 

Medical  missionary  work,  although  more  of  an 
evangehstic  than  an  educational  agency,  has  in  its 
results  a  distinct  value  in  fashioning  the  Christian 
character.  Heathenism  knows  nothing  of  caring  for 
the  sick  and  needy  as  one  of  the  duties  of  life.  I  well 
remember  how,  on  the  occasion  of  my  .first  visit  to 
Uganda,  when  practically  the  whole  country  was 
heathen,  in  the  midst  of  the  firing  of  guns,  which  in 
those  days  was  the  most  common  method  of  giving 
expression  to  pubHc  joy,  a  poor  woman  was  accidentally 
shot  and  her  jaw  broken.  Walker  was  called  in  to  see 
her  (there  was  no  doctor  then  in  Uganda),  and  after 
having  dressed  her  wounds  most  skilfully,  told  her 
husband  and  friends  to  feed  her  with  liquid  food.  On 
calling  the  next  day  he  found  to  his  horror  that  she 
was  being  absolutely  neglected,  and  that  not  even  her 
husband  had  ministered  to  her  necessity.  "  But  she 
will  die,"  pleaded  the  Archdeacon,  "  if  she  is  not  fed." 
"  Much  better  that  she  should  die,"  was  the  answer. 
"  She  will  never  be  of  any  use."  However,  measures 
were  taken  to  insure  proper  feeding,  and  in  a  few 
months'  time  the  woman,  although  terribly  disfigured, 
was  perfectly  well.  Apart  from  Christ  the  world 
knows  nothing  of  pity — that  divine  compassion  which 


Chap.  33] 


EDUCATION 


157 


is  akin  to  love,  and  which  beareth  all  things,  beheveth 
all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  and  endureth  all  things. 
A  Christian  without  the  element  of  pity  in  his  character 
is  Hke  a  well  without  water.  There  are  countless 
claimants  for  his  ministry,  but  there  is  no  response — 
the  well  is  dry. 

One  felt  that,  altogether  apart  from  its  value  as 
an  evangelistic  agency,  medical  missionary  work  was 
needed  to  kindle  the  spark  of  Christ-like  pity  and 
compassion,  and  to  bring  home  to  the  hearts  and  con- 
sciences of  these  Baganda  who  were  beginning  to  run 
the  Christian  course,  the  duty  and  privilege  of  minister- 
ing to  the  sick  and  suffering.  Such  a  duty  might  be 
inculcated  by  precept — indeed  all  our  Christian  teach- 
ing bore  upon  it,  but  example  is  better  than  precept. 

Bloodshed,  cruelty,  oppression,  and  wrong  had  been 
the  characteristics  of  the  old  days  in  Uganda,  and 
now  —  and  now  pity,  compassion,  love,  Christlike 
tenderness  in  dealing  with  every  phase  of  suffering 
were  to  be  characteristic  of  the  new  days — the  new 
era  which  had  now  dawned  upon  the  country. 

And  so  one  welcomed  the  founding  of  the  Medical 
Mission  by  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook  in  1897,  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made  (Book  III.  Chap.  VII.).  Prior 
to  that  date  very  little  progress  had  been  made  in 
organised  medical  work.  Dr.  Felkin  in  the  early  days 
had  spent  a  few  brief  months  in  the  country,  but 
was  driven  home  by  ill-health.  Dr.  Gaskoin  Wright 
(1891-2)  was  also  invalided  after  a  somewhat  longer 
term  of  service.  Dr.  Baxter,  on  the  occasion  of  two 
or  three  visits  of  several  months'  duration,  had  been 
enabled  to  do  some  useful  work.  Dr.  Rattray,  too, 
while  on  a  similar  visit,  had  done  good  service.  But 
not  until  Dr.  Cook's  arrival  was  any  serious  attempt 
made  to  grapple  with  the  needs  of  the  work  as  a  whole. 


158        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

The  hospital  which  in  June  1897  had  been  solemnly 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  God  was  soon  found  to  be 
too  small,  and  in  the  month  of  November  it  was  en- 
larged. Many  of  those  wounded  at  Luba's,  and  other 
centres  of  the  mutiny,  were  brought  in  for  treatment 
and  some  made  wonderful  recoveries,  "  One  man  was 
brought  with  his  coUar  bone  smashed  by  a  bullet, 
which  had  also  perforated  his  lung  and  chipped  off 
part  of  his  vertebral  column,  but  he  made  an  excellent 
recovery.  Another  who  had  been  hit  by  three  bullets 
and  underwent  five  operations  while  he  was  in  the 
hospital,  eventually  left  able  to  walk,  though  with  a 
stiff  leg,  as  his  left  knee  joint  had  been  shattered." 

The  work  thus  launched  was  destined,  as  we  shall 
see  later,  to  assume  very  large  dimensions,  spreading  to 
Toro,  Bunyoro,  Busoga,  and  indeed  every  centre  of  a 
province  or  outlying  country  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  Protectorate. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 


NASA 

'  In  the  still  air  the  music  lies  unheard  : 

In  the  rough  marble  beauty  hides  unseen  ; 
To  make  the  music  and  the  beauty  needs 

The  Master's  touch,  the  sculptor's  chisel  keen.' 

HORATIUS  BONAK. 

The  Conference  over,  I  was  free  to  pay  my  long 
promised  visit  to  Nasa.  The  steam-launch  Ruwen- 
zori  which  the  Record  Fund  had  provided  us  with, 
was  now,  I  found,  available,  and  it  was  with  no  little 
pleasure  that  on  October  24:th  I  embarked  at  Munyonyo 
on  a  voyage  which  I  fondly  hoped  would  have  infinitely 
less  discomfort  in  it  than  a  journey  by  canoe ;  but  I 
was  reckoning  without  my  host,  as  will  be  seen  later. 
Martin  Hall  was  my  companion  in  travel,  a  man 
named  Saxton  the  engineer-in-charge,  and  three  or 
four  Baganda  acted  as  firemen,  stokers,  and  general 
helpers. 

It  was  cheering  to  hear  the  steam-whistle  echoing 
and  re-echoing  among  the  wooded  hills  of  Murchison 
Creek.  The  sound  of  the  engines,  too,  in  their  eager 
throb  stimulated  the  imaginative  faculties.  One 
thought  of  the  way  in  which  at  home  to  take  one's 
seat  on  board  a  steamer  was  almost  equivalent  to 
finding  oneself  at  one's  destination.  You  never  dreamt 
that  it  would  be  otherwise.  It  was  simply  submission 
to  the  mighty  power  of  steam  and  the  thing  was  done — 
the  journey  over. 

169 


160         UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

And  so  I  hoj3ed  it  would  be  on  this  journey  to  Nasa, 
and  took  my  place  in  the  not  too  roomy  cabin  with  a 
sense  of  satisfaction  not  easy  to  describe.  Alas  !  the 
evanescence  of  human  hopes  !  We  had  been  going  for 
something  Hke  an  hour  at  a  very  fair  speed  when  a 
peculiar  hissing  sound  struck  my  ear.  At  the  same 
time  I  noticed  that  our  speed  had  sensibly  diminished. 
Glancing  at  the  steam-gauge  I  saw  that  instead  of 
registering  110°  it  was  down  to  80°;  something  was 
wrong  with  the  boiler.  Inquiry  soon  revealed  the 
truth.  The  tubes  were  leaking  and  the  fire  was  being 
extinguished.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  make 
for  Entebbe,  which  was  not  far  ofi,  and  to  hope  that 
repairs  might  be  feasible,  so  that  a  fresh  start  might 
be  made  the  next  morning.  Happily  this  was  found 
to  be  possible,  but  our  confidence  had  received  a  rude 
shock.  It  w^as  clear  that  the  voyage  would  not  aU 
be  plain  sailing.  At  one  time  we  were  gliding  along 
happily  enough  under  the  lee  of  one  of  those  beautiful 
islands  which  are  the  glory  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 
At  another,  venturing  into  the  open  sea,  we  got  such 
a  knocking  about  that  we  were  only  too  glad  of  an 
excuse  to  seek  the  shelter  of  another  island.  Even 
when  the  open  water  was  calm  there  was  always  the 
danger  of  one  of  those  sudden  storms  springing  up  for 
which  the  Victoria  Nyanza  has  an  evil,  and  only  too 
well  merited,  reputation.  One  such  storm  burst  upon 
us  just  as  we  were  nearing  the  Kome  group  of  islands 
in  the  south-west.  Happily  we  were  able  to  get  some 
shelter  in  a  rockbound  bay.  But  even  there  our 
position  was  one  of  extreme  peril.  Both  anchors  were 
down,  but  the  raging  of  the  storm  obliged  us  to  keep 
the  engines  going.  Torrents  of  rain  were  falhng,  and 
what  with  the  crashing  of  the  thunder,  and  the  roaring 
of  the  waves,  as  they  broke  with  columns  of  spray 


Chap.  34] 


NASA 


161 


upon  the  rocks  by  which  we  were  surrounded,  we 
seemed  to  be  in  the  midst  of  a  very  pandemonium. 
Nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the  dim  outline  of  rocks, 
and  the  waves  around  lashed  into  fury  by  wind,  rain, 
and  hail.  If  the  anchors  failed  us,  there  was  nothing 
but  disaster,  ruin,  and  death  before  us.  It  was  with 
no  little  anxiety,  therefore,  that  one  waited  for  some 
indication  of  the  fury  of  the  storm  being  spent.  At 
length  it  was  vouchsafed  :  suddenly  the  wind  shifted 
and  commenced  to  blow  off  shore,  the  clouds  broke, 
the  rain  grew  lighter,  the  thunder  rolled  away  into  the 
distance,  the  waves  went  down,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm — in  the  bay  at  least.  The  crew  came  out  from 
their  hiding-places,  the  stokers  replenished  the  furnaces, 
the  engines  were  oiled,  and  once  more  we  started  on 
our  way,  thankful  to  God  for  a  merciful  deliverance 
from  imminent  peril. 

Mwanza  was  reached  on  the  1st  of  November,  and 
on  the  4th,  to  our  great  rehef,  we  steamed  to  the  land- 
ing-place at  Nasa.  The  journey  had  taken  us  exactly 
eleven  days,  one  day  less  than  the  time  occupied  on  a 
previous  occasion  when  travelHng  in  canoes. 

As  a  sphere  of  missionary  work  Nasa  is  a  great  con- 
trast to  Uganda.  The  intellectual  capacity  of  the 
Wasukuma  differs  as  completely  from  that  of  the 
Baganda  as  the  physical  aspect  of  the  country  con- 
trasts with  the  more  favoured  land  north  of  the  great 
Lake.  In  the  latter  you  have  green  hills,  deep  dark 
forests  and  luxuriant  banana  groves  without  end, 
everything  in  fact  which  tells  of  life  and  vigorous 
growth.  And  the  people  are  hke  the  land  in  which 
they  dwell — bright,  quick,  clever,  and  vigorous.  You 
feel  as  you  come  in  contact  with  them  that  they  are 
in  harmony  with  the  conditions  of  life  by  which  thoy 
are  surrounded,  that  their  environment  accounts  for 

II  L 


162        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


many  of  their  characteristics.  But  in  the  country 
south  of  the  Lake,  rocks  and  scorched  vegetation,  arid 
plains  and  dry  river  beds  are  the  chief  characteristics, 
everything  in  fact  indicating  a  struggle  for  existence. 
And  here  again  we  found  the  people  in  harmony  with 
their  environment — the  Wasukuma  are  of  a  simple 
kindly  nature,  but  not  keen  intellectually.  It  seems 
almost  as  though  the  severity,  not  to  say  the  hopeless- 
ness of  the  conflict  with  the  hard  conditions  under 
which  they  live  had  gradually  induced  such  an 
apathetic  state  of  mind  as  to  lead  to  an  atrophy  of 
the  higher  mental  faculties.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the 
fact  remains  that  from  an  intellectual  standpoint  the 
Wasukuma  and  kindred  races  south  of  the  Lake  are 
vastly  inferior  to  the  tribes  dwelling  on  the  northern 
and  western  shores  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 

Although  possessing  large  herds  of  cattle,  yet  when 
the  crop  of  "  mtama  "  (millet) — the  staple  food  of  the 
people — fails,  the  result,  owing  to  an  absolute  lack  of 
stored  provision,  is  widespread  ruin  and  disaster.  But 
besides  this  living  from  "  hand  to  mouth,"  so  to  speak, 
which  is  a  constant  peril,  there  is  the  ever  present 
danger  of  raids  from  such  hostile  tribes  as  the  Masai. 
It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  these  ubiquitous  warriors 
to  be  in  a  certain  place  one  day  and  the  next  to  be 
sixty  or  seventy  miles  away — burning,  slaying,  and 
ravaging  the  whole  country  side.  On  more  than  one 
occasion,  within  my  own  experience,  Nasa  has  been 
thus  raided,  and  the  whole  country  round  with  its 
numerous  villages  made  a  desolation.  It  can  hardly 
be  wondered  at  that  with  such  drawbacks,  and  apart 
from  physical  causes,  the  people  in  course  of  time 
should  have  sunk  back  into  an  apathetic  and  sluggish 
condition  of  mind.  The  marvel  is  not  that  there 
should  have  been  so  little  advance  in  missionary  work 


Chap.  34]  NASA  163 

during  the  ten  years  since  the  station  at  Nasa  was 
founded,  but  that  in  such  circumstances  there  should 
have  been  any  progress  at  all. 

And  yet  very  real  progress  had  been  made,  as  was 
apparent  the  moment  we  landed.  A  large  number  of 
young  men  and  boys  met  us,  and  with  many  expressions 
of  joy  at  our  coming,  led  the  way  to  the  Mission  station, 
where  we  were  sorry  to  find  Force  Jones  down  with  an 
attack  of  blackwater  fever,  but  cheerful  and  bright  in 
the  midst  of  his  weakness. 

One  could  see  in  a  moment  what  the  Gospel  had 
done  for  these  young  people  who  gathered  about  us 
with  their  warm-hearted  greetings.  It  had  sharpened 
their  intellect,  brightened  their  life,  and  imparted  to 
their  whole  being  a  new  character  altogether.  Indif- 
ference had  given  place  to  interest,  apathy  to  energy, 
idleness  to  industry,  and  self-indulgence  to  self-denial. 
As  one  compared  them  with  the  heathen  around,  one 
felt  that  they  were  verily  "  a  new  creation."  One  of 
the  principal  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the  work  at 
Nasa  has  been  the  attitude  of  the  chief,  Kapongo. 
Outwardly  friendly,  he  is  and  has  been  from  the  first 
secretly  hostile.  His  influence  over  his  people  is 
dependent  upon  his  reputation  as  a  "  rain  maker." 
He  sees  clearly  enough  that  Christianity  and  rain 
making  are  incompatible.  He  therefore  rejects  what 
he  regards  as  a  shadow  and  grasps  what  he  beheves  to 
be  the  substance.  And  yet  he  would  fain  stand  well 
with  the  Europeans.    Hence  his  double  face. 

He  came  to  see  me  the  day  after  my  arrival,  and  the 
same  afternoon  I  returned  his  visit.  A  kraal  within  a 
kraal  is  the  best  description  I  can  give  you  of  his  village. 
Pitched  on  a  low-lying  piece  of  ground,  in  the  rainy 
season  it  is  httle  better  than  an  island  in  the  midst  of  a 
swamp.    Even  when  the  rains  are  lessening,  the  con- 


164        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

tinual  movement  of  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats  makes  the 
place  a  veritable  quagmire. 

Plentifully  besmeared  with  grease,  and  with  an 
abundance  of  neck,  arm,  and  leg  ornaments  of  ivory, 
brass,  and  ostrich  shell,  the  old  man — for  he  is  now 
getting  on  in  years  —  is  a  typical  Usukuma  chief, 
quite  one  of  the  old  school.^ 

Seating  ourselves  on  stools,  which  to  my  great  rehef 
were  placed  outside  and  not  inside  the  hut,  and  in 
the  shade  of  the  capacious  doorway,  I  at  once  broached 
the  subject  of  freedom  for  the  children  of  Nasa  to 
attend  our  schools.  Wright,  who  by  this  time  had 
acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  language,  acted  as 
my  interpreter.  "  Do  I  hinder  them  from  coming  ?  " 
was  the  retort  of  the  chief.  Of  course  I  could  not  say 
that  it  was  through  his  influence  they  abstained  from 
coming,  but  I  urged  in  answer  to  his  question  that  he 
should  use  his  influence  in  persuading  them  to  come — 
that  there  was  now  an  opportunity  afforded  them  of 
learning  that  which,  in  time  to  come,  would  be  of 
priceless  value,  and  that  as  a  chief  who  cared  for  his 
people  it  was  his  duty  to  do  his  utmost  for  them,  and 
so  on.  I  then  urged  upon  him  a  personal  acceptance 
of  that  salvation  of  which  now  for  many  years  he  had 
heard  preached — the  day  of  opportunity  would  soon 
pass,  and  that  he  was  doing  himself  a  great  wrong  by 
turning  his  back  upon  the  goodness  and  love  of  God. 
Thus  I  pleaded  with  him,  and  not  without  response. 
But  how  far  the  heart  was  touched  as  he  assented  to 
all  my  arguments  is  more  than  I  can  say. 

On  Sunday,  November  7th,  I  confirmed  twenty-six 
candidates  who  were  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  Wright. 
Of  these,  two  were  Baganda  women — wives  of  teachers 
who,  at  considerable  self-sacrifice,  had  left  their  homes 

'  Since  this  was  written  the  news  has  come  of  tlie  death  of  Kapoago. 


Chap.  34] 


NASA 


165 


in  Uganda  for  this  missionary  enterprise  south  of  the 
Lake.  Baganda  evangelists — men  like  Nasanieri  Mudeka 
and  Yusufu  Mukasa — have  done  what  no  European 
missionary  has  ever  had  it  in  his  power  to  do.  They 
have  shown  the  Wasukuma  that  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
is  for  the  black  man  as  well  as  for  the  white,  and  that 
it  is  possible  for  the  African  to  live  a  life  of  self-sacri- 
fice and  self-denial.  The  Baganda  have  been  a  great 
object-lesson  to  the  Wasukuma. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  sights  at  Nasa  is  the 
gathering  together  every  Sunday  morning  of  some 
five  or  six  hundred  heathen  in  the  large  church  for  an 
evangelistic  service  ;  there  they  sit  in  all  their  savage 
finery.  This  man  has  upon  his  arms  heavy  rings  of 
ivory,  and  upon  his  wrists  similar  ones  of  brass — you 
wonder  how  they  got  there,  they  fit  so  tightly;  that 
man  is  decorated  with  a  necklace  of  shells  cut  or 
ground  into  various  shapes,  and  on  every  side  there 
are  spears  and  shields  and  knobkerries  without  end. 
The  women,  too,  of  whom  there  are  a  goodly  number, 
are  resplendent  in  beads  and  brass,  and  all,  men  and 
women  ahke,  are  shining  with  grease,  the  air  is  redolent 
with  it.  The  whole  scene  is  suggestive  in  the  extreme 
of  savage  heathenism,  old  customs  still  tenaciously 
clung  to,  and  old  superstitions  still  beheved  in,  for 
every  soul  present  has  some  heathen  charm  about  his 
person,  either  on  neck,  arm,  or  leg. 

One  longs  to  dive  deep  down  into  their  minds,  and 
to  know  of  what  they  are  thinking,  as  they  sit  there 
listening  apparently  with  all  their  ears  to  the  truths  of 
the  Gospel  set  before  them,  in  simple  language  in  their 
own  tongue,  by  the  white  man  from  the  far  off  land, 
and  impressed  upon  them  still  further  by  questions  as 
to  the  facts  of  the  life  and  death  of  Christ  their  Saviour, 
of  which  they  have  just  been  hearing.    One  cannot 


166        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

but  believe  that  into  some  heart  some  word  of  truth 
may  fall,  and  as  "  good  seed  sown  in  good  ground  " 
bring  forth  fruit  to  God's  glory  in  a  changed  life  and 
consecrated  will.    One  knows  how 

'  In  each  heart  of  hearts  a  hidden  deep  lies, 
Never  fathomed  by  its  dearest,  best.' 

And  one  knows,  too,  how  the  "Word  of  God  meets  the 
soul-need  of  every  child  of  man.  But  it  is  difficult 
indeed,  even  for  the  experienced  missionary,  to  say 
how  it  is  brought  about,  and  how  the  need  is  met,  and 
what  it  is  that  stirs  the  "  hidden  deep."  All  that  he 
can  say  is,  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and 
thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell 
whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth:  so  is  every 
one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit." 

And  if  the  sight  of  such  a  multitude  of  souls  in  all 
their  ruin  and  degradation,  "  sitting  in  darkness  and 
the  shadow  of  death,"  stirs  the  heart  of  the  onlooker 
to  its  nethermost  depths,  so,  too,  does  the  sight,  seen 
in  many  another  place  besides  Nasa,  of  the  sohtary 
witness  to  the  love  and  power  of  God  appeal  to  one's 
deepest  emotions.  It  is  a  position  of  singular  glory 
and  solemn  responsibility.  There  he  stands — alone — 
the  only  witness  to  the  love  of  God  in  all  that  vast 
region.  Around  him  are  all  the  principalities  and 
powers  of  darkness, 

'  Mustering  their  unseen  array.' 

Humanly  speaking  the  salvation  of  multitudes  of  im- 
mortal souls  depends  upon  him,  his  steadfastness,  his 
courage,  his  faithfulness.    He  is 

'  One  man  against  a  stone-walled  city  of  sin.' 

Verily  it  is  a  sight  for  men  and  angels  !  How  such  a 
spectacle  should  stimulate  us  in  prayer,  deepen  our 


Chap.  34]  NASA  167 

sympathies,  brighten  our  hopes,  and  strengthen  our 
faith. 

And  thus  one  felt  with  regard  to  the  lonely  Mission 
at  Nasa,  and  the  faithful  witness  that  was  being  borne 
by  that  httle  band  of  missionaries  (just  two  men  and 
no  more  in  all  that  vast  field)  to  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

Another  interesting  sight  to  be  seen  at  Nasa  and 
the  villages  around  is  that  of  the  schools  with  all  their 
infinite  possibilities. 

The  more  one  considers  the  ccirumstances  of 
Usukuma,  and  the  conditions  of  life  which  obtain 
there — the  sin,  the  superstitions,  the  baleful,  not  to 
say  bestial,  habits  of  the  people — the  more  the  con- 
viction is  borne  in  upon  one's  mind  that  the  great 
hope  for  the  future  of  the  country  lies  in  work  amongst 
the  children.  God  forbid  that  we  should  despair  of 
winning  the  souls  of  the  young  men  and  women,  the 
middle-aged  or  even  the  aged.  To  them  the  Gospel 
must  bo  preached.  It  is,  we  know,  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  able  to  quicken  into  life  the  most  de- 
graded and  hardened  of  sinners.  God  forbid  that  we 
should  doubt  it  for  a  single  moment.  But  still  when 
we  think  of  the  seared  consciences,  the  bulnted  sus- 
ceptibilities, the  dulled  faculties,  the  crystallised  habits 
of  a  lifetime,  of  the  great  mass  of  the  adult  population, 
and  compare  them  with  the  susceptible  hearts,  the 
bright  intelligence,  the  keen  faculties  and  the  tender 
consciences  of  the  children,  we  see  in  a  moment  on 
which  side  the  possibilities  lie.  To  lay  ourselves  out, 
therefore,  to  win  the  children  is  to  my  mind  the  wisest 
policy  to  pursue  in  seeking  to  evangelise  all  such 
countries  as  Usukuma  and  Unyamwezi.  Let  us  never 
grow  weary  of  proclaiming  the  "  unsearchable  riches 


168        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 


of  Christ "  to  all  aUke — the  old  as  well  as  the  young, 
the  sick  as  well  as  the  whole,  the  maimed,  the  halt, 
and  the  blind  as  well  as  the  vigorous  and  strong,  but 
let  us  see  to  it  that  we  never  relax  our  most  earnest 
efforts  to  win  the  children  for  the  Saviour. 

The  journey  back  to  Uganda  was  accomplished 
partly  in  the  steam-launch  and  partly  in  canoes. 
Shortly  after  leaving  Nasa  (in  the  bay  of  Magu)  the 
boiler  of  the  launch  broke  down  once  more.  Having 
no  sailing-gear  we  were  at  the  mercy  of  winds  and 
waves.  Steering  was  an  impossibility,  there  was  no 
way  on  the  boat.  We  must  either  drift,  possibly  on 
to  the  rocks,  or  in  some  way  or  another  get  steerage 
way  on  the  vessel.  Happily  the  ridge  pole  of  my  tent 
was  without  joints.  This  was  rigged  up  as  a  mast. 
An  Edgington  canvas  cover  for  my  loads  provided  a 
sail.  There  was  a  fair  wind,  and  to  our  great  delight 
we  were  able  to  steer  our  crippled  boat  into  a  haven 
of  refuge.  Here  repairs  were  effected  during  the  night. 
The  next  day  we  reached  Kagei ;  here,  it  will  be  re- 
membered. Dr.  Smith  of  the  first  expedition  to  Uganda 
died  on  May  11,  1877. 

A  thorough  examination  of  the  boiler  tubes  revealed 
the  necessity  for  further  repairs.  It  was  evident  that 
we  were  in  for  a  delay  of  three  or  four  days  at  least. 
However,  on  the  second  day  after  our  arrival,  a  fleet 
of  Uganda  canoes,  in  charge  of  my  old  friend  Danieri 
Kaganda,  entered  the  bay.  "  Now,"  I  thought,  "  is 
my  opportunity  I  am  sick  of  these  continual  delays 
and  these  leaky  tubes.  I  will  give  the  steam-launch 
the  slip,  and  make  my  way  back  to  Uganda  in  a  canoe." 
Danieri  gave  us  two  of  his  largest  and  best-manned 
canoes,  and  having  said  "  Good-bye  "  to  the  Ruirenzori 
we  started  on  the  long  pull  to  Uganda.  The  men  were 
glad  at  the  prospect  of  getting  back  to  tlicir  homes 


Chap.  34]  NASA  169 

sooner  than  they  expected,  and  so  paddled  with  a  will, 
beguiling  the  monotony  of  their  toil  with  songs,  telling 
of  the  perils  of  past  days,  and  expatiating  on  the  joys 
of  the  present.  And  so  past  Juma's  isle  and  on  to 
Kome  and  Soswa  we  went  in  almost  record  time. 
There  was  a  fair  wind  behind  us  and  willing  arms  on 
board  of  us.  Five  and  a  half  days  brought  us  to 
Bukoba  on  the  Kiziba  coast.  Two  more  days  and  we 
were  in  sight  of  Sese.  Then  on  we  went  past  Kaganda's 
and  Jana  until  Bulago  was  reached.  So  far  we  had 
seen  or  heard  nothing  of  the  steam-launch.  We  were 
now  within  a  few  hours  of  our  destination.  It  was 
with  no  little  interest  that  we  looked  forward  to  our 
arrival  at  Munyonyo.  Should  we  find  the  Ruivenzori 
there  or  not  ?  Has  she  passed  us,  or  was  she  still 
lagging  behind  ?  These  were  questions  keenly  debated 
as  we  drew  near  to  our  goal. 

Happening  to  look  seaward  while  following  the  flight 
of  what  looked  like  a  fish  eagle,  I  caught  sight  of  a 
column  of  smoke  on  the  horizon.  "  Yonder  she  is  !  " 
I  exclaimed.  Immediately  the  canoe  went  forward 
with  a  rush.  The  paddlers  were  determined  not  to  be 
beaten.  Dashing  with  his  paddle  the  water  high  into  the 
air  and  flinging  it  far  behind  him  the  steersman  broke 
into  a  familiar  boat  song.  The  chorus  was  quickly 
caught  up.  And  so  with  the  rhythm  of  song,  and  the 
perfect  time  kept  with  the  paddle,  and  the  swinging 
bodies  of  the  crew,  we  swept  on  our  way.  Gradually 
the  steam-launch  gained  upon  us,  until  at  length  we 
were  able  to  make  out  the  figures  of  those  on  board. 
But  we  were  now  at  the  edge  of  the  reed  lining  of 
the  shore.  A  few  minutes  more  and  our  little  craft 
grounded  on  the  sand  and  we  were  at  the  haven  of  our 
desires. 

With  the  shrill  cry  of  the  whistle  and  the  panting 


170        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA  [Book  V. 


of  the  engines,  with  the  rushing  of  steam  the  launch 
ghded  to  her  anchorage  some  ten  minutes  behind  us. 
The  canoe  had  won  the  race  and  steam-power  for  once 
was  beaten. 

And  so  the  visit,  long  looked  forward  to,  to  Nasa 
came  to  an  end,  and  we  found  ourselves  once  more 
back  at  Namirembe,  the  centre  of  all  our  Mission 
work. 

The  next  few  weeks  were  taken  up  with  visits  to 
Gayaza,  Nakanj'onyi,  and  Ngogwe.  Confirmations  were 
held  at  each  place.  Candidates  to  the  number  of 
526  were  confirmed,  interviews  with  teachers  were 
arranged,  and  the  thousand  and  one  matters  which 
crop  up  on  the  occasion  of  such  visits  were  gone  into 
and  settled.  Then  on  St.  Thomas'  Day  came  the 
Ordination  of  H.  W.  Tegart  to  the  Priesthood. 

The  year  closed  with  the  arrival  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gordon  and  Fisher  from  England. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 


THE  DYING  CENTURY 

'  The  Present,  the  Present  is  all  thou  hast, 
For  thy  sure  possessing  ; 
Like  the  Patriarch's  angel,  hold  it  fast 
Till  it  gives  its  blessing.' 

Whittier. 

The  New  Year,  the  last  of  the  century,  was  ushered 
in  by  a  week  of  united  prayer.  Special  addresses  were 
given  each  day  by  various  members  of  the  Mission. 
Earnest  was  the  pleading  at  the  "  Throne  of  Grace," 
that  a  very  special  blessing  might  be  vouchsafed  to 
us  and  our  work  during  the  remaining  months  of  a 
century  of  marked  missionary  progress  throughout  the 
world.  Wonderfully  was  this  prayer  answered,  as  will 
be  seen  hereafter  in  the  opening  up  of  two  of  the  sur- 
rounding countries — Nkole  and  Bunyoro — to  the  Gospel 
of  Christ. 

On  January  29th  (Septuagesima  Sunday)  came  the 
Ordination  (long  looked  forward  to)  of  five  native 
deacons  and  four  native  priests.  This  brought  the 
number  of  ordained  natives  up  ta  fifteen,  of  whom 
seven  were  priests  and  eight  deacons.  Fisher  received 
Deacons  Orders  on  the  same  occasion. 

The  way  was  now  clear  for  me  to  start  on  a  long 
contemplated  journey  to  Bunyoro.  It  appeared  to  me 
and  others  that  the  time  had  now  come  for  the  evange- 
lisation of  that  long  down-trodden  country,  and  the 
commencement  of  direct  missionary  work.  Several 
attempts  during  the  last  years  had  been  made  to  obtain 

171 


172        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


a  footing,  and  to  arouse  an  interest  in  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  Fisher  when  stationed  in  North  Singo  had 
crossed  the  Kafu  river,  in  which,  by  the  way,  owing  to 
the  strength  of  the  current,  he  was  nearly  drowned, 
and  had  penetrated  as  far  as  Kahora,  Kabarega's 
former  capital.  There  he  had  planted  one  or  two 
Baganda  evangelists,  and  had  managed  so  far  to  in- 
terest Byabachwezi,  one  of  the  principal  chiefs,  as  to 
get  him  to  build  a  church. 

By  this  time  Mwanga  and  Kabarega  had  been  driven 
from  the  country,  and  were  now  in  hiding  in  Bukedi, 
a  little  known  country  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Nile. 
Kitaimba,  one  of  Kabarega's  sons,  a  youth  about 
twelve  years  of  age,  had  for  some  time  been  hving  in 
Mengo ;  him  the  Government  decided  to  make  king 
of  Bunyoro  in  the  place  of  his  father. 

Early  in  September  1898  he  started  for  Masindi,  his 
new  capital.  Passing  through  Kisitala  in  Bulemezi 
he  was  there  found  on  the  10th  by  ]\Ir.  Lewin,  who  de- 
termined to  accompany  him  to  Bunyoro.  The  latter 
decided  also  to  take  with  him  Tomasi  Semfuma,  one 
of  our  most  trustworthy  evangelists.  The  journey 
occupied  some  eight  days.  Lewin  received  a  warm 
welcome  from  the  people,  who  at  once  manifested  an 
eager  desire  for  instruction.  A  church  of  reeds  and 
grass  was  soon  run  up,  and  a  daily  attendance  of  some 
eighty  souls  gladdened  the  heart  of  the  missionary. 
Leaving  Tomasi  Semfuma  to  carry  on  the  work,  Lewin 
returned  to  his  station  in  Bulemezi,  reporting  to  me 
that  in  North  Bunyoro  at  any  rate  there  was  an  open 
door  which  ought  as  soon  as  possible  to  be  entered. 
To  crown  all,  a  letter  with  a  piteous  appeal  came  to  me 
from  the  king  Kitaimba.  "  Why  remain  in  Uganda 
only  ?  "  he  wrote.  "  When  I  was  there,  in  Uganda,  I 
saw  that  the  light  had  spread.    But  what  about  me  ? 


Chap.  35]       THE  DYING  CENTURY  173 

Do  you  not  think  of  my  country  ?  Do  you  not  know 
that  it  is  a  very  dark  one.  I  want  both  the  Bible  and 
the  Prayer  Book  very  much.  My  friend,  the  Bishop, 
I  beseech  you  to  send  a  European  to  teach  me." 

Yes !  Bunyoro  was  truly  in  a  pitiful  condition. 
War  and  rebellion  had  been  followed  by  plague,  pesti- 
lence, and  famine.  The  food  supply  of  the  country, 
poor  at  the  best,  was  now  perilously  near  starvation 
point.  Cultivation  had  almost  ceased.  The  people 
were  without  heart,  without  hope,  because  they  were 
without  God. 

"  Do  you  not  know,"  wrote  the  king,  "  that  my 
country  is  a  very  dark  one."  Yes  !  it  was  dark  indeed. 
The  ancient  superstition  of  the  people  still  held  sway. 
Mr.  Fisher  thus  describes  it : — 

"  The  Munyoro  beheves  in  a  great  devil  called 
Byachwezi  and  his  ten  Angels,  called  (1)  Nyabuzana, 
(2)  Kyomya,  (3)  Kugolo,  (4)  Mulendwa,  (5)  Ndausa, 
(6)  Ebona,  (7)  Mugenye,  (8)  Mukasa,  (9)  Lubanga, 
(10)  NamutaU.  When  these  angels  were  consulted  the 
priest  placed  on  his  head  the  crown  pecuhar  to  each, 
otherwise  the  oracle  was  dumb.  The  ritual  of  devil 
worship  in  Bunyoro  was  most  horrible.  Propitiation 
at  the  favourable  time  was  the  remedy  for  every  evil 
or  disaster.  This  took  the  form  of  (a)  human  sacrifice, 
(6)  cutting  with  sharp  knives,  (c)  burning  with  fire, 
(d)  extracting  teeth  from  the  lower  jaw  that  the  life, 
the  blood,  the  smoke  of  human  flesh  and  the  dedica- 
tion of  human  teeth  might  turn  the  great  devil  from 
his  stern  purpose. 

"  The  moment  a  baby  is  born  it  is  scarred  with  a 
sharp  knife  and  dedicated  to  the  devil.  If  it  has  a 
pain  in  the  head  or  chest  and  cries,  the  devil  is  angry, 
and  the  httle  creature  is  burned  with  a  red  hot  iron  on 
the  head  and  chest  that  the  human  smoke  may  drive 


174        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


away  '  Lubare.'  When  the  poor  baby's  teeth  arrive, 
instead  of  being  a  cause  of  dehght  to  the  mother,  she 
painfully  extracts  them.  Amongst  my  daily  patients 
is  a  little  girl  with  a  deep  wound  in  her  forehead,  caused 
by  her  mother  firing  a  blunt  arrow  at  the  child's  head 
that  she  might  draw  the  blood  and  cure  the  pain." 

Such  was  Bunyoro  when  I  decided  to  visit  it,  and 
to  see  for  myself  whether  the  time  had  come  for  the 
permanent  occupation  of  the  country.  As  it  was  so 
lately  in  rebelhon,  and  was  still  in  parts  greatly  dis- 
turbed, it  was  necessary  to  obtain  the  sanction  of  the 
Acting  Commissioner  (Colonel  Ternan)  for  the  journey. 
This  was  readily  accorded,  and  having  invited  Mr. 
Fisher  to  accompany  me,  I  started  on  February  11th 
for  Waluleta,  some  five-and-twenty  miles  away.  The 
day  was  hot  and  the  journey  long,  the  hills  were  steep 
and  the  swamps  were  deep.  It  was  therefore  with  no 
little  pleasure  that  some  six  miles  from  my  destination 
I  met  some  messengers  from  the  Kangawo  (Zakaria 
Kizito)  with  a  horse.  To  save  me  further  fatigue  he 
had  sent  it  most  kindly  to  my  assistance. 

A  quiet  and  restful  Sunday  was  spent  at  Waluleta. 
A  Confirmation  service  was  held,  when  ninety-two 
candidates  were  presented  and  received  the  laying  on 
of  hands.  At  Kisitala,  where  we  arrived  on  the  follow- 
ing day  (February  14th),  a  similar  service  had  been 
arranged,  and  no  fewer  than  one  hundred  and  twenty 
men  and  women  were  confirmed. 

Having  said  "  good-bye  "  to  our  old  friend  Samwili 
Mukasa  (the  chief  of  the  place)  and  the  warm-hearted 
crowds  which  thronged  around  us,  we  started  on  our 
four  days'  march  to  Kisalizi,  the  headquarters  of 
Andereya,  the  Kimbugwe.  It  was  a  hot  and  tiring 
journey,  the  scenery  monotonous  and  uninteresting. 
A  veil  of  grey  haze  hung  over  the  landscape  and  added 


Chap.  35]       THE  DYING  CENTUEY 


175 


to  the  depressing  monotony  of  the  march.  However, 
we  made  good  progress,  and  on  Saturday,  February  18th, 
reached  our  destination. 

KisaHzi  has  but  few  distinguishing  features  about  it. 
The  whole  of  the  country  around  is  flat,  with  a  gravelly, 
sandy  soil.  The  trees  are  stunted  in  their  growth,  and 
mostly  of  the  thorny  kind.  The  water  is  of  indifEerent 
quahty,  and  not  too  plentiful.  In  the  dry  season  it  is 
necessary  to  fetch  it  from  the  Nile,  which  is  about  an 
hour's  journey  away. 

Although  KisaHzi  forms  nominally  a  part  of  Uganda, 
the  population  is  almost  entirely  Banyoro.  In  the  old 
days  Kamrasi  and  Kabarega,  kings  of  Bunyoro,  pushed 
their  conquests  very  far  down  the  west  bank  of  the 
Nile,  almost  indeed  as  far  as  the  province  of  Kyagwe. 
The  late  encounters  of  the  Baganda  with  their  ancient 
foes  had  resulted  in  the  recovery  of  most  of  the  lost 
territory.  The  Banyoro  settlers,  however,  instead  of 
being  driven  out,  were  allowed  to  remain  in  the  occu- 
pation of  their  holdings,  and  so  the  land  was  saved 
from  falhng  back  into  ruin.  It  had  lately  been  the 
centre  of  considerable  interest  from  a  mihtary  point  of 
view.  Many  of  the  Sudanese  mutineers  were  encamped 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  Nile  (we  could  hear  the  crack 
of  their  rifles  as  they  himted  game),  and  from  time  to 
time  made  raids  upon  their  enemy's  lines  of  communi- 
cation. One  such  raid  had  taken  place  a  few  weeks 
previous  to  our  arrival.  It  seems  that  two  or  three 
small  forts  had  been  built  not  far  from  the  Nile,  one 
being  at  Kisalizi  and  another  at  Mruh.  Lieutenant 
Hannyngton,  with  a  detaclmient  of  Punjabis,  was  pro- 
ceeding to  the  latter  place,  and  had  halted  to  read 
a  letter  which  had  just  been  handed  to  him  by  a 
messenger.  Hastening  to  overtake  his  men,  he  reached 
them  just  as  a  murderous  volley  was  fired  upon  them 


176        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


by  a  party  of  mutineers  hidden  in  the  long  grass,  not 
far  from  the  road.  Half  of  his  party  had  fallen.  He 
himself,  by  a  second  volley,  was  wounded,  but  with 
the  few  survivors  managed  with  great  difficulty  to 
make  his  way  back  to  the  fort  at  Kisahzi.  There  he 
was  besieged  for  several  weeks  by  four  or  five  hundred 
Sudanese.  He  made  a  successful  defence,  the  mutineers 
at  length  raising  the  siege  and  retreating  across  the  Nile. 

It  was  with  no  little  curiosity  that  I  visited  the 
scene  of  an  encounter  which  had  aroused  no  little 
interest  in  Mengo,  and  on  the  result  of  which  momentous 
issues  hung. 

The  fort  we  found  in  charge  of  Captain  Chitty.  He 
most  kindly  allowed  us  to  see  all  that  was  to  be  seen, 
and  explained  to  us  the  fine  of  attack  adopted  by  the 
mutineers.  There  was,  it  seems,  a  triple  line  of  defence 
— first  a  boma  of  thorns,  then  the  ditch,  and  lastly 
the  ramparts,  which  were  really  earthworks.  Had  the 
Sudanese  possessed  a  gun  or  two  it  would  have  gone 
hard  with  the  little  garrison.  As  it  was,  rifle  fire  was 
no  small  matter  with  such  poor  defences.  However, 
the  attack  never  developed  into  a  direct  assault,  the 
mutineers  retiring  across  the  Nile  rather  than  venture  it. 

The  Sudanese  works  were  a  marvel  of  ingenuity.  They 
consisted  of  a  series  of  underground  passages  and 
minute  dwelhngs.  Had  the  garrison  attempted  a  sally 
the  results  would  have  been  disastrous.  The  main 
contest,  however,  was  over  the  water  supply.  Had 
that  been  lost  there  would  have  been  nothing  for  it 
but  surrender.  The  defence  realised  this,  and  never 
for  a  single  day  or  night  relaxed  their  keen  vigilance, 
which  was  a  marked  characteristic  of  a  most  gallant 
fight. 

The  prospects  of  the  work  at  Kisalizi  were  distinctly 
encouraging.    Andereya  had  commenced  to  build  a 


Chap.  35]      THE  DYING  CENTURY  177 


new  church — the  old  one  had  been  burnt  by  the 
Sudanese — and  school-rooms,  and  many  young  men  and 
women  were  already  under  instruction.  The  baptism 
of  several  infants,  and  a  service  of  Holy  Communion, 
in  the  unfinished  church,  were  my  first  engagements. 
Then  came  the  writing  down  of  the  names  of  candidates 
for  baptism.  The  sale  of  books  followed.  For  these 
there  was  a  keen  demand,  no  fewer  than  40,000  shells' 
worth  being  disposed  of  in  one  day. 

A  football  match  cn  the  chief's  "mbuga,"  one  side 
captained  by  Fisher  and  the  other  by  myself,  brought 
our  visit  to  a  close. 

On  Tuesday,  February  21st,  we  started  on  the  last 
stage  of  our  journey  to  Masindi.  Captain  Chitty,  in 
obedience  to  instructions  from  Colonel  Ternan,  arranged 
for  an  escort  of  some  thirty  Baganda  soldiers.  At  the 
same  time  a  party  of  Indian  soldiers  was  sent  to  march 
parallel  with  ourselves — between  us  and  the  Nile — on 
the  further  bank  of  which  were  the  mutineers.  Fort 
Kutabu  was  reached  in  due  course,  nothing  having  been 
seen  of  the  enemy.  On  the  following  day  we  made 
our  way  to  the  Kafu,  on  the  north  bank  of  which  was 
the  modern  station  of  Mruli.  An  immense  dug-out 
canoe,  capable  of  holding  thirty  or  forty  passengers, 
was  in  use  as  a  ferry-boat,  and  quickly  transported  us 
across  the  semi-reed-blocked  channel  of  the  river,  which 
conveys  the  greater  part  of  the  drainage  of  Uganda  into 
the  Nile.  Sergeant  Bonza,  who  was  in  charge  of  the 
block-house,  received  us  kindly,  and  in  the  afternoon 
arranged  for  a  visit  to  the  old  station  of  Mruli,  from 
which  General  Gordon  dated  some  of  his  letters,  and 
which  was  in  his  day  the  most  southern  outpost  of 
Egyptian  rule. 

The  huge  dug-out  was  once  more  brought  into  use, 
and  slowly  we  poled  our  way  through  reeds  and  papyrus 

II  M 


178        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 


until,  with  very  little  warning  of  what  was  before  us,  we 
were  launched  out  into  a  most  beautiful  reach  of  the 
river  Nile.  The  scene  was  enchanting  in  the  extreme. 
A  wide,  almost  lake-like  stretch  of  water  lay  before  us, 
a  stretch  some  eight  hundred  yards  in  width,  wliich  in 
parts,  as  in  a  mirror,  reflected  a  sky  more  high  and 
clear  than  the  azure  of  a  summer  morning  in  the  home- 
land ever  imaged,  and  lit  to  its  apparently  measureless 
depths  by  a  sun  more  glorious  than  ever  poured 
splendour  even  upon  the  meres  and  tarns  of  "  bonny 
Westmorland,"  that  queen  of  scenic  beauty. 

In  other  parts,  where  a  gentle  breeze  ruflfled  the 
surface  of  the  stream,  aquatic  birds  of  all  kinds  and 
most  varied  plumage  were  dipping  and  diving,  some 
darting  for  flies,  and  others  plunging  into  the  depths 
below  for  fish.  Away  in  the  distance  a  number  of 
dark  specks  upon  the  glittering  silver  of  the  sunht 
waters  told  of  a  school  of  "  hippos  "  at  play.  Here 
on  the  right  bank  papyrus  plants  in  all  their  grace  and 
beauty  were  bending  and  bowing  their  heads  in  instant 
response  to  the  wooings  of  the  gentle  breezes,  which 
here  and  there  were  touching  as  with  a  magic  cloud 
the  mirror  which  lay  before  us. 

To  drive  our  canoe  into  this  scene  of  exquisite  beauty 
seemed  almost  like  desecration.  But  our  paddlers  had 
no  mercy.  Their  work  was  to  reach  the  farther  bank 
and  that  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  and  so  with  a 
wild  cry  of  pleasure  at  getting  free  from  the  trammels 
of  the  pearly  white  and  sky-blue  liHes  with  which  our 
track  Hke  a  bridal  path  had  hitherto  been  strewn,  and 
of  whose  glories  they  could  see  nothing  and  cared  less, 
they  set  to  work  with  a  will,  and  dashing  their  paddles 
simultaneously  into  the  water,  in  a  very  few  minutes 
they  brought  us  to  the  reedy  margin  of  the  further 
shore. 


Chap.  35]       THE  DYING  CENTUEY 


179 


Climbing  the  rough  bank  of  rocks  and  scrub  inter- 
mingled with  red  earth,  we  soon  found  ourselves  in  the 
midst  of  the  ruins  of  the  old  fort  of  Gordon's  days. 
There,  there  was  Httle  doubt,  were  the  remains  of  the 
guard-house,  and  there  and  there  were  bastions  com- 
manding every  possible  approach,  and  over  yonder, 
near  that  tangled  mass  of  creepers,  was  one  of  the 
dwelhng-houses,  possibly  the  one  in  which  Gordon 
lived,  and  in  which  he  jotted  down  those  entries  in  his 
journal  which  give  us  such  a  wonderful  insight  into 
his  inner  life  and  character. 

It  was  very  moving  to  the  soul  to  stand  there,  in 
that  ruined  desolated  fort,  and  to  think  of  that  noble 
Christian  hero  who  had  sojourned  there,  and  of  all  his 
prayerful  longings  for  the  regeneration  of  the  land  spread 
out  before  him,  and  to  remind  oneself  of  how  wonder- 
fully his  prayers  had  been  answered  in  the  growth  of 
the  Church  of  Christ  in  Uganda,  in  the  planting  of 
which  he  had  assisted,  and  in  its  extension  to  the  very 
regions  which  lay  so  heavily  upon  his  soul. 

Fifteen  years  had  passed  by  since  Kartum  fell 
with  a  crash  that  echoed  and  re-echoed  throughout 
Christendom  and  the  whole  Mohammedan  world — 
fifteen  years  of  cruel  tyranny  and  unspeakable  wrongs. 
But  the  hour  of  retribution  came,  and  with  it  the  man. 
Omdurman  was  fought  and  won.  Barely  fifteen 
months  had  passed  since  then,  and  now  Kartum  had 
its  Christian  teachers  and  Bunyoro  its  catechumen 
king.    As  Browning  says : — 

'  Faith  cannot  be  unanswered, 
Her  feet  are  firmly  planted  on  the  rock. 

Amid  the  wildest  storms  she  stands  undaunted, 
Nor  quails  before  the  loudest  thunder  siiock. 

She  knows  Omnipotence  has  heard  her  prayer, 
And  cries,  it  shall  be  done — sometime,  so/nevvliere.' 


180        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

At  Masindi,  where  we  arrived  the  second  day  after 
lea\dng  Mruli,  we  received  a  warm  welcome  from  the 
king,  Lubuga  (Queen-sister),  Tomasi  Semfmna,  and 
the  band  of  readers  whom  the  latter  had  gathered 
round  him.  A  grass  and  reed  house  had  been  built  for 
our  accommodation,  and  every  arrangement  made  that 
was  possible  for  our  comfort.  It  was  evident  that  a 
spirit  of  inquiry  was  abroad,  and  that  in  a  very  short 
time  we  should  have  a  considerable  work  upon  our 
hands.  Tomasi  recommended  both  the  king  and  the 
Lubuga  for  baptism,  for  which  rite  he  had  been  pre- 
paring them  for  some  while  past.  I  asked  Mr.  Fisher 
to  examine  them.  The  result  was  entirely  satisfactory. 
On  Sunday,  February  26th,  therefore,  it  was  my  great 
joy  to  baptize  them  both — the  young  king  and  his 
sister — the  former  taking  the  name  of  Yosiya  Wilham 
and  the  latter  that  of  Vikitoria.  Three  other  cate- 
chumens were  baptized  at  the  same  time. 

That  Masindi  would  eventually  become  a  place  of 
considerable  importance  was  evident.  The  Govern- 
ment were  making  it  a  miUtary  centre,  and  the  main 
caravan  road  to  the  Nile  stations  of  Wadelai,  Dufile, 
and  Gondokoro  passed  through  it.  I  therefore  thought 
it  well  to  take  steps  to  acquire  a  suitable  site  for  a 
permanent  Mission  station. 

Colonel  Evatt  of  the  Indian  contingent,  whom  I 
found  in  command,  was  most  helpful,  and  did  every- 
thing in  his  power  to  further  my  plans.  A  good  site 
was  obtained,  and  arrangements  made  for  the  extension 
of  a  work  which  seemed  to  have  in  it  so  many  elements 
of  success. 

Hoima,  or  more  properly  Kahora,  was  the  ancient 
capital  of  the  kings  of  Bunyoro.  Planted  in  the 
midst  of  a  fine  grazing  country,  it  was  regarded  by 
most  of  the  Banyoro  chiefs  as  an  ideal  spot  for  their 


Chap.  35]       THE  DYING  CENTUEY  181 

cattle,  and  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  whilst  obliged  to 
build  at  Masindi,  on  account  of  its  being  the  centre 
of  the  European  administration,  their  cattle  were  at 
Hoima,  and,  needless  to  say,  their  hearts  were  there 
also.  Thither  on  Tuesday,  February  28th,  we  bent 
our  steps. 

Colonel  Evatt  insisted  upon  our  having  an  escort  of 
Indian  soldiers.  It  was  arranged  that  we  should  meet 
at  sunrise  at  the  junction  of  the  roads,  some  three  or 
four  hundred  yards  from  the  fort.  On  reaching  the 
rendezvous,  however,  we  saw  no  signs  of  our  escort, 
and  after  waiting  a  few  minutes  decided  to  go  on  our 
way.  We  had  gone  about  a  mile  when  we  heard  loud 
shouts  behind  us.  It  was  our  escort  coming  after  us 
with  that  promising  young  officer,  Lieutenant  Hornby, 
in  front.  On  overtaking  us  he  told  us  to  our  horror 
that  the  native  officer  in  command  had  rendered  himself 
liable  to  the  punishment  of  death,  on  account  of  losing 
his  convoy.  However,  it  was  clear  he  was  not  going 
to  be  put  upon  his  trial,  and  so  we  went  on  our  way, 
if  not  sadder,  at  least  wiser  men  in  things  military. 

Hoima,  which  we  reached  on  the  second  day,  is  a 
charming  spot.  Located  in  the  midst  of  an  amphi- 
theatre of  hills,  it  reminds  one  of  nothing  so  much  as 
a  scene  in  the  home-land.  A  rippUng  stream  runs 
through  the  valley,  dipping  down  here  and  there  into 
shady  dells  half  hidden  from  view  by  the  overhanging 
trees.  Away  southward  on  the  horizon  peeps  up 
Musaja  Mukulu  (the  head-man),  a  cone-hke  hill 
which  not  long  ago  was  the  scene  of  a  bloody  fight. 
Yonder  to  the  east  is  the  gap  in  the  hills  through  which 
runs  the  road  to  Masindi,  whilst  westward,  blue  with 
haze,  rise  the  Bulega  Mountains,  and  we  know  that 
between  them  and  us,  in  a  great  trough  a  thousand 
feet  below  us,  lies  the  Albert  Nyanza. 


182        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

On  a  knoll  in  the  midst  of  this  scene  of  exquisite 
beauty,  and  almost  within  sight  and  sound  of  the 
running  water,  stands  the  fort.  Captain  Hicks  was  in 
charge,  and  gave  us  a  most  cordial  welcome.  He  was 
leaving,  however,  the  next  day  for  Fajao,  but  most 
kindly  placed  his  house  and  indeed  the  whole  fort  at 
our  disposal. 

The  next  few  days  were  full  of  the  most  absorbing 
interest.  What  could  be  more  deHghtful  than  to  see 
gathered  round  us  young  men  and  women  with  joy 
written  on  every  feature  of  their  countenances,  a  band 
of  beUevers  which,  almost  without  European  teaching, 
had  been  brought  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  Christ  as 
God  and  Saviour.  Byabachwezi,  the  chief  whom 
Fisher  had  interested  in  Christianity  during  his  visit 
in  1895,  was  a  great  help  to  us  in  making  our  plans  for 
the  future.  A  site  for  a  Mission  station  and  church 
was  secured  and  the  buildings  marked  out.  Candi- 
dates for  Baptism  were  examined,  and  the  course  of 
instruction  for  Confirmation  was  arranged.  It  was 
then  decided  that  Fisher  should  remain  at  Kahora 
for  a  while,  but  afterwards  return  to  Masindi  until 
arrangements  could  be  made  for  the  permanent  occu- 
pation of  the  former  place.  Thus  was  Bunyoro 
claimed  for  Christ  and  permanently  occupied. 

It  was  with  no  little  regret  that  on  March  6th  I 
said  "  good-bye  "  to  the  httle  band  of  Christians  who, 
on  Sunday  the  5th,  had  been  baptized  into  the  Church 
of  Christ,  and  took  my  way  towards  the  Kafu  river 
on  my  way  back  to  Uganda.  I  crossed  it  on  the  second 
day,  and  camped  at  Petero's,  a  wild  spot  not  far  from 
the  river  bank.  Towards  evening  headache  and  rack- 
ing pains  in  my  back  and  limbs  told  me  that  I  was  in 
for  an  attack  of  fever.  I  spent  a  sleepless  night,  but 
towards  morning  my  temperature  went  down,  and 


Chap.  35]      THE  DYING  CENTUEY  183 


although  feeling  weak  and  good  for  nothing  I  deter- 
mined to  proceed.  Twenty-two  or  three  miles  lay 
between  Petero's  and  the  next  possible  camping-place. 
It  was  a  long  journey,  but  I  resolved  to  face  it.  How- 
ever, after  a  couple  of  hours  hard  tramping,  I  became 
conscious  that  fever  was  upon  me  once  more,  the 
racking  headache,  and  the  heart  beating  like  a  sledge- 
hammer were  unmistakable  signs.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  It  was  impossible  to  camp — there  was  no  food 
or  water.  To  go  back  was  not  to  be  thought  of. 
Walking  was  an  impossibiUty.  How  about  a  hammock  ? 
For  a  pole  there  was  the  ridge  pole  of  my  tent,  fortunately 
unjointed  ;  for  a  hammock,  one  of  my  boys  was  wearing 
several  yards  of  Amerikani  calico.  Tied  together  at  the 
ends  it  would  sustain  a  considerable  strain.  This 
makeshift  arrangement  answered  admirably.  Fortu- 
nately I  had  a  few  spare  men  with  me,  and  by  putting 
a  few  hght  loads  together,  I  got  two  or  three  more. 
And  so  we  went  forward.  A  halt  for  refreshment  and 
then  on  again.  At  length,  at  about  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  the  mounting  clouds  and  the  roUing  of 
distant  thunder  told  of  a  coming  storm.  Happily  I 
had  a  new  waterproof  riding  "  poncho "  with  me. 
This  was  spread  over  the  hammock  and  securely  tied 
underneath,  but  only  just  in  time.  The  storm  burst 
with  almost  inconceivable  fury.  Torrents  of  rain, 
rushing  wind,  and  blinding  lightning  all  combined  to 
make  the  outburst  one  of  the  most  terrible  which  it 
has  ever  been  my  lot  to  witness  even  in  the  tropics. 
I  say  witness,  but  to  tell  the  truth  I  saw  little  of  it. 
Securely  tied  up  in  my  hammock,  I  was  in  semi-dark- 
ness. But  the  struggles  of  the  men,  the  beating  of  the 
rain  on  the  waterproof  cover,  and  the  appalhng  crashes 
of  the  thunder  indicated  only  too  truly  the  nature  of 
the  storm  without.    For  two  mortal  hours  the  men 


184        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


staggered  along  with  their  burden  in  the  face  of  the 
tempest,  the  path  little  better  than  a  running  stream. 
It  was  a  gallant  struggle,  and  nobly  the  men  did  their 
work.  At  length  darkness  set  in,  but  gardens  were  in 
sight,  so  I  gathered  from  the  broken  bits  of  informa- 
tion which  came  to  me  from  time  to  time  in  my  hiding- 
place.  Soon  it  became  evident  that  we  were  nearing  a 
house,  and  then  that  an  attempt  was  being  made  to 
enter  it.  There  was  a  halt,  the  fastenings  of  my  cover 
were  undone,  and  lo  !  I  found  myself  inside  a  native 
hut,  in  the  midst  of  which  was  a  blazing  fire.  Thank 
God  !  was  all  I  could  say,  as  I  staggered  to  a  native 
bedstead  which  occupied  the  farther  side  of  the  hut. 
It  was  a  merciful  deliverance  from  a  great  peril.  But 
for  the  courage  of  my  men  I  should  have  been  exposed 
to  the  fury  of  the  storm,  without  hope  of  shelter,  of 
fire,  or  of  food,  and  that,  too,  with  fever  upon  me — a 
temperature  of  103°.  To  say  that  I  was  grateful  is 
but  feebly  to  express  my  thankfulness  to  the  brave 
fellows  who  so  nobly  did  their  work.  The  "  Muzungu  " 
(the  white  man)  was  in  danger  and  they  must  save 
him,  had  been  the  burden  of  their  cry  as  they  bore 
him  along  in  the  face  of  that  terrible  storm. 

A  sleepless  night  followed  ;  but  happily  strong  doses 
of  quinine,  hot  tea  and  blankets  did  their  work,  and  at 
dawn  my  temperature  was  once  more  normal.  It  was 
not,  however,  till  the  afternoon  that  I  felt  fit  to  move. 
Kinakulya  was  only  some  three  hours  away,  and  so 
was  easily  reached  by  sun-down. 

A  day's  rest  followed,  and  then  on  I  went  again  to 
Mitiana,  where  I  arrived  on  March  13th.  Here  and  at 
Kasaka  Confirmations  had  been  arranged.  Seventy- 
nine  candidates  were  presented  at  the  former  place 
and  fifty-three  at  the  latter. 

On  Monday,  March  20th,  I  left  Mitiana,  whither  I 


Chap.  35]       THE  DYING  CENTURY  185 


had  returned  after  visiting  Kasaka,  and  on  the  following 
day  reached  Mengo. 

Thus  came  to  an  end  a  memorable  expedition  in- 
volving a  tramp  of  nearly  four  hundred  miles,  but 
resulting  in  the  opening  up  of  Bunyoro,  which  for  so 
long  ages  had  been  sitting  in  darkness  and  the  shadow 
of  death,  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  the  permanent 
occupation  of  the  country  for  Him. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 


THE  EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI 

'  Every  field  smiles  with  thy  glory  ;  and  each 
Chiming  voice  in  forest,  or  on  heaven's  invisible  thrones 
Has  one  soul-soothing  song.' — W.  Freeland. 

An  interval  of  some  three  weeks  followed  my  return 
from  Bunyoro.  Then  came  a  journey  to  Koki,  where 
Clayton  was  at  work.  The  story  of  the  evangelisation 
of  Koki,  which  lies  to  the  south-west  of  Uganda,  is  an 
interesting  one.    Roughly  it  is  as  follows. 

Kamswaga  the  king  is  of  the  great  "  Hima  "  tribe. 
Tall  and  Hthe  in  figure,  with  a  hght  complexion,  he  is 
easily  recognised  as  one  of  that  interesting  people — 
the  cattle-breeders  and  tenders  of  Central  Africa.  His 
first  contact  with  Christianity  was  in  1894,  when  on  a 
visit  to  Mengo.  Seeing  what  faith  in  Christ  as  a  living 
Saviour  had  done  for  the  Baganda,  he  became  not 
only  anxious  to  be  taught  himself,  but  most  desirous 
that  his  people  should  also  be  instructed  in  the  new 
religion,  which  appeared  to  him  (so  he  said)  to  be  as 
"  good  for  this  life  as  for  the  next ; "  in  other  words, 
to  have  in  it  "  the  promise  of  the  life  which  now  is 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come." 

Appealing  to  the  Mengo  Church  Council  for  help  he 
met  with  a  ready  response.  Four  teachers  came  for- 
ward as  volunteers,  and  were  assigned  to  Koki  as  its 
first  evangelists.  With  these  men  Kamswaga  re- 
turned with  great  joy  to  his  own  country.  One  of 
these  evangeUsts,  a  lame  man  named  Mikaeri,  told  at 

180 


Chap.  36]   EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  187 


a  missionary  meeting  in  Mengo  a  year  later  the  story 
of  his  experience — "  first  defiant  opposition,  slander, 
misunderstandings,  and  then  prayers  answered — 
charms  brought  to  be  broken  and  burnt — a  weekly 
congregation  of  two  or  three  hundred  souls,  besides 
others  in  the  country — books  bought  in  considerable 
quantities,  and  sixty  able  to  read  a  Gospel  where  not 
one  could  read  before." 

In  June  1895  Fisher  was  asked  to  undertake  a 
journey  to  Koki  in  order  to  see  how  things  were 
prospering.  His  report  was  even  more  encouraging 
than  lame  Mikaeri's,  Of  the  eighty  chiefs  of  the 
country,  twenty-four  were  able  to  read  the  Gospels, 
and  twelve  were  reading  the  Mateka  (first  reading- 
books).  During  a  stay  of  two  months  Fisher  was 
able  to  effect  a  good  deal  in  the  way  of  consolidation 
of  a  work  which  had  made  such  a  promising  beginning. 

Another  step  forward  was  taken  at  the  end  of  the 
year  when  Leakey  was  located  in  Koki  as  its  first  re- 
sident missionary  ;  with  him  was  associated  Tomasi 
Semfuma,  whom  we  saw  in  the  preceding  chapter 
at  work  at  Masindi  in  Bunyoro  some  three  years 
later. 

In  April  1896  Roscoe  visited  Koki  and  conducted 
a  series  of  Mission  services,  which  resulted  in  much 
blessing.  Then  came  the  baptism  of  the  first  converts. 
In  October  Pike  followed  in  Roscoe's  footsteps,  and 
baptized  fourteen  adults  and  eight  children.  At  the 
close  of  the  year  the  following  was  Leakey's  testimony 
as  to  the  progress  which  had  been  made : — 

"  When  I  arrived  here  there  was  but  one  church  in 
Koki,  now  there  are  eight ;  then  no  baptized  Christians, 
now  twenty- two  adults  and  eight  infants.  Then 
books  sold  very  slowly,  now  there  is  a  good  sale.  I 
have  about  twenty-four  names  of  candidates  under 


188        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


instruction  for  Baptism,  and  about  sixteen  for  Confirma- 
tion. Drink  is  far  less.  Slavery  and  the  slave  trade 
is  also  less — the  king  is  trying  to  stop  it.  We  have 
much  to  thank  God  for.    He  has  done  wondrously." 

In  March  1897  Clayton  was  added  to  the  missionary 
force  in  Koki,  and  there  was  a  promise  of  great  things 
in  the  near  future.  Pilkington  was  on  a  visit,  and  the 
work  was  moving  forward  rapidly  when  all  at  once 
came  a  check.  The  "  bolt  from  the  blue  "  had  fallen. 
Mwanga  had  fled  from  the  capital  and  had  raised  the 
standard  of  revolt  in  Budu.  The  little  missionary 
band  was  thus  cut  off  from  all  help  from  Mengo. 
However,  Colonel  Ternan,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
forces,  lost  no  time  in  marching  against  the  daily  in- 
creasing army  of  the  king  under  GabrieH,  the  Mujasi. 
They  met  near  Kabuwoko.  A  short,  sharp  fight  ensued, 
with  the  result  that  Mwanga  was  totally  defeated  and 
his  forces  dispersed.  He  himself  fled  (as.  has  already 
been  told  in  an  earher  chapter)  into  German  territory, 
and  was  interned  at  Mwanza.  The  road  to  Mengo  was 
now  open,  and  thither  the  Koki  missionaries  made 
their  way.  There  they  were  detained  for  some  months, 
owing  to  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country,  the 
Sudanese  mutiny  following  close  upon  the  flight  of  the 
king.  Even  after  his  return  Clayton  had  his  house  in 
Budu  burnt  down  by  a  wandering  band  of  rebels,  who 
saluted  him  with  shots  as  he  emerged  from  the  blazing 
building.  "  We  will  let  them  see,"  said  Clayton, 
"  that  an  EngHshman  is  not  so  easily  frightened  as 
they  suppose."  He  at  once  commenced  the  building 
of  a  new  house  of  mud,  with  a  roof  of  "  byai "  (banana 
fibre),  which  was  practically  fireproof.  And  so  the 
work  went  forward  (Clayton  spending  half  his  time  in 
Budu  and  half  in  Koki),  until  at  the  close  of  1898 
there  were  in  the  latter  country  some  three  hundred 


Chap.  36]  EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  189 

readers,  ninety-six  of  whom  (excluding  infants)  were 
baptized. 

