There are two
lakes adjoining each other, one is Nerraa Bali, the other Sessi; both of
which are very large, and they are separated by a neck of land about a
day's march across.
"On the Sessi Lake the natives live on floating islands, and subsist by
fishing; exchanging their fish for flour, &c., upon the main land.
"There is a narrow water-communication through the neck of land or
isthmus, which can be passed through by a canoe in one day."
On the 5th June the envoys returned towards Uganda, having been highly
gratified with their visit. They had appeared much concerned at hearing
of poor Speke's death; and continued to exclaim for some minutes, "Wah!
Wah! Speekee! Speekee! Wah! Speekee!"
CHAPTER XXI.
TREACHERY.
For some days past, Kabba Rega had frequently sent his interpreters with
messages, that he wished to sell the ivory which he had collected for
the government. We had noticed on several occasions many people laden
with large elephants' tusks, who invariably marched towards the same
direction. The dragoman, Kadji-Barri, daily brought ivory for sale for
the account of his master; and exchanged tusks for all kinds of trifles,
such as porcelain cups and saucers, small musical boxes, &c., &c.
On 6th June, twenty-one tusks were purchased from the messengers of
Kabba Rega, and I thought that the young king was getting tired of his
sulky fit, and that we should be once more friends.
The supply of food was always a trouble. Every day was passed in
repeated applications to the authorities for supplies, which were at
length grudgingly bestowed.
On 7th June, there was nothing for the troops to eat. Although on 31st
May we had received twenty loads of corn, these were simply the long
narrow packages which are so neatly made of the plantain bark throughout
Unyoro, but which contain very little.
Several times during the day Lieutenant-Colonel Abd-el-Kader, together
with Monsoor, had been sent to the divan of Kabba Rega, to impress upon
his chiefs the necessity of a supply of food. They explained my great
annoyance, as this was precisely the result that I had foretold when
Kabba Rega had neglected to clear the ground for cultivation.
At about 3 P.M., the tall chief Matonse appeared, together with Umbogo,
and several natives, who carried five large jars of plantain cider.
These were sent to me from Kabba Rega, with a polite but lying message,
that "he much regretted the scarcity of corn; there was positively none
in Masindi, but a large quantity would arrive to-morrow from Agguse." In
the mean time he begged I would accept for the troops a present of five
jars of cider.
I declined to accept the present, as I did not require drink, but solid
food for the troops.
