swampy grass, at last we stood in front of
and overlooked the great king's palace, situated N. lat. 1 deg. 37' 43", and
E. long. 32 deg. 19' 49", on a low tongue of land between the Kafu and Nile
rivers. It was a dumpy, large hut, surrounded by a host of smaller ones,
and the worst royal residence we had seen since leaving Uzinza. Here
Kajunju, coming from behind, overtook us, and breathless with running,
in the most excited manner, abused Dr K'yengo's men for leading us on,
and ordered us to stop until he saw the king, and ascertained the place
his majesty wished us to reside in. Recollecting Mtesa's words that
Kamrasi placed his guest on the N'yanza, I declined going to any place
but the palace, which I maintained was my right, and waited for the
issue, when Kajunju returned with pombe, and showed us to a small, dirty
set of huts beyond the Kafu river--the trunk of the Mwerango and N'yanza
branches which we crossed in Uganda--and trusted this would do for the
present, as better quarters in the palace would be looked for on
the morrow. This was a bad beginning, and caused a few of the usual
anathemas in which our countrymen give vent to their irritation.

Two loads of flowers, neatly packed in long strips of rushpith, were
sent for us "to consume at once," as more would be given on the morrow.
To keep us amused, Kidgwiga informed us that Kamrasi and Mtesa--in fact,
all the Wahuma--came originally from a stock of the same tribe dwelling
beyond Kidi. All bury their dead in the same way, under ground; but the
kings are toasted first for months till they are like sun-dried meat,
when the lower jaw is cut out and preserved, covered with beads. The
royal tombs are put under the charge of special officers, who occupy
huts erected over them. The umbilical cords are preserved from birth,
and, at death, those of men are placed within the door-frame, whilst
those of women are buried without--this last act corresponding,
according to Bombay, with the custom of the Wahiyow. On the death of
any of the great officers of state, the finger-bones and hair are also
preserved; or if they have died shaven, as sometimes occurs, a bit of
their mbugu dress will be preserved in place of the hair. Their families
guard their tombs.

The story we heard at Karague, about dogs with horns in Unyoro, was
confirmed by Kidgwiga, who positively assured us that he once saw one
in the possession of an official person, but it died. The horn then was
stuff