And  thus  I  found  things  on  my  first  visit  to  Koki, 
a  sphere  of  work  with  a  chequered  history,  as  we  have 
seen,  and  yet  with  manifest  tokens  of  God's  blessing 
resting  upon  it.  My  journey  thither  was  full  of  in- 
terest. I  determined  to  travel  by  canoe  to  Bujaju, 
on  the  coast  of  Budu,  and  thence  by  road  to  Kajuna, 
where  Clayton  had  arranged  to  meet  me,  and  where 
he  had  a  very  promising  work  in  hand. 

Starting  on  Monday,  April  10th,  I  camped  at  Kazi, 
on  the  Lake  shore,  where  old  Nikodemo,  the  chief,  had 
a  couple  of  large  canoes  in  readiness.  The  pull  to  Busi 
the  next  day  was  a  long  one,  but  full  of  that  in- 
describable charm  which  is  inseparable  from  Lake 
travel.  Skirting  the  shore,  we  passed  at  intervals 
headlands  and  bays,  islands  and  creeks,  teeming  with 
life  of  all  kinds,  the  sounds  and  sight  of  which  were  a 
continual  dehght.  Away  in  the  distance  yonder,  on  the 
seaward  side,  was  a  school  of  "  hippos  "  blowing  now 
and  again  with  that  bass  note  of  theirs,  which  seems 
to  come  from  a  spot  only  a  few  yards  off.  Nervously 
the  canoe-men  grasped  their  paddles,  keeping  their 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  monsters,  fearing  lest  at  any 
moment  they  might  "  come  for  us." 

And  then  the  bird  life  !  What  a  wonder  it  was — 
dippers  and  Nile  geese,  swallows  and  island  parrots  on 
every  side,  continually  on  the  wing,  with  all  their 
characteristic  movements  darting,  diving,  hovering  or 
circling  as  the  case  might  be.  Yonder,  not  a  hundred 
yards  away,  high  up  in  a  crooked  branch  of  an  old 
"  Muvule  "  tree,  overhanging  a  deep  dark  pool,  was  a 
huge  fish  eagle,  watching  for  its  prey. 

Even  the  depths  below  contributed  their  quota  to 
the  sum  of  the  life  above.    Occasionally  a  great  fish. 


190        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

with  scales  glittering  like  burnished  silver,  would 
fling  itself  into  the  air,  and  falling  with  a  great  splash 
would  send  the  ever-widening  circles  rippling  against 
the  sides  of  our  frail  craft,  as  she  swept  on  her  way 
towards  the  forest  glades  of  Busi. 

It  was  a  disappointment  to  find  that  Samwili 
Kamwakabi,  the  teacher  in  charge,  was  away  visiting 
some  of  the  more  distant  villages.  However,  there  was 
a  goodly  crowd  to  greet  us,  as  towards  sunset  our 
canoes  shot  their  prows  high  up  on  the  sandy  shore  of 
the  island,  and  we  found  ourselves  at  our  camping- 
place. 

The  next  day's  camp  was  on  the  island  of  Sewaya, 
where  I  found  a  little  band  of  Christians,  simple  in 
their  faith,  and  apparently  full  of  love  and  devotion 
to  their  Lord  and  Master.  A  cold  wind  had  been 
blowing  all  day.  The  result  was  chill,  fever,  and  a 
restless,  sleepless  night.  However,  there  could  be  no 
delay,  and  so,  wrapping  up  well,  I  took  my  place  a 
little  after  dawn  in  the  canoe  and  went  on  to  Bujaju, 
where  we  arrived  about  4  p.m.  It  was  here  that  my 
difficulties  commenced.  I  had  counted  on  obtaining 
porters  from  the  chief  for  my  onward  journey  to 
Kajuna,  some  four  hours  away.  But  I  had  reckoned 
without  my  host.  A  message  to  the  chief,  asking  him 
to  come  and  see  me,  only  resulted  in  the  one  word 
"  aganyi  "  (he  refuses).  A  still  more  urgent  message 
met  only  with  a  similar  response.  Then  came  the 
information  that  he  had  gone  off  to  a  neighbouring 
garden.  On  inquiring  of  his  steward  the  reason  of 
this  conduct,  I  was  informed  that  his  master  had  re- 
ceived orders  from  the  French  priests  to  do  nothing  to 
help  me  or  any  Protestant  missionary.  My  men  had 
perforce  to  go  hungry  to  bed,  and  I,  in  starting  the 
next  morning,  was  obliged  to  leave  all  my  baggage 


Chap.  36]   EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  191 

behind  me.  I  was  still  feeling  weak  and  ill.  The  road 
was  a  most  trying  one — for  miles  I  had  to  tramp  across 
a  sandy  plain,  which  evidently  at  no  distant  date 
had  formed  the  bed  of  an  arm  of  the  Great  Lake.  At 
every  step  one  sank  about  ankle  deep  in  the  soft  sand. 
In  such  circumstances  two  miles  an  hour  was  good 
traveUing.  But  the  toil  of  it !  The  weariness  of  it ! 
No  words  can  fitly  describe  the  absolute  misery  of  it. 
Occasionally  I  crouched  down  under  the  shade  of  a 
small  bush,  for  a  little  rest.  But  the  thought  that 
the  longer  the  delay  the  hotter  the  sun  would  get 
urged  me  along.  At  length,  almost  fainting  from 
fatigue  and  exhaustion,  I  cUmbed  the  hill  on  the  crest 
of  which  was  the  little  Mission  station  of  Kajuna. 

At  this  particular  period  we  were  at  the  very  be- 
ginning of  things  in  Budu.  The  war  of  January  1892 
had,  it  will  be  remembered,  brought  to  an  end  an 
occupation  which  had  only  lasted  a  few  months. 
Walker  and  Baskerville  were  barely  able  to  escape 
with  their  lives  when  the  French  party  rushed  in. 
For  six  years  the  French  priests  were  left  in  practically 
undisturbed  possession  of  the  province.  Owing  to  the 
political  settlement  which  followed  the  return  of  the 
king,  after  his  abduction,  all  the  chieftainships  were 
in  the  hands  of  the  Bafran^^^a,  and  it  was  extremely 
difficult  to  get  even  the  smallest  piece  of  land  for  a 
Protestant  Mission  station.  However,  by  dint  of 
putting  great  pressure  upon  Mugwanya  (the  Roman 
Cathohc  Katikiro),  a  fair  site  had  been  secured  at 
Kajuna,  where  Clayton  had  built  his  Mission-house. 
A  little  band  of  Christians  whom  the  latter  had 
gathered  round  him  had  given  themselves  up  to  the 
work  of  teaching  in  the  neighbouring  gardens.  Thus 
a  congregation  had  been  brought  together,  and  a  small 
church  had  been  built  where  regular  services  were 


192 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


being  held  and  daily  instruction  given.  I  found 
eighteen  candidates  for  Confirmation  awaiting  me — 
eleven  men  and  seven  women.  The  bracing  atmos- 
phere of  persecution  had  done  much  for  their  faith, 
which  was  strong  and  vigorous. 

'  The  wind  that  blows  can  never  kill 
The  tree  God  plants.' 

From  Kajuna  a  three  days'  journey  through  Budu 
brought  us  to  Koki.  Here,  as  in  the  country  we  had 
just  passed  through,  we  found  on  every  hand  traces 
of  the  devastation  wTought  by  the  rebels.  The  old 
Mission  station  built  by  Leakey,  after  having  been  used 
by  the  soldiery  as  a  fort,  had  been  abandoned,  and  a 
small  grass  and  reed  hut  had  been  put  up  in  its  stead 
near  the  king's  enclosure. 

The  king's  place  was  in  ruins.  The  houses  had  been 
burnt  and  the  fences  destroyed.  The  gardens  had 
fallen  out  of  cultivation,  and  in  consequence  food  was 
scarce  and  the  means  of  living  very  precarious.  But 
still  the  work  was  going  forward.  It  was  true  there 
was  no  church,  but  there  was  no  neglect  among  the 
Christians  in  the  matter  of  assembling  themselves 
together  for  worship  and  instruction.  The  shelter  of  a 
half-burnt  house — the  shade  of  a  piece  of  the  "  kisakate  " 
(fence)  yet  standing— the  "  greenery  "  of  the  banana 
plantation — it  was  all  the  same,  wherever  shelter  from 
sun  or  rain  was  available,  there  was  the  getting  together 
of  the  two  or  three  seekers  after  God,  claiming  the 
promise  of  the  Presence. 

I  cherish  no  more  sacred  memory  of  my  life  than 
the  open  air  Confirmation  service  held  on  Sunday,  April 
23rd,  in  the  shade  of  Kamswaga's  "kisakate."  Some 
fifty-two  candidates  were  presented  by  Mr.  Clayton, 
of  whom  thirty-seven  were  men  and  fifteen  women. 


Chap.  36]  EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  193 

These,  with  twenty-two  other  Communicants,  gathered 
around  the  Table  of  the  Lord  in  a  solemn  service  of 
Holy  Communion.  It  was  indeed  a  touching  scene. 
On  every  hand  were  tokens,  plainly  visible,  of  the 
war  which  had  swept  through  the  land  —  broken 
walls,  charred  beams  and  rafters,  dilapidated  fences, 
creepers  and  wild  weeds,  the  former  chnging  in 
fantastic  wreaths  to  the  ruins  around,  and  the  latter 
covering  the  open  spaces  with  a  carpet  of  verdure 
beautiful  to  look  upon  but  heartbreaking  to  peasant 
and  chief  alike — all  told  more  eloquently  than  words 
of  the  troubles  through  which  the  country  had  so 
recently  passed. 

The  sunlight  and  the  moving  shadows,  the  rusthng 
of  the  banana  leaves  as  the  breeze  rose  and  fell,  the 
gathered  worshippers  pleading  at  the  footstool  of  the 
throne,  the  voice  of  the  minister,  the  responses,  the 
solemn  pauses  when  only  the  song-bird  was  vocal — all 
combined  to  fashion  a  memory  that  will  never  fade  so 
long  as  hfe  shall  last. 

Kamswaga,  the  king,  I  was  thankful  to  find,  was 
persevering  in  his  struggle  with  his  old  enemy  strong 
drink,  and  was  hving  an  altogether  new  hfe.  Many 
of  his  followers  were  under  instruction,  some  indeed 
with  a  view  to  baptism. 

Clayton's  house  was  the  centre  of  a  remarkable, 
widespread  influence.  Daily  it  was  thronged  with 
inquirers,  and  every  evening  crowds  of  men  and  boys 
came  together,  eager  for  the  teaching  which  preceded 
evening  prayers. 

It  was  clear  that  with  peace  in  the  country,  and  a 
consequent  returning  prosperity,  the  work  would  go 
forward  by  leaps  and  bounds.  And  so,  with  a  heart  full 
of  thankfulness  and  praise  for  what  I  had  seen  of  God's 
work  of  grace  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  on  Monday, 

II  N 


194        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


April  24th,  I  brought  my  five  days'  visit  to  a  close 
and  started  on  my  way  to  Sango,  on  the  Lake  shore, 
where  I  proposed  to  embark  for  the  Sese  Islands. 
Clayton  accompanied  me  upon  the  way  so  far. 

We  had  halted  for  our  mid-day  rest  at  the  house  of 
a  friendly  chief,  when  a  man  rushed  in  shouting, 
"  Bamukwata,"  i.e.  "  They  have  caught  him."  "  Whom 
have  they  caught  ?  "  was  our  not  unnatural  inquiry. 
And  then  came  the  starthng  answer,  "  Mwanga, 
Kabaka."  Little  by  little  the  story  was  told  of  how 
Colonel  Evatt,  who  was  in  command  of  the  troops  in 
Bunyoro,  had  planned  an  expedition  into  Bukedi, 
where  Mwanga  was  in  hiding.  Andereya  the  Kim- 
bugwe  and  Simei  Kakungulu  had,  it  seems,  opened  up 
communication  with  the  natives,  and  had  obtained 
accurate  information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the 
fugitive  king.  Very  complete  arrangements  were 
made  for  the  passage  of  the  Nile  by  the  expedition, 
and  for  the  surprise,  if  possible,  of  the  whole  party, 
including  Kabarega,  the  king  of  Bunyoro.  The  whole 
enterprise  was  a  complete  success.  Hidden  by  the 
early  morning  mists,  on  April  9th  the  forces  moved 
forward  in  absolute  silence,  their  object  being  to 
surround  the  village  where  the  rebels  were  in  hiding. 
The  attack  was  delivered  at  about  10  a.m.  The  sur- 
prise was  complete.  There  was  a  short  sharp  fight,  in 
the  course  of  which  Kabarega  was  wounded,  but  he 
and  his  two  sons,  Tao  and  Nakana,  were  captured. 
Mwanga  almost  died  of  fright  when  he  realised  that 
his  race  was  run,  and  rushed  out  of  his  place  of  hiding 
crying,  "  I  am  Mwanga — take  me — don't  kill  me."  He, 
together  with  a  number  of  Baganda  rebel  chiefs  and 
Sudanese  mutineers,  also  became  prisoners. 

This  victory,  almost  dramatic  in  its  completion, 
practically  brought  to  an  end  the  troublous  period 


Chap.  36]  EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  195 

which  was  inaugurated  by  the  flight  of  the  king,  nearly 
two  years  before.  GabrieH  and  other  rebel  chiefs, 
with  the  remnant  of  the  mutineers,  were  still  at  large, 
but  with  the  capture  of  both  Mwanga  and  Kabarega 
their  position,  as  the  event  proved,  was  a  hopeless  one. 
Colonel  Evatt's  notable  victory  was  the  signal  for 
their  dispersion.  Each  one  sought  to  make  terms  for 
himself,  Gabrieh  giving  himself  up  to  the  German 
authorities  at  Bukoba.  And  so  peace  came  and  once 
more  spread  its  sheltering  wings  over  the  long  dis- 
tracted land  of  Uganda. 

Cheered  by  the  good  news,  we  went  on  our  way  with 
light  hearts  to  Bale,  on  the  coast  of  southern  Budu. 
Arriving  tired  at  the  close  of  a  long  day,  it  was  a  great 
dehght  to  be  welcomed  by  a  large  body  of  warm- 
hearted Christians,  whom  the  teacher,  a  man  named 
Yeremiya,  had  gathered  round  him. 

Canoes  were  ready,  and  on  the  following  morning, 
having  bidden  farewell  to  Clayton  and  the  Bale 
readers,  I  started  on  my  voyage  to  Sese,  en  route  to 
Bukasa,  where  Mr.  Gordon  had  arranged  to  meet  me. 

The  day  was  fine  and  the  wind  fair,  so  that  steady 
paddhng  for  some  five  hours  sufficed  to  take  us  across 
the  channel  to  the  south  end  of  the  great  island. 

A  httle  group  of  readers  rushed  forward  with  shouts 
of  welcome  to  greet  me,  as,  with  a  song  in  chorus,  the 
paddlers  working  as  one  man,  and  the  steersman  dash- 
ing the  sparkling  water  high  into  the  air,  drove  our 
craft  on  to  the  sandy  shore. 

It  was  a  great  joy  to  gather  at  sundown  for  evening 
prayer  in  the  little  church  of  reeds  and  grass,  which 
served  as  a  reading  place  during  the  week,  and  a  place 
of  worship  on  the  Lord's  Day,  for  a  congregation  of 
some  thirty  or  forty  souls.  Two  of  this  Httle  flock  I 
found  were  candidates  for  Confirmation,  and  were  to 


196         UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA    [Book  V. 


journey  with  me  on  the  morrow  to  the  island  of  Bukasa, 
which  was  the  centre  of  our  island  work,  and  where  I 
had  arranged  to  hold  a  Confirmation  service. 

The  onward  voyage  to  Bukasa  was  full  of  the  deepest 
interest.  At  one  moment  we  were  gUding  smoothly 
along  under  the  shadow  of  a  beetling  crag  which  rose 
abruptly  from  the  water's  edge  to  a  height  of  some  seventy 
or  a  hundred  feet.  At  another  cutting  across  a  narrow 
strait  we  were  pitching  and  tossing  on  the  glittering 
waterway,  occasionally  being  drenched  by  a  shower  of 
spray  as  we  ventured  to  put  the  canoe's  head  to  the 
wind.  Then  later,  as  we  neared  the  further  shore,  a 
school  of  hippos  would  rouse  our  men  into  a  sudden 
burst  of  fearful  energy,  and,  dashing  their  paddles  into 
the  still  water  of  the  Lake,  they  would  make  once  more 
for  the  open  sea.  The  sunshine  and  the  shade,  the 
woods,  the  rocks  and  the  distant  hills,  the  fresh  and 
fragrant  breeze,  the  lapping  water,  the  cawing  rooks, 
the  leaping  fish,  and  a  thousand  charms  of  earth  and 
air,  of  sky  and  water,  all  ahke  had  their  share  in  filling 
the  soul  not  merely  with  images  of  beauty,  but  with  a 
deep  sense  of  the  greatness  and  glory  of  the  Creator. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gordon  welcomed  me  most  warmly  to 
their  island  home.  The  former,  who  was  in  charge  of 
the  work  in  the  Sese  Archipelago,  had  as  his  native 
colleague  Henry  Mukasa,  a  man  of  tried  worth,  who 
had  formerly  been  a  missionary  to  the  people  of  Nasa. 
Confirmation  candidates  from  the  neighbouring  islands 
had  come  together  for  examination,  and  on  Sunday, 
April  30th,  eighty-six  of  them — men  and  women — 
received  the  laying  on  of  hands. 

On  Tuesday,  May  2nd,  I  started  for  the  island  of 
Bubembe,  in  company  with  Mr.  Gordon.  There 
another  Confirmation  had  been  arranged,  and  seventy- 
eight  candidates  were  presented  to  me  at  a  service 


Chap.  36]   EVANGELISATION  OF  KOKI  197 


held  in  a  new  church,  which  had  recently  been  opened 
for  worship. 

This  brought  my  list  of  engagements  to  a  close,  and 
on  the  following  morning  I  started  on  my  return  to 
Mengo,  where  some  three  days  later  I  arrived  and 
found  all  well. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 


CAPTIVITY  AND  DEATH  OF  MWANGA 
'  How  are  the  mighty  fallen  !  ' — II.  Samuel  i.  19. 

The  news  of  the  capture  of  Mwanga  and  Kabarega 
created  a  great  sensation  throughout  the  whole  of 
Uganda.  The  excitement  was  intense,  though  sub- 
dued. The  question  as  to  what  the  Bazungu  (the 
white  men)  intended  to  do  with  their  prisoners  was 
eagerly  discussed  in  every  native  gathering.  Would 
they  be  shot,  as  several  Baganda  rebels  had  been 
already,  or  would  they  be  put  into  the  chain  gang, 
and  be  compelled  to  work  like  common  malefactors  ? 
were  the  questions  most  commonly  debated.  "  What 
is  the  use  of  talking  ?  "  was  the  general  conclusion. 
"  You  can  never  tell  what  the  Bagovamenti  (the  men 
of  the  Government)  are  likely  to  do."  Not  long  were 
they  kept  in  suspense.  Deportation  to  the  coast,  first 
to  Mombasa,  and  then  to  Kismayu,  was  to  be  the  fate 
of  the  two  kings. 

It  was  evidently  a  great  relief  to  the  great  mass  of 
the  Baganda  that  their  king,  tyrant  though  he  was, 
was  not  to  be  put  to  death.  The  extraordinary 
hold  which  the  idea  of  the  kingship  has  on  the  native 
mind  can  hardly  be  reahsed  by  the  European. 
"  Katonda  Yebale  "  (Thank  God)  was  the  exclamation 
most  commonly  heard  coming  from  the  lips  of  the 
Baganda  Christians  as  they  heard  the  news.  "  Abazungu 
baniusaside "  (the  Europeans  liave  pitied  him),  was 
their  summing  up  of  the  whole  matter. 


Chap.  37]        DEATH  OF  MWANGA  199 

On  May  11th,  happening  to  call  on  Colonel  Ternan 
(the  Acting  Commissioner)  at  Kampala,  I  was  told  that 
the  two  kings  were  momentarily  expected.  They  were 
being  brought  in  under  guard.  The  report  was  soon 
noised  abroad  and  crowds  began  to  gather.  There 
was  a  Httle  anxiety  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  as  to 
the  attitude  of  the  "Bakopi"  (peasantry),  and  every 
precaution  had  been  taken  to  prevent  any  attempt  at  a 
rescue.  The  murmur  of  voices  at  a  distance,  gradually 
getting  louder  and  louder,  told  of  the  approach  of  a 
great  multitude.  The  murmur  grew  into  a  roar,  and 
then  the  sight  of  fully  armed  guards  told  us  that 
Mwanga  and  Kabarega  were  at  hand.  Lying  upon  a 
native  bedstead  carried  on  the  heads  of  half-a-dozen 
porters  was  the  late  king  of  Bunyoro.  His  arm  was 
in  bandages,  owing  to  a  wound  received  at  the  time  of 
his  capture. 

Mwanga  was  walking  surrounded  by  guards.  He 
had  grown  a  long  beard,  and  was  hardly  recognisable. 
"  Otyano  sebo  "  ("  How  are  yoa,  sir  ?  ")  resounded  on 
all  sides.  It  was  a  touching  and,  in  many  respects,  a 
pitiable  sight.  One  could  not  but  recall  the  many 
opportunities  which  Mwanga  had  enjoyed  of  doing  the 
right,  and  how  persistently  he  had  chosen  to  do  the 
wrong,  and  certainly  in  his  later  days  had  sinned 
against  light  and  knowledge.  But  yet,  if  one  sought 
to  find  excuses  for  him,  one  could  not  but  remember 
his  up-bringing — his  evil  surroundings,  his  hereditary 
tendencies,  his  awful  temptations,  and  truly  one  felt 
that  the  weight  of  these  might  well  drag  downward  a 
man  of  much  stouter  moral  fibre  than  this  sinning, 
and  by  no  means  little  sinned  against,  son  of  Mutesa, 

Thenceforward — but  in  this  I  am  anticipating — his 
figure  is  but  a  mere  shadow  to  us.  We  hear  of  him 
from  time  to  time — a  prisoner  at  Mombasa,  Kismayu, 


200        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

and  eventually  in  the  Seychelles.  Then  there  is  a  long 
silence,  broken  by  the  glad  news  that  he  had  accepted 
Christ  as  his  God  and  Saviour,  and  has  been  baptized, 
taking  the  name  of  Danieri.  A  few  more  months  pass 
by,  and  then  came  the  tidings  of  his  death. 

There  was  weeping  and  wailing  on  the  part  of  many 
in  Uganda  when  the  news  was  noised  abroad.  Even 
the  worst  men  have  those  who  love  them.  An  effort 
was  made  by  many  of  his  old  followers  to  have  his 
remains  brought  back  to  Mengo  for  burial,  but  per- 
mission was  very  wisely  refused.  He  was  laid  to  rest 
yonder  in  that  lonely  island  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  in 
which  the  mystical  mind  of  General  Gordon  seemed  to 
see  the  original  site  of  the  Garden  of  Eden.  And  so 
he  passes  from  our  view,  and  from  the  stage  where  he 
had  played  so  tragic  and  so  fateful  a  part. 

'  After  life's  fitful  fever  he  ?lee}).s  well.' 

But  to  return  to  my  story,  the  next  few  months 
were  taken  up  with  many  engagements  in  and  around 
Mengo.  After  a  visit  to  Gayaza,  where  thirty-five 
men  and  nineteen  women  were  confirmed  on  May  21st, 
there  came  a  very  busy  week  of  examination  work. 
Six  men  trained  by  the  Archdeacon  had  been  selected 
by  the  Church  Council  for  presentation  to  me  for  Deacons 
Orders.  Ecob  and  Skeens  were  candidates  for  Priests 
Orders.  On  Trinity  Sunday,  May  28th,  the  following 
were  solemnly  ordained  : — 

Deacons. — Nuwa  Nakiwafu,  Toniasi  Scmfunia,  Zakayo  Buli- 

gwanga,  Isaka  Lwaki,  Yosua  Kiwavu,  Silasi  Aliwonya. 
Priests.— C.  T.  Ecob,  S.  K.  Skeens. 

Of  these  perhaps  Tomasi  Semfimia  has  the  most 
interesting  life  record.  One  of  the  first  to  accept 
Christian  teaching,  on  the  occasion  of  the  persecution 


Chap.  37]       DEATH  OF  MWANGA 


201 


of  Mwanga  he  was  seized  and  ordered  to  be  burnt. 
His  life  was,  however,  spared  on  Mackay  paying  down 
two  tusks  of  ivory,  which  were  charged  to  the  C.M.S. 
He  was  one  of  those  who  sought  shelter  in  Nkole  at 
the  time  of  the  Mohammedan  domination.  In  the  war 
of  1892  he  was  wounded,  a  shot  from  the  enemy  ripped 
across  his  chest,  but,  owing  to  the  sldll  of  Dr.  Gaskoin 
Wright,  his  life  was  saved.  He  still  bears  on  his  body 
the  scars.  A  forcible  character,  he  is  a  man  of  con- 
siderable weight  in  the  counsels  of  the  Church.  Nuwa 
Nakiwafu  is  a  spiritually  minded  man,  very  earnest 
and  very  painstaking. 

Yosua  Kiwavu  is  above  everything  an  evangehst. 
A  man  of  strong  convictions  and  considerable  preaching 
powers.  But  all  were  described  to  me  as  good  men 
and  true,  and  it  was  with  a  very  thankful  heart  that  I 
set  them  apart  for  the  work  to  which  they  seemed  so 
manifestly  called. 

The  month  of  June  was  crowded  with  engagements 
of  the  most  varied  kind.  On  the  11th  two  lay  readers 
were  admitted  to  their  office.  On  the  13th  came  the 
dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Ndeje,  in  celebration 
of  which  the  Kangao  made  a  great  feast,  when  five 
oxen  were  killed  and  eaten,  and  five  hundred  baskets 
of  food  were  consumed.  The  15th  saw  me  once  more 
at  Mengo,  and  two  days  later  I  started  for  Nakanyonyi, 
where,  on  the  18th,  a  hundred  and  thirty-one  men  and 
women  were  confirmed.  On  the  19th  Mengo  was 
reached  once  more,  and  on  the  following  day  I  started 
for  the  island  of  Kome,  where  I  arrived  at  3.30  p.m.  A 
Confirmation  the  next  morning,  when  thirty-two  candi- 
dates were  confirmed,  and  a  conference  with  teachers, 
was  all  that  had  been  arranged  for  me,  and  starting 
back  as  soon  as  these  were  over,  I  was  able  to  reach 
my  house  in  Namirembe  by  7  p.m.,  thus  doing  the 


202        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  V. 

double  journey  within  twenty-four  hours.  On  the  23rd 
came  a  Confirmation  at  Mengo,  when  fifty-nine  candi- 
dates were  presented.  On  the  24th  there  was  a  long 
meeting  of  the  Translational  Committee,  and  on  Sunday 
the  25th  an  English  service  with  sermon,  for  a  con- 
gregation of  twenty-four  Europeans.  The  two  follow- 
ing days  were  filled  up  with  meetings,  both  morning 
and  evening,  of  the  Translational  Committee,  and  then 
on  the  28th  came  the  Conference  of  Missionaries,  which 
had  been  summoned  specially  to  consider  further  the 
question  of  a  Constitution  for  the  Church. 

After  a  solemn  service  of  Holy  Communion,  with  an 
address  by  myself,  the  Conference  settled  down  to  the 
consideration  of  the  burning  question  as  to  whether  the 
European  missionaries  were  to  be  included  within  the 
Constitution,  or  on  the  other  hand  to  be  excluded  from 
it,  and  find  their  places  as  advisers  of  the  Native  Church, 
which  they  themselves  did  not  join.  The  latter  pro- 
posal was  that  favoured  by  the  majority  in  the  Con- 
ference, and  as  I  regarded  the  former  as  a  fundamental 
principle,  I  withdrew  my  draft  Constitution  as  a  whole 
from  further  discussion.  I  then  proposed  that  so  much 
of  it  as  had  a  general  consensus  of  opinion  in  its  favour 
should  be  adopted  and  become  the  working  rule  of  the 
Church.  I  felt  that  "  half  a  loaf  was  better  than  no 
bread."  Indeed  it  was  more  than  half  a  loaf  which 
was  obtained  by  the  adoption  of  my  suggestion.  In 
fact  three-fourths  of  the  Constitution  were  agreed  to. 
Parochial  and  District  Councils  were  provided  for,  as 
well  as  the  maintenance  of  the  Central  Council  at 
Mengo.  The  Elector,  it  was  decided,  should  be  the 
Communicant,  the  offices  of  readers,  teachers,  and 
women  teachers  were  put  upon  a  recognised  and  regular 
basis.  Women's  Conferences  were  arranged  for  each 
district,  and  for  the  centre  at  Mengo.    The  Central 


Chap.  37]        DEATH  OF  MWANGA  203 

Conference  consisted  of  delegates  chosen  by  the  District 
Conference,  two  from  each  Conference.  A  Central 
Church  Fund  was  also  established.  These  proposals 
a  few  months  later  were  brought  before  the  Church 
Council  at  Mengo,  and  were  formally  adopted  as  the 
working  rule  of  the  Church.  I  gave  it  my  sanction, 
but  only  as  a  temporary  measure,  as  an  instalment  of 
that  complete  scheme  which  I  hoped  in  time  would 
meet  with  general  acceptance  as  a  full  and  generous 
measure  of  Church  Government. 

The  Conference  then  passed  to  the  consideration  of 
a  number  of  matters  of  the  greatest  importance,  "  The 
higher  education  of  the  native  clergy  and  teachers," 
and  "  How  best  to  organise  a  more  thorough  system 
of  education  for  the  young."  Subjects  more  intimately 
bound  up  with  the  truest  interests  of  the  Church  in 
Uganda  it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive.  As  is  the 
life  of  the  clergy,  so  will  be  the  life  of  the  people. 
Ignorance  in  the  clergy  means  ignorance  in  the  people. 

I  have  already,  in  a  previous  chapter,  enlarged  upon 
the  pre-eminent  value  of  character  in  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  and  how  infinitely  it  is  to  be  preferred  to  that 
which  commonly  is  regarded  as  education.  In  the 
earher  stages  of  missionary  work  it  is  vain  to  look  for 
much  else  in  Church  workers  than  spiritual  life  and 
moral  worth.  But  in  1899  we  were  passing  out  of  the 
earlier  stage.  A  new  era  was  dawning  both  upon  the 
Church  and  the  country.  Six  years  had  passed  by 
since  the  foundation  of  the  native  ministry  had  been 
laid,  and  it  was  time  to  take  a  step  forward  and  to 
devise  means  by  which,  in  addition  to  spiritual  life  and 
moral  worth,  there  might  be  added  to  the  equipment 
of  our  native  pastors  that  culture  and  mental  training 
which  is  the  outcome  of  study  and  the  fruit  of  instruc- 
tion properly  and  wisely  imparted.     We  therefore 


204        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

decided  to  embark  upon  a  considerable  translational 
work — a  commentary  on  the  four  Gospels  and  the 
Acts  from  the  Cambridge  Bible,  Maclear's  "  Old  Testa- 
ment History,"  a  work  on  Church  doctrine,  Maclear's 
"  Introduction  to  the  Creeds,"  and  so  forth.  It  was 
also  arranged  to  assign  another  missionary  to  the 
special  work  of  teaching,  one  who  should  give  his  un- 
divided attention  to  the  training  of  Church  Council 
teachers  in  Mengo. 

The  two  great  obstacles  in  the  way  of  a  thorough 
organisation  of  educational  work  amongst  the  young 
were  the  lack  of  school  buildings  and  properly  trained 
teachers.  The  former  need  could  only  be  supplied  by 
the  Church  Council.  It  was  therefore  decided  to 
bring  the  matter  before  that  body  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  latter  great  necessity  was  a  much  more  difficult 
problem  to  deal  with.  You  cannot  train  a  teacher  as 
you  can  "  run  up  "  a  school  building.  There  seems  to 
be  a  general  impression  in  the  Mission  field  that  any- 
body can  teach  in  a  school.  No  greater  mistake  can 
possibly  be  made.  Some  one  has  said,  and  said  truly, 
that  the  four  chief  qualifications  of  a  teacher  are  : 
"  Character,  teaching  ability,  scholarship,  and  culture." 
While  it  is  quite  true  that  no  amount  of  training  can 
ever  take  the  place  of  natural  ability,  it  is  also  true 
that  it  is  only  by  means  of  a  thorough  system  of  train- 
ing that  natural  ability  can  be  properly  developed,  and 
ordinary  ability  (and  this  is  what  we  have  mainly  to 
deal  with  in  the  Mission  field)  be  utilised  for  the  due 
filling  of  that  high  and  holy  office — the  office  of  the 
teacher  of  the  young. 

With  such  thoughts  in  mind,  the  Conference  dis- 
cussed, and  eventually  adopted,  the  following  re- 
solution : — 

"  This  Conference  is  of  opinion  that  immediate  steps 


Chap.  37]        DEATH  OF  MWANGA  205 

should  be  taken  to  organise  a  thorough  system  of 
training  school-teachers,  both  male  and  female." 

A  Conference  of  Lady  Missioners,  held  a  few  days 
later,  adopted  a  similar  resolution.  Thus  was  the 
Church  committed  to  a  forward  policy,  both  with 
regard  to  the  higher  education  of  pastors  and  school 
teachers,  and  also  with  regard  to  an  organised  system 
of  primary  education  throughout  the  country. 

Another  subject  dealt  with  by  the  Conference  was, 
"  How  best  to  foster  a  spirit  of  prayer  among  the 
native  Christians."  It  was  decided  to  recommend  the 
establishment  of  a  weekly  meeting  for  prayer  in  con- 
nection with  every  congregation  throughout  the 
country.  It  was  further  resolved  to  issue  a  manual  of 
devotion,  as  an  aid  to  Christians  in  private  and  family 
prayer. 

A  consideration  of  the  very  necessary  subject  of  the 
best  method  for  the  registration  of  Communicants 
brought  our  Conference  to  a  close. 

In  order  to  enhst  as  far  as  possible  the  co-operation 
of  parents  and  chiefs  in  the  good  work  of  education 
upon  which  we  had  now  embarked,  I  had  the  following 
letter  translated  into  Luganda.  It  was  then  presented 
as  a  leaflet,  and  scattered  broadcast  throughout  the 
country. 

A  Word  on  Education  addressed  to  Parents 
AND  Chiefs  by  the  Bishop  of  Uganda 

My  Friends, — I  greet  you  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
and  beseech  you  to  hearken  to  my  words. 

God  has  given  to  every  human  being  wonderful 
powers  of  mind.  These  powers  may  be  exercised  either 
in  good  works  or  works  of  evil.  "  As  a  twig  is  bent,  so 
will  the  tree  incline."    As  you  train  the  child  so  the 


206        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


man  or  woman  will  be.  Solomon  says  (Prov.  xxii.  6), 
"  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when 
he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  If  a  child  is 
untaught,  what  wonder  if  he  grows  up  to  be  a  fool  ? 
If  he  is  allowed  to  grow  up  in  the  midst  of  wicked 
surroundings,  what  wonder  if  he  becomes  a  wicked 
man  ? 

Every  chief  and  every  parent  has  a  responsibility 
laid  upon  him  with  regard  to  the  children  under  his 
care. 

First,  I  would  speak  a  word  to  parents.  My  friends, 
your  children  are  God's  gifts  to  you,  and  He  expects 
you  to  train  them  for  Himself.  St.  Paul  in  writing 
to  the  Ephesians  says,  "  and  ye  fathers  provoke  not 
your  children  to  wrath,  but  bring  them  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord "  (Eph.  vi.  4). 
Many  parents  send  their  children  to  be  brought  up  in 
other  homes.  This  is  an  evil  custom.  It  is  the  work 
of  the  parent  to  watch  over  the  child,  and  to  train  it 
in  good  habits.  Moses,  in  speaking  to  the  Israelites, 
commanded  them  to  teach  their  children  the  law  of 
the  Lord  their  God  (Deut.  xxxi.  13),  that  they  might 
learn  to  fear  them.  This  God  calls  upon  you  now  to  do. 
When  at  the  last  day  you  are  called  upon  to  give  an 
account  of  the  way  in  which  you  have  dealt  with  the 
children  whom  God  has  given  you,  it  will  be  no  good 
excuse  to  say  that  the  persons  to  whom  you  entrusted 
your  children  trained  them  ill.  It  is  your  duty  to 
train  them  yourself,  or  to  send  them  to  school  where 
you  know  they  will  be  well  taught. 

Now,  I  want  to  tell  you,  that  we  on  Namirembe  are 
establishing  schools  all  over  the  country,  and  that  we 
are  prepared  to  teach  your  children  not  only  the  law 
of  God  but  other  good  things,  such  as  reading,  writing, 
and  arithmetic.    A  great  change  is  coming  over  the 


Chap.  37]        DEATH  OF  MWANGA  207 

country.  There  will  be  work  to  be  done  which  can 
only  be  done  by  those  who  have  learned  to  read  and 
write.  The  better  taught  your  children  are,  the  better 
work  they  will  be  able  to  do,  and  the  happier  and  more 
prosperous  will  be  their  lives.  I  would  advise  you, 
therefore,  to  make  it  a  rule  of  your  house  that  your 
children  go  to  school  every  day  to  be  taught. 

And  now  I  want  to  say  a  word  to  chiefs.  My 
friends,  you  have  a  duty  to  discharge  with  regard  to 
the  children  of  those  under  your  authority.  It  is  to 
see  that  they  do  not  grow  up  in  ignorance.  The 
prosperity  of  Uganda  will  depend  upon  the  education 
of  the  children.  If  they  are  left  to  grow  up  in  ignorance 
they  will  be  unfitted  to  take  any  but  the  lowest  place 
in  the  life  and  work  of  the  country. 

A  good  chief  will  consider  the  welfare  of  his  people.. 
He  will  advise  them  to  send  their  children  to  school, 
because  he  knows  that  ignorance  and  degradation 
always  go  together,  whilst  prosperity  and  happiness 
will  always  be  the  lot  of  those  who  have  been  well 
taught. 

My  friends,  you  have  many  boys  who  wait  on  you. 
I  beseech  you  to  send  them  to  school  every  day.  And 
I  plead  with  you  not  only  on  behalf  of  the  boys  but 
also  of  the  girls.  Let  them  not  be  left  in  ignorance. 
We  are  prepared  to  teach  them  as  well  as  the  boys. 
If  they  are  well  taught,  they  will  make  good  wives 
and  good  mothers.  Leave  them  in  ignorance,  and  the 
result  will  be  that  the  children  of  the  next  generation 
will  be  no  better  than  the  children  of  the  last.  Use 
all  your  influence  on  the  side  of  education  and  progress. 
If  you  give  your  people  education,  you  will  give  them 
that  which  is  worth  more  than  gold,  silver,  ivory,  or 
cattle,  for  the  Word  of  God  tells  us  that  "  the  price  of 
wisdom  is  above  rubies  "  (Job  xxviii.  18). 


208        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

Well  then,  my  friends,  if  these  things  be  so,  hearken 
to  my  words,  and  do  that  which  in  your  hearts  you 
know  to  be  right. 

Farewell.    May  God  keep  you  in  all  your  ways. 

I  am  your  friend,  who  loves  you  in  the  Lord. 


Alfred  R.  Tucker, 

Bishop  of  Uganda. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 


BUSOGA 

'  All  souls  are  thine  !  the  wings  of  morning  bear 
None  from  that  presence  which  is  everywhere, 
Nor  hell  itself  can  hide,  for  thou  art  there.' 

Whittiek. 

Let  us  now  turn  from  the  comparatively  ordered  and 
settled  condition  of  things  both  in  Church  and  State  in 
Uganda,  and  see  how  all  this  while  matters  were  faring 
in  the  more  backward  country  of  Busoga.  Its  back- 
wardness (about  which  there  could  be  no  question)  was 
due  very  largely  to  that  position  of  subordination 
which  for  many  years  it  had  occupied  with  respect  to 
Uganda.  Naturally  rich  and  fertile,  with  immense 
flocks  and  herds,  it  had  long  been  the  happy  hunting 
ground  of  the  more  warlike  and  strenuous  race  dwelling 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Nile,  who,  not  content  with 
carrying  off  their  sheep  and  goats,  had  enslaved  for 
bartering  away,  in  exchange  for  guns  and  powder, 
thousands  of  men  and  women. 

Another  reason  for  the  backward  condition  of  the 
Basoga  and  their  position  of  subordination  is,  I  think, 
to  be  found  in  their  tenacious  hold  upon  a  method  of 
government  which  did  not  make  for  progi'css.  Whilst 
they  had  doubtless  risen  superior  to  the  more  primitive 
conditions  of  life  which  distinguish  the  tribes  living 
under  the  patriarchal  system,  they  had  not  yet  ad- 
vanced to  the  idea  of  the  kingship  and  the  feudal 
system  as  it  obtains  in  Uganda — a  system  which  had 


210        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

without  question  given  to  the  Baganda  that  cohesion 
which  had  enabled  them  to  conquer  and  to  keep  in 
subjection  peoples  Hke  the  Basoga,  standing  midway 
between  such  tribes  as  the  Bakavirondo,  who  still 
clung  to  the  patriarchal  idea,  and  themselves,  who  had 
risen  to  a  reaUsation  of  the  advantages  of  the  feudal 
method  of  government. 

The  feudal  system  in  Europe  did  its  work  and  played 
its  part  in  the  making  of  the  nations,  and  it  has  passed 
away.  It  is  true  that  the  very  thought  of  it  suggests 
to  our  mind  the  "  dark  ages."  But  in  "  darkest 
Africa  "  it  means  law  and  order,  cohesion  and  national 
supremacy.  It  has  done  its  work  in  Uganda  as  in 
Europe,  and  in  due  turn  it  will  be 

'  Numbered  with  the  things 
That  once  have  been.' 

In  the  meanwhile  it  has  its  uses  :  for  it  distinctly 
makes  for  a  higher  condition  of  things  than  that  which 
obtains  in  those  countries  like  Bukedi  and  Kavirondo, 
where  through  each  little  chief  being  a  law  unto  him- 
self, and  as  good  as  his  neighbour,  the  ruling  principle 
seems  to  be  : 

'  Let  him  take  who  has  the  power, 
And  he  can  keep  who  can.' 

Busoga  at  the  time  of  which  I  am  writing  was  divided 
into  seven  great  chieftainships,  viz.,  Wakoli,  Luba, 
Miro,  Tabingwa,  Gabula,  Nkono,  and  Zibondo.  Each 
of  these  was  independent  of  the  other — jealous  as  well 
as  fearful  of  the  other.  The  only  unifying  force  in 
Busoga  was  a  common  language.  But  even  this  was 
powerless  to  unite  the  rival  forces  against  a  common 
foe.  An  effort  made  by  Mr.  Berkeley,  the  British 
Administrator  of  the  Uganda  Protectorate,  to  bring  the 


Chap.  38]  BUSOGA  211 

various  chiefs  to  recognise  one  of  themselves  as  para- 
mount chief  or  king  of  the  nation,  failed  completely. 
They  would  have  none  of  it. 

But  their  division,  and  their  consequent  impotence 
in  the  presence  of  their  enemies,  was  not  the  only  cause 
of  the  degradation  of  the  Busoga.  Drunkenness, 
bhang-smoking,  and  lust  were  doing  a  deadly  work 
amongst  them.  Naturally  a  clever  people,  their  in- 
tellects have  been  dulled,  and  their  physical  energy 
sapped,  by  vices  more  menacing  far  to  their  national 
life  than  the  plundering  and  enslaving  Baganda. 

Political  pressure  had  failed  to  unite  this  divided 
people  with  a  view  to  temporal  advancement  and 
material  prosperity.  It  was  reserved  for  that  greatest 
of  all  unifying  forces,  Christianity,  to  knit  them 
together  in  the  closest  of  all  bonds,  the  bonds  of 
Christian  love  and  union — not  a  union  for  conflict 
with  their  ancient  foes  the  Baganda,  but  a  union  for 
battle  with  the  forces  and  powers  of  darkness,  which 
for  so  long  ages  had  held  them  in  cruel  bondage. 

How  this  was  brought  about,  and  how  slowly  but 
surely  Christianity  won  its  way  in  Busoga  in  the  face 
of  opposition  fierce  and  deep,  and  indeed  at  times 
almost  deadly,  let  me  tell  as  briefly  and  shortly  as 
possible. 

In  1891  F.  C.  Smith,  who  had  formed  one  of  my 
party  travelling  to  Uganda  the  previous  year,  journeyed 
to  Busoga  in  company  with  Gordon.  Among  other 
chiefs,  Wakoli  was  visited.  He  was  a  man  of  remark- 
able gifts,  and  free  from  many  of  the  vices  and  super- 
stitions of  his  people.  He  was,  moreover,  on  very 
friendly  terms  with  the  British  East  Africa  Company. 
So  encouraging  was  their  reception,  and  so  inviting 
appeared  the  opening,  that  early  in  1892  Smith  re- 
turned alone,  with  the  idea  of  definitely  commencing 


212        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


the  evangelisation  of  the  country.  Captain  Lugard,  on 
his  way  to  the  coast,  specially  commended  him  to  the 
care  of  Wakoli. 

Shortly  after  Smith's  arrival  the  terrible  tragedy 
occurred  to  which  allusion  has  already  been  made, 
when  Wakoli  was  shot,  either  wilfully  or  accidentally 
(it  has  never  been  properly  determined  which),  by  a 
Swahili  porter.  Smith  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  infuriated  people.  This, 
of  course,  brought  to  a  conclusion  the  attempt  to 
evangelise  Eastern  Busoga  ;  and  Smith  returned  to 
Uganda,  and  was  shortly  afterwards  invalided  home. 

In  the  meanwhile  Roscoe  had  commenced  work  at 
Luba's.  But  repeated  attacks  of  fever,  induced  by  the 
low  and  unhealthy  situation  of  the  grass  hut  which 
had  been  built  by  Luba  for  his  accommodation,  broke 
down  his  health,  and  he  was  obliged,  like  Smith,  to 
retreat  to  Uganda. 

It  was  not  until  two  years  later  that  another  definite 
attempt  was  made  to  enter  Busoga.  On  the  failure  of 
Messrs.  Crabtree  and  Rowling  to  effect  a  settlement  at 
Mumia's  in  Kavirondo,  owing  in  a  large  measure  to  the 
scarcity  of  food  and  the  lack  of  barter  goods,  they 
were  transferred  to  Busoga.  Rowling  made  Kigwisa, 
near  Luba's,  his  headquarters,  and  Crabtree  set  to 
work  at  Miro's,  some  four-and-twenty  miles  away  in  a 
northerly  direction. 

The  work  was  carried  on  in  the  face  of  much  opposi- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  principal  chiefs  ;  though  out- 
wardly friendly  they  were  secretly  hostile,  and  strove 
by  every  means  in  their  power  to  frustrate  our  efforts 
to  evangelise  and  teach  their  people.  For  some  time 
most  of  the  teaching  went  on  in  secret  at  night,  or  in 
out-of-the-way  places.  Not  infrequently  some  case  of 
cruel  treatment  of  a  helpless  woman  or  an  inoffensive 


Chap.  38] 


BUSOGA 


213 


child  came  to  the  ears  of  the  missionaries.  In  nearly 
every  instance  the  victim  was  a  reader.  It  seemed 
almost  as  though  we  must  face  a  revival  of  the  early 
days  of  persecution  in  Uganda.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  but  that  the  priests  of  the  Lubare  were  at  the 
bottom  of  aU  this  fierce  opposition  and  cruelty.  The 
hold  which  heathenism — the  old  Lubare  worship — had 
still  upon  the  chiefs  and  people  was  intense.  Evidence 
of  this  was  to  be  seen  on  every  hand.  Oumps  of  trees 
used  as  shrines  met  you  at  every  turn.  The  peaked 
devil  houses,  which  are  hardly  ever  seen  now  in  Uganda, 
seemed  almost  as  numerous  as  the  huts  of  the  people. 
It  was  almost  impossible  to  go  along  a  public  path 
without  being  obliged  to  pass  under  some  arrange- 
ments of  charms  intended  for  the  propitiation  of  evil 
spirits.  The  powers  of  darkness  were  entrenched  as 
in  an  impregnable  stronghold,  and  it  was  evident  that 
only  by  the  might  of  the  "  stronger  than  the  strong 
man  armed "  could  they  be  dispossessed  of  that 
sovereignty  over  the  minds  and  consciences  of  the 
Basoga,  which  for  so  long  ages  they  had  exercised. 

Rowling  with  his  medicine-chest  attracted  many  sick 
ones  to  the  Mission,  and  so  insensibly  a  circle  for  some 
considerable  distance  round  was  influenced.  Then 
came  applications  for  instruction  from  those  whose 
hearts  had  been  touched.  And  so  the  work  grew 
almost  imperceptibly. 

In  these  early  days  Lusoga  was  the  language  in 
which  it  was  sought  to  reach  the  people.  Reading 
sheets  were  printed  in  the  little  press  which  had  been 
set  up  at  Kigwisa.  Then  the  work  of  translating  the 
Gospels  into  the  vernacular  was  taken  in  hand  by 
Mr.  Crabtree.  But  there  was  noticed  a  desire  on  the 
part  of  many  to  read  in  Luganda.  Whether  it  was 
from  a  feeling  that  the  old  life  was  so  bound  up  with 


214         UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


Lusoga  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  entirely  free  from 
much  that  had  become  hateful  unless  the  old  language 
was  forsaken,  or  whether  it  was  simply  a  desire  to 
acquire  Luganda,  as  an  accomplishment,  and  as 
identified  with  the  white  teachers,  who  understood  and 
spoke  the  one  with  facility,  but  the  other  very  stumb- 
lingly,  it  is  hard  to  say.  At  any  rate  it  soon  became  a 
moot  question  as  to  which  was  to  be  the  prevaihng 
tongue. 

The  principle  ultimately  adopted  was  that  which 
has  been  applied  to  such  countries  as  Bunyoro,  Toro, 
and  Nkole  (where  similar  phenomena  have  been  ob- 
served), viz.,  that  all  evangelistic  work  should,  as  far 
as  possible,  be  done  in  the  vernacular,  but  that  in 
educational  work  Luganda  might  be  the  language  of 
instruction. 

One  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  the  progress  of 
missionary  work  in  Africa  is  the  multiplicity  of  its 
languages.  The  confusion  is  Babel-like  in  its  com- 
pleteness. Now  to  those  who  have  carefully  observed 
philological  phenomena  in  the  "  dark  continent,"  it  is 
quite  clear  that  while  certain  languages  are  dying, 
others  have  in  them  all  the  elements  of  a  continued 
vitality.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  therefore, 
that  nothing  should  be  done  by  the  missionary  to- 
wards reviving  those  languages  which  are  evidently 
moribund.  The  reduction  of  such  languages  to 
writing,  and  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  are  all 
potent  elements  in  their  perpetuation,  and  should,  if 
possible,  be  avoided.  I  say  if  possible,  because  I  hold 
it  to  be  the  inalienable  right  of  all  peoples,  and  kindreds, 
and  nations,  and  tongues  to  have  the  Gospel  proclaimed 
to  them  in  a  language  understood  by  them.  It  is 
always  possible,  however,  to  draw  a  line  between  the 
evangelisation  and  the  education  of  a  people.  If, 


Chap.  38]  BUSOGA  215 

therefore,  there  is  a  rich,  full,  and  vigorous  language 
which  is  evidently  driving  before  it  a  poor,  weak,  and 
dying  tongue,  it  will  always  be  the  wisdom  of  the 
missionary  to  use,  as  far  as  possible,  the  widely  spoken 
language  in  preference  to  the  one  which  has  only  a 
low  vitality.  You  can  never  hope  to  give  a  literature 
to  the  people  speaking  the  latter.  It  may  be  possible 
to  do  it  for  the  former. 

I  have  sometimes  been  asked  to  what  I  attribute 
the  sudden  leap  forward  in  the  progress  of  the  work 
in  Uganda,  which  is  so  marked  a  feature  of  the  period 
commencing  in  1890.  There  were  in  my  opinion 
several  contributing  causes,  but  one  of  the  chief  I 
believe  to  have  been  the  abandonment  of  the  use  of 
Swahili  in  our  teaching  work,  and  steady  perseverance 
in  the  policy  of  giving  the  Baganda  the  Word  of  God 
in  their  own  tongue. 

Mackay,  it  is  true,  did  a  notable  translational  work 
in  Uganda,  but  in  his  later  days  he  was  very  desirous 
of  hastening  the  time  when  one  language  should 
dominate  Central  Africa,  and  that  language,  he  hoped 
and  believed,  would  be  Swahili.  But  he  miscalculated 
the  results  likely  to  accrue  through  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  into  Luganda.  He  hardly  foresaw  the 
powers  of  resistance  which  it  would  give  to  that  lan- 
guage. We,  however,  who  can  look  back  over  the 
years  that  are  gone,  can  trace  it  distinctly.  We  see 
that  Swahili  has  hardly  made  any  advance  at  all 
during  the  last  fifteen  years.  Then  Swahili  books 
were  eagerly  sought  for.  Now  hardly  any  one  will 
accept  them  as  a  gift.  And  we  are  profoundly  thank- 
ful that  it  is  so.  Swahili  is  too  closely  related  to 
Mohammedanism  to  be  welcome  in  any  Mission  field 
in  Central  Africa. 

Divine  guidance  to  the  Church  is,  thank  God,  a  great 


216        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


reality,  and  there  is  no  event  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  of  Uganda  which  proves  it  more  conclusively 
than  the  rejection  in  1890  of  Swahili  as  a  teaching 
medium,  and  the  enthusiastic  adoption  of  Luganda 
both  for  evangelistic  and  educational  purposes. 

That  there  should  be  one  "  language  "  for  Central 
Africa  is  a  consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished,  but 
God  forbid  that  it  should  be  Swahili.  English  ?  Yes ! 
but  Swahili  never.  The  one  means  the  Bible  and 
Protestant  Christianity,  the  other  Mohammedanism, 
sensuality,  moral  and  physical  degradation  and  ruin. 

But  to  return  to  my  story.  Although  between  1892 
and  1894  no  European  missionaries  were  stationed  in 
Busoga,  the  work  begun  in  1891  was  not  allowed  to 
lapse.  Baganda  evangelists  were  from  the  first  en- 
gaged in  the  enterprise,  and  in  the  intervals  of  European 
occupation  continued  the  work. 

In  journeying  to  Uganda  from  the  coast  in  the 
autumn  of  1895,  Allen  Wilson,  who  formed  a  member 
of  my  party,  was  left  behind  at  Luba's,  and  commenced 
that  work  which  so  bravely  and  successfully  he  has 
carried  forward  up  to  the  present  time.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  H.  W.  Weatherhead  was  added  to  the  force 
operating  in  Busoga.  Then  came  Martin  Hall.  And 
so  I  found  the  party  constituted  when,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  Conference  at  Mengo  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made,  I  determined  to  see  for  myself 
how  things  were  prospering. 

Leaving  Mengo  on  July  17,  1899,  I  arrived  at 
Luba's  four  days  later,  having  held  a  Confirmation  at 
Ngogwe  on  the  way,  when  eighty-six  men  and  women 
received  the  laying  on  of  hands.  Luba  was  in  "  high 
feather  "  in  consequence  of  the  increasing  importance 
of  his  chieftainship.  The  Government  had  made 
Luba's  the  capital  of  the  country.    There  were  two 


Chap.  38] 


BUSOGA 


217 


Missions  planted  almost  at  his  very  doors.  Europeans, 
Government  men,  traders,  and  missionaries  were 
always  coming  and  going.  All  this,  of  course,  meant 
"  grist  to  his  mill."  There  was  the  heavy  toll  which 
he  exacted  for  the  use  of  canoes  with  which  to  make 
the  crossing  to  Uganda.  There  was  employment  for 
his  men,  of  whose  wages  he  took  a  share.  There  was 
the  sale  of  the  produce  of  his  gardens,  of  his  flocks 
and  herds,  and  so  forth.  Luba  was  fast  becoming  not 
only  a  man  of  consequence  but  also  a  man  of  wealth. 
Whether  his  heart  was  being  touched  by  the  Gospel 
to  which  he  listened,  Sunday  by  Sunday,  in  the  little 
church  on  the  hill,  or  in  the  one  in  his  own  enclosure, 
it  is  hard  to  say.  At  all  events  his  attitude  towards 
the  Mission  was  most  friendly.  On  my  arrival  he 
came  almost  immediately  to  greet  me  and  invited  me 
to  a  feast  on  the  following  day. 

A  native  feast  in  Central  Africa  is  a  fearful  and 
wonderful  sight.  Then  the  native  is  seen  at  his  very 
worst.  He  tears  his  meat  like  a  wild  beast.  He 
gorges  himself  like  a  boa-constrictor.  He  is  the  animal 
pure  and  simple.  In  Uganda  such  savagery  is  slowly 
dying  out  with  the  advance  of  civilisation  and  contact 
with  the  European.  But  in  Busoga,  at  the  time  of 
which  I  am  writing,  such  influences  were  only  just 
beginning  to  be  felt,  and  the  native  feast  was  altogether 
untouched  by  any  of  the  refinements  of  civilised  life. 

Happily,  our  part  in  the  repast  preceded  that  of  the 
natives.  Willing  hands  soon  covered  the  ground  in 
front  of  us  with  bright  green  banana  leaves.  Then 
came  a  long  procession  of  youths  bearing  upon  their 
heads  heavy  burdens  of  cooked  food  in  wicker  baskets. 
These  were  quickly  taken  from  their  banana  leaf 
wrappings,  and  lo  !  fish,  flesh,  and  fowl  lay  before  us, 
inviting  us  to  fall  to.    Forks  and  spoons  were  minus 


218        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

quantities — a  knife  was  the  only  implement  which  the 
helpless  "  Muzungu  "  (European)  had  to  aid  him  in  his 
efforts  to  appear  to  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  his  host. 
That,  however,  with  the  help  of  his  fingers,  which  had 
been  previously  washed  with  water  poured  upon  them 
by  an  attendant,  enabled  him  to  pass  muster  as  a  guest 
who  appreciated  the  good  things  set  before  him. 

The  hungry  crowd  without  had  not  long  to  wait. 
Very  soon  the  word  was  passed  round,  "  Abazungu 
bamaze  okulya  "  (the  Europeans  have  finished  eating). 
Immediately  the  murmur  of  voices,  which  told  of  a 
gathered  multitude  outside,  grew  into  a  hoarse  roar, 
almost  indeed  to  a  tumult.  "  Come,"  said  Luba,  "  and 
let  us  see  them  eat."  It  was  a  sight  not  easily  for- 
gotten. Two  or  three  thousand  men  and  women 
were  gathered  on  the  two  sides  of  their  "  mbuga  "  (the 
space  in  front  of  the  chief's  enclosure).  The  men  in 
groups  of  ten  or  a  dozen  on  the  one  side,  ai;id  the  women 
in  similar  groups  on  the  other.  Three  hundred  baskets 
of  food,  consisting  of  boiled  bananas  and  the  stewed 
flesh  of  a  dozen  bullocks  which  had  been  killed  in 
honour  of  our  coming,  had  just  been  brought  upon  the 
scene  and  were  in  process  of  distribution. 

Word  was  brought  to  the  chief  that  all  was  ready. 
"  Let  them  eat,"  was  the  response.  Then  ensued  such 
a  scene  as  baffles  all  description.  The  hot  "  matoke  " 
(boiled  bananas)  was  seized  and  crammed  down  the 
throat  at  lightning  speed,  then  lumps  of  meat  were 
laid  hold  of  and  torn  to  pieces  with  the  teeth,  and 
as  greedily  swallowed,  without  mastication  and  with 
imminent  risk  of  choking.  Here  was  the  rib  bone  of 
an  ox  with  four  men  gnawing  at  it.  There  the  jaw 
bone  had  three  boys  hanging  on  to  it  with  their  teeth. 
Here — but  the  sight  altogether  was  too  disgusting,  and 
one  turned  away  with  loathing  from  this  mass  of  poor 


Chap.  38]  BUSOGA  219 

degraded  humanity,  which  seemed  to  have  but  one 
object  in  Hfe — self-satisfaction.  "  Let  us  eat  and  drink 
for  to-morrow  we  die,"  sums  it  all  up. 

On  the  following  day,  July  25th,  Martin  Hall  and  I 
started  on  our  tour  through  Southern  Busoga.  My 
programme  included  visits  to  all  the  great  chiefs,  as 
well  as  to  our  evangelists  and  teachers.  I  hoped  to 
induce  many  of  the  former  to  admit  our  workers,  if 
not  to  their  enclosure,  at  least  to  their  country,  and  so 
gradually  to  break  down  that  wall  of  opposition  which 
was  so  seriously  hampering  our  efforts  for  the  evange- 
lisation of  the  country.  Kajaya  was  the  first  of  these 
great  chiefs  to  whom  we  paid  our  respects.  I  had 
already  some  acquaintance  with  him,  having  camped 
at  his  village  on  more  than  one  occasion.  He  was  as 
plausible  as  ever,  and  to  all  my  requests  yielded  a  ready  \ 
assent.  Oh  !  yes,  he  would  be  glad  to  have  teachers 
in  his  country,  and  they  should  have  complete  freedom 
to  go  where  they  pleased  and  teach  what  they  pleased. 
Would  he  allow  his  women  and  children  to  be  taught  ? 
Certainly,  there  was  nothing  of  which  he  was  more 
desirous  than  that  they  should  learn  something  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  white  man — and  so  on.  All  this  was 
very  satisfactory  as  far  as  it  went.  But  one  knew 
from  bitter  experience  the  real  value  of  such  assurances 
from  such  a  man  as  I  knew  Kajaya  to  be.  However, 
there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done  than  to  accept  his 
assurances,  and  definitely  to  fix  a  date  and  a  place  for 
the  commencement  of  the  work  thus  sanctioned.  Ob- 
struction and  violation  of  pledges  could  be  dealt  with  as 
occasion  might  be  given.    And  so  we  went  on  our  way. 

Our  journey  through  Busoga  was  a  strange  and 
weird  experience  from  many  points  of  view.  There 
was  the  close  contact  with  the  ancient  superstitions 
of  the  country — Lubare  worship — into  which  we  were 


220        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


necessarily  brought.  There  was  the  only  too  evident 
thraldom  to  its  powers  by  which  the  people,  men  and 
women  alike,  were  bound.  There  was  the  atmosphere 
of  deep,  dark  heathenism,  which  we  were  breathing,  so 
to  speak,  and  which  at  times  seemed  stifling  in  its 
density.  The  air  too  was  resonant  with  the  weeping 
and  wailing  of  mourners.  Some  thousands  of  Basoga 
porters  had  recently  been  employed  by  the  Adminis- 
tration in  conveying  the  baggage  of  the  Indian  con- 
tingent to  rail  head,  and  large  numbers  had  perished 
on  the  way  back  from  Kikuyu.  There  was  hardly  a 
home  in  South  Busoga  which  was  not  a  house  of  mourn- 
ing. But  what  perhaps  struck  us  most  of  all  was  the 
extreme  timidity  of  the  people.  On  catching  sight  of 
us  in  the  road  they  would  dart  off  into  the  long  grass 
for  hiding,  or  make  their  way  in  a  bee-line  across  the 
open  country  until  some  convenient  cover  would  hide 
them  from  our  view. 

All  this  was  very  depressing  in  its  apparently  utter 
hopelessness.    But  nevertheless  there  was  a  good  deal 
to  cheer  and  encourage.    The  evident  warm-hearted-  ^ 
ness  of  the  people  when  once  their  timidity  was  over- 
come and  their  confidence  won,  the  attentive  hearing 
whichjbhey  gavejto  our  teachin^and_the  ready  Response 
made_to__our  appeals^Jbouched  us  to  the  heart.    And  j 
then  there  was  the  glorious  scenery  through  which  we 
passed  on  our  way  from    village  to  village.    How  1 
inspiring  the  sight  of  the  giant  trees  beneath  whose 
gracious  shelter  we  so  often  found  rest  and  refresh-  ] 
ment !      How  tender,  too,  the  pearly  greys  of  the 
distant  hills,  and  how  vividly  they  contrasted  with 
the  bright  greens  and  dark  browns  of  the  foreground 
vegetation,  wonderful    in    its    wealth    of  luxuriant 
growth.    Truly  Busoga,  in  its  scenery,  is  an  earthly  ^ 
paradise. 


i 


Chap.  38]  BUSOGA  221 

From  Menya's  we  went  on  to  Musitwa's,  and  from 
thence  to  Mutanda's  (Wakoli's).  The  latter  place  was 
quite  changed  since  my  last  visit  in  1895.  Mutanda 
himself,  however,  was  much  the  same — as  sottish  and 
brutal-looking  as  ever,  and  as  much  given  to  strong 
drink  and  bhang-smoking.  The  teacher  at  work  here 
gave  us  a  sorrowful  account  of  the  moral  and  spiritual 
condition  of  the  place,  and  the  dead  wall  of  opposition 
which  the  chief  had  built  up  against  all  his  efforts  to 
touch  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  people.  We  did 
our  utmost  to  cheer  and  encourage  him,  and  left  him 
in  apparently  good  heart. 

