re the interview took place, when the king again
asked for more presents, and even begged for the rings which he saw on
Grant's fingers, but without success. Speke had wished to take two of
the king's sons to be educated in England, but instead, he sent two
orphan boys, who, being both of the common negro breed, were so
unattractive in appearance that Speke declined receiving them. They had
been kept the whole time almost as prisoners, without being allowed by
the suspicious king to move about the neighbourhood, while no one had
been permitted to visit them. They were therefore thankful when at last
they persuaded the savage monarch to allow them to take their departure.
Canoes had been provided, and on the 9th of November they embarked in
one of them on the river Kuffo. Crowds were collected on the banks to
see them depart, shouting and waving adieus as they shot down the
stream. Among them was the only lady of rank they had seen, dressed in
yellow bark cloth, striped with black; she was flat-featured and plain.
Their canoes were formed of logs bound together.

Proceeding down the Kuffo, they entered, a few miles below Kamrasi's
residence, the White Nile, down which they floated four days to the
Falls of Karuma. The river had the appearance of a large lake, and
without a pilot they would have found it impossible to guess what
direction to take. It then assumed the appearance of a river a thousand
yards wide, covered with numberless moving and stationary islands,
amidst which hippopotami reared their heads. These islands were perfect
thickets of thorns, creepers, and small trees. Some went rolling round
and round, moved by the stream, which ran at the rate of a mile an hour.
Amidst them were seen the lofty papyrus, bending to the breeze, which
as they drove on, continually changing their relative positions, looked
like a fleet of felucca-rigged vessels.

On the third day, a strong breeze coming on, these floating islands
melted away or were driven on shore. They landed every evening to
sleep, having to push their way between a wide belt of reeds, rushes,
and convolvuli.

They passed some attractive scenery. In one place a hill rose eight
hundred feet above the water, and on the Kidi side the ground was
undulating and wild, covered with handsome trees, with flowering
creepers clinging to their boughs, now in rich bloom and presenting
every variety of colour.

The king having given his officers directions t