I had supplied him with clothes, and he looked quite
respectable in a blue shirt belted round the waist, with a
cartouche-pouch of leopard's skin, that had been given him by the people
of the zareeba. Umbogo carried a musket, and was altogether a very
important personage, although a slave.
The long march of twenty-one miles, through forest, along a rough and
narrow path, had delayed the carriers and the cattle. Although my men
had stepped along so briskly, the rear-guard did not arrive until the
evening. A tremendous downpour of rain deluged the ground. This was a
godsend to us, who were well housed and tented, as we caught a good
supply of water with the mackintosh camp-sheets that was very superior
to the contents of a small pool, which usually sufficed for the village
people.
I always travelled with a large sponging bath, which was one of the
household gods of the expedition. This was now full of pure rain water.
The value of this old friend was incalculable. In former years I had
crossed the Atbara river in this same bath, lashed upon an angareb
(stretcher), supported by inflated skins. Without extra flotation it
would support my weight, and it was always used when crossing a small
stream, assisted by two men wading, one of whom held it on either side
to prevent it from overturning. Thus we could travel without the
necessity of plunging into deep mud and water.
Such a utensil was invaluable for watering the horses; also for washing
clothes, or for receiving a supply of rain-water during a shower, from
the camp-sheets suspended above the bath.
The neighbourhood of Kisoona was very populous, but the villages were
all concealed in the forest, amidst vast groves of bananas.
There was a large tract of potato cultivation; a supply of these welcome
roots was with difficulty obtained from the natives.
It appeared to be a repetition of my former experience in this country,
which unpleasantly reminded me of the scarcity of food during my first
exploration of Unyoro.
On the following morning (12th April), when the horses were saddled and
we were ready to start, not a single native was forthcoming. Every man
of about 200 carriers had absconded!
"Although Rahonka had assured me, previous to starting from the river,
that food would be ready for the troops at every halting-place, nothing
has been prepared. We are thus left as much neglected as during my
former voyage in this detestable country. There is not one sheik with
us, although three principal chiefs were told off to accompany us to
Masindi. I therefore told our friend Pittia that I should not proceed
farther, as I would have nothing to do with so miserable a king as Kabba
Rega.