From  Mutanda's  we  journed  on  to  Kayanga's,  some 
three  hours  away.  The  chief,  we  found,  had  left  the 
previous  day  for  Luba's.  We  had  therefore  the  field 
to  ourselves,  and  soon  gathered  round  a  large  audience 
of  men  and  women,  "  who  ^ave  heed__to^Jh£.  things 
whiclLjvere  spoken."  It  was  deeply  touching  to  see 
their  earnest  attention  and  evident  desire  to  grasp  the 
truth  which  was  unfolded  to  them. 

And  so  we  travelled  on  from  place  to  place,  wel- 
comed by  some,  repulsed  by  others,  until  at  length 
the  road  divided,  one  track  leading  to  Luba's  and  the 
other  to  Iganga,  where  Wilson  and  Skeens  were  at 
work.  Here  I  said  good-bye  to  Martin  Hall,  who 
pursued  his  way  to  Luba's,  while  I  took  the  road  to 
the  latter  place,  which  I  was  given  to  understand  was 
some  six  hours  away. 

After  a  three  hours  tramp  I  halted  in  the  midst  of 
a  banana  plantation  delightfully  refreshing  in  the  cool- 
ness of  its  shade,  boiled  my  kettle,  and  made  tea.  An 
hour's  rest  followed,  and  then  I  gave  the  order  to 
march.  In  five  minutes  we  were  out  of  the  banana 
grove  with  a  European  house  in  full  view.  "  Whose 
house  is  that  ?  "  I  inquired.    "  Simanyi  "  (I  do  not 


222        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

know),  was  the  answer.  Further  inquiry,  however, 
revealed  the  fact  that  the  house  was  Wilson's,  and 
that  I  had  actually,  without  knowing  it,  been  taking 
my  refreshment  on  the  Mission  premises,  and  that 
whilst  I  had  been  engaged  in  making  a  fire  and  boiling 
water  in  the  garden,  Wilson  had  been  busily  employed 
in  preparing  for  my  entertainment  in  the  house.  It 
was  too  ridiculous !  My  sense  of  humour  hardly 
allowed  me  to  greet  seriously  my  kind  host,  nor  could 
they  contain  their  amusement  when  the  facts  dawned 
upon  them. 

Iganga  was  the  chief  town  or  village  of  the  great 
district  ruled  over  for  many  years  by  Miro,  a_cleyer 
Mus(2ga  who  had  been  brought  up  in  Uganda.  He  had 
recently  taken  part  in  the  disastrous  expedition  to 
Kikuyu  already  alluded  to,  and  had  suffered  terribly  in 
health.  He  had  returned  home  quite  broken  down,  and 
after  much  suffering  had  passed  away.  The  whole 
country  was  in  consequence  in  mourning. 

Miro  had  never  been  favourable  to  our  work,  but 
though  not  opposing  openly  he  was  secretly  hostile. 
Those  who  dared  to  come  to  us  for  instruction  did  so 
at  the  risk  of  life  and  limb.  But  as  some  one  has  said  : 
"  Men  learn  from  Christ  how  to  find  joy  in  pain,  how 
to  be  happy  when  suffering  and  dying ;  "  for  as 
Menutius  Felix,  speaking  of  the  martyrs  of  his  time, 
could  say,  "  God's  soldier  is  neither  forsaken  in  suffer- 
ing nor  brought  to  an  end  by  death." 

It  was  a  deep  joy  to  meet  with  those  who  in  such 
circumstances  as  these  had  dared  to  confess  Christ  as 
their  God  and  Saviour.  On  August  5th  I  laid  hands 
in  Confirmation  on  twenty-six  candidates,  three  of 
whom  were  women.  On  the  following  day  (Sunday) 
there  gathered  round  the  table  of  the  Lord  no  fewer 
than  fifty-three  communicants,  all,  as  will  readily  be 


Chap.  38] 


BUSOGA 


223 


believed,  deeply  in  earnest,  and  prepared  to  confess 
their  faith  in  Christ,  no  matter  at  what  cost. 

After  addressing  a  meeting  of  teachers,  and  visiting 
the  little  churches  which  were  springing  up  in  the 
neighbourhood,  Wilson  and  I  started  off  on  August  9th 
for  a  tour  through  North  Busoga. 

So  far  our  health  had  been  good,  and  the  daily  march 
not  too  trying  to  our  strength.  But  the  chmate  of 
Busoga  is  not  an  invigorating  one.  It  is  often  close 
and  steamy.  A  veil  of  haze,  telling  of  close  heat,  usually 
passes  over  the  landscape  as  the  day  advances,  and  all 
nature  seems  to  be  suffering  from  limpness  and  lack  of 
energy.  What  wonder  if  the  human  frame  should 
yield  to  such  enervating  conditions,  and  that  one 
should  feel  the  strain  and  stress  of  prolonged  physical 
exertion.  And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  two  days  after 
leaving  Iganga  I  went  down  with  a  fever,  which  con- 
tinued more  or  less  to  dog  my  footsteps  for  the 
remainder  of  my  tour  in  Busoga.  Henceforth  the 
daily  march  became  a  daily  toil,  and  the  nightly  rest  a 
nightly  tossing  to  and  fro,  while  dreading  the  dawning 
of  the  day  and  yet  longing  for  it. 

At  Mudambado's  and  Mpindi's  we  found  a  good  work 
going  forward.  At  the  former  place  no  fewer  than  one 
hundred  and  twenty  people  came  together  in  the  church 
to  listen  to  our  message,  while  at  the  latter  some  one 
hundred  and  seventy  men  and  women  formed  our 
congregation.  On  August  17th  we  reached  Tabingwa's, 
and  here  we  had  a  very  remarkable  experience.  The 
chief  was  away,  but  permission  was  accorded  to  us  to 
hold  an  open  air  service  for  his  people.  Some  three 
hundred  women  belonging  to  the  chief,  and  called  by 
the  sacred  name  of  "  wife,"  but  alas  !  knowing  nothing 
of  its  high  and  holy  ties,  came  together  to  listen  to  the 
words  of  the  "  Bazungu  "  (white  men).    A  singularly 


224        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

solemnising  and  touching  sight  it  was  to  see  them — 
tlieireagerattention .  their  intelligent  apprehension  oj 
^oi^_^ajterpoint,  as  Mr.  Wilson  in  their  own  tongue 
(Lusoga),  by  the  catechetical  method,  taught  them  the 
great  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity,  was  most 
eloquent  of  their  deep  soul  need,  and  deep  heart  crav- 
ing. A  prayer  was  taught  them,  short  and  pointed  in 
its  petition,  and  then  a  hymn  was  sung  over  and  over 
again,  so  that  many,  I  doubt  not,  will  never  forget  it. 
And  then  without  a  moment's  warning  came  a  most 
dramatic  close  to  our  service.  Moved  as  by  a  common 
impulse,  apparently  fear,  the  whole  mass  rose  up,  and 
like  hunted  deer  the  women  darted  hither  and  thither, 
seeking  the  shelter  of  the  houses  round  about,  and  in 
twenty  seconds  not  a  soul  of  our  audience  was  left. 

At  first  we  thought  that  some  wild  beast  had  made  j 
its  appearance,  and  looked  around  for  some  sign  of  one 
in  our  rear.    But  no  !  all  this  abject  fear,  this  wild  ' 
terror,  was  due  not  to  a  creeping  leopard,  or  a  crouch- 
ing lion,  but  to  a  man — or  shall  I  say,  to  a  being  in  ^ 
the  outward  guise  of  a  man.    It  was  the  chief.    Un-  | 
expectedly  he  had  returned,  and  those  poor  women,  j 
many  of  them  victims  of  his  lust  and  cruelty,  dreading 
his  wrath — more  terrible  to  them  than  the  teeth  or  ^ 
claws  of  a  wild  beast — had  sought  to  escape  identifica-  ' 
tion  by  his  searching  glance  in  the  dark  recesses  of 
their  wretched  huts. 

I  do  not  know  that  any  incident  in  the  whole  of  my  ^ 
missionary  experience  has  ever  stirred  and  touched  me 
more  than  the  sight  of  that  fleeing  mass  of  womanhood,  1 
and  I  vowed  then  and  there  never  to  cease  my  efforts  | 
to  bring  to  an  end  such  a  condition  of  things,  so  de-  > 
grading  to  woman  and  so  dishonouring  to  man. 

Who  were  these  women,  and  whence  came  they  ?  I 
have  said  that  they  were  the  chief's  wives.    But  were 


Chap.  38] 


BUSOGA 


225 


they  so  in  any  true  sense  of  the  word  ?  To  assert  it 
would  be  to  travesty  one  of  the  holiest  and  most  sacred 
of  terms.  These  women  had  been  acquired  in  various 
ways.  Some  had  been  purchased  at  the  price  of  so 
many  head  of  cattle,  sheep,  or  goats.  Some  had  been 
taken  by  force — stolen — kidnapped.  Some  had  been 
exacted  as  a  fine  from  some  under  chief  who  had  offended 
his  overlord.  Others,  again,  were  presents  to  the  chief 
from  those  of  his  people  who  wished  to  curry  favour 
with  him.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  hardly  one  of  her  own 
free  will  was  where  she  was. 

And  how  were  they  treated  ?  That  sudden  flight 
from  our  service  told  a  tale  only  too  eloquent  of  op- 
pression, cruelty,  and  wrong.  The  sjbick  and  the  lash 
were  the  chief's  principaHnstruments  of  correction,  but 
not  infrequently  a  poor  erring  woman  would  suffer 
mutilation,  or  her  bosom  would  be  scorched  with  red- 
hot  iron ;  death,  too,  was  sometimes  the  penalty  for 
detected  flight.  Gradually,  however,  these  wrongs  are 
being  righted,  and  at  the  moment  of  writing  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  such  traffic  in  and  treatment  of  women  is 
largely  becoming  a  thing  of  the  past.  One  result  of 
our_visit  was  the  beginning  of  a  work  which  has 
exercised_£L  permanent  irmHence_Jn__the  whole  of 
Tabingwa's  country,  and  where  the  _Gospel  with  its 
silent  rnffnenro.  has  failed  to  restrain  the^  crueL  fhipf  1 
or  li^rd_task-master,  the  strong  arm  of  the  British  I 
Government  prevails,  and  liberty  slowly  but  surely  is 
winning  its  way. 

A  journey  of  some  four  hours  brought  us  to  Gabula's, 
the  centre  of  a  large  population  with  great  oppor- 
tunities for  Mission  work.  The  evangelist  in  charge, 
named  Yusufu,  had  mistaken  the  road  by  which  we 
were  travelling,  and  so  had  failed  to  meet  us.  How- 
ever, Gabula  (the  chief)  came  forward  to  greet  us,  with 

II.  P 


226        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

a  large  number  of  his  followers  and  a  company  of 
musicians.  The  latter  were  a  weird-looking  band, 
dressed  in  the  most  fantastic  fashion,  decorated  with 
skins  and  horns,  with  bells  upon  their  ankles,  knees, 
and  wrists.  Skipping  and  jumping  in  front  of  their 
chief,  they  kept  perfect  time  to  the  rhythm  of  their 
music  in  their  step  and  gesticulations. 

Our  formal  greeting  over,  we  proceeded  to  the  chief's 
enclosure,  where  we  had  a  space  assigned  to  us  for  our 
tents,  and  where,  after  they  had  been  fetched,  we  were 
able  to  gather  the  people  together  for  instruction,  as 
they  might  be  led  to  seek  it.  At  first  they  were 
somewhat  shy,  but  on  the  appearance  of  Yusufu  the 
evangelist,  with  whom  were  a  largejnmber^of^eader^ 
their  timidity  passed  away,  and  within  an  hour  or  two 
we  had  so  many  pleading  to  be  taught  that  we  were 
obliged  to  call  our  boys  to  our  assistance  as  teachers. 
As  the  day  wore  on  little  groups  of  five  or  six  men  or 
lads  were  to  be  seen  dotted  all  over  the  place ;  the 
reading  sheets  in  their  hands  told  of  their  employment, 
and  theirjbrigh^^_h^£py_faces  were  a  sure  indication  of 
the-^iiiitjffiithin. 

For  three  days  this  work  went  forward,  the  ranks  of 
the  readers  being  continually  recruited  by  fresh  seekers 
after  the  truth.  On  Sunday,  August  20th,  our  stay 
culminated  in  the  bright  and  happy  services  in  the 
open  air  ;  at  which  the  chief  and  a  number  of  his  under 
chiefs,  with  some  two  hundred  of  their  followers,  were 
present.  It  was  evident  that  in  the  not  distant  future 
Gabula's  would  become  an  important  centre  of  Mission 
work  and  influence.  All  our  arrangements  were  made 
with  this  in  view,  and  with  the  ultimate  object  of 
planting  there  at  least  two  European  missionaries  for 
the  organisation  and  supervision  of  the  whole  of  the 
work  in  North  Busoga. 


Chap.  38] 


BUSOGA 


227 


And  so  our  stay  came  to  an  end.  Our  tour  was 
over  and  our  progress  complete.  But  still  a  weary 
tramp  lay  before  us.  Fever  was  still  hanging  about 
one,  sapping  one's  strength  and  damping  one's 
energies.  The  journey  back  to  Mengo,  however,  had 
to  be  done,  and  so,  bracing  oneself  for  the  effort,  the 
start  was  made  on  Monday,  August  21st.  The  moist 
heat,  the  blazing  sun,  the  dismal  swamps,  the  hunger 
and  the  thirst  were  forgotten  in  the  thankful  realisa-Ji 
tion  of  our  hopes  with  regard  to  the  extension  of  the/ 
work  of  the  Church  in  the  long  down-trodden  country)) 
of  Busoga.  As  we  journeyed  along  on  our  way  first 
to  Iganga  and  then  to  Luba's,  we  were  continually 
breaking  forth  with  praise  to  God  for  so  wonderfully 
answering  our  prayers,  and  so  abundantly  blessing 
those  who  in  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  were  labouring  so 
devotedly  for  the  evangelisation  of  these  people,  who 
so  manifestly  were  lying  in  the  Evil  One.  This  journey 
to  Luba's  was  a  triumph  of  the  spirit  over  the  flesh, 
of  mind  over  matter. 

A  stay  of  three  or  four  days  at  Luba's,  where  we 
arrived  on  the  25th,  served  to  recuperate  one's  ex- 
hausted energies,  and  on  the  28th  I  embarked  in  a 
canoe  for  Musansa,  on  the  shores  of  Kyagwe.  Thence 
I  made  my  way  to  Ngogwe,  and  so  on  to  Mengo,  where 
I  arrived  on  Friday,  September  1st,  after  an  absence  of 
some  six  weeks,  in  the  course  of  which  we  had  tramped  / 
some  four  hundred  miles,  held  some  fifty  servirr^.^,  andjj 
addressed  some  three  thousand  souJs.  All  the  great 
chiefs  gTBiisoga  had  been  visitej^,  and  the  way  opened' 
for  the  extension  of  the  work  into  their  various  countries 
and  districts.  But  perhaps  the  most  important  result 
of  all  was  the  conviction  pressed  and  driven  home  to 
the  minds  of  all  the  chiefs,  both  great  and  small,  with 
whom  we  came  in  contact,  that  henceforth  we  iT^eant , 


228        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

to  have  liberty  to  preach  and  teach,  and  that  no  man 
or  woman  who  chose  to  be  taught  Christianity  should 
suffer  for  so  choosing.  A  promise  had  been  given  by 
almost  every  chief  that  such  liberty  should  not  be 
withheld. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 


NKOLE 

'  So  shall  they  fear  the  name  of  the  Lord  from  the  west  and 
His  glory  from  the  rising  of  the  sun.  When  the  enemy  shall 
come  in  like  a  flood  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard 
againt  him.' — Isaiah  lix.  19. 

The  scene  now  changes  from  "  utmost  East  to  utmost 
West "  ;  in  other  words,  from  Busoga  to  Nkole. 

This  latter  country  had  long  been  in  the  hearts  and 
minds,  not  only  of  the  missionaries,  but  also  of  the 
older  generation  of  the  Baganda  Christians — and  this 
for  a  very  special  reason.  It  had  been  their  refuge 
and  safety  in  the  old  days  of  trouble  and  distress. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1888  a  revolution  had 
broken  out  in  Uganda ;  Mwanga  was  driven  out,  and 
succeeded  by  his  half-brother  Kiwewa.  His  reign, 
however,  was  a  very  short  one.  Not  being  sufficiently 
amenable  to  the  Mohammedan  power  which  had  placed 
him  upon  the  throne,  the  Arabs,  who  constituted  the 
dominant  factor  in  a  complex  situation,  determined  to 
oust  him  from  his  position  and  to  put  in  his  place  his 
more  pliable  half-brother  Kalema.  The  plot  had  as 
its  ultimate  aim  the  extermination  of  Christianity  and 
the  establishment  of  a  Mohammedan  kingdom.  Only 
too  well  (for  a  time  at  least)  it  succeeded.  Kiwewa 
was  driven  out  and  Kalema  installed.  Walker  and 
Gordon,  made  prisoners  and  forcibly  ejected  from  the 
country,  sought  refuge  at  Usambiro  at  the  soutli  of 
the  Lake.  But  the  great  mass  of  the  Christians  found 
their  way  to  Nkole,  and  there  receiving  a  kindly  wel- 


230        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


come  from  Ntale,  the  king,  settled  down  for  a  time  at  a 
place  called  Kabula.  There  they  awaited  the  evolution 
of  events. 

It  was  whilst  in  this  harbour  of  refuge  that  Stanley 
came  upon  them  in  1889,  and  gave  that  remarkable 
testimony  to  the  reality  of  their  faith  already  referred 
to  (Chap.  V.  Book  II.).  It  was  from  thence  that  their 
leader,  Nikodemo  Sebwato,  who  afterwards  became  one 
of  the  five  Deacons  of  the  Church,  maintained  that 
correspondence  with  the  refugees  at  the  south  of  the 
Lake,  and  with  Mwanga,  which  led  ultimately  to  the 
latter's  restoration,  the  complete  defeat  of  the  Moham- 
medans, the  extermination  of  the  Arabs,  and  the  re- 
establishment  of  Christianity. 

For  this  kindly  help  and  timely  shelter  afforded  to 
them  in  their  distress  the  Baganda  Christians  had 
always  entertained  a  feeling  of  gratitude,  and  more 
than  once  had  raised  the  question  in  the  Church  Council 
as  to  whether  something  could  not  be  done  for  the 
evangelisation  of  Nkole.  But  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
seemed  to  be  insuperable.  Old  Ntale  had  a  strong 
prejudice  against  Europeans,  and  refused  to  see  them 
or  even  to  admit  them  into  his  country.  At  length  he 
went  the  way  of  all  flesh,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
nephew  Kahaya,  a  son  of  his  brother  Gumira.  This 
brother  had  the  misfortune  in  earlier  days  to  lose  an 
eye — hence  his  inability  to  succeed  to  the  throne. 
"  The  King  must  be  without  blemish  " — so  ran  the  un- 
written law  of  Nkole,  and  thus  Kahaya  assumed  the 
vacant  chieftainship. 

Now  was  the  opportunity  to  commence  the  Chris- 
tianisation  of  Nkole — so  at  least  thought  Apolo  Kag^va, 
the  Katikiro  (this  was  in  1898),  and  at  once  appHed  to 
the  Church  Council  for  permission  to  send  two  native 
evangelists.    This  was  accorded,  and  earnest-minded 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  231 

men  made  their  way  to  the  old  refuge  of  their  people. 
Kahaya  received  them  kindly,  but  the  "  power  behind 
the  throne  "  was  too  strong  for  them ;  the  old  heathen 
party,  represented  by  medicine  men  of  the  country,  put 
every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  their  preaching  and  teach- 
ing, with  the  result  that  in  a  few  months'  time  they 
returned  to  Uganda  and  told  the  story  of  their  failure. 

Then  followed  a  period  during  which  nothing  further 
was  done.  At  length  another  great  chief,  the  Mugema,^ 
came  forward  and  craved  permission  of  the  Church 
Council  for  two  of  his  own  followers  to  go  to  Nkole. 
"  They  are  men  of  zeal,  of  courage,  and  of  much  sense  ; 
may  they  go  ?  "  "  Yes  !  "  was  the  answer.  On  this 
occasion,  however,  they  did  not  go  alone.  Mr.  Clayton, 
who  was  working  in  the  neighbouring  country  of  Koki, 
had  long  had  his  eyes  fixed  upon  Nkole,  at  once  em- 
braced the  opportunity  of  seeing  for  himself  what  pros- 
pects there  were  for  the  planting  of  the  Cross,  and 
arranged  to  accompany  the  two  Baganda  evangelists. 
Kahaya  received  the  party  kindly  if  not  cordially,  and 
at  once  acceded  to  Clayton's  request  for  permission  to 
preach  and  teach.  As  for  himself,  he  declared  that  he 
woidd  watch  the  experiment  with  a  "  candid  mind," 
and  that  if  nothing  happened — that  is,  if  those  who 
came  under  instruction  didi  not  die  or  were  not  smitten 
with  some  foul  disease — possibly  he  and  his  princes 
and  chiefs  would  also  be  taught.    But  they  must  wait. 

With  this  Clayton  was  obliged  to  rest  content,  and 
returned  to  his  work  in  Koki,  leaving  the  evangelists 
behind  him. 

Once  again  the  "  power  behind  the  throne  "  asserted 

'  The  Mugonia  has  charge  of  the  tombs  of  the  kings,  and  is  so  great  a 
chief  that  Jie  cannot  live  on  the  same  hill  as  the  king.  He  must  have  a 
hill  to  himself,  and  a  stream  must  run  hetween  his  hill  and  the  king's. 
Moreover,  he  has  tlie  right  to  plead  standing  before  the  king.  Every  other 
chief  must  plead  on  his  knees. 


232        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 


itself,  and  one  by  one  the  lads  who  were  under  instruc- 
tion fell  away,  until  at  length  the  evangelists,  finding 
their  occupation  gone,  left  the  country,  and  making 
their  appearance  one  morning  in  May  1899  at  the 
Church  Council  at  Mengo,  told  the  story  of  their  failure. 

Later  in  the  year  Zakaria  Kizito,  one  of  the  Regents 
and  a  member  of  our  Church  Council,  paid  Kahaya  a 
visit.  The  result  was,  doubtless,  a  deepening  of  the 
impression  made  by  Clayton  and  the  evangelists  whose 
apparent  failure  has  already  been  recorded. 

Some  months  passed  by,  and  the  time  came  for  me 
to  pay  a  long-promised  visit  to  Toro.  I  determined  to 
travel  by  way  of  Nkole  and  see  for  myself  how  the 
"  land  lay,"  and  if  possible  to  effect  an  entrance. 
The  completion  of  my  visit  to  Busoga,  as  told  in  the 
last  chapter,  afforded  the  desired  opportunity,  and  as 
Dr.  A.  R.  Cook  was  anxious  for  a  medical  itineration,  I 
invited  him  to  accompany  me. 

Before  telling  the  story  of  our  journey,  it  will  per- 
haps be  well  to  give  a  brief  account  of  the  country  in 
which  our  hopes  were  so  largely  centred  at  this  time. 

Nkole  lies  to  the  south-west  of  Uganda,  and  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  kingdom  of  Toro  and 
the  province  of  Bwekula,  on  the  west  by  the  Albert 
Edward  Lake,  on  the  east  by  the  province  of  Budu 
and  the  kingdom  of  Koki,  and  on  the  south  by  German 
East  Africa.  The  general  elevation  of  the  country  is 
from  five  to  six  thousand  feet  above  sea-level.  In  parts 
it  is  mountainous,  but  its  chief  physical  characteristic  is 
that  of  low  rolling  hills,  which  afford  excellent  pasture 
for  the  great  herds  of  cattle  possessed  by  the  king  and 
chiefs. 

The  population  of  Nkole  is  roughly  estimated  at  some 
400,000  souls,  spread  over  an  area  of  something  like 
8000  square  miles.    This  population  consists  mainly  of 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  233 

two  races — the  ruling  class,  the  Bahima,  and  the  servile 
class,  the  Bairu.  The  former,  the  great  cattle-keepers 
of  Central  Africa,  are  the  aristocracy  of  Nkole.  Tall, 
light-coloured,  with  comparatively  intellectual  features, 
they  remind  one  in  their  cast  of  countenance  of  the 
ancient  Egyptians.  Here  is  a  man  the  very  image, 
you  would  say,  of  a  Rameses  II.  as  his  Ukeness  has 
come  down  to  us.  Here  is  another  who  speaks  in 
every  feature  of  his  countenance  of  high  descent  from 
a  ruling  caste.  In  Toro,  Bunyoro,  and  Uganda,  and 
indeed  in  all  Central  Africa,  these  people  are  found, 
all  having  the  same  characteristics  as  the  Banyankole — 
all  herdsmen,  and  all  observing  practically  the  same 
manners  and  customs.  Their  women  are  to  a  large 
extent  secluded,  and  live  a  Ufe  in  which  physical 
exertion  finds  the  smallest  possible  place.  The  con- 
sequence is  (as  their  diet  is  a  milk  one)  that  they  are 
often  of  enormous  size — almost  unable  to  move  from 
obesity. 

The  Bairu,  as  the  servile  class  is  called,  are  culti- 
vators of  the  soil,  and  are  no  doubt  the  original  in- 
habitants of  the  land.  They  are  poorly  clad,  mostly 
in  skins  or  in  a  very  rough  kind  of  bark  cloth,  and 
their  lot  is  a  hard  one — hewers  of  wood  and  drawers 
of  water  for  their  Bahima  masters.  They  have  the 
usual  negroid  cast  of  countenance,  and  neither  their 
physical  nor  intellectual  capacity  is  of  a  high  type. 
They  live  in  wretchedly  poor  huts  of  the  beehive 
shape,  and  their  food  is  mainly  a  grain  called  "  bulo  " 
and  sweet  potatoes.  Bananas  arc  to  a  small  extent 
cultivated,  but  generally  for  the  purpose  of  beer- 
making. 

The  language  of  the  Banyankole  is,  broadly  speaking, 
Lunyoro,  a  Bantu  tongue,  but  differing  from  the  dia- 
lects spoken  in  Toro  and  Bunyoro  in  several  important 


234        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 

particulars.  It  is  a  very  widely  spoken  language — 
much  more  widely  spoken,  indeed,  than  Luganda.  It 
is  the  language  of  the  Baziba,  the  Baruanda,  and 
also  the  people  of  Karagwe.  It  extends  as  far  south 
as  Lake  Tanganyika,  if  not  further,  and  as  far  north  as 
the  Victoria  Nile. 

Such,  very  roughly  and  broadly,  is  a  sketch  of  the 
country  and  people  of  Nkole — the  goal  of  many  hopes, 
and  the  subject  of  much  prayer.  And  thitherward 
Dr.  Cook  and  I  journeyed  during  the  latter  part  of 
November  and  the  beginning  of  December  1899. 

Our  way  lay  through  Budu,  a  division  of  the  country 
almost  entirely  under  Roman  Catholic  influence.  After 
the  defeat  of  the  Bafransa  in  the  war  of  1892,  Budu 
had  been  assigned  to  them  as  a  sphere  of  political  (not 
religious)  influence.  The  French  political  party  being 
co-extensive  with  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  party, 
Budu  naturally  became  a  sphere  of  religious  as  well  as 
political  influence.  AU  the  chiefs  appointed  from  time 
to  time  were  without  exception  Roman  Catholics — 
appointed  because  they  were  Roman  Cathohcs — no 
other,  in  fact,  would  have  been  tolerated. 

The  work  of  the  Anglican  Church  in  these  circum- 
stances was  carried  on  with  the  greatest  possible  diffi- 
culty. It  was  almost  impossible  to  obtain  a  piece  of 
land  on  which  to  build  a  church  or  school ;  and  every 
sort  of  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  upon  the  peasantry 
to  prevent  them  from  coming  under  our  influence  and 
instruction.  But  in  spite  of  all  this  good  progress  had 
been  made,  and  a  considerable  number  of  heathen 
were  under  instruction  with  a  view  to  baptism  at  the 
time  of  which  I  am  writing. 

The  scenery  of  Budu  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  Sese 
Islands,  from  which  it  is  separated  only  by  a  narrow 
stretch  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  which  becomes  narrower 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  235 

still  at  its  northern  extremity.  The  geology  of 
Sese  and  Budu  seems  to  be  almost  identical.  The 
rocks,  the  soil,  the  swamps,  the  vegetation  and  the 
fruits,  all  alike  tell  the  tale  of  a  oneness  in  geological 
formation. 

After  crossing  the  Katonga  river  you  leave  behind 
you,  to  your  great  delight,  the  tall  elephant  grass 
which  in  the  greater  part  of  Uganda  hides  the  landscape 
from  your  view,  and  which  is  such  a  marked  char- 
acteristic of  the  country,  and  find  yourself  walking 
in  footpaths  winding  hither  and  thither  in  the  midst 
of  short  fresh  grass.  You  are  reminded  of  English 
pastures,  but  at  the  same  time  you  realise  that  the 
shortness  of  the  grass  is  due  to  poverty  of  soil,  and 
that  there  is  a  rocky  bed  not  far  below  the  surface. 
But  you  travel  onward,  rejoicing  in  the  fresh  air,  which 
has  replaced  the  heated  atmosphere  of  the  long  grass 
area,  and  gladdened  too  by  the  glories  of  the  land- 
scape, no  longer  hidden,  but  spread  out  before  you  in 
the  ever-varying  beauty  of  sunshine  and  shade,  hill 
and  dale,  river  and  lake. 

Thus  was  it  with  us  (Dr.  Cook  and  I)  as  we 
made  our  way  towards  Koki,  the  country  lying 
between  us  and  our  goal — Nkole.  We  could,  as 
Wordsworth  says, 

'  With  an  eye  of  leisure,  look  on  all 
That  we  beheld,  and  lend  the  listening  sense 
To  every  grateful  source  of  earth  and  air, 
Pausing  at  will.' 

Yes  !  and  as  we  paused  from  time  to  time  it  was 
with  uplifted  hearts,  as  well  as  with  gladdened  souls, 
that  we  looked  around  and  silently  suffered  the  irre- 
sistible forces  of  the  beauties  of  "  earth  and  air  "  to 
impress  themselves  upon  our  inmost  being. 

And  so  we  journeyed  onward  ;  Dr.  Cook  at  every 


236        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  V. 

camping  place  doing  his  utmost  for  the  relief  of  the 
sick  and  suffering ;  and  as  the  fame  of  his  skill  and 
kindness  {eJcisa,  they  called  it)  preceded  us,  and  spread 
far  and  wide  through  the  country,  large  numbers  came 
together  for  treatment. 

Striking  our  camp  on  November  22nd  at  Kyampagi, 
our  last  resting-place  in  Budu,  we  commenced  to  climb 
the  hills  of  Koki  on  our  way  to  Rakai,  where  Clayton 
and  Martin  Hall  were  awaiting  us  some  four  hours 
away. 

It  was  a  warm  welcome  which  the  Koki  Christians 
gave  us  as  we  drew  near  to  our  destination.  Down 
the  hills  they  came,  rushing  like  a  torrent  at  headlong 
speed,  as  they  heard  of  our  approach.  "  Tusanyuse ! 
tusanyuse  !  "  (We  rejoice  !  we  rejoice  !) ;  "  Mwebale 
okuja  "  (Thank  you  for  coming),  was  the  greeting  which 
met  us  at  every  turn  of  the  road.  Zabuloni  Kiride  and 
Ibulaimu  Asani,  two  of  our  Baganda  teachers,  headed 
bands  of  young  men  who  were  under  their  instruction, 
and  w^ho  in  their  enthusiastic  welcome  could  hardly 
refrain  from  taking  us  in  their  arms.  Clayton  and 
Martin  Hall  brought  up  the  rear,  accompanied  by  the 
representative  of  the  king,  Kamswaga. 

It  was  a  busy  time  which  we  spent  in  Koki,  inter- 
rupted, however,  in  my  case  by  an  attack  of  fever 
which  laid  me  aside  for  two  or  three  days. 

Considering  that  only  six  months  previously  I  had 
confirmed  fifty-two  men  and  women,  the  fifty-seven 
candidates  presented  to  me  on  this  occasion  were  cer- 
tainly an  indication  of  the  marked  progress  of  the  work 
which  was  visible  on  every  hand. 

We  discussed  with  Clayton  our  visit  to  Nkole,  and, 
to  our  great  delight,  heard  that  two  earnest  Christian 
men  named  Andereya  and  Filipo  were  anxious  to 
accompany  us,  and  were  prepared  as  missionaries  to 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  237 

give  themselves  to  the  work  of  teaching  the  Banyankole 
the  truths  of  Christianity. 

With  these  men  in  our  company,  and  a  young  lad — a 
native  of  Nkole,  who  had  been  a  slave  in  Koki  for  some 
years,  but  who  had  been  freed  by  his  Christian  master, 
and  who  was  himself  a  Christian,  and  anxious  to  return 
to  his  own  country,  if  haply  he  might  find  his  parents 
yet  alive — we  started  on  Tuesday,  November  28th,  for 
Lulembo,  the  capital  of  Nkole. 

The  impression  made  upon  us  by  the  scenery  through 
which  we  passed  is  best  conveyed  by  quotations  from 
a  description  which  I  was  able  to  set  down  in  writing 
at  the  time  : — 

"  Shortly  after  leaving  Kamswaga's  our  journey 
was  one  of  almost  continuous  hill-climbing.  Then  we 
found  ourselves  wending  our  way  through  a  beautiful 
valley.  Then  there  would  be  a  spell  of  most  delightful 
journeying  on  the  hill-tops,  the  path  taking  us  from 
crest  to  crest,  but  now  and  again  dipping  down  into 
basins  like  hollows." 

And  later  : — "  Away  to  our  left  as  we  journeyed 
were  vast  stretches  of  country  of  the  most  varied 
character.  Below  us  was  a  deep  valley,  clad  at  the 
bottom  with  masses  of  great  forest  trees.  There,  in 
the  middle  distance,  were  hill  ranges  in  alternate  shade 
and  sunshine,  revealing  in  clearest  detail  all  their 
wonderful  beauty ;  and  in  the  far  distance,  forty  or 
fifty  miles  away,  were  the  mountains  of  Karagwe  and 
the  rocky  escarpment  of  the  Kiziba  country  in  German 
territory.  To  our  right  the  view,  although  not  so  ex- 
tensive perhaps,  was  equally  beautiful.  Kamswaga's 
Lake  was  seen  in  the  far  distance  glittering  like  bur- 
nished silver  in  the  early  morning  sunshine,  whilst 
through  the  valley,  some  one  thousand  feet  below  us, 
the  river  Mazinga  wound  its  tortuous  course  like  the 


238        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

twistings  and  turnings  of  a  great  snake,  reminding  one 
of  Wordsworth's  lines  when  he  says  : — 

'  A  silvery  current  flows 
With  uncontrolled  meanderings.' " 

On  the  eve  of  St.  Andrew's  Day  we  found  ourselves 
one  day's  march  from  Lulembo.  A  heavy  storm  of 
rain  had  just  swept  over  the  country,  and  as  the  thunder 
rolled  away  in  the  distance,  the  late  afternoon  sun 
shone  forth  bright  and  clear.  We  remembered  that 
before  leaving  Uganda  arrangements  had  been  made 
for  intercessory  prayer  on  behalf  of  foreign  missions 
at  no  fewer  than  two  hundred  centres.  It  had  also 
been  arranged  that  special  prayer  should  be  offered  on 
behalf  of  this  third  attempt  to  enter  Nkole. 

CalUng  our  Christian  porters  and  boys  together,  we 
spent  the  last  half -hour  of  the  day  in  joining  with  our 
fellow  Christians  throughout  Uganda  and  the  world 
in  praying  for  the  missionary  work  of  the  Church  of 
Christ.  We  specially  asked  God's  blessing  on  our 
entrance  into  Lulembo,  and  prayed  that  He  would 
greatly  prosper  our  undertaking,  and  defeat  the  oppo- 
sition which  we  felt  sure  we  should  encounter  from  the 
old  medicine  men  of  the  country.  It  will  be  seen  later 
how  wonderfully  this  prayer  was  answered. 

So  far  we  had  seen  little  or  nothing  of  the  people  of 
the  country.  But  as  we  drew  near  to  the  capital  the 
lowing  of  cattle  on  the  hills  on  the  right  hand  and  on 
the  left  told  of  the  presence  of  kraals  in  consider- 
able numbers.  Sometimes  we  came  upon  a  herdsman 
standing  in  the  characteristic  attitude  of  the  man  on 
guard — leaning  on  his  spear,  with  one  foot  resting  on 
the  knee-joint  of  the  leg  on  which  he  was  standing. 
Occasionally  we  saw  three  or  four  spear-armed  men 
hurriedly  driving  off  their  cattle  as  though  in  fear. 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  239 

But  more  frequently  it  was  the  skyline  which  told  the 
tale  of  watching  men  and  numerous  herds. 

Our  entrance  into  Lulembo  was  an  event  which  will 
linger  long  in  our  memories.  That  the  country  was 
stirred  we  could  see.  Groups  of  natives  gazed  upon 
us  curiously;  others  were  seen  making  their  way  in 
various  directions,  as  though  bound  on  some  definite 
errand.  Messengers  were  running  hither  and  thither  ; 
the  glint  of  spears  in  the  glowing  sunlight  flashed  jewel- 
like against  and  in  contrast  with  the  dark-blue  shadows 
of  the  fleecy  clouds  with  which  the  sky  was  flecked. 

We  had  sent  forward  our  head-man  to  salute  Kahaya 
the  king,  and  met  him  half-an-hour  from  the  capital, 
coming  back  with  the  king's  messengers,  bearing  his 
greetings  in  return.  He  told  us  we  were  welcome,  and 
would  be  lodged  with  his  chief  steward,  or  Katikiro. 
For  this,  when  we  saw  later  what  the  king's  quarters 
were  hke,  we  were  profoundly  thankful.  Mbaguta  the 
Katikiro  is  a  "  Progressive,"  and  his  house  and  its 
surroundings  were  after  the  Uganda  pattern.  The 
king's  enclosure  was  simply  a  huge  cattle  kraal,  with 
filth  within  and  without.  Our  tents  were  soon  pitched, 
and  at  three  o'clock  a  message  came  from  Kahaya  to 
say  that  he  was  about  to  visit  us. 

He  came  with  a  huge  following  of  all  sorts  and  con- 
ditions of  men  :  some  clad,  others  nude  or  very  nearly 
so  ;  some  chiefs,  other,  peasants  ;  some  armed — indeed, 
most  of  them  with  a  weapon  of  some  sort ;  some  of 
the  servile  class,  the  Bairu,  but  most  of  the  dominant 
race  ;  all  smeared  with  rancid  butter,  which  tainted 
the  air  for  some  distance  around. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  weird  and  striking  scene  which  we 
gazed  upon  when  king,  chiefs,  and  retainers  had  all 
taken  their  seats.  Kahaya  was  a  great,  overgrown  lad 
of  some  eighteen  years  of  age,  about  six  feet  two  inches 


240        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

in  height,  and  probably  weighing  eighteen  or  nineteen 
stone.  He  was  dressed  in  semi-European  fashion. 
Some  trader  or  other  had  doubtless  purchased  cattle 
with  the  cast-off  clothing  of  some  corpulent  European. 
Mbaguta  the  Katikiro,  a  keen,  intelligent-looking  man 
of  some  forty  years  of  age,  was  dressed  in  Uganda 
fashion,  with  "  kanzu  "  and  a  white  cloth  thrown  over 
his  shoulders.  Sitting  on  their  haunches,  twenty  deep, 
were  several  hundred  spearmen,  their  spears  being 
stuck  in  the  ground  at  their  side.  At  the  back  of  this 
strange  group  stood  the  weirdest-looking  and  most 
fantastically  decorated  human  beings  that  it  has  ever 
been  my  lot  to  look  upon.  They  were  the  medicine 
men  or  wizards  of  the  country,  "  the  power  behind  the 
throne,"  the  force  with  which  we  really  had  to  do. 
Their  head-gear  was  mainly  of  twisted  twine  decorated 
with  feathers  sticking  up, 

'  Like  quills  upon  a  fretful  porcupine.' 

Tiny  bells  on  arms  and  legs  jingled  at  every  move- 
ment. Painted  faces  and  greased  bodies  completed  their 
get  up. 

Sitting  down  in  front  of  this  strange  group,  Dr.  Cook 
and  I  commenced  our  conference  with  the  king  and  his 
counsellors.  We  told  them  why  we  had  come  :  that 
we  were  the  servants  of  the  Most  High  ;  that  we  had  a 
message  to  deliver  to  the  king  as  well  as  to  his  people  ; 
that  this  message  had  to  do  both  with  this  life  and  the 
next ;  that  those  who  received  it  would  become  better 
men  and  better  women — better  husbands  and  wives, 
better  parents  and  children.  Nor  was  this  all ;  our 
message  had  in  it  not  only  "  the  promise  of  this  life, 
but  that  which  is  to  come."  We  showed  them  the 
Scriptures  in  Luganda,  and  told  them  how  they  re- 
vealed Christ  as  our  God  and  Saviour — the  Saviour 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  241 

not  only  from  the  penalty  but  also  the  power  of  sin. 
We  told  them  that  death  is  not  the  end  of  all  things, 
but  that  there  is  a  life  beyond  the  grave.  We  spoke 
of  the  resurrection,  and  of  the  many  mansions  in  the 
Father's  house,  and  so  on. 

We  then  reminded  them  of  what  Christianity  had 
done  for  the  Baganda,  for  the  Batoro  and  the  Banyoro 
— facts  within  their  own  knowledge — and  expressed  our 
belief  that  what  God  had  done  for  these  people  He  was 
able  and  willing  to  do  for  the  king  and  people  of  Nkole. 

We  expressed  our  sorrow  that  we  were  unable  to 
stay  ourselves  and  teach  them  the  way  of  salvation, 
but  we  hoped  before  long  to  send  European  missionaries 
to  live  amongst  them.  In  the  meanwhile  we  had 
brought  with  us  two  earnest  Christian  men  from  the 
neighbouring  country  of  Koki — Andereya  and  Filipo. 
These  men  were  willing  to  stay  behind  and  teach  them 
all  they  knew  of  Jesus  Christ  and  His  great  redeeming 
love.  Were  they  willing  to  receive  them  and  to  hsten 
to  their  instruction  ?  This  was  the  question  with 
which  we  closed  our  address. 

There  was  no  immediate  response  made.  But  a 
good  deal  of  whispering  went  on  for  some  little  time, 
and  then  through  Mbaguta  the  king  made  his  reply. 
He  and  his  people  were  glad  to  see  us,  he  said ;  they 
quite  agreed  that  what  we  had  told  them  was  the 
truth ;  they  had  heard  of  what  Christian  missionaries 
had  done  in  Uganda,  and  they  themselves  would  much 
like  to  be  taught,  but — there  was  a  great  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  their  receiving  the  two  evangelists  whom  we  had 
brought  with  us.  There  was  hunger  in  the  land,  and 
it  was  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  feed  their  own  people. 
It  would  be  better,  the  king  declared,  to  wait  till  food 
was  abundant.  Then  our  evangelists  might  come,  and 
the  European  missionaries  as  well,  and  so  on. 

n  Q 


242        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

But  Andereya  and  Filipo  were  not  to  be  denied,  and 
they  proceeded  at  once  to  argue  the  point.  "  Oh," 
said  the  former,  "  we  don't  mind  a  little  hunger ;  we 
often  in  Koki  have  little  to  eat.  Give  us  a  few  bananas 
every  day  and  we  shall  be  satisfied."  "  But  there 
aren't  any,"  said  the  king.  "  Well,  then,"  replied 
Andereya,  "  give  us  a  few  potatoes  every  day  and  we 
will  ask  for  nothing  more."  "  The  potatoes  came  to 
an  end  long  ago,"  replied  the  king.  "  Well,  then," 
rejoined  Andereya,  "  you  have  got  plenty  of  milk ;  give 
us  a  drink  of  milk  every  morning,  and  another  at  night, 
and  we  wiU  be  content."  The  king,  however,  inti- 
mated that  he  was  not  sure  they  could  even  do  that. 
This  was  more  than  I  could  listen  to  in  silence,  and 
therefore  broke  in.  "  What,"  I  said,  "  you,  the  King  of 
Nkole,  not  able  to  give  two  strangers  a  drink  of  milk 
in  the  morning  and  another  at  night.  Why,  in  Uganda 
they  say  that  the  King  of  Nkole  has  20,000  head  of 
cattle,  and  if  I  go  back  and  tell  them  that  the  king  is 
unable  to  give  milk  to  two  guests,  they  will  surely  say 
that  it  was  a  false  report  we  heard  of  the  country — 
Kahaya  the  king  is  only  a  very  little  chief  after  all." 

This  seemed  at  once  to  make  a  deep  impression,  and 
again  a  whispered  conference  took  place,  after  which 
the  king  answered  he  would  consider  the  matter  and 
let  us  know  later  what  could  be  done.  And  so  the 
assembly  dispersed,  to  meet  again  on  the  morrow. 

The  morrow  came,  and  with  it  at  nine  o'clock  the 
king  and  his  counsellors,  the  old  wizards,  as  well  as 
the  chiefs  and  their  followers.  The  crisis  had  come, 
and  the  question  as  to  whether  the  Gospel  was  to  find 
entrance  into  Nkole  was  to  be  decided  that  day.  For 
three  hours  the  discussion  was  continued,  one  objec- 
tion after  another  being  met — often  indeed,  to  be  mis- 
understood, and  a  fresh  discussion  to  be  entered  upon. 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  243 

I  do  not  know  whether  in  the  whole  course  of  my 
missionary  experience  I  have  ever  had  such  a  sense 
of  spiritual  conflict  upon  me  as  on  that  never-to-be- 
forgotten  day.  It  seemed  as  though  Satan  and  all  his 
host  were  set  in  battle  array  against  us.  And  I  cannot 
but  believe  that  such  was  really  the  case,  and  that  the 
forces  of  light  and  darkness  were  in  actual  conflict. 

It  was  intensely  interesting  to  notice  how  acutely 
every  objection  to  our  occupation  of  the  country  as 
teachers  of  a  new  religion  was  met  either  by  Andereya 
or  Filipo.  It  was  parry  and  thrust,  and  thrust  and 
parry.  At  length  the  victory  was  won  and  an  agree- 
ment come  to.  The  two  evangelists  were  to  remain, 
and  be  free  to  teach  and  preach  as  they  might  choose. 
The  king  would  give  a  piece  of  land  on  which  to  build 
a  church,  and  we  on  our  part  agreed  to  send  European 
missionaries  at  the  earliest  possible  opportunity. 

Thus  our  conference  came  to  an  end  and  we  were 
free  to  attend  to  other  matters.  Dr.  Cook,  of  course, 
had  his  hands  full  in  attending  to  numerous  sick  ones 
who  sought  his  help.  Among  others  brought  to  him 
was  a  man  with  a  huge  tumour  upon  his  shoulder. 
The  king  had  heard  of  a  similar  tumour  being  removed 
by  the  doctor  in  Koki,  the  patient  having  been  operated 
upon  whilst  under  chloroform.  He  was  very  anxious 
to  see  a  similar  operation.  Was  it  possible,  he  asked, 
for  the  doctor  to  put  this  man  to  sleep  and  remove  the 
tumour  ?  Yes,  was  the  answer,  it  can  be  done  quite 
easily.  The  king  was  delighted.  The  hour  was  fixed 
for  the  operation ;  the  instruments,  operating  table, 
antiseptics,  &c. — in  fact,  everything  was  in  order ;  the 
king  and  a  great  crowd  of  followers  came  to  see  the 
wonder ;  the  doctor  was  ready ;  but  alas  !  the  patient 
was  nowhere  to  be  found.  It  was  like  the  play  of 
Hamlet  with  the  Prince  of  Denmark  left  out.  The 


244        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

principal  character  in  the  drama  was  missing.  The  king 
sent  messengers  hither  and  thither  in  search  of  him. 
Whilst  waiting  I  happened  to  look  across  the  valley, 
and  there  on  the  opposite  hillside  I  saw  the  man  for 
whom  we  were  waiting,  running  at  top  speed  with 
fifty  men  at  his  heels.  He  turned  and  twisted  in  his 
course  like  a  hare  with  hounds  on  his  track.  It  was 
all  in  vain.  In  a  few  minutes  he  was  caught  and 
brought  in  in  triumph.  "  Now,"  said  the  king  to  the 
doctor,  "  let  us  see  him  put  to  sleep."  "  No,"  was  the 
answer  ;  "  I  can  only  operate  with  the  consent  of  the 
patient,  and  it  is  quite  evident  to  me  that  this  man 
does  not  wish  to  be  operated  upon."  And  so,  to  the 
king's  intense  disgust  and  disappointment,  the  whole 
thing  came  to  an  end. 

I  may  add,  however,  that  on  visiting  Nkole  some 
four  years  later  in  company  with  Dr.  J.  H.  Cook,  the 
same  man  came  and  earnestly  besought  the  doctor  to 
have  pity  on  him  and  remove  the  tumour.  This  was 
done  under  chloroform  before  the  wondering  eyes  of 
the  king  and  chiefs.  The  man,  to  his  friends'  great 
delight,  made  a  rapid  and  complete  recovery. 

Another  incident  of  our  visit  even  happier  in  its 
ending  was  the  discovery  of  his  father  by  the  little 
slave  boy  who  had  travelled  with  us  from  Koki.  On 
the  occasion  of  the  king  and  his  followers  coming  to  see 
us,  he  had  recognised  his  father  in  the  person  of  the 
fourth  greatest  chief  in  the  country,  and  made  himself 
known  to  him.  There  was  no  great  outward  demon- 
stration of  joy  on  either  side,  but  the  lad  expressed  to 
me  his  deep  satisfaction  at  being  "  at  home." 

Home  life  in  Africa,  as  we  English  folk  understand  it, 
there  is  none  apart  from  Christianity.  But  as  there 
is  without  doubt  deep  down  in  every  human  heart 
a  feeling  that  where  father  and  mother  are,  there  is 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  245 

home,  so  even  in  darkest  Africa  one  finds,  even  in 
densest  minds,  an  instinctive  clinging  to  and  turning 
towards  the  place  of  upbringing — a  place  more  loved 
than  others — a  place  of  refuge  and  of  rest.  And  so 
it  was  that  this  little  Nkole  slave  boy  in  his  heart  of 
hearts  was  glad  to  be  "  at  home." 

And  so  the  time  came  for  us  to  pursue  our  onward 
journey  to  Toro.  How  gladly  would  we  have  stayed, 
in  order  to  deepen  the  impression  already  made  upon 
those  with  whom  we  had  come  most  in  contact !  But 
it  was  impossible ;  we  were  expected  in  Toro,  and 
must  hurry  on  our  way  thither.  However,  we  com- 
forted ourselves  with  the  thought  of  the  devotion  and 
earnestness  of  the  two  evangelists  whom  we  were 
leaving  behind,  and  the  fact  that  the  little  slave  boy, 
the  son  of  one  of  the  great  chiefs  of  the  country,  was 
already  a  Christian.  It  was  not  a  great  force  with 
which  to  commence  the  evangelisation  of  a  nation, 
but  we  remembered  that  not  infrequently  a  little  fire 
kindles  a  great  matter,  and  that  it  is  written,  "  Not 
by  power  nor  by  might  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the 
Lord !  " 

On  December  4th  we  started  on  our  onward  journey. 
Our  way  lay  through  an  almost  unknown  country. 
The  king,  however,  had  kindly  provided  us  with  guides ; 
but  even  they  at  times  were  at  fault,  and  to  recover 
the  lost  track  we  were  obliged  occasionally  to  enlist 
the  services  of  men  from  villages  through  which  we 
passed.  The  weather  was  all  that  could  be  desired, 
the  air  fresh  and  invigorating,  but  the  scenery  was 
monotonous  and  uninteresting,  a  grey  haze  obscuring 
its  more  interesting  features,  the  rocks  and  mountains 
of  the  country. 

As  we  drew  near  to  Ibanda,  which  has  since  gained 
an  evil  repute  through  the  murder  of  Sub-Commissioner 


246        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

Gait,  an  incident  happened  which  might  well  have 
brought  disaster  upon  us.  It  was  in  this  wise.  Having 
halted  hard  by  a  village  for  rest  and  refreshment,  we 
were  surprised  on  continuing  our  journey  to  see  a 
woman  hastening  towards  us  as  though  with  some 
strong  purpose  in  view.  Quickly  she  made  her  way 
through  the  ripening  corn,  and  falling  down  on  her 
knees  by  the  wayside,  besought  our  help.  She  was, 
she  said,  a  Musoga,  but  three  or  four  years  ago  had 
been  kidnapped  by  some  Mohammedan  traders  and  sold 
as  a  slave  to  a  man  living  in  the  village  which  we  had 
just  left.  He,  she  added,  was  in  the  habit  of  beating 
her  and  otherwise  ill-treating  her.  Might  she  travel 
under  our  protection  back  to  Uganda,  and  thus  be 
enabled  to  make  her  way  to  her  own  people  ?  We 
consented  to  take  charge  of  her,  and  she  joined  the 
rear  of  our  caravan. 

Not  long  after  a  man  with  a  spear  on  his  shoulder 
came  running  to  meet  us.  As  he  came  abreast  of  me 
he  halted.  "  That  woman,"  he  said,  "  is  my  slave.  I 
paid  so  many  cows  for  her.  I  want  her  back  again. 
Give  her  to  me."  We  told  him  that  we  were  bound 
for  Ibanda,  and  if  he  came  on  with  us  we  would  hear 
what  he  had  to  say  there.  To  this  he  agreed,  and 
marched  on  in  front.  I  noticed,  however,  that  when- 
ever he  came  to  a  village  he  always  went  into  it,  and 
that  in  coming  out  again  he  was  always  followed  by 
three  or  four  men  with  spears.  Eventually  I  found 
that  we  were  being  followed  by  an  armed  force  of 
some  thirty  or  forty  men.  Evidently  they  meant 
business. 

On  reaching  Ibanda,  Dr.  Cook  and  I  sat  down  in  the 
shade  of  wide-spreading  trees  and  awaited  the  evolution 
of  events.  Not  long  were  we  kept  in  suspense.  Within 
half-an-hour  there  issued  from  the  gate  of  the  village  a 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  247 

crowd  of  armed  men,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  our 
friend  the  slave-owner.  Sticking  their  spears  in  the 
ground,  they  squatted  in  a  semicircle  in  front  of  us, 
and  the  claimant  commenced  with  a  torrent  of  words 
to  plead  his  case.  Of  course  he  spoke  in  Lunyoro, 
and  not  in  Luganda.  We  were  therefore  only  able 
to  catch  the  drift  of  his  remarks,  and  at  the  first 
pause  stopped  him  and  suggested  that  it  would  be 
better  to  wait  until  our  herdsmen  arrived,  who  knew 
both  languages,  and  would  therefore  act  as  inter- 
preter. 

Whilst  waiting,  the  chief  of  Ibanda,  a  woman,  a 
sister  of  old  Ntale  the  king,  came  out  with  a  large  re- 
tinue to  greet  us.  We  told  her  of  our  errand  to  Nkole, 
and  expressed  the  hope  that  she  and  her  people,  like 
Kahaya  and  his  people,  would  consent  to  be  taught. 
She  replied  very  cautiously  that  she  would  wait  to 
hear  what  happened  to  Lulembo,  the  capital,  and  that 
if  Kahaya  gave  heed  to  the  instruction  of  our  evan- 
gelists, so  would  she. 

I  then  mentioned  to  her  the  case  of  the  slave  woman, 
and  told  her  that  it  was  her  duty  to  send  her  and  her 
master  to  the  English  officer  in  charge  of  the  district, 
who  would  inquire  into  the  case  and  settle  it.  She 
replied  that  the  parties  did  not  belong  to  her  chief- 
tainship, and  she  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
matter. 

Much  disappointed,  but  yet  feeling  determined  not 
to  give  up  the  wretched  woman  to  her  master,  I  con- 
sulted with  Dr.  Cook  as  to  our  next  move.  Happily, 
at  this  moment  one  of  our  guides  broke  in  with  the 
information  that  the  chief  of  the  district  concerned 
was  actually  in  the  village  of  Ibanda.  A  messenger 
soon  brought  him.  I  then  told  him  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  take  the  matter  in  hand  and  send  the  woman 


248        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 

and  her  master  to  the  British  Resident,  to  whom  I 
promised  to  write  a  letter  explaining  the  circumstances. 
To  my  great  delight,  he  readily  agreed  to  this  proposal, 
as  did  also  the  woman  and  her  master. 

Thus  a  very  difficult  position,  and  possible  disaster, 
was  avoided.  The  woman  and  her  master,  followed 
by  the  chief  and  the  threatening  band  of  spearmen, 
marched  off  apparently  satisfied.  About  three  weeks 
later  I  received  a  letter  from  the  Resident,  stating 
that  the  parties  had  duly  appeared  before  him,  and 
that  he  had  freed  the  woman  and  sent  her  back 
to  her  own  country,  Busoga.  "  All's  well  that  ends 
well." 

After  leaving  Ibanda  we  entered  upon  a  most  in- 
teresting part  of  the  road.  Nkole  was  left  behind, 
and  Kitakwenda,  a  county  of  Toro,  was  entered. 
Ruwenzori,  with  its  snow-clad  peaks,  came  into  view, 
and  all  the  varied  scenery  of  that  volcanic  region  was 
spread  out  before  us  in  all  its  wonderful  beauty.  We 
were  now  to  come  in  contact  with  the  outlying  work 
of  the  Church  in  Toro.  Ecob,  who  was  engaged  in  an 
itineration  through  Kitakwenda,  we  found  encamped 
at  Ntara,  where  both  Apolo  Kivebulaya  and  Sedulaka 
were  at  work.  These  two  earnest  workers,  hearing  of 
our  approach,  came  out  to  meet  us,  with  a  number  of 
readers  whom  they  had  gathered  round  them.  It  was 
a  great  joy  to  see  them,  and  also  to  see  how  the  Church 
in  Toro  was  penetrating  into  the  remoter  parts  of  the 
country. 

We  were  still  some  four  days'  journey  from  Kabarole, 
the  capital  of  Toro,  and  a  good  deal  of  hard  marching 
still  lay  before  us.  Roads  there  were  none.  Foot- 
paths, rough  and  rugged,  were  the  only  means  of  pene- 
trating the  tall  elephant  grass  with  which  the  whole 
face  of  the  landscape  was  covered.    The  volcanic 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  249 

nature  of  the  country  made  travelling  very  difficult. 
At  one  moment  you  were  climbing  with  infinite  toil 
a  steep  hillside ;  the  next  you  were  almost  tumbling 
down  a  deep  declivity,  at  the  bottom  of  which  was  a 
rocky  river-bed,  with  a  rushing  stream  which  nearly 
carried  you  off  your  feet.  And  then  up  you  went  again 
into  an  almost  impenetrable  thicket  of  scrub  and  coarse 
herbage,  and  so  on,  with  almost  unceasing  toil,  until 
at  length,  as  we  drew  near  to  the  capital,  the  footpath 
entered  upon  a  fairly  wide  and  well-kept  road. 

Our  welcome  in  Toro  was  a  very  warm  one  indeed. 
The  king,  with  the  Katikiro,  and  a  large  number  of 
their  followers,  came  out  a  long  distance  to  meet  us. 
Dr.  Cook  was  greeted  with  very  special  expressions  of 
joy.  The  fame  of  his  skill  in  surgical  and  medical 
science  had  preceded  us,  and  we  found  many  sick  and 
sufiering  ones  looking  forward  to  his  arrival  with  the 
keenest  expectation  of  relief. 

Roscoe,  who  had  been  in  charge  of  the  work  in  Toro, 
had  been  invalided  to  Mengo.  Maddox  we  found  hard 
at  work,  and  everything  prospering  greatly. 

In  view  of  my  coming,  the  teachers  from  the  various 
out-stations  had  been  called  in,  and  I  was  able  to 
speak  to  them  about  their  work.  Happily  this  en- 
gagement was  kept,  and  also  the  confirmation  held  on 
December  22nd,  before  fever  laid  me  aside  for  the 
remainder  of  my  visit. 

On  December  27th  I  was  sufficiently  recovered  to 
make  a  start  for  Mengo.  The  weather  was  fine,  and 
the  porters  anxious  to  get  back  to  their  homes.  The 
result  was  that  such  good  progress  was  made  that  a 
fortnight,  including  a  visit  to  Mitiana,  saw  us  once 
more  back  at  our  work  in  Mengo,  after  an  absence  of 
exactly  two  months. 

It  will  be  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  chapter  if  I 


250        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  V. 


anticipate  events  and  tell  briefly  the  story  of  the  sequel 
to  our  visit  to  Nkole  and  this  last  effort  made  for  its 
evangelisation. 

Anxiously  we  waited  for  tidings  of  the  two  evangelists, 
Andereya  and  Filipo,  whom  we  had  left  behind  in 
Nkole.  After  some  weeks  letters  came  telling  how 
one  and  another  had  placed  himself  under  instruction. 
Then  later  came  the  news  that  Mbaguta  was  being 
taught.  Then  that  the  king  himself  had  yielded  and 
joined  those  who  were  seeking  the  truth.  Months 
passed  by,  and  we  heard  from  Clayton  of  the  building 
of  a  church  and  the  gathering  of  an  increasingly  large 
congregation.  And  then  came  glorious  news  which 
filled  our  hearts  with  thankfulness  and  praise.  It 
seems  that  on  a  certain  day  the  king,  Mbaguta,  and 
several  chiefs  came  to  Andereya  and  said  :  "  Now,  after 
all  that  you  have  taught  us  of  Jesus  Christ  and  His 
salvation,  we  want  to  tell  you  that  we  do  not  beheve 
in  these  charms  of  ours  any  longer.  Here  they  are ; 
take  them  and  destroy  them  if  you  will.'"  "  No,"  said 
the  evangelists ;  "  if  we  take  them  your  people  will  say 
that  we  are  using  them  for  our  own  benefit.  If  you 
do  not  believe  in  them,  destroy  them  before  your 
people.  Let  them  see  you  do  it."  Whereupon  the 
king  ordered  a  fire  to  be  made  in  front  of  his  enclosure, 
and  there  in  the  broad  hght  of  the  day,  and  in  the  face 
of  all  his  people,  he  cast  his  precious  charms  into  the 
fire  and  destroyed  them.  Then  the  Prime  Minister 
and  others  did  the  same.  All  day  long  that  fire  was 
kept  burning,  and  all  day  long  the  people  came  and 
cast  their  charms  into  it. 

Since  then  the  king  and  his  Prime  Minister  and  a 
large  number  of  others  have  been  baptized,  and  in 
October  1903,  when  I  was  permitted  to  revisit  Nkole, 
I  laid  hands  in  confirmation  on  the  king  and  Mbaguta 


Chap.  39]  NKOLE  251 

and  some  eighty  of  that  old-time  savage  horde,  in  the 
presence  of  some  seven  hundred  worshippers  gathered 
in  a  church  built  by  the  native  Christians  themselves. 
So  mightily  does  the  Word  of  God  grow  and  prevail. 
The  further  progress  of  this  God-blessed  work  in  Nkole 
will  be  told  in  a  later  chapter. 


I 


BOOK  yi 

TRANSITION— EXPANSION— CONSOLIDATION 


CHAPTER  XL 

A  NEW  CENTURY  AND  A  NEU'  ERA 

'  Forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  that  are  before.' — Phil.  iii.  13. 

The  dawning  of  a  new  century  was  destined  in  the 
providence  of  God  to  be  the  dawning  of  a  new  era  for 
Uganda. 

Great  Britain  had  now  been  responsible  for  the 
administration  of  Uganda  for  very  nearly  seven  years, 
and  the  Foreign  Office  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
certain  changes  were  necessary,  both  in  the  department 
of  government  and  in  the  relations  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  kingdom  of  Uganda.  Sir  Gerald 
Portal's  treaty  of  1893  was  regarded  more  or  less  as 
an  antiquated  document  which  needed  to  be  brought 
up  to  date.  The  questions  of  finance  and  land  tenure 
must,  it  was  felt,  be  dealt  with  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  railway  was  advancing  towards  the  Lake  with 
rapid  strides.  With  its  completion  would  come  into 
being  forces  and  influences  which  would  test  and  try 
not  merely  the  moral  stamina  of  the  Baganda — that 
was  more  a  matter  for  the  Mission — but  the  powers 
of  administration  of  the  best  ordered  Government. 

How,  and  by  whom,  was  this  work  of  revision  and 
reorganisation  to  be  taken  in  hand  ?    The  British 

253 


254       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Government  looked  about  them  and  selected  for  it  a 
man  of  wide  experience  of  tropical  Africa  and  of  un- 
doubted capacity,  Sir  H.  H.  Johnston,  a  born  philo- 
logist and  a  trained  artist.  Upon  him  was  conferred 
the  title  of  Special  Commissioner,  and  very  large  and 
exceptional  powers  were  entrusted  to  him. 

On  my  arrival  in  Mengo  from  my  journey  through 
Nkole  and  Toro,  as  told  in  the  preceding  chapters,  I 
found  that  Sir  Harry  Johnston  had  already  arrived  ; 
and,  more  than  that,  had  already  produced  his  plans 
for  dealing  with  the  two  great  questionsof^  finance 
and  land  tenure.  These  proposals,  so  far  as  they 
afiected'''the^  Baganda,  had  stirred  the  country  from 
one  end  to  the  other.  Chiefs  and  people  were  alike 
affected  by  them.  These  proposals  were,  roughly,  the 
introduction  of  a  hut  and^^n^tax,  and  a  division  of 
the  land  between  H.M.  Government  and  the  Baganda. 
The  latter,  he  proposed,  should  be  secured  in  the  pos- 
session of  all  the  cultivated  land  of  the  country,  whilst 
the  unoccupied  and  uncultivated  land  should  be  vested 
in  H.M.  Government,  and  dealt  with  in  the  interests 
of  the  Protectorate  as  a  whole. 

To  these  proposals,  so  far  as  the  land  was  concerned, 
the  Baganda  offered  a  most  uncompromising  opposi- 
tion, and  on  my  arrival  in  Mengo  poured  into  my  ears 
the  tale  of  their  woes  and  apprehensions.  They  were 
ruined,  they  declared ;  their  country  was  being  taken 
from  them ;  and  their  glory  had  departed.  "  Non- 
sense," I  exclaimed  ;  "  I  am  quite  sure  the  Government 
have  no  intention  of  doing  you  any  injustice.  All  that 
you  need  do  is  to  tell  Sir  Harry  exactly  where  you  think 
his  proposals  press  hardly  upon  you,  and  he  will,  I  am 
sure,  do  everything  in  his  power  to  meet  your  wishes." 

Fortunately  Sir  Harry  Johnston  was  far  too  large- 
minded  a  man  to  take  exception  to  the  discussion  of 


A  C  L  KIOUS  ROCK  IN  THK  HL  KKDl  COL  NTKY 


Chap.  40] 


A  NEW  ERA 


255 


these  matters  by  the  Mission.  Indeed,  it  was  in 
obedience  to  his  own  expressed  wish  that  the  chiefs 
sought  our  counsel.  "  Go  and  consult  the  missionaries," 
said  Sir  Harry ;  "  they  are  your  best  friends."  And  so 
it  came  about  that  immediately  on  my  arrival  in  Mengo 
on  January  8,  1900,  I  found  myself,  as  in  1893  on  the 
arrival  of  Sir  Gerald  Portal,  involved  in  the  discussion 
of  political  questions  of  the  most  far-reaching  character. 

There  was  a  good  deal  in  Sir  H.  Johnston's  proposals 
(to  my  mind)  to  recommend  them,  and  I  frankly  told 
the  chiefs  so.  Much  to  their  surprise,  I  pointed  out  the 
unsatisfactory  nature  of  the  then  existing  state  of  things 
with  regard  to  the  land.  I  reminded  them  that  in  theory 
all  the  land  of  the  country  with  thei  exception  of  the 
"Butaka" — i.e.  the  burying-place  of  each  family,  and 
therefore  its  inheritance — belonged  to  the  king,  and 
that  he  had  power  to  turn  a  chief  out  of  office  and  out 
of  his  land  at  a  moment's  notice.  No  land,  I  pointed 
out,  could  be  properly  developed  with  such  a  tenure. 
What  was  needed  was  fixity  of  tenure,  which  the  British 
Government  were  prepared  to  give..  But,  it  was 
objected,  "  we  are  only  to  have  the  cultivated  Jand,  and 
that  without  a  certain  amount  of  '  nsiko  '  (uncultivated 
land)  is  useless  to  us." 

This,  I  eventually  found,  was  the  whole  crux  of  the 
question.  The  system  of  land  tillage  practised  in 
Uganda  makes  it  necessary  that  after  a  certain  number 
of  years  the  land  should  be  allowed  to  lie  fallow  for 
a  while.  Hence  the  necessity  of  having  a  certain 
amount  of  "  nsiko  "  in  reserve,  on  which  to  form  new 
plantations  whilst  the  exhausted  land  is  recovering 
itself. 

I  well  remember  how  in  the  Church  Council,  on  a 
certain  occasion,  it  was  related  that  the  king  (Mwanga) 
was  wiUing  to  give  a  large  garden  to  the  Chiirch. ,  The 


256       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Council,  however,  inquired  how  much  "  nsiko  "  would 
go  with  it.  The  answer  was  none.  "  Then  it  is  use- 
less," was  the  reply,  and  the  proffered  gift  was  dechned 
with  thanks. 

This  incident  will  give  some  idea  how  essential  the 
chiefs  felt  it  to  be  that  there  should  be  secured  to  them 
not  merely  all  the  cultivated  land  but  a  considerable 
area  of  "  nsiko "  or  uncultivated  land.  On  learning 
what  was  the  chief  difficulty  in  the  way  of  a  settlement, 
I  sought  an  interview  with  Sir  H.  Johnston  at  Entebbe 
and  laid  the  case  before  him.  He  saw  the  point,  and 
at  once  set  himself  to  solve  the  problem.  Many  con- 
ferences took  place  between  Sir  Harry  and  the  chiefs, 
and  Mr.  F.  J.  Jackson,  the  deputy  commissioner  on  Sir 
Harry's  behalf. 

I  notice  in  my  diary  the  following  significant  entries. 
January  13th,  "  Mr.  Jackson  gave  the  chiefs  to-day  the 
Commissioner's  explanation  of  his  proposals " ;  and 
again,  January  16th,  "  The  chiefs'  letter  to  Mr.  Jackson 
was  brought  to  me,  making  inquiries  as  to  the  effect 
of  the  new  proposals  " ;  and  January  17th,  "  The  Com- 
missioner's proposals  still  under  discussion.  The  chiefs 
still  dissatisfied." 

It  was  now  that  Sir  Harry  brought  forward  his 
solution  of  the  "  nsiko  "  problem.  It  was  broadly  this. 
The  area  of  Uganda,  said  Sir  Harry,  is,  roughly  speak- 
ing, 19,600  square  miles.  The  Government  will  take 
9000  square  miles  of  waste  or  uncultivated  land  ;  1500 
square  miles  of  forest  will  be  reserved  for  Government 
control.  To  the  royal  family  and  chiefs  of  sazas,  or 
counties,  there  will  be  reserved  958  square  miles,  and 
to  other  chiefs  and  land  occupiers  will  be  allotted  8000 
miles.  The  Baganda,  in  marking  out  their  lands,  may 
select  cultivated  or  uncultivated  land,  or  a  certain  area 
of  each,  as  they  may  choose.     The  only  condition  is 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA 


257 


that  the  total  area  marked  out  does  not  exceed  8958 
square  miles.  It  was  an  ingenious  proposal,  and  it 
solved  the  problem.  No  sooner  was  it  proposed  as  a 
settlement  than  the  question  of  the  day  became  the 
square  mile.  "  What  is  a  '  mailo  '  ?  "  was  the  inquiry 
which  met  you  at  every  turn.  Men  greeted  you  in  the 
road,  but  no  sooner  were  the  greetings  over  than  the  in- 
evitable question  was  launched,  "  What  is  a  '  mailo  '  ?  " 
Visitors  came  to  call  upon  you,  but  they  never  left 
without  asking  the  same  question,  "  What  is  a  '  mailo  ^?  " 

Nor  was  an  answer  an  easy  matter.  The  chief 
difficulty  was  to  get  our  Baganda  friends  to  distin- 
guish between  a  square  mile  and  a  mile  square.  But 
gradually  the  truth  went  home,  and  henceforth  the 
term  "  mailo  "  became  incorporated  with  the  language, 
and  is  understood  to-day  from  one  end  of  Uganda  to 
the  other. 

The  question  of  the  hut  tax  raised  little  or  no 
difficulty.  The  Baganda  had  from  time  immemorial 
paid  tribute  to  the  king,  amounting  in  1900  to  probably 
two  rupees  per  hut.  Sir  Harry  proposed  that  this 
tribute  should  cease,  and  in  its  place  a  three-rupee 
hut  tax  should  be  paid  to  the  British  Government 
as  a  contribution  towards  the  cost  of  administration. 
Then  a  three-rupee  gun  tax  was  proposed,  and  accepted 
with  very  little  difficulty.  Other  matters,  such  as 
the  administration  of  justice,  the  constitution  of  the 
Lukiko  or  National  Council,  the  upkeep  of  roads, 
and  the  salaries  of  the  Regents  and  chiefs  of  counties, 
were  discussed  at  considerable  length,  and  finally  were 
embodied  in  a  treaty,  a  copy  of  which  reached  me  on 
February  10th. 

On  the  12tli  I  received  a  letter  from  Sir  Harry 
Johnston,  inviting  me  and  Archdeacon  Walker  to  meet 
the  chiefs  at  his  house  at  Entebbe  for  the  purpose  of 

II  R 


258       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


discussing  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  with  a  view  to  its 
signature  as  a  final  settlement.  On  the  following 
day  we  met  at  nine  o'clock,  and  with  an  interval  for 
luncheon,  continued  our  conference  until  5.30  p.m., 
when  an  agreement  was  arrived  at.  The  treaty  signed 
a  month  later,  on  March  10th,  in  full  Baraza,  embodies 
that  settlement. 

Its  chief  provisions  were,  roughly,  as  follows  : — 
The  young  king  Daudi  Cwa  was  recognised  as  the 
hereditary  Kabaka  or  king  of  Uganda,  and  the  suc- 
cession was  vested  in  the  family  of  Mutesa.  On  the 
Kabaka  attaining  his  majority,  which  would  not  be 
until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  an  income  of  £1500 
a  year  would  be  secured  to  him.  During  his  minority 
£650  a  year  would  be  paid  to  the  master  of  his  house- 
hold, and  £400  a  year  to  each  of  the  other  chiefs  ap- 
pointed to  govern  in  his  name  as  Regents.  Several  new 
"  sazas  "  or  counties  were  formed,  making  twenty  in 
all.  The  chiefs  of  these,  styled  Abamasaza,  were  to 
receive  an  annual  income  of  £200  a  year.  The  duties 
of  these  Abamasaza  were,  roughly,  the  administration 
of  justice  each  in  his  own  court  and  in  his  own  saza, 
the  assessment  and  collection  of  taxes,  the  upkeep  of 
the  main  roads,  and  "  the  general  supervision  of  native 
affairs." 

The  Lukiko  or  National  Council  was  constituted  as 
follows.  In  addition  to  the  Regents,  who  were  re- 
spectively to  bear  the  title  of  Prime  Minister,  Chief 
Justice,  and  Treasurer,  each  Owesaza  or  chief  of  a 
county  was  to  be  ex  officio  a  member  of  the  Council. 
These  chiefs  of  sazas  were  to  be  permitted  to  appoint 
each  a  representative,  who  should  act  in  his  absence 
and  speak  as  well  as  vote  in  his  name.  The  chief 
and  his  representative  were  not,  however,  to  appear  in 
the  Council  together.    In  addition  to  these  ex-officio 


Chap.  40] 


A  NEW  ERA 


259 


members,  the  Kabaka  was  empowered  to  nominate 
three  "  notables  "  from  each  county,  who  should  be 
members  of  the  Council  during  his  pleasure.  The 
Kabaka  was  further  to  be  permitted  to  appoint  to  the 
Council  six  other  men  of  consequence  in  the  country. 

To  this  Lukiko  or  National  Council  very  considerable 
powers  were  entrusted.  "  The  functions  of  the  Council 
will  be,"  says  Section  12  of  the  treaty,  "  to  discuss 
all  matters  concerning  the  native  administration  of 
Uganda,  and  to  forward  to  the  Kabaka  resolutions 
which  may  be  voted  by  a  majority  regarding  measures 
to  be  adopted  by  the  said  administration."  And 
further,  the  Lukiko  or  a  Committee  of  it  was  con- 
stituted a  court  of  appeal,  so  that  any  litigant  dis- 
satisfied with  the  decision  of  the  Owesaza  (or  chief  of 
county)  might  claim  a  revision  of  the  judgment. 

In  my  opinion  this  agreement,  from  the  point  of  view 
of  the  Baganda,  was  a  wise  one.  It  did  much  and 
secured  much  for  them.  It  gave  them  fixity  of  tenure 
of  their  lands.  It  secured  to  them  a  large  measure 
of  self-government.  It  allowed  to  them  the  adminis- 
tration of  justice  in  their  own  courts  according  to 
native  law.  It  gave  them  timber  rights,  and  rights 
over  the  fruits  of  their  forests,  and  mineral  rights  in 
their  lands.  It  also  brought  to  an  end  the  very  un- 
satisfactory arrangement,  included  in  Sir  Gerald  Portal's 
treaty  of  1893,  of  two  Katikiros.  Henceforth  there 
was  to  be  but  one,  with  the  title  of  Prime  Minister. 

One  other  great  fact  was  apparent  upon  the  face  of 
this  document — the  treaty  of  1900 — and  that  was  that; 
it  rang  the  death-knell  of  the  feudal  system  in  Uganda.! 
Whether  that  would  turn  out  to  be  a  blessing  or  a 
misfortune  time  alone  could  tell.  Military  service  was 
still  to  be  rendered  in  case  of  need  at  the  call  of  the 
king,  but  labour  could  only  be  exacted  when  the 


260       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


penalty  of  disobedience  was  an  eviction  from  a  tenancy 
at  will.  A  landed  proprietorship  having  been  created, 
such  a  penalty  was  no  longer  possible.  Wages  and 
rent,  it  was  clear,  must  henceforth  find  place  in  the 
economic  system  of  Uganda.  Until  chief  and  people 
recognised  what  these  things  meant,  a  certain  amount 
of  confusion  was  inevitable.  Years,  it  was  clear,  must 
elapse  before  this  new  order  of  things  could  be 
thoroughly  established.  In  the  meanwhile  the  out- 
ward aspect  of  things  in  the  country  would  certainly 
suffer.  Houses  and  fences  would  fall  into  disrepair  ; 
gardens  would  be  neglected.  Little  or  no  cultivation 
would  be  done.  Men  everywhere  would  do  as  little 
as  possible  for  the  improvement  of  property  until  they 
knew  what  their  own  share  was  likely  to  be. 

Very  wisely  Sir  Harry  Johnston  had  left  the  division 
of  the  lands  among  the  claimants  in  the  hands  of  the 
National  Council.  Had  he  attempted  to  deal  with 
these  matters  he  would  have  involved  himself  and 
his  officers  in  an  endless  controversy,  which,  however 
settled,  would  have  given  dissatisfaction.  Even  the 
National  Council,  with  all  its  knowledge  of  men  and 
native  law  and  custom,  found  the  task  a  most  difficult 
one.  For  instance,  a  man  settled  in  the  east  of  Uganda 
had  his  "  butaka  "  or  family  inheritance  in  the  west. 
Naturally  he  wished  his  share  of  land  to  be  in  close 
proximity  to  his  "  butaka."  The  man  in  occupation 
had  to  be  turned  out,  and  he  in  his  turn  sought  his 
portion  of  land  near  his  "  butaka,"  which  might 
possibly  be  in  the  north  of  Uganda.  The  occupant 
of  these  had  to  be  turned  out,  and  so  on.  Thus  the 
game  of  "  general  post  "  went  on  merrily  until  the 
whole  population  was  in  movement.  Streams  of  men, 
women,  and  children  going  east  with  all  their  house- 
hold goods,  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  and  fowls,  met  similar 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA  261 


streams  going  west.  Evicted  tenants  from  the  north 
were  able  to  greet  their  friends  in  a  similar  condition 
from  the  south.  And  so  the  game  was  played  until 
every  one  was  sorted  and  settled  down  in  his  own  place. 

It  was  a  curious  condition  of  affairs,  and  in  any  other 
than  native  hands  must  have  led  to  disaster.  As  it 
was,  all  that  was  needed  was  time  for  things  to  right 
themselves,  and  patience  in  dealing  with  each  diffi- 
culty as  it  arose.  Thus  was  a  peaceful  revolution  of  a 
far-reaching  character  effected,  and  the  burning  ques- 
tion of  the  land  settled. 

So  far  we  have  dwelt  upon  the  right  of  self-govern- 
ment conceded  to  the  Baganda  and  the  break-up  of 
the  feudal  system  as  the  result  of  the  land  legislation 
initiated  by  the  Special  Commissioner.  Let  us  now 
briefly  glance  at  one  other  important  measure  intro- 
duced into  the  treaty  of  March  10,  1900.  I  refer  to 
the  hut  tax.  There  are  many  objections  to  be  urged 
against  the  imposition  of  a  tax  of  this  kind  in  Uganda. 
Its  immediate  result,  from  some  points  of  view,  was 
without  question  an  evil  one.  It  led  almost  at  once 
to  overcrowding,  to  insanitary  conditions,  and  to  a 
certain  amount  of  immorality.  It  tended  not  only  to 
a  higher  death  rate,  but  also  to  a  lower  marriage  and 
ultimately  to  a  lower  birth  rate.  Young  men  hesi- 
tated to  take  upon  themselves  the  responsibility  of 
marriage  when  they  knew  that  the  building  of  a  hut 
meant  what  in  that  day  was  regarded  as  a  heavy  tax. 

But  although  having  much  of  evil  in  it,  it  had  this 
great  merit — it  stirred  to  action  and  electrified  into 
life  the  whole  nation.  Men  knew  that  by  a  certain 
date  the  requisite  rupees  must  be  forthcoming  on  the 
visit  of  the  tax  collector.  They  set  to  work  imme- 
diately to  raise  the  needed  amounts.  Men  from  the 
more  distant  parts  of  the  country  })oured  into  such 


262       UGANDA  AXD  EAST  AFRICA    [Book  VI. 

centres  of  population  as  Mengo  and  Entebbe  seeking 
work,  the  reward  of  which  would  be  rupees.  Thus 
it  came  about  that  the  element  of  wages  was  intro- 
duced into  the  life  of  the  Baganda,  and  another  revo- 
lution— an  economic  one- — was  efiected. 

The  economic  effects  of  such  an  instrument  as  the 
treaty  of  March  10th  were  fairly  easy  to  foresee.  Wliat 
moral  results  were  likely  to  ensue,  beyond  these  to 
which  I  have  already  referred  as  connected  with  the 
imposition  of  the  hut  tax,  was  a  much  more  difficult 
question  to  determine.  It  was  clear  that  feudal  ties 
would  be  broken  and  feudal  restraints  relaxed.  Men 
and  women,  nay  even  children,  would  be  cast  more 
and  more  upon  their  own  resources.  How  would  this 
affect  them  ?  Would  they  rise  to  a  sense  of  their 
responsibilities  ?  Would  freedom  from  restraint  lead 
to  licence,  and  Ucence  to  lawlessness  ?  These  were 
questions  which  for  several  years  past  we  had  been 
carefully  considering.  We  know  that  changes  must 
inevitably  come  in  the  social  Hfe  of  the  people,  but  in 
what  way  the  new  era  would  be  inaugurated  we  had 
no  conception.  The  railway,  it  seemed  to  us,  would 
be  the  most  likely  means.  With  it  would  come  a  flood 
of  outside  influences  which  would  test  and  try  the 
moral  stamina  of  the  Baganda.  Of  this  we  felt  con- 
vinced. But  the  railway  was  still  very  far  from  com- 
pletion. It  had  not  yet  begun  to  climb  the  Mau 
escarpment.  Five  years  or  more  must  certainly  elapse 
before  it  reached  the  Lake,  and  even  then  it  would 
take  some  further  time  to  influence  to  any  appreciable 
degree  the  life  of  the  Baganda. 

The  sudden  break-up  of  the  feudal  system  in  1900 
without  doubt  took  us  by  surprise,  but  found  us  not 
altogether  unprepared.  AVe  had  consistently  and  for 
some  years  ado])ted  the  means  we  felt  most  likely  to  be 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA 


263 


effectual  in  preparing  men  and  women  to  resist  the 
flood  of  temptation  which  so-called  civilisation  would 
surely  bring  with  it.  It  appeared  to  us  that  the  well- 
taught  Christian  would  be  the  strong  Christian.  We 
therefore  expected  from  all  our  candidates  for  baptism 
not  merely  the  ability  to  read  the  Scripture  in  their 
own  tongue — that  was  a  sine  qud  iMii — but  also  an 
intelligent  knowledge  of  the  books  of  the  Gospel,  tested 
by  thorough  examination.  Candidates  for  confirma- 
tion were  further  taught,  and  a  fulness  of  knowledge 
expected  from  them  which  was  not  looked  for  in  their 
earlier  preparation  for  baptism. 

Education,  too,  as  distinct  from  special  preparation 
for  baptism  and  confirmation,  had  been  pressed  for- 
ward with  all  the  means  at  our  disposal ;  so  that 
whereas  in  1895  hardly  a  hundred  childiao- were  re- 
ceivingseculafeducation  at  our  hands,  in  1900,  12,000 
were  under  instruction. 

Training  in  industrial  work,  too,  we  also  considered 
to  be  a  means  to  the  great  end  in  view,  viz.  the  equip- 
ment of  the  whole  man  for  the  battle  of  life.  The 
commencement  of  this  work  has  already  been  re- 
ferred to  in  Book  IV.  Chan.  III.  Since  its  initiation 
a  considerable  development  had  taken  place.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  new  century  Martin  Hall  thus  de- 
scribed the  Industrial  Mission  and  its  work  : — 

"  The  hill  of  Nviri  Bulange  is  situated  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  west  of  Namirembe  Hill, 
and  is  crowned  with  the  well-constructed  buildings  of 
the  Industrial  Mission.  At  the  north  end  of  the 
levelled  summit  stands  the  house  of  the  superintendent 
of  the  industrial  work,  Mr.  K.  Borup,  to  whose  un- 
tiring industry  and  mechanical  skill  much  of  the 
success  is  due.    On  either  side  of  the  open  space  runs 


264       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


a  long  building  containing  the  various  workshops, 
dormitories,  and  classrooms  of  the  apprentices.  On 
the  left,  as  you  face  Mr.  Borup's  house,  is  a  building 
containing  two  carpenter's  shops,  from  which  some 
excellent  work  has  been  turned  out,  the  results  of 
which  may  be  seen  throughout  the  Bishop's  new  house  ; 
the  door  and  window  frames,  as  well  as  the  panelled 
doors  and  shutters  and  not  a  little  of  the  furniture, 
having  been  made  by  the  apprentices  at  Bulange.  All 
the  woodwork  in  the  beautiful  new  hospital  is  also 
their  handiwork.  There  is  also  a  printing-office  in 
the  building,  containing  four  hand-presses,  a  cutting- 
machine,  and  a  machine  for  sewing  books  with  wire. 
Here  a  good  deal  of  printing  is  done  for  the  Govern- 
ment— e.g.,  the  whole  of  the  new  National  Constitu- 
tion, regimental  orders,  return  forms,  &c.,  is  the  work  of 
the  Bulange  boys,  who  make  excellent  compositors.  At 
the  present  time  they  are  engaged  in  printing  a  native 
commentary  on  S.  Matthew's  Gospel  and  a  first  reading- 
book  in  Lutoro — a  second  edition.  In  the  past  they 
have  printed  reports  of  the  Diocesan  Conference,  and 
two  editions  of  the  Church  Canticles  pointed  for  sing- 
ing, and  much  other  useful  literature." 

The  reader  will  gather  from  this  extract  that  the 
Industrial  Mission  was  doing  good  service  in  the  direc- 
tion of  aiding  in  the  great  work  of  fitting  the  Baganda 
for  the  demands  which  would  be  made  upon  them 
as  they  came  in  contact  with  the  outside  world,  and 
that  in  the  organisation  of  the  growing  Church  pro- 
vision had  been  made  for  physical  as  well  as  spiritual 
and  intellectual  culture ;  and  all  this  with  the  supreme 
end  in  view  of  enabling  the  Christians  to  meet  that 
flood  of  temptation  which,  sooner  or  later,  we  were 
convinced  must  come  upon  them. 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA  265 

No  sooner  was  the  treaty  of  March  10th  signed 
than  chiefs  and  people  aHke  commenced  in  downright 
earnest  to  do  their  part  in  fulfiUing  its  obhgations. 
The  former  were  concerned  principally  in  marking  out 
their  land  claims.  The  latter  (the  peasantry)  found 
their  occupation  in  seeking  to  raise  the  three  rupees 
for  their  hut  tax.  It  does  not  sound  a  large  sum — 
four  shillings.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  in 
1900  there  were  comparatively  few  rupees  in  the 
country.  Tens  of  thousands  of  people  had  never  seen 
a  rupee  in  their  life.  Cowrie  shells,  of  course,  they 
were  familiar  with,  and  these  for  a  time  were  accepted 
by  the  Government  at  the  rate  of  eight  hundred  to  a 
rupee.  But  even  the  raising  of  two  thousand  four 
hundred  shells  was  a  great  task  for  very  many  of  the 
people.  How  hardly  they  were  put  to  it  could  be  seen 
in  the  devices  adopted  for  "  raising  the  wind."  All 
kinds  of  weird  things  were  brought  for  sale — curios 
which  for  years  had  not  seen  the  light  of  day — shields, 
spears,  and  charms  connected  with  the  Lubare  worship. 
Resort  was  even  had  to  an  old  custom,  and  parents 
pawned  their  children  for  a  year  or  two.  Every 
Mission  station  was  thronged  with  men  seeking  work. 
Nothing  came  amiss ;  even  the  cultivation  of  land — 
the  last  thing  a  man  will  do,  as  it  is  women's  work — 
was  not  despised  and  turned  away  from. 

An  ofier  made  by  the  Special  Commissioner  to  remit 
the  hut  tax  in  exchange  for  certain  wild  animals  brought 
in  to  Entebbe  alive  "  caught  on  "  at  once.  A  young 
elephant  secured  the  remission  of  the  tax  on  one 
thousand  huts — equal  to  £200.  Hunters  went  out 
immediately  into  the  wilds,  and  many  a  cow  was  killed 
for  the  calf  which  died  sooner  or  later  on  the  road. 
A  young  zebra  was  worth  the  tax  on  thirty  huts, 
a  "  hipi)o  "  that  on  a  hundred  ;  whilst  a  wild  pig  only 


266       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


secured  remission  of  the  tax  on  a  solitary  dwelling- 
place.  It  was  not  long  before  the  Commissioner  was 
obliged  to  cry  "  Hold  !  enough,"  and  the  taxpayer 
had  to  resort  to  more  prosaic  methods  of  getting  the 
needed  rupees. 

The  effect  upon  our  work  of  this  widespread  dis- 
turbance of  the  country— the  game  of  "  general  post," 
and  this  sudden  start  up  into  life  and  activity  of  those 
who  for  so  long  had  been  accustomed  to  "  take  things 
easy  " — was  for  a  time  very  marked.  Congregations 
were  scattered,  classes  broken  up,  and  for  about 
three  months  the  routine  work  of  the  Church  practi- 
cally ceased.  Then  came  a  period  of  resettlement. 
New  congregations  took  the  place  of  the  old  ones  which 
had  been  scattered  to  the  four  winds.  Fresh  classes 
were  formed  as  new  candidates  for  baptism  or  con- 
firmation came  forward.  Thus  gradually  the  work 
resumed  its  normal  aspect  and  settled  down  on  very 
much  the  same  lines  as  before. 

But  the  statistics  for  the  year  showed  how  serious 
had  been  the  immediate  effect  upon  our  work  of  the 
inauguration  of  the  new  order  of  things.  Although, 
taking  several  years  together,  this  was  a  period  of 
growth,  there  was  a  considerable  falling  off  for  the 
year  in  the  number  of  those  baptized  compared  with 
the  previous  year.  In  1899,  4796 _souls_iLad-_heen 
admitted  into  the  visible  Church.  The  number  for 
1900  was  4304 — a  diminution  of  nearly  500.  The 
falling  off  in  the  number  of  children  under  instruction 
was  even  more  marked.  In  the  former  year  11,359 
were  in  our  schools.  In  the  latter  year  the  number 
sank  to  7682.  The  finances  of  the  Church  also  felt 
the  effect  of  the  new  Government  measures,  although 
not  to  such  an  extent  as  we  feared.  The  offertories 
fell  from  Rs.  5076  to  Rs.  4724.    In  the  book  depart- 


Chap.  40] 


A  NEW  ERA 


267 


ment,  however,  the  effect  was  much  more  serious. 
For  a  time  sales  almost  ceased,  and  no  man  would 
part  with  his  money.  The  hut  tax  was  the  first  con- 
sideration, and  until  that  had  been  got  together  all 
else  must  give  way.  But  besides  this  very  reasonable 
desire  to  make  the  home  secure,  the  break-up  of  classes 
for  instruction  lessened  the  need  for  books,  and  conse- 
quently the  demand. 

But  all  these  results  of  the  new  legislation  we  felt 
were  but  temporary,  and  that  in  a  few  months  time 
things  would  right  themselves.  Nor  were  we  dis- 
appointed. Even  before  the  year  1900  had  run  its 
course  there  commenced  an  era  of  progress  in  the 
Church  such  as  it  had  never  vet  seen,  and  at  the  close 
of  1901  the  lost  ground  had  been  more  than  made  up. 
The  baptisms  sprang  up  from  4304  to  5536.  The 
children  in  our  schools  increased  from  7682  to  12,363, 
and  the  native  contribution  to  the  work  of  the  Church 
rose  from  Rs.  4724  to  Rs.  5406.  But  perhaps  the 
most  significant  and  cheering  advance  was  in  the 
number  of  teachers  and  evangelists  engaged  in  the 
work.  The  number  at  the  close  of  1900  was  2026,  but 
a  year  later  the  number  stood  at  2408. 

The  book  sales,  too,  took  a  sudden  leap  forward, 
and  more  than  resumed  their  former  average.  In  1899 
the  total  number  of  books  sold  was  60,338.  The 
cowrie  shells  received  in  exchange  numbered  7,358,000, 
or  as  many  as  368  men  could  carry  at  70  lbs.  each. 
These  shells  realised  £1026.  In  1900  the  sales  fell  to 
£784  ;  but  in  1901,  when  the  affairs  of  the  country  were 
more  settled,  books  and  stationery,  &c.  to  the  amount 
of  £1100  were  disposed  of. 

The  sale  of  books  I  have  always  regarded  as  a  good 
indication  of  the  attitude  of  the  people  towards  the 
work  of  the  Church.     Large  sales  spoke  of  interest  if 


268       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

not  of  enthusiasm.  On  the  other  hand,  small  sales 
were  eloquent  of  lack  of  interest  if  not  of  indifference. 
Large  sales  of  the  Mateka,  or  first  reading-book,  told  of 
heathen  seeking  instruction  ;  a  ready  sale  of  the  Bishop's 
Catechism  was  an  indication  that  candidates  for  Con- 
firmation were  coming  forward  ;  and  so  on.  It  was 
encouraging,  therefore,  to  notice  how  almost  every 
kind  of  book  was  in  increasing  demand.  This  meant, 
as  the  event  proved,  that  a  general  revival  in  every 
department  of  the  work  was  in  progress,  and  that  we 
should  very  soon  see  it  in  crowded  classes  and  in 
Baptism  and  Confirmation  services. 

The  resettlement  of  the  country  consequent  upon 
the  new  land  tenure  brought  with  it  a  considerable 
amount  of  work  both  for  the  Church  Council  and  all 
the  missionaries  in  charge  of  districts.  Included  in 
Sir  Harry  Johnston's  powers  was  authority  to  deal 
with  the  land  claims  of  the  Church.  She  had  for  years 
been  in  possession  of  a  certain  amount  of  landed 
property.  As  need  arose  she  had  from  time  to  time 
appHed  to  the  king  for  a  site  here  or  there,  for  a  Mission 
station,  or  for  other  necessities  of  the  work  of  the 
Church.  These,  having  been  granted,  were  held  not 
by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  but  by  the  Mengo 
Church  Council.  Sir  Harry  Johnston,  instead  of  hold- 
ing an  inquiry  into  the  validity  of  our  title  to  this  or 
that  fiece  of  land,  took  the  simpler  method  of  allotting 
to  each  Mission  a  certain  area  of  land  which  might  be 
held  in  various  parts  of  the  Protectorate.  "  If,"  said 
he,  "  your  land  claims  are  in  excess  of  that  amount, 
you  must  cut  them  down.  If  they  happen  to  be  less, 
you  may  add  to  them  the  amount  of  square  miles 
by  which  they  fall  short."  This  proposal  was  readily 
accepted  by  the  Missions,  and  on  the  conclusion  of  the 
treaty  we  commenced  at  once  to  mark  out  the  number 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA 


269 


of  square  miles  allotted  to  us,  including,  of  course,  all 
the  estates  of  which  we  were  then  in  possession.  This, 
as  I  have  said,  threw  a  considerable  amount  of  work 
and  a  large  measure  of  responsibility  both  upon  the 
Church  Council  and  the  missionaries  in  charge  of 
districts.  But  upon  no  one  did  it  fall  more  heavily 
than  upon  Millar,  who  acted  as  correspondent  on 
behalf  of  the  Church  and  generally  conducted  the 
business  of  the  registration  of  our  claims.  This  work 
was  not  completed  until  well  on  in  the  year  1901. 

Happily  at  this  time  of  stress  of  work  and  of  great 
possibilities,  as  shown  by  the  figures  which  I  have 
quoted,  there  was  a  notable  increase  in  the  strength 
of  the  missionary  stafT.  Willis,  Weatherhead  junior. 
Eraser,  Davies,  Kemp,  and  Phillips  arrived  in  Decem- 
ber 1900.  They  had  been  preceded  by  four  ladies  new 
to  the  work,  the  Misses  A.  E.  Allen,  A.  B.  Glass, 
R.  Hurditch,  and  A.  H.  Robinson,  who  reached  Mengo 
on  March  31st.  Of  the  men,  Willis  was  located  in 
Nkole  to  take  up  the  work  so  auspiciously  begun, 
as  told  in  Book  V.  Chap.  XXXIX.  Weatherhead  was 
assigned  to  Nakanyonyi,  Eraser  to  Mengo,  Davies  to 
Busoga,  and  Kemp  to  Nasa.  Of  the  ladies,  Miss  Allen 
was  located  at  Gayaza  and  Miss  Robinson  in  Mengo, 
while  Miss  Hurditch  it  was  decided  should  go  to  Toro 
and  share  there  the  work  amongst  women  with  Miss 
Pike,  who  was  being  transferred  from  Gayaza.  This 
location  of  ladies  in  the  far-away  country  of  Toro  was 
an  extension  of  women's  work  which  in  the  providence 
of  God  was  to  be  attended  with  most  happy  results. 

On  Trinity  Sunday,  June  10th,  Yosiya  Kizito,  Yoweri 
Wamala,  and  Aloni  Muyinda  were  ordained  to  the 
Diaconate,  whilst  Samwili  Kamwakabi  and  Edwadi 
Bakayana,  together  with  Fisher  and  Casson,  were  ad- 
mitted to  Deacons  Orders.    The  native  ministry  was 


270       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  VI. 


now  assuming  large  proportions.  It  numbered  twenty- 
seven  priests  and  deacons,  and  was  doing  good  service 
in  ministering  to  the  increasing  thousands  who  were 
yearly  being  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ. 

The  effect  of  this  welcome  accession  to  our  strength, 
timely  and  helpful  as  it  was,  was  sadly  marred  by  the 
distressing  illness  of  several  members  of  the  Mission. 
Archdeacon  Walker  went  down  with  black-water  fever, 
and  was  invalided  home  in  June.  From  the  same 
cause  Weatherhead  followed  in  December.  Dr.  A.  R. 
Cook,  who  in  March  had  married  Miss  Timpson,  was  a 
few  weeks  later  laid  aside  with  a  lengthened  attack  of 
typhoid  fever.  Mrs.  Lloyd  also  was  terribly  ill — nigh 
unto  death — but  happily  was  raised  up  again.  But  in 
August  the  heaviest  blow  of  all  fell  in  the  death  of 
Martin  Hall  by  droAvning  at  the  south  of  the  Lake. 

In  the  meanwhile  calls  were  coming  to  me  from 
various  parts  of  the  field.  Singo  and  the  islands  were 
especially  insistent.  At  Mitiana  and  in  the  island  of 
Busi  beautiful  new  churches  had  been  built  and  were 
awaiting  dedication.  To  such  calls  there  could  be  but 
one  answer,  and  with  as  little  delay  as  possible  I  re- 
sponded. The  church  at  Mitiana  was  dedicated  on 
Easter  Sunday,  and  that  at  Busi  on  the  following 
Sunday.  Then  came  visits  to  Nakanyonyi  in  June, 
Bulemezi  in  July,  Busoga  in  August,  and  in  October 
a  long  journey  through  Budu  to  Koki  and  back,  and 
finally  on  December  3rd  I  started  on  my  fourth  visit 
to  that  interesting  sphere  of  labour  Toro. 

Among  the  notable  events  of  the  year  was  the  com- 
pletion of  the  new  hospital,  and  its  opening  by  Sir 
Harry  Johnston  on  May  31st.  It  was  a  fine  building 
some  120  feet  long,  and  at  its  widest  part  60  feet 
across.  It  had  been  built  by  the  Baganda  themselves, 
under  the  supervision  of  IMr.  Borup.     In  it  there 


Chap.  40]  A  NEW  ERA 


271 


was  accommodation  for  fifty  beds — twenty-five  for  men, 
and  a  similar  number  for  women.  There  was  also  an 
operating  room,  with  many  conveniences  for  the  surgical 
work  of  the  doctors. 

How  much  such  a  building  was  needed  will  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  stated  in  the  report  that  no 
fewer  than  511  sick  ones  were  treated  within  its  wards 
during  the  year  1900,  and  that  some  233  operations, 
some  of  them  of  a  most  severe  character,  were  per- 
formed, whilst  the  attendance  of  the  outdoor  patients 
numbered  33^3. 

The  spiritual  work  carried  on  among  these  sick  ones 
was  of  a  very  striking  character.  Dr.  J.  H.  Cook 
speaks  in  one  of  his  letters  of  the  "  joy  "  of  it,  and  his 
brother.  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook,  writing  at  the  same  time  of 
the  results,  says  : — 

"  One  interesting  fact,  not  of  course  confined  to 
hospital  patients,  may  be  taken  as  absolutely  true, 
the  change  in  the  face  of  those  who  are  learning  about 
Christ.  I  have  seen  this  over  and  over  again,  and 
on  asking  others,  they  have  told  me  the  same  thing. 
Their  faces  seem  positively  plastic  under  the  moulding 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  dull,  unintelhgent  look  that 
so  many  of  the  quite  ignorant  wear  on  first  coming  into 
the  wards  changes  in  as  short  a  period  as  two  or  three 
weeks  into  a  far  more  intelligent  and  brighter  '  facies  ' 
to  use  a  medical  term.  We  doctors  speak  of  the 
'  facies  Hippocratici '  and  the  '  facies  '  of  this  or  that 
disease,  but  thank  God  this  is  a  '  facies  '  of  life,  ever- 
lasting life,  and  not  of  death  or  disease." 

Here  is  an  answer,  if  any  were  needed,  to  any 
one  who  questions  from  a  missionary  standpoint  the 
"  worthwhileness  "  of  medical  missions.  They  are  a 
spiritual  force  doing  a  Christ-like  work.    Of  their 


272       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

necessity,  as  of  their  scope,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  As 
Whittier  says  : — 

'  The  holiest  task  by  Heaven  decreed, 

An  errand  all  divine, 
The  burden  of  your  common  need, 

To  render  less  is  thine. 
The  paths  of  pain  are  thine.    Go  forth 

With  patience,  trust,  and  hope; 
The  sufferings  of  a  sin-sick  world 

Shall  give  thee  ample  scope.' 


CHAPTER  XLI 


PROGRESS 

'  There  are  nettles  everywhere, 
But  smooth  green  grasses  are  more  common  still, 
The  blue  of  Heaven  is  larger  than  the  cloud.' 

E.  B.  BROWNHiO 

The  year  1901  opened  mournfully,  with  clouds  and 
dark  shadows.  The  telegraph,  which  had  recently 
reached  Mengo  and  had  been  carried  on  to  Entebbe, 
brought  us  in  the  closing  days  of  January  the  sad 
and  solemn  tidings  of  the  death  of  Queen  Victoria. 
The  sympathy  of  the  Baganda  with  us  in  our  sorrow 
was  very  real,  and  showed  itself  in  many  touching 
ways.  Not  only  did  they  attend  in  large  numbers 
the  memorial  services  in  the  Cathedral  and  at  Entebbe, 
but  many  of  the  principal  chiefs  called  upon  us 
specially  to  condole  with  us.  "  Queenie,"  as  they  had 
long  been  accustomed  to  call  Her  Majesty,  was  to 
then,  the  very  personification  not  only  of  power  but 
also  of  wisdom  and  goodness.  "  Sorrow  has  indeed 
come  to  you,  my  friend,"  was  the  salutation  which 
greeted  you  for  many  a  day  as  Baganda  friends  met 
you  in  the  way. 

The  echoes  of  the  booming  minute-guns  had  hardly 
died  away  when  I  found  myself  once  more  on  the 
road.  Ndeje  and  Ngogwe  were  in  turn  visited  within 
the  space  of  a  week.  At  the  former  place  342  candi- 
dates were  confirmed,  and  at  the  latter  99.  Then  came 
Confirmations  at  Busi,  Jungo,  Gayaza,  and  finally 


274       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Mengo.  At  the  service  at  the  latter  place  no  fewer 
than  407  candidates  received  the  laying  on  of  hands. 
Altogether  the  first  three  months  of  1901  saw  no  fewer 
than  1253  men  and  women  added  to  the  commmiicants 
roll — a  notable  increase  for  which  one  was  profoundly 
thankful,  as  a  token  that  the  stream  of  the  Church's 
life  was  deepening  as  well  as  widening. 

With  this  increase  in  the  inner  circle  of  the  Church 
there  was  given,  happily,  an  enlarged  scope  for  work. 
The  province  of  Bwekula,  on  the  western  border  of 
Singo,  had  for  some  time  been  in  our  minds  as  a  field 
which  with  as  little  delay  as  possible  should  be  occupied. 
Tegart,  who  in  1899  was  in  charge  of  the  Singo  work, 
gathered  together  a  band  of  young  men  and  led  them 
forth,  planting  one  here  and  another  there.  The  ex- 
periment was  a  hazardous  one,  as  the  whole  of  Bwekula 
was  under  the  control  of  Roman  Catholic  chiefs, 
intolerant  to  a  degree.  Persecution  and  hindrance 
there  was  certain  to  be  for  some  time  to  come.  How- 
ever, these  young  Baganda  evangelists  went  forth  full 
of  zeal  and  hope — their  very  hopefulness  a  sure  augury 
of  success.  A  pessimistic  missionary  is  foredoomed  to 
failure.  The  optimist,  on  the  other  hand,  has  reached 
his  goal  before  he  starts  in  the  race.  Hope  is  born  of 
faith,  and  honours  that  God  who  has  said,  "  Them 
that  honour  Me  I  will  honour."  Rarely  if  ever  in  my 
missionary  experience  have  I  known  a  missionary  who 
doubted  of  success  achieve  it.  Nor  have  I  ever  seen 
a  missionary  disappointed  who  tackled  his  work  in  the 
spirit  of  one  to  whom  the  prospect  was  as  bright  as  the 
promises  of  God  could  make  it.  Sooner  or  later  his 
testimony  is  that  of  those  who  in  the  early  days  came 
back  to  the  Master  who  had  sent  them  forth  with  the 
confession,  "  Even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  in 
Thy  name." 


Chap.  41]  PROGRESS  275 

Xor  were  we  disappointed  in  Bwekula.  Although  at 
the  beginning  of  the  work  there  was  but  one  sohtarv 
reader  in  the  whole  of  the  province,  before  eighteen 
months  had  passed  by  some  1500  were  under  instruc- 
tion. Happily,  in  January  1901  we  were  able  to  send 
Lewin,  who  had  just  returned  from  furlough,  to  take 
charge  of  this  highly  promising  work.  The  following  is 
the  testimony  to  what  had  already  been  accompUshed  : — 

"  Only  some  eighteen  months  ago  the  darkness 
was  deep  and  great ;  now — and  it  rejoices  me  to  say 
it — some  1500  persons  are  imder  daily  instruction 
in  the  little  villages  dotted  from  the  Katonga  river 
in  the  south  to  the  Albert  Lake  in  the  north.  I  am 
sure  this  speaks  much  for  the  teachers  sent  amongst 
them,  who,  in  the  midst  of  bitter  persecution — for 
when  we  first  came  every  chief  in  the  district  was 
against  us — have  been  able,  by  the  good  hand  of  our 
God  upon  them,  to  do  so  much.  The  devotion  of 
some  of  them  has  been  most  marked.  One  living  not 
far  from  the  Albert  Lake,  where  the  people  are  of  the 
poorest  type,  came  and  told  me  almost  with  tears 
that  their  little  church  had  fallen  down,  and  while 
saying  that  he  was  sleeping  in  a  wretched  hut  exposed 
to  rain  and  wild  beasts  (for  it  is  a  noted  place  for  lions 
and  leopards),  yet  added,  '  Although  it  is  a  real  hardship 
living  out  here  with  such  dirty  people,  poor  housing, 
and  no  bananas,  yet  let  them  only  first  build  a  new 
house  for  God  and  I  will  gladly  put  up  with  my 
personal  discomforts.'  Another,  on  receiving  Rs.3  and 
600  shells,  gave  Rs.3  to  his  parents,  keeping  only  the 
600  shells  to  go  towards  his  clothing.  Such,  taking 
them  as  a  whole,  has  been  their  spirit,  and  it  is  owing 
to  them  that  the  results  are  what  they  are." 

Since  this  was  written  there  has  been  further  pro- 
gress "  all  along  the  line."    The  temporary  church  at 


276       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


Kikoma  (the  central  station),  built  to  accommodate 
two  hundred  and  fifty  worshippers,  has  been  replaced 
by  a  substantial  structure  capable  of  seating  seven 
hundred.  Mikaeri  Bagenda,  a  native  pastor  of  much 
force  of  character,  is  in  charge,  and  at  the  time  of 
writing  (October  1907)  more  than  a  thousand  souls 
have  actually  been  brought  into  the  Church,  of  whom 
more  than  four  hundred  have  their  names  on  the 
communicants  roll.  Some  hundred  and  fifty  teachers 
and  evangelists  are  at  work  in  various  parts  of  the 
provinces,  and  large  numbers  of  children  gather  day 
by  day  in  the  schools.    So  true  is  it  that 

'  The  fountain  of  God  is  full  of  the  rainstorms  of  Blessing.' 

Another  direction  in  which  further  scope  was  given 
to  our  work  at  this  particular  juncture  was  eastward 
in  what  is  known  as  the  Bakedi  country,  i.e.  the  country 
of  the  "  wild  "  or  "  naked  people."  Simei  Kakungulu, 
the  chief  of  Bugerere  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Nile  near 
to  its  junction  with  Lake  Kioga,  had  brought  occasionally 
some  Bakedi  to  work  for  him  at  his  place  near  Mengo. 
There  we  had  come  in  contact  with  them,  and  in  con- 
sequence longed  for  the  day  when  we  might  be  able  to 
do  something  for  their  evangelisation. 

The  first  missionary  to  pay  them  a  visit  was  Black- 
ledge.  Early  in  1899  he  made  his  way  from  Nakanyonyi 
to  Bugerere,  and  thence  crossing  the  Nile,  found  himself 
in  the  midst  of  this  wild  people.  He  tells  of  a  gathering 
of  some  five  hundred  of  them,  and  how  in  answer  to 
his  appeals  several  of  their  chiefs  got  up  and  in  the 
presence  of  their  followers  stated  their  willingness  to 
receive  Christian  teachers.  They  had  heard  what  the 
Gospel  had  done  for  the  Baganda,  and  wished  a  like 
blessing. 


Chap.  41]  PEOGRESS  277 

In  January  1900  Buckley  paid  these  same  people  a 
visit,  and  spent  some  two  or  three  weeks  among  them. 
Crossing  Lake  Kioga  in  canoes,  he  made  his  way  to  the 
headquarters  of  Simei  Kakungulu,  who  had  recently 
been  made  the  overlord  of  the  Bukedi  country. 

Simei  Kakungulu  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men 
whom  I  have  ever  met  in  Central  Africa.  He  is  one  of 
nature's  gentlemen,  but  one  whose  natural  refinement 
of  character  has  been  beautified  by  many  Christian 
graces.  A  gallant  soldier,  a  splendid  organiser,  and 
a  far-seeing  politician,  he  has  imbued  almost  every 
Government  officer  or  European  traveller  with  whom 
he  has  come  in  contact  with  the  highest  opinions  of 
his  uprightness  of  conduct,  capacity  for  administration, 
and  staunch  loyalty  to  the  British  Government.  In 
1893  Simei  held  the  high  office  of  Kimbugwe  in  King 
Mwanga's  household.  He  found,  however,  that  the 
tradition  of  the  office  obliged  him  more  or  less  to  take 
up  and  maintain  an  attitude  of  hostility  towards  the 
Katikiro.  The  result  was  that  the  two  chief  men  in 
the  kingdom  were  continually  "  fratching,"  to  use  a 
north-country  expression.  This  hostile  feeUng  com- 
municated itself  somewhat  to  their  followers.  So 
much  was  this  the  case  at  one  time  that  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  they  were  prevented  from  coming  to 
blows. 

I  have  now  in  my  possession  a  letter  from  Simei, 
written  in  1893,  announcing  his  resignation  of  his 
office,  and  telling  me  that  his  action  was  due  entirely 
to  his  strong  conviction  that  as  a  Christian  man  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  live  a  life  of  continual 
contention  with  a  fellow  Christian.  He  gave  up  high 
office  and  large  emoluments  entirely  from  conscientious 
motives,  and  retiring  to  Bugerere,  lived  a  life  of  com- 
parative obscurity.    From  that  he  was  called,  as  I 


278       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI 


have  already  stated,  by  the  Government  to  the  over- 
lordship  of  Bukedi.  There  Buckley  found  him  on  the 
occasion  of  his  visit  at  the  beginning  of  1900.  Simei 
heartily  welcomed  his  visitor.  Men  were  set  to  work, 
and  in  a  few  days  a  rude  church  was  run  up,  in  which 
on  the  Sunday  following  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
people  came  together  for  worship. 

In  November  1900  Crabtree,  who  had  been  engaged 
in  linguistic  work  at  Gayaza,  started  with  his  wife  for 
a  holiday,  proposing  to  travel  in  the  same  direction 
as  the  previous  visitors  to  the  Bukedi  country.  He 
eventually  made  his  way  to  Masaba  in  the  district  of 
Mount  Elgon,  and  established  himself  at  a  place  called 
Nabumale  among  the  Bagishu,  a  large  tribe,  said  to  be 
almost  as  numerous  as  the  Baganda,  but  cut  up  into  a 
number  of  small  clans,  each  clan  independent  of  the 
other,  and  only  those  associating  who  were  imme- 
diately contiguous. 

So  attractive  did  Crabtree  find  the  opening,  and  so 
great  the  opportunity  for  work,  that  he  wrote  and 
asked  my  permission  to  remain.  This  was  readily 
accorded.  His  belongings  at  Gayaza  were  sent  for — 
a  house  was  built — the  people  called  together  and  told 
of  the  object  of  our  mission.  Some  agreed  at  once  to 
come  under  instruction.  A  place  of  meeting — a  school 
or  church,  call  it  which  you  will — was  run  up,  and 
extension  to  Bukedi  became  an  accomplished  fact : 
an  interesting  and  almost  unique  ending  to  a  holiday 
trip. 

The  Bagishu,  among  whom  Crabtree  and  his  wife 
thus  found  themselves  settled  at  the  beginning  of  1901, 
are  Bakedi  in  the  sense  of  their  being  "  wild  and  naked 
people,"  But  it  is  a  question  whether  they  ought  not 
properly  to  be  regarded  as  people  of  Kavirondo.  How- 
ever that  may  be,  the  broad  fact  remains  that  at 


Chap.  41]  PROGRESS 


279 


Masaba  we  have  to  do  with  a  people  as  primitive,  as 
ignorant,  and  as  superstitious  as  perhaps  any  people 
in  Africa. 

Their  language  is  an  archaic  form  of  Bantu,  and  has 
in  it  many  words  closely  allied  to  both  Luganda  and 
Lunyoro.  This  fact  lends  a  certain  amount  of  pro- 
bability to  a  belief  current  among  the  Baganda  that 
they  as  well  as  the  Bunyoro  came  originally  from 
Masaba. 

Hardly  any  of  the  clans  into  which  the  tribe  is 
divided  live  in  the  plains  ;  they  are  hill-dwellers,  mainly 
for  the  sake  of  security.  Some  few  are  dwellers  in  caves 
for  the  same  reason.  On  the  spurs  of  Mount  Elgon 
they  find  their  chief  safety,  cultivating  in  the  valleys 
but  living  on  the  heights. 

They  are  a  wild,  undisciplined  people,  mostly  nude, 
much  given  to  strong  drink  of  their  own  manufacture, 
living  mainly  on  sweet  potatoes  and  a  small  grain 
called  "  bulo,"  and  implicit  believers  in  witchcraft 
and  the  power  of  evil  spirits,  whom  they  seek  to  pro- 
pitiate by  sacrifices  and  offerings  of  Various  kinds. 

Whilst  the  Church  was  thus  utilising  the  forces  of 
her  deepening  stream  of  life  in  extension  both  east 
and  west,  she  was  at  the  same  time  engaged  in  the 
task  of  establishing  herself  more  firmly  at  the  centre 
of  her  activities.  The  true  processes  in  Church  work 
should  always  be  carried  on  simultaneously.  There 
must  ever  be  fulness  of  life  and  power  at  the  heart, 
or  there  will  be  weakness  at  the  extremities.  And 
therefore  it  was  that  at  this  period  of  extension  the 
utmost  efforts  were  directed  to  the  supremely  im- 
portant task  of  training  teachers,  evangelists,  and 
candidates  for  ordination.  The  result  was  that  while 
at  the  close  of  1900  we  had  eighty-nine  such  men  under 
instruction,  a  year  later  the  number  had  risen  to  one 


280        UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA  [Book  VI. 

hundred  and  eighty-nine.  The  schools  at  Mengo  showed 
a  similar  increase,  and  also  the  classes  for  Bible  study. 
This  study,  as  I  have  pointed  out  in  an  earlier  part  of 
this  work,  was  influencing  the  Life  and  the  thoughts  of 
the  people  to  a  remarkable  degree.  Scripture  names 
were  almost  always  given  at  baptism.  A  chief  would 
call  his  place  by  a  name  suggested  by  Scripture.  Their 
letters  were  full  of  Scripture  phrases.  How  far  Scripture 
had  at  this  time  permeated  the  life  of  the  Baganda 
will  perhaps  be  best  shown  by  the  following  incident 
which  happened  at  a  meeting  of  the  National  Council. 
The  Katikiro  himself  tells  the  story.^ 

"  I  am  Nvriting  you  an  account  of  a  strange  thing 
that  has  taken  place  in  our  Council,  referring  to 
Mohammedans.  Mbogo,  a  son  of  Suna  (the  king  who 
preceded  Mutesa),  the  head  of  the  Mohammedans,  came 
before  the  Council  accusing  an  Islamite,  Mabizi,  of 
calhng  himself  by  the  name  of  God  and  claiming  that 
he  had  seen  a  vision  from  heaven  in  which  he  was  told 
that  his  name  was  now  to  be  Allah  Sudi  Delaki,  and 
he  received  four  other  names  besides.  Mbogo  claimed 
that  the  man  was  lying.  So  the  Council  asked  him, 
'Are  these  things  so  ?  '  and  he  replied  that  they  were. 
He  said  also  that  for  a  long  time  he  had  had  visions, 
and  that  his  relations  confirmed  this,  and  beheved  in 
them  all.  '  On  March  1st  this  year,"  he  said,  '  I  saw  a 
vision,  and  Allah  !  (God  !)  said  to  me  :  "  You  shall  be 
called  '  Allah  Sudi  Delaki '  and  '  Messenger '  and 
'  Apostle  '  and  '  Highest '  and  '  Prophet ' ;  "  and,  my 
friends,  I  did  not  know  whether  these  names  were 
good  or  bad.  Now,  if  you  in  this  Council  tell  me  that 
the  people  must  not  call  me  so,  I  will  obey  you.'  After 
hearing  all  the  witnesses,  we  asked  the  Mohammedans 
what  their  opinion  was  of  the  man,  and  they  replied 

»  "  Uganda  Notes." 


Chap.  41]  PROGRESS  281 

that  he  ought  to  be  put  to  death  for  blaspheming  God. 
But  the  Christians  in  the  Council  said :  '  It  is  not  good 
to  kill  him,  because  the  words  are  not  against  man 
but  God.  Let  God  fight  for  Himself.  He  will  defend 
His  Holy  Name.'  And  they  fetched  a  Bible  and  re- 
ferred to  Acts  V.  34-40,  and  xii.  21-24,  and  said, 
'  God  will  Himself  pass  sentence  on  him.'  He  left  the 
Council  in  great  joy,  saying  he  had  overcome  his 
accusers ;  but  as  soon  as  he  reached  the  threshold  of 
his  house  he  was  taken  very  ill,  fell  down  suddenly, 
and  blood  rushed  from  his  nose  in  a  stream,  and 
he  died  almost  immediately.  When  they  heard  this 
everybody  :Was  greatly  astonished,  and  said  God  was 
truly  present  and  His  name  had  been  glorified,  and 
must  not  be  trifled  with,  for  He  is  Lord  of  Heaven  and 
earth,  and  all  feared  Him  greatly." 

What  a  graphic  story  !  How  touching  in  its  sim- 
plicity !  The  accuser,  Mbogo,  the  son  of  Smia— the 
accused,  a  false  prophet — the  charge,  blasphemy — 
the  Bible  sent  for — the  passages  quoted — God's  judg- 
ment upon  Herod  because  he  gave  .not  Him  the  glory 
— Gamaliel's  advice  to  the  Sanhedrin,  "  \i  this  thing 
be  of  men  it  will  come  to  nought,  but  if  it  be  of  God 
ye  cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  fighters 
against  God."  And  then  the  climax — the  man  dis- 
missed, his  sudden  and  awful  end  ;  and  finally  the 
conclusion,  "  And  all  men  feared  the  Lord  greatly." 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  in  plainer  terms 
than  this  story  tells  the  influence  which  the  Word  of 
God  has  exercised  on  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the 
people  of  Uganda,  or  the  wonderful  change  which  in  a 
few  short  years  has  come  over  the  land.  Only  fifteen 
years  before  Mwanga  had  plotted  in  that  Council  the 
destruction  of  the  infant  Church,  and  now  that  very 
Council — composed  now,  of  course,  of  Christian  men — 


282       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA    [Book  VI. 

before  coming  to  a  conclusion  on  a  question  of  im- 
portance, asks  the  solemn  question,  "  What  say  the 
Scriptures  ?  "  and  gives  its  decision  in  accordance  with 
their  teaching. 

And  on  another  matter  bearing  very  intimately  upon 
the  Church's  life  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God  had 
considerable  influence.  I  refer  to  the  question  of  a 
new  cathedral.  To  some  minds  this  may  not  appear 
to  bear  very  closely  upon  the  life  of  the  Church,  and 
yet  in  truth  it  does.  What  the  Church  is  at  the  capital, 
that  more  or  less  the  churches  are  throughout  the 
country.  The  order  of  service  in  the  cathedral  is  very 
closely,  very  scrupulously  followed  in  the  country  dis- 
tricts, and  thus  a  shabby,  tumble-down  church  with 
a  slovenly  service  at  Mengo  really  meant  similar 
structures  and  similar  services  elsewhere.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  well-built  and  well-ordered  cathedral 
would  influence  church  building,  and  therefore  to  a 
certain  extent  Church  life,  throughout  Uganda. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  in  1901  our  cathedral  was 
getting  very  dilapidated.  It  had  now  been  standing 
some  years  ;  but  the  materials  of  which  it  was  built 
were  of  a  very  flimsy  kind — timber,  reeds  and  grass. 
Decay  began  to  set  in  even  before  it  was  finished. 
There  was  a  great  deal  to  admire  in  such  a  building. 
The  great  forest  of  poles  supporting  the  roof  was  a 
striking  feature  in  its  construction.  The  vistas  down 
the  aisles,  and  the  lights  glinting  on  a  pole  here  and 
another  there,  were  very  beautiful.  The  mellow, 
yellow  reeds,  tied  together  with  a  dark-brown  fibre  in 
long  horizontal  lines  and  quaint  tracery,  were  dis- 
tinctly picturesque.  It  was  all  so  entirely  native ; 
you  could  not  imagine  such  a  building  anywhere  else 
than  in  Africa.  Had  it  been  a  permanent  structure, 
one  would  have  said,  "  Let  it  stand ;  we  want  nothing 


Chap.  41] 


PROGRESS 


283 


better  or  more  suitable."  But  the  life  of  such  a 
building  is  hardly  more  than  six  or  seven  years,  and 
continual  renewal  or  rebuilding  is  a  sore  tax  upon 
limited  native  resources.  It  was  felt  that  the  time 
had  come  for  building  a  really  permanent  cathedral. 
But  of  what  material  ?  That  was  the  "  rub."  Stone 
is  a  minus  quantity  in  Mengo.  The  wattle  and  daub 
structure  was  unsubstantial ;  reeds  and  timber  even 
more  so.  Brick,  it  was  clear,  was  the  only  alternative. 
But  what  about  the  cost  of  such  a  building  ?  How 
was  it  to  be  paid  for  ?    How  were  funds  to  be  raised  ? 

I  have  said  that  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  had  had 
a  considerable  influence  on  this  question.  It  was  in 
this  wise.  A  meeting  of  the  chief  and  more  prominent 
Christians  was  called  by  the  Katikiro  to  consider  the 
matter.  As  a  matter  of  course  a  passage  of  Scripture 
was  read,  viz.  1  Chron.  xxix.  The  whole  meeting  was 
struck  with  David's  question  and  its  response  :  "  Who 
then  is  willing  to  consecrate  his  service  this  day  unto 
the  Lord  ?  Then  the  chief  of  the  fathers  and  princes 
of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  the  captains  of  thousands 
and  of  hundreds,  with  the  rulers  of  the  king's  work, 
offered  willingly."  And  so  it  was  determined  it  should 
be  in  Uganda  ;  every  man  should  give  according  to  his 
means.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  first  estimated, 
and  then  the  amount  to  be  given  by  each  chief  was 
mutually  agreed  upon.  The  Regents  gave  Rs.500  each, 
equal  to  £33,  6s.  8d.,  and  the  lesser  chiefs  in  proportion  to 
their  means,  and  so  on.  But  this  was  not  all.  No  sooner 
was  the  plan  of  the  building  decided  upon  than  the 
whole  body  of  the  Christian  men,  women,  and  children 
set  to  work  to  do  their  part  towards  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  great  undertaking. 

It  was  an  inspiring  sight  to  see  long  strings  of  men 
going  to  the  swamps  every  day  to  dig  clay,  and  then 


284      UGANDA  AXD  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

to  see  them  wending  their  way  up  the  steep  hillside 
of  Xamirembe,  heavy  loads  of  clay  upon  their  heads. 
Heading  the  procession  was  often  the  Katikiro  him- 
self (now  Sir  Apolo  Kag\va,  K.C.M.G.),  carrying  a 
heavier  load  than  any  of  the  others.  Even  boys  of 
seven  or  eight  years  of  age  did  their  share,  and  carried 
their  httle  burdens  of  clay  for  the  brick-makers. 

Then  the  women  were  fired  with  the  prevailing  en- 
thusiasm, and  went  out  into  the  forests  and  gathered 
wood  for  the  burning  of  the  bricks.  Princesses  and 
wives  of  chiefs,  as  well  as  peasant  women,  vied  with 
one  another  in  their  eager  desire  to  help  forward  the 
work  of  building  for  the  worship  of  God  a  house  that 
should  be  "  exceeding  magnifical." 

The  plan  as  set  out  by  Mr.  Borup,  who  superintended 
the  whole  work  from  first  to  last,  was  cruciform.  The 
entire  length  was  to  be  210  feet.  It  was  to  be  hghted 
by  seventy  windows.  Eighteen  round  brick  columns 
with  octagonal  bases  were  to  support  the  roof,  which 
was  to  be  surmounted  by  three  spires.  The  seating 
capacity  was  to  be  about  4000. 

At  -length  on  Jmie  18th  the  foundation-stone  of 
the  new  cathedral  was  laid  by  the  yomig  king  Daudi 
Cwa.  The  stone  was  a  great  block  which  for  some 
time  had  served  to  mark  the  last  resting-place  of  George 
Pilkington.  It  weighed  nearly  half  a  ton.  A  marble 
cross  had  been  sent  out  from  England,  so  the  huge  block 
was  free  to  be  consecrated  to  another  service.  The 
little  king,  assisted  by  Borup,  lowered  it  into  its  place, 
repeating  as  he  did  so  the  solemn  words,  "  In  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

And  so  the  great  enterprise  was  launched,  a  work 
which  was  to  take  some  two  years  to  complete.  But 
its  doing  was  to  be  a  great  help  and  blessing  to  the 


Chap.  41]  PROGRESS  285 

doers.  It  was  to  call  out  perseverance  and  patience. 
It  was  to  give  new  ideas  as  to  labour  ;  it  was  to  deepen 
love,  to  strengthen  faith,  and  to  impart  lessons  of 
humility  and  self-abasement,  as  well  also  as  self-sacrifice 
and  self-denial.  And  so  the  prayers  of  more  than  one 
engaged  in  the  work  came  to  be  not  only  that  it  might 
be  brought  to  a  successful  conclusion,  but  that  it  might 
be  worthy  of  Him  for  whose  worship  and  glory  it  was 
being  done. 

'  Forgive  the  weakness  and  the  pride, 
If  marred  thereby  our  gift  may  be. 
For  love  at  least  has  sanctified 
The  altar  that  we  raise  to  Thee.' 


f 


CHAPTER  XLII 


THE  UGANDA  RAILWAY 

'  The  Past  and  Present  here  unite 
Beneath  Time's  flowing  tide, 
Like  the  foot-prints  hidden  by  a  brook, 
But  seen  on  either  side.' 

Longfellow. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  the  dawning  of  the  new 
century  was  for  Uganda  the  dawning  of  an  era  of 
change.  The  old  order  of  things  was  passing  away. 
The  legislation  of  1900  was  responsible  for  much — the 
break-up  of  the  feudal  system  and  the  introduction  of 
rent  and  wages.  In  1901  three  other  silent  but  irre- 
sistible forces  commenced  to  work  in  the  same  direction, 
changing  almost  imperceptibly,  but  very  really,  the 
lives  of  thousands.  I  refer  to  the  electric  telegraph, 
steam  communication  across  the  Lake,  and  the  Uganda 
Railway.  To  the  coming  of  the  electric  telegraph  I 
have  already  alluded.  Steam  communication  across 
the  Lake  was  established  by  the  launching  of  the 
William  Mackinnon  in  November  1900,  and  her  arrival 
at  Entebbe  early  in  the  following  year.  On  December 
20,  1901,  the  first  locomotive  of  the  Uganda  Railway 
reached  Kisumu,  the  terminus  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 

These  three  forces  were  in  truth  but  one.  Each 
was  incomplete  without  the  other  for  all  practical 
purposes.  Each  was  the  complement  of  the  other, 
and  therefore  in  considering  them,  effects  may  be 
dealt  Avith  as  one ;  the  Uganda  Railway  was  the 
embodiment  of  all. 

286 


Chap.  42]      THE  UGANDA  RAILWAY  287 


This  railway,  commenced  in  1896,  was  the  logical  con- 
clusion of  the  decision  of  the  British  Government  to 
become  responsible  for  the  administration  of  Uganda. 
It  was  a  political  as  well  as  a  commercial  necessity.  To 
secure  our  position  as  the  protecting  power  in  Uganda, 
a  railway  was  absolutely  indispensable.  We  have  seen 
already  how  invaluable  in  hurrying  up  troops  at  the 
time  of  the  Sudanese  mutiny  in  1897  was  the  small 
section  (not  more  than  one-sixth)  then  completed.  It 
is  safe  to  say  that  had  it  not  been  for  that  one  hundred 
miles  of  railway  Uganda  would  have  been  for  a  time 
at  any  rate  lost  to  us. 

But  the  railway  was  not  only  a  political,  it  was  also 
a  financial  necessity.  Uganda  would  never  pay  the 
cost  of  administration  unless  the  products  of  her  fertile 
soil  could  be  brought  cheaply  into  the  markets  of  the 
world.  Her  development  and  that  of  the  interior  of 
British  East  Africa  depended  absolutely,  from  a  com- 
mercial standpoint,  upon  the  construction  of  a  railway. 
The  cheers  which  greeted  the  announcement  of  the 
Government  in  the  House  of  Commons  in  1896  that 
the  building  of  the  railway  had  been  sanctioned,  was 
the  expression  of  a  general  recognition  of  this  twofold 
necessity. 

The  railway  as  it  is  to-day,  completed  and  in  run- 
ning order,  is  a  remarkable  achievement,  a  triumph  of 
engineering  skill  over  difficulties  of  no  ordinary  kind. 
The  scarcity  of  water,  the  little  labour  available,  the 
lack  of  material — indeed,  of  almost  everything  needful 
for  such  an  undertaking — were  some  of  the  obstacles 
to  be  overcome.  Then  there  was  the  fight  with  the 
unhealthy  climate  of  the  coast  districts,  the  necessity 
of  importing  not  merely  labourers  from  India  by  the 
thousand,  but  also  food  for  their  maintenance ;  added 
to  these  difficulties,  there  were  those  connected  with 


288       UGAOTA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

the  configuration  of  the  country.  To  carry  a  railway 
over  swamps,  across  ravines,  overcoming  almost  every 
kind  of  physical  obstacle,  to  an  elevation  of  nearly 
7000  feet,  and  then  to  plunge  with  it  into  a  valley  (the 
great  Rift  Valley)  1500  feet  below  you,  only  to  find 
that  you  had  in  front  of  you  an  escarpment  (that  of 
Mau)  up  which  you  were  bound  to  climb  with  your 
railway  till  you  found  yourself  in  the  clouds  8500  feet 
above  sea-level,  and  to  take  it  down  to  a  lake  shore 
nearly  5000  feet  below  you,  was  an  undertaking  which 
might  well  daunt  the  boldest  and  most  skilful  of 
engineers.  But  it  was  faced  with  the  cahn,  quiet, 
dogged  determination  of  those  in  whose  vocabulary 
the  word  "  impossible  "  finds  no  place — a  spirit  which 
has  made  English  engineers  famous  throughout  the 
world. 

To  the  ordinary  traveller  a  journey  by  this  railway 
is  an  experience  not  easily  forgotten,  but  to  one  who, 
like  myself,  has  toiled  in  the  old  days  along  the  caravan 
road  to  Uganda  it  is  of  peculiar  interest.  One  sees 
here  and  there  the  old  camping  places  and  other  well 
remembered  spots — the  narrow  footpath  disappearing 
into  the  bush,  or  emerging  from  a  thicket,  the  grateful 
shade  of  which  one  was  loth  to  exchange  for  the  blaze 
and  glare  of  the  open  plain.  Yonder  is  the  great 
Mbuyu  tree  where  one  rested  when  the  kettle  was 
being  boiled  and  refreshment  made  ready.  There  are 
the  water-holes  of  Taro,  which  one  inspected  so 
anxiously  in  view  of  the  journey  across  the  dreaded 
plains.  And  now  over  the  plains  themselves  one  is 
being  whirled  at  thirty  miles  an  hour,  instead  of  creep- 
ing along  weary  and  footsore  as  in  the  old  days.  And 
there  is  Maungu,  the  hill  on  the  top  of  which  you  might 
find  water,  but  possibly  not,  and  then  you  had  to 
journey  on  another  twenty  miles.    It  was  there  that 


Chap.  42]      THE  UGANDA  RAILWAY  289 


scores  of  Basoga  died  in  '92,  not  finding  water  and 
being  too  exhausted  to  travel  further.  I  saw  their 
bones  Uttering  the  way.  But  now,  in  response  to  a 
telegram  sent  on  ahead,  you  find  afternoon  tea  awaiting 
you. 

The  tourist,  of  course,  has  his  attention  drawn  to 
other  scenes  and  his  mind  is  filled  with  other  thoughts. 
Upon  him  perhaps  the  greatest  impression  is  made  by 
the  strange  intermingling,  so  to  speak,  of  the  past  with 
the  present,  the  meeting  of  primitive  man  with  the 
latest  products  of  the  twentieth  century.  The  train 
has  reached  a  roadside  station  and  the  panting  engine 
is  replenishing  its  stores  of  wood  and  water,  and  looking 
on  with  stolid  wonder  is  a  party  of  El  Moran,  young 
Masai  warriors  with  spear  and  shields,  and  their 
finely  modelled  Umbs  shining  in  the  sunhght  like 
burnished  bronze.  Or  the  stationmaster  is  trying  to 
make  a  huge  Mkamba  warrior,  whose  only  clothing  is 
a  few  coils  of  brass  wire  round  his  arms  and  a  mantle 
of  goat-skin,  understand  that  he  has  no  business  on 
the  platform.  It  is  all  very  strange  and  very  wonderful, 
this  contrast  of  Africa  as  it  was  a  hundred  years  ago 
with  the  incoming  tide  of  twentieth  century  civilisation. 

And  then  there  is  the  indescribable  charm  of  the  scenery 
of  tropical  Africa,  the  rolling  plains  like  the  Athi,  the 
volcanic  peaks  like  Longonot,  the  glittering  lake  like 
Naivasha,  the  dense,  dark  forests,  like  those  on  Mau, 
all  alike  entrancing  with  their  own  peculiar  beauty. 
But  what  perhaps  has  a  very  special  fascination  for 
such  travellers  as  we  have  in  mind,  is  the  wild  animal 
life  which,  even  as  the  train  is  rushing  along,  he  sees 
on  every  hand.  Yonder  are  hartebeests,  and  away  in 
the  distance  are  battalions  of  wildebeests  or  zebra. 
There  in  the  foreground,  almost  within  a  stone 's-throw, 
are  hundreds  of  that  most  beautiful  of  antelopes,  the 

II  T 


290       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Thomsonii  or  the  Grantii ;  and  there  against  the  sky- 
line, with  the  fleecy  clouds  as  a  background,  is  a  flock 
of  ostriches  gUding  along  with  that  indescribable  grace 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  them. 

Oh  !  it  is  a  wild  life,  a  free  life,  and  a  healthy  life, 
of  which  all  these  things  speak,  and  to  one  who  is  fresh 
from  the  home-land,  with  all  the  restraints  and  hollow- 
nesses  and  artificialities  of  twentieth  century  society, 
it  appeals  with  a  very  special  power  and  a  peculiar 
fascination  ;  and  this  in  spite  of  such  atrocities  (from 
an  aesthetic  point  of  view)  as  the  tin  town  of  Nairobi 
(the  administrative  capital  of  British  East  Africa) 
and  those  corrugated  excrescences  on  the  landscape, 
commonly  called  bungalows,  in  which  our  settlers  are 
settling  themselves. 

But  what,  it  may  be  asked,  has  the  railway  done, 
and  what  is  it  doing  ?  One  thing  it  has  most  certainly 
done.  It  has  killed  that  cruel  system  of  porterage 
which  has  so  long  existed  between  the  coast  and  the 
Lake,  and  which  has  been  responsible  for  so  much 
human  suffering  and  for  the  loss  of  countless  lives. 

It  has  done  this  not  only  in  British  East  Africa,  as 
it  was  certain  to  do,  but  also,  strange  to  say,  in  German 
East  Africa.  The  caravan  road  between  Usukuma 
and  Sadaani  or  Bagamoyo  is  dead.  Those  thousands 
of  Wanyamwezi,  who  in  the  old  days  used  to  find  their 
way  to  the  coast,  in  order  to  bring  loads  up  country, 
no  longer  do  so.  They  are  now  engaged  in  other  occu- 
pations— the  cultivation  of  produce,  &c.  The  Germans 
at  the  south  of  the  Lake  find  that  they  can  get  their 
goods  and  send  their  produce  more  cheaply  by  the 
Uganda  railway  than  by  caravan.  And  so,  by  the 
operation  of  natural  laws,  human  porterage  on  the 
main  roads  between  the  coast  and  the  Lake,  both  in 
British  and  German  East  Africa,  has  passed  away 


Chap.  42]      THE  UGANDA  RAILWAY  291 


Then  again  the  Uganda  railway  has  put  an  end  to 
the  lingering  life  of  the  slave  traffic.  In  the  old  days 
a  tusk  of  ivory  meant  a  slave  to  carry  it  to  the  coast. 
Now,  however,  ivory  is  brought  down  country  by  rail. 
It  is  cheaper,  and  therefore  pays  better.  And  so  once 
again,  through  the  construction  of  the  Uganda  railway 
and  the  operation  of  economic  laws,  is  humanity  the 
gainer. 

But  perhaps  the  most  remarkable  result  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  railway  has  been  the  way  in  which  the 
whole  of  the  Lake  region  of  Central  Africa  has  been 
aroused  from  its  age-long  slumber,  and  electrified  into 
life  and  action.  This  has  been  brought  about  mainly 
through  a  value  being  given  to  certain  native  products 
which  previous  to  the  completion  of  this  railway  were 
valueless,  or  very  nearly  so.  For  instance,  goat-skins 
were  practically  of  no  value,  but  no  sooner  was  Entebbe 
connected  by  steam  with  the  coast  than  they  became 
at  once  a  marketable  commodity,  fetching  something 
like  one  rupee  apiece.  It  was  the  same  with  hides. 
Nkole,  Toro,  Bunyoro,  and  Bukedi,-  all  alike  contri- 
buted their  quota,  swelling  to  large  dimensions  the 
number  of  skins  and  hides  exported  from  Uganda. 
Roads  formerly  hardly  traversed,  except  by  a  few, 
became  a  scene  of  busy  traffic,  thronged  with  men 
bearing  upon  their  heads  huge  burdens  of  skins,  all 
alike  bound  for  the  market. 

It  was  the  same  with  regard  to  chillies.  Previously 
valueless,  at  once  they  became  a  source  of  wealth  to 
the  Basoga,  and  large  quantities  found  their  way  to 
Jinja  for  shipment  to  the  coast. 

To  the  William  Mackinnon,  plying  between  Entebbe 
and  Kisumu,  were  added  in  1903  two  very  much 
larger  steamers,  the  Winifred  and  the  Sybil,  each 
175  feet  long,  with  considerable  cargo  and  passenger 


292       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

accommodation.  In  1907  a  larger  steamer  still,  the 
Clement  Hill,  was  launched,  and  later  a  capacious  cargo 
boat  was  put  upon  the  Lake.  Altogether,  in  connection 
with  the  railway  at  the  time  of  writing,  a  fleet  of  some 
six  steamers  is  afloat  upon  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 

The  reader  who  has  followed  one's  description  of 
canoe  voyaging  upon  the  Lake  will  readily  enter  into 
one's  feelings  on  finding  oneself  on  board  one  of  these 
beautiful  steamers,  with  their  bath-rooms  and  dining 
saloons,  their  electric  light  and  electric  fans,  and 
luxurious  fittings.  It  is  all  too  luxurious,  you  think, 
for  a  simple  missionary  on  a  missionary  journey,  and 
you  are  almost  dumbfounded  when  you  hear  some 
"  globe-trotter  "  or  other  complaining  of  the  quality 
of  the  food  or  the  brand  of  the  champagne.  "  Ah  ! 
my  friend,"  you  say  to  yourself,  "  you  should  have 
been  here  ten  years  ago,  and  have  made  the  passage  in 
a  canoe,  then  you  would  know  how  to  appreciate  the 
present,  and  to  thank  God,  not  only  for  the  food,  but 
also  for  the  fact  that  you  are  voyaging  in  safety,  and 
that  that  storm  which  is  brewing  over  yonder  is  not 
likely  to  sink  the  ship  in  which  you  are  sailing." 

But  to  pass  on,  these  steamers  call  not  only  at  ports 
in  the  British  sphere,  but  also  at  such  ports  as  Bukoba, 
Mwanza,  and  Shirati,  in  German  territory.  The  conse- 
quence is,  that  just  as  the  produce  of  Uganda  is  finding 
its  way  to  the  market,  so  is  the  produce  of  the  German 
sphere.  From  regions  round  about  Tanganyika  on  to 
Tabora,  and  away  westward  to  the  Congo  State,  the 
whole  population  has  beer,  aroused,  and  just  as  in 
Uganda,  streams  of  men  are  making  their  way  to  the 
nearest  port  on  the  Lake  shore  with  their  produce — 
bees-wax,  hides,  goat-skins,  cotton,  and  rubber. 

One  result  of  all  this  has  been  that  the  standard  of 
living  has  risen  in  Uganda  ;  very  few  of  the  men,  and 


Chap.  42]     THE  UGANDA  KAILWAY  293 

an  ever  decreasing  number  of  the  women,  are  now  clad 
in  bark-cloth.  The  Kanzu,  a  long  white  linen  garment, 
has,  in  the  case  of  the  men,  taken  the  place  of  the 
beautiful  terra  cotta  coloured  material  which  for  so 
long  has  been  the  national  dress.  One  regrets  it 
intensely  for  aesthetic  reasons,  but  for  hygienic  reasons 
one  is  glad.  Kerosene  oil,  for  which  I  have  paid  as 
much  as  £5  a  tin,  can  now  be  purchased  for  Rs.5|^ ; 
the  consequence  is,  that  lamp  oil  has  become  almost 
a  necessity  for  all  save  the  very  poorest.  Plates  and 
dishes,  cups  and  saucers,  pots  and  pans,  and  enamelled 
ware  of  all  kinds,  find  ready  buyers.  Lamps,  watches, 
clocks,  and  even  bicycles  are  being  purchased  to  no 
inconsiderable  extent  by  natives  where  enterprise  in 
cultivating  cotton  and  other  produce  has  been  re- 
warded with  success. 

A  not  altogether  unexpected  result  of  the  building  of 
the  railway  has  been  the  appearance  of  that  element 
in  social  life  not  inappropriately  termed  "  undesirable." 
East  Africa  has  had  more  of  this  element  introduced 
into  it  than  Uganda,  but  still  we  have  not  been  entirely 
without  it.  A  very  senior  Government  official  who 
knew  Uganda  in  the  old  days,  in  conversation  with 
myself,  summed  up  the  position  somewhat  in  the  follow- 
ing way : — 

"  You  remember,"  said  he,  "  how  years  ago  when  a 
European  arrived  in  Uganda  we  all  used  to  turn  out 
to  greet  him  and  made  much  of  him.  His  coming  was 
the  sensation  of  the  hour.  Now,  however,  Europeans 
come  and  go  altogether  unnoticed.  Occasionally, 
however,"  he  added,  "  we  get  a  telegram  stating,  '  So 
and  so  will  arrive  at  Entebbe  by  the  next  steamer — 
arrest  him  If'" 

The  "  undesirable  "  to  whom  such  a  telegram  most 
probably  had  reference,  was  no  doubt  a  man  whose 


294       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

business  in  life  is  to  prey  upon  his  fellow-creatures. 
He  has  lost  his  character.  He  has  no  credit,  and 
most  likely  no  funds.  On  the  other  hand,  he  has  plenty 
of  swagger,  no  end  of  assurance,  and  a  tongue  as  glib 
as  you  please.  He  is  a  "  bounder."  In  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  he  has  come  from  South  Africa.  What  is 
to  be  done  with  him  in  a  country  like  Uganda  ?  To 
let  him  loose  among  the  people  is  simply  impossible. 
He  would  rob  and  swindle  them  right  and  left.  His 
prestige  as  a  European  would  give  him  such  oppor- 
tunities as  his  soul  longs  for.  Cattle,  sheep,  and  goats 
he  would  accumulate  in  large  numbers  in  next  to  no 
time.  You  have  no  machinery,  no  police  force  to  deal 
with  characters  of  this  kind.  There  is  only  one  thing 
to  be  done,  and  that  is  to  forbid  his  entrance  into  the 
country.  The  necessity  of  this,  one  is  glad  to  think, 
the  authorities  at  the  coast  are  keenly  alive  to. 

Of  course  one  pities  such  men  with  all  one's  heart. 
You  must  pity  any  man  who  falls  so  far  as  these  men 
have  fallen.  But  you  must  not  allow  your  pity  to 
blind  you  to  the  evil  which  they  do,  or  to  hinder  you 
in  dealing  justly  with  them. 

But  more  to  be  pitied  than  these  men  are  the 
"  wastrels  "  of  life — poor,  weak,  feeble  things  many  of 
them,  not  really  bent  on  doing  evil  or  preying  upon 
their  fellow-creatures,  but  unfortunate — "  down  on  their 
luck."  Many  such  find  their  way  over  to  Uganda. 
They  look  upon  it  as  a  sort  of  "  Tom  Tiddler's  ground," 
where  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  pick  up  gold  and 
silver. 

I  know  of  no  sadder  cases  to  deal  with  than  some  of 
these — broken  in  health,  not  unfrequently  from  dissipa- 
tion, with  no  means,  ill-clad,  with  hardly  bread  to  eat, 
and  often  battling  with  fever.  They  had  some  resources 
once,  possibly  when  they  landed  at  the  coast  a  year  or 


Chap.  42]     THE  UGANDA  RAILWAY  295 


two  ago  ;  but  what  they  had  has  disappeared,  at  Nairobi 
or  elsewhere.  And  now  they  hear  that  Uganda  is  being 
opened  up,  and  that  there  is  money  to  be  made  out  of 
rubber,  or  cotton,  or  coffee,  or  fibre.  God  help  them  ! 
If  there  is  money  in  these  things  they  are  not  the  men 
to  make  it.  No  man  of  business  who  looks  for  efficient 
service  would  think  of  employing  such  men.  Or  if 
they  get  employment,  they  very  soon  lose  it  through 
incapacity.  They  have  no  vis  vitas.  What  is  to  be 
done  with  such  men  ?  They  should  be  got  out  of 
the  country  with  all  possible  speed.  To  remain  is 
simply  to  die. 

From  what  has  been  said  with  regard  to  the  awaken- 
ing of  the  tribes  owing  to  the  coming  of  the  railway, 
the  reader  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  the  whole 
enterprise  is  Hkely  to  be  a  great  financial  success.  It 
has  been  a  costly  undertaking,  much  more  costly  than 
was  at  first  anticipated,  no  less  a  sum  than  £5,500,000 
having  been  spent  from  first  to  last.  But  nevertheless 
the  prospect  of  a  large  yearly  balance  on  the  right  side 
of  the  account  grows  daily  brighter,  the  receipts  are 
going  forward  by  leaps  and  bounds.  The  monthly 
traffic  returns  both  for  goods  and  passengers  show  a 
large  increase  as  compared  with  corresponding  months 
of  the  preceding  year.  Were  the  Uganda  railway  to 
be  turned  into  a  limited  liability  company  (which  is 
not  likely  to  be  the  case)  the  shares  would  find  eager 
purchasers,  even  at  a  premium,  so  fully  have  the 
financial  anticipations  of  the  projectors  been  realised. 

But  this  financial  success,  whilst  no  doubt  gratifying 
to  those  who  had  predicted  it,  is  to  my  mind  the  least 
important  result  attained  by  the  great  undertaking. 
The  relief  of  suffering,  the  amelioration  of  the  hard  lot 
of  multitudes  of  souls,  and  their  enlistment  in  the 
great  army  of  workers  whose  faculties,  physical  and 


296       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

mental,  are  being  employed  in  the  God-given  task  of 
subduing  the  earth,  is  a  much  greater  achievement ; 
for  it  is  one  bound  up  with  the  eternal  purpose  of  God 
concerning  that  complete  redemption  of  the  human 
race,  when  all  that  is  wrong  shall  be  set  right,  when 
"  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor 
crying,  and  when  He  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
all  eyes." 


CHAPTER  XLIII 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW 

'  And  they  blew  a  trumpet,  and  all  the  people  said,  God  save 
the  King.'— I.  Kikgs  i.  39. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  events  of  the  year  1902 
was  the  visit  of  the  Katikiro  to  England  for  the  purpose 
of  attending  the  coronation  ceremony  in  Westminster 
Abbey.  The  visit  was  an  official  one,  at  the  invita- 
tion of  the  King.  Ham  Mukasa  accompanied  our  old 
friend  Apolo,  as  secretary  ;  and  Millar  by  Goverrmient 
arrangement  was  attached  to  the  party  in  order  that 
both  might  derive  the  fullest  possible  benefit  from 
their  visit  to  England,  through  his  ability  to  explain 
to  them  fully,  in  their  own  tongue,  the  meaning  of  all 
they  saw  and  heard. 

I  had  preceded  them  by  some  months,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  being  present  at  the  C.M.S.  House 
in  Salisbury  Square  when  they  were  welcomed  by  the 
Committee  on  June  17th. 

It  was  in  many  respects  a  touching  scene.  There 
were  present  there — not  many,  but  still  some — like 
Mr.  Eugene  Stock,  who  had  taken  part  in  the  planning 
of  that  great  venture  of  faith,  the  Uganda  Mission, 
five-and-twenty  years  previously.  And  there  standing 
before  them  was  the  Prime  Minister  of  Uganda — a 
guest  of  the  King,  a  man  of  commanding  ability  and 
force  of  character,  an  earnest  Christian  wlio  was  not 
ashamed  of  his  Master,  and  who,  as  the  mouthpiece  of 

297 


298       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

some  five-and-thirty  thousand  baptized  Christians, 
was  able  in  earnest  tones,  and  with  simple  eloquence, 
to  thank  the  Society  for  what  it  had  done  for  him  and 
his  people. 

One  can  well  understand  the  thankfulness  and  praise 
to  which  expression  was  given  when  the  Committee 
knelt  in  prayer  to  commend  to  God's  gracious  care  His 
two  servants  from  far  off  Uganda.  The  whole  thing 
was  an  object  lesson  of  faith  and  its  fruits. 

During  his  stay  in  England  the  Katikiro  was  able  to 
visit  many  of  our  great  centres  of  industry  and  popu- 
lation, such  as  Liverpool,  Manchester,  Sheffield,  and 
Birmingham.  He  afterwards,  on  his  return  to  Uganda, 
gave  an  account  of  his  impressions.  He  was  addressing 
the  Council  and  told  of  the  wonders  he  had  seen.  The 
great  steamship  Oceanic  at  Liverpool  was  to  him  a 
marvel  beyond  description. 

"  It  was  so  vast  that  he  got  quite  tired  in  travelling 
about  it.  The  crowds  in  the  street  were  like  ants  for 
multitude.  The  houses  were  very  wonderful.  You 
pressed  a  button,  and  lo  !  the  electric  light  shone  out. 
You  pressed  another  thing  in  the  bath-room,  and 
wonder  of  wonders,  hot  or  cold  water  came  as  you 
wanted  it.  Then  at  the  Koyal  Agricultural  Society's 
Show  at  Carlisle  the  King's  prize  cattle  were  as  big  as 
hippos,  and  the  Shetland  ponies  as  small  as  goats." 

But  the  interest  of  the  visit  culminated  in  the  last 
two  days,  when  the  Katikiro  and  Ham  Mukasa  were 
received  by  the  King  at  Buckingham  Palace,  and 
when  on  the  day  following  his  Majesty  was  crowned. 
Ham  Mukasa,  in  his  interesting  book,  "  Uganda's 
Katikiro  in  England,"  thus  describes  the  coronation 
ceremony : — 

"  The  Queen  then  entered  ;  they  brought  her  in,  in 
great  state.    Her  train  was  carried  by  eight  pages. 


Chap.  43]    SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  299 

four  on  each  side,  and  they  sang  a  hymn  to  welcome 
her,  and  all  the  men  and  women  cheered  and  clapped 
their  hands  and  bent  down  their  heads  to  greet  her, 
as  is  the  way  to  greet  Kings.  When  she  reached  her 
chair  she  sat  down,  right  in  the  centre,  the  King's 
chair  being  beside  her.  After  this  there  entered  the 
lords  of  great  honour  ;  the  Earl  Marshal  also  came, 
and  then  after  a  short  interval  the  King,  between  two 
Bishops,  one  on  his  right — that  of  Canterbury,  and  one 
on  his  left — that  of  York,  and  the  King  between  them, 
and  they  all  walked  very  slowly  indeed.  The  King's 
train  was  carried  by  eight  pages,  four  on  each 
side. 

"  When  he  reached  the  centre  we  all  who  were  in 
the  building  cheered  very  much,  and  they  played  on  all 
the  instruments,  the  singers  sang,  the  flutes  were  blown, 
they  played  the  violins  and  beat  all  the  drums  and 
clapped  the  cymbals,  and  the  people  clapped  their 
hands  and  the  whole  building  boiled  over  and  resounded 
and  vibrated  ;  and  he  who  had  but  one  eye  would  have 
liked  two,  and  he  who  had  two  would  have  liked  four 
that  he  might  see  better  than  he  could  with  two,  though 
of  course  you  cannot  add  any  part  to  the  body  that  you 
have  not  got. 

"  When  the  King  had  sat  in  his  chair  he  first  prayed 
to  God  to  give  him  strength  in  this  great  ceremony 
of  taking  possession  of  his  country.  After  he  had 
again  sat  down  the  work  of  the  Bishops  began,  and 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  prayed  ;  after  he  had 
prayed  he  read  the  questions,  asking  the  King  if  he 
would  rule  aright,  and  the  King  replied  as  is  the  custom, 
and  they  brought  a  book  for  him  to  swear  on,  and  the 
Archbishop  made  him  swear,  as  all  kings  swear,  and 
they  brought  him  a  pen  to  sign  his  name,  and  he  did 
all  these  things.    He  then  left  the  chair  in  which  he 


300       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

had  been  sitting  and  went  to  that  in  which  he  was  to 
be  crowned  and  anointed  with  oil.  This  throne  had 
a  magnificent  back  to  it,  and  ornaments  of  gold  like 
doves. 

"  After  they  had  sung  a  hymn  he  sat  down  and  they 
anointed  him,  and  the  Archbishop  prayed  a  short 
prayer ;  they  then  brought  the  crown  on  a  silken 
cushion  and  the  Archbishop  took  it  in  his  hands  and 
lifted  it  up,  and  asked,  saying,  '  This  is  the  man  whom 
we  wish  to  crown  as  king  of  this  realm ;  if  any  man 
has  anything  to  say  against  it  let  him  speak,"  and 
when  no  one  spoke  he  put  the  crown  on  the  King's 
head.  When  he  did  this  it  was  a  wonderful  sight, 
for  each  of  the  peers  took  his  coronet  in  his  hands  and 
hfted  it  up,  and  when  the  crown  rested  on  the  head  of 
the  King  they  all  put  on  their  coronets  and  cheered 
with  a  loud  voice,  and  the  electric  lights  were  turned 
up  all  over  the  building  and  flashed  out,  and  the  organ 
and  violins  and  flutes  and  bugles  and  drums  all  sounded, 
and  the  singers  sang,  and  it  was  a  marvellous  thing ; 
and  one's  hair  stood  on  end  on  account  of  the  exceeding 
great  glory  !  " 

And  so  the  visit  of  the  Katikiro  and  his  friend  to 
England  came  to  an  end,  and  they  returned  to  their 
own  country.  They  were  not  in  the  least  spoilt  by 
all  the  attention  shown  to  them,  but  greatly  benefited 
by  their  varied  experience ;  and  this  very  largely 
owing  to  the  pains  taken  by  Millar  to  explain  the 
meaning  and  use  of  everything  which  they  saw  not 
only  in  England  but  during  their  travels. 

The  reception  accorded  to  them  on  their  return  to 
Mengo  was  of  the  most  enthusiastic  description.  Thou- 
sands came  out  on  the  road  to  meet  them  and  rent  the 
air  with  their  congratulations.  "  The  women,"  says 
Ham  Mnkasa,  "  wept  for  joy."    The  little  king  sat 


Chap.  43]      SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  301 


in  his  palace  gate,  and  from  time  to  time  sent  pages 
fleet  of  foot  running  at  full  speed  with  his  greetings 
to  the  returning  travellers.  They  would  come  and, 
falling  down  at  the  feet  of  the  Katikiro,  would  gasp  out, 
"  Kabaka  antumye  okukulaba  "  ("  The  king  has  sent 
me  to  see  you  ").  "  Kabaka  atya  ?  "  ("How  is  the 
king  ?  ") .  "  Gyali  "  ("  He  is  well  ") .  "  Ng'enze  "  {"  I  am 
going  ") .  "  Omundabira  "  ("  Greet  him  for  me  ")  was  the 
rejoinder ;  then  at  full  speed  the  messengers  return  to 
their  master.  Then  the  Katikiro  in  his  turn  sent  his 
men  (speedy  runners  all  of  them)  to  salute  the  king  in 
like  manner,  and  so  with  snow-white  garments  floating 
in  the  air  these  messengers  continued  running  to  and 
fro,  until  at  length  the  Katikiro  was  in  the  king's 
presence,  and  going  down  on  his  knees  took  him  in 
his  arms. 

Then  came  greetings  from  every  side,  the  soldiers 
saluting  and  the  drums  beating.  The  next  day  at 
8  o'clock  in  the  morning  there  was  a  thanksgiving 
service  in  the  new  Cathedral,  which  was  now  approach- 
ing completion.  Thus  a  journey  to  which  all  Uganda 
had  looked  forward  to  with  dread 'and  apprehension 
was  brought  to  a  successful  and  happy  conclusion. 

My  own  return  to  Uganda  later  in  the  year  was 
signaUsed  by  a  great  disaster.  The  new  hospital,  which 
had  only  been  in  existence  some  eighteen  months,  was 
struck  by  lightning  on  the  night  of  my  arrival  at 
Entebbe,  and  completely  destroyed  (November  29th). 
Happily  there  was  no  loss  of  life,  but  besides  the  loss 
of  the  building  some  hundreds  of  pounds  worth  of 
instruments  and  fittings  were  destroyed. 

My  host  at  Entebbe  was  Col.  J.  Hayes  Sadler,  the 
new  Commissioner.  He  at  once  despatched  a  telegram 
of  sympathy  to  Dr.  Cook,  and  placed  at  his  disposal 
four  hundred  men  to  be  employed  in  the  erection  of  a 


302       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


temporary  hospital  for  the  accommodation  of  the  most 
pressing  cases. 

It  was  a  great  satisfaction  to  me  to  find  in  the  new 
Commissioner  one  who  (an  accomplished  linguist)  had 
already  set  himself  to  study  the  language,  and  also 
as  far  as  possible  to  enter  into  the  difficulties  of  the 
Baganda  with  a  view  to  helping  them  to  a  solution 
of  many  of  their  political  and  social  problems. 

So  far  Uganda  had  suffered  for  want  of  a  consistent 
and  continuous  pohcy.  In  the  course  of  ten  short 
years  no  fewer  than  ten  different  men  had  held  the 
ofl&ce  either  of  Commissioner,  Administrator,  or  Acting 
Commissioner.  Lugard,  Williams,  Portal,  Macdonald, 
Colville,  Jackson,  Berkeley,  Ternan,  G.  Wilson,  and 
Johnston  had  in  turn  held  the  reins  of  office.  One 
man  beheved  in  personal  rule,  another,  Hke  Mr.  G. 
Wilson,  did  his  utmost  to  develop  government  through 
the  Lukiko  or  National  Council.  Allowed  to  run  free 
at  one  moment,  and  then  at  another,  without  rhyme 
or  reason,  called  to  heel  or  led  in  a  leash,  may  be  a 
tolerable  method  of  training  puppies  ;  but  in  dealing 
with  an  intelligent  people  like  the  Baganda  there  could 
be  but  one  result — perplexity,  disappointment,  and 
distrust. 

It  was  therefore  with  no  Httle  pleasure  that  the 
Baganda  saw  Colonel  Hayes  Sadler  studpng  their 
language,  and  in  a  very  short  while  conversing  with 
their  chiefs  on  matters  which  touched  most  nearly 
their  best  interests,  and  generally  carrying  on  the 
work  of  administration  as  though  he  had  come  to  stay. 

One  of  the  most  urgent  matters  with  which  the 
new  Commissioner  found  himself  obliged  to  deal  with 
was  the  "  sleeping  sickness,"  which  was  now  assum- 
ing alarming  proportions.  This  terrible  disease  had 
gradually  been  creeping  eastward,  from  the  basin  of 


Chap.  43]      SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  303 

the  Congo,  where  for  a  number  of  years  it  had  been 
more  or  less  endemic.  The  first  to  identify  it  on  its 
appearance  in  Uganda  was  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook,  in  the 
year  1901.  At  once  the  alarm  was  raised,  and  serious 
investigations  were  immediately  entered  upon  as  to 
its  nature  and  origin — all  of  course  with  the  object  of 
taking  preventive  measures,  and,  if  possible,  of  dis- 
covering a  cure.  Hitherto  it  had  been  regarded  as 
an  absolutely  incurable  disease.  These  investigations 
have  passed  through  three  stages. 

The  first  stage,  so  far  as  Uganda  is  concerned,  was 
with  reference  to  the  discovery  of  a  micro-organism 
called  Filaria  perstans,  found  in  the  blood  of  nearly 
every  sleeping  sickness  patient.  It  was  assumed,  per- 
haps somewhat  precipitately,  that  this  minute  creature, 
belonging  to  the  animal  kingdom,  was  the  cause  of 
the  disease.  Further  investigation,  however,  showed 
conclusively  that  such  was  not  the  case.  In  the  mean- 
while a  Commission  organised  by  the  Royal  Society 
in  conjunction  with  H.M.  Government  had  arrived 
upon  the  scene  of  action.  Laboratories  were  built  at 
Entebbe,  and  further  research  was 'at  once  entered 
upon.  Dr.  Castellani,  a  member  of  the  Commission, 
entertained  strong  suspicion  with  regard  to  another 
micro-organism  belonging  to  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
and  called  in  honour  of  the  discoverer,  "  streptococcus 
Castellanii." 

It  was  while  studying  the  life  history  and  peculiarities 
of  this  interesting  stranger  that  Dr.  Castellani's  atten- 
tion was  drawn  to  another  organism  of  a  worm-like 
shape — one  end  bluntly  conical,  and  the  other,  the 
flagellum,  very  finely  tapering.  It  was  a  trypanosoma 
of  very  active  habits,  a  creature  like  the  Filaria 
perstans  belonging  to  the  animal  kingdom. 

Later  investigation  has  proved  that  this  creature  is 


304       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  VI. 

undoubtedly  the  cause  of  the  disease  popularly  known 
as  "  sleeping  sickness."  The  symptoms  of  the  disease 
are  many,  and  comparatively  easy  to  be  recognised. 
The  skin  becomes  dry  and  irritable,  and  patients  are 
continually  scratching  themselves.  The  glands  of  the 
neck  become  swollen.  A  period  of  nervous  excitement 
often  super\'enes,  followed  by  consequent  exhaustion. 
The  final  stage  appears  to  be  one  of  great  drowsiness, 
a  s}Tnptom  which  gives  the  name  to  the  disease. 

Early  in  1903  Colonel  Bruce,  R.A.M.C.,  who  had 
been  lent  to  the  Uganda  Administration  by  the  War 
Ofiice  for  special  service,  arrived  upon  the  scene,  and 
by  as  brilliant  a  piece  of  inductive  research  as  the 
annals  of  science  can  show,  discovered  the  means  by 
which  this  disease  is  conveyed.  He  found  upon  inquiry 
that  the  sleeping  sickness  areas  were  more  or  less  con- 
tiguous to  water — the  Lake  shore,  the  islands,  river 
banks,  and  so  forth.  He  found  upon  further  investi- 
gation that  a  species  of  tsetse-fly  called  Glossina 
palpalis  flourished  in  these  very  regions.  The  signi- 
ficance of  a  map  prepared  under  his  direction  was 
apparent  at  the  first  glance.  Red  discs  showed  the 
presence  of  sleeping  sickness,  blue  ones  that  of  the 
tsetse-fly — the  latter,  of  course,  even  more  extensively 
marked ;  but  it  was  found  that  the  line  of  the  one  was 
almost  invariably  followed  by  the  line  of  the  other, 
the  terrible  red  disc. 

Specimens  of  Glossina  palpalis  were  obtained  from 
the  sleeping  sickness  areas,  dissected,  and  examined 
under  the  microscope.  The  trypanosoma  found  in 
the  sleeping  sickness  patients  was  discovered  in  the 
tsetse-fly.  The  conclusion  was  obvious,  but  not  abso- 
lutely established.  But  fresh  data  were  forthcoming. 
Monkeys  kept  at  the  laboratories  were  fed  upon  by  the 
tsetse-fly,  and  in  due  course  developed  sleeping  sick- 


Chap.  43]    SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW 


305 


ness.  Their  history  was  the  same  in  ahnost  every 
case — fever  after  a  certain  lapse  of  time,  the  tempera- 
ture chart  showing  invariably  the  same  variations 
and  pecuharities.  Thus  was  this  most  important  fact 
established,  viz.  the  conveyance  of  sleeping  sickness 
infection  by  means  of  the  tsetse  fly. 

Further  research  has  demonstrated  with  tolerable 
completeness  and  accuracy  the  course  of  the  disease. 
It  has  been  found  that  a  person  bitten  by  an  infected 
fly  may  not  show  any  signs  of  having  been  infected 
for  one,  two,  or  even  three  years.  But  sooner  or  later 
there  comes  a  time  when  the  glands  swell,  the  skin 
becomes  dry,  the  fever  manifest ;  later  the  trypanosoma 
passes  from  the  blood,  in  which  hitherto  it  has  lived 
and  reproduced  itself,  into  the  cerebro-spinal  fluid,  and 
so  into  the  brain.  The  problem  which  medical  science 
is  at  present  setting  itself  to  solve  is  whether  this  living 
micro-organism  can  be  destroyed  before  this  passage 
takes  place.  Arsenic  has  been  largely  used,  but  so  far 
without  effect.  The  latest  experiment  to  be  tried  is 
that  with  Atoxyl,  a  preparation  of  arsenic.  Some 
remarkable  cases  of  apparent  cure  have  resulted,  but 
so  far  they  have  not  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  there  is 
a  growing  feeling  among  scientists  that  a  remedy  will 
have  to  be  sought  elsewhere. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  ravages  wTought  by  this  fell 
disease  have  been  appalhng.  The  islands  have  been 
almost  depopulated.  Kome,  which  at  one  time  was 
said  to  have  a  population  of  10,000,  has  hardly  500 
souls  left.  The  fishermen  on  the  Lake  shores  have 
become  practically  an  extinct  race.  South  Busoga 
has  suffered  even  more  than  Uganda.  Nanyumba's 
country  has  been  more  than  decimated  ;  while  Wakoli's, 
formerly  the  very  garden  of  Busoga,  is  now  a  howling 
wilderness. 

II.  u 


306       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA    [Book  VI. 

A  sad  and  solemn  experience  is  it  indeed  to  travel 
through  the  infected  areas.  Gardens  fallen  out  of 
cultivation  and  overgrown  with  weeds,  houses  in 
ruins,  deserted  churches,  all  alike  tell  the  same  tale 
of  sorrow,  sickness,  and  death.  The  frenzied  ravings 
of  the  sick  ones,  the  death-wail  of  the  mourners,  the 
uncanny  croaking  of  birds  of  prey — the  vulture  and 
the  carrion  crow  wheeling  hither  and  thither  in  the 
sunny  atmosphere  above,  which  seems  to  mock  the 
sadness  and  sorrow  below — the  night  howl  of  the 
hyena  prowling  in  search  of  the  dead — all  deepens 
the  impression  that  the  Angel  of  Death  is  in  very  truth 
hovering  over  the  land,  so  that  (to  use  a  memorable 
phrase),  "You  can  almost  hear  the  fluttering  of  his 
wings." 

One  of  the  most  important  measures  adopted  by 
the  new  Commissioner  (Colonel  Hayes  Sadler)  was  to 
enlist  the  co-operation  of  the  chiefs  in  the  diffusion 
of  information  as  one  of  the  best  means  of  preventing 
the  spread  of  the  disease.  But  the  ,  facts  were  long 
in  winning  their  way.  You  might  tell  the  people  in 
minutest  detail  the  facts  of  the  tsetse-fly  theory,  in  the 
hope  that  they  might  avoid  the  infected  areas,  but 
even  as  you  told  them  your  hearers  would  regard  you 
with  a  pitying  smile.  "  Why,  all  the  world  knows," 
they  would  tell  you,  "  that  it  was  by  contact  you  got 
the  disease,  and  if  you  only  touched  a  sleeping-sickness 
patient  you  must  get  it  yourself."  However,  the  truth 
has  now  slowly  penetrated  the  mental  retina,  and  there 
is  a  much  more  intelligent  apprehension  of  the  real 
state  of  the  case.  Another  measure  adopted  by  the 
Commissioner  was  to  lay  upon  the  chiefs  the  responsi- 
bility of  seeing  that  sleeping-sickness  patients  were 
not  allowed  to  wander  about  the  country  as  they 
pleased ;  the  dangers,  of  course,  being  that  other  fly 


Chap.  43]    SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  307 


areas  might  become  infected.  It  became  the  duty  of 
the  chief  to  house  such  unhappy  homeless  wanderers, 
and  if  possible  return  them  to  their  own  people. 

The  latest  measure  adopted  has  been  the  removal  of 
the  whole  population  of  the  infected  areas — the  de- 
struction of  all  the  deserted  houses,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  return  of  their  former  occupants — and  the  formation 
of  camps  in  healthy  districts  for  those  found  to  be 
actually  suffering  from  the  disease.  These  camps  are 
in  charge  of  Government  doctors,  of  whose  kindly 
sympathy  with  their  patients,  their  untiring  efforts 
for  their  welfare,  and  their  skilful  treatment  of  their 
charges  it  is  impossible  to  speak  too  highly.  It  is 
hoped  that  by  these  drastic  measures  the  spread  of 
the  disease  may  be  checked,  and  the  infected  areas 
in  time  become  healthy  again. 

The  bearing  of  all  this  terrible  sickness  and  distress 
upon  our  work  has  been  very  close  and  intimate,  and 
its  effects  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  On  some  of 
the  islands  work  has  ceased  altogether ;  congregations 
have  been  broken  up  and  churches  fallen  into  ruin. 
On  other  islands,  such  as  Sese  and  Bukasa,  the  work 
has  been  continued,  but  under  great  difficulties  and 
with  largely  diminished  congregations  and  classes. 

The  sombre  tones  of  the  deep,  dark  gloom  which 
now  for  seven  years  has  been  hanging  over  Uganda 
has,  however,  been  relieved  from  time  to  time  by  bright 
gleams  of  light.  The  noble  heroism  of  many  of  our 
Christian  teachers  and  evangelists  who  have  continued 
at  their  work  (at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  and  who  in 
some  cases  liave  fallen  victims  to  the  disease)  can  never 
be  forgotten.  As  Carlyle  says,  "  It  is  not  to  taste  sweet 
things,  but  to  do  noble  and  true  things,  and  vindicate 
himself  under  God's  heaven  as  a  God- made  man,  that 
the  poorest  son  of  Adam  dimly  longs.    Show  him  the 


308       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


way  of  doing  that,  the  dullest  day  drudge  kindles  into 
a  hero."  Thus  it  has  been  in  Uganda.  It  was  so  in 
the  early  days — the  days  of  Mwanga's  persecutions. 
It  is  so  to-day  in  this  hour  of  sore  trial,  sickness,  sneer- 
ing, and  death.  The  martyr  spirit  is  not  dead  in 
Uganda,  as  the  following  incident  testifies. 

"  Some  few  months  ago  I  was  officiating  in  the 
Cathedral  at  Mengo.  The  great  congregation  had 
dispersed,  and  a  large  body  of  the  communicants  re- 
mained. Slowly  the  service  proceeded,  the  profound 
silence  broken  only  by  the  solemn  words  of  administra- 
tion. The  last  communicants  had  returned  to  their 
places,  and  I  was  about  to  close  the  service,  when  from 
the  extreme  end  of  the  building — a  corner  of  the  south 
aisle,  in  which  she  had  been  sitting  by  herself — a  woman 
advanced  slowly  up  the  nave.  I  waited  wonderingly. 
As  she  took  her  place,  kneeling  alone  at  the  rail,  Harry 
Wright  Duta,  who  was  assisting  me,  whispered  in  my 
ear,  '  It  is  Rakeri.'  '  Rakeri !  '  In  a  moment  her 
story  flashed  through  my  mind,  and  with  heart  uplifted 
in  praise  to  God,  and  with  a  voice  ill  controlled  through 
the  emotion  that  welled  within,  I  administered  to  her 
the  emblems  of  the  dying  love  of  Our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  Slowly  and  with  dragging  footsteps  she 
returned  to  her  place,  and  with  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis 
and  the  Benediction  the  service  came  to  an  end. 

"  Now  who  was  Rakeri  (Rachel)  ?  She  was  a 
woman  connected  with  the  congregation  at  Ngogwe, 
near  the  shores  of  the  Great  Lake.  Some  time  pre- 
viously it  had  been  told  at  a  meeting  of  Christians 
how  that  on  a  certain  island  sleeping  sickness  had 
broken  out,  and  that  the  people  were  dying  in  large 
numbers  without  any  one  to  teach  them  the  way  to 
salvation.  This  so  touched  the  heart  of  Rakeri,  who 
was  present,  that  she  volunteered  to  go  and  teach  the 


Chap.  43]    SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  309 


women  and  children.  She  was  warned.  She  was  told 
of  the  peril.  It  would  be  at  the  risk  of  her  life.  In- 
fection meant  death.  There  was  no  cure.  Nothing 
could  turn  heri  from  her  purpose.  '  I  know  all  this/ 
she  said.  '  Those  people  are  dying  and  know  nothing 
of  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  I  know  and  love 
Him,  and  must  go  and  tell  them  of  Him."  She  went, 
and  after  a  while  came  back  and  told  how  she  had 
been  enabled  to  lead  one  and  another  to  the  feet  of 
the  Saviour  ere  they  passed  into  the  unseen  world. 

"  She  returned  to  her  post.  A  few  more  months 
passed  by,  and  then  came  the  news  that  she  was  ill. 
She  was  brought  back  and  carried  up  to  the  hospital 
at  Mengo,  where  Dr.  Cook,  having  examined  her,  pro- 
nounced the  fatal  verdict  '  sleeping  sickness.'  She 
lived  for  some  months  in  the  hospital  under  the  doctor's 
care,  and  during  the  whole  of  that  time,  as  long  as  she 
could  move  about,  she  was  as  a  ministering  angel  to 
the  sick  ones  in  the  women's  ward.  She  would  go 
from  bed  to  bed,  reading  with  this  one  and  praying  with 
that  one,  soothing  all  in  their  pain  as  far  as  she  was 
able,  and  ever  seeking  with  loving  words  and  tender 
pleading  to  lead  them  to  the  feet  of  the  Saviour.  And 
all  the  while  she  was  a  dying  woman. 

"  It  was  during  this  time  of  comparative  strength  that 
Rakeri  came  to  the  communion  service  in  the  Cathedral 
(which  is  quite  close  to  the  hospital),  as  I  have  already 
told.  She  sat  in  that  distant  corner  all  alone,  because 
she  knew  that  people  would  shrink  away  from  her 
as  they  would  shrink  from  contact  with  death  itself. 

"  I  saw  her  once  again.  It  was  the  last  day  of  her 
life.  She  was  lying  on  her  bed  in  the  women's  ward. 
The  fatal  slumber  was  upon  her,  *  The  Bishop  has 
come  to  see  you,'  said  the  doctor.  Her  eyelids  fluttered 
for  a  moment  as  though  she  understood,  and  then  she 


310       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFEICA   [Book  VI. 

fell  back  into  slumber  once  more.  I  could  but  whisper 
in  her  ear  the  blessing  of  God  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost — and  so  she  passed  to  her  rest 
and  her  reward." 

Where  in  the  whole  history  of  the  Christian  Church 
is  there  to  be  found  a  nobler  instance  of  self-sacrificing 
love  ?  "  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a 
man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 


CHAPTER  XLIV 


FROM  UTMOST  EAST  TO  UTMOST  WESl 

'  Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ? 
The  night  clouds  break  away  ; 
On  the  far  mountains  streaks  of  Hght 
Foretell  the  spring  of  day.' 

E.  H.  BiCKERSTETH. 

The  year  1903  opened  sadly.  Two  of  our  workers 
were  taken  from  us  by  death — Mrs.  Bond,  with  startling 
suddenness,  and  H.  Farthing,  from  black-water  fever. 
The  former  was  on  her  way  to  Toro  with  her  husband, 
Dr.  Bond,  and  died  only  two  days  journey  from  Mengo. 
The  latter,  who  had  been  working  very  happily  in 
Bunyoro,  died  at  Hoima.  Such  workers  could  ill  be 
spared  at  such  a  time  of  rapid  development  in  our 
work.  However,  we  could  but  bow  in  humble  sub- 
mission before  Him  who  can  never  err,  and  thank  Him 
for  the  wonderful  health  which  the  Mission  as  a  whole 
had  hitherto  enjoyed. 

The  year  so  sadly  entered  upon  was  perhaps,  of  all 
the  years  of  my  service  in  Uganda,  the  busiest.  Travel- 
ling was  its  main  feature.  Eight  months  out  of  the 
twelve  I  spent  in  my  tent.  It  was  truly  a  case  of  "  in 
journeyings  often."  Ngogwe,  Mitiana,  Nakanyonyi, 
and  Ndeje  were  in  turn  visited,  and  an  aggregate  of 
774  candidates  confirmed.  Fever,  however,  dogged  my 
footsteps  as  I  went  on  from  one  place  to  another  ; 
and  although  it  was  a  time  of  great  joy  on  account  of 
the  large  ingathering  of  souls  visible  on  every  hand. 


312       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


it  was  also  a  time  of  great  physical  weakness  and 
trial. 

But  notwithstanding  all  this  three  great  journeys 
were  accomplished  in  the  course  of  the  year.  The  first 
was  to  Toro,  for  which  I  started  in  company  with  Dr. 
Bond  on  March  3rd,  travelling  by  way  of  Bunyoro. 
It  was  a  weary  journey  from  first  to  last.  The  heat 
at  times  was  intense  and  very  trying.  How  one  dreaded 
the  endless  succession  of  hills — the  steamy  plains — the 
stifling  atmosphere  in  the  long  grass  !  And  how  one 
longed  for  some  sign  of  the  camping  place — a  banana 
plantation  or  some  thatched  rest-house  by  the  road- 
side !  Then  the  restless  night — the  silence  broken  now 
and  again  by  the  whining  howl  of  the  hyena  or  the 
bark  of  the  wild  fox  ;  and  how  one  longed  for  the  day 
and  yet  dreaded  it !  And  then  the  cold,  cheerless  camp 
in  the  early  morning — in  the  darkness  before  dawn, 
when  one  tried  to  swallow  some  breakfast  without  any 
appetite  for  it ;  how  one  dreaded  that,  too  !  and  yet  it 
was  a  part  of  the  daily  programme  and  had  to  be  gone 
through. 

In  Bunyoro  my  mule,  which  hitherto  I  had  been 
riding,  fell  lame,  and  I  was  obliged  to  take  to  a  hammock. 
In  this  I  was  carried  into  Kabarole,  the  capital  of  Toro, 
on  March  21st.  On  the  25th,  269  candidates  were 
confirmed,  and  six  days  later  132  more,  making  a  total 
of  401 — a  wonderful  token  of  the  progress  of  the  work. 
On  April  1st  I  started  on  the  return  journey  to  Mengo, 
still  feeling  terribly  weak  and  unable  to  walk  more 
than  a  few  yards.  However,  as  the  days  passed  by 
I  gradually  grew  better,  and  on  reaching  Mengo  on 
the  14th,  had  regained  a  fair  measure  of  health  and 
strength. 

The  next  two  months  were  occupied  in  a  series  of 
local  engagements — confirmation  services,  a  ladies  con- 


Chap.  44]       FEOM  EAST  TO  WEST 


313 


ference,  and  on  June  7th  (Trinity  Sunday)  an  ordina- 
tion service,  when  seven  natives  and  three  Europeans 
were  ordained.  The  way  was  now  clear  for  a  long- 
contemplated  journey  to  Mount  Elgon,  where  Crabtree 
and  his  devoted  wife  were  at  work.  On  June  9th  I 
started  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  R.  Cook  on  an  expedition 
which  involved  at  least  500  miles  of  travel. 

Our  programme  included  visits  to  all  our  stations 
in  Busoga,  and  that  at  Kisalizi  near  Mruli  in  the  north 
of  the  kingdom  of  Uganda.  By  this  time  one's  health 
was  re-estabhshed,  and  the  daily  journey,  instead  of 
being  a  toil,  was  a  very  real  pleasure.  Busoga  was 
familiar  ground,  but  on  reaching  the  great  river  swamp 
— the  Mpologoma — new  country  full  of  interest  was 
entered  upon. 

The  passage  of  the  Mpologoma  was  no  light  task. 
Our  caravan  consisted  of  some  fifty  men  and  boys, 
seven  head  of  cattle,  two  mules,  half-a-dozen  sheep 
and  goats,  and  some  forty  loads.  "  Dug-out  "  canoes 
were  the  only  method  of  transport.  The  ferry-men — 
if  it  be  not  an  Irishism  to  say  so — were  women,  and 
they  worked  with  a  will.  In  rather  less  than  three 
hours  everything  was  upon  the  further  shore.  Writing 
at  the  time,  I  thus  describe  chis  great  swamp,  which 
is  really  a  backwater  of  the  Nile  overgrown  with 
papyrus  : — 

"  A  narrow  channel  some  half-dozen  yards  wide, 
opening  out  at  intervals  into  stretches  of  open  water 
fifty  or  sixty  yards  wide,  was  the  main  feature  of  the 
Mpologoma  at  our  point  of  passage.  Dense  masses  of 
papyrus  lined  this  channel  on  either  side,  and  seemed 
to  be  almost  limitless  in  their  vast  extent.  Lilies  of 
white  and  azure  blue  dotted  the  water  on  every  hand. 
The  climbing  convolvuli,  twining  themselves  in  and 
about  the  stems  of  the  papyrus,  gave  a  fairy-like  aspect 


314       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


to  the  whole  scene.  But  what  perhaps  was  more  striking 
and  impressive  than  anything  else  in  this  weird  voyage 
was  the  presence  of  a  floating  population  on  this  waste 
of  waters.  Here  and  there  the  papyrus  had  been  cut 
down  and  laced  together  until  something  like  a  floating 
platform  had  been  made.  Sticks  from  the  shore  had 
been  laid  upon  this,  and  then  earth  beaten  into  the 
consistency  of  mud  had  been  spread  until  a  surface 
impervious  to  fire  had  been  formed.  Upon  the  floating 
platform  huts  had  been  built,  which  at  the  time  of  our 
visit  were  inhabited  by  some  of  the  people  employed 
in  paddling  our  canoes,  and  who  apparently  eked  out 
a  precarious  living  by  fishing.  One's  heart  went  out 
in  pity  and  sympathy  towards  them.  Their  life  in 
such  circumstances  must  of  necessity  be  one  of  ex- 
treme hardship  if  not  of  actual  peril.  The  opening  up 
of  the  country  will  no  doubt  mitigate  in  time  their 
hard  lot,  and  a  few  years  will  probably  see  this  race  of 
lake-dwellers  in  happier  circumstances,  some  of  them 
by  the  grace  of  God  rejoicing  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  as  their  God  and  Saviour."  The  onward 
journey  was  through  Budaka,  where  Chadwick  and 
Buckley  had  been  working  until  the  break-down  of 
the  former  through  fever,  then  on  to  Nabowa,  where 
we  got  our  first  view  of  Mount  Elgon,  the  goal  of  our 
journey.  The  atmosphere  was  somewhat  hazy,  but  at 
the  same  time  so  free  from  clouds  that  the  whole  range 
was  visible  from  end  to  end.  The  highest  point,  15,000 
feet  above  sea -level,  was  in  full  view,  and  free  from  the 
snow  with  which  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  it  is  not 
infrequently  clad.  Elgon  is  a  noble  mass,  majestic  in 
outhne  and  solemn  in  the  significance  of  its  isolation, 
as  guardian -like  it  seems  to  watch  over  the  low-lying 
lands  of  Kavirondo  and  Bukedi.  Clouds  commenced 
to  gather  and  cling  to  the  summit,  soon  to  hide  it  from 


Chap.  44]       FROM  EAST  TO  WEST 


315 


view  as  we  left  the  crest  of  the  hill  of  Nabowa  and 
continued  our  journey  to  Masaba. 

As  we  drew  near  to  our  destination  it  was  clear  that 
the  news  of  our  coming  had  preceded  us.  Groups  of 
natives  almost  entirely  nude  crowned  every  ant-hill. 
Outside  every  cluster  of  huts  by  the  wayside  men, 
women,  and  children  were  gathered  to  see  us  pass  by. 
"  Mirembe,  mirembe  "  (Peace,  peace)  was  the  saluta- 
tion which  greeted  us  from  time  to  time  as  we  went 
along.  At  length  as  we  were  descending  a  hill  not  far 
from  Masaba  an  incident  happened  which  was  some- 
what disturbing  for  the  moment.  A  wild-looking  man, 
evidently  in  a  most  excited  condition,  rushed  down 
from  a  village  not  far  from  the  road,  and  mounting  an 
ant-hill,  proceeded  to  curse  me  and  my  fellow-travellers 
with  wild  cries,  evidently  of  abuse  and  vituperation, 
at  the  same  time  flinging  stones  and  sticks  and  clods 
of  earth  at  us. 

This  extraordinary  outburst  caused  great  excitement 
among  all  on  the  hillside,  who  were  able  to  see  and 
hear  what  was  going  on,  and  from  all  sides  men  came 
running  towards  us  holding  out  their  hands  and  shout- 
ing, "  Mirembe,  mirembe."  I  took  in  the  situation  in 
a  moment.  The  man  who  was  so  vigorously  cursing 
us  was  a  madman.  The  people,  alarmed  at  his  violence, 
were  rushing  together  to  assure  us  of  their  friendliness, 
and  to  beg  us  to  take  no  notice  of  the  actions  of  an 
irresponsible  lunatic.  I  responded  with  loud  shouts 
of  "  Mirembe,  mirembe,"  which  were  echoed  and  re- 
echoed on  every  side,  and  so  we  passed  on  our  way, 
and  at  noon  arrived  at  our  destination,  Masaba. 

In  a  previous  chapter  I  have  alluded  to  the  plant- 
ing of  this  mission  among  the  wild  Bagishu  at  the  close 
of  the  year  1899.  For  nearly  four  years  the  Crabtrees 
had  now  been  at  work,  and  the  result  was  visible  on 


316       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

every  hand.  Tender  care  of  the  sick  had  won  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  and  the  Httle  church  crowded  on 
Sunday,  and  the  classes  gathering  day  by  day  during 
the  w^eek,  were  an  earnest  of  an  ingathering  by-and-by. 
Crabtree  had  done  a  notable  linguistic  work.  The 
first  reading-book,  a  hymn-book,  prayer-book,  a  book 
of  Bible  stories  of  some  one  hundred  pages,  all  most 
beautifully  printed,  told  of  unsparing  effort  both  in- 
tellectual and  physical.  Two  Gospels  had  been  trans- 
lated, and  would  soon  be  pubhshed.  All  this  was, 
indeed,  good  news.  It  told  us  that  after  years  of 
intense  desire  and  earnest  prayer  the  language  of  the 
Bantu-speaking  Kavirondo  people  had  been  reduced 
to  writing,  and  that  the  Word  of  God  was  in  the  way 
of  being  placed  in  their  hands. 

An  ascent  of  a  shoulder  of  Mount  Elgon  called  Nkoko 
Njeru  (the  "  Wliite  Fowl  "),  the  summit  of  which  was 
8500  feet  above  sea-level,  concluded  our  visit  to 
Masaba,  and  on  July  1st  we  made  our  way  to  Mbale, 
some  eight  miles  away,  where  Kakungulu,  the  great 
Uganda  chief,  whom  I  have  more  than  once  mentioned, 
had  settled  himself.  It  was  a  great  surprise  to  find 
what  a  wonderful  impression  he  had  made  upon  the 
wild  waste  on  which  he  and  his  people  had  settled 
some  three  or  four  years  before.  He  had  indeed  made 
"  the  wilderness  and  the  sohtary  place  to  rejoice  and 
blossom  as  the  rose."  Broad  roads,  well-built  houses, 
cultivated  gardens,  neat  and  trim  fences,  all  told  of 
unsparing  effort  and  brave  perseverance  in  the  face  of 
immense  difficulties.  A  church  had  been  built,  and 
regular  services  were  being  carried  on  by  Andereya 
Batulabude,  a  native  pastor  from  Uganda.  As  we 
looked  around  upon  this  remarkable  colony  of  Baganda, 
with  its  population  of  something  like  a  thousand  souls, 
we  could  not  but  speculate  as  to  its  possible  influence 


Chap.  44]      FEOM  EAST  TO  WEST  317 


upon  the  tribes  around.  A  silent  influence  there  could 
not  but  be  :  for  as  Owen  Meredith  has  said — 

'  No  life  can  be  pure  in  its  purpose  and  strong 

In  its  strife  and  all  life  not  be 
Purer  and  stronger  thereby.' 

And  most  of  these  Baganda  were  Christians ;  and 
what  influence  can  equal  that  of  the  true  Christian  ? 
"  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world — ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth,"  said  the  Master  Himself.  Here,  thought  we 
to  ourselves  as  we  looked  upon  these  Baganda,  is  an 
instrument  ready  to  hand  for  the  evangelisation  of 
the  peoples  around.  Why  should  they  not  be  the 
evangelists  to  win  these  souls  for  Christ  ?  Alas  !  upon 
inquiry  we  found  that  little  or  nothing  had  been  done 
towards  reaching  them.  Whether  it  was  that  being 
"  at  grips,"  so  to  speak,  with  the  forces  of  nature, 
battling  with  the  wilderness  for  means  of  subsistence, 
they  had  Httle  time  or  energy  left  for  evangelistic 
work,  one  cannot  say ;  the  fact,  however,  was  clear 
that  nothing  had  been  done.  However,  we  called  the 
principal  Christians  together  and  set  the  matter  before 
them,  and  it  was  cheering  to  see  the  immediate  response 
to  our  appeal.  The  fact  was,  they  needed  a  leader  to 
suggest  and  inspire  as  well  as  control.  He  apparently 
was  lacking.  We  promised,  however,  on  our  return 
to  Uganda  to  send  them  one. 

On  July  3rd,  in  order  to  get  some  much-needed  rest 
for  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Cook,  who  had  been  incessantly  at 
work  among  the  sick,  we  visited  one  of  the  numerous 
waterfalls  to  be  found  on  Mount  Elgon.  The  day  was 
bright  and  sunny  and  we  hoped  to  see  everything 
under  its  most  lovely  aspect.  Our  anticipations  were 
more  than  fulfilled.  Waters  sparkling  with  dazzling 
brightness  as  they  rushed  down  the  mountain-side, 


318       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


and  trees  glittering  with  brightest  sunhght,  contrasted 
vividly  with  the  purple  of  the  deep  shadows  of  ravines, 
wild  and  rugged,  up  which  we  wound  our  way,  led  by 
one  of  Kakungulu's  men  as  guide. 

The  hill-dwellers,  whose  huts  were  clustered  here 
and  there  on  the  steep  mountain-side,  were  very  shy 
and  suspicious  of  us.  What  were  we  doing  chmbing 
the  mountain  ?  What  could  our  object  be  ?  Could 
it  be  aught  else  than  war  ?  That  we  were  going  to  see 
a  waterfall  would  be  the  very  last  thing  that  would 
occur  to  them.  Our  guide,  however,  was  able  now 
and  again  to  catch  sight  of  a  native  in  hiding  on  the 
farther  side  of  a  ravine,  and  tried  by  loud  shouts  to 
reassure  him  as  to  our  peaceful  intentions,  inviting 
him  and  his  friends  to  come  over  to  us.  But  it  was 
all  in  vain.  At  length  the  thunder  of  the  falls  of  which 
we  were  in  search  broke  upon  our  ears  and  told  us 
that  we  had  almost  reached  our  destination.  Gradually 
the  subdued  murmur  of  running  waters  was  added  to 
the  medley  of  sounds  which  filled  our  ears,  and  then 
the  full  glory  of  the  scene  burst  upon  our  view. 

Down  from  the  edge  of  a  mighty  crag  some  four 
hundred  feet  or  more  above  us  there  leapt  into  space 
a  volume  of  water  which  as  it  fell  quivered  and  broke 
into  fan-like  masses  of  spray,  upon  which  the  prismatic 
colours  seemed  to  dance  in  the  ever-varying  play  of 
their  splendour. 

'  Oh,  it  was  an  unimaginable  sight.' 

Earth,  air,  sky,  and  water  seemed  to  combine  in  fashion- 
ing a  scene  almost  indescribable  in  its  mysterious 
charm  and  fairy-like  beauty. 

Sketch-book  and  camera  were  soon  brought  to  bear 
upon  what  was  before  us  ;  but,  alas !  how  inadequate 


\VA nCKl  AI.L  ON  MOrNT  KLGON 


Chap.  44]      FROM  EAST  TO  WEST  319 

were  they  to  convey  even  a  faint  idea  of  a  scene  so  full 
of  exquisite  grace. 

Mutterings  of  distant  thunder  warned  us  that  a 
storm  was  brewing.  Hastily  packing  up  our  luncheon 
basket,  we  made  the  best  of  our  way  down  the  rugged 
mountain-side.  As  we  reached  our  mules  the  tempest, 
which  for  a  while  had  been  raging  not  far  away,  burst 
upon  us  in  all  its  fury,  and 

'  Loud  and  long  the  thunder  rolled,' 

while  floods  of  rain  very  soon  drenched  us  to  the  skin. 
However,  half-an-hour's  rapid  riding  brought  us  to 
our  tents.  Hardly  had  we  changed  into  dry  clothing 
when  a  young  lad  was  carried  into  our  camp  apparently 
lifeless.  He  had  just  been  struck  by  lightning  on  the 
very  road  over  which  we  had  so  lately  passed.  An 
examination  by  the  doctor  soon  showed  that 

'  The  strife  was  o'er — the  pangs  of  Nature  closed.' 

From  Mbale  we  went  on  our  way,  re-crossing  the 
Mpologoma  to  Busoga.  After  spending  a  quiet  Sunday 
at  Iganga  we  took  the  road  to  Kamuli,  where  Allen 
Wilson  and  Davies  were  at  work.  Greatly  cheered 
by  the  evident  tokens  of  the  progress  visible  on  every 
hand — sixty-seven  men  and  women  offering  themselves 
for  Confirmation,  one  hundred  and  six  communicants 
on  the  Sunday  gathering  around  the  Table  of  the  Lord — 
we  continued  on  Monday,  July  20th,  our  journey  to  the 
Nile.  The  ferry  was  only  two  and  a  half  hours  from 
Kamuli,  so  that  we  were  on  the  river-bank  early  in  the 
day.  Two  miserably  small  and  cranky  canoes  were 
all  that  were  available  for  the  transport  of  some  fifty 
men,  together  with  loads,  sheep,  goats,  mules,  and 
cattle.    The  whole  day  was  occupied  with  the  work 


320       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA  [Book  VI. 

of  transport,  and  when  night  came  several  of  the  cows 
were  still  on  the  east  bank. 

From  the  Nile  we  went  on  our  way  through  Bulon- 
donganyi  to  the  Sezibwa  river.  The  journey  was  in 
many  respects  a  sad  one.  Large  gardens,  once  the 
scene  of  busy  life,  we  found  almost  deserted.  Houses 
were  falling  down,  fences  were  in  ruins,  weeds  and  wild 
undergrowth  were  choking  the  life  out  of  the  banana- 
trees.  The  cause  of  this  widespread  ruin  was  not,  as 
we  supposed  at  first,  the  sleeping  sickness,  but  a  tiny 
fly  called  "  embwa  "  (dog).  Its  venomous  bite  causes 
exquisite  pain,  and  ultimately  sores  of  the  most  serious 
character,  often  dangerous  to  life,  and  certainly  de- 
structive to  health  and  vigour.  Our  brief  experience 
of  this  pest  led  us  to  wonder  how  any  one  able  to  leave 
a  district  so  infested  could  possibly  remain  to  endure 
such  torments  as  are  inflicted  by  this  tiny  creature. 

The  Sezibwa  river  we  found  well  bridged,  and  its 
passage  only  occupied  something  like  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  ;  but  the  Lwajali,  which  to  our  dismay  had  over- 
flowed its  banks,  was  more  than  a  mile  wide,  and  the 
only  means  of  crossing  were  by  two  dug-out  canoes, 
both  with  large  holes  in  their  bottoms.  In  my  diary 
I  find  the  following  account  of  the  way  in  which  the 
problem  of  crossing  the  river  in  these  circumstances 
was  solved  : — 

"  Our  native  guides  decided  that  out  of  these  two 
useless  vessels  (the  dug-outs)  one  whole  canoe  might 
be  made.  With  great  energy  and  resourcefulness  they 
set  to  work,  and  brought  a  native  forge  down  to  the 
water's  edge,  where  one  of  the  canoes  was  already 
lying.  Iron  spikes  were  made  red-hot,  and  with  them 
holes  were  bored  in  the  sound  wood,  round  the  great 
hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe.  Then  a  large  piece  of 
wood  was  cut  out  of  the  other  boat,  and  holes  bored 


Chap.  44]      FKOM  EAST  TO 


321 


with  the  red  hot  spikes  round  the  edge.  The  patch 
thus  prepared  was  sewn  with  fibre  to  the  bottom  of 
the  canoe  to  be  restored.  The  holes  and  cavities  were 
then  caulked  and  plugged,  and  the  boat  was  ready  for 
service." 

Whilst  waiting  for  the  repair  of  the  canoe  we  were 
witnesses  of  a  very  remarkable  incident.  A  native, 
who  knew  well  the  river  bed  and  had  exceptionally 
good  lungs,  offered  to  carry  any  porter  across  on  his 
shoulders  who  would  pay  him  thirty  cowrie  shells  (one 
penny).  The  offer  was  accepted.  The  porter  mounted 
and  was  carried  for  a  short  distance  through  com- 
paratively shallow  water  until  the  main  stream  of 
the  river  was  reached.  Deeper  and  deeper  went  the 
man  with  his  load  until  he  was  completely  submerged. 
The  porter  was  well  above  the  flood,  but  the  man 
carrying  him  had  disappeared  completely  from  view. 
In  th  s  way  the  two  went  forward,  the  one  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  water  and  the  other  riding  upon  his 
shoulders.  As  the  river  bed  shelved  upward  on  the 
further  side,  the  man  who  was  carrying  his  fellow 
came  into  view  and  received  his  thirty  cowrie  shells. 
It  was  a  wonderful  exhibition  of  strength  and  en- 
durance. Later  he  carried  several  loads  over  for  ten 
shells  each,  walking  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water, 
but  holding  the  load  upon  his  hands  high  above  his 
head,  which  was  of  course  invisible. 

Embarking  in  the  renovated  canoe,  we  made  our 
way  very  slowly  through  the  shallow  water  until  we 
came  to  the  main  stream,  where  our  progress  was 
much  more  rapid.  Ultimately  we  landed  upon  an 
ant-hill  in  the  middle  of  a  waste  of  waters,  while  our 
canoe  went  back  for  the  mules  and  loads.  Anxiously 
we  watched  load  upon  load  being  put  into  the  canoe, 
whilst  every  vacant  place  was  filled  by  porters  de- 

n  X 


322       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


sirous  of  crossing.  With  difficulty  the  overladen  boat 
was  pushed  off,  and  as  she  got  into  the  deep  water 
an  incautious  movement  on  the  part  of  one  of  the 
porters  brought  about  the  catastrophe  for  which  we 
were  all  looking,  and  over  she  went.  Happily  the 
cargo  consisted  mainly  of  tent  loads,  and  not  boxes 
of  provisions  or  wearing  apparel.  They  were  all  re- 
covered, and  the  men  managed  to  scramble  back  to 
the  bank,  none  the  worse  for  their  involuntary  bath. 

On  our  mules  reaching  us  we  determined  to  ride 
through  the  half  mile  of  water  which  lay  between  us 
and  dry  land.  This  we  did  without  difficulty,  and  by 
five  o'clock  we  were  all  comfortably  encamped  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill  on  which  we  had  been  gazing  for  many 
hours  with  longing  eyes. 

A  five  days  journey  still  lay  between  us  and  Kisalizi. 
The  rains  had  apparently  been  heavy,  and  we  found  so 
much  water  in  the  swamp  and  roads  that  going  was 
anything  but  easy.  However,  we  won  our  way  through, 
and  on  arriving  at  our  destination  received  a  very 
warm  welcome  from  the  Christians  who  came  out  in 
large  numbers  on  the  road  to  greet  us.  We  were 
delighted  with  what  we  saw  of  the  work.  The  schools 
were  flourishing,  the  classes  thronged,  the  teachers  in 
earnest,  and  the  scholars  eager.  On  Sunday  no  fewer 
than  960  souls  came  together  for  the  worship  of  God. 
Of  these  106  were  Communicants.  Fifty-seven  men 
and  women  were  presented  to  me  for  Confirmation. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Cook  had  their  hands  full  in  ministering 
to  the  sick,  who  came  in  large  numbers  for  treatment. 

Having  spent  five  days  in  this  happy  work  we  started 
on  August  3rd  for  Mengo,  travelling  by  way  of  Luwero 
and  Ndeje.  At  each  of  these  latter  places  there  was  a 
full  programme  of  work.  At  the  former  eighty-one 
candidates  were  confirmed,  at  the  latter  one  hundred 


Chap.  44]  EAST  TO  WEST 


323 


and  fifty-seven.  This  practically  brought  our  tour  to 
a  conclusion,  and  on  August  11th,  after  nine  weeks 
absence,  we  found  ourselves  once  more  at  Mengo. 

A  busy  six  weeks  in  and  around  the  capital  followed 
the  conclusion  of  this  highly  successful  journey.  Then 
came  preparations  for  a  visit  to  Nkole,  in  the  far  west. 
Dr.  J.  H.  Cook,  who  was  anxious  for  a  medical  itinera- 
tion, was  my  travelling  companion  in  this,  the  third 
great  journey  of  the  year. 

Having  in  a  previous  chapter  described  a  similar 
journey  to  Nkole  and  Toro,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to 
do  more  now  than  to  touch  briefly  upon  the  main 
incidents  of  an  expedition  which  was  an  almost  un- 
qualified success  from  first  to  last.  Leaving  Mengo 
on  September  22nd,  and  travelling  by  way  of  Kasaka 
and  Kajuna,  we  arrived  in  Koki  on  October  7th,  and 
received  a  very  warm  welcome  from  the  king,  chiefs, 
and  people  alike.  At  the  stations  through  which  we 
passed  on  our  way  I  had  been  enabled  to  confirm  193 
candidates,  and  the  doctor  had  prescribed  for  large 
numbers  of  sick  and  impotent  folk.  In  Koki  we  were 
both  for  the  several  days  of  our  stay  as  busy  as  we 
could  well  be. 

Only  by  one  untoward  incident  was  our  visit  marred. 
It  was  in  this  wise.  On  Saturday  the  10th  I  had  just 
concluded  a  Confirmation  service  in  the  church,  and 
being  anxious  to  make  an  inquiry  of  Miss  Robinson, 
who  was  assisting  Dr.  Cook  in  the  dispensary  hard 
by,  I  made  my  way  thither.  It  was  a  wattle  and  daub 
building  thatched  with  grass  in  which  I  found  them  at 
work.  In  one  of  the  two  large  rooms  into  which  the 
building,  somewhat  old  and  decayed,  was  divided, 
were  a  number  of  sick  people  awaiting  treatment.  In 
the  other  the  doctor  was  at  work  with  his  drugs  and 
instruments.    Hardly  had  I  entered  into  conversation 


324       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


with  Miss  Robinson  than  I  noticed  that  the  poles  and 
beams  supporting  the  roof  were  in  motion.  "  The 
house  is  coming  down,"  I  shouted,  and  flung  myself 
upon  the  ground.  It  was  one's  only  chance.  Escape 
through  the  doorway  was  impossible.  That  was 
blocked  by  people  trying  to  escape  from  the  next 
room.  To  remain  standing  was  simply  to  be  crushed 
to  the  earth  and  to  death  with  a  broken  spine.  But 
lying  upon  the  ground  there  was  some  hope  that  as  the 
timbers  came  down  they  might  shield  one  in  some  way 
or  another  from  suffocation  by  the  heavy  thatch  above. 
It  was  but  a  moment,  and  one  was  down,  and  all  was 
darkness  and  silence.  Then  after  a  while,  how  long 
it  is  impossible  to  say,  one  was  conscious  that  efforts 
were  being  made  to  rescue  us.  Voices  were  heard  and 
gleams  of  light  became  visible,  and  then  a  lifting  of  the 
timbers.  Dark  hands  soon  laid  hold  upon  me,  and  I 
was  dragged  out  into  the  light  of  day,  my  arms  being 
nearly  pulled  out  of  their  sockets  in  the  process.  In 
a  moment  or  two  one  was  able  to  take  in  one's  surround- 
ings, and  to  realise  that  a  great  peril  had  been  escaped 
absolutely  without  injury. 

But  how  about  Miss  Robinson  and  Dr.  Cook  ?  They 
were  still,  I  found,  beneath  the  ruins  of  the  house  at 
which  a  hundred  men  were  at  work.  A  few  anxious 
minutes  passed  by,  and  then  first  Miss  Robinson  and 
then  Dr.  Cook  were  dragged  out  from  among  the  debris 
— the  former  uninjured,  and  as  calm  and  cool  as  though 
nothing  had  happened,  the  latter  with  a  somewhat 
severe  bruise  upon  his  shoulder  caused  by  a  falling 
beam.  It  was  a  marvellous  escape  from  serious  injury, 
if  not  from  death.  One  poor  fellow  I  was  sorry  to 
hear  was  suffering  from  a  fractured  skull,  but  before 
leaving  Koki  we  were  glad  to  learn  that  he  was  doing 
well. 


Chap.  44]      FROM  EAST  TO  WEST 


325 


What  had  brought  about  this  catastrophe  ?  It  was 
in  this  way.  When  I  left  the  church  at  the  conckision 
of  the  Confirmation  service,  I  was  followed  by  the 
greater  part  of  the  male  members  of  the  congregation, 
and  as  I  entered  the  dispensary  large  numbers  crowded 
on  to  the  baraza,  in  order  to  get  the  shelter  of  the 
verandah  from  the  heavy  rain  which  was  falling.  The 
pressure  of  this  great  crowd  was  too  much  for  the 
stability  of  the  old  and  decayed  house  in  which  the 
doctor  was  at  work,  and  over  it  went. 

A  five  days  journey  brought  us  to  Mbarara,  the 
capital  of  Nkole,  where  on  Sunday,  October  18th,  I 
had  the  great  joy  of  confirming  the  king  and  the  Prime 
Minister  (Katikiro),  as  well  as  seventy-eight  other  can- 
didates. What  a  contrast  was  that  day  with  the  one 
of  four  years  before,  when  we  sat  in  front  of  our  tents 
surrounded  by  a  horde  of  savages  with  their  wizards 
and  witch  doctors,  and  strove  to  gain  an  entrance  into 
the  country  for  the  Gospel  of  Christ !  What  could 
we  but  exclaim,  "  What  hath  God  wrought,"  as  we 
realised  the  wonderful  change  which  had  come  to  pass 
in  so  short  a  time. 

On  October  21st  we  took  the  road  to  Toro,  where  we 
arrived  some  eight  days  later  in  company  with  Dr. 
Bond  and  Maddox,  who  had  come  out  as  far  as  Esungu 
to  meet  us.  A  busy  five  days  followed,  and  then  once 
more  we  were  on  the  road,  bound  for  Mengo,  where 
with  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us  we  arrived  on 
November  17th,  having  accomplished  a  journey  of 
well-nigh  five  hundred  miles  in  something  like  eight 
weeks  ;  in  the  course  of  which  I  had  held  nine  Con- 
firmation services,  and  confirmed  no  fewer  than  751 
candidates.  This  was  the  third  great  journey  of  the 
year  brought  to  a  happy  and  successful  conclusion. 

In  looking  back  over  these  weeks  and  months  of 


326      UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


travel  in  which  some  1500  miles  were  covered,  one 
was  filled  with  gratitude  and  thankfulness  to  God  for 
all  His  many  mercies  and  loving  kindnesses.  Pre- 
served from  sickness,  dangers,  by  the  way,  road,  swamp, 
and  river ;  permitted  to  see  wonders  of  grace  in  souls 
brought  out  of  darkness  into  the  marvellous  light  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  privileged  to  have  a  part  and 
share  in  the  carrying  out  of  God's  gracious  purposes 
of  love — for  all  this  and  much,  very  much  more,  one 
could  but  humbly  thank  and  praise  Him  who 

'  Such  wondrous  things  had  done.' 


CHAPTER  XLV 


POSSIBILITIES  AND  OPPORTUNITIES 

'  All  our  natural  endowments,  all  our  personal  histories,  all 
our  contrasted  circumstances,  are  so  many  opportunities  for 
peculiar  work.' — Bishop  Westcott. 

In  looking  back  over  the  past  history  of  the  Church 
in  Uganda,  we  notice  that  certain  periods  stand  out 
beyond  others,  marked  with  very  special  features  of 
significant  interest.  At  one  time  extension  is  the 
special  characteristic,  at  another  consolidation.  At 
another  it  may  be  declension,  at  another  evangelistic 
zeal,  and  so  on.  The  period  upon  which  we  have  now 
entered  is  distinguished  by  a  great  advance  in  educa- 
tional work.  I  have  already  alluded  to  the  efforts 
made  in  1898  to  place  our  educational  work  on  a  better 
footing  by  enlisting  the  help  and  sympathy  of  chiefs 
and  parents  alike  in  the  education  of  their  dependents 
and  children.  The  success  of  our  efforts  was  most 
marked  ;  for  Avhereas  in  1898  the  children  under  in- 
struction were  only  to  be  numbered  by  a  few  hundreds, 
at  the  close  of  1903  no  fewer  than  22,000  were  being 
gathered  day  by  day  into  our  primary  schools.  At 
the  time  of  writing  this  number  has  grown  to  nearly 
32,000. 

But  so  far  little  or  nothing  had  been  done  for  the 
children  of  the  upper  classes,  who  in  many  respects 
were  worse  off  than  the  children  of  the  peasantry. 
They  were  rarely  brought  up  by  their  parents.  They 
were  in   consc(iuence   neglected,  out  of  hand  and 

327 


328       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

allowed  to  run  almost  wild.  We  felt  strongly  that  if 
the  ruling  classes  in  the  country  were  to  exercise  in  the 
days  to  come  an  influence  for  good  upon  their  people, 
and  have  a  sense  of  responsibility  towards  them,  it 
was  absolutely  essential  that  something  should  be  done, 
and  that  speedily,  for  the  education  of  these  neglected 
children  on  the  soundest  possible  lines. 

It  appeared  to  Mr.  Hattersley,  who  was  in  charge  of 
the  primary  school  in  Namirembe,  that  if  anything 
effectual  was  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  moulding  their 
characters  and  fashioning  their  lives,  with  a  view 
to  their  bearing  bravely  the  responsibilities  and  dis- 
charging faithfully  the  duties  of  their  chieftainships, 
it  could  only  be  in  a  boarding-school,  where  Ave  could 
have  them  in  our  own  hands,  so  to  speak,  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  year.  With  his  usual  resourceful- 
ness he  devised  a  plan  by  which  such  a  school  should 
be  self-supporting.  It  was  to  be  on  the  "  House " 
system,  say  twenty  boys  in  a  house  under  a  house- 
master (native).  The  houses  were  to  be  built  by  the 
parents  themselves,  each  of  whom  should  have  a  right 
to  nominate  one  pupil  in  perpetuity.  But  besides  the 
cost  of  building  the  house,  which  was  thus  divided 
among  the  parents  of  the  boys,  each  parent  or  guardian 
became  responsible  for  the  maintenance  of  the  boy 
nominated.  The  scheme  "  caught  on  "  at  once.  First 
one  house  and  then  another  was  built,  until  now,  at 
the  time  of  writing,  there  are  one  hundred  and  forty 
boys  in  the  school,  each  of  whom  is  either  a  chief  who 
is  a  minor,  or  the  son  of  a  chief.  The  school  is  known 
as  the  "  Mengo  High  School." 

It  will  easily  be  realised  what  an  influence  for  good 
such  a  school  is  likely  to  have  upon  the  future  of  the 
country.  God-fearing  men,  well  taught,  witli  a  sense 
of  responsibility  towards  their  dependents,  will  we  trust 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  329 

take  the  places  which  were  only  too  frequently  occupied, 
in  the  days  gone  by,  by  ignorant,  unscrupulous,  and 
vicious  ruffians.  A  unifying  influence  too  will  also, 
we  believe,  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  diverse  ele- 
ments of  which  the  Uganda  Protectorate  is  very  largely 
made  up.  At  the  present  moment  we  have  in  the 
school  young  chiefs  from  Busoga  and  Uganda,  as  well 
as  members  of  the  royal  families  of  Toro,  Nkole,  and 
Bunyoro.  These  young  lads,  living  together,  taught 
together,  sharing  the  same  joys  and  sorrows,  bearing 
the  same  punishments,  joining  in  the  same  games  ;  in 
fact,  Hving  a  common  life,  imbibing  the  same  ideals, 
and  serving  the  same  Lord  and  Master,  cannot  but  be 
knit  together  in  a  common  bond  of  friendship  and 
good  will.  Racial  antipathies  and  jealousies  will  be 
forgotten,  and  a  godly  rivalry  in  whatsoever  things 
are  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely,  and  of  good  report,  will 
take  their  place.  And  so  it  will  come  about  that  the 
divisions  which  hamper  and  hinder  the  development  of 
the  Protectorate  will,  to  a  large  extent,  disappear,  and 
union  with  all  its  beneficent  results  will  take  their 
place. 

It  was  with  very  much  the  same  idea  in  our  minds, 
coupled  with  a  conviction  that  university  education 
must  sooner  or  later  find  place  in  any  well-devised 
scheme  for  the  intellectual  training  of  the  Baganda, 
that  early  in  1903  we  planned  a  school  for  "  Inter- 
mediate education."  A.  G.  Eraser,  who  was  the  prime 
mover  in  the  scheme,  was  obliged  on  account  of  his 
wife's  health  to  return  home.  It  was  taken  up,  how- 
ever, by  H.  W.  Weatherhead,  who  worked  at  it  with 
unbounded  enthusiasm.  A  site  was  secured  about 
eight  miles  from  Mengo,  on  the  hill  of  Biido,  intimately 
bound  U])  with  the  history  of  tlic  kingdom  of  Uganda. 
Eor  many  generations  the  kings  of  Uganda  have,  on 


330       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


the  summit  of  the  hill,  gone  through  a  ceremony 
equivalent  to  Coronation.  The  king  through  his 
regents  having  granted  the  site,  the  school  has  been 
named  "  King's  School."  It  has  been  founded  on  the 
principle  of  self-support,  the  annual  fees  amounting 
to  about  £7.  The  school  buildings  already  completed 
consist  of  three  blocks — a  fine  school-room  50  feet  by 
30  feet,  with  class-rooms  on  each  side,  and  three 
dormitories  on  the  cubicle  system.  To  complete  the 
scheme  we  have  to  build  a  technical  school,  a  gym- 
nasium, a  chapel,  and  a  sanatorium,  besides  another 
dormitory.  Our  aim,  as  in  the  Mengo  High  School, 
which  is  intended  as  a  feeder  to  "  King's  School,"  is 
not  only  to  bridge  over  the  gap  between  primary  and 
university  education,  but  by  the  discipline  of  work 
and  games  in  a  boarding-school  so  to  build  up  char- 
acter as  to  enable  the  Baganda  to  take  their  proper 
place  in  the  administrative,  commercial,  and  industrial 
life  of  their  own  country. 

It  will  be  noticed,  doubtless,  that  whilst  describing 
the  educational  advantages  and  facilities  provided  for 
boys,  nothing  has  been  said  about  any  provision  for 
the  girls.  They  had  not,  however,  been  forgotten.  It 
would  be  worse  than  a  mistake  to  neglect  them.  As  a 
well-known  writer  has  said,  "  Men  will  always  be  what 
women  make  them.  If,  therefore,  you  would  have 
men  great  and  virtuous,  impress  upon  the  minds  of 
women  what  greatness  and  virtue  are." 

Since  1895,  when  the  first  party  of  lady  workers 
arrived  in  the  country,  womanly  influence  had  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  children,  and  especially  the 
young  girls  of  Uganda.  Many  had  learnt  those  lessons 
which  only  women  can  teach.  The  degraded  woman- 
hood of  Central  Africa  could  not  but  be  the  better, 
and  therefore  the  children  tlie  better  for  those  years 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  331 


of  devoted  service  which  had  been  so  ungrudgingly 
rendered  since  that  day  in  October  1895,  when  Miss 
Furley  and  her  five  fellow-workers  arrived  in  Mengo. 
That  band  of  six  single  ladies  had  grown  into  one  of 
twenty  at  the  close  of  1903,  whilst  at  the  time  of  writing 
the  single  and  married  ladies  working  in  the  Mission 
number  fifty-two.  The  work  of  this  strong  force  has 
had  to  do  largely  with  the  education  of  the  girls,  with 
whom  we  are  in  contact  at  all  our  Mission  centres,  and 
many  native  women  teachers  have  been  trained  for 
this  same  branch  of  work. 

In  the  primary  schools  at  the  close  of  1903  no  fewer 
than  7800  girls  were  under  instruction,  a  number 
which  has  increased  so  rapidly  that  it  stands  at  the 
present  moment  at  14,300.  As  in  the  case  of  the  boys, 
however,  it  was  felt  that  a  special  effort  should  be  made 
to  reach  the  girls  of  the  upper  class,  and  a  boarding- 
school  on  the  same  self-supporting  lines  as  the  Mengo 
school  was  started  for  their  benefit.  It  has  attained 
a  large  measure  of  success  under  the  fostering  care  of 
Miss  A.  L.  Allen,  and  those  who  from  time  to  time  have 
been  associated  with  her.  Similar  schools  are  being 
planned  for  the  capitals  of  Toro  and  Bunyoro.  Our 
object  in  all  this  is  not,  as  Ruskin  says,  "  to  turn  the 
woman  into  a  dictionary,"  for  we  believe  with  him  that 
"  it  is  of  little  consequence  how  many  positions  of 
cities  she  knows,  or  how  many  dates  of  events  or 
celebrated  persons,"  but  it  is  deeply  necessary  that  she 
should  make  virtue  lovely  to  children,  and  by  her  life 
and  bearing  draw  men  to  high  and  holy  and  heavenly 
things. 

Whilst  all  the  educational  work  was  being  planned 
and  brought  into  being,  the  silent  process  of  extension 
into  the  regions  beyond  were  still  working.  Tiie  latest 
move  was  into  the  Nile  Valley,  upon  which  we  had  long 


332       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


had  our  eyes  fixed.  Lloyd  at  Hoima  had  come  in 
contact  with  a  number  of  natives  of  the  Acholi  country, 
who  for  a  while  were  sojourning  there.  A  young  chief 
named  Ojigi  had  become  greatly  interested  in  our 
teaching,  and  strongly  urged  a  visit  to  his  country  on 
the  further  side  of  the  Nile.  He  declared  that  the 
Acholi  people  would  welcome  teachers  and  readily  place 
themselves  under  instruction.  Lloyd  responded  at  once 
and  undertook  a  lengthened  tour  through  the  country, 
visiting  in  turn  a  number  of  the  principal  chiefs.  He 
was  deeply  impressed  both  with  the  vastness  of  the 
need  and  the  greatness  of  the  opportunity,  and  begged 
me  to  go  and  see  for  myself  how  the  land  lay. 

Early  in  1904  the  way  seemed  clear  for  a  two  months 
absence  from  Mengo,  and  having  first  obtained  the 
sanction  of  the  Commissioner,  Colonel  Hayes  Sadler, 
to  whose  kind  sympathy  and  help  the  Mission  owes 
so  much,  I  started  on  March  8th,  in  company  with 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  R.  Cook,  for  the  Acholi  country. 
Space  would  fail  me  were  I  to  attempt  to  tell  in  detail 
the  story  of  this  most  interesting  journey.  I  can  only 
roughly  sketch  its  main  features. 

It  was  not  the  best  time  of  the  year  for  travelling ; 
the  rains  were  upon  us,  and  we  had  literally  each  day 
"  to  dodge  "  them.  Sometimes  we  were  caught,  but 
more  often  than  not  we  escaped  the  drenching  which 
continually  threatened  us.  Eight  days  brought  us  to 
Hoima  and  another  two  days  to  Masindi,  where  we 
had  a  Saturday  to  Monday  rest.  Then  on  we  went 
again  towards  the  Nile,  until  a  smart  attack  of  fever 
obliged  me  to  rest  for  a  couple  of  days.  The  passage 
of  the  great  river  was  successfully  accomplished,  and 
on  March  29th  we  arrived  at  Ojigi's  village,  where  we 
received  a  very  warm  welcome  both  from  the  chief 
and  his  people. 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  333 

We  were  now  in  the  midst  of  strange  and  unfamiliar 
sights  and  soimds.  An  unclothed  people,  speaking  a 
Nilotic  dialect,  was  about  us  on  every  hand.  The 
men,  and  especially  the  young  men,  were  generally 
besmeared  with  grease.  Those  who  had  any  pre- 
tensions to  "  smartness "  were  coloured  with  white 
and  red  clay,  and  through  the  underhp  was  suspended 
a  long  crystal,  in  some  cases  four  and  six  inches  long. 
The  "  smarter  "  the  individual  the  longer  the  crystal. 
The  hair  too  of  the  "  smart  "  young  man  was  done 
up  into  fantastic  shapes,  into  which  were  interwoven 
feathers  and  other  adornments.  Among  the  women 
too  was  a  "  smart  set,"  with  whom  grease,  beads, 
and  wire  played  a  considerable  part,  but  clothes  were 
distinctly  a  minus  quantity.  The  married  women 
carried  their  babies  on  their  backs  suspended  in  a  most 
ingenious  fashion,  and  shielded  from  the  heat  of  the 
sun  by  a  capacious  gourd. 

The  village  was  a  collection  of  circular  houses  built 
of  mud,  with  granaries  in  the  midst,  and  surrounded 
in  most  cases  by  a  "  boma  "  of  thorns  and  euphorbia. 
A  characteristic  feature  of  the  Acholi  village  was  the 
place  of  assembly.  A  roughly  built  shed  without  side 
walls,  filled  with  hewn  and  unhewn  timber  seats,  con- 
stituted the  parliament  house  of  the  village  elders. 
Here  justice  was  administered,  the  gossip  of  the  country 
side  retailed,  cattle  bought  and  sold,  marriages  arranged, 
raids  planned,  and  last  but  not  least,  beer  drunk. 
Another  peculiar  feature  of  the  Acholi  village  was  the 
bachelor's  house.  It  was  generally  raised  some  six  or 
eight  feet  above  the  ground,  and  was  entered  by  a  door 
hardly  larger  than  would  enable  a  slim  young  man  to 
creep  through.  In  this  building  the  unmarried  youths 
of  the  village  were  required  to  sleep,  whilst  the  ground 
around  was  strewn  with  fine  dust,  or  sand,  in  order  to 


334       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

detect  the  footprints  of  any  youth  so  bold  as  to  leave 
it  during  the  night. 

We  spent  the  best  part  of  a  week,  including  Easter 
Day,  at  Ojigi's.  It  was  a  lovely  spot  where  we  were 
encamped,  a  very  paradise  of  beauty.  A  wonderful 
panorama  was  spread  out  before  us.  Westward  the 
Bulega  mountains,  a  hundred  miles  or  more  away,  were 
clearly  visible.  Northward  the  hills  around  Nimule 
were  in  full  view,  whilst  in  the  middle  distance,  wood, 
rock,  and  river  alternating  in  sunshine  and  shadow, 
enchanted  us  with  their  ever  varying  beauty  of  colour, 
of  glowing  and  at  times  subdued  light.  The  air  was 
fresh  and  invigorating,  the  nights  cool  and  restful. 
The  crowds  which  daily  thronged  our  camp  added  a 
human  interest  to  our  stay,  which  never  flagged  from 
first  to  last. 

From  what  we  had  seen  of  the  disposition  of  the 
people,  their  friendliness,  their  earnest  desire  to  be 
taught,  coupled  with  their  evident  degradation,  one 
felt  that  an  opportunity  was  offered  to  us  which  ought 
not  to  be  neglected.  But  Ojigi's  was  hardly  central 
enough  for  a  Mission  station.  We  therefore  journeyed 
on  to  Patigo,  some  forty  miles  away,  where  to  the 
great  delight  of  the  chief,  Bon  Acholi,  we  decided  to 
settle.  It  was  a  position  of  strategic  importance,  if 
considered  in  relation  to  the  tribes  north  and  east.  It 
was  healthy  and  fairly  populated. 

While  at  Patigo  the  rainy  season  in  all  its  fury  burst 
upon  us.  Never  shall  I  forget  the  frightful  storms 
which  daily  assailed  us.  The  floods  of  rain  which  poured 
through  our  tents,  the  crashing  thunder,  the  blazing 
lightning,  the  tornado-like  wind  which  threatened 
every  moment  to  carry  our  tents  away,  were  beyond 
anything  I  had  ever  experienced  even  in  the  Tropics. 
Sometimes  one  was  aroused  in  the  middle  of  the  night 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  335 


by  the  distant  mutterings  of  thunder — one  knew  only 
too  well  what  it  meant,  a  storm  within  half  an  hour  or 
so.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  rise  and  dress, 
and  prepare  oneself  for  the  worst.  Everything  likely 
to  be  damaged  was  packed  away,  blankets  rolled  up, 
boys  called  to  stand  by  the  tent  poles,  pegs  beaten  into 
the  ground,  and  then  sitting  on  one's  bedstead  one 
awaited  the  onset.  Sometimes  it  came  gradually,  but 
not  infrequently  the  storm  would  burst  upon  us  suddenly 
in  all  its  fury.  The  tents  would  be  lashed  as  by  a 
hundred  whips,  the  poles  would  sway  and  bend,  and 
every  moment  one  expected  to  see  everything  swept 
away  in  the  raging  elements.  Torrents  of  rain  were 
falling,  and  the  pitchy  darkness  of  the  tent  was 
illumined  from  time  to  time  by  the  glare  of  blazing 
lightning,  whilst  one  was  nearly  deafened  by  the 
crashing  of  thunder  compared  with  which  the  ex- 
plosion of  a  hundred-ton  gun  was  as  nothing. 

It  was  generally  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  one  noted 
signs  of  the  storm  passing  away,  first  a  lessened  strain 
on  the  tent  poles,  then  a  less  persistent  beating  of  the 
rain,  the  lightning  less  vivid,  and  the  thunder  rolling 
away  into  the  distance.  The  boys  would  then  be  dis- 
missed, the  blankets  unrolled,  and  one  would  seek  to 
forget  in  the  oblivion  of  sleep  the  peril  through  which 
one  had  so  lately  passed. 

We  stayed  longer  at  Patigo  than  we  intended,  owing 
to  an  attack  of  fever  (spirillum)  from  which  Mrs.  Cook 
suffered,  and  which,  recurring  at  regular  intervals 
during  the  remainder  of  our  tour,  was  the  source  of  no 
little  anxiety  to  us  from  time  to  time.  However,  on 
April  13th  we  arrived  at  the  village  of  a  great  chief 
named  Owin,  some  thirty  miles  away  in  a  north- 
easterly direction.  Acholiland  is  peculiarly  a  cattle- 
rearing  country  of  rolling  hills  with  rich  pasturage. 


336       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

But  at  Owin's  the  Borassus  palm  made  its  appearance, 
indicating  a  different  geological  formation.  The  herbage 
was  shorter  than  we  had  seen  elsewhere,  and  goats  in 
consequence  seemed  much  more  numerous  than  cattle. 

We  were  now  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Sir  Samuel 
Baker's  settlement  of  years  ago,  and  paid  a  visit  to  its 
ruins,  which  were  full  of  the  deepest  interest.  Although 
exposed  to  years  of  tropical  rain  and  sunshine,  yet  the 
walls  of  the  various  houses  and  offices,  which  were  once 
full  of  busy  life,  showed  few  signs  of  that  disintegration 
which  seems  to  be  the  ultimate  fate  of  all  uncovered 
buildings  in  Central  Africa.  But  what  was  even  of 
greater  interest  than  the  sight  of  these  ruins,  was  the 
impression  which  we  gathered  had  been  left  upon  the 
minds  of  these  savage  tribes  by  Sir  Samuel  and  Lady 
Baker  in  their  intercourse  with  them.  One  felt  proud 
of  one's  fellow  country  people  as  one  listened  to  the 
tale  of  their  goodness  and  kindness,  and  regretted  that 
the  modern  traveller  in  Central  Africa  seems  to  think 
more  of  heads  and  antlers  than  of  hearts  and  souls. 
It  was  with  no  little  pride  that  a  chief  near  Wadelai 
brought  out  from  its  many  wrappings  a  photograph 
of  Sir  Samuel  and  his  wife,  which  the  latter,  unforgetful 
of  years  long  passed  away,  had  recently  sent  him.  A 
more  eloquent  testimony  to  the  kindly  relationship 
existing  between  Sir  Samuel  and  Lady  Baker  and  the 
savage  tribes  of  Acholiland  than  the  production  of 
this  photograph  could  hardly  be  imagined. 

From  Owin's  we  journeyed  back  to  Bon  Aclioli's,  and 
then  went  on  our  way  to  Wadelai,  where  after  some 
delay  in  crossing  the  Aswa,  which  was  in  flood,  we  arrived 
on  April  26th.  It  had  now  been  settled  that  Kitching, 
who  for  several  years  had  been  working  in  Toro,  was  to 
be  associated  with  Lloyd  in  opening  the  new  station  at 
Patigo.    He  had  been  sent  for,  and  was  expected  in  a 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPOETUNITIES  337 


week  or  two.  In  the  meanwhile  Lloyd  arranged  to 
await  his  arrival  on  the  hills  some  ten  or  twelve  miles 
away,  where  it  was  decidedly  more  healthy  than 
Wadelai. 

On  April  30th  we  went  on  our  way  towards  Bunyoro, 
re-crossing  the  Nile  at  Fajao,  near  the  Murchison  Falls, 
with  the  grandeur  of  which  we  were  very  much  im- 
pressed. Masindi  and  Hoima  were  reached  in  due 
course,  and  on  May  10th  we  found  ourselves  once  more 
at  Mengo,  after  an  absence  of  ten  weeks,  during  which 
we  had  covered  something  like  six  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  while  Dr.  Cook  had  treated  over  four  thousand 
sick  folk.  Thus  was  the  expedition,  which  had  been 
planned  with  the  object  of  opening  up  the  Nile  Valley, 
brought  to  a  happy  and  successful  conclusion. 

An  event  was  now  at  hand  to  which  we  had  long 
looked  forward  with  the  greatest  expectation  and 
interest — the  consecration  of  the  new  Cathedral.  It 
was  a  remarkable  structure  built  of  brick,  the  founda- 
tions of  burnt,  the  superstructure  of  sun-dried  bricks. 
It  was  cruciform  in  shape,  with  chancel,  nave,  and  two 
aisles.  The  roof,  constructed  of  heavy  hewn  timbers, 
was  supported  by  a  double  row  of  round  brick  columns 
with  octagonal  bases.  The  pointed  arches  of  the 
windows  and  doors  harmonised  with  the  pointed 
arches  which  connected  the  columns  together.  Per- 
haps the  most  striking  feature  of  the  whole  building 
was  the  interior  decoration  of  the  roof,  which  was  of 
the  most  beautiful  reed  work  to  be  seen  in  the  country. 
The  yellow  reeds  were  first  washed  and  then  polislied, 
after  which  they  were  cut  to  the  required  length,  and 
then  laid  side  by  side  were  tied  with  a  dark-coloured 
fibre  in  long  parallel  lines,  and  here  and  there  with 
varied  designs.  The  whole  effect  was  very  striking, 
and  being  entirely  native,  was  the  more  interesting. 

II  Y 


338       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFKICA   [Book  VI. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  singularly 
beautiful  effect  of  the  combination  of  brick  and  reed 
work,  more  especially  when  the  sun,  streaming  in 
through  the  windows  on  to  the  red  brick  floor,  threw 
up  into  the  yellow-reeded  roof  a  flood  of  golden  sun- 
shine. To  witness  a  service  of  Holy  Baptism  at  such 
a  moment,  as  I  have  often  done,  was  to  see  a  vision 
which  could  never  fade  from  heart  or  memory.  The 
whole  building  was  suffused  with  a  light  and  an 
atmosphere  which  seemed  to  be  more  of  heaven  than 
of  earth. 

Jime  21st  was  the  day  fixed  for  the  ceremony  of 
consecration.  It  dawned  bright  and  clear,  and  ere 
the  sun's  rays  had  touched  the  golden  vane  of  the 
cathedral  spire,  crowds  of  men  and  women  were  climb- 
ing the  hill  of  Namirembe  in  order  to  secure  their  places. 
It  mattered  not  that  an  hour  or  two  must  elapse  before 
the  doors  were  opened,  and  then  another  hour  or  two 
before  the  service  commenced.  Their  places  they  felt 
would  be  secure,  and  time  was  of  no  consequence  to 
them.  By  seven  o'clock  the  hum  of  voices  had 
deepened  into  a  roar  which  could  be  heard  half  a  mile 
away.  At  nine  o'clock  all  were  in  their  places,  some 
4500  inside  the  building  and  some  6000  outside.  A 
little  later  the  king  arrived  with  the  Katikiro  and  the 
great  saza  chiefs.  Then  came  the  Commissioner  and 
Mrs.  Hayes  Sadler  and  suite.  A  procession  was  formed, 
and  to  the  strains  of  "God  Save  the  King,"  I  had  the 
privilege  of  conducting  His  Majesty's  representative  to 
his  seat  in  the  chancel,  with  the  Kabaka  on  his  left 
and  Mrs.  Hayes  Sadler  at  his  right  hand.  Returning 
to  the  vestry,  the  procession  of  clergy,  nearly  fifty  in 
number  (native  and  European),  made  its  way  through 
the  dense  throng  of  men  and  women  who  filled  the 
body  of  the  church. 


(.KANARIKS  IN  A  NATIVK  VILLAC.K.  MM.  VAI.I.KV 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  339 

It  was  a  thrilling  moment  when,  in  the  presence  of 
that  vast  throng,  one  stood  up  to  pronounce  the  solemn 
words  of  consecration,  with  these  evident  tokens  of 
God's  blessing  upon  our  work  on  every  hand — the 
beautiful  cathedral  in  which  we  were  met;  the  vast 
congregation  which  filled  it,  and  its  precincts ;  that 
body  of  clergy,  native  and  European ;  those  evangelists 
and  teachers  gathered  from  every  part  of  the  diocese. 
And  then  how  the  rolling  and  reverberating  tones  of 
the  responses  stirred  one's  soul  to  its  very  depths  ! 
And  the  Amens,  how  they  reminded  one  of  what  we 
are  told  of  the  Christians  of  the  primitive  age — that 
their  Amens  were  like  the  roll  of  distant  thunder. 

In  due  time  came  the  offertory,  which  was  to  be 
given  to  the  building  fund.  This  fund  was  in  native 
hands  entirely.  Not  a  single  halfpenny  of  Enghsh 
money  had  been  used  in  rearing  that  beautiful  fabric 
in  which  we  were  assembled  ;  and  only  one  European, 
Mr.  Borup,  who  was  in  charge  of  our  Industrial  Mission, 
had  had  anything  to  do  with  its  construction.  He  had 
superintended  the  work  from  the  very  beginning,  and 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  without  his  supervision  the  result 
we  saw  on  that  21st  of  June  had  been  impossible. 

But  the  offertory — how  full  of  interest  the  scene  was  ! 
Scores  of  men,  provided  beforehand  with  large  bags, 
went  slowly  in  and  out  among  the  white-robed  tlirong 
of  men,  and  the  mass  of  women  in  their  beautiful  terra- 
cotta-coloured bark-cloth  dress.  In  a  short  while  the 
bags  were  full  of  cowrie  shells  (value  one  thousand  to 
a  rupee,  Is.  4d.)  and  brought  to  me  as  I  stood  at  the 
Holy  Table.  They  were  quickly  refilled  and  again 
brought  to  me.  This  went  on  for  some  time,  until  it 
was  clear  that  all  in  the  church  had  given  in  their 
offering.  Then  the  sidesman  went  outside  to  gather 
the  offerings  of  the  six  thousand  sitting  patiently  in 


340       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


the  sunshine.  In  the  meantime  other  gifts  were 
being  brought  to  me  in  the  chancel — fowls  (laid  down 
at  the  foot  of  the  Communion  Table),  sugar-cane, 
bananas ;  then  two  goats  were  with  difficulty  led  for- 
ward, which,  after  I  had  received,  I  asked  might  be 
taken  outside  and  tethered  to  a  tree.  Then  it  was 
whispered  to  me  that  a  number  of  cattle,  whose  lowing 
was  plainly  audible,  were  in  the  churchyard.  "  What 
was  to  be  done  with  them  ?  "  "  Oh  !  don't  bring 
them  in,"  I  whispered  hurriedly,  with,  I  confess,  a 
certain  amount  of  trepidation ;  "let  them  remain  out- 
side." Still  the  work  of  collecting  went  on,  until  the 
Communion  Table  could  bear  no  more.  Then  a  cloth 
was  spread  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  table,  on  which 
a  huge  pile  of  shells  was  quickly  reared.  Gradually  it 
became  apparent  that  all  had  given  in  their  gifts,  and 
half-filled  bags  told  that  the  collector's  work  was  over. 
The  total  amount  of  the  collection  was  1613  rupees 
(including  90,000  cowrie  shells),  36  cows  and  bullocks, 
23  goats,  31  fowls,  and  154  eggs,  besides  bananas, 
sugar-cane,  and  Indian  corn — a  total  value  of  over  £150. 
With  praise,  prayer,  and  the  benediction  this  memorable 
service  was  brought  to  a  conclusion. 

'  So  then  with  hymns  of  praise 

These  hallowed  courts  shall  ring  ! 
Our  voices  we  will  raise 
The  Three  in  One  to  sing, 
And  thus  proclaim 
In  joyful  song, 
Both  loud  and  long. 
That  Glorious  Name.' 

Latin  Hymn  {sixth  century). 

Among  our  honoured  guests  at  this  most  interesting 
time  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Victor  Buxton.  The  former  was 
the  first  member  of  the  Committee  of  the  Church 


Chap.  45]  POSSIBILITIES— OPPORTUNITIES  341 


Missionary  Society — that  Society  to  which  Uganda 
owes  so  much — to  visit  the  country.  He  had  been 
with  us  for  some  little  time,  taking  part  in  a  conference 
of  missionaries  which,  on  June  15  and  two  following 
days,  had  discussed,  but  I  am  sorry  to  add  with  very 
little  practical  result,  the  old,  threadbare  question  of  a 
constitution  for  the  Church.  On  June  25th  I  started 
with  him  and  Mrs.  Buxton  on  their  way  to  Jinja, 
where  on  July  2nd  they  embarked  on  the  Sybil,  one  of 
the  Lake  steamers,  en  route  for  England.  I  then  went 
on  with  WilUs  through  Busoga  to  Masaba,  and  from 
thence  with  Purvis  we  travelled  through  Kavirondo, 
visiting  Mumia's  on  the  way.  The  object  of  our  journey 
was  to  find  a  suitable  site  for  a  Mission  station.  We 
had  been  feeling  for  some  time  past  that  the  time  had 
come  for  reopening  that  work  in  Kavirondo  which, 
through  scarcity  of  food  and  other  causes,  had  been 
reluctantly  closed  some  twelve  years  before.  From 
Mumia's  we  went  on  to  Maragole,  and  there  we  decided 
to  settle.  Willis,  who  had  worked  first  in  Nkole  and 
later  at  Entebbe,  volunteered  to  open  the  work.  The 
site  was  a  very  beautiful  one,  in  a  healthy  situation, 
in  the  midst  of  a  numerous  population,  and  in  close 
contact  both  with  the  Bantu  and  the  Nilotic  speaking 
Kavirondo  peoples. 


CHAPTEK  XLVI 


FINAL  SCENES 

'  Who  keeps  one  end  in  view  makes  all  things  serve.' 

Browning. 

The  extension  into  the  Nile  Valley  and  the  country  of 
Kavirondo,  as  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
brings  to  a  close,  so  far  as  this  retrospect  is  concerned, 
the  story  of  the  development  of  the  work  of  the  Church 
of  Uganda  in  the  regions  beyond.  It  only  remains 
for  me,  therefore,  to  indicate  the  chief  features  of  in- 
terior progress  which  characterised  the  remainder  of 
the  period  covered  by  this  narrative,  mentioning,  it 
may  be,  in  passing,  various  incidents  of  interest  as  they 
occurred,  and  then  as  shortly  as  possible  to  summarise 
what  has  been  presented  to  the  reader  in  perhaps  too 
detailed  a  fashion. 

Various  public  functions  marked  the  close  of  the 
year  1904  and  the  beginning  of  1905.  The  relations 
between  the  Mission  and  the  Uganda  Administration 
were  of  the  most  cordial  character.  From  His  Majesty's 
representative,  the  Commissioner,  down  to  the  most 
recently  appointed  assistant  collector,  nothing  but  the 
utmost  courtesy,  kindness,  and  sympathy  had  for  a 
long  while  past  been  experienced  by  the  Mission.  It 
was  therefore  not  merely  a  duty  but  a  pleasure  to 
invite  Government  participation  in  such  functions  as 
the  consecration  of  the  new  Cathedral,  as  mentioned 
in  the  preceding  chapters,  the  opening  of  the  new 
Hospital  on  November  28,  1904,  and  the  inaugura- 

342 


Chap.  46]  FINAL  SCENES 


343 


tion  of  the  Mengo  High  School  on  January  25,  1905. 
At  each  of  these  two  latter  functions  the  Government 
was  represented  by  the  acting  Commissioner,  Mr. 
George  Wilson.  Of  course  the  young  king  (Daudi 
Cwa),  with  the  Katikiro  (now  Sir  Apolo  Kagwa, 
K.C.M.G.),  was  present;  and,  wonderful  to  relate,  old 
Mbogo,  the  brother  of  Mutesa  and  head  of  the  Moham- 
medan Baganda,  as  well  as  Mugwanya,  the  head  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  party  in  Uganda,  were  also  present 
with  a  number  of  their  followers.  It  was  a  very  great 
pleasure  to  welcome  these  two  men  to  our  midst. 
That  they  should  come  and  thus  show  their  sympathy 
with  us  in  our  work — Mbogo  at  the  High  School  actually 
made  a  speech  commending  the  work  to  his  fellow 
countrymen — was  indeed  a  remarkable  testimony  to 
the  charity  which  filled  their  hearts,  and  also  to  the 
wonderful  change  which  had  come  over  the  political 
and  religious  life  of  the  country  since  the  days  dwelt 
upon  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  retrospect,  when  each 
party  stood  armed  to  the  teeth,  ready  at  a  moment's 
notice  to  fly  at  each  other's  throats.  One  could  not 
but  thank  God  for  the  clearing  up  of  past  misunder- 
standings, and  pray  earnestly  that  nothing  in  the  time 
to  come  should  be  allowed  to  disturb  a  relationship  so 
much  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  true  Christianity. 

On  Monday,  May  22,  1905,  a  remarkable  incident 
happened  which  must  not  go  unrecorded.  It  was 
nothing  less  than  the  finding  of  the  bones  of  the  young 
lads  who  had  died  for  their  faith  some  twenty  years 
before.  The  discovery  was  in  this  wise.  The  Bishop 
of  Zanzibar,  Dr.  Hine,  was  paying  me  a  visit,  and  had 
seen  a  good  deal  of  our  work,  and  had  preached  on  the 
Sunday  to  a  large  congregation  on  the  duties  of  citizen- 
ship (it  was  Empire  Day).  In  the  course  of  his  sermon 
he  remarked  on  the  wonderful  change  which  had  come 


344       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

over  the  country  since  the  days  when  Mwanga,  with 
fire  and  sword,  had  attempted  to  stamp  out  Christianity. 
This  suggested  to  my  mind  the  possibiUty  of  our  visit- 
ing Busega,  as  the  place  of  martyrdom  was  called. 
The  Katikiro  undertook  to  provide  a  guide  who  had 
been  an  eye-witness  of  the  scenes  with  which  the 
early  days  of  Christianity  in  Uganda  will  for  ever  be 
associated. 

It  was  early  in  the  morning  when  we  started,  and 
having  met  our  guide  at  the  foot  of  Namirembe  Hill, 
we  pursued  our  way  to  Natete,  the  site  of  our  old 
Mission  station.  We  crossed  the  swamp  at  the  foot 
of  the  hill  (happily  it  was  bridged),  and  then  up  the 
opposite  hillside  we  went,  until  we  caught  sight  of  the 
bright  green  surface  of  the  great  swamp  Mayanja. 
Making  our  way  through  banana  groves,  and  winding 
in  and  out  among  gardens  of  sweet  potatoes  and  Indian 
corn,  we  found  ourselves  ere  long  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  dismal  swamp.  Our  guide  halted,  and  pointing 
to  the  long  grass  where  two  or  three  stunted  wild  date 
palms  were  showing  their  feathery  tops,  exclaimed, 
"  There  they  died — there  they  were  put  to  death." 

We  looked  upon  the  sacred  spot  with  deep  interest, 
but  there  was  nothing  to  tell  of  the  tragedy  enacted  so 
long  ago.  The  same  sunshine  gilded  with  its  rays  the 
tops  of  the  papyrus  and  rushes  growing  in  such  pro- 
fusion on  every  hand ;  the  same  breezes  as  long  ago 
swept  the  surface  of  the  long  grass,  and  made  that 
gentle  rustle  in  the  banana  leaves  which  must  sound 
so  sweet  to  the  ear  of  every  Muganda,  for  it  has  grown 
sweet  to  us  who  are  but  strangers  in  the  land ;  the 
same  birds  wheeled  hither  and  thither  in  the  sunny 
atmosphere,  save  that  then,  doubtless,  the  vulture  and 
the  kite  hovered  not  far  away,  waiting  for  that  feast 
which  in  those  days  was  seldom  long  denied  them. 


Chap.  46] 


FINAL  SCENES 


345 


We  had  been  told  that  not  long  ago  some  fragments 
yet  remained  of  the  wooden  frame  in  which  the  martyrs 
were  burned  to  death,  and  our  guide,  we  could  see,  was 
searching  for  them  in  the  jungle.  Suddenly  he  uttered 
an  exclamation,  and  hearing  the  word  "  egumba,"  i.e. 
a  bone,  we  hurried  to  the  spot.  He  held  in  his  hand  a 
bone  which  was  plainly  human,  and  half  hidden  in  the 
grass  were  others — a  skull,  a  thigh-bone,  then  another 
skull,  and  so  on.  The  Bishop  of  Zanzibar,  who  is  a 
doctor  of  medicine  as  well  as  of  divinity,  was  easily 
able  to  identify  them  as  human  remains,  and  appa- 
rently those  of  the  youths  sixteen  or  eighteen  years 
of  age.  They  were  the  bones,  our  Mohammedan  guide 
confidently  assured  us,  of  Lugalama,  Kakumba,  and 
Seruwanga. 

The  reality  of  those  awful  scenes  of  bloodshed  twenty 
years  before  burst  upon  us  with  an  intensity  of  realism 
hard  to  describe  as  we  stood  there  by  the  margin  of 
that  swamp  with  the  remains  of  that  mart}'T  band 
before  us.  We  thought  of  the  tyrant  Mwanga,  the 
dissolute  chief,  the  Arab  power,  the  heathen  darkness 
brooding  over  the  land,  the  faint  glimmer  of  light  just 
visible  on  the  horizon ;  the  soUtary  missionaries,  the 
daily  teaching,  the  sowing  of  the  seed,  the  ear  and 
then  the  blade  just  peeping  up  above  the  surface  of  the 
rocky  soil ;  the  young  lads  just  coming  out  into  the 
light,  new-born  babes  in  Christ,  but  who  nevertheless, 
by  that  supernatural  power  which  will  never  fail  the 
true  witness,  were  enabled  to  be  "  faithful  unto  death," 
and  so  to  win  the  crown  of  life. 

'  They  climbed  the  steep  ascent  of  heaven 

Through  peril,  toil,  and  pain  ; 
O  God,  to  us  may  grace  be  given 
To  follow  in  their  train.' 

And  then  one  could  not  but  contrast  the  present 


346       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


with  the  past,  the  scene  of  yesterday — the  noble 
cathedral  on  Namirembe  Hill,  the  Christian  king  and 
chiefs,  the  vast  congregation,  the  solemn  prayers,  the 
songs  of  praise — with  that  scene  of  twenty  years  before 
when  these  young  lads,  with  nothing  but  the  vision  of 
faith  to  sustain  them,  "  endured  as  seeing  Him  who  is 
invisible." 

And  so  with  hearts  filled  with  gratitude,  and  praise 
to  God  for  the  sustaining  grace  vouchsafed  to  that 
martyr  band,  we  made  our  preparations  for  laying 
those  whitened  bones  in  their  last  resting-place.  A 
trench  was  dug  with  a  hoe  which  we  borrowed  from  a 
neighbouring  hut.  This  was  lined  with  sweetly  scented 
grass.  Reverently  we  gathered  the  precious  remains 
together,  and  solemnly  laid  them  to  rest,  while  with 
bared  heads  and  uplifted  hearts  we  stood,  thanking 
and  praising  God  for  all  His  servants  departed  this  life 
in  His  faith  and  fear,  but  specially  for  those  young 
Christian  lads  who  in  His  love  and  by  His  grace  had 
been  enabled  to  be  faithful,  in  the  midst  of  darkness 
and  distress,  even  unto  death. 

"  In  sure  and  certain  hope  of  the  resurrection  to 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  were  the 
words  which  closed  one  of  the  most  solemn  and  touch- 
ing scenes  in  which  it  has  ever  been  my  lot  to  take  part. 

For  some  time  past  we  had  been  realising  that  a 
large  number  of  our  Christian  people  in  and  around 
the  capital  were  living  beneath  their  privileges;  many 
of  them,  who  had  been  baptized  years  ago,  had  not 
offered  themselves  for  confirmation,  and  not  a  few 
communicants  were  very  lax  in  their  attendance  at 
the  Lord's  Table.  Besides  which  there  were  many 
unbaptized  men  and  women  who  had  for  years  been 
most  regular  in  their  attendance  at  church,  had  been 
hearers  of  the  Word,  and  yet  had  not  made  up  their 


Chap.  46] 


FINAL  SCENES 


347 


minds  to  be  Christians.  We  therefore  decided  to  hold 
a  series  of  special  mission  services  in  the  cathedral 
with  the  object,  if  possible,  of  bringing  these  latter 
to  a  decision,  and  of  enabling  the  lukewarm  Christians 
to  realise  how  far  below  their  privileges  they  were 
living. 

Special  preparation  was  made  by  weeks  of  prayer, 
and  when  on  Sunday,  March  4,  1906,  the  vast  crowds 
came  together  to  listen  to  the  message  of  the  Gospel, 
it  was  with  a  spirit  of  expectation  and  of  hope.  For 
eight  days  these  services  continued  with  ever-increasing 
interest  on  the  part  of  those  who  attended  them.  On 
the  first  day  some  3500  men  and  women  came  together 
at  the  morning  service,  and  some  1200  at  the  afternoon. 
On  the  last  day  the  figures  for  the  same  services  were 
5800  and  2000  respectively.  During  the  eight  days  of 
the  mission  there  was  an  aggregate  attendance  of  over 
60,000  souls. 

But  what  of  the  spiritual  results  ?  They  were 
very  much  what  we  had  been  hoping  and  praying 
for.  Drunkards  signed  the  pledge  in  large  numbers. 
Heathen  enrolled  themselves  to  such  an  extent  as 
candidates  for  baptism  that  for  a  while  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  arrange  for  their  instruction,  whilst  the  can- 
didates for  Confirmation  were  so  numerous  that  we 
were  obliged  to  invade  the  cathedral  and  hold  our 
classes  there,  no  fewer  than  thirteen  such  classes  find- 
ing accommodation  within  its  precincts.  Some  people 
may  perhaps  be  shocked  at  such  use  being  made  of  a 
consecrated  building,  but  in  my  opinion  no  worthier 
purpose  could  be  served  by  our  beautiful  new  cathedral 
than  to  afford  shelter  from  sunshine  and  storm  for 
those  who  were  being  taught,  some  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, and  others  the  way  to  a  higher,  a  purer,  and  a 
hoUer  fife. 


348       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

This  large  ingathering  of  souls  through  the  special 
mission  services  at  the  capital  was  an  indication  of  a 
similar  ingathering  which  was  going  on  more  or  less 
through  the  whole  country.  We  were  now  at  high- 
water  mark  in  our  work.  For  the  five  years  ending 
September  30,  1907,  no  fewer  than  36,000  souls  were 
baptized  into  the  Church  in  Uganda.  In  other  words, 
for  the  last  five  years  in  succession  an  average  of 
more  than  7000  souls  each  year  had  been  baptized 
into  that  "  name  which  is  above  every  name,  and  to 
which  every  knee  shall  bow."  The  number  of  Con- 
firmation candidates,  too,  had  also  largely  increased. 
Of  this  I  had  remarkable  proof  in  the  course  of  a 
journey  through  the  Lunyoro-speaking  countries  of 
Nkole,  Toro,  and  Bunyoro,  in  the  autumn  of  1907. 

Previous  to  starting  on  this  journey,  a  meeting  of 
Church  representatives  was  held  in  the  latter  days  of 
June,  and  a  step  forward  taken  in  the  organisation 
of  the  diocese.  It  was  agreed  that  a  Synod  should 
assemble  yearly,  and  that  the  laws  regulating  its 
powers  and  providing  for  its  coming  together  should 
be  embodied  in  the  constitution  known  as  the  Amateka 
ge  Kanisa  {i.e.  the  laws  of  the  Church),  agreed  to  in 
the  year  1899,  and  in  accordance  with  the  provisions 
of  which  the  work  of  the  Church  had  ever  since  been 
carried  on.  It  was  a  matter  of  regret  to  me  that  the 
missionary  body  was  still  reluctant  to  come  under  the 
terms  of  the  constitution  ;  but  at  the  time  of  writing 
I  am  happy  in  the  knowledge  that  this  reluctance  has 
passed  away,  and  that  there  is  good  hope  that  at  the 
first  opportunity  provision  will  be  made  in  the  con- 
stitution for  a  legal  participation  of  all  European  workers 
in  the  councils  of  the  Church. 

The  conference  over,  on  July  2nd  I  started  on  my 
long  journey  through  the  Lunyoro-speaking  countries 


Chap.  46]  FINAL  SCENES 


349 


of  Nkole,  Toro,  and  Bunyoro,  referred  to  above.  It 
was  a  cheering  and  heart-stirring  experience  from  first 
to  last.  Within  a  few  hours  of  leaving  the  capital 
I  was  met  on  the  road  by  crowds  of  young  native 
Christians,  some  with  drums  and  flutes,  some  with 
flags  and  banners,  some,  especially  the  school  children, 
with  bunches  of  flowers  tied  to  the  ends  of  long  reeds 
which  they  carried  in  procession.  Sometimes  one 
was  greeted  with  the  singing  of  hymns ;  at  other 
times  by  the  beating  of  drums  and  the  clapping  of 
hands  ;  but  more  frequently  by  the  "  Kuba  ndulu," 
which  consists  of  shrill  cries  rendered  intermittent  by 
the  hand  beating  the  lips.  For  several  weeks  this 
kind  of  reception  was  almost  a  daily  experience. 

My  first  Confirmation  service  was  at  Buwere,  some 
fifty  miles  away.  Then  on  I  went  through  Budu, 
confirming  on  the  way,  and  receiving  that  daily  wel- 
come which  was  so  marked  a  feature  of  this  my  latest 
journey. 

It  is  said  not  infrequently  that  on  account  of  the 
exceptional  circumstances  in  which  a  bishop  in  a 
diocese  like  Uganda  sees  the  work  he  is  hardly  able 
to  acquire  a  fair  impression  of  its  actual  condition. 
It  is  no  doubt  true  that  a  bishop  in  the  visitation  of 
his  diocese  will  generally  see  the  work  at  its  best. 
Crowds  will  come  to  greet  him ;  congregations  will  be 
large  ;  schools  will  be  in  inspection  order  ;  gatherings  of 
evangelists  and  teachers,  communicants  and  candidates 
for  Confirmation  and  Baptism,  will  convey  an  impression 
of  the  work  different  from  its  everyday  aspect.  But 
the  impression  is  none  the  less  a  true  one.  The  bishop 
does  not  run  away  with  the  idea  that  there  are 
always  these  crowded  churches  and  schools,  these  de- 
monstrations of  joy,  these  gatherings  of  teachers  and 
communicants.    He  knows  full  well  that  these  circum- 


350       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

stances  are  exceptional,  and  after  years  of  experience 
he  knows  how  to  gauge  their  full  value.  Of  course,  if 
he  were  entirely  dependent  on  visitations  for  his  know- 
ledge of  the  condition  of  the  work  he  might  be  misled 
by  what  he  saw  on  such  occasions.  But  he  has  a 
thousand  and  one  other  sources  of  information — corre- 
spondence, personal  contact  with  clergy  and  workers 
of  all  ranks,  and  so  on.  And  so  it  comes  about  that  no 
one  is  really  so  qualified  as  the  bishop  (supposing  him 
to  be  a  man  of  ordinary  common-sense)  to  express  an 
opinion  on  the  actual  condition  of  the  work  of  his 
diocese. 

From  Budu  I  journeyed  to  Koki,  and  thence  on  to 
Nkole.  The  king  unfortunately  was  in  Uganda,  but 
Mbaguta,  the  Prime  Minister,  and  all  the  Christian 
chiefs  were  most  warm  in  their  greetings.  The  atmos- 
phere of  the  whole  place  was  vastly  different  to  that 
in  which  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook  and  I  were  nearly  (meta- 
phorically speaking)  stifled  on  the  occasion  of  our  visit 
in  1899.  Then  the  atmosphere  was  purely  heathen ; 
gross  darkness  covered  the  land — a  darkness  that  might 
be  felt.  Now,  however,  all  was  changed.  Instead  of 
being  greeted  by  medicine  men  with  their  incantations, 
one  was  welcomed  with  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiri- 
tual songs.  Men  and  women  were  evidently  making 
melody  in  their  hearts  to  the  Lord.  Teaching  was 
going  on  all  around.  The  school  was  prospering ; 
and  (greatest  change  of  all)  the  women  had  been 
given  a  large  measure  of  freedom,  and  had  now  come 
out  of  their  seclusion.  Many  indeed,  half  hidden  in 
veils  and  under  umbrellas,  managed  to  walk  a  mile 
or  two  on  the  road  to  meet  me.  It  was  a  weird  sight 
to  see  them,  their  faces  half  hidden  in  veils,  one  eye 
only  being  visible,  and  each  with  a  huge  black  umbrella 
sheltering  her  from  the  gaze  of  the  common  people. 


Chap.  46]  FINAL  SCENES  351 

It  was,  however,  a  welcome  proof  that  the  old  order 
was  changing  and  giving  place  to  the  new. 

An  eight  days  journey  brought  me  once  again  to 
Toro,  where  I  was  a  witness  of  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able demonstrations  of  feeling  of  which  the  history  of 
the  Church  in  Uganda  has  any  record.  Some  three 
thousand  men  and  women  and  children  came  out  on 
the  road  to  welcome  us.  There  was  the  king  in  his 
State  dress,  with  his  guard  of  honour,  the  Prime 
Minister  on  horseback,  and  crowds  of  minor  chiefs, 
all  in  their  hohday  attire,  and  all  apparently  bubbling 
over  with  joyous  excitement.  The  air  was  rent  with 
cries  of  welcome.  The  running  to  and  fro  was  in- 
cessant. The  hand-shaking,  the  crowding  and  the 
crushing,  were  almost  overwhelming.  This  wonderful 
reception  was  not,  however,  a  personal  greeting. 
There  were,  no  doubt,  many  present  who  were  glad 
to  see  me  and  welcome  me  as  an  old  friend.  But, 
wonderful  to  relate,  it  was  rather  a  demonstration  of 
joy  at  the  news  which  had  recently  reached  them, 
that  the  whole  Bible  was  to  be  translated  into  their 
beloved  mother-tongue.  So  far  they  had  only  got  the 
New  Testament  in  the  vernacular.  They  had,  how- 
ever, the  whole  Bible  in  Luganda,  a  language  which 
many  Batoro  understood  fairly  well.  But  to  use  a 
foreign  tongue  for  spiritual  instruction  is  to  employ 
an  ineffectual  instrument.  And  this  the  people  of 
Toro  had  been  feeling  strongly  for  some  time  past,  and 
they  pleaded  earnestly  that  Maddox,  who  had  made  a 
very  close  and  earnest  study  of  Lunyoro,  which  is  the 
vernacular  of  Toro,  might  be  allowed  to  translate  the 
Old  Testament  as  he  had  already  translated  and  given 
to  the  people  the  New  Testament,  in  their  own  tongue. 

In  November  1906  the  king  had  called  a  meeting  of 
chiefs  and  leading  Christians,  at  which  a  petition  was 


352       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


drawn  up  and  presented  to  me,  setting  forth  in  touch- 
ing terms  their  earnest  desire  for  the  whole  Bible  in 
their  own  beloved  mother-tongue.  Its  opening  sen- 
tences ran  thus : — 

*'  We,  the  Christians  of  the  Banyoro  community, 
have  written  to  you  this  letter  praying  for  the  Holy 
Book,  the  Bible,  in  our  own  Lunyoro  language.  The 
reason  of  our  praying  for  that  book  is  that  you  have 
already  been  good  to  us,  for  you  have  given  to  us 
the  New  Testament,  a  hymn-book,  a  reading-book,  and 
the  Prayer-book.  These  books  have  helped  us  very 
much,  because  the  people  reading  these  books,  even  in 
their  own  homes,  thoroughly  understand  the  meaning 
of  them.  But  even  we  who  first  began  to  read  in 
Luganda,  when  we  obtained  these  four  books  in  our 
own  Lunyoro  language,  were  much  more  pleased  than 
with  the  Luganda  books.  Again,  even  to  us  who  know 
Luganda,  there  are  many  words  we  cannot  understand, 
especially  when  we  read  them  in  our  own  homes,  and 
there  are  very  many  in  this  country  w;ho  do  not  know 
Luganda." 

The  receipt  of  this  petition  opened  up  a  very  wide 
question.  It  had  been  the  hope  of  many  workers  in 
the  Mission  that  Luganda  might  in  course  of  time 
displace  Lunyoro  and  minor  languages.  At  one  time 
some  of  us  seemed  to  see  signs  that  this  was  actually 
coming  to  pass.  The  advantage  of  having  one  great 
language  with  one  literature  was  manifest,  and  was 
not  a  policy  to  be  lightly  laid  aside.  However,  natural 
forces  were  at  work  and  soon  made  themselves  ap- 
parent. A  strong  national  feeling  had  for  some  time 
past  been  seething  beneath  the  surface  both  in  Toro 
and  Bunyoro.  This  had  strengthened  the  demand  for 
Lunyoro  as  opposed  to  Luganda.  It  was  a  feeling 
very  natural,  and  in  some  of  its  aspects  even  laudable. 


Chap.  46]  FINAL  SCENES 


353 


Moreover  it  was  one  which  I  felt  it  quite  impossible  to 
oppose  without  serious  risk  to  the  prospects  of  our 
work.  I  therefore  strongly  urged  upon  the  governing 
body  of  the  Mission  in  Uganda  that  the  prayer  of  the 
petition  should  be  granted,  and  that  Maddox  should 
be  asked  to  undertake  the  great  work  of  translating 
the  Old  Testament  into  Lunyoro.  The  discussion  was 
long  and  exhaustive.  At  length  to  my  great  joy  my 
proposal  was  carried,  and  a  few  days  later  I  had  the 
still  greater  joy  of  communicating  the  result  to  the 
Church  in  Toro.  The  demonstration  of  king,  chiefs, 
and  people  which  I  have  described  above  was  the 
expression  of  their  delight  and  gratitude. 

In  every  department  of  the  work  marked  progress 
was  apparent.  Under  the  auspices  of  Dr.  Bond  the 
hospital  and  dispensary  were  reaching  and  reheving 
large  numbers  of  the  suffering  sick.  The  schools  were 
crowded.  Classes  for  Baptism  and  Confirmation  were 
in  full  swing,  the  instruction  of  women  by  Miss  Pike 
and  Miss  Baugh  Allen  in  lace-making  and  weaving  was 
being  attempted,  and  industrial  work  under  Maddox's 
supervision  had  attained  such  success,  that  I  found  a 
beautiful  new  brick  church,  more  like  a  small  cathedral 
than  an  ordinary  church,  awaiting  consecration. 

This  ceremony  took  place  on  August  1st,  and  was 
the  occasion  of  immense  crowds  coming  together.  The 
Sub-Commissioner  was  present  in  full  uniform,  and  of 
course  the  king  and  his  chiefs  in  official  dress.  The 
service  was  a  very  joyful,  and  yet  to  many  of  us  a 
very  solemn  one.  The  manifold  blessing  of  God  upon 
the  work,  while  it  filled  our  hearts  with  thanksgiving 
and  praise,  also  humbled  us  as  we  thought  of  our  short- 
comings and  failures,  and  how  undeserving  we  were 
of  the  use  which  He  had  made  of  us.  The  offertory 
was  a  wonderful  token  of  liberality  on  the  part  of  the 

II  z 


354       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


congregation.  It  amounted  to  nearly  £40,  made  up  of 
cowrie  shells,  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  fowls,  and  produce 
of  various  kinds,  as  well  as  rupees  and  pice. 

The  supreme  moment  came  at  the  service  on  Sunday, 
August  4th,  when  two  natives  of  Toro,  Andereya  Sere 
and  Yosiya  Kamuhigi,  were  solemnly  set  apart  as 
Deacons  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  At  the  same 
time  no  fewer  than  619  Communicants  gathered  around 
the  Table  of  the  Lord.  To  crown  all,  before  I  left 
Toro  I  was  able  to  confirm  some  401  candidates. 

After  leaving  Kabarole  I  visited  both  Butiti  and 
Bugoma,  where  Confirmations  were  held,  and  then 
took  the  direct  road  to  Hoima,  where  I  arrived  on 
August  16th.  The  work  in  Bunyoro  had  suffered 
considerably  from  political  disturbance  earher  in  the 
year,  a  disturbance  which  had  been  quelled  by  the 
energetic  action  of  the  Acting  Commissioner,  Mr. 
G.  Wilson  ;  but  I  found  the  classes  in  full  swing,  a 
large  new  church  being  built,  and  a  school-room  in 
course  of  construction.  After  holding  a  Confirmation 
service  and  attending  a  meeting  of  the  Bunyoro  Church 
Council,  at  which  various  matters  affecting  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Church  fimds  came  under  dis- 
cussion, I  took  the  road  to  Mengo,  wdiere  I  arrived 
on  August  31st. 

Exactly  two  months  had  elapsed  since  I  left  the 
capital,  in  the  course  of  which  I  had  travelled  some 
five  hundred  miles,  and  had  been  kept  from  first  to  last 
in  perfect  health.  Koki,  Nkole,  Toro,  and  Bunyoro 
had  in  turn  been  visited.  One  had  been  permitted  to 
consecrate  a  beautiful  new  church  to  confirm  no  fewer 
than  1166  men  and  women,  and  above  all  in  the  ordina- 
tion of  two  Deacons,  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  native 
ministry  in  Toro.    Laua  Deo. 


CHAPTER  XLVII 


SUMMARY  (1890-1908) 

'  We  turn  and  look  upon  the  valley  of  the  past  years.  There 
below  are  the  spots  stained  by  our  evil  and  our  fear.  But  as  we 
look  a  glow  of  sunlight  breaks  upon  the  past,  and  in  the  sunshine 
is  a  soft  rain  falling  from  heaven.  It  washes  away  the  stain, 
and  from  the  purity  of  the  upper  sky  a  voice  seems  to  descend 
and  enter  our  sobered  hearts — "  My  child,  go  forward,  abiding 
in  faith,  hope,  and  love,  for  lo  !  I  am  with  you  always  !  "  ' 

Stopford  Brooke. 

My  story  of  busy  life  in  Uganda  and  Equatorial  Africa 
has  in  its  details  now  drawn  to  a  close.  It  only  re- 
mains for  me  to  sum  up,  as  briefly  as  possible,  what  has 
gone  before,  and  to  indicate  as  shortly  as  I  can  the 
main  features  of  those  wonderful  changes  which,  in  the 
comparatively  short  period  of  my  Episcopate,  have 
come  over  those  countries  in  which  for  eighteen  years 
of  happy  blessed  service  my  lot  has  been  cast. 

Eighteen  years  ago  the  pohtical  future  of  East 
Africa  and  Uganda  was  still  hanging  in  the  balance. 
The  British  East  Africa  Company  was  staggering 
under  a  burden  greater  than  it  could  bear,  Germany 
had  recently  enunciated  the  doctrine  of  the  "  Hinter- 
land "  and  was  casting  envious  eyes  upon  Uganda, 
whilst  the  fate  of  Zanzibar  was  still  uncertain. 

France,  too,  was  not  without  longings  for  a  Central 
African  Empire.  Two  missionaries  and  a  solitary 
representative  of  the  British  East  Africa  Company 
were  the  sole  Englishmen  in  Uganda.  Now,  however, 
Zanzibar  and  East  Africa  are  both  British  Protec- 
torates, the  latter  ruled  by  a  Governor  and  a  Legis- 


356       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


lative  Council,  assisted  by  a  large  and  capable  staff 
of  officers.  The  kingdom  of  Uganda  has  her  own 
native  ruler  (Kabaka),  who  has,  with  the  chiefs,  treaty 
relations  with  Great  Britain,  by  which  her  inde- 
pendence under  British  protection  is  secured.  A  re- 
sident Governor,  assisted  by  Sub-Commissioners  and 
Collectors,  not  only  supervises  the  administration  of 
Uganda,  but  also  that  of  the  protected  countries  of 
Toro,  Bunyoro,  Nkole,  Busoga,  and  other  territories 
included  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Protectorate. 

Eighteen  years  ago  slavery  with  all  its  attendant 
horrors  still  flourished,  not  only  in  Zanzibar,  Pemba, 
and  Mombasa  (and  that  in  spite  of  treaties  and  de- 
crees), but  also  in  the  far  interior,  where  no  such  legal 
enactments  were  possible.  Now,  however,  not  only  has 
the  status  of  slavery  been  abolished  in  the  Protectorates 
of  Zanzibar  and  East  Africa,  where  the  Sultan  still  holds 
a  nominal  sovereignty,  but  also  in  Uganda,  by  the  will 
and  free  choice  of  enlightened  Christian  chiefs. 

In  1890  that  most  savage  and  bloodthirsty  of  tribes, 
the  Masai,  dominated  the  greater  part  of  East  Africa 
from  Kavirondo  to  the  coast.  Now,  however,  Masai 
youths  who  in  the  old  days  would  as  El.  Moran  be 
on  the  war-path  seeking  for  an  opportunity  of  "  blood- 
ing "  their  spears,  are  to  be  found  as  table  and  house 
boys  in  the  homes  of  English  settlers  (and  very  good 
house  boys  they  make).  Others  are  being  employed 
as  policemen  and  soldiers  (askaris),  and  at  least  one 
is  under  training  with  a  view  to  ordination  as  a 
Christian  minister. 

The  journey  from  the  coast  to  Uganda,  which  in  1890 
took  me  nearly  six  months,  can  now  be  done  in  as  many 
days.  Instead  of  the  long  sinuous  line  of  porters  wind- 
ing in  and  out  of  the  jungle,  crawling  along  at  the  rate 
of  between  two  and  three  miles  an  hour,  we  have  the 


Chap.  47]  SUMMARY  357 

luxuriously  fitted  railway  train  doing  its  thirty 
miles  an  hour.  Instead  of  the  canoe  creeping  along 
the  Lake  shore  or  from  island  to  island  in  its  passage 
across  the  great  Lake,  occupying  some  two  or  three 
weeks  of  precious  time,  we  have  now  such  steamers 
as  the  Clement  Hill,  the  Sybil,  and  the  Winifred,  with 
their  saloons  and  cabins  fitted  with  electric  light  and 
electric  fans,  and  doing  the  passage  in  as  many  days 
as  it  formerly  occupied  weeks. 

Formerly  Central  Africa  was  asleep.  The  railway 
has  awakened  her.  The  electric  telegraph  has  brought 
the  life  of  the  far  west  and  the  far  east  in  contact  with 
her  own.  What  is  happening  in  the  bazaars  of  Lahore 
or  Calcutta  is  known  the  next  day  in  the  bazaars  at 
Kampala.  Renter  keeps  the  official  life  at  Entebbe 
in  closest  contact  with  that  at  Downing  Street  or 
St.  Stephen's.  The  varying  fortunes  of  a  poUtical  con- 
test like  that  of  Mr.  Winston  Churchill  is  followed  as 
closely  in  Mengo  as  in  Manchester. 

In  the  old  days  we  sometimes  waited  eight  or  nine 
months  for  a  mail,  and  were  hungry  indeed  for  news 
from  the  home-land.  Now  a  weekly  mail  is  the  estab- 
lished order  of  things,  and  should  it  be  delayed  on 
account  of  a  "  wash  out  "  on  the  line,  the  complaints 
are  both  loud  and  deep.  Eighteen  years  ago  roads  in 
Uganda  were  non-existent,  except  in  and  around  the 
capital.  Footpaths  there  were  in  plenty,  but  for  the 
traffic  of  to-day  they  would  be  absolutely  useless. 
Now,  however,  broad  roads  intersect  the  country  in 
every  direction.  A  motor  car  belonging  to  the 
Governor  now  runs  between  Kampala  and  Entebbe, 
and  before  long  it  is  evident  that  motor  traffic  will  be 
one  of  the  principal  means  of  locomotion  between 
Uganda  and  such  outlying  countries  as  Bunyoro  and 
Toro. 


358       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Then,  again,  the  outward  aspect  of  the  everyday 
life  of  the  Baganda  differs  vastly  from  that  of  eighteen 
years  ago.  Then  there  was  nothing  but  the  beehive- 
shaped  hut  to  be  seen.  Even  the  king's  house  was  of 
the  traditional  type.  Now,  however,  the  chief  who  has 
not  a  brick  house  with  a  corrugated  iron  roof  is  re- 
garded as  altogether  behind  the  times.  American  and 
Japanese  "  rickshas  "  are  now  the  order  of  the  day 
for  any  self-respecting  great  chief.  Some  ride  bicycles, 
others  mules  and  horses.  Most  of  the  great  chiefs  have 
their  type-writers,  and  secretaries  who  conduct  their 
correspondence  for  them.  The  dress,  too,  both  of 
chiefs  and  people,  is  indicative  of  that  higher  standard 
of  hving  to  which  the  Baganda  have  now  attained. 

The  forces  which  have  operated  in  producing  these 
remarkable  features  in  the  present  day  life  in  Uganda 
have  been  many  and  various.  I  have  alluded  to  them 
more  than  once  in  the  course  of  my  story.  I  need 
therefore  now  only  touch  upon  them  very  briefly,  ere 
I  pass  on  to  sum  up  the  progress  of  that  missionary 
work  which  I  hold  to  have  been  the  greatest  of  all 
the  influences  which  have  combined  to  make  Uganda 
what  she  is  to-day. 

First  of  all,  the  civilising  influence  of  the  more  ad- 
vanced hfe  of  the  Arab  traders  of  the  early  days  must 
not  be  lost  sight  of  in  reckoning  up  the  forces  which 
in  one  way  or  another  have  wrought  upon  the  national 
life  of  the  Baganda,  which  as  I  have  already  suggested 
had  been  anciently  to  a  certain  extent  moulded  and 
fashioned  by  an  earlier  Egyptian  influence.  Nor  can 
that  weight  of  testimony  as  to  the  possibiUty  of  a 
higher  life  given  by  such  travellers  as  Speke,  Grant, 
and  above  all  Stanley,  be  left  out  of  consideration. 
Then  we  have  to  remember  the  part  played  by  the 
pioneers  of  the  Imperial  British  East  Africa  Company, 


H 


Chap.  47]  SUMMARY 


359 


represented  by  Lugard  and  Williams,  and  also  by  that 
influence  exerted  by  men  like  Macdonald,  whose  name 
will  always  be  held  by  the  Baganda  in  grateful  re- 
membrance. 

But  perhaps  the  greatest  of  all  these  moulding 
political  forces,  to  which  from  time  to  time  in  the  course 
of  my  story  I  have  alluded,  has  been  that  of  the  British 
administration,  established  at  the  coming  of  Sir  Gerald 
Portal  in  1893.  The  power  of  that  moulding  force  has 
been  very  largely  what  it  has  been  through  the  wise 
and  judicious  way  in  which  from  the  very  beginning 
it  has  recognised  and  striven  to  work  in  harmony  with 
those  stronger  moral  and  spiritual  forces  exerted  by 
the  Christian  Missions,  which  by  strenuous  labour  had 
for  well  nigh  sixteen  years  been  preparing  the  way  for 
that  unifying  and  consolidating  influence  commonly 
known  as  "  Pax  Britannica."  Under  its  aegis,  law 
and  order  have  been  established,  and  economic  forces, 
being  allowed  fair  play,  are  gradually  doing  their  work, 
and  the  Baganda  are  surely,  and  not  slowly,  working 
out  their  own  future.  J 

And  so  I  pass  on  my  way  to  a  brief  summary  of  that 
remarkable  missionary  work  which  has  been  the  main 
topic  of  the  eighteen  years  retrospect  which  is  the 
subject  of  this  work,  and  for  which  I  claim  a  first  place 
in  the  list  of  those  forces  which,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  have  had  a  share  in  the  making  of  the  Uganda 
of  to-day. 

In  1890,  when  first  I  arrived  in  the  country,  the 
number  of  baptized  Christians  was  probably  two 
hundred.  Now  this  little  band  has  grown  into  a  great 
host  of  62,867.  Of  these  more  than  36,000  have  been 
baptized  within  the  last  five  years.  In  other  words, 
for  the  last  five  years  in  succession  over  7000  souls 
each  year  have  been  baptized  into  the  Church  of  Christ 


360 


UGANDA  AKD  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


in  Uganda.  But  it  may  be  said  numbers  are  not 
everytbing.  How  is  it  witb  tbe  Cburcb  as  to  ber 
spiritual  bfe  ?  Wbat  about  tbe  Communicants  ?  On 
January  20,  1891,  tbey  numbered  70.  In  1897 
tbey  bad  increased  to  2655,  tbe  proportion  of  Com- 
municants to  tbe  baptized  members  of  tbe  Cburcb 
being  about  one  in  four.  On  September  30,  1907, 
bowever,  tbe  proportion  was  about  one  in  tbree,  tbe 
total  being  no  less  tban  18,078. 

If  it  be  true,  as  true  it  is,  tbat  in  tbe  Sacrament  of 
tbe  Lord's  Supper  we  "  proclaim  "  tbe  Lord's  deatb 
"  till  He  come,"  bow  profoundly  tbankful,  as  Cbristians, 
sbould  we  be  for  tbis  army  of  tbe  Lord  wbicb  He  bas 
raised  up  in  tbis  age-long  beatben  land  of  Uganda,  to 
testify  to  tbe  glorious  fact  of  His  having  "  given  His 
Hfe  a  ransom  for  many."  Wbo  tbat  took  part  in  tbat 
wonderful  service  of  Holy  Communion  in  tbe  new 
Catbedral  on  Namirembe  Hill  on  Cbristmas  Day,  1902, 
wben  no  fewer  tban  101:9  Cormnunicants  gatbered 
around  tbe  Table  of  tbe  Lord,  can  ever  forget  tbe 
tbrill  of  emotion  wbicb  surged  tbrougb  beart  and 
brain  as  witb  silent  footfall  tbe  dusky  white-robed 
tbrong,  in  apparently  endless  succession,  partook  of 
tbe  elements  of  Christ's  body  broken  and  His  blood 
shed  ?  Surely  tbe  song  of  the  angeUc  host  bad  for  all 
of  us  on  tbat  glad  Cbristmas  morning  a  fuller  and 
deeper  meaning. 

'  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest.' 

The  increase  in  the  ministry  of  the  Church  bas  been 
co-extensive  with  the  increase  in  her  membership.  As 
I  have  explained  elsewhere,  I  include  in  the  term 
"  ministry "  all  formally  enrolled  workers  for  God, 
whether  men  or  women,  lay  or  clerical.  In  1891  it 
was  my  happy  privilege  to  be  permitted  to  set  apart 


Chap.  47]  SUMMARY 


361 


six  lay  evangelists  for  such  work  as  they  might  law- 
fully do  as  laymen.  This  was  practically  the  founda- 
tion of  the  native  ministry  as  we  find  it  in  Uganda  to- 
day. In  1893  the  first  deacons  were  ordained,  and 
three  years  later  (May  31, 1896),  the  first  native  priests. 
In  1897  the  native  lay  teachers  and  evangelists 
numbered  685  and  the  native  clergy  10.  To-day  the 
former  number  2036  and  the  latter  32. 

The  influence  of  such  a  body  of  workers  on  the  hfe 
of  the  country  cannot  but  be  deep  and  far  reaching. 
Nor  has  the  advance  been  only  in  numbers.  The 
educational  standard  of  all  Church  workers  from  the 
clergy  downwards  has  risen  immensely  during  recent 
years.  At  most  of  the  out-stations  a  training  work 
is  being  systematically  carried  on,  whilst  at  the  Central 
Station  on  Namirembe  no  fewer  than  four  missionaries 
devote  the  whole  of  their  time  to  this  most  important 
part  of  the  work.  Half  yearly  examinations  are  held 
for  those  who  are  qualifying,  men  and  women  alike, 
for  the  authorisation  of  the  Church  for  the  work  of 
teaching  and  preaching.  The  result  has  been  a  great 
stimulus  to  study,  and  a  very  real  advance  in  the 
standard  attained.  One  further  point  is  to  be  noted 
with  regard  to  this  native  ministry,  and  that  is,  that 
it  is  maintained  entirely  from  native  sources.  Not 
a  single  halfpenny  of  English  money  is  used  in  the 
support  of  either  clergy,  lay  readers,  or  teachers. 

From  the  worker  one  passes  by  a  natural  transition 
of  thought  to  the  building  in  which  the  work  is  done. 
In  1890  there  was  but  one  grass  tliatchcd  church  in 
Uganda,  that  at  Mengo.  In  1897  there  were  some  321 
places  of  worship  scattered  throughout  the  country. 
In  these  churches  there  was  sitting  accommodation 
for  49,751  persons,  with  an  average  Sunday  morning 
attendance  of  25,300  worshippers.    In  the  latest  avail- 


362       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

able  statistics  the  figures  under  the  same  headings 
stand  as  follows :  Places  of  worship,  1070 ;  sitting 
accommodation,  126,851 ;  with  an  average  Sunday 
morning  attendance  of  52,471. 

It  must  not  be  imagined  that  these  thousand  churches 
scattered  throughout  the  land  are  substantial  stone  or 
even  brick  buildings.  The  brick  or  stone  church  is 
being  gradually  evolved  out  of  the  reed  or  wattle  and 
daub  structure,  which  is  so  easily  built  and  as  easily 
repaired.  Ten  years  ago  every  church  in  the  country 
was  built  of  timber  and  reeds  with  a  grass  thatch.  To- 
day we  rejoice  in  the  completion  of  the  brick  cathedral 
on  Namirembe,  and  the  up-rearing  of  similar  brick 
structures  ;  of  smaller  dimensions,  however,  in  Toro, 
Nkole,  Hoima,  Gayaza,  and  other  places  ;  whilst  large 
and  substantial  churches  built  of  wattle  and  daub, 
with  heavy  timber  frame-work,  are  replacing  the  less 
substantial  reed  church  in  the  more  out  of  the  way 
parts  of  the  country. 

There  is  one  fact  to  be  carefully  and  thankfully 
borne  in  mind  in  relation  to  these  thousand  churches 
in  Uganda,  and  that  is  that  they  have  been  built 
and  are  being  repaired  by  the  natives  themselves,  and 
from  their  own  resources. 

'  Tlie  little  church  on  j^onder  hill 
That  seems  to  touch  the  skies, 
Gives  birth  to  mingled  feelings 
As  oft  it  meets  mine  eyes.' 

It  tells  eloquently  of  the  new  era  which  has  dawned 
upon  that  land  of  old  time  cruelty  and  oppression. 
It  speaks  of  the  self-sacrifice,  the  trial,  difficulty,  en- 
durance of  sorrow,  sickness,  and  even  death  which  has 
been  a  marked  characteristic  of  the  work  of  planting 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  that  land  once  so  remote  from 
Christian  civilisation.    It  speaks  too  of  the  simple 


Chap.  47] 


SUMMARY 


363 


faith  and  child-like  trust  of  those  who,  from  day  to 
day  and  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  gather  together 
for  the  worship  of  Him  whom  not  having  seen  they 
love,  and  in  whom  though  now  they  see  Him  not,  yet 
rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  It 
proclaims,  too,  and  that  in  trumpet  tones,  the  glorious 
truth  which  I  desire  above  all  others  to  bring  home 
to  the  mind  of  the  reader,  and  that  is,  that  the  Cross 
of  Christ  has  not  lost  its  ancient  power,  and  that  it  is 
still  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one 
that  beheveth. 

And  so  it  comes  to  pass  that  as  we  journey  through 
the  land  and  see  these  churches  dotting  the  landscape 
and  crowning  this  hill  and  that,  our  hearts  are  filled 
with  thankfulness  and  praise  to  Him  who  has  so 
wonderfully  blessed  the  feeble  efforts  of  His  missionary 
servants. 

Then  another  influence  which  has  had  its  share  in 
the  making  of  Uganda  has  been  the  work  of  the 
Medical  Mission  both  in  dispensary  and  hospital  as 
well  as  in  the  wide  field  of  medical  itineration.  Just 
as  Western  civilisation  has  been  influenced  and  indeed 
permeated  by  that  care  for  the  sick  and  suffering 
which  is  of  the  very  essence  of  Christian  truth,  so 
the  barbarism  of  Central  Africa  is  learning  through 
medical  missionary  work  something  of  that  divine  })ity 
which  will  ever  be  manifested  by  the  true  followers 
of  the  Great  Physician  towards  those  who,  in  the 
mysterious  providence  of  God,  are  called  upon  to 
suffer. 

In  1890  no  regular  medical  work  was  possible  ;  but, 
as  has  already  been  pointed  out,  at  irregular  intervals 
until  1897  something  was  done  by  Drs.  Baxter,  Rattray, 
and  Gaskoin  Wright  to  meet  the  vast  needs  of  suffering 
humanity  in  Uganda.    In  this  latter  year  the  Medical 


364       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 

Mission  at  Mengo  as  we  know  it  to-day  had  its  be- 
ginning, founded  by  Dr.  A.  R.  Cook.  The  statistics 
for  that  year  show  141  patients  treated  in  the  hospital, 
with  its  12  beds  ;  while  the  dispensary  had  its  16,053 
attendances.  Ten  years  later  for  the  two  hospitals, 
the  one  at  Mengo  and  the  other  in  Toro  under  Dr. 
Bond,  the  figures  stand  under  the  same  headings  as 
follows  :  Beds,  158  ;  in-patients,  2136  ;  attendances  at 
dispensaries,  127,594.  Medical  staff :  doctors,  3  ;  nurses, 
(European),  8.  What  these  figures  mean,  in  the  allevia- 
tion of  sickness  and  suffering,  can  only  be  realised  by 
those  who  have  actually  come  into  contact  with  the 
work,  and  seen  for  themselves  the  crowds  of  sick,  lame, 
halt,  and  impotent  folk  crowding  in  daily  for  treat- 
ment. But  besides  the  actual  alleviation  of  suffering, 
the  new  view  of  life,  having  in  it  the  element  of  pity  for 
the  helpless  and  suffering  ones  of  humanity,  has  come 
as  a  revelation  to  multitudes  in  Central  Africa,  and  as 
I  have  already  suggested  has  had  its  share  in  shaping 
and  moulding  the  present  national  life  of  Uganda. 

But  next  to  the  purely  spiritual  power  exerted  by 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  perhaps  the  greatest  force 
which  in  recent  years  has  influenced  and  impressed  the 
life  of  the  Baganda  has  been  that  of  education — educa- 
tion in  its  widest  and  deepest  meaning.  The  industrial 
training  which  has  been  an  essential  part  of  our  edu- 
cational system  since  the  days  of  Mackay,  has  been 
the  means  of  influencing  large  numbers  of  the  Baganda 
and  of  fitting  them  to  take  their  proper  share  in  the 
material  development  of  their  own  country.  The 
result  has  been  that  carpenters,  joiners,  bricklayers, 
printers,  and  other  mechanics  have  been  so  trained 
that  they  in  their  turn  are  training  others,  and  so  the 
work  goes  forward,  with  the  consequence  that  the 
people  are  now  becoming  possessed  of  better  houses, 


Chap.  47]  SUMMARY  365 

houses  in  every  way  more  suited  to  the  higher  standard 
of  Hving  which  is  becoming  general  throughout  the 
country.  This  industrial  work  under  Borup's  super- 
vision attained  such  large  dimensions  that  it  was  felt 
necessary  sometime  ago  to  hand  it  over  to  a  company 
of  sympathising  friends,  in  whose  hands  the  cultivation 
of  cotton  has  prospered  to  such  an  extent  that  it 
promises  to  become  one  of  the  staple  products  of  the 
country. 

With  regard  to  what  is  popularly  known  as  education, 
that  is  instruction  (at  the  very  least)  in  the  three  R's., 
I  may  say  that  practically  all  our  candidates  for  Baptism, 
men  and  women  ahke,  have  from  the  very  beginning 
been  taught  the  art  of  reading.  In  the  early  days  our 
staff  of  missionaries  was  so  small  and  the  number  of 
those  seeking  Baptism  was  so  great,  that  all  we  could 
do  was  to  teach  those  who  were  thus  passing  into 
the  Kingdom  the  fundamentals  of  Christianity.  But 
during  more  recent  years  the  education  of  the  children 
has  been  taken  seriously  in  hand  and  systematically 
pursued.  The  result  is  that  whereas  in  1897  only  some 
seven  hundred  children  were  under  instruction,  at  the 
present  moment  no  fewer  than  thirty-two  thousand 
boys  and  girls  are  to  be  found  in  our  primary  schools. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  during  the  last  decade  at  least 
a  quarter  of  a  million  of  persons,  men,  women,  and 
children,  have  been  taught  the  elements  of  reading, 
writing,  and  arithmetic.  This  is  proved  conclusively 
by  the  statistics  of  our  book  sales.  For  instance,  I 
find  that  during  the  last  three  years  no  fewer  than 
109,362  copies  of  the  first  reading-book  in  Luganda 
have  been  sold,  together  with  23,000  portions  of  scripture, 
including  Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  34,000  other 
books  of  various  kinds,  making  altogether  a  total  of 
166,000.    During  the  same  period   no   fewer  than 


366 


UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


610,280  sheets  of  writing-paper,  together  with  49,916 
note  and  exercise  books  have  been  disposed  of  to  the 
people,  by  sale,  whilst  47,730  pencils  and  penholders 
have  by  the  same  means  found  their  way  into  the 
hands  of  those  who  were  learning  or  had  learnt  the  art 
of  writing.  These  facts  speak  for  themselves,  and  are 
an  eloquent  testimony  of  the  widespread  character  of 
our  educational  work.  This  work  is  now  superintended 
by  a  Board  of  Education  consisting  of  the  Prime 
Minister  (Katikiro),  the  Kago,  the  senior  native  clergy 
and  missionaries,  and  presided  over  by  the  Bishop. 

I  need  hardly  add  that  all  our  educational  work  has 
a  religious  basis,  and  that  our  aim  is  so  to  build  up 
character  that  the  rising  generation  of  the  Baganda 
shall  not  be  simply  "  smart  "  or  clever,  but  that  they 
shall  be  God-fearing  men  and  women,  who  realise  their 
responsibilities  in  life  and  possess  an  equipment  fitted 
to  fulfil  them.  With  this  end  in  view  we  have  placed 
the  Bible  in  the  very  forefront  of  our  work,  and  it 
would  be  difficult  to  exaggerate  the  influence  which 
it  has  had  upon  the  life  of  the  people.  It  comes  out  in 
their  conversation,  in  their  letters,  and  even  in  the 
National  Council  (Lukiko)  its  power  is  felt.  It  is 
recorded  that  on  a  certain  occasion  of  difficulty  (I  have 
already  alluded  to  it)  the  resemblance  of  the  case  in 
question  to  an  incident  in  the  Book  of  Acts  was  recog- 
nised by  several  members  of  the  Council.  A  Bible  was 
sent  for  and  read.  The  decision  arrived  at  was  in 
accordance  with  its  teaching. 

The  greater  part  of  our  educational  work  is  carried 
on  in  the  vernacular,  for  the  simple  reason  that  we 
have  no  wish  to  denationalise  the  Baganda.  We  have 
no.  desire  to  turn  them  into  black  Englishmen  (if  such 
a  thing  were  possible),  but  ratlier  to  strengthen  their 
own  national  characteristics,  and  thus  to  fit  and  equip 


Chap.  47] 


SUMMARY 


367 


them  for  taking  their  proper  part  in  the  administrative, 
commercial,  and  industrial  life  of  their  own  country. 
This  teaching  in  the  vernacular  has  involved  us  in  a 
great  translational  work  in  which  the  names  of 
Pilkington,  Crabtree,  R.owHng,  and  Maddox  find 
prominent  place.  Besides  the  Bible,  we  have  in  our 
list  of  books  in  Luganda,  the  Prayer  Book,  a  hynm- 
book,  the  Oxford  helps  to  the  study  of  the  Bible, 
Commentaries  on  all  the  Gospels,  Norris'  "  Com- 
mentary on  the  Prayer  Book,"  "  Pilgrim's  Progress," 
Robertson's  "  Church  History,"  iEsop's  Fables, 
a  Life  of  Mohammed,  a  Geography,  an  Arithmetic, 
Grammars,  Vocabularies,  and  sundry  works  calculated 
to  help  generally  in  our  scheme  of  education  in  the 
vernacular. 

These  then  are  the  forces  which  have  operated  during 
recent  years  in  fashioning  the  life  of  the  Baganda  as 
we  see  it  to-day,  and  which  have  v^Tought  those  changes 
which  to  those  who  are  able  to  look  back  upon  the  days 
that  are  gone,  days  of  gross  cruelty  and  darkness,  seem 
so  wonderful.  I  say  not  that  the  Hfe  of  the  Baganda 
is  all  that  we  wish  to  see.  It  is  far  otherwise.  We  see 
much  to  deplore  and  to  sorrow  over  in  their  ingrained 
sensuality,  their  untruthfulness,  their  failure  to  reaUse, 
as  we  think  they  might  do,  their  higher  duties  and 
responsibilities.  But  at  the  same  time,  when  we  think 
of  the  hole  of  the  pit  from  which  they  have  been  digged, 
when  we  remember  what  they  were,  the  centuries  of 
gross  heathenism  and  barbarism  which  are  behind 
them,  and  above  all,  when  we  bear  in  mind  the  force, 
the  fearful  power  of  hereditary  tendency,  we  are  lost 
in  wonder  and  amazement  at  the  marvellous  change 
which  has  passed  over  their  lives,  a  change  as  from 
darkness  to  light,  one  tliat  can  only  be  compared,  in 
its  greatness  and  glory,  to  a  change  as  from  death  unto 


368       UGANDA  AND  EAST  AFRICA   [Book  VI. 


life,  a  change  that  can  only  have  been  wrought  by 
supernatural  power,  the  power  of  the  spirit  of  the 
eternal  God. 

And  so  my  story  of  eighteen  years  of  busy  life  in 
Uganda  and  Equatorial  Africa  comes  to  an  end.  But 
ere  I  lay  down  my  pen  I  cannot  but  add  one  word 
more,  a  word  of  thankful  acknowledgment  of  that 
gracious  goodness  and  love  which  has  permitted  me 
to  see  such  things  as  those  of  which  this  story  tells, 
which  has  suffered  me  to  bear  some  part  in  that  great 
work  which  God,  through  His  witnessing  servants,  is 
doing  for  the  redemption  of  Africa,  and  which  He  has 
done  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Uganda  ;  which  has 
watched  over  and  kept  me  in  perils  innumerable  in 
twenty-two  thousand  miles  of  wandering  in  Equatorial 
Africa. 

The  story  which  I  have  told  has  been  one  in  the 
main  of  missionary  life  and  work.  It  has,  therefore, 
been  one  of  contrasts.  Dark  shadows  deepening  to 
profoundest  gloom  characterise  the  scene  at  one 
moment.  At  another  the  lights  flash  out  with  the 
most  vivid  intensity,  revealing  details  and  features 
with  pre-Raphaehte  distinctness  and  precision.  Sorrows 
and  sufferings,  trials  and  difficulties  have  been  almost 
the  daily  lot  of  those  who,  in  the  Providence  of  God, 
have  been  called  to  the  work  of  the  Church  in  Central 
Africa.  But  they  regret  it  not.  As  Augustine  says, 
"  The  household  of  the  true  God  has  a  consolation  of 
its  own,  founded  in  the  things  which  cannot  be  shaken 
or  pass  away."  Yes  !  the  very  sorrows  and  trials  of 
the  Church  have  ever  been  her  chiefest  blessings,  and 
pre-eminently  have  they  been  so  in  Uganda.  They 
have  been  a  stimulus  to  action,  and  an  assurance  of 
the  hidden  working  of  Him  who  is  the  Life  and  Head 
of  the  Church. 


Chap.  47]  SUMMARY 


369 


However  dark  at  times  may  have  been  the  scene, 
however  profound  the  gloom,  one  characteristic  of  the 
Church's  work  in  Uganda  has  never  been  hidden,  one 
feature  has  never  been  obscure  to  those  with  eyes  to 
see  and  ears  to  hear,  and  that  is  the  glorious  fact  which 
I  trust  I  have  made  clear  and  plain  in  the  course  of 
this  work,  the  fact  of  the  Presence  of  the  Divine  Lord 
and  Master  Himself,  the  great  Head  of  the  Church, 
guiding,  controlling,  blessing,  and  over-ruling  every- 
thing, even  the  devices  of  wicked  men,  to  His  own  glory 
in  the  salvation  of  immortal  souls.  He  has  indeed 
been  to  His  Church  in  Uganda  and  East  Africa  the 
pillar  of  cloud  by  day  and  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night. 
He  has  abundantly  fulfilled  His  own  promise  : 

'  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world.' 


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Bugerere :  Bale  . 
Bulemezi  :  Ndeje  . 

Luwero  .    .  . 
Buruli  :  Damba  . 
Singo  :  Mitiana  . 

Kinakulya  . 
Buwekula:  Kikoma 
Gomba :  Kasaka  . 
Butambala :  Bweya 
Mawokota :  Buwere 
Budu :  Kikise  .  . 

Kakimyu  . 
Koki  :  Rakai  . 
Sese  Islands ... 
Western  Provincb  : 
Ankole  .... 
Toro  :  Kabarole  . 

Butiti    .    .  . 
Bunyoro :  Hoima . 

Biigonia 

Masindi  . 
Nile  Provini  e  : 

Patigo  .... 
Central  Province: 
Masaba  .... 

Mbale  

Busoga:  Kamuli  . 

Kiunbya 

Iganga  . 

Jinja  .... 
Kavirondo  : 

Maseno  .... 
USTTKUMA  : 

Nassa  

Totals  1007  .  . 

INDEX 


Abaisiasaza,  the,  ii.  258 

Abdul  Aziz  bin  Mohamed,  Sultan  of 

Zanzibar,    interview    witli,     44  ; 

letter  from,  to  Mwanga,  i.  45 
Acholi  country,  visit  to,  ii.  332  et  seq. 
 people,  ornaments  and  houses 

of,  ii.  333 
Achto,  Pere,  on  French  missionary 

aims  in  Uganda,  i.  173 
African    discovery,    debt    to  mis- 
sionaries, i.  2 

 journeys,  routine  of,  i.  50-.j2 

Ainsworth,  Mr.  at  Machako's,  i.  206  ; 

kindness  of,  ii.  16 
Albert  Edward  Nyanza,  foot  on,  ii. 

130  ;   islands  in,  131-32 
Albert  Nyanza,  ii.  136  ;    hippos  in, 

196 

Aliwonyna,  Rev.  Silasi,  ordained  ii. 
200 

Allen,  Miss  A.  E.  Baugh,  ii.  269 
 •  Miss  A.  L.,  educational  work 

of,  ii.  331,  353 
Aloni,  Pilkington's  "boy,"  ii.  91,  92 
Amateka  ge  Kanisa,  the,  ii.  348 
Andereya,  ii.  28  ;  church  begun  by, 

i.  176 

Andereya,  Kimbugwe  Bunyoro,  ii. 
174  ;  the  capture  of  Mwanga,  194 

 and  Fitipo,  Bagunda  mission- 
aries in  Nkole,  ii.  241-43  ;  success 
of,  250 

Anglo-German  treaty  (1890),  effects 
on  Uganda,  i.  42  ;  Emin  Pasha's 
view,  79 

Apolo  Kagwa  (Katikiro),  see  Kagwa, 
Apolo 

Arab  influence  in  Uganda,  i.  87,  ii. 

229,  358-59 
Arabs,  expulsion  of,  i.  81,  90 
Arthur,  Captain,  i.  259,  282,  284 
Ashe,  Rev.  R.  P.  (see  also  Mackay 
and  Ashe),  i.  227,  238,  239  ;  early 
days  in  Uganda,  i.  \i  et  acq.,  23,  24  ; 
death  of,   reported,   i.    172,  and 
escape,  i.  179  :  resignation,  i.  311  ; 
share  in  fovmding  Lukiko,  i.  238 
Aswa  river,  ii.  33() 
Athi  plains,  game  on,  ii.  16 


Athi  river,  i.  202 
Atoxyl,  ii.  305 

Aziz  bin  Raschid,  rebel  chief,  ii.  1,  13 

Babamba  natives,  huts  and  dress  of, 

ii.  136-37 
Bacteria  in  sleeping  siclcness,  ii.  303-5 
Bafransa  (see  also  Roman  Catholic), 

i.  28  et  seq.,  173  e<  seq. 

 in  Budu,  ii.  191,  192,  234 

 chiefs,  of  Bwekula,  ii.  274 

 claims,  i.  243  et  seq.,  266  et  seq.. 

Portal's  settlement,  i.  268,  ii.  42 
 •  detention  by,  of  heirs  to  throne, 

i.  244  et  seq. 

 during  Soudanese  mutiny,  i.  285 

 excitement,  i.  101  ;  calmed  by 

Tucker,  105-6 

Baganda  canoes,  i.  85,  86 

 chiefs,  see  Chiefs 

 children,  education  and  intelli- 
gence of,  150,152,  161,  167,  327-30 

  clergy,  essentials  in,  i.  233-38, 

ii.  203  ;  first  seven  chosen,  i.  236, 
ii.  361 

 craving  for  books,  see  Books 

 colony  on   Mount    Elgon,  ii. 

316-17 

 denationalising  of,  avoided,  ii. 

366 

 dress,    i.     94,    ii.     293  ;  for 

teachers,  i.  357 

 dwellings,  i.  96,  ii.  358 

 guards,  ii.  124 

 heathen,  hatred  for  Europeans, 

ii.  82,  83 

 •  manners,  customs,  and  charac- 
teristics, i.  86,  96  et  seq.,  176-77 

 martyrs,  i.  15,  21,  123-24;  bones 

foimd  and  reburied,  ii.  344,  346 

— —  missionaries,  and  native 
teachers  (see  also  Lay-readers),  i. 
275,  277,  304-5  et  seq.,  ii.  51,  76- 
79,  104,  128,  145.  165.  186,  200,  231. 
232,  236,  241-43,  248.  269-70,  30,5, 
345  ;  training  of,  i.  113-14,  ii.  204, 
301 

 morality,  i.  83  et  seq. 

 music  among,  i.  85,  98 

2 


INDEX 


373 


Baganda  political  organisation,  i.  86, 

95,  ii.  259,  261,  262 
  religions  and  superstitions,  i. 

84  et  acq.,  ii.  78-79 
  women,    bigotry    of,    i.    337  ; 

women  missionaries  among,  ii.  12, 

13,  welcome  to,  ii.  25,  28 
Bagenda,  Rev.  Mikaeri,  ii.  276 
Bagishn,  the,  of  Mount  Elgon,  ii. 

278,  318 
Bagnall,  Captain,  ii.  87 
Bagwe,  Island,  Christians  of,  ii.  45 
Batulabude,  Rev.  Andereya,  ii.  316 
Baliima.  the,  i.  93,  94,  ii.  233 
Bailey,  J.  A.,  i.  37 
Bairu  race  of  Nkole,  ii.  233 
Bakayana,  Rev.  Edwadi,  ordained, 

ii.  269 

Baker,  Sir  Samuel  and  Lady,  un- 

forgotten  near  Wadelai,  ii.  336 
Bakonjo  tribe,  ii.  129,  131 
Bakimga,  Paulo,  i.  Ill,  112 
Balfour,  Rt.  Hon.  A.  J.,  on  slavery  in 

Hritisli  East  Africa,  ii.  72 
Banda  Hill,  welcome  at,  i.  223 
Bangeroza,  the,  i.   101  ;    claims  of, 

267  et  aeq. 
Banyankole,  the,  two  races  of,  ii. 
233  ;    language  of,  ih.  ;  Baganda 
missionaries  to,  ii.  237  et  aeq. 
Barham,  Mr.,  of  Jilore,  death  of,  ii. 
128 

Bark-cloth,  i.  94,  ii.  293 

Batoro,  preference  for  Limyoro 
language,  ii.  351-53 

Baskerville,  Rev.  G.  K.,  u.  17,  62  ; 
escape  of,  191  ;  illness,  i.  53,  76  ;  or- 
dained deacon,  i.  77,  priest,  121,  104 

 work  of,  at  Ngogwe,  ii.  26,  in 

Ukambani  country,  i.  35,  at  Ziba, 
255 

 on  demand  for  books  at  Mengo, 

i.  181-H2 

Basoga,  the,  backwardness  of,  causes 

of,  ii.  209,  211 

  clothes  of,  i.  220 

  preference    of,    for  Luganda 

books,  ii.  213 

 timidity,  ii.  220 

Bateman,  Archdeacon  Jones-,  i.  317; 

kindness  of,  333 
Batoro,  the,  ii.  52 -."3 
 potitinn    from,    for  Lunyoro 

Bible,  ii.  351 -.-.3 
Bavuma  islands,  ii.  35,  36 

 punitive  oxpeilition  to,  i.  251 

Baxter,  Dr.,  i.   1 61,   164.  217,  274, 

278,    ii.    11,  157,    363;  carrying 

chair  devised  by,  ii.  13 
Benadir,  the,  slavery  abolished  in, 

u.  67 


Berkelej',  Mr.,  Administrator,  i.  250, 
259  ;  and  Basaga  chiefs,  ii.  210  ; 
letter  from,  i.  201,  205 

Beverley,  Mr.,  i.  59,  136 

 Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  325 

Bible,  study  of,  effect  on  Baganda, 
ii.  280-82,  366 

 translations  in  Luganda,  &c., 

i.  11,  30,  110,  113,  215,  252,  ii. 
18,  93,  367 

Bilal,  Sudanese  rebel  leader,  ii.  89, 

and  Pilkington's  death,  92 
Binns,  Rev.  — ,  at  Freretown,  i.  4, 

ii.  63 ;  journeys  with,  i.  154,  ii. 
107  ;  Rahai  church  built  by,  ii.  8 

Bird,  Miss,  ii.  80,  152 

Blackburn,  ^Mr.,  work,    death,  and 

grave  of,  i.  24,  25,  70,  71 
Blackledge,  Rev.  — ,  ii.  25,  32,  276  ; 

ordained  priest,  ii.  35 
Boats  (aee  alao  Canoes),  Seniliki  river, 

ii.  138  ;  Kapi  river,  ii.  177 
Bond,  Dr.,  ii.  311,  312,  353 
— —  Mrs.,  death  of,  ii.  311 
Books,  craving  for,  of  natives,  i.  109, 

111,  122,  181,  231,  ii.  31,  177,  231, 

267,  365 

Boot-incnding  extraordinary,  ii.  65 

Borup,  K.,  ii.  98  ;  industrial  training 
by,  ii.  154,  263  -(i4,  395  ;  Mengo 
cathedral  planned  by,  ii.  284,  339 

Brad,  Pcro,  conference  with,  i.  116-17 

Bridges,  i.  160,  ii.  19 

British  government,  action  of,  as  to 
Slavery  in  East  Africa,  ii.  66  et 
aeq.  ;  relations  of,  with  I.B.E.A.  Co., 
ii.  4  et  aeq.  ;  oflicials  of,  in  Uganda, 
kindnesses  of,  ii.  16 

 politicalconnection  withUganda, 

i.  84,  91,  261,  264;  Union  Jack 
hoisted,  i.  265,  295 

  Protectorate  declared,  i.  296,  ii. 

countries  included,  ii.  356 

 rule,  direct,  established  in  East 

Africa,  ii.  4,  6,  10  ;  moulding  force 
of,  ii.  359 

Britisli  East  Africa,  Bishopric  of, 
created,  ii.  73-74 ;  English  com- 
munity in,  ii.  98-19;  famine  in,  i. 
336 

r>ri'i.sh  E.isl  .\frica  Company,  *cc  Im- 
perial <lo. 
Brown,  Miss,  ii.  11,  80 
Bruce,  Colonel,  investigation  of,  on 

sleeping  sickness,  ii.  304 
B<il)einbe  Island,  visited,  ii.  196 
Bncklev.  Rov.  T.  R.,  ii.  11,  123,  127, 

128,  277,  314 
Budaka,  missionaries  in,  ii.  314 
Hudo,  Kinn's  S<'ht)ol  iit,  ii.  330 
Budu,  Bafransa  district,  i.  190,  191. 


374 


INDEX 


134,  234  ;  Mwanga's  revolt  started 
in,  ii.  81  et  seq.,  his  flight  to,  172, 
176;  scenery  in,  ii.  234—35;  visit 
to,  ii.  349 

Bugaya  Island,  ii.  35,  native  Chris- 
tians of,  ii.  36-37 

Bugerere,  and  its  chief,  ii.  276  et  seq. 

Bujaju,  visited,  ii.  190 

Bujongolo,  elephants  near,  Li.  54  ; 
swamps  at,  124-25 

Bukasa  Island,  mission  opened,  ii.  32  ; 
visits  to,  ii.  42,  57,  195 

Bukedi,  ii.  276,  277  ;  misrule  in,  ii. 
210;  Mwanga's  flight  to,  ii.  95,  172 

Bukoba,  Erain  Pasha  at,  i.  131,  132, 
meeting  with,  79 

Bukiimbi,   French  Mission  Station, 

i.  244 

Bulange  industrial  mission,  ii.  154 
Bulanuka,  missions  at,  ii.  129 
Bulega  Moimtains,  ii.  181 
Bulemezi,  ii.  78,  172 
BuUgwanga,  Rev.  Zakayo,  ordained, 

ii.  200 

BuUnguge  Island,  Mwanga's  flight  to, 

i.  175,  and  expulsion  from,  176  ; 
prisoner  on,  i.  81,  90 

Bulondonganvi,  ruined  by  a  fly  in, 

ii.  320 

Billow,  Baron,  i.  163-04,  186,  187 
Bunyoro  {see  also  Kabarega),  beliefs 

in,  ii.  173 

 famine  in,  ii.  173 

 king  and  sister  baptized,  ii.  180 

 mission  work  in,  military  and 

others,  i.  304,  ii.  41,  50,  171-85 

 visits  to,  ii.  312,  348,  349,  354 

Burial  customs,  Wateita,  ii.  108 
Burness,  Mr.,  at  Rabai,  i.  290 
Burt,  Mrs.,  missionary,  ii.  100 
 Rev.  A.  F.,  ordained  deacon, 

i.  154  ;  at  Jilore,  i.  292  ;  forced 
to  leave,  ii.  2,  4 

Busagala,  the  Lukiko  and  its  work 

at,  i.  239,  240 
Busi  Island,  vigorous  Christianity  at, 

ii.  42  ;  visited,  church  dedicated, 
ii.  270  ;  confirmation,  273 

Busindi  mission  station  opened,  ii.  32 
Busoga,  chieftainships  in,  ii.  210 

 Christianity  in,  ii.  211  ct  seq. 

 cUmato  of,  ii.  223,  227 

  mission  work  in,  ii.  35,  78 

 Mohammedan  revolt  in,  ii.  85 

  murder  of  Hannington  in,  i.  18, 

70,  216 

 physical  features  of,  i.  221 

— —  natives,  see  Basoga 

 sleeping  sickness  in,  ii.  305 

 visits  to,  ii.  216  et  seq.,  313 

Butiti,  confirmation  at,  ii.  354  ;  dis- 


appointment at,  ii.  48  ;  new  chief 

at,  ii.  126 
Buwere,  visits  to,  ii.  349 
Buxton,    Mr.    and   Mrs.    Victor,  at 

Mengo,  ii.  340 
 Sir  T.  Fowell,  and  I.B.E.A.  Co., 

ii.  6,  8 

Bwekula,  mission  work  in,  ii.  47,  274 
et  seq. 

Byabachwezi,  Bunyoro  chief,  Li.  172, 
182 

Byakweyamba,    Yafeti,     chief  of 
Mwenge,  ii.  48,  50  ;  suicide  of,  127 

Callis,  Mr.,  ii.  62,  80,  death,  81 
Canoes,  Baganda,  i.  85,  86  ;  Bunyoro, 

ii.  177  ;  Wasukuma,  i.  86 
Canterbury,  Archbishop  of  (Temple), 

and  diocese  of  British  East  Africa, 

ii.  73 

Caravan-travelling,  i.  132,  ii.  19,  20, 
22 

Ceisson,  Rev.  G.  H.,  ordained,  Li.  269 
Castellani,  Dr.,  and  sleeping  sickness, 
ii.  303 

Cave,  Basil,  and  the  Sultanate  of 

Zanzibar,  ii.  60 
Cha  Ngombe  mission,  i.  290 
Chadwick,  Miss,  ii.  11,  152,  314 
Chagga,  visited  by  Hannington,  i.  17  ; 

visited   by  Tucker,  i.   154,  king 

met,  161 
Chala,  crater  lake,  i.  160 
Chiefs   of   Uganda,  i.   85,  95,  con- 
ferences w-ith',  i.  256-57,  270,  and 

education,  ii.  153,  329;  lovalty  of, 

ii.   82-83;    power  of,  i. '86,"95; 

Protestant,  political  views  of,  i. 

29  ;  slaves  freed  by,  i.  261  et  seq. ; 

and  sleeping  sickness,  ii.  306 
Chieftainships,  redistributed,  i.  178, 

243,  251.  270  and  note 
Children,  education  of,  ii.  150,  152, 

161.  167,  327  et  seq. 
Chitty,  Captain,  ii.  176,  177 
Christianity    in    Uganda   and  pro- 
,  vinces,  passim,  on  Tucker's  arrival 

and  deparlure,  i.  33,  ii.  359 
Church  in  T^ganda,  passim 
 constitution,  ii.  146,  202,  341, 

345 

Church  building,  ii.  33 

Churcli  Coimcil,  in  Uganda,  sec 
Lukiko 

Church  fimd  started,  i.  307 

Church  iMis.sionary  Society  {see  also 
Frcretown),  i.  147,  250;  and 
Bishopric  of  British  East  Africa, 
ii.  73  ;  claims,  i.  267  et  seq. ;  lands, 
.lohnston's'  settlement,  ii.  268-69  ; 
missionaries,     memorial    of,  on 


INDEX 


375 


slavery,  ii.  70 ;  work  and  workers 

of,   in   East  Africa  and  Uganda, 

1844-90,  i.  1-34 
Churches    in    Uganda    {nee  Mengo 

Cathedral),  ii.  361-()3 
Christian  marriage,  i.  318-19 
Circumcision,  question  of,  i.  329 
Clayton,  Mr.,  ii.  62,  80,  186,  192,  193, 

236 ;  courage,  ii.  188  ;  in  Nkole,  ii. 

231 

Climate,  Busoga,  ii.  223,  227 

  Uganda,  i.  93 

Cole.  H.,  deacon,  i.  24,  58  ;  ordained 

priest,  59 

 Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  325 

Colsey,  Miss,  i.  325 
Colvile,  Colonel,  i.  248,  304 
Compensation   for  freed   slaves,  ii. 

103 

Concubines,  excluded  from  benefit  of 
Act  on  Slavery,  ii.  71,  73  no<e 

Conferences  of  missionaries  at  Mengo, 
ii.  202-5,  274 

Congo  ba^in,  sleeping  sickness  in,  ii. 
303 

Conco  Free  State  mutineers,  at 
Katwe,  ii.  130 

Constitution  of  Native  Church, 
Tucker's  eflorts  to  frame,  i.  114, 
241  et  seq.,  ii.  74,  146,  202,  341,  348 

Conversion,  i.  119-20,  123 

Cook,  Dr.  A.  R.,  missionary,  ii.  62, 
131  ;  in  Acholi,  ii.  337  ;  founder 
of  Medical  Mission,  ii.  157,  364; 
at  Luba's  with  Pilkington,  ii.  89, 
90 ;  organiser  of  Mengo  Mission 
Hospital,  ii.  80 ;  marriage  of,  ii. 
290  ;  in  Nkole,  ii.  232  et  seq.  ;  sleep 
ing  sickness  in  Uganda  identified 
by,  ii.  303;  in  Toro,  ii.  124,  129, 
289 ;  on  facial  expression  in  cate- 
chumens, ii.  271  ;  on  the  revolts,  ii. 
83,  84,  88 

 Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  R.,  ii.  313,  322; 

in  Acholiland,  332 ;  illness  of  Mrs. 
Cook,  ii.  335 

 Dr.  .1.  H.,  ii.  244,  323  ;  escape 

of,  324 

Cotter,  J.  B.  M.,  i.  35  ;  death  of,  37, 
310 

Cotton-growing,  Uganda,  ii.  365 

Crabtree,  Rev.  W.  A.,  ordained  priest, 
i.  154,  255.  275,  ii.  212;  among 
Bagishus,  ii.  278,  313  ;  transla- 
tions by,  ii.  316 

Crauford,  Mr.,  Acting  Commissioner, 
correspondence  with,  on  slave 
question,  ii.  65 

Currency,  ii.  245 

Curzon,  Lord,  and  slavery  in  British 
East  Africa,  ii.  70-71 


Daily  Telegraph,  Stanley's  famous 

letter  to,  i.  5,  6 
Daudi    Cwa    Kabaka,     (king)  of 

Uganda,  ii.    84,    118,    301,  342; 

bom   and  baptized,  ii.    79,    80  ; 

coronation  of,  ii.  85 
 Johnston's  treaty  as  affecting, 

ii.  258 

  lays  foundation-stone  of  cathe- 
dral, ii.  284 

Davies,  E.  C,  ii.  269 

Deacons  of  native  church,  ordination 
of  first,  i.  275 

Deekes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  325 

Deimler,  Mr.  J.,  ordained  deacon,  ii. 
63 

Dermott,  Mr.,  i.  43,  69  ;  surgery  by, 
i.  49  ;  death  of,  i.  310,  ii.  212 

Divorce,  test  case,  i.  318 

Dormitory  system,  drawback  of,  i. 
184-86 

Doulton,  Mr.,  i.  325 

Dress,  Babamba,  ii.  136-37  ;  Baganda, 
i.  94,  ii.  293  ;  for  teachers,  Ac, 
i.  357-58  ;  Bagaya,  ii.  36  ;  Basoga, 
i.  220 ;  Batoro,  ii.  53 

Dunn,  Mr.,  i.  43  ;  surgery  by,  i.  49  ; 
death,  i.  76,  310,  ii.  12 

Durham  meeting  of  protest  against 
quitting  Uganda,  i.  145-46 

Duta,  Rev.  Henry  Wright,  i.  109,  111, 
306,  ii.  28,  56 ;  member  of  Lukiko, 
i.  239  ordination  of,  i.  236;  as 
deacon,  275  ;  as  priest,  ii.  55 ; 
tribute  to  Pilkington,  ii.  94 

 Sarah,  i.  15 

East  Africa,  coast  region,  mission  in, 

i.  1-3 1 ,  3 1 4,  ii.  62  ;  famine  in.  i.  336 
 Slave  question  in,  i.  3,  ii.  64  ; 

history  of,  66  et  seq. 
Ecob.  Rev.  C.  H.  T.,  ii.   98,  248; 

ordained  priest,  ii.  200 
Education,  ii.  150,  153,  162,  263,  327 

et  seq.,  361  ;    Tucker's  leaflet  on, 

ii.  205-8 

Edward  VII.,  coronation  of.  Ham 

Mukasa  on,  ii.  298  et  seq. 
Edwards,  Dr.,  i.   138,  291,  ii.  62  ; 

Mombasa  hospital  begun  by,  i.  141, 

166.  290 

Egyptian  influence,  traces  of,  i.  85, 

86,  ii.  233 
Eldoma  Ravine,  ii.   82,   98  ;  fight 

near,  ii.  19,  20,  22 

 revolt  of  SudiiiK'sc  at,  ii.  86,  87 

 scenery  at,  i.  213 

Elephants,  devastations  of,  ii.  54 
Elgon,    Mount,   ii.    317  ;  Baganda 

colony  on,  ii.  316-17  ;  mission  on,  ii. 

278,  visited,  ii.  313 


376 


INDEX 


Elitnentoita,  Lake,  i.  213 

Embwa  fly,  pest  of,  ii.  320 

Emin  Pasha,  Tucker's  meeting  \vith, 

i.  79,  132 

  soldiers  of  (see  Sudanese),  ii.  86  ; 

support  offered  by,  i.  191 

England,  Rev.  T.  S.,  ii.  62  ;  ordained 
priest,  i.  154 

Entebbe,  i.  279,  284 

Epungu,  plenty  at,  i.  68 

Erdhardt,  missionary  work  and  geo- 
graphical discoveries  of,  i.  2 

European  imdesirables,  in  Uganda, 

ii.  293-95 

Evatt,  Colonel,  ii.  117,  180:  \'ictorv 
of,  194 

Farthing,  H.,  death  of,  ii.  311 

Felkin,  Dr.,  i.  8,  ii.  157 

Feudal  svstem  in  Uganda,  &c.,  ii.  80, 
95,  209,  210,  259,  261,  262 

Fielding,  Captain,  death  of,  ii.  88 

Finance  Committee  of  Uganda  Mis- 
sion formed,  i.  122 

Firmenger,  Rgv.  — ,  ordained  priest, 
i.  336 

Fisher,  Rev.  A.  B.,  i.  174,  ii.  41,  44, 

51,  170;    ordained,  ii.  171,  269; 

on  Bimyoro  beliefs,  ii.  173;  on 

hopes  of  Koki,  ii.  187 
Fitch,  E.  A.,  at  Rabai,  i.  290  ;  death 

of,  i.  310 
Fitch,  Miss,  death  of,  i.  310 
Fletcher,  T.  B.,  i.  305 
Forster,  Mr.,  ii.  83  ;  as  printer,  i.  254 
Fort  Smith,  Kikuvu,  i.  207,  ii.  10, 

113 

Eraser,  A.  G.,  ii.  269,  and  "  King's 

School,"  Mengo,  329 
French    priests,  see   Bafransa,  ovl 

Roman  Catholic 
Frere,  Sir  H.  Bartle  E.,  and  freed 

slave  settlement,  i.  3 :  mission  of, 

to  Ea.st  Africa  and  Zanzibar,  ii.  07 
Frere  family,  and  Freretown,  ii.  63 
Freretown,   freed  slave  settlement, 

i.  3,  4,  43,  170.  290,  335  :  church 

dedicated,  ii.  03  ;  described,  i.  38  ; 

dormitory  system  at,  i.  184 
Furley,  Miss,  ii.  11,  131 

Gabrieli,  the  Mujasi,  and  Mwnnga's 

revolt,  ii.  82,  118;  defeat  of,  ii.  85, 

188  ;  surrender  of,  195 
Gabvila's,  visited,  ii.  225-26 
Galla  race,  descendants  of,  i.  94 

  slave  girls,  i.  166-f-8 

Gama,  V(U5co  da,  i.  37'! ;  pillar  of, 

Malindi.  i.  138,  291 
Gayaza  mission  opened,  ii.  32  ;  work 

at,  and  visits,  41,  78,  152,  200,  273, 


278 ;  women  missionaries  at,  ii.  80, 
85 

German  East  Africa,  famine  in,  i. 

336  ;    gain  from  Uganda  railway, 

ii.  290,  292 
Germany,  annexations  of,  in  East 

Africa,  i.  17,  20 
— —  treaty   with   England  (1890). 

effect  on  Uganda,  i.  42-43,  79 
 question  of  calling  in,  in  event 

of  British  abandonment  of  Ugsaida, 

i.  191-03 

 and  withdrawal  of  Xochi  mis- 
sion, i.  186-90 

Giriama  country  described,  i.  353-55  ; 
visited,  i.  353,  355-07 

 famine  in,  i.  16 

  hierarchy  of,  i.  356 

 missionary  work,  i.  4 

Gladstone,  Rt.  Hon.  W.  E.,  and  re- 
tention of  Uganda,  i.  147,  195 

Glass,  inss  A.  B.,  u.  269 

Gleaner's  Union,  Uganda  saved  bv, 
i.  144 

Gordon,  Rev.  E.  C,  i.  14,  ii.  41,  57  ; 
chosen  by  Jlwanga,  13,  expelled, 
26;  ordained  deacon,  i.  77,  priest, 
122,  128;  at  Buka.sa  with  wife,  ii. 
170,  195-96;  on  the  Lukiko  ;at 
Busagala,  239-40 

 General   C.  G.,  fat-e,   i.    265 ; 

help  given  to  missionaries,  i.  8  ;  at 
Mruli,  ii.  177,  179  ;  Stanley's  letter 
forwarded  bv,'  i.  6 

Grant,  Mr.,  ii."85 

Greaves,  C.  H.  V.,  death  of,  i.  310 
Guaso  Masa  river,  caravan  massacred 

at,  ii.  19,  20,  22-23 
Gun-running,  i.  131 
Gun  tax,  ii.  254,  257 

Hall,  Rev.  Martin  J.,  ii.  11,  159; 
inBusoga,  ii.  216.  219.  221;  death, 
270 ;  on  the  Industrial  Mission,  ii. 
263-14 

Hamond  bin  Mahomed  bin  Said, 
present  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  in 
stalled,  ii.  02 

Hamshire,  R-v.  — ,  i.  319;  ordained 
priest,  i.  336 

Hanlon,  Bishop  (R.  C),  ii.  22 

Hannington,  Bishop,  consecrated,  i. 
14,  16  ;  work,  last  journey,  and 
fat«  of,  17,  19  ;  remains  found 
and  buried,  216-19,  re-interred, 
227,  277,  Tucker's  address  on, 
228-30 

Hannington  Memorial  Church,  Mom- 
basa, ii.  99 

Hannyngton,  Lieut.  besieged  at 
Kisalizi,  ii.  175-76 


INDEX 


377 


Hardinge,  Sir  A.,  Consiil-General,  i. 

336,  ii.  70,  110 

 on  the  end  of  I.B.E.A.,  ii.  10 

 views  of,  on  slavery,  ii.  65-60, 

103 

Harrison,  Captain,  at  siege  of  Luba's, 
ii.  91,  94 

Hattersley,  Mr.  C.  W.,  ii.  98  ;  founder 
of  Mengo  High  School,  ii.  328 ;  on 
Baganda  child-students,  ii.  152 
Health,  handicap  of,  i.  353  el  paaeim 
Hill,  Mr.,  i.  43;  death  of,  i.  49,  50, 
310 

Hirth,  Mgr.,  conferences  with,  re 
S^.se,  &c.,  i.  116,  266-09;  princes 
given  up  by,  i.  268,  270  ;  war  of 
'92  largely  due  to,  i.  174,  176,  177 

Hoima  station,  ii.  172,  180,  182,  332, 
354 

Holy  Ghost,  the,  Pilkington  on,  i. 

300-2  ;  work  of,  in  Uganda,  i.  119- 

21,  107 
Home  life,  African,  ii.  244 

 V.  Institutional,  i.  184-86 

"  Hongo,"  i.  73 

Hooper,  Rev.  D.,  i.  24,  35,  44  ; 
with  Tucker,  i.  40,  46,  53,  72,  129 
et  seq.  ;  work  at  Jilor?,  i.  166,  290, 
ii.  104;  death  of  wife,  i.  293,  310 

Hospitals,  nee  Mengo,  Mombasa,  <fcc. 

Hubbard,  Rev.  — ,  at  Nasa,  i.  287 : 
ordained  priest,  i.  275  ;  death  of,  ii. 
98,  113 

Hunt,  Mr.,  i.  40  ;  death  of,  i.  76,  310, 
ii.  12 

Hurditch,  Miss  R.,  ii.  209 

Hut  tax,  ii.  254,  257,  261,  265,  267 

Ibanda,  Mr.  Gait  murdered  at,  ii.  246 

  slave  difficulty  at,  ii.  246-48 

Iganga,  chief  of,  ii.  202 

  missionaries  at,  ii.  221 

Imperial  British  East  Africa  Com- 
pany in  Uganda,  i.  29,  30,  149,  ii. 
355  ;  action  in  regard  to  slavery, 
ii.  64,  68  ;  history  of,  177-78,  196- 
97,  ii.  1,  2,  6-8  ;  withdrawal,  i. 
149,  191,  201,  250,  ii.  4-10,  flag 
hauled  do«Ti,  i.  201,  265  ;  summary 
of  its  work,  ii.  6-8 ;  treaties  made 
by,  i.  177,  291 
Industrial  Mission  (»ee  Borup,  and 
Mackay),  Hall  on,  ii.  263 

Jackson,  F.  J.,  Hannington  buried 
by,  i.  216 

 Deputy  Commissioner,  ii.  87, 

256 

 at  Luba's,  ii.  88 

Jackson  &  Gedgo,  Messrs.,  i.  29,  149 
Jiloro,  Church  C^ouncil  at,  i.  291, 


Jiloro,  unhealthiness  of,  i.  138,  ii.  104, 
112 

 visits  to,  i.   138,  166-68,  290, 

354.  ii.  104,  112 

 M'ithdrawal     of  missionaries 

from,  ii.  2-4 

Johnston,  Sir  H.  H.,  Special  Com- 
missioner, i.  270  note,  ii.  270  ; 
financial  and  land-tenure  schemes 
of,  ii.  253  et  seq.,  treaty  of,  ii.  266 
et  seq. 

Jones,  R.  Force,  ii.  98,  163 
Jones,  W.  H.,  native  deacon,  i.  16, 
with  Hannington,  18,  at  Mumia's, 

i.  216  ;  ordained  priest,  i.  336 
Jordan's  Nullah,  Victoria  Nyanza,  i. 

71 

Jungo,  Duta  at,  i.  306  ;  visit  to,  ii. 
273 

KAB.A.GAMBE,  fight,  ii.  94 
Kabarega,  King  of  Bunyoro,  ii.  50 

 campaign  against,  i.  304 

 conquests  of,  ii.  175 

  Mwanga's  escape  to,  ii.  94—95  ; 

joint  flight  of,  172 

  captured,  ii.  194,  195,  198-99 

Kabarolo,  capital,  Toro,  visits  to,  ii 

127,  129,  135,  144,  248-49,  312 
 new  church  at,  consecrated,  ii. 

353 

 ordinations  at,  ii.  354 

Kabras,  terrible  storm  in,  ii.  23-24 
Kafu  river,  dug-out  on,  ii.  117 
Kaganda,  Daniori,  help  of,  ii.  168 
Kagwa,    Apolo    (Sir),    Katikiro  of 
Uganda,  a  Christian,  i.  281,  283, 

ii.  8,  118,  135,  342 

 advice,  on  education,  ii.  153 

 aid  in  building  cathedral,  ii. 

283,  284 

  appointed  co-regent,  ii.  84 

 Bafransa  attitude  to,  i.  266-07 

 colleague  appointed,  i.  267,  270 

 conference  with,  on  claims  of 

Bafransa,  i.  244-45 

 confirmation  of,  i.  121 

 friendliness  of,  i.  129,  224,  ii.  29, 

116 

 Kaloma  defeated  by,  i.  281  ;  at 

Kampala  fight,  i.  175 

 knigtitod,  ii.  284 

 native  missionaries  sent  b}',  to 

Nkolo,  ii.  230-31 

 political  views  of,  29 

 reconciled  tf)  Mwanga,  i.  104 

 relations  with  Kiikungulu,  ii.  277 

  restoration  of  aa  solo  Katikiro, 

i.  270  note,  ii.  259 

 at  sii'tro  of  Luba's,  ii.  90 

 visit  of,  to  England,  ii.  297  ft  nrq. 


378 


INDEX 


Kagwa  on  the  Bible  and  the  Lukiko, 
ii.  280-81 

 on  the  guardianship  of  Kale- 
ma's  sons,  i.  246 

 on  Mwanga's  revolt,  ii.  83 

Kahaya,  liing  of  Nkole,  ii.  230,  350  ; 
and  the  missionaries,  231,  239  et 
seq.,  confirmation  of,  ii.  325 

Kahora,  see  Hoima 

Kaidzi,  Rev.  Yonasani,  i.  236  ; 
ordained  deacon,  i.  275,  priest, 
ii.  55 

Kajaya,  Busoga  chief,  ii.  219 
Kajaya's,  lake  journey  to,  ii.   37  ; 

superstition  at,  33 
Kajima  station,  ii.  191 
Kakumba,  martyr,  i.  15 
Kakimgulu,  Simei,  chief  of  Bugerero, 

ii.  194,  276,  277,  278,  316 
Kalema,  brief  rule  of,  i.  27,  28,  ii.  229 
 sons  of,  heirs  to  throne,  de- 
tained by  Bafransa,  i.  244  et  seq. 
Kalibwani,  Stefano,  Protestant  chief, 

and  the  return  of  Mwanga,  i.  177 
Kampala,  I.B.E.A.  Fort,  i.  245,  ii.  29, 

81  ;  attack  on,  i.  175 
Kamrasi,  king  of  Bunyoro,  ii.  175 
Kamswaga,  king  of  Koki,  ii.  83,  192, 

193,  236  ;  teachers  invited  by,  ii. 

186 

Kamuhigi,  Rev.  J.,  ordained,  ii.  354 
KamuU,  visited,  ii.  319 
Kamwakabi,   Rev.  Samwili,  ii.  42, 

190;  ordained,  ii.  269 
Kanzu,  garment,  i.  357,  359,  ii.  293 
Kapongo,  chief  at  Nasa,  ii.  163-64 
Kartum,  fall  of,  ii.  179 
Kasagama,   king   of   Toro,  accusa- 
tion  of,    ii.    39 ;    acquittal  and 
baptism  of,  40,  50 

 visits  to,  ii.  41,  44,  49,  123,  127 

Kasaka,  persecutions  at,  ii.  45-46 
Kasubi,  Mutesa's  tomb  at,  i.  124 
Katikiro  of  Uganda,  see  Apolo  Kagwa 

 office  of,  control    desired  by 

Bafransa,  i.  266  ;  doubled,  i.  267, 
269,  270  and  note 
Katonda,  Lubare  deity,  i.  85 
Katwe,  ii.  129,  siege  of,  130 
Kavirondo,  i.  221,  ii.  210,  314.  341 
  Crabtree's  translations  into  lan- 
guage of,  ii.  316 

 Hannington  in,  i.  18 

 natives  of,  see  Wakavirondo 

Kaya  Giriama,  i.  354 
Kemp,  A.  W.,  ii.  269 
Kenia,  Mount,  i.  206,  208 
Khaled,  usurping  Sultan,  Zanzibar, 
ii.  60-61 

Kheri  Karibu,  slave-girl,  test  case  of, 
ii.  99-103 


Kibwezi,  Scotch  Industrial  Mission, 

i.  204,  ii.  15 
Kidong  Valley  {see  also  Rift  Valley), 

i.  210 

Kikoraa,  church  at,  ii.  276 
Kikuyu,  ii.  98,  106  ;  journey  through, 
i.  206-8 

 Forest,   Masai  raids  near,  ii. 

16 

Kikwabanga,  Rev.  Nuwa,  i.  80  ;  or- 
dained deacon,  ii.  55  ;  Weatherhead 
saved  by,  ii.  90 

Kilima,  hospitable  French  Fathers  at, 
i.  163 

Kilimanjaro,  Moimt,  i.  158,  163,  206; 
discovery  of,  i.  2 ;  mission  station 
on  (Mochi),  17,  161,  186  et  seq., 
natives  of,  i.  159 

Kilindini,  mission  to   freed  slaves, 

i.  289 

Kilimgu,  river  bed  march  at,  ii.  113 
Kimbugwe,  office  of,  ii.  194  ;  resigned 

by  Kakungulu,  ii.  277 
Kinakulya,  i.  274,  ii.  41  ;  mission 

at,  ii.  32,  46 
King's  School,  Budo,  ii.  330 
Kioga,  Lake,  swamps  of,  ii.  94 
Kirk,  Sir  John,  and  Zanzibar  treaties 

on  slave  trade,  i.  3,  ii.  67 
Kirua,  State  of,  i.  186 
Kisalizi,  visited,  ii.  174,  175-76,  177, 

322 

Kismayu,  slave  difficulty  at.  i.  166-67 

 slavery  abolished  in,  ii.  67 

Kisokwe  mission,  i.  24.  329. ;  ordina- 
tion at,  i.  59 
Kisumu,  railway  terminus,  ii.  286 
Kitaimba,  king  of  Bunyoro,  ii.  172- 

73  ;  baptism  of,  ii.  180 
Kitakwenda,  scenery  in,  ii.  248 
Kitching,  Rev.  A.  L.,  ii.  336 
Kivebulaya,  Apolo,  ii.  127,  139,  248  ; 

trial  of,  ii.  141  ;  tribute  to,  141-42 
Kiwavu,  Rev.  Josuwa,  deacon,  ii. 
200-1 

Kiwewa,  brief  rule  of,  i.  26,  27,  ii. 
229 

Kizito,  Rev.  Yosuja,  ordained,  ii.  269 
 Zakaria,  chief  of  Budu,  i.  109, 

ii.  232  ;  Kangao,  ii.  174 ;  ap- 
pointed co-regent  of  Uganda,  ii. 
84;  biography,  i.  112;  confirma- 
tion, i.  121  ;  made  lay  reader,  i.  112; 
ordained  deacon,  i.  236,  275 

Koki,  evangelisation  of,  ii.  186  et  seq. 

 Baganda  tcaclicrs  in,  236-37 

 mission  station  in,  ii.  32,  78,  83, 

192 

 scenery  in,  ii.  237 

 visits  to,  ii.  192,  236,  323,  350, 

354 


INDEX 


379 


Kome  Island,  i.  301,  ii.  41,  160,  201, 
305 

Krapf,  Johann  Ludvvig,  work  of,  in 

East  Africa,  i.  1,  2 
— —  Mrs.,  grave  of,  i.  1,  2 
Kwa-Sakwa,  and  its  chief,  i.  215 
Kyag\ve,  mission,  i.  255,  272,  303, 

ii.  78,  175 

Land   tenure,    Uganda,  Johnston's 

settlement,  ii.  253  et  seq. 
Languages,  multiplicity  of,  in  Africa, 

ii.  214 

Lay  readers,  native,  i.  Ill,  112,  121, 

128,  232,  349,  354  ;  biographies,  i. 

Ill;     destruction     planned  by 

Mwanga,  i.  25 
Leakey,  Rev.  R.  H.,  ii.  28,  187  ;  on 

the     revival,"  i.  303 
Lewin,  H.  B.,  i.  32,  172  ;  on  mission 

work  in  Bwekula,  ii.  275 
Lilwa  river,  tree  bridge  over,  ii.  19  ; 

zebra  near,  i.  213 
Linant  de  Bellefonds,  Lieut.,  murder 

of,  i.  5,  6 
Livingstone,  Dr.,  on  slavery,  ii.  67 
 Robert,  servant  to  three  bishops, 

i.  54 

Lloyd,  A.  B.,  ii.  28.  32,  123,  128,  336  ; 
in  Acholi,  ii.  322  ;  on  Pilkington's 
death,  ii.  91 

Locusts,  famine  caused  by,  i.  324,  337 

Longonot,  volcano,  i.  210 

Lourdel,  M.,  Roman  Catholic  mis- 
sionary, i.  8,  9 

Luba,  Busoga  chief,  ii.  216-17 

Luba's,  mi.ssionaries  at,  u.  78,  89,  122, 
212  ;  siege  of,  ii.  87-94,  112,  114; 
visits  to,  ii.  35,  39,  217,  227 

Lubare  worship,  in  Busoga,  ii.  213, 
219  ;  in  Toro,  ii.  140  ;  in  Uganda, 
i.  12,  13,  84 

Lubiri,  Mwanga's  palace,  i.  248 

Luganda  language  (see  also  Tran-sda- 
tions).  ii.  212,  214,  234,  352 

Lugard,  Sir  F.,  i.  81,  250,  ii.  212  ;  in 
Uganda,  i.  100-1,  125,  173  ct  seq., 
249  ;  Sudanese  enlisted  by.  ii.  H6  ; 
treaty  secured  by.  i.  100,  101.  149 

Lugo,  native  catochist,  i.  319 

Lugalama  and  other  martyrs,  i.  15  ; 
bonos  found  and  ro-buriod,ii.  343  46 

Lukiko.  the  (Church  Council),  bo- 
ginning  of.  i.  20.  238-39;  work 
and  value  of,  i.  240,  25.5,  276,  ii. 
78,  118,  147 

 or  native  Parliament,  estab- 
lished, ii.  258-59 

 Bible  influence  on,  ii.  280-81, 

366;  revised  constitution,  ii.  258- 
59 


Lulembo,  capital  of  Nkole,  ii.  237,  239 
Lunyoro  language,  ii.  52,  233,  234  ; 

preferred  in  Toro,  352 
Lusoga  language,  ii.  212 
Luwero,  visited,  ii.  322 
Lwajali  river,  crossing  of,  ii.  320 
Lwaki,  Rev.  Isaka,  ordained,  i.  200 

Macdonald,  Captain,  i.  201,  214, 
277  ;  met  with,  205 ;  Sudanese 
troops  and,  i.  281-85,  ii.  87,  at 
siege  of  Luba's,  ii.  88  et  seq. 

  inquiry  by,  on  causes  of  war  of 

1892,  i.  244,  249 

Macdonald,  Dr.,  ii.  110 

 kindness  of,  ii.  59 

Macdonald,  Lieutenant,  killed  at 
Luba's,  ii.  93 

Machako's,  i.  205,  206,  ii.  16 

M'Gregor,  A.  W.,  of  Taveta,  i.  344 

Mackay,  Alex.,  i.  6,  7,  ii.  201 

  difficulties    of,    with  Roman 

Catholic  mission,  i.  8  et  seq. 

 industrial   training   given  by, 

ii.  153 

 Mwanga's  letter  to.  i.  27 

 ordered  to  quit,  i.  23 

  printing  press  of,  i.  254 

 teaching    of,    to    Mutesa  on 

slaves,  results,  i.  264 
  translational  work  of,  i.  11,  30, 

110,  113 

 on  languages,  ii.  215 

 on  Mengo  Church  Council,  i. 

238-.39 

 on  persecutions,  i.  15 

 on    women    missionaries  for 

C.  Africa,  i.  337-38 

 death  of,  and  tribute  to,  i.  30 

  grave  of,  i.  70,  71 

Mackay  and  Ashe,  Revs.,  letter  from, 

to  the  faithful  undar  persecution, 

i.  21 

Mackay,  Sombera,  native  Christian, 
i.  109.  biography,  112  ;  ley  reader, 

i.  Ill;  member  of  Lukiko,  i.  239  ; 
death  of,  i.  176 

Mackenzie,  O.,  of  I.B.E.A.,  and  the 
frooing  of  slaves  at  Rabai,  ii.  8,  9  ; 
kindness  of,  i.  138 

Mnckinncm  rf)ad.  the.  ii.  15 

Mackinnon,  Sir  W..  and  LB.E.A.  Co., 

ii.  4,  5,  6  ;  and  the  retention  of 
ITganda,  i.  144 

Maddox,  H.  E.,  ii.  98  ;  translation 

work  by.  ii.  353,  367 
Magila,  i.  17 
Mahoo,  see  Taveta 
"  Mailo,"  257 

Malindi,  visits  to.  1.  138.  290.  ii.  105 
Malony,  Captain,  death  of,  ii.  94 


380 


INDEX 


Mamboya  station,  i.  24  ;   visits  to, 

53,  57,  287,  325 
Mandara,  king  of  Chagga,  i.  17,  161 
Manners  and  customs  in  Uganda,  i. 

83  et  seq.,  96  et  acq. 
Maragote  station  founded,  ii.  341 
Marriage,  Christian,  i.  318-19 
Martyrs  of  Uganda,  i.  15,  21,  34,  123- 

4,  ii.  308-10 
 bones  found,  ii.  344,  reburied, 

346 

Masaba,  Bagishu  of,  ii.  278,  279,  315 

 incident  near,  ii.  315 

Masailand,  famine  in,  i.  212 

 Hannington  in,  i.  17 

Masai  tribe,  nomadic  habits  of,  i. 
212 

 raids  on  mails,  &c.,  i.  201,  202, 

204 

 ravages    in   Giriama,  i.   354  ; 

in  Kikuyu,  i.  207  ;  in  Usakuma, 
ii.  162 

 small-pox  among,  i.  207,  ii.  16 

 warriors,  meeting  with,  i.  211; 

present  life  of,  ii.  356 
Masindi,  capital  of  Btmyoro,  ii.  172  ; 

visited,  ii.  177,  180 
Matthews,  General  Sir  Lloyd,  ii.  2,  3, 

10  ;  kindness  of,  ii.  59 
Mau  escarpment,  i.  214-15 

 summit,  elevation  of,  ii.  20 

Maungu,  ii.  288  ;  dead  Basoga  at, 

289 

 scenery  at,  i.  155 

 Wateita  golgotha  near,  ii.  108 

Mayanja  swamp,  ii.   45  ;  martyrs' 

bones  near,  ii.  344 
Mazanza,  chiefs  at,  trouble  with,  i.  73 
Mbaguta,  Katikoro  of  Nkole,  ii.  240, 

250,  350 

Mbale,  visit  to  Kakungulu  at,  ii.  316 

Mbaruk  of  Mwele,  ii.  2 

Mboga,  visited,  ii.  135-39,  how  Chris- 
tianised, 139  e.t  seq. 

Mbogo,  Mohammedan  chief,  i.  283  ; 
captured,  ii.  86  ;  after  life,  280-81, 
342 

Mcharomo  River,  i.  330,  335 
Medical  missions,  ii.  156,  271-72 

 Cook's,  founded,  ii.  157  ;  value 

of,  i.  141 

 history  of,  in  Uganda,  ii.  363-4 

Medical  training,  value  of,  to  mis- 
sionaries, i.  49 
Medicine  men,  the,  in  Nkolo,  ii.  231, 
240 

Moli,  kingof  Chagga,  visited,  i.  161-62 

 German  attack  on,  i.  186  .S7 

Meliare,  cliief  of  Mernngu,  visited, 
i.  163 

Mengo,  arrival  of  Tucker  at,  i.  82 


Mengo,  cathedral  church  at,  i.  109, 
ii.  361  ;  rebuilt,  i.  181-83,226; 
blown  down,  ii.  33 ;  rebuilt  of 
brick,  ii.  282  et  seq.,  337,  338-40, 

 Church  Council,  sec  Lukiko 

 diamond  jubilee  celebrations  at, 

ii.  81 

 fighting  at  (1892),  i.  174  ct  seq. 

 ■  High  School,  ii.  328,  330,  343 

 memorable  Easter  baptism  at, 

i.  179 

 mission  hospital  opened  at,  ii. 

80  ;  new  hospital  at,  ii.  270-72, 
342  ;  destroyed  by  lightning,  ii.  301 

 mission  premises  at,  1890,1.  107 

 missionary   conference    at,  ii. 

202-5 

 missionary  reinforcements  at, 

1893,  ii.  28-9 

  notable  Trinity  Sunday  at,  ii.  55 

 welcome     at,      to  returned 

Katildro,  ii.  300-1 
Menzies,  Rev.  — ,  at  Freretown,  i.  4 
M.  rangu,  i.  162,  163-64 
Mgunda  Mkali  forest,  i.  6,  66-69,  135. 

287 

Ministry,  native,  essentials  in,  233-38 ; 

first  seven  chosen,  235-36 
Mika  Sematimba,  member  of  Lukiko, 

i.  239 

Millar,    Rev.    Ernest,   ii.    78,  112; 

ordained  priest,  i.  275 
 with  the  Katikiro  in  England, 

ii.  297  et  seq.  ■ 

 work  in  claims  registration,  ii. 

269 

 on  Baganda  eagerness  for  books, 

i.  231-32 
Mirambo  of  Unyamwezi,  i.  161 
Miro,  chief  of  Iganga,  ii.  222 
Miro's,  ii.  33  ;  missionaries  at,  ii.  78 
Mission  to  Uganda,  founded,  i.  5 ; 
history,  passim,  summaries  of  work 
of,  i.  306-16,  ii.  355  et  seq. 
 difficulties  with  Roman  Catho- 
lic missionaries,  i.  8,  11,  12,  25,  27- 
30,  102-3,  115-18,  172,  176,  244  et 
seq.,  266-<i9 
Missionaries,  relations  of,  with  home 
Governments,  Tucker's  view,  i.  196 

 with  native  churches  {see 

also  Constitnlioii),  i.  114,  241 

 in  relation  to  politics,  specially 

in  Uganda,  i.  125-28,  179-80,  251, 
265,  ii.  8!) ;  Times  correspondent 
on,  i.  252,  270,  271,  285 

 trials  of,  the  chief,  i.  321 

 in  Uganda,  (iovernnient  refusal 

of  responsibility  for,  i.  194  et  seq.  ; 
memorial  from,  on  Slavery  in  Coast 
districts,  ii.  70 


INDEX 


381 


Missionaries  in  Upanda,  French  {see 

Bafransa,  French  missionaries,  and 

Roman  Catholic) 
Missionary  spheres,  impossibility  of 

limiting,  i.  268-tl9 
 the,  true  attitude  of,  to  native 

Christians,  i.  241,  ii.  148,  and  see 

Constitution 
Missions,  Christian,  first  work  of,  i. 

108  ;    ideal,  i.  lOG-7  ;  sustaining 

motive  of,  i.  14 
Mitate,  scenery  near,  i.  157 
Mitiana,  in  Singo,  mission  work  at, 

i.  272-73  ;  visits  to,  ii.  45.  54,  124  ; 

church  at,  dedicated,  ii.  270 
Mizanza,  caravan  destroyed  near,  i. 

61-02  ;   risks  to  Tucker's  party, 

63-04 

Mkunazini,  U.M.C.A.  Station, 
Tucker's  illness  at,  i.  333 

Mochi  mission,  i.  164,  344 ;  diffi- 
culties at,  i.  180 ;  removed  to 
Taveta,  i,  190 

Moffat,  Dr.,  i.  259 ;  at  Kibwezi 
mission,  i.  204 

Mohammed  bin  Said,  Sultan  of 
Zanzibar,  death  of,  ii.  60 

Mohammedan  chiefs,  Uganda,  hos- 
tility of,  i.  26.  90.  173,  280,  284-8.5, 
u.  97,  229  ;  defeat  of,  i.  28.  284-85  ; 
territory  claimed  by,  i.  280 

 revolt,  in  Bus.ign,  ii.  85 

Mohammedanism,  influence  of,  in 
Uganda,  i.  84,  87-91 

Mombasa,  described,  i.  36  ;  end  of, 
I.B.E.A.  rule  at,  ii.  4-10 

 freed  slave  settlement  at.  i.  3,  4 

 Hannington  Memorial  Church 

at,  ii.  99 

 Hannington-Parker  Church  at, 

i.  198 

 hospital  at,  i.  141.  166,  290 

 judicial  controversy  at,  i.  318 

 mission  hall  at,  i.  342.  ii.  02 

 mis.sionary  work  at.  passim 

 new  mission  organised  at,  i.  1 53, 

106 

Mombasa  and   the   coaat  districts, 

slave  question  in,  ii.  64  et  scq. 
Moral  aapect  of  Uganda,  i.  83.  98 
Morris.  Mr.,  i.  31 1 
Motor  cars  in  Uganda,  ii.  357 
Mpindi's.  work  at.  ii.  253 
Mpologoma  swamp,  ii.  313-4 
Mpuku  river,  crossing  of.  ii.  134 
Mpwapwa   mission   station,    i.    54  ; 
foundation  of.  i.  6  ;  I'rico  at.  i.  327 
et  acq. 

 vicissitudes  of.  i.  58  ;  visited, 

i.  136.  287.  ii.  58 
Mruli  fort,  ii.  175,  176.  177 


Mto-mawe  camp,  i.  53.  ii.  59 
Mto-mawe  River,  see  Rocky  River 
Mtoto  Ndi.  march  to,  i.  203 
Mudeka,  Rev.  Nasanieri,  ordained, 

ii.  55  ;  work  of,  ii.  265 
Mugema.  the,  ii.  231  and  note 
Mugwanya,  Katikiro  of  Budu,  ii.  191  ; 

Regent  in  Uganda,  ii.  84 
  at  opening  of  High  School,  ii. 

343 

Mukasa,  Ham,  visit  of,  to  England, 
ii.  297  ;  account  by,  of  the  corona- 
tion. 298 

Mukasa.  Rev.  Henry,  ii.  196  ; 
ordained,  ii.  28,  55 

Mukasa.  SaniwiH,  chief  of  Kisetala, 
ii.  174 ;  letter  from,  ii.  27  ;  or- 
dained, ii.  55 ;  member  of  Lukiko, 
i.  239 

Makasa  Yusufii,  work  of,  ii.  165 
Mumia's  and  its  chief  visited,  i.  215- 
17,  ii.  25 

 remains  of  Hannington  re- 
moved from,  i.  216-19 

 revolting  Sudanese  at,  repelled 

by  Tomkins,  ii.  87,  114 

Munyaga,  Robert,  martyr,  i.  21 

Munyonyo,  i.  81 

Murchison  Falls,  the,  ii.  337 

Musa  Gyabuganda.  i.  302.  303 

Music,  Baganda  delight  in,  i.  98  ; 
instruments  of.  i.  85 

Muscat,  Sultan  of,  treaty  on  Slavery 
with.  ii.  67 

Musoke,  Rev.  Batolomayo.  Protes- 
tant chief,  i.  177  ;  ordained,  ii.  55 

Mutakyala.  Rev.  Yairo,  i.  55  ; 
ordination  of,  i.  230,  275 

Mutanda  Busoga  chief,  ii.  201 

M'ltesa,  king  (Kabaka)  of  Uganda, 
relations  of,  with  missionaries,  i.  7, 
8,  11  ;  change  of  religion  by,  13; 
envoys  sent  by,  to  England,  i.  14; 
fame  of,  i.  101  ;  Mackay's  teaching 
of,  as  to  slaves,  i.  264  ;  Mwanga's 
estimate  of,  i.  1 80 ;  punishments 
bv,  ii.  34;  death  of.  i.  14;  tomb 
of.  at  Kasubi.  i.  124 

Muyinda.  Rov.  Aloni.  ordnino<l,  ii.  269 

Muzito,  Bugaya  chief,  ii.  36 

Mwaiba  Mission,  i.  354 

Mwanga.  king  of  Uganda,  accession 
of.  i.  14,  15  ;  persecutions  by, 
i.  14.  15.  21  el  scq.  ;  Hanninirton's 
death  dun  to.  i.  19  ;  Walker 
ntlniittod  by.  i.  24  ;  driven  from 
his  throne,  i.  25,  ii.  229  ;  escape 
of.  letter  to  Mackay.  1.  27.  letters 
to.  from  Tucker,  i.  41,  from  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar,  i.  45;  relations 
with   I.B.E.A.  Co.,  29,  30;  signs 


382 


INDEX 


Lugard's  treaty,  i.  101  ;  visits  to, 
of  Tucker,  i.  103,  128  ;  flight  of, 
to  Budu,  i.  172  ;  preceding  events, 
i.  174,  175  ;  return  of,  to  Mengo, 
i.  177  ;  refused  baptism  by  mis- 
sionaries, i.  179  ;  heirs  detained  by 
Bafransa,  i.  244  et  seq.,  letter  of, 
on  this  topic,  247  ;  at  re-inter- 
ment of  Hannington,  i.  227-28  ; 
letter  from,  at  Ngogwe,  ii.  27  ; 
birth  of  son  to,  ii.  79-80  ;  attends 
Diamond  Jubilee  celebrations,  ii.jy^ 
revolt  of,  and  fliglit,  ii.  81,  to  Ger- 
riians,  84,  188,  to  Kabarega,  94, 
95,  117,  172;  capture  of,  ii.  194, 
199  ;  after  life,  baptism,  and  death 
of,  ii.  200 
Mwanza,  Mwanga  a  prisoner  at,  ii.  84, 
85,  188 

Mwira,  Rev.  Yokana,  lay  reader  and 
chief,  i.  113  ;  ordained,  236,  275 

Naboa,  Elgon  seen  from,  ii.  314 
Nabumale,  Bagishu  of,  ii.  278 
Nairobi,  ii.  113 

Naivasha,  Lake,  i.  209,  210,  ii.  18 
Nakanyonyi,  visits  to,  ii,  201,  270, 
311 

Nakiwafu,  Rev.  Nuwa,  deacon,  ii. 
200,  201 

Nakuru,  Lake,  zebra  near,  i.  213 

Nalinya,  the,  i.  124 

Namasole,  the,  of  Toro,  ii.  49,  51  ; 

importance  of,  52 
Namirembe    Hill,    Mengo  mission 

station  founded,  i.  28  ;     a  great 

service  at,  ii.  29-30 

  new  church  on,  i.  181,  226 

 re-interment    of  Hannington 

on,  i.  227-28  ;    Tucker's  address, 

228-30 

 school  on,  ii.  152 

Nandi,  revolting  Sudanese  at,  ii.  87 

 country,  risks  in,  ii.  20 

Nasa,  mission  at,  i.  24,  286,  ii.  78  ; 

church  and  schools  at,  165,  167  ; 

death   at,    of  Nickisson,   ii.    57  ; 

visits  to,  i.  72,  ii.  159 
Natete,  Mohammedan  head-quarters, 

i.  283 ;  mission  at,  ruined,  i.  28 
Naval  courtesies,  i.  43,  44,  46,  137, 

193 

Ndalake,   chief  of    Kasaka,  perse- 
cutor, ii.  45 
Ndeje,  ii.  273,  311,  322;  dedication 

of  church  at,  ii.  201 
Nelson,  Captain,  tribute  to,  i.  207 
Nera,  mutiny  of  porters  at,  i.  133 
Ngogwe,   letters  received    at,  from 
Mwanga,  ii.  26-27  ;    from  Samwili 
Mukasa,  ii.  27-28 


Ngogwe,  ordination  at,  ii.  35  ;  school 

at,  ii.  152 

 visited,  ii.  35,  115,  216,  273 

  women  missionaries  welcomed 

at,  ii.  25 

Ngonyo's  village,  slavery  at,  i.  356 
Nickisson,  Mr.,  death  of,  ii.  57-58 
Nikoderao,  head  of  Lukiko,  i.  129  ; 

at  Busagala,  i,  239 

 cliief  of  Kazi,  ii.  189 

Nile,  the,  i.  222,  298,  ii.  178,  319; 

falls,  i.  223,  ii.  337  ;  swamp  of,  ii. 

311 

"  Nineteen    hundred  "    an  epoch- 
making  year,  ii.  253  et  seq. 
Nkole,  Christian  refugees  at,  i.  27,  34, 
112,  ii.  239  et  seq. 

  Christianisation  of,  ii.  231  et  seq. 

 described,  ii.  232 

 king  of,  see  Kahaya,  and  Ntale 

 people  of,  see  Banyankole 

 visited,  ii.  232  et  seq.,  348,  350 

Ntale,  king  of  Nkole,  ii.  230,  287 
Nviri  Bulange,  Industrial  Mission  at, 

ii.  263-64 
Nyanza  Mission,  staff  of,  ii.  76-77 
Nzoi,  Macdonald  met  at,  i.  203 

Ojigi,  Acholi  chief,  ii.  332 
O'Neill,  Mr.,  fate  of,  i.  7,  70 
Opedi,  ii.  143 

Ornaments,  Acholi,  ii.   333  ;  Waki' 

kuyu,  i.  208  ;  Wasukuma,  ii.  165 
Owin,  Acholi  chief,  ii.  335 

Pauncefokte,  Sir  Julian,  despatch 

on  runaway  slaves,  ii.  64 
Parker,  Bishop,  consecration  and  work 

in  Uganda,  i.  23  ;  death,  i.  24-25 ; 

grave,  i.  70,  72 
Parker,  W.  E.,  missionary,  ii.  62 
Patigo,  mission  at,  ii.  334,  336 
Pease,  J.  A.,  m.p.,   and  slavery  in 

East  Africa,  ii.  72 
Perrin,  Miss,  i.  311 
Persecutions  by  Mwanga,  i.  6,  15,  20, 

21.  Ill,  123-24,  275,  344,  346,  ii. 

200-1 

Peters,  Dr.  Carl,  i.  186  ;  treaty  made 

by,  with  Mwunga,  i.  28 
Phillips.  C.  J.,  ii.  269 
Picktliall,  Mrs.,  missionary,  ii.  62 
Piggott,  Mr.,  ii.  13 
Pike,  Miss,  ii.  353 

  Rev.  A.  J.,  ii.  28,  32,  54,  78 

Pilgrim,   Miss,   ii.    11,   80;  skilled 

nurse,  15 

Pilkington,  G.  L.,  missionary  life  of, 
i.  35,  76,  236,  273,  ii.  17.  18,  62, 
80,  89;  in  Koki,  187,  189;  help 
asked  by,  ii.  83 


INDEX 


383 


Pilkington,  G.  L.,  spiritual  struggles 

of,  i.  300-3 

 teachers  sent  out  by,  i.  304-5 

 translational   work  of,  i.  110, 

112,  113,  232,  ii.  18,  93,  367 
 visit  to  Mwanga,  on  baptism,  i. 

180  ;  death,  ii.  18,  104 
— - —  monument  to,  ii.  284 

 tribute  to,  ii.  93-94 

 on  work  in  1894,  i.  306 

Polygamy,  Arab  arguments  on,  i.  1 1 
Portal,  Captain  Raymond,  i.   259 ; 

death,  274  :  grave,  277 
Portal,  Sir  Gerald,  Special  ^Mission  of. 

to  Uganda,  i.  250,  258  et  aeq.,  277  ; 

report  of,    293,   295  ;   results,  ii. 

296,  ii.  42,  86,  359 
 conference  with,  and  with  Hirth, 

i.  266  et  seq. 
 correspondence  with,   i.    273  ; 

on  Government   decision  not  to 

afford  protection  to  missionaries 

in  Uganda,  i.  194-98  ;  on  retention 

of  Uganda,  i.  190-1)3,  260-01  ;  on 

withdrawal  of  Mochi  Mission,  i. 

187-89 

 missionary    influence  enlisted 

by,  i.  265-66 

 death  of,  i.  278,  295 

 on  Uganda  sunsets,  i.  93 

Porters,  difficulties  with,  i.  135,  214- 

15,  ii.  20  ;  replaced  by  railway,  ii. 

290 

Postal  system,  Uganda,  ii.  119,  357 
Prayer,  a  girdle  of,  i.  130 

 weeks  of,  ii.  171,  347 

Price,  Rev.  J.  C,  of  Mpwapwa,  i.  24, 

59,  136,  325  ;  heroism  and  death,  i. 

327-28,  335 

 on  famine  in  Usagara,  i.  33'>-37 

Price,  Rev.  W.  S.,  ii.  91,  and  Frere- 

town,  i.  3,  4  ;  on  freeing  of  slaves 

at  Rabai,  ii.  9 
Princes,  difficulty  about,  i.  244,  268 
Protestant  chiefs,  slaves  freed  by, 

i.  261  et  aeq. 

Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic 
missions  compared,  i.  102-3 

Protestants  (see  also  Hangereza), 
position  of,  in  Uganda,  i.  173  et  seq. 

Purvis,  Rev.  J.  B.,  ii.  1 1,  154 

Pygmy  catechumen  at  Mboga,  ii.  142 

Radai,  attacked  by  Mbanik,  ii.  2 
 church    at,    chief    builder  of, 

ii.  8 

 founded,     i.     2,  Rebmann's 

labours  at,  i.  3 

 ordination  at,  ii.  62-ti3 

 slaves  at,  freed  by  I.B.E.  A.  Co., 

ii.  7-9 


Rabai,  visits  to,  i.  141,  290,  342,  ii. 
14,  62 

Railway,  see  Uganda  railway 
Rainfall  of  Uganda,  i.  93 
Rainy   season,    Acholi   country,  ii. 
334 

Rakai,  missionaries  at,  ii.  236 
Rakeri,  heroine  of  sleeping  sickness, 

11.  308 

Ramsay,  Miss  A.  Wardlaw,  i.  311 
Raschid,  Liwali  of  Takaungu,  ii.  1 
Rattrav,  Dr.,  ii.  11,  15,  21,  57,  58, 
157,  363 

Rawson,    Admiral    Sir    H.,    ii.    3  ; 

bombards  Zanzibeu",  ii.  60-61 

 destroys  Mwele,  ii.  2 

  visits  Rabai,  ii.  14 

Rebmann,    John,    missionary  work 

and  journeys  of,  i.  2,  3 
Regents,  for  infant  Kabaka,  ii.  84 
Religions     (superstitions)     of  the 

Bagishu,  ii.  279  ;   in  Bunyoro,  ii. 

173  ;  in  Busoga,  ii.  36,  38 
Religions  in  Uganda,  see  Christianity, 

Lubare,  Mohammedanism,  Roman 

Catholicism 
Rest  day  and  Rest  month,  Uganda, 

i.  84 

Ribc,  runaway  slaves  at,  freeing  of 

by  I.B.E. A.,  ii.  7-9 
Rift,  or  ICidong  Valley,  i.  210,  ii.  114, 

288 

Ripon  Falls,  scenery  at,  i.  223 
Robinson,  Miss,  ii.  269 ;  escape  of,  ii. 
324 

Robson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  311 

"  Rocky  River,"  i.  325,  332 

Rodd,  Rennell  (Sir),  action  of,  at 
Zanzibar,  ii.  60 

Roman  Catholic  missionaries  ami 
natives,  Uganda  (see  Bafransa), 
policy  of,  and  its  results,  i.  8,  11, 

12,  25,  27-30,  102-3,  115-18,  172, 
176,  244  et  seq.,  266-(.9 

Roscoe,  Rev.  J.,  i.  236,  ii.  28,  56,  57, 
98,  187,  212  ;  ordained  pri.-st.  i. 
275  ;  and  others  during  Sudanese 
Mutiny,  i.  281-85;  on  the  "re- 
vival," i.  303 

Rosebery,  Earl  of,  views  of,  on  Pro- 
tectorate, i.  295-96 

Rowling,  Rev.  F.,  ii.  212  ;  ordained 
priest,  ii.  35  ;  translational  work 
of,  ii.  367 

Rubaga  Hill,  fight  at.  i.  283 

Rubeho  Pa.ss.  i.  58,  331 

Ruwenzori,  Mount,  journeys  on,  ii. 
129  ft  seq. 

 views  of.  ii.  47,  48—19,  248 

/?iM(v  ruor)',  mission  launch,  ii.  123,  159, 
160,  168 


384 


INDEX 


Saadani,  i.  47,  50 

Sabaki  river,  i.  166,  354 

Sadler,  Colonel  J.  Hayes,  Commis- 
sioner, ii.  301-2  ;  tribute  to,  332 

Sagalla,  Wray's  work  at,  ii.  107-8 

Salisbury,  Marquis  of  (the  late),  re- 
lations of,  with  I.B.E.A.  Co.,  ii. 
4  et  seq. 

 views  of,  on  Slavery  in  British 

East  Africa,  ii.  70  ;  on  retention  of 
Uganda,  i.  147  ;  on  suggested 
entry  of  Germany  to  Uganda,  i.  192 

Samwili  Mukasu,  member  of  Lukiko, 
i.  239 

Sayid  Ali  bin  Sayed,  Sultan  of 
Zanzibar,  letter  from,  to  Mwanga, 

i.  45,  104 

Scott,  Mr.,  at  Luba's,  ii.  87,  death 
of,  122 

Sebwato,  Nikodemo.  confirmed,  i. 
121  ;  ordained,  i.  236,  275  ;  offices 
of,  i.  255  ;  political  aid  of,  ii.  230  ; 
ruler  of  Kyagwe,  invitation  of,  to 
missionaries,  i.  255  ;  tribute  to,  ii. 
26 

Sedulaka,  Zabuna  Makwata,  of 
Mboga,  ii.  139,  148  ;  tribute  to, 
141-42 

Sekibobo,  the,  of  Uganda,  i.  224 
Selim   Bev,    mutiny   of,  i.  281-84  ; 

death  of,  ii.  86-S7 
Selim,  chief  of  Takaungu,  death  of, 

ii.  1 

Sematimba,  Mika,  lay  reader,  i.  Ill, 

ii.  20;  biography,  112;  member  of 

Lukiko,  i.  23!) 
Semfuna,  Rev.  Tomasi,  ii.  172,  180, 

187  ;     biography    of,    ii.    200-1  ; 

member  of  Lukiko,  i.  239 

 ordination  of,  i.  236,  ii.  200 

Semler,  Rev.  Ishmael,  native  pastor 

at  Freretown,  i.  16,  38 
Semliki  Forest,  ii.  136;  pygmies  of, 

at  Mboga,  ii.  142 
 river,  ii.  135,  136  ;  crossing  of, 

138 

 valley,  hot  springs  in,  ii.  137-8 

Sentries,  how  kept  awake,  i.  203 
Sere,  Rev.  A.,  ordained,  ii.  354 
Sorengete  plains,  i.  157,  158  ;  liords 

of  game  and  ostriches  on,  ii.  108-9 
Seruwanga,  martyr,  i.  15 
Sese  Islands,  French  mission  on,  i. 

131  ;  difficulties  with,  i.  116,  217 

 Mwanga's  flight  to,  i.  27 

 scenery  of,  ii.  80,  234-35 

  visits  to,  ii.  195-96 

Seychelles  Islands,  death  of  Mwanga 

in,  ii.  200 
Seyd  Biirghash,  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 

and  the  slave  trade,  i.  3,  ii.  07 


Sezibwa  river,  ii.  320 
Shaw,  Downes,  i.  16 
Sliimba,  visits  to,  i.  184 
Siegal,  Lieut.,  and  the  Wagogo,  i.  62, 
63 

Sinclair,  Mr.,  and  Harmington  Memo- 
rial Church,  ii.  99 

Singo,  country,  i.  267-OS 

— —  mission  station  in,  i.  270,  272-74, 
ii.  48,  78 

  use  of  native  teachers  in,  i.  304 

Sitwell,  Captain,  ii.  141 

Skeens,  Rev.  S.  R.,  ii.  221;  ordained 
priest,  ii.  200 

Slavery  and  the  Slave  trade,  in  Coast 
districts  and  Uganda,  i.  3,  9,  89, 
264,  279,  356,  ii.  64-(i6  ;  abohtion 
decided  on  by  Uganda  chiefs,  i. 
201-(-3  :  history  of,  ii.  66  et  seq., 
test  case,  ii.  99  et  aeq.,  Uganda 
railway  as  affecting,  i.  299,  ii.  298- 
Oi) 

Slave{s),  free  girl  claimed  as,  i.  166-f  8 

 freed,  chief's  son,  ii.  237,  244- 

■J5;  settlements  of,  at  Freretown, 
q.v.,  i.  3  ;  at  Kilindini,  i.  289 

 runaway,    Britisli  declaration 

on,  ii.  72  ;  freed  by  I.B.E.A.  Co., 
ii.  7-9  ;  problem  of,  ii.  64,  71 

Slave-worn  m,  incident  of,  Ibanda, 
ii.  246-48 

Sleeping  sickness,  causes,  course, 
ravages,  symptoms,  treatment,  <Sre., 
ii.  303  et  sr.q.,  effect  on  the  Church, 
ii.  307  ;  a  heroine  of,  ii.  308-10 

Smith.  Dr.,  death  of,  i.  7,  168 

 Colonel  Eric,  C.B.,  i.  171-72, 

245 

 •  Colonel  (Sir)  C.  Euan,  i.  141. 

ii.  9,  64  ;  action  of,  as  to  slavery,  ii. 

67  ;  and  wife,  hospitality  of,  i.  40, 
"■  44 

 F.  C,  i.  221,  311,  ii.  211-12 

 Rev.   A.  G.   and  wife,  i.  43; 

of  Jiloro,  i.  138,  140 

 Shergold,  i.  6  ;  fate  of,  7 

Smythies,  Bishop,  deatli  of,  i.  317 
Social  aspects  of  Uganda,  i.  83  et  seq., 

98 

Somali  chiefs,  and  slave  traffic,  i. 
166-(i8 

Spiritual  experience,  varieties  of,  i. 
119-20 

Stanley,  Sir  H.  M.,  visit  of,  to  Uganda, 
and  its  results,  i.  5,  6,  34,  ii.  50, 
230 

Steamers  on  Victoria  Nyanza,  ii.  280, 
291,  341 

Stoggall,  Rev.  A.  G.,  i.  159,  186  et 

seq.,  344 
Stock,  Eugene,  ii.  297 


INDEX 


385 


Stokes,  Charles,  well-known  trader, 
aid  from,  as  to  journey,  i.  38,  40-4 1, 
47  ;  carriers  of,  murdered,  i.  62,  03  ; 
influence  of,  with  natives,  i.  04, 
134 ;  Usongo,  head-quarters  of, 
i.  69 

Sudanese    in    Uganda,  diflBculties 

caused  by,  i.  243,  260-61,  280-81  ; 

the  mutiny,  282,  ii.  18,  86  et  eeq.  ; 

quelled,  284-85,  ii.  122 
Sugden,  Rev.  H.  R.,  i.  305 
Sunsets   and   sunrises   of  Uganda, 

beauties  of,  i.  92 ;   Portal  on,  i. 

92-93 

Superstitions,  see  Religions 
Swahili  caravan,  raided  by  Wateita, 
i.  165 

  language,  drawbacks  to,  ii.  215, 

216 

Swamps,i.  92,  ii.  47,  51,  55,  94,124-25, 
313 

Synod  of  Uganda,  ii.  348 

Tabalo,  chief  of  Mboga,  ii.  139,  con- 
verted, 140 
Tabingwa's,  chief's  wives  at,  ii.  223-25 
Tabora,  i.  69 

Takaungu,  rebellion,  ii.  1,  2,  13 
Taro  water-holes,  i.  154,  344,  ii.  107, 
288 

Taveta,  Mochi  mission  withdrawn  to, 

i.  190  ;  station  at,  i.  344,  events 
at,  346-49 

  visit  to  by  rail,  ii.  108  ;  new 

church  at,  110,  111;  British 
officials  at,  1 10 

Taveta  forest,  i.  157,  158-59,  160 

Taylor,  Miss,  ii.  62,  80 

Taylor,  Rev.  W.  E.  (and  wife),  i.  4, 
16,  289,  354 

  on  Giriama,  i.  353-55 

Tegart,  Rev.  H.  W.,  ii.  62 

  ordained  priest,  ii.  170 

  sends  missionaries  to  Bwekula, 

ii.  274 

Teita,  visits  to  and  work  at,  i.  17, 
343,  350 

Teita  Hills,  scenery  near,  i.  155-56 
Teita-Ukambani,  famine  in,  i.  16 
Ternan,     Colonel,     ii.     174  ;  and 

Mwanga's  revolt,  ii.  83,  188 
Telegraph  introduced  into  Uganda, 

u.  357 

Thomsett,    Miss,    ii.    11,    86,  152; 

skilled  nurso,  15 
Thruston,  Major,  at  siege  of  Luba's, 

ii.  87  ;  death,  89,  97,  122 
Time«  correspondent,  atMcngo,  i.  250, 

252  ;  and  the  missionaries,  253-54, 

205,  285 
Timpson,  Miss,  ii.  62,  80 

II 


Tobin,  Miss,  i.  290 

Tomkins,  Stanley,  Mumia's  saved  by, 

ii.  87,  114 
Toro,  geological  formation  in,  ii.  49 

 king  of,  ii.  351,  353 

  Medical  Mission  in,  ii.  364 

 mission  established  in,  ii.  50, 

51  e<  seq.,  78,  128  ;  statistics,  145 

 natives,  see  Batoro 

  troubles  in,  ii.  34,  39-40 

  visits  to,  ii.  44,  123,  245,  270, 

312,  348,  349,  351,  354 

 women  missionaries  in,  ii.  269 

Trade,  benefited  by  the  railway,  ii. 

290-91,  by  the  steamers,  292 
Translational  work,  i.  11,  30,  110,  113, 

215,  252,  ii.  18,  93,  204.  316,  351, 

367 

Travelling,  past  and  present,  ii.  356- 

57,  286,  288 
Treaties,  with  Sultan  of  Muscat,  on 

slavery,  ii.  67 
 with  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  on 

slavery,  ii.  67 
  with  Uganda,  see  I.B.E.  A.  Co.'s, 

Johnston's,     Lugard's,  Peters', 

Portal's 
Tsavo  river,  joys  of,  i.  200-1 
Tsetse  fly,  and  sleeping  sickness,  iL 

304-5 

Tucker,  Bishop,  consecration  of,  i.  31 ; 
subsequent  work  in  Uganda  and 
B.E.  Africa,  i.  31  e<  passim 

  catechism  compiled  by,  i.  256 

 at  C.M.S.  house,  with  Katikiro, 

ii.  297 

  correspondence    with  Portal, 

i.  187  et  seq.,  260 

  difficulties  of,  as  to  slaves  and 

slavery,  i.  166  et  seq.,  262;  ii.  64  et 
seq.,  case  of  Kheri  Karibu,  ii.  100 
et  seq.,  246-48 

  division  of  diocese  secured  by, 

ii.  73-74 

  efforts    to    formulate  Church 

constitution,  i.  115,  146  et  seq., 
202  et  seq.,  341,  348 ;  views  on 
church  government,  i.  114,  241 

 excerpts  from  diary  of,  i.  319- 

20,  ii.  11-13,  1(),  25  et  seq.,  237 

 first  journey  by  Uganda  rail- 
way, ii.  107 

 Hannington's    remains  found 

by,  i.  217,  and  re-buried,  227 

  home-work    of,    for  l^ganda, 

missionary  and  political,  i.  142et 
seq.,  293 

 interviews  with  Mwanga,  i.  103, 

106.  128 

 legal  controversy  of,  re  divorce, 

Mombasa,  i.  318 

2b 


386 


INDEX 


Tucker,  Bishop,  continued — 

  letters  to,  from  Mwanga,  ii.  27, 

from  S.  Mukasa,  ii.  27 
  letters  from,  on  Slavery  in  B.E. 

Africa,  ii.  69,  71 
    to    Capt.    Williams  on 

Bafransa  difficulties,  i.  251 
 to    Walker    on  Church 

Ck)uncil,  i.  240 
 meetings  of,  with  Emin  Pasha, 

i.  79,  132 

 pastoral  addresses,  letters,  and 

sermons  by,  i.  182,  ii.  9,  11,  74 
  on  Baganda  evangelists, 

ii.  77 

 on  death  of  Mrs.  Hooper, 

i.  293 

 on  education,  ii.  205 

 on  five  months'  work  in 

Uganda,  i.  279 
 on  reburial  of  Hannington, 

i.  228 

    on  the  situation  in  1898, 

ii.  121 

 on  women  missionaries,  i. 

347 

  share  of,  in  politics  of  Uganda 

(see  also  correspondence),  i.  105, 
142  et  seq.,  244  et  seq.,  226  et  seq., 
ii.  254  et  seq. 

Uganda,  see  also  Bafransa,  Baganda, 
Berkeley,  Hardinge,  I.B.E.A.  Co., 
Jackson,  Johnston,  Lugard,  Mac- 
donald,  IMissionaries,  Mwanga, 
Portal,  Roman  Catholics,  tfcc. 

  ias  affected  by  Anglo-German 

treaty,  42-43 

  British  political  relations  with, 

i.  42—13,  84,  91,  101,  248-49;  reten- 
tion question,  i.  142-45,  171,  190-£3 
et  seq.,  201,  260 ;  flag  hoisted, 
i.  201,  265,  295,  ii.  4,  10  :  ad- 
ministration formed,  i.  277,  295 

  troubles  with  Sudanese,  i.  280 

et  seq.  ;  Protectorate  discussed,  i. 
295,  ii.  4,  declared,  i.  276,  countries 
included  in,  ii.  356  ;  Mwanga's  re- 
volt, ii.  82  et  seq.  ;  present  king 
proclaimed,  ii.  84 ;  Sudanese  re- 
volt, ii.  86  et  seq.,  capture  of 
Mwanga,  ii.  198  ;  revision  of 
administration,  ii.  253  et  seq.,  some 
defects  in,  ii.  302 

  capital  and  labour  in,  96 

  cattle  disease  and  plague  in,  125 

  climate,  healthiness  of,  ii.  81 

  cotton  growing  in,  ii.  365 

  first  known  to  the  world,  3 

  history  of,  «ee  British  political 

relations  supra,  and  mission  infra 


Uganda,  justice  in,  ii.  135 

  mission  in,  of  C.M.S.,  founda- 
tion of,  i.  5,  history  of,  passim, 
summary  of  work  of,  i.  306-16, 
ii.  355  et  seq. 

  difficulties  with  Homan 

Cathohc  missionaries,  i.  8,  ii.  12, 
25,  27-30,  102-3,  115-18,  172,  176, 
244  et  seq.,  266-69 

  missionaries  and  politics  in,  i. 

179-80,  251,  265  ;  author's  view, 
125-:28  ;  Times  correspondent  on, 

i.  252,  270,  271,  285 

  moral,     social,    and  physical 

aspect  of,  i.  83,  et  seq. 

  native  church  in,  «ee  Constitu- 
tion, Lukiko,  Martyrs,  Mission 
Persecution,  cfcc,  and  passim 

  progress  in,  material,  &c.,  ii. 

118  et  seq. 

Uganda  Railway,  the,  cost,  history, 
prospects,  and  value  of,  i.  190, 
297-99,  ii.  98,  107,  253,  286  et  seq., 
295,  297-98  ;  scenery  and  scenes 
along,  ii.  288-90 

Ugogo  (see  also  Wagogo),  i.  61  ; 
famine  in  (1895),  ii.  32 

Ukambani,  i.  2,  205,  206 

Ukambani  mountains,  i.  155 

Ukerewe  Island,  missionaries  mur- 
dered in,  i.  70,  71,  ii.  7 

Ukerewe,  Lake,  2 

Universities  Mission  (see  also  Magila 
and  Mkumazini),  death  of  Bishop 
Smythies,  i.  317 

Unyamwezi,  i.  131;  famine  in  (1895), 

ii.  32 
Unyanguira,  i.  136 

Urima,  coimtry,  i.  69,  natives,  73 
Usagara,  famine  in,  i.  324—27,  336 

  mission  in,  i.  24 

  mission  (with  Nasa),  statistics 

of,  1890-94,  i.  316 
    transferred  to  Bishopric 

of  B.E.  Africa,  ii.  73-74 

  visited,  i.  322  et  seq. 

Usarabara,  i.  2 

Usarabiro  station,  i.  26,   122,  254, 

visited,  i.  71,  104 
Usongo,  i.  69,  134 

Usukuma,  cliaracter  of  country,  i.  69 
Usumau  natives,  shy  and  curious, 

i.  73 

Ututurii  Wolls,  i.  67 

Uwo,  Sheikh,  and  the  slave-girl,  iL 

100 
Uyui,  i.  24 

Verbi,  Mr.,  i.  344,  ii.  109,  110 
Victoria,  Queen,  Diamond  Jubilee  of, 

ii.  81  ;  death  of,  ii.  273 


INDEX 


387 


Victoria  Nyanza,  discovery  of,  i.  3,  5 

  first  missionaries  at,  i.  7 

  islands    (see    also    Sese,  <kc.), 

missionary    among,    ii.    41,    78  ; 

sleeping  sickness  in,  ii.  305 

  scenery  of,  i.  70,  222 

  voyages  on,  canoe,  i.  77,  131, 

285,  ii.  35  et  seq.,  159,  168,  189  ; 

steamer,  ii.  28G,  291,  341 
Vikitoria,   Lubuga  of  Bunyoro,  ii. 

180 

 ,  NamasoU    or  Queen-mother, 

Toro,  ii.  51,  52,  127 

Villages,  native,  sites  of,  i.  58 

Villiers,  Lieutenant,  i.  259 

Visitations,  episcopal  (passim),  de- 
ductions from,  ii.  349 

Voi,  ii.  98,  107 


Wadel.u,  Sir  S.  and  Lady  Baker  re- 
membered near,  ii.  336 

Wagiriama,  the,  i.  355  ;  Christians 
among,  i.  168;  drunkenness  among 

i.  169 

Wagogo,  the,  and  circumcision,  i. 
329 

Wakavirondo,  the,  i.  219 ;  peculi- 
arities of,  i.  220 
Wakikuyu,  the,  i.  207 
Wakitosh  rebellion,  suppression  of, 

ii.  24 

Wakoli,  Busoga  chief,  death  of,  i.  221, 
ii.  212 

Wakoii's,  drunken  chief  at,  i.  221-22 

 sleeping  sickness  at,  ii.  305 

Walker.  \  eii.  R.  H.,  i.  24,  25,  ii.  28, 
78;  escapes  of,  i.  179,  ii.  191  ;  and 
the  Lukiko,  i.  240  ;  appointed  Arch- 
deacon of  Uganda,  i.  288  ;  invalided 
ii.  270 ;  on  missionary  efforts  of 
Church  Council,  ii.  78-79 
Waluleta,  visited,  ii.  174 
Wamala,  Lake,  i.  274,  ii.  45 
Wamala,  Rev.    Yoeri,  ordained,  ii. 
269 

Wanandi,  massacre  by,  of  caravan 
at  Guaso  Jlasa,  ii.  19,  20,  22-23 

Wandengi,  friendly  Kikuyu  chief,  i. 
208 

Ward,  B.,  death  of,  i.  335 
Waaukuma,  the,  ii.  165  ;  canoes  of, 

i.  86 

  intellectual    inferiority    of,  ii. 

161-02 

Wateita,  the,  i.  156-67  ;  golgotha  of, 

ii.  108  ;  raid  by,  i.  164-15 
Watson,  Mr.,  killed  at  Luba's,  ii. 

122 

Weatherhead,  Rev.  H.  T.  C,  ii. 
269 


Weatherhead,  Rev.  H.  W.,  ii.  62,  80, 
216,  270,  329;  on  his  escape  from 
Luba's,  ii.  89-90 
West  (trader),  murder  of,  ii.  20 
Whitehouse,  A.  W.,  ii.  62 
Wigram,  Rev.  B.  E.,  ii.  62,  80 
Wild  animals  in  payment  of  hut  tax, 
ii.  265 

Williams,  Captain,  i.  176;  correspon- 
dence with,  as  to  negotiation  with 
Bafransa,  i.  251;  poUtieal  difficul- 
ties of,  i.  243  et  seq. 

Wilson,  Rev.  Allen,  in  Busoga,  ii.  216, 
221 

  C.  T.,  i.  6,  7,  14 

  George,  Acting  Commissioner, 

ii.    29,    81,   83,   341  ;  suppresses 

Busoga  revolt,  ii.  85-S6 
Wilson,  N.  A.,  at  Luba's,  ii.  87 
Wolfendale,  Dr.,  i.  50 
Women,  Baliima,  ii.  233 

  Bosoga,  chief's  wives,  ii.  223-25 

  status   of,    Lunyoro  speaking 

countries,  ii.  52 
 work  amongst,   at  Mengo,  L 

254 

Women   missionaries,    Mackay  on, 

i.  337-38 

  in  Mombasa,  i.  289 

  sphere  of,  i.  338-40 

  in  Uganda,  i.  340,  ii.  11,  25,  28, 

78,  80,  269,  331 
  educational  work  of,  iL  152, 

330-31 

Wood,  Rev.  A.  N.,  i.  24,  53,  57  ;  or- 
dained priest,  59 ;  on  famine  in 
Usagara,  i.  336 

  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  325 

Wulfrum,  Lieut.,  death  (if,  i.  187 
Wrav,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  of  Teita,  i.  17, 
1^)7,  342,  343,  351 

 at  Mombasa,  i.  289 ;  work  of, 

at  Sagalla,  ii.  107-8 
Wright,  Dr.  Gaskoin,  i.  311,  ii.  157, 
201,  363 

  Rov.  F.  H.,ii.  11, 164  ;  ordained 

priest,  ii.  58 
Wyatt,  Miss,  Jilore,  i.  292,  325,  ii.  2 


Zakariya,  Kizito,  member  of  Lu- 
kiko, i.  239 

Zanzibar,  bombarded  by  Rawson, 
ii.  60-61 

— —  British  protection  established 

over,  i.  42 
  visits  to,  i.  39,  40,    137,  184, 

318 

ZaTiziliar,  Bishop  of  (Dr.  Hino),  at 
Mongo,  ii.  343;  nt  lindintrof  martyr 
remains,  345 


388  INDEX 


Zanzibar,  Cathedral,  site  of,  ii.  67 

  Sultajiate,  slavery  in,  ii.  67 ; 

treaties  on,  i.  3,  ii.  67 

  Sultans   of   («ee   Abdul  Aziz, 

Mohammed  bin  Said,  Sayid  Ali  bin 
Sayed,  Seyd  Burgash),  gift  to 
C.M.S.  of  cocoa-nut  plantation,  i. 
141 


Zanzibar,  Sultan  of,  and  the  end  of 

the  I.B.E.A.  Co.,  ii.  10 
  present  Sultan  installed,  ii.  62, 

decrees  of,  on  slavery,  ii.  67,  68, 

17 

Ziba,  mission  station,   Kyagwe,  L 
255 

Ziwani.  ii.  17,  21 


